This movie cracks me up every time I see it, and every time I see it I seem to find something new. It never fails to bring a smile to my face.

If you are anything like I am, then you are a sap for almost any sentimental movie that comes out around Christmas time. This may have been caused by too many viewings of RUDPOLPH on television or the fact that the first time I ever saw IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE I was fortunate enough to watch it in the company of creator/director Frank Capra. In any event, put enough sentiment into a movie and I am gone.

That being said, this movie isn't overwrought with sentiment but it does have its share. More than sap, it offers us a truly funny movie that doesn't rely on the most total of gross jokes to make you laugh (although a well placed burp does occur). Instead, it offers us the naïve charm of a character that is so innocent that every move he makes becomes touching and funny at the same time.

Will Ferrell of SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE fame stars as Buddy. When a baby in an orphanage, Buddy crawled into Santa's sack and was taken to the North Pole. There he was adopted by a kindly elf (Bob Newhart) and raised until he was about 30 when he discovered he was a human and not an elf. Like I said, Buddy is quite naïve throughout.
Learning his true lot in life, Buddy heads for New York to find his real father, a man Santa tells him is on the naughty list.

Buddy's father Walter is played by James Caan. Walter is a publisher of children's books who is looking for a hit. He's also one of those workaholics that have no time for anything from the holiday to his own family. Needless to say when Buddy arrives rather than welcome him with open arms, he sends him away and refuses to believe.

Buddy finds work (and a love interest) at Gimbels in the Christmas department naturally. A tussle with a store Santa (you see Buddy KNOWS he's not the real one) and he loses his job. But not before Walter takes him to his doctor to discover that yes, Buddy IS his real son.

Moving in with the family, Buddy is filled with Christmas cheer non stop. He decorates the apartment, he eats everything with syrup on it and he becomes friends with Walter's other son Michael (Daniel Tay). It is through watching and being exposed to Buddy that several of the characters change by the films end.

But before that happens, a destitute Buddy watches as Santa's sleigh falls from the sky into Central Park. The magic that kept the sleigh soaring in the past was Christmas spirit which has been lacking lately. An engine was put on by Buddy's adoptive father to help Santa along. But the engine has fallen off and only Buddy can replace it and help Santa. But can he do so before the park police catch them? Or will there be a way that the spirit of Christmas will rise again, enough to get the sleigh running once more?

This movie is filled with simple jokes that are funny, mostly visuals that lose something in the translation when described (for instance Buddy's joy in running around in a revolving door...see? Not funny to read but funny to watch). Ferrell is fantastic, providing the right about of simple mindedness to Buddy but at the same time offering that hopeful attitude that most of us have lost along the way.

Caan does a great job too as the frustrated father who never knew about Buddy but is struggling to not only come to terms with that but his whole life as well. Mary Steenburgen adds just the right support in her role as Caan's wife. Zooey Deschanel is a bright star as the object of Buddy's affection (with a fantastic singing voice as well). And stand out but used only for a brief moment is Peter Dinklage as Miles Finch, a high priced creative genius in the world of children's lit who buddy mistakes for an elf (Dinklage is actually a dwarf).

The movie offers some hilarious moments and some touching ones as well. And it also takes a moment to remind us all of the real spirit of Christmas. The joy of giving and not just waiting to see who got you something. It makes you realize that this is a special time of the year. And above all else, it makes you feel one of the simplest things at this time of year. Warm and fuzzy. Don't miss this one.

Oh yes, one more thing. If you too grew up with RUDOLPH you'll love the stop motion credits and characters at the North Pole who seem slightly familiar. Created by the Chiodo brothers (of CRITTERS and KILLER KLOWNS fame) it is a tremendous tribute to the classic Rankin/Bass creations.

Very,very cute with a heart warming ending.It lit up my holiday exceptionally since I needed it desperately,I was burglarized over xmas and lost thousands of $ worth of quality mechanic tools(my name is on the majority so if you see them call te police).

