Elf - Nostalgia Critic 

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My only criticism is when you said that him yelling over his dad being in the naughty list is not how a kid would act. You have to remember he was raised in the north pole as an elf, where being in the naughty list is probably one of the worst things that can ever happen to you. So his reaction is probably accurate.

Creative Differences: Will Ferrell and Jon Favreau had frequent disagreements about the tone of this film. Ferrell and his frequent collaborator Adam McKay, both of whom did uncredited rewrites, wanted a more cynical PG-13 comedy but Favreau wanted something more lighthearted and family-friendly. Ferrell's feeling that he and Favreau didn't work well together is why the proposed sequel never happened, despite this film being a huge hit.

One thing I liked about the Imposter Santa is that he's legitimately trying to do a good job. He's personable with the kids, asks questions, has a decent voice--he's definitely trying harder than most Mall Santa characters do.

Forgiving Buddy for the shower scene isn't too far fetched. For one, he wasn't watching her; he was facing away and as soon as he realized she was naked, he covered his eyes and ran as fast as he could. Clearly, he wasn't TRYING to see anything.

Personally, as a kid who was diagnosed with ADHD, the parts where Buddy is running around and screaming are just as believable as his other moments to me.

Fun Fact: Before making the film, Jon Favreau would observe his 1-year-old son, Max, to get ideas for what Buddy might do. As Favreau notes, Max was his barometer for how believable Buddy's antics were. Favreau also mentions when he feels Buddy knows he's doing bad or believes he's doing good, which makes a fun, little game throughout the film.

My wife's theory on Jovie is that she recently went through a REALLY bad break up, so Buddy, despite being a literal man-child but also a genuinely friendly guy, ended up being a comfort rebound that ended up sticking. Because otherwise, how the hell would a normal woman find Buddy attractive?

So, my thoughts: 1) Zooey Deschanal is gorgeous. You don't like those eyes, but I totally was crushing on her when I watched it. 2) Why she connects to Buddy...When we meet her, she is a person who is completely burdened by the fact that her life isn't what she'd like it to be. First time he meets her, "Do you like the view?" To find out he actually was admiring the decorating. She can sense a certain innocence about him. His overwhelming level of happiness/joy is completely unique from anyone you see in the entire movie. My guess is that is what makes him attractive to her. This perceived innocence is also probably why she was quick to forgive him. It is quite possible that she actually believes him when he says he only entered the locker room to hear her sing.

Another Interesting Fact from this film is: On the final day of shooting in New York City, it was just director Jon Favreau, Will Ferrell, and a camera man driving around the city looking for locations to shoot. They would jump out and ask pedestrians if they would be willing to be extras for some quick cash, while Ferrell paraded around acting like Buddy. Much of the montage when Buddy first arrives in New York City was filmed then, such as when he is getting his shoes shined, and jumping between traffic.

I actually think Buddy screaming over-the-top upon hearing his father is on the naughty list is perfectly reasonable in the context of the movie. In Elf culture that's probably the equivalent of learning a relative had a criminal record.

Buddy wasn’t even watching Jovi shower. He just wanted to do a duet of the song because he loved her singing voice. He even sat in a spot where she needed to look around the corner in order to see him

In regards to the shower scene, you really gotta keep in mind, Buddy the whole time still retains the mindset of a child. So genuinely, he probably never realized she was showering let alone in the nude and his soul intention was to innocently just listen to her melodic singing. Hell I doubt he even knew what being attracted to a person's body entails, but it's heavily implied she taught him all he needed to know by the end of the movie given they had a kid and all.

I love Peter Dinklage as the author who beats up Buddy because he called him an elf. I'm sure he wanted to do that for a long time.

