Search icon

Entertainment

21st Dec 2020

5 reasons why Elf is the greatest Christmas film of all time

Jade Hayden

elf

Elf is the best Christmas film in the world.

This is not a question nor is it something to be debated.

It is a fact. We’re telling you.

Chances are if you’re a real life human being who likes nice things, you’ll believe that Elf is the best Christmas film in the world.

You’ll understand it. You’ll know.

But if you, for some reason, have any doubts that the Will Ferrell classic isn’t literally the best thing on TV over the Christmas period, don’t worry because we’re here to set you straight.

In the form of a list.

1. Will Ferrell is perfection 

Try think of a better Buddy the Elf than Will Ferrell – and then stop right now because you can’t.

He was perfect. He was simultaneously adorable and hilarious. He looked ridiculous in that elf suit. He delivered some of the most iconic and hilarious lines in cinema.

“Buddy the Elf, what’s your favourite colour?” Priceless.

2. The plot is genuinely inspired 

It is, alright?

So many Christmas movies are uninspired, dull, and boring.

A person is sad for some reason around Christmas and then they fall in love and everything is fine – or, the plot of every Christmas movie ever.

Elf is different. Elf has a beginning, a middle, and an end. It has a hook. It has subplots. It has subsubplots.

Thought went into Elf. Elf is good.

3. It’s got James Caan in it 

Y0u know, James Caan? The esteemed and respected actor James Caan? Playing the role of Buddy the Elf’s father?

James Caan who was hobbled by Kathy Bates in Misery. 

James Caan who ruined everybody in The Godfather. 

That James Caan. The good one.

4. You’ll be unable to believe that that is, in fact, Zooey Deschanel every time you watch it 

But she’s bLoNdE?!?!?!

5. They never did a sequel 

And that makes Elf immediately better than most Christmas films.

Because, after all, a movie is only as good as its sequels… and those are always shit.