One of my all time favourite Christmas movies. I can't believe that it's 20 years old now, and it's fun to see Zooey Deschanel both as a blonde, and a cynical woman, rather than the Manic Pixie Dream Girls she's more known for.
I saw elf at the theatre with my dad I was only 4. Didn’t understand the jokes apart from the bra scene. And I actually thought he was drinking syrup as a kid in the mail room. Now watching it as a adult it’s hilarious. Growing up Muslim I thought the nun was his mum a hijabi and asked my dad why didn’t he go back to his mum lol.
This is so specific but god that “you’re just...special” hits different as an autistic person who wasn’t diagnosed until adulthood and suddenly had everyone use words like that to describe me. Anyway I love this movie, I feel like Will Ferrel works here for me because he’s playing a fantasy kinda character, so I can excuse all the screaming and weirdness because he’s actually not familiar with the world and supposed to stand out.
Yup, this has always given me mixed feelings too. But the places were it works, really work well. And I give them credit for trying something a little different, because it seems hard to come up with something new and original for holiday movies after all of this time. Like the old 1964 stop motion "Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer" movie is still my all time Christmas misfit story! Great review, as always. And your wonderful smile for all of your ending sign-offs could power Santa's sled forever :)
I think the reason that Buddy was in the orphanage and not with his dad because his mom knew his dad was on the naughty list tbh. She saw that he was a total jerk
elf isn't one of my favorites but i give it so much kudos for recreating the old stop motion cartoons in the beginning so well even down to buddy and papa elf's costumes it's so good. where the movie works it works really well.
Elf has never been one of my favorites but I think it’s kinda grown on me. Definitely not my go to movie during holiday season such as home alone or how the grinch stole Christmas
I get this is quite a divisive film, but I really love this one and it’s an essential part of my family’s Christmas movie routine. Will Ferrell really makes this film, his boundless charm and enthusiasm is just so infectious, and it’s easy to see this film falling apart in the hands of someone else. And the work done by pretty much the rest of the cast (primarily consisting of serious actors like James Caan, Mary Steenburgen and Ed Asner) is really great stuff and just adds to the effortless charm of this film
I haven't seen a whole lot of Will Ferrell movies, but this one and "Stranger Than Fiction" I love a lot since it's one of his few serious roles. Enjoyed the content and I hope everyone has a happy holidays!
Elf is one of my favorite Christmas movies ever! Not just that, but it's my favorite Will Ferrell movie (even if he wanted it to have more dirty humor, but he can do wholesome very well). Also, fun fact, but the belch that Buddy did at the end of the dinner scene wasn't by Will Ferrell; it was done by voice actor Maurice LaMarche (who is mostly well known as the Brain in the Animaniacs cartoons).
Right before the scene where Caan yells at Ferrell, the director whispered in James' ear, "You're Sonny f***ing Corleone." And that reminder sparked this piece of gold of a take.
I haven’t watched Elf in a while but I remember loving this film😂 I was actually thinking of rewatching it in the future I’m glad to see you rewatch it too! Will Ferrell was absolutely great in this role!
"Buddy the Elf, what's your favorite color??" Best line in the film in my opinion...my sister and I still use it when we call each other during this time of year, makes our friends wonder if we need meds. Polarizing is a good way to put it...if I had been 10 or 12 at the time this film came out, yeah, I probably would have enjoyed the film more, especially the humor. But at 19, I was just a liiiiiittle exasperated by the concept. Not to mention Ferrell's type of comedy wears thin pretty fast. The stuff with James Caan sorta/kinda works because it's the straight man against the goofball, much like how Homer's antics in THE SIMPSONS only really work with someone oblivious (like Mr. Burns or Flanders) or serious and no-nonsense (like Marge and Lisa) to play off of. I remember actually laughing pretty hard when Wanda asked Buddy straight-out if he was someone from corporate sent to mess with him (because my retail-washed brain would go there too), plus Bob Newhart's dry, matter-of-fact delivery is pretty effective. I also think Ed Asner is a really underrated Santa Clause, he has the whole "world-weary blue-collar civil servant" thing going for him and it works, they don't do Santa as "surly mechanic with a heart of gold" very often. That being said, the film would have been a chore if it was just Ferrell doing Ferrell the WHOLE way through. I would have walked out, because just like a plat of syrup-covered pasta, I couldn't stomach it for long. And I know I know I know, the absurdity, the over-the-top physical antics, the gross out humor, that a big part of this formula. I can't dismiss the effect this film had on the Christmas film terrain, it was a phenomenon. But I see it in the same realm of cherished-nonsense as the Home Alone movies...they are good, in their own right. But in Small doses, that's the idea, at least for me. Maybe not once a year, but once every few years. Followed by something more stimulating like Joyeux Noel or A Christmas Story or Gremlins, something more nostalgic and less...loud. You should review "Tokyo Godfathers" for a Christmas themed vid one of these years, it's a surprisingly engaging and heartwarming and funny anime, if you haven't already seen it. I really think you would like it. 😁
Elf is such an iconic movie for me. To the point where I walk into my favourite local coffee shop and say, “you did it! Congratulations! Worlds best cup of coffee”. Definitely up there with The Santa Clause and Home Alone
Didn’t grow up with this movie so have only seen it once. Most of the humor was too over the top for me to enjoy watching, but I did appreciate the mom being so accepting of Buddy!
