The Small One Review

 

The second work directed by Don Bluth after Banjo the Woodpile Cat, The Small One tells the tale of an underdog donkey and his owner, a boy that won’t give him up to just anyone. But what lesson will we learn in the relatively short runtime of this story?

 

After the intro squeezing all the credits in (Richard Rich assistant director here, Gary Goldman also involved), we meet our lead, simply called Small One, an aged donkey who’s more of a nuisance, though he and the boy that takes care of the livestock play briefly before heading out with the others

 

Gathering sticks with the boy’s father doesn’t go too well, the donkey needing help because he’s small and weak.  The father plans to sell Small One at the market tomorrow, not wanting him to suffer needlessly and doing so little work as a beast of burden

 

The boy asks to sell him, the father agreeing as we get a nice song about how the boy hopes Small One will get a special owner who cares about him

 

At the city, the boy is directed to the tanner, not realizing it until he’s told that Small One’s hide is all the man wants (dark, yet realistic and not exactly traumatizing, since the reality is more graphic in nature than just tanned hides, implying death, not showing corpses).

 

The pair flees, going through the market trying to sell Small One (without killing him). There’s another song featuring merchants (who steal from each other?), the boy directed to an auctioneer nearby

 

After trying to get sold, the auctioneer laughs at them, even trying to ride on Small One, but getting bucked off for his troubles (good riddance).

 

The two continue through the town, but the boy despairs at not being able to sell Small One

 

Suddenly, a man asks if Small One can be sold to him, needing a gentle donkey to take his expectant wife to Bethlehem.

 

The pair tearfully bids farewell as the featurette concludes with us seeing where the donkey goes, clearly insinuating that Small One took Mary and Joseph to the census in Bethlehem, his true purpose all along.

 

 

The characters are fairly flat for the most part, only our leads getting a sense of fleshing out, especially Small One, for not having any dialogue. And his owner, the boy, does show understanding of his flaws and, while resistant to selling him, just wants him to have a good home and someone who takes care of him in his golden years

 

As for the religious undertone, it’s pretty subtle and doesn’t bash you over the head with it, so it’s a really good and accessible holiday film, even if you don’t celebrate Christmas, since the message is more about kindness to even the smallest and least fortunate.

 

The essence of the story is how this relationship keeps the spirits of our leads up in spite of the difficulties they face, very relatable in terms of people with their own pets going through tough times of some form or another

 

Nothing groundbreaking, but sometimes a simple story can have great impact in terms of the message it conveys and sticks with people through their lives. I’d recommend it and you can find it on Disney +

The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus 2000 Review

 

Improving on Rankin Bass’ 1985 TV adaptation, I saw this once as a teen, pleasantly surprised as an adult to learn L. Frank Baum of Wizard of Oz wrote the novel. Plus, there are some well-known voice actors involved like Maurice Lamarche and Jim Cummings, so this story about Santa being tied to fairy creatures couldn’t be that bad, right?

 

In a simpler time where humans are unaware of forest creatures like the Ryls, caretakers of plants and the Knooks, providing for animals, as well as Fairies and Wood Nymphs in Burzee (the inner forest?)

 

Necile, a Wood Nymph, prepares the season’s first nectar, which predicts a very eventful year. Later that night, Ak ruminates on humanity’s terrible state, including a special baby left at the forest’s edge (the fairies inadvertently insinuating they found dead babies before).

 

A lioness, Sheigra, agrees to nurse the child (nothing weird there), given protection by Ak, who believes it will help humans in the future (Burzee’s hands tied)

Necile, breaking several fairy laws, gets the child from Sheigra, who’s tired of the child’s crying, but Ak is oddly permissive

 

Other wood nymphs (which have wings?) bring milk blossoms for the baby, forgotten when Wisk, a pixie, crashes into the house from a catapult at Awgwa Mountain.  He briefly shapeshifts into the rock monsters, scaring the nymphs, agreeing to live there, both to avoid the Awgwas and interested in the infant

 

The child, named Nicholas (Claus meaning “little one” in fairy, leading to an initial name of “Necileoclaus”), grows up, Necile singing about his special experiences

 