Was a very good movie in very good condition. Was great price and delivered promptly. Thank you!!

My daughter Bootsy,my wife and myself Peter realy enjoyed it. We thought it was also very funny.

Saturday Night Live veteran Will Ferrell is an absolute delight as an elf working his way out of the North Pole and into New York City. He takes a job at Gimbel's department store during the Christmas season and meets his new girlfriend. Great moral support from James Caan and Ed Asner.

Love this movie. It's a fun, silly, family movie that all ages can enjoy. I usually put our Christmas movies away until December, but this is one that I would keep out to watch when I need a chuckle. I highly recommend it.

Elf is my absolute favorite Christmas movie, and definitely one of my favorites overall, regardless of the time of year.

Buddy is a human, accidentally taken from an orphanage as a baby, ending up with Santa's elves, and getting raised by them. He grows up much taller than they are. Buddy finds out that his father works in the Empire State Building, and sets out to find him.

Buddy has no clue as to what city life is like, and there is one funny scene after another. Buddy hops on the lines painted on the street. He goes into revolving doors, and "rides" them for a long time. He makes goofy motions as he attempts to straddle the steps of an escalator. He jumps from mattress to mattress in a department store. He eats pigeon droppings from off the fences (ugh!). He takes a flyer from one man and then passes it on to another man who is passing out flyers--back and forth.

Knowing the real Santa, Buddy exposes the Santa at Gimbel's store as a fraud. There is quite a row there, right in front of the children! But then Buddy stays at the store overnight and decorates it in a fashion never seen before.

Over time, Buddy's father warms up to him. It isn't easy. Buddy acts like a huge overgrown child, and is a constant source of irritation in the family and at his father's workplace. Buddy's eating habits are bizarre, to say the least. Everything must have candy!

In time, Buddy becomes close to his half-brother, a boy named Michael. After school, Buddy meets him, and they walk home together. Suddenly, some boys pelt both of them with snowballs. No problem. Buddy picks up a bunch of snowballs and hurls them at the adversaries in machine-gun fashion, hitting all of them squarely. They all scatter.

Santa's Sleigh crashes in Central Park in New York. Only Buddy can repair it, and then only the spirit of Christmas can make it fly again. (The spirit of Christmas involves such things as singing Christmas songs, and believing in Santa. It is measured by a "Clausometer" gauge in Santa's sleigh). Michael makes off with Santa's list. People are curious what is written in it. The television reporter is embarrassed when Michael reads what Santa was asked to give her. Then people start to sing, the Christmas spirit re-awakens, and the magic begins again.

If you enjoy Christmas movies that are a bit off the beaten track then this is the movie for you. It is very hurmous and unusal but can be enjoyed by they whole family.

I don't generally watch the same movie more than one time. However, there are few movies I make exceptions for. Particularly Christmas classics like Miracle On 34th Street and A Christmas Story. After renting this movie three times for my kids, I finally broke down and bought it. It is now part of the Christmas tradition at my house.

I discovered "Elf" last Christmas. It's a sweet and funny story of an orphan who was adopted by one of Santa's elves. Will Ferrel is great as the 6 foot elf. I recommend it if you love Christmas movies and are tired of the same old ones year after year.

Elf is one of the most delightful movies to come out to date, Christmas time or not. Will Ferrel is a comic genious, the rest of the cast deliver a perfect "10" in entertainment. Life should be filled with joy and fun. Elf will leave you feeling delightfully smiling. Great for grownups or kids (as long as you're not too serious, in which case, you need to watch it twice!).

Overall this is not a 5 star movie but even adults will laugh out loud at several scenes in this movie. One of the better scenes is the snow ball fight. Elf, who is human, has develope some super powers grwing up on the North Pole. He is also quite addicted to sugar. Another favorite scene is the spaghetti meal he prepares for the family. It includes the longest movie belch that is so long that it becomes ridiculous.

