Quel Natale

I must admit I found "Love Actually" to be far too saccharine-sweet for my taste and don't think of it at all when considering my favourite Christmas movies, but here Richard Curtis has a second crack at the season to be jolly with this movie, based on recent short stories he's written and published. The twist this time is that he's adapted them into an animated feature, directed by Simon Otto and featuring the voices of such prominent actors as Brian Cox, Bill Nighy and Jodie Whittaker, amongst many others.

It's pretty clear that we're back in Curtisland with the familiar use of multiple plot strands, gentle ribald humour, a touch of drama and a big heartwarming finale with a few Easter Eggs, just to mix up my festive seasons, thrown in too, with post-it messages replacing hand-held notice-boards, some more kooky dancing, a happy-ever-after (kiddie) love story and even a cheeky nod to "Love Actually" itself thrown in for good measure.

The plot or plots are simple enough to follow as a bunch of young kids are accidentally stranded at home while their parents are caught out in the wild on a road trip by a huge blizzard. While the mums and dads await rescue in their overturned Volkswagen camper van, the main focus is on the kids they left behind, who happily make hay while the snow falls, adapting Christmas to their own ends.

Bookended by a tribute to more obviously fantasy-filled Christmas fare by including the Christmas Eve mission of a hard-pressed Scots-accented Santa and reindeer, as ever Curtis seeks to cover a lot of bases with various messages of goodwill, family and love and while you can't quite escape the odd incursion of cloying sentimentality and despite the absence of a really memorable set-piece scene or even joke, I was happy to be transported to Wellington-on-Sea and safely returned to reality with a warm glow and smile on my face.

The animation was suitably colourful and inventive, the piece is well-voiced as you'd expect from the cast and there's a good mix of modern and classic Yuletide tunes on the soundtrack too.

All in all, this one makes for a good addition to the canon of entertaining Christmas movies and certainly cheered my wife and I, this approaching Christmas.

One reviewer said the content wasn't for children. That's the joke. Those jokes are meant to go over the head of children and they do, if they don't I suggest you look at how you aren't your children. What nonsense. Anyway, film is great. British humour and added modern twists like the way we communicate in our little communities. Very heart warming and very pretty scenery. People in Suffolk do not have the same accent as those in the west country though. This is always and issue with anytging set IN Norfolk or Suffolk and it is a shame. There's a lot of locals who would be great in roles. Enjoy.

This film had lots of potential with some great voice actors let down by a very poor script and every single kind of 'political correct' statement of inclusion, diversity, and equity rammed into every inch. I am all for adding in the right message but this was just trying too hard and made it feel like 'message' rather than a movie.

My kids enjoyed it well enough but I don't think this a going to be one that we watch every year on repeat like the usual favourites. Netflix and the other streaming channels need to just bring good honest fun like Klaus which is our firm favourite and their best new Christmas movie in recent years.

My daughter and I chose to hop into this one sporadically and it was so cute and warming. The variation of overlapping character experiences over the holidays and how they all work together to tell a larger tale of appreciation, gratitude and love during Christmas time is perfect for families and audiences of all ages. A truly heartfelt and palpable yet interestingly diverse assortment of characters across a wideset of ages makes it a movie anyone can relate to. I laughed and smiled!

It's a cute, magical and whimsical new Christmas story that is bound to be a favorite among many animated classics.

Netflix offers us a very entertaining animated Christmas movie that brings all the British humor and sweetness to a family pastime with a nice message to enjoy.

Director Simon Otto brings Richard Curtis' script to life with a tenderness and lightness that allows us to enjoy a fun Christmas adventure that manages to bring out emotions and a few tears, too. It's an ensemble story that gives us fun characters with truly emotional stories that allow us to have a simple connection with several of them. Curtis' first foray into animation draws on the same authentic energies that made his previous works so beloved.

Its beautiful messages such as community, kindness, affection and pure love are reflected in a big heart and it is generous with its happy endings, which inevitably invites us to have a film full of positivity and generosity when it comes to making us feel delighted and comfortable with what we are watching.

It's a simple story. We won't find any major plot challenges within the story and you may never feel that evil is present, but even so the film manages to give us moments of tension and satisfaction in equal parts, making us experience a rather pleasant and delightful family pastime.

Netflix hits the mark again with its animated releases. Although the film may not be the most spectacular of the year in the genre, it has its British charm that makes it totally enjoyable and pleasant, allowing you to have a good time without having to try too hard, which helps to win over the little ones and the older ones in equal measure.