More time passes, Necile telling an uncertain Nicholas that he’s fortunate to see the magical world but also able to choose his fate, unlike the immortals

 

Ak takes Nicholas to visit the human world, giving him a sash of invisibility and flight. He’s warned that losing it means Nicholas will be trapped in the human world forever (never addressed)

 

We see even human children toil, a blacksmith dismissing one boy with a cane and blaming children for mischief the Awgwas caused

 

Even a nobleman isolates his daughter from the poor children because of prejudice

 

Ak emphasizes humanity’s unfair lot in life, a vicious cycle making unhappy children and adults, Nicholas wanting to change things somehow, given the sash by Ak to keep

 

Nicholas grows up and moves halfway between the Forest of Burzee and the human world, the Valley of Hohaho, a house built by the Knooks and others in a night (complete with song!) after he and Wisk gather materials

 

A tuxedo cat, Blinkie, is inside, a gift from Necile, Wisk afraid he’ll be eaten

 

Nicholas heads out to the human world (special privileges from the sash!), befriending a family: Andrew and Martha, along with their children, an unnamed baby he comforts and Megan, a nonverbal girl who talks briefly after Nicholas leaves, having showed her kindness (never seen again)

 

The disabled boy from before, Ethan, promises to bring Nicholas a leaning stick, encouraged to carry the sack (not so “crippled” now?), but collapses in a snowstorm near the cottage, taken in before he freezes (to the Awgwa’s anger)

 

Nicholas conceives of toys after giving Ethan a painted wooden “Blinkie” he carved, making more for other children and regaling them with stories about fairies (like Necile)

 

He continued this tradition, diversifying beyond cats and becoming famous, drawing the ire of Awgwa King Mogorb, who tasks General Thog to stop him

 

Sheigra visits Nicholas (saying he’s grown to be handsome, bestiality vibes), who carves her likeness, the aging lioness passing away soon after

 

Two kids, Mayrie and Tycus ask Nicholas for toys, frightened of the lioness carving, helping Nicholas learn more about what to make

 

An older child, Natalie, asks for a toy, Nicholas promising her one, just out of stock. But he asks Necile later if rich children deserve toys, his mother arguing even those with privilege can lack something a toy provides. And that rings true, Natalie regarding the clay likeness of Necile that Nicholas creates as a friend (the lonely rich girl we saw earlier)

 

The Awgwas teleport Nicholas into a dangerous jungle, who’s narrowly saved from wild animals by a Knook, who seemingly teleports him back home (so no threat?)

 

But the workload increase and old age hinders Nicholas (now voiced by Jim Cummings), the house expanding to accommodate toy production. Wisk inspires Nicholas to use reindeer to help deliver toys, forced to go down the chimney and word spreading about him being a saint (so these are miracles?), though the Knook Will takes back the reindeer when Nicholas returns after daybreak (risking exposure!)
 

The Awgwas attack Nicholas on foot, taking the stolen toys to their caves

 

Natalie gives up her Necile doll to the unfortunate children after learning about Nicholas being accosted

 

Ak suggests Nicholas deliver toys once a year and at night, Will agreeing to give 8 reindeer (4x original!)

 

Necile goes to retrieve the stolen gifts, Ak going to war against the Awgwas. The forest’s forces decimate the Awgwas’ scarier group, tricking the rock monsters into rolling off a cliff and transforming a dragon and giants into harmless things like butterflies and flowers. Magorb and Thog are morphed into bugs after Wisk knocks them off a cliff in Awgwa form

 

Ak tells Nicholas of the Awgwa’s defeat, Christmas Eve soon arriving as Nicholas is shocked to learn from Will the reindeer can fly and Necile brings the presents

 

Nicholas, finally using Ak’s magical sash, starts his annual gift-giving journey (with a song!), magically going down the chimney (no more risk of death!), Wisk helping him break in occasionally (for the children!)

 

The visits continue every year, but Nicholas’s life is nearing its end, Wisk realizing the human’s mortality as the Angel of Death floats toward the house.

 

Ak beseeches the council of immortals to grant eternal life to Nicholas, having done such good for downtrodden humanity, which they agree to, just before the reaper takes Nicholas, the film ending as he continues into the future.