this movie, Deck the Halls, Unaccompanied Minors, and Christmas with the Kranks are my Christmas movies from my childhood. same with Home Alone (1-2), A Christmas Story, and How the Grinch Stole Christmas. i never knew i had a list of Christmas movies until now lmao but this is one of my favourites. 💙 edit: not me forgetting The Polar Express omg that too
All the scenes where it's supposed to show off how big he is in the north pole is just some clever camera work. When it look like he's sitting next to everyone, he's actually sitting close to the wall, and the set was made just so that when the camera faces it a certain way, it looks like it does.
3:00 I mean it's pretty typical that girls want to date men that at the very least is taller than them. The 6ft number tho is pretty stupid tho since most of the time, unless people are of comparable height, they can't really tell the difference between 5'10 to 6ft anyway
This is a very nice and hilarious Christmas movie. However, neither Will Ferrell nor director Jon Favreau liked working with each other on the set of the movie, as they didn't know what the final cut of the film would be like.
Not gonna lie, this was never a top favorite Christmas movie of mine. Not to say it's a bad movie but it just was never one I was all that interested in. I think part of it comes from that I really hated that scene where Buddy got beat up by Peter Dinklage's character. Like not to say that it wasn't warranted cause I'd be offended too if I was called an elf just cause I was short but still, it was kinda uncomfortable watching that 😂. I think what I like most about the movie are how stacked the cast is from James Caan, Zooey Deschanel, Peter Dinklage, Will Ferrell, Mary Steenburgen, Ed Asner and Bob Newhart and the North Pole scenes.
I like Will Ferrell, but much like Adam Sandler, His comedy is kind of hit or miss. You should react to 2 movies that he's done that are considered his more serious roles: Stranger than Fiction and Everything must go. Those films have some bits of comedy in him. But those are considered has more serious roles that he's ever done
Lmao you dragged this movie the whole time but I love this movie so much! The COMMITMENT of Will Ferrell walking around NYC like that not knowing if the movie would be a huge hit? He got headaches from eating all that sugar in the movie and he still pushed through and played his super positive Buddy character.
This movie almost wasn't made because it took forever to determine the stop motion was an homage to the Rankin-Bass Rudolph movie, not a blatant copy and paste
3:18 are the elves in this movie comparable with people with dwarfism or are they shorter? Since people with dwarfism can and do date "regular" sized people
I think the elves are shorter since the pictures with Buddy made it seem like they only grew to around his hip, but heights for dwarfism can vary too so who’s to say lol
John Fav has a insanely wide portfolio. Dude played himself in sopranos and like you said he directs and plays a role in Marvel movies. Also wtf you're 6 foot Sophia?
People in the modern day(especially on Tiktok), seem to be more critical of age gap dating and power dynamics in relationships, I wonder what they think of Jovie and Buddy's relationship? Since Buddy does seem at the very least stunted maturity wise.
Hmmm well I personally didn’t think he was stunted that much because he was raised by the elves, who seemed to behave normally albeit a little positive. He was just wildly naive and innocent
I saw probably 20 min of this movie and thought it was the stupidest thing 😅. Christmas movies aren't really my thing and idk why. Elf, home alone, and the Santa Clause movies never clicked and never had interest. My favorites are how the grinch stole Christmas, polar express, charlie brown and Gremlins, Plus little woman.
I do find it wholesome and fun but I think the third act with the race to get Santa’s sleigh back is kinda weak. They bring in the rangers as a sudden villain to give the movie tension and I’m sorry but Zooey is kinda bland to me as old girl. I know Favreau didn’t write the script but I think sometimes he is like “okay good enough” when his characters, performances, and story could use more work. I point to the mom as chief proof of this because her job is basically to smile and say nice things (girl had no reaction to her husband having had another child)
Nobody could've played Buddy except for Will Ferrell. He was perfectly casted in this movie and I'll always stand by that!
