this movie hit the theatres with very little fanfare, but was anticipated by many when it finally hit dvds this november. i had heard very little about it, save for some friends who told me it wasn’t very funny. but i realized that this was coming from guys who thought euro-trip was hilarious; elf, on the other hand, has a “general” rating.

i was mildly surprised at how funny the movie was. i thought it whole will ferrell buzz was getting a little stale, but this movie proved to be quite entertaining. buddy’s scenes with his human family were endearing and his love-interest in the film, zooey deschanel, has one of the nicest voices i’ve heard in a while. anyone can enjoy the family values and funny moments thrown in throughout, no matter what your age. will ferrell in green tights can make anyone laugh, really.

of course, a lot of the jokes were corny, mainly targetted at a young audience. the screaming, the bleching, the slapstick fights… all part of a three stooges kind of humour that many children will find hilarious, but will wear on adults’ nerves soon enough. the ending is pretty corny, too, with the “spirit of christmas” swinging into full gear. all in all, though, elf provides good holiday cheer for everyone — everyone who isn’t expecting a crass will ferrell comedy, anyway. more surprisingly perhaps, this movie was directed by jon favreau (of swingers fame).