 

 

 

Nicholas is an innocent, almost naïve, and kind lead, adapting to situations with his friend’s help, his progress not feeling earned. He gets a house for free, among other benefits and his immortality is granted because immortals provided for him (his good deeds relevant)

 

Necile facilitates Nicholas’ acceptance into Burzee and encourages her “son”, mostly in the background

 

Wisk is more comic relief, sometimes inspiring Nicholas with ideas (toys, reindeer, etc), his transformation gimmick rarely advancing the plot

 

And Blinkie, seemingly an immortal cat, inspires the first toy, otherwise a mascot

 

Ak, the wise sage ruler, bends the rules for Nicholas several times, but also seeks order, since he desires to help humanity. But he has to find a loophole with immortal laws preventing direct contact and destroys the Awgwas for Nicholas’ sake

 

The antagonists are fairly ineffectual, only the king Margob even slightly intimidating, but otherwise, they struggle in vain to stop Nicholas, easily defeated by Ak’s forces

 

We have a creative story, only hurt by a protagonist never struggling without external assistance, but the message remains important, being kind to those less fortunate and making the world a better place. Highly recommended for the novelty and timeless ideals, in spite of head-scratching oddities and plot problems that pepper throughout

 

The Snowman 1982 Review

 

A featurette I watched as a child, it was based on a children’s book from 1978 (which also was part of my younger days even though I was born in the late 80s). While there is very little dialogue, only a spoken intro and some lyrics in the film’s famous song, it’s considered very nostalgic, so let’s dive in

 

After being told about the narrator’s memories of a winter with much snow and how he made the titular snowman (one version featuring David Bowie!), we shift into animation

 

The young boy awakens, excited at the snow falling and quickly changes to go outside. His mother puts a hat on him after he rushes to get on his boots, quickly falling off. And when the boy throws a big snowball at the house, it splats on the window, his mother scolding him

 

But after making a snowman (with rather unorthodox techniques), complete with a scarf, hat, a fruit nose and coal buttons and eyes, the boy is called inside. He continues to look back at his creation, jumping into bed (looking forward to Christmas, clearly) and goes to sleep.

 

His anticipation keeps him up and at midnight, he goes downstairs, seeing a prismatic light come over the snowman and give it life.

 

The two have fun, scaring the cat near the fireplace (a normal reaction to an animated snow construct) and seeing the weird reflections in the tree ornaments.  However when the snowman sits on the chair and starts watching TV, it becomes clear that the fireplace is affecting him and they go to the kitchen

 

The snowman tries on some other noses from a fruit basket and enjoys the icebox (I think?). Then the pair goes upstairs and into the kid’s parents’ room (why?). Some false teeth create a simultaneously funny and terrifying gag, the snowman then putting on some makeup and even more clothes (so no gender concept?). They narrowly avoid waking up the parents after the snowman sneezes from some perfume (because he has lungs and nostrils?)

 

In the boy’s room, the snowman dances around, inspired by a dancing music box figure, but then stumbles around on a roller skate and avoids a toy train, crashing into a wall (releasing balloons?).

 

Outside, the snowman notices something covered up with a tarp, a motorcycle (with the keys inside!). The pair drives (the snowman a quick study) and they have a romp through the forest, annoying various wild animals and then returning home (the snowman’s inner thighs shiny now?). After a brief sit in a freezer in the shed, the snowman leaves (seemingly remembering something), the boy taken with him as they fly through the air (and the song begins).

 

They surprise many people (even penguins), one guy having the reaction that he’s drunk too much champagne, while a young girl wonders if it’s connected to Santa. Other snowmen even join them early on, but the pair is mostly alone in their travels across the frozen landscape

 

After a while, things calm down, the pair entering a forest where there’s a secret gathering of snow people (snow women clearly there as well) and, surprisingly (or not), Santa Claus as well. Lots of raucous fun is had (snowmen getting drunk?), Santa even giving the boy a present after showing him the reindeer in a stable

 

But the pair has to get back home, the snowman giving the boy a final hug as he stands alone outside.

 

The next morning, the snowman has tragically dissipated, just a lump on the ground, the boy saddened as he