Annabelle's Wish

My mom bought this several years ago on VHS. I had never heard of it, but reluctantly watched it with her. Who knew a cartoon could be a tear- jerker? Now, several years later, I always ask if anyone has heard about it when people are talking about their favorite Christmas movies. I have never had someone say they have seen it! Netflix doesn't even carry it in their titles! If you can get your hands on a copy, watch it! It ranks right up there with 'It's a Wonderful Life', 'White Christmas', and 'A Charlie Brown Christmas' on my list! If you love animals it is a sure hit. Kids will love it, Parents will love it even more.

I just don't understand why more people don't know about it!

AnnaBelle's wish is still one of my absolute favorite Christmas Movies. It still makes me tear up! It is just as magical as it was for me as an 8 year old when I saw it the first time in 1997. It is a fun story of sorrow turning into joy, love, and sacrifice. It is an absolute joy to sit down with my children and watch this precious story again as an adult. A wonderful family film!

Let me just put into words the premise of this film:

Every year on Christmas, Santa throws magic dust onto animals. This dust gives the animals the ability to speak to humans for 3 days, but the animals are expressly forbidden to speak to any humans during that time. Why would he do this? Just to have a brief conversation with animals once a year? Why would he allow them to speak for 3 days, is that just the smallest amount of dust he could use? The animals can already communicate with each other fine. This isn't a gift; it is a curse. Being given a gift whose only purpose is prohibited from being used...that is torture.

Going on with the premise, the villain, Aunt Agnes, wants Billy to live with her instead of his uncle. She wants Billy to live with her because... she thinks he would make Christmas more fun.

There are other villains who are just bullies. Bullies who love to make fun of mute children. There isn't anything more to their characters, they are just the worst kids.

Oh, and Annabelle is a cow that wants to be one of Santa's reindeer. The payoff for that has an additional twist that makes no sense, but since this world makes no sense, I guess it works.

The rest of the movie is very by the numbers straight to video animated kids' movie. The voice acting is all good and the animation is fine. I'm an easy mark for this animation style. And I am a sucker for some of these Christmas clichés.

Not a perfect Christmas, but also not a complete barn fire.

At first, I thought this was just a cheesy little kids' film, not really worth watching. But it turned out to be one of the sweetest little Christmas films I've ever seen. The characters, for the most part, are well-rounded and you can sense the grandfather's love for his grandson, and his willingness to help however he can, even selling his daughter's beloved music box so that he can buy Annabelle back from the mean neighbor; the young friend Emily's devotion to Billy, the rich but selfish aunt's greed, and Annabelle's tender heart and self-sacrifice for Billy, giving up her own dream of being able to fly, and even her Christmas voice, so that her friend can talk again.

There's a lot of love and tenderness in this film! The animation is simple, yet somehow effective. This film would make a terrific live-action film, with some of the missing details filled in. For example, why was the fire in the barn apparently more traumatizing for Billy than the loss of his parents, especially since no animals seemed to have died in it? What exactly had made the neighbor so mean, even though we know he had somehow lost his wife? We didn't even know if she had died or left him. Did the mean neighbor and the rich aunt actually get married? And how did the adult Billy explain to Emily exactly what had happened to Annabelle after she was turned into a reindeer?

Anyway, this is a lovely Christmas film that's definitely worth a watch. Even adults should probably enjoy this one!

This film is very good in my book. It stars a lovely, friendly boy named Billy who can't speak and a calf named Annabelle who was born on Christmas Eve. Annabelle has a special wish and she's going to tell it to Father Christmas next Christmas...

I recommend this for children who would like to watch a quick, pleasurable film, not JUST about Christmas, it's also for people who like animals, especially farm animals, people who still don't prefer computer to cartoon animation and a film with unforgettable characters, one or two lovely songs and a good storyline! PANT PANT. BOY was that a long sentence to explain why you should watch this film! :)

So, what are you waiting for? If you haven't had the chance, buy it or rent it from Amazon or the nearest shop and watch it! If you don't like it, you could lend it to a friend! ENJOY!! :)

P.S This is a very emotional film and for people who feel emotional, I suggest a few hankies provided, especially at the end.