Kirandeep Yoder
The joyful confection is coated in a sparkly gloss, bright enough to gleam from the darkest, most cynical corners.
Edgar Allan Pooh
. . . broke all the toys BEFORE his sleigh's scheduled departure, asks this live-action short, MERRY CHR!STMAS. Some viewers may perceive "Pepe, Zippo, and Click" as merely stature-challenged product stress testers employed by St. Nicholas to insure that children's Christmas gifts survive intact at least until December 26. However, more astute film buffs probably will notice that these not-so-gently-used playthings are crammed by the "Jolly Elf" as-is into his great big bag for world-wide distribution. Sadly, CGI was not invented 800 years ago when this offering first entertained cave people, so watchers are asked to suspend their disbelief as 2D construction paper reindeer struggle with the aid of crude stop-motion "visual effects" to pull Santa and his 3D live-action sleigh. Saint Nick's first stop is a typical American Home, equipped with the obligatory 60-voice boys' choir in the family room loft. No one gets a cookie here, because it's very clear that Mom's plumb out of milk.