There are great scenes and then there are some rather painful scenes. Buddy the elf is a human orphan that sneaks into Santa's bag during a stop. Raised by the elf in the North Pole. At some point he learns that he is human and about his real Dad. He goes to live with his real Dad. Of course he had trouble adjusting to New York city after living most of his life at the happy North Pole. His Dad has trouble accepting that he has a son, especially one that is so happy all the time.

Of course Santa faces trouble with less people believing in him and having trouble making his deliveries. He crosses paths with Santa again and now helps to save the day.

In this movie Will Ferrell plays Buddy, a man raised by elves. He eventually goes on to seek and find his birth father in New York City. He finds him, but at first his birth father (the gruff Walter Hobbs played by James Caan) thinks he is looney and it's some kind of joke. It is somewhat understandable when you take into account the clothes Buddy is wearing (his elf outfit). Very cute, but a bit out of place.

The real charm of the movie lies in Buddy's child-like innocence. It is hilarious to see him get into situations that probably would not be exceptional if someone more "normal" was involved. He is truly one of a kind and his personality shines throughout the entire movie. Additionally, he is something of a master decorator and snowball thrower, after getting lots of practice at the North Pole no doubt. This movie is really fun and funny and suitable for children as well. A perfect holiday movie if you want to laugh out loud. This may be Will Ferrell's best movie.

This film, released in 2003, is a wonderful holiday picture. Will Ferrell stars as Buddy the Elf, who crawls into Santa Claus' (Ed Asner) bag at an orphanage and winds up at the North Pole where he is adopted by Papa Elf (played by Bob Newhart). It is soon realized that Buddy is not a true elf, but a human raised by elves. After finding out his true parentage, a Walter Hobbs (played by James Caan) he journeys to New York City to meet and reconcile with his biological father. With his innocent nature he has several misadventures, more particularly at Gimbel's, where he is mistaken for an elf worker and put to work at the "North Pole" and meets a worker named Jovie (played by Zooey Deschanel) who he is enchanted by and falls in love with. He then goes to his father's apartment, meeting his half-mother (Mary Steenburgen) and his half-brother. He stays there until he is taken to work by Walter, where he gets drunk for the first time. He then has many adventures along the way, including running away from home until he meets Santa who has crash-landed in Central Park. I will not give away too much more, but it is a satisfying conclusion, including a spoof of a well-known cryptozoological piece of footage. I give Elf 4 1/2 out of 5 stars.

'Elf' is a wholesome holiday comedy that tells us the story of a human raised by elves at the North Pole. Buddy, skillfully played by Will Ferrell, is mistakenly brought back to the workshop after crawling into Santa's toy bag. He is adopted by Papa Elf (Bob Newhart) and raised like an elf until he discovers that he's actually a human. His child-like optimism, even at his character's 30 years of age is corny, but charming. Buddy is more than three times the size of any of the real elves, and without the inherent toy-making skills, has never managed to find his place among them. He decides to seek out his biological father (James Caan) in New York City; an executive with the children's book division of a major publishing firm. Buddy's father is a modern-day Scrooge, caring for only money and neglecting everything else, which has resulted in a distancing between himself and his other son, and an utter lack of appreciation for Christmas. It falls to Buddy to win the acceptance of his family, the love of his girlfriend, and use his innocent simplicity to help return the Christmas spirit to New York.