One of my all time favourite Christmas movies. I can't believe that it's 20 years old now, and it's fun to see Zooey Deschanel both as a blonde, and a cynical woman, rather than the Manic Pixie Dream Girls she's more known for.
YEAH it’s pretty refreshing to see her in this type of role
I saw elf at the theatre with my dad I was only 4. Didn’t understand the jokes apart from the bra scene. And I actually thought he was drinking syrup as a kid in the mail room. Now watching it as a adult it’s hilarious. Growing up Muslim I thought the nun was his mum a hijabi and asked my dad why didn’t he go back to his mum lol.
lol that’s really funny and adorable
Awww that’s sweet haha
The first time I watched this movie, I literally didn't realise it was Zoey Deschanel. The blond hair=Clark Kent's glasses
I love this one. It's a lot of wholesome fun and Will Ferrell is hilarious as Buddy. Also, that snowball scene is golden.
Will Ferrell actually was scared of the jack in the boxes. His reactions are genuine.
I remember always liking seeing Buddy and Michael being brothers. And the scene where Michael reads out the news anchors christmas wish.
This is so specific but god that “you’re just...special” hits different as an autistic person who wasn’t diagnosed until adulthood and suddenly had everyone use words like that to describe me. Anyway I love this movie, I feel like Will Ferrel works here for me because he’s playing a fantasy kinda character, so I can excuse all the screaming and weirdness because he’s actually not familiar with the world and supposed to stand out.
I was just thinking about something last week; is Buddy… a maniac pixie dream girl?
I think the kids call them golden retriever boys, very similar but less chaotic unless it's Buddy... some dogs need more training..
Yup, this has always given me mixed feelings too. But the places were it works, really work well. And I give them credit for trying something a little different, because it seems hard to come up with something new and original for holiday movies after all of this time. Like the old 1964 stop motion "Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer" movie is still my all time Christmas misfit story!
Great review, as always. And your wonderful smile for all of your ending sign-offs could power Santa's sled forever :)
5:00 As a New Yorker, can confirm. But the best Ray's is on the Lower Eastside
i've been stressing about finals, i NEEDED this
Omg good luck with finals!! 🫡
I think the reason that Buddy was in the orphanage and not with his dad because his mom knew his dad was on the naughty list tbh. She saw that he was a total jerk
elf isn't one of my favorites but i give it so much kudos for recreating the old stop motion cartoons in the beginning so well even down to buddy and papa elf's costumes it's so good. where the movie works it works really well.
Elf has never been one of my favorites but I think it’s kinda grown on me. Definitely not my go to movie during holiday season such as home alone or how the grinch stole Christmas
I get this is quite a divisive film, but I really love this one and it’s an essential part of my family’s Christmas movie routine. Will Ferrell really makes this film, his boundless charm and enthusiasm is just so infectious, and it’s easy to see this film falling apart in the hands of someone else. And the work done by pretty much the rest of the cast (primarily consisting of serious actors like James Caan, Mary Steenburgen and Ed Asner) is really great stuff and just adds to the effortless charm of this film
I haven't seen a whole lot of Will Ferrell movies, but this one and "Stranger Than Fiction" I love a lot since it's one of his few serious roles.
Enjoyed the content and I hope everyone has a happy holidays!
Omg I am here for this look!!! The curly red hair and the sweater are a great combo!!! So festive. Love u Sophia!!
Love you too 🫶🏼
Elf is one of my favorite Christmas movies ever! Not just that, but it's my favorite Will Ferrell movie (even if he wanted it to have more dirty humor, but he can do wholesome very well). Also, fun fact, but the belch that Buddy did at the end of the dinner scene wasn't by Will Ferrell; it was done by voice actor Maurice LaMarche (who is mostly well known as the Brain in the Animaniacs cartoons).
Right before the scene where Caan yells at Ferrell, the director whispered in James' ear, "You're Sonny f***ing Corleone."
And that reminder sparked this piece of gold of a take.
I haven’t watched Elf in a while but I remember loving this film😂 I was actually thinking of rewatching it in the future I’m glad to see you rewatch it too! Will Ferrell was absolutely great in this role!
"Buddy the Elf, what's your favorite color??"
Best line in the film in my opinion...my sister and I still use it when we call each other during this time of year, makes our friends wonder if we need meds.