So fun fact: Originally the store buddy was mistaken for an employee at was originally going to be Macy’s, they even would have implemented the movie as a part of that Year’s Thanksgiving day parade. But there was a catch, the whole Santa fight scene had to have been cut. So it was replaced with Gimble’s (which went bankrupt in the 80s)

I get that some people find him annoying, but I think Ferrels enthusiasm and childlike innocence combined with his oafish and oversized (for his mind) body makes this a fun performance for me. I think hes believable most of the time, and it is really fun to watch him improve the lives of everyone around him. Also, "you sit on a throne of lies" is the funniest thing in the world to me for no reason.

That scene in the doctor's office is 100% adhd kid behavior and Ferrell nails it. I love how understated Caan's reactions are as he's trying desperately to remain patient, because if he started screaming on Buddy's level, it would have just been too much.

The scene with Peter Dinklage is so accidentally mean spirited from the main character I can’t help but laugh

Will Ferrell actually was scared of the jack in the boxes. His reactions are genuine.

I love the look on the Dad's face when he realizes that if he hadn't started to sing at that moment, Santa's sleigh would have ran him over and killed him. 😂

Walter's reaction to Buddy's Christmas Gram song where he just says "Wow...that was weird" in a dead pan voice is hilarious to me. Elf is one of my favorite Christmas movies because of Buddy's dad.

I still love how Ferrell is so comically taller than everyone else, especially in the North Pole

Fun fact: The big long belch Buddy does after chugging the Coke was actually done by The Brain himself, Maurice LaMarche.

25:12 Has anyone noticed that the song, "Santa Claus Is Comin' To Town" is kind of intimidating? It's basically saying that Santa has eyes on you at all times. Watch out, don't cry, don't pout, be good!

I always loved elf in my opinion. I can understand why you aren’t a fan of elf. What I love about buddy in the film is that yes, he can be annoying and childish, but he can be relatable where it does remind us of our childhoods when we behaved like him. It was a fun Christmas comedy for me next to Home Alone and Christmas Vacation.

I liked Bob Newhart as Papa Elf. One thing that had people laughing when I saw it in the theater, was where what was clearly the Keebler tree, catching fire, as elves ran screaming.

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.

The dad was kind of a jerk at first but the stepmom was amazing. It was the stepmom who insisted that he stay with them

Fun fact, the effects that hold up were the practical in camera effects. All the effects in the opening were forced perspective shots like those used in Lord of the Rings!

The *Santa* moment in the Gimbel’s store will never get old.

I always say Zooey Deschanel is *hauntingly* beautiful.

Dyeing for Your Art: Will Ferrell really did consume the spaghetti-and-candy monstrosity that Buddy creates his first morning at Walter's house. *All the sugar reportedly gave him a migraine.*

A few years back I played Buddy the Elf in an adaptation of the Elf musical, so Elf will always have a special place in my heart. Elf the musical was the first show of our theater program, was my first lead role, and was the last production one of my favorite teachers took part in before dying of throat cancer. R.I.P. Mrs. Bordeleau

At last, Doug reviews this movie as Nostalgia Critic. Man these videos never get old

I love how so many regular people in NYC are just going by their day and then out of nowhere they just see 500 Elfs just staring into their souls

I'll never get over the fact that Ming Ming (the elf in red at the beginning) is Peter Billingsley who was also Ralphie in A Christmas Story.

A fun piece of trivia: Mancy's was invited to be the significant store chain where many scenes take place, but Macy's didn't want to be associated with having fraudulent Santa Clauses, so they passed on the offer.

the chemistry between buddy and his dad is what makes the movie for me. Like you said the dad´s reactions are hilarious

To quote the late great Norm Macdonald and something i'm sure Will Ferrell might know a thing or too about is "The only thing that an old man can tell a young man is that it goes fast, REAL fast, and, if you're not careful, it's too late. Of course, the young man will never understand this truth."

My favorite gag is the raccoon. I lose it every time. Zooey Deschanel has a truly-underrated voice of an angel. She needs to release more albums, seriously.

"Things kids attempted #4," admittedly, was one that I did as a kid....multiple times. Sorry parents. #7 - "You sit on a throne of lies" is a quote I still say to this day and I'm in my late 20's.

