Santa Buddies

One of those classic christmas movies I watch every year and more likely on christmas morning. It might be cheesy and feel like a low budget kids movie, but it got the right spirit! Rather watch this then any of Hallmarks christmas movies.

I didn't let my kids finish this. I thought it would be a fun, cute movie to ease us into the holiday spirit, but nearly all of the "jokes" rely on racism and other stereotypes. It was really creepy and uncomfortable.

Watched due to a policy we have of monitoring our kids' "free" viewing choice, a policy we are now reconsidering after sitting through this pile of dog snow. Basically there is no Christmas movie cliché that is not recycled, nor is there a script problem that can't be addressed with "magic blah blah blah". My wife and I did have a running discussion during the film, though, as to whether George Wendt was (a) drunk (b) deliberately trying to camp it up, or (c) channeling his worst high school play as the inspiration for his performance. There is some nostalgia value, though: Christopher Lloyd revives his "Jim" character from Taxi, at least we think that's what he's doing. The computer-animated reindeer reminded me of the talking Camels from the pre-1972 Camel cigarette ads. So, cynical adults, did the kids enjoy it? The six-year old got bored, at the end the nine-year old, whose choice it was, said, "my Christmas wish is that I had chosen another movie for my video time."

Some ok names in this relatively low budget christmas movie. It's actually not bad for young kids. But I couldn't get my head around the acting of Santa, it was so bad I assumed they ran out of money. I was surprised to see it was George Wendt. Anyway, switch this on for the kids and go wrap presents!

This movies is paws down in the top tier of talking dog movies. A timeless classic that will be on heavy rotation each and every holiday season. Don't waste another minute watching some trashy human try to explain the true meaning of christmas because these pups do it better, and with more heart than even high caliber performers like Tim Allen.