Saving Santa

Did you know Martin Freeman can sing? However you think of him, as Bilbo in The Hobbit or Dr. Watson in Sherlock Holmes or Mandy Moore's husband in Swinging with the Finkels, you probably don't associate him with the cute Christmas cartoon, Saving Santa. Check this movie out; it'll be so much better than you think.

Yes, it's a cartoon, but it's not geared towards young kids. There are romantic jokes that will go right over their heads, quick comic timing that they'll most likely tune out, and a plot so fast-paced they'll get confused. This one's for the teenagers or grown-ups in the audience. Martin voices an elf who works in the reindeer stables in the North Pole who's unhappy with his station in life. He's an inventor, but his presentations never go over well with the other elves. When he finds himself the only one who can save Santa from the evil bad guy, voiced by Tim Curry, he enters a very entertaining rabbit hole. It turns out, Santa uses a time machine to deliver all his toys in one night, and in order to stop Tim from finding and stealing the secret, Martin uses the time machine himself!

This is such a fun movie, with tons of layers you wouldn't expect. You'll see the same scenes played over and over again, from different points of view, and with different time-travelled people making a difference. It's very clever, and the musician in me loves when the songs turn into duets with past- and future-versions of Martin! I know you think it'll be silly, but trust me and give it a shot. I've sat through more than my fair share of lousy Christmas movies, and this one isn't lousy at all. It's great from start to finish. I've watched it three years in a row now!

DLM Warning: If you suffer from vertigo or dizzy spells, like my mom does, this movie might not be your friend. In pretty much every scene, the camera either tilts or swirls, and it will make you sick. In other words, "Don't Look, Mom!"