Will Ferrell's performance as Buddy is what really sets the movie apart and makes it something more than a generic holiday film. Ferrell's unique blend of physical comedy and brilliantly-delivered lines is something that will please audiences of both children and adults. He seems destined for the kind of fame early Saturday Night Live - The Complete First Season actors like Chevy Chase, Dan Akroyd, and Steve Martin achieved in movies. Unlike so many of his fellow SNL cast members, he is relying on his talent, rather than a single comedy sketch, to propel him out of television and into the cinema. Director Jon Favreau combines the classic, if generally overused, plot of an innocent outsider brought to live in a barbaric foreign environment with the comedic brilliance of Ferrell to create this modern Christmas classic. Bob Newhart, James Caan, and Ed Aston as Santa Clause, all play their supporting roles to perfection. 'Elf' is a light-hearted romp through the magic of the spirit of Christmas. The characters are well developed, the humor is wholesome, the acting is strong, and the story is charming. The wholesome laughter is innocent enough to keep the children entertained, and edgy enough to still keep the adults laughing too. This is a movie destined for a spot in the annual lineup of classic holiday films and is well-worth the price of a movie ticket.

This is a great Christmas movie for all ages! Will Ferrel is wonderful and hilarious. I especially love the animation at the North Pole; puffin, narwhale, sno-man, and the animated titles. Bob Newhart as Papa Elf is goofy great! Love the ending, so beautiful. Brilliant from start to finish!

I love this movie. It has a good lesson. I think it's very well acted and is fun to watch!

Elf starring the hilarious Will Ferrel, James Caan, and Zooey Deschanel is a cute and funny holiday film. I wasn't expecting much before I watched it, but Elf is a gem from beginning to end. Ferrell's performance brings both wide-eyed innocence and hypersensitive drama to the extreme. Parts of this film are so silly but enjoyable. This is a new holiday classic, just as good as A Christmas Story and Christmas Vacation. Elf will have you weeping like an infant from laughing so much. Defintely one to add to your holiday collection. Enjoy!

one of his best movies, and magical all the way, you get lost in the story line, and the music.

We loved this show. How fun!!! We plan on watching it every Christmas. It is a good family show.

This movie is loved by my whole family, all ages, from the 3-year-old up to the 64-year-old! A hilarious adventure for all! The character Elf is so lovable and the movie just touches your heart (and your funny bone!).

The yuletide season always brings a handful of holiday-themed releases, but most of them are pure humbug. It's only every five years or so that a true holiday classic comes along. Elf, from actor/director Jon Favreau ("Swingers"), tries to buck that trend by dressing Will Ferrell in tights and putting his comic skills to the test.

Ferrell plays Buddy, a human who grew up among Santa's elves. When he was a baby, he snuck into Santa's bag on Christmas Eve and wasn't discovered until Santa was back at the North Pole. Papa Elf (Bob Newhart) "adopted" Buddy and raised him. But now, Buddy is sticking out like a sore thumb within the elf community because of his ungainly size, unable to perform classic elf functions like toy building.

Buddy decides the answer to his problems is to seek out his human father Walter (James Caan) in New York City. Walter is the stereotypical big-business prick, and initially wants nothing to do with his elf-son freak. That leaves Buddy to inadvertently score a job at a department store, which leads to a romance with fellow store employee Jovie (Zooey Deschanel) and much hilarity when Buddy prepares for a visit from "Santa," thinking the real deal is on the way. When he sees that the store-hired Santa is actually an imposter, hilarious havoc ensues.

Walter slowly starts to warm to Buddy, who befriends his wife (Mary Steenburgen) and neglected son (Daniel Tay). But as Buddy becomes an increasingly disruptive presence at Walter's workplace, the fragile new family bond is threatened. Things comes to a head on Christmas Eve, naturally, as Santa begins his toy-delivering run and Walter desperately tries to make an 11th hour book sale.

Director Favreau and his crew deserve props for their work in creating the elf community. By using forced perspective and some cool animation techniques, they do a great job of building a unique world that captures the feel of the classic "Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer" and "Frosty The Snowman" animated holiday specials.

The screenplay, by newcomer David Berenbaum, is best when it places Ferrell in inventive fish-out-of-water scenarios. The story does stoop to formulaic scenarios from time-to-time, but it's a little more forgivable in this instance, since we're talking about a Christmas movie. The cast is also a mixed bag. Former Academy Award nominees Caan and Steenburgen are largely wasted in thankless roles, but Newhart and Deschanel make the most of theirs.

