I have a favorite Christmas movie now

I have been in love with Christmas movies for most of my life. My mother's favorite was always "How The Grinch Stole Christmas" and since I couldn't pick a favorite, I just agreed with her. There were too many beautiful Christmas movies like "Miracle on 34th Street" and "A Christmas Carol" and "It's a Wonderful Life" and more. How could anyone pick a favorite? I've been watching Christmas themed movies for over 50 years and I've seen so many that were miraculous, and I've also seen some that were disappointing.

Today I watched the movie "Elf" for the first time. "Elf" (New Line Cinema) was directed by Jon Favreau, written by David Berenbaum, and was released in November 2003. How is it possible that 21 years have passed and I never saw this movie? My mind is blown. I had heard of the movie, but I just thought it was going to be a silly comedy like "Home Alone" so I never rented it or paid any attention to it at Christmas time. I watched it today for the first time simply because it appeared while I was searching for something to watch. This time my curiousity hit the play button and I am so glad that I did. I can not overstate how great this movie is.

The movie is about an Elf named Buddy. He's actually a human who got adopted by Papa Elf, but he doesn't know he's human until he overhears some other elves talking about it after he's already grown up among them. He sets off to find his human father who lives in New York City. That's all I'm going to tell you about this movie. If you haven't seen it, I definitely don't want to spoil it. Buddy is played perfectly by Will Ferrell. His passion for Christmas is believable and his comedic timing is brilliant.

This movie had me laughing many times and as I got closer to all of the characters, it even had me crying. That's movie magic, and Elf lives up to the expectation of a classic Christmas movie. I give the film 100% A+ rating - Five out of Five stars, and I rarely ever give a perfect score for a film. All these years, I could never choose a favorite Christmas movie. 21 years after the release of "Elf" and I finally see it --- And I finally have a favorite Christmas movie.

With so many movies and shows out there killing decency and wholesome entertainment, it is a rare find indeed to watch a film that upholds those traditional values. This movie doesn't rely on shock value or gross special effects to be entertaining. The magic of Christmas is displayed throughout the movie, and that's why it's an instant classic. It's all heart. It's all about love. Real love. The kind of love that Christmas is all about.

I so needed to see this movie. It makes me believe in Santa Claus and Elves again after too many years of thinking that the Zombie Apocalypse was going to happen or that instead of Christmas magic we would be watching Jason vs Santa Claus. I'm relieved that is not the case. I'm thrilled that even though this movie is 21 years old and I just saw it, I can believe that the art of film and the magic of Christmas can be combined again.

Obviously I totally recommend this film to families, parents and children, and to Christmas lovers like me. If it doesn't make you laugh and cry, then maybe Christmas isn't as special to you as it is to me and Buddy.