Mickey : Il était une fois Noël

This is one of the most beautiful animated films that has ever and could ever be made. Sure, it has its annoying, slapsticky moments, but it's all made up for by enchanting plots, good characters (of course, they're Mickey and his friends!) and kindness hardly ever done in the real world (or in films for that matter!).

Basically this is a film with three stories about Mickey and his friends in the Christmas season.

The first story is about Huey, Douie, Louie, Daisy, Donald, Scrooge and who appears to be the three boys' other aunt or even mum. They all have a very good Christmas, despite the fact that boys are very badly behaved during this holiday season. Huey, Douie and Louie enjoy the day so much, that they wish it was Christmas every day. It turns out that after a while, things aren't as jolly and merry as they could be! Probably the least heartwarming of all of them, this story is no doubt entertaining and worth watching. 7 and a half out of ten.

The second story features Goofy, Max, Pete and some strangers in the street, when first Goofy and Max deliver a letter for Santa and then Max is told something very upsetting by mean old Pete. This story is incredibly lovely and touching, but (arguably) isn't quite the best of the lot. 8 out of ten.

The third story is absolutely beautiful, with Mickey, Minnie, Pluto, Pete and some strangers in the street. Mickey and Minnie are both not very wealthy at all and are having extreme problems buying each other presents. The most heartwarming and special of the three stories, this part of the film will melt your heart as if it were a pound of butter! :-)

Good for everyone who loves Mickey and his friends and beautiful cartoons about them that you would think you could not get nowadays, enjoy "Mickey's Once Upon a Christmas"!

Honestly, it is really sweet and genuinely memorable, full of powerful messages of Christmas. I think it is one of the better Christmas videos out there, and there are a lot of very good ones, like Enchanted Christmas. Here, we have three stories, like Cinderella 2 and Belle's Magical World, but I would definitely pick Mickey's Once Upon a Christmas over both those films put together. It is a little short, but with the sweetness of the entire movie, the top notch voice talents and the surprisingly good animation, that is so easy to forgive. The highlight of the film was the beautiful, restrained intonation of Kelsey Grammar's narration, and he was the main reason why I got the video in the first place. The material he was given was beautifully written, and he made the most with it. The animation was surprisingly good, I was expecting worse, but the animation was actually one of the many redeeming qualities of this movie. The three stories are inspired and very well-done, my favourite being the last one with Mickey and Minnie. Plus the inspired moments of comedy like Donald chasing a turkey and lovely music and a musical yultide interlude at then end that is enough to touch the heart. All in all, a beautiful and touching yuletide movie, with a 9/10 from me. Bethany Cox

3 Christmas tales from Disney's mascots. Donald's nephews are forced to relive Christmas day everyday. Goofy tries to convince his son that Santa is real, and Mickey and Minnie end up trading their prize possessions in order to buy gifts for the other. As individual shorts go, these work. The stories are sweet and well paced, but it's a chore to get through all three at once. The animation is higher quality than Disney's TV output, but not as high as their animated classics. You kind of wish Disney would put the most effort into their mascot. I can imagine these as background entertainment during other Christmas activities, but not one to snuggle up by the fire with.

The only time I ever heard about this movie is when I pass by it each time I visit Hollywood Video. I've never seen it on TV or seen commercials, but after working with Disney and becoming a big fan, I figure I should give this Christmas special a chance. And it paid off! This is a very nice, funny, and heartwarming movie, and frankly, I'm surprised we don't hear more about it every Christmas.

My favorite character, Donald, opens the movie strongly with a hilarious episode reminiscent of the great Bill Murray comedy, 'Groundhog Day.' Huey, Dewey, and Louie wish everyday were Christmas, and soon learn they wished for more than they bargained for. In the end, they learn an important lesson, as does anyone watching this episode. Who among us didn't wish we had Christmas everyday when we were kids? This episode also has a memorable visit with the Duck family, including Daisy and Scrooge.

Next up is Goofy's chapter of the movie. Physical comedy is Goofy's trademark, which isn't a favorite comedic style of mine, but he does it well in this cartoon. Goofy is as lovable as always while his son, Max, is much more appealing as a kid than when he grows up (A Goofy Movie). The bond between Goofy and Max is very heartwarming, as Goofy never gives up in his belief in Santa and in his attempt to convince Max. The end result is touching, and also satisfying when neighbor, Mr. Pete, gets what's coming to him!

Last and definitely not least, is Mickey and Minnie's version of 'The Gift of the Magi.' This isn't the funniest episode of the bunch, but just like it has been throughout Disney history, Mickey and Minnie serve as the heart and soul of this picture. They both overcome the odds and indulge in the holiday spirit, only to come up empty-handed. This doesn't matter though, as they have each other, and that's all that matters. Side Note: One tiny thing I really enjoyed about this episode was Mickey's dance move that was first seen in 1942's 'Mickey's Birthday Party.' It's fun to remember the classics!

Overall, this is a very satisfying and heartwarming Christmas special. The animation is quite nice and vibrant to show off our favorite Disney characters, and the voice-work is well done too (especially by Kelsey Grammar as the perfect narrator!) I wouldn't necessarily label this movie a masterpiece like 'Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer' or my personal favorite, 'Mickey's Christmas Carol,' but it's quite strong nonetheless. ABC and Disney Channel should definitely let people know about this special. It has the potential to be a classic!

My IMDb Rating: 9/10. My Yahoo! Grade: A (Outstanding)

There are three stories; Donald Duck in Stuck on Christmas, A Very Goofy Christmas, and Mickey & Minnie's Gift of the Magi. Donald gives his nephews a wooden sleigh each and they learn the meaning of Christmas. Goofy's son is losing his belief in Santa. Mickey is working at the Christmas tree lot while Minnie is wrapping presents at the store. These are great little Christmas stories. It won't become classic but it's pretty good. Mostly the messages are good. It's family friendly. They may work even better as half hour episodes. It's not really hour plus material especially for little kids with attention deficiency.