Polarizing is a good way to put it...if I had been 10 or 12 at the time this film came out, yeah, I probably would have enjoyed the film more, especially the humor. But at 19, I was just a liiiiiittle exasperated by the concept. Not to mention Ferrell's type of comedy wears thin pretty fast. The stuff with James Caan sorta/kinda works because it's the straight man against the goofball, much like how Homer's antics in THE SIMPSONS only really work with someone oblivious (like Mr. Burns or Flanders) or serious and no-nonsense (like Marge and Lisa) to play off of. I remember actually laughing pretty hard when Wanda asked Buddy straight-out if he was someone from corporate sent to mess with him (because my retail-washed brain would go there too), plus Bob Newhart's dry, matter-of-fact delivery is pretty effective. I also think Ed Asner is a really underrated Santa Clause, he has the whole "world-weary blue-collar civil servant" thing going for him and it works, they don't do Santa as "surly mechanic with a heart of gold" very often.
That being said, the film would have been a chore if it was just Ferrell doing Ferrell the WHOLE way through. I would have walked out, because just like a plat of syrup-covered pasta, I couldn't stomach it for long. And I know I know I know, the absurdity, the over-the-top physical antics, the gross out humor, that a big part of this formula. I can't dismiss the effect this film had on the Christmas film terrain, it was a phenomenon. But I see it in the same realm of cherished-nonsense as the Home Alone movies...they are good, in their own right. But in Small doses, that's the idea, at least for me. Maybe not once a year, but once every few years. Followed by something more stimulating like Joyeux Noel or A Christmas Story or Gremlins, something more nostalgic and less...loud.
You should review "Tokyo Godfathers" for a Christmas themed vid one of these years, it's a surprisingly engaging and heartwarming and funny anime, if you haven't already seen it. I really think you would like it. 😁
Elf is such an iconic movie for me. To the point where I walk into my favourite local coffee shop and say, “you did it! Congratulations! Worlds best cup of coffee”. Definitely up there with The Santa Clause and Home Alone
Didn’t grow up with this movie so have only seen it once. Most of the humor was too over the top for me to enjoy watching, but I did appreciate the mom being so accepting of Buddy!
Just watched this for the 20th time yesterday 😭 still holds up as the one of the best Christmas classics🙌
Will Ferrell’s buddy the elf character kinda reminds me of Brendan Fraser’s character from blast from the past
Oh my God, yaaaassssss, this is the moment I've been waiting for!!! ❤
They had the elves in the tree that’s he tollhouse brand I’m pretty sure lol. So yeah the elves at the North Pole did make their own cookie dough!
A whole re-watch?! We love it!!!
I thought his "stepmom" was his big sister who didn't know she had a brother.
I love this movie! I can't beleaguered that this movie is 20 years old. My family always watch Elf every year after Thanksgiving. Great video👍
*Believe
If SOphia uploads, then it's truly christmas
I remember watching this every single year during christmas. Good times. 🥲
This will always be in my Top 5 at Christmas. Jim Carrey’s Grinch will always be my favorite, but this has a special place in my heart.
this movie, Deck the Halls, Unaccompanied Minors, and Christmas with the Kranks are my Christmas movies from my childhood. same with Home Alone (1-2), A Christmas Story, and How the Grinch Stole Christmas. i never knew i had a list of Christmas movies until now lmao but this is one of my favourites. 💙
edit: not me forgetting The Polar Express omg that too
All the scenes where it's supposed to show off how big he is in the north pole is just some clever camera work.
When it look like he's sitting next to everyone, he's actually sitting close to the wall, and the set was made just so that when the camera faces it a certain way, it looks like it does.
Zooey Deschanel suits blonde hair more than black or brown hair imo
When he runs to the guy he thought was Santa that was not apart of the script. Will Farrell just ran up to him and did that.
YAYYYY I was hoping you would watch this one! It’s one of my favorite Christmas movies
3:00 I mean it's pretty typical that girls want to date men that at the very least is taller than them. The 6ft number tho is pretty stupid tho since most of the time, unless people are of comparable height, they can't really tell the difference between 5'10 to 6ft anyway
You reacting to movies is the best part of the day!
This is a very nice and hilarious Christmas movie.
However, neither Will Ferrell nor director Jon Favreau liked working with each other on the set of the movie, as they didn't know what the final cut of the film would be like.
This is a classic but as far as classic Will Ferrell comedy goes it can't touch Holmes and Watson.
Not gonna lie, this was never a top favorite Christmas movie of mine. Not to say it's a bad movie but it just was never one I was all that interested in. I think part of it comes from that I really hated that scene where Buddy got beat up by Peter Dinklage's character. Like not to say that it wasn't warranted cause I'd be offended too if I was called an elf just cause I was short but still, it was kinda uncomfortable watching that 😂. I think what I like most about the movie are how stacked the cast is from James Caan, Zooey Deschanel, Peter Dinklage, Will Ferrell, Mary Steenburgen, Ed Asner and Bob Newhart and the North Pole scenes.