I'm pretty sure a 6 Foot Elf just screaming and yelling all over NYC trying to find his Dad is probably the next Adam Sandler film

For this year's transformation I was expecting He-man. Holding a loft a giant candy can and saying "By the Power of Christmas!" Then the candy cane turns out to be Santa Christ's staff, so he walks over and snatches it back.

I feel like Buddy and Aragorn are the same person, two humans raised by Elves

(25:45) Have you ever noticed that this part of the musical score in ‘Elf’ sounds very similar to the musical score in: ‘The Polar Express?’ Both of these movies came out around the same time. ‘Elf’ came out in 2003, and ‘The Polar Express’ came out in 2004. Really interesting they sound so similar

7:56, you know you’re humble when you can look back on your over the top moments and say “Yeah, not my proudest memory but I’m not ashamed to ignore them.”

Fun Fact: The scene where Buddy walked through the tunnel to enter new York, everyone driving that day was so distracted by him they all crashed causing massive problems. Damn...

I have the opposite reaction people have for this movie. At first I didn’t really like it at all, because I never fully watched it. After watching the whole thing a few years ago, I love this movie. I watch it every time it comes on during Christmas time.

Yes, Buddy screaming about his dad being on the naughty list isn’t how a kid would react, but he was raised at the North Pole where being on the naughty list is the worst thing imaginable. And for his father to be on there, to him, is like hearing your father is a serial killer.

It took me years to notice James Caan look away from the camera when he laughs at Will Ferrell screaming in the doctor’s office.

I'm glad the Critic pointed out at 25:50 how similar The Polar Express soundtrack is to the Elf soundtrack. I knew I couldn't be the only one who believed that.

7:43 Actually, I believe that reaction. he was grown up as an elf, so hearing a family member is on the naughty list would be pretty devastating.

James Caan, Bob Newhart and Ed Asner this movie has so much talent in it

“Question nothing. The answers will disturb you.” Considering how chaotic the other Christmas years started, I shall happily accept the “get out of jail” card and proceed watching the review.

R.I.P Ed Asner and James Caan! 🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏 This is definitely one of my favourite movies of the entire season, though I've never really liked the meeting room scene with Peter Dinklage beating the crap out of Will Ferrell up.

The iron man 2 joke made a perfect line from that movie pop in my head that would fit “If you could make Santa bleed then people will stop believing in him”

I’ve seen the film so many times every Christmas and every year it just fills me with so much joy and Christmas spirit. May James Cann and his unforgettable performance rest in peace 🙏❤

Rest in Peace, James Caan (1940 - 2022)

My dad has an irrational hatred of this movie in spite of the fact that he has never seen it. I rebelled and watched it at a friend's house and I can safely say, it's a certified hood classic

Mr. Narwhal coming out of the water intimidatingly is funny because you expect him to be a monster that's going to harm Buddy and it turns out he's just adorable and wants to wish Buddy good luck. The subversion of expectations is the joke.

25:45 THANK YOU! Someone finally mentioned it! That music has always stuck out to me and yet no one else noticed how similar it is

This movie actually has had the opposite effect over time with my parents. Initially when they saw it, they did not like it at all. But over the years it’s come to be one of their favorites to watch at Christmas. It personally stands as one of my favorites to watch every year!

i think what makes the scene with Dinklage work is that everyone else is against Buddy, technically. like, no one in the romm is amused or agrees with him or anything. they're all shocked and confused that he would say such things to DInklage's character. I think that's the best way to have your dark humour not be in poor taste. you can have a character act as a jerk, be insentitive or irgnorant etc. and it can be funny, as long as everyone in the room acknowledges that that behaviour isn't good

Jon Favreau is an iconic and passionate filmmaker, writer, director, and the creator of The Mandalorian series of the Star Wars Franchise. and he’s also an iconic actor portraying Happy Hogan in the Iron Man movies and also in the MCU. Jon Favreau is a Brilliant Filmmaker & Best-Time creator of Hollywood.

For some reason his delivery of “it’s a pen!” has me rolling!