Fortunately, when the film threatens to get stuck in syrupy cliche, the wacky Ferrell comes to the rescue. He pulls out all the stops in an off-the-wall comedic performance that will have you in stitches. From wild slapstick to nuanced facial expressions, this is pure comedic genius at work.

It remains to be seen whether "Elf" becomes a new holiday classic, but thanks to Ferrell, it's definitely no lump of coal. It's a great way to have some holiday fun and raise your Christmas spirits.

Elf is one of my all-time favorite Christmas movies.

Will Ferrell fans fall into two camps: the ones that appreciate his raunchy side, and those who find his goofy innocence charming.

I'm in the second camp.

My children and I quote Elf often. "Does somebody need a hug?" is a favorite.

But I know perfectly wonderful people who hated the movie.

If you go for art or brilliant acting/writing, or a deep heartfelt message to take away with you -- you probably shouldn't go there with Elf. The logical will be annoyed with the elf adoption and flying sleigh logistics.

But if you find it at all amusing when grown men wear tights and get sideswiped by taxis, Elf may be singing your song. Does excessive childlike behavior no matter how old the child, coax a smile? Then Elf may be a movie you'll add to your favorites list.

Elf may fall into that category with Napoleon Dynamite...either you love it or you hate it. And I'm a Napoleon fan. I even loved Nacho Libre, Three Amigos and Dirty Rotten Scoundrels. Give me an excellent sight gag, some physical humor and a few great one-liners and I'm in.

Excellent movie if you want to laugh! Best of the best!

When this movie came out in the theaters, I thought the previews for it made it look stupid so I had absolutely no interest in seeing it. Fast forward to USA Network promoting it; these commercials actually made the movie look tolerable so I decided to DVR it. When I finally watched this movie I couldn't believe how good it was. Will Ferrell (who ordinarily I cannot stand; he is too over the top in his movies) was great as was all the supporting cast. He is a genuinely good-hearted elf just trying to meet and earn the affection of his real father. This movie has been added to my must-view list during Christmastime because it was so sweet and funny and NOTHING like the movie previews.

This may be my new favorite movie. Will Ferrel is fantastic - the music is wonderful, and I could not stop watching it over and over!

This movie is now included in my collection of "must see at Christmas time" DVD's together with the likes of "The Vicar of Dilby" and "Lampoons".

Great cast, great acting, cute story and even cuter legs on Will Ferrell.

This movie is one of the funniest by Will Ferrell. The story is touching and the shower scene is the best! I would recommend it to anyone wanting a good laugh, whether at Christmas time or not. This one is a winner!

I like this film about Buddy a little baby that crawls into Santa's sack and is raised by the elves. But he is too big and he can't make the toys properly. He goes to look for his real daddy who is on the naughty list, but is daddy doesn't want him. Buddy is funny. He eats spaghetti with maple syrup. My mummy and daddy even laugh.
I like singing the karaoke songs on the disc too and playing the games, unfortunately not all the games work on our DVD.

Even though its past the holidays, make sure you pick this one up for next year. The whole family loves this comedy. Will does a great job!

Will Ferrell is genius in this little gem and James Caan is the perfect scrooge until he experiences a change of heart. The scene in the newsroom will have you rolling as will the fight in the department store. Lots of good cheer and redemptive messages in this movie but to me it was not overly saccharine. Enjoy with some popcorn and snuggle close to a loved one.

Elf is one of our favorite family Christmas movies. We purchased this particular edition for the karaoke, coloring pages, games, and activities that were offered. I really didn't think my kids would be very interested in the games, but to my surprise they loved them. Even now after Christmas, we find ourselves using lines from the movie. Maybe it's a little corny, but it always brings a smile!

I recommend this edition to anyone who just can't get enough of Buddy the Elf!