I'm so early idk how to act. BUT I LOVE THIS MOVIE SMM OMGG
I like Will Ferrell, but much like Adam Sandler, His comedy is kind of hit or miss. You should react to 2 movies that he's done that are considered his more serious roles: Stranger than Fiction and Everything must go. Those films have some bits of comedy in him. But those are considered has more serious roles that he's ever done
Sophia Phan You are one of my favorite people on TH-cam🥰
Omg aw 🥹🫶🏼
@@SophiaPhannn I wish you a good day.
Im hoping Sophia pops out of one of my Christmas presents this year.
Or a giant cake.
I'm not picky.
I remember watching this movie in theaters when I was a kid with my godmother. I had a big laugh, but she wasn’t amused. Lol
Next year you should react to Klaus! It's such a cute and well-written animated movie
I think this movie is a good argument for adoption ❤
Lmao you dragged this movie the whole time but I love this movie so much! The COMMITMENT of Will Ferrell walking around NYC like that not knowing if the movie would be a huge hit? He got headaches from eating all that sugar in the movie and he still pushed through and played his super positive Buddy character.
Buddy's elf boss is Ralphie from a Christmas story
This movie almost wasn't made because it took forever to determine the stop motion was an homage to the Rankin-Bass Rudolph movie, not a blatant copy and paste
Want another comedic fish-out-of-water with James Caan? Try Mickey Blue Eyes, with Hugh Grant.
Sophia's reaction makes Elf a watchable movie. Thanks Sophia 🫶🏿🎁 #Sophiaistheworldscutestelf
I haven't seen this in years 😮💨
Zooey Deschanel is my manic pixie dream girl! lol
Nice to see your reactions again you make me laugh
3:18 are the elves in this movie comparable with people with dwarfism or are they shorter? Since people with dwarfism can and do date "regular" sized people
I think the elves are shorter since the pictures with Buddy made it seem like they only grew to around his hip, but heights for dwarfism can vary too so who’s to say lol
I'm sure this was a great review. Sadly I was distracted by the lollipop earrings the whole time.
0:34 Believe it or not, Will Ferrell can do more than just comedy roles. He just chooses not to.
Go watch Stranger Than Fiction. You will be SHOCKED.
Awesome reaction of my favorite Christmas movie!!!!😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊
Elf is a funny Christmas movie u should watch a Muppets Christmas Carol next
John Fav has a insanely wide portfolio. Dude played himself in sopranos and like you said he directs and plays a role in Marvel movies. Also wtf you're 6 foot Sophia?
That movie maybe stupid but it was a good movie
Watch Bad Santa with Lauren Graham from Gilmore Girls, please.
Could you please review one of the little women movies thank you 😊❤
Hi like your videos so cool to watch
I want to love this movie but I just really can't stand Will 😂 He seems so dead behind the eyes and it makes everything feel a little evil on accident
iconic haha
Are you still wearing your beautiful bracelets, they're just covered by your sleeves
🌲🌲🌲
People in the modern day(especially on Tiktok), seem to be more critical of age gap dating and power dynamics in relationships, I wonder what they think of Jovie and Buddy's relationship? Since Buddy does seem at the very least stunted maturity wise.
Hmmm well I personally didn’t think he was stunted that much because he was raised by the elves, who seemed to behave normally albeit a little positive. He was just wildly naive and innocent
You can't outgrow good comedy
I think Buddy is both autistic and ADHD tbh.
Hi Sophia
Hi!
I saw probably 20 min of this movie and thought it was the stupidest thing 😅. Christmas movies aren't really my thing and idk why. Elf, home alone, and the Santa Clause movies never clicked and never had interest. My favorites are how the grinch stole Christmas, polar express, charlie brown and Gremlins, Plus little woman.
Yeah I feel like you need to like a certain amount of cheesiness to enjoy Christmas movies lol
I do find it wholesome and fun but I think the third act with the race to get Santa’s sleigh back is kinda weak. They bring in the rangers as a sudden villain to give the movie tension and I’m sorry but Zooey is kinda bland to me as old girl.
I know Favreau didn’t write the script but I think sometimes he is like “okay good enough” when his characters, performances, and story could use more work. I point to the mom as chief proof of this because her job is basically to smile and say nice things (girl had no reaction to her husband having had another child)
Are you getting tired of me talking about your jewelry? . If you are, I'll stop
First
Sophia, Are you pregnant?
What?
@@SophiaPhannn Never mind.👀