When you said “all the best Santas are violent”, Violent Night IMMEDIATELY came to mind. 😂😳

My biggest problem with this movie was how no one told Buddy anything about the real world. How the hell has he never heard of a department-Store Santa, and even so, why didn't Santa tell him?

20:25 I don’t see what’s wrong with that effect. It’s supposed to look cartoony.

Honestly i wouldn't be surprised if The Genie from Aladdin was actually Buddy the Elf real father

Elf is a certified modern classic. Will Ferrell couldn't be stopped in the early 2000s and this is the one that started it all. Great comedy and family film. Nothing else like it!

I'm actually impressed that Channel Awesome's staff is still together after all these years. At least Malcolm and Tamara, Idk about their editors. There are a lot of channels that blow up and get really big but still dissolve over time or change because people change.

I know this is a top holiday classic, but I always found it a little weird. Not the weird that it mainly portrays, but the obvious weird that most people seem to ignore. For instance, why didn't Santa take Buddy back to the orphanage? It be one thing that he didn't he didn't know which orphanage, but Santa is basically all knowing. Heck he could've given the child to some loving couple/parents that really want one. Leading to the next question, why couldn't Santa raise Buddy? I mean his elf dad is okay, but Buddy was basically raised by aliens. They all knew that he would grow and did nothing to accommodate it. Also it's a miracle that doesn't have severe diabetes and obesity, eating the elves all candy diet. Also, wouldn't a missing orphan baby be all over the news? And whoever was running that place was possibly fired. I know reading way too into this, but can't help but point these out. It's still a good film and I'd still watch it.

We got a new Christmas special with Ferrell this year. It's a decent movie with awesome songs. In one scene, a guy dressed as Buddy walks up to Will, and Will tells him he looks stupid.

I took the scene with Mr. Narwhal as sort of a satire of most North Pole fantasy depictions neglecting to include such an odd-looking real life creature. I recall getting into debates at high school with students who claimed that narwhals were made-up - I guess they’re just THAT strange.

Another thing I learned is that Will Ferrell had another movie come out earlier and it was incredibly mean-spirited & it was a massive hit. So much so, Favreau was asked to make it more cynical by the studio. The movie was already in editing, however, and Favreau really wanted a sweeter movie. He was then kicked out of the editing room & the movie was nearly taken from him. What ended up happening was Favreau’s direction on set had been so central to his vision, that no matter what they did, and reshoots costing way too much, the studio couldn’t make the cynical, rude movie they wanted. Favreau was then brought in to finish the cut he had in mind. Reading some more comments that also Adam McKay & Will Ferrell tried making another PG-13 movie, it’s likely they tried influencing the studio as well, but Favreau stood firm in the movie he made.

10:45 Rest in peace James Caan. To me, you will always be the spreader of Misery.

Finally I'm not the only one who thought the elf soundtrack sounded similar to the polar express soundtrack. The very first time I watched both of them I knew they sounded similar.

Fun fact. Apparently during production they were at risk of getting into hot water with the Rankin Bass company because of how many elements they pulled from the rudolph special. In fact they were close to having to change Buddy’s costume after they filmed all the New York scenes and when they couldn’t afford another shoot back to New York.

19:58 fun fact about this scene will Farrell actually drank that whole 2 liter bottle of soda in one go I’m surprised he’s still able to scream after that

I've always felt like Will Ferrel is such a better actor than people give him credit for because, for one reason or another, he's so often thrown into zany roles that don't appeal to a very wide audience. I agree that when he's acting the child in Elf he does it so well. The only other movie I can think of that he does a better job of actually acting, not just yelling weird things, is Megamind and he is masterful in that. I wish we could see more of his range in more films.

I’m glad that the Critic came around on Ernest Saves Christmas calling that Santa one of the best ones

I'm a 45 year old grump but the main musical theme of this movie always lifts me up.

10:25 I absolutely LOVE that that was improvised! I mean, what are the odds that a random citizen happened to be out dressed like Santa!? Too great an opportunity to pass up!

Are there plenty of moments in this film that I don't laugh or even smile at anymore after seeing it every year since its release? Yes. But I find that Elf toes the line very well between gritty realism and feel-good optimism. Favreau manages to capture realistic, comedic aggravation in response to Ferrell's antics while still suggesting along the way that maybe there's something to be gleaned from Buddy's childlike wonder. Through this, I find it does a good job of giving kids a laugh at the silly man-child while simultaneously making it fun for adults to witness how these events would more or less play out in real life. Were it to be made much grittier, I don't think Elf would cut it for "family friendly" in a lot of parents books, especially not back in 2003. You already get the scene with Dinklage kicking Ferrell's ass for calling him an elf and a father full-volume screaming at his son that he doesn't care who he is. I don't think it needs to get much darker than that. Otherwise, I feel it would taint the overall uplifting theme of the film. It walks a tightrope between these two themes, and I think it makes it to the other end with plenty of feel-good fuzzies while also squeezing a few well-deserved chuckles from our inner pessimists. As for the climax of the film, you really have to be feeling a connection to the characters relationships by the time Ferrell gets to Central Park in order to get anything out of it. The heartwarming reunion between Ferrell and Caan, Deschanel finally plucking up the courage to perform in front of an audience, and seeing all the pessimistic New Yorkers we've met along Buddy's journey managing to pull together enough Christmas spirit for a sing-along. Buddy has managed to lift the spirits and expand the imaginations of everyone he's met since he arrived, and it closes us out with the biggest grinch of them all continuing to struggle with expressing joy, togetherness, and gratitude -- even after seeing Santa Claus with his own eyes. He finally breaks free from his emotional bonds with one last prod from his son, and you get this look on Caan's face as Santa and Buddy sail overhead that says he still can't believe his eyes. Funny, relatable, heartwarming. It doesn't need to be realistic, it's Christmas after all. In fact, I'd say keeping the antics and the character arcs larger than life is what makes them work. It's a classic in my book, hands down.

This is why I avoid strictly Christmas movies unless it's Christmas time. Avoid overkill

Would not be surprised this was one of those Santa experiments gone wrong

10:00 this happened before joker was hit by a taxi

I think why I find this movie hilarious is that Buddy is basically a grown me with undiagnosed ADHD. Seriously read about ADHD the watch it again it’s actually really funny.

The stop motion characters were created by the Chiodo Brothers, who brought us Killer Klowns from Outer Space, were influenced by cool claymators like Will Vinton, Art Clokey, Nick Park, George Pal, Tim Burton, and Rankin/Bass.

You know i wouldn't be surprised if Dennis Rodman was in the background of one of those shots just doing Kung-Fu to a refrigerator because it secretly told someone it doesn't like to keep Lettuce

19:36 With Mary Steenbergen here with Will Ferrell. I almost feel this has become Step Brothers.😅

Malcolm always delivers the best lines. Bloody funny.

Yeah no joke, the counter that Critic puts of all the things that annoyed parents, I'm guilty I absolutely did all that stuff when I was a kid 12:33 and yes including this because it is easily my favorite part of the entire movie

Artie Lange was the fake Santa, one time when he was still back on the Stern show he was giving Richard Christie a hard time over the fact Richard wanted a to see what this Christmas hotel's Elf's from the tuck-in service looked like. Richard brought up the movie and Artie was like "I've never seen Elf, Richard."

22:56 will ferrel telling Hollywood no second elf movie

My all time favorite Christmas movie. For me a must watch every Christmas season.

*Will Rob Walker be making a cameo appearance as Santa for Toys for Tots?* I feel like that would make the story come around full circle! He's such a nice, clever man at that!

Rest in peace to both James Caan and Ed Asner

5:14 Wait! THAT was Bob Newhart?! 😱 As in… Bernard from Disney’s The Rescuers and The Rescuers Down Under?!

"You sit on a throne of lies." is still one of the greatest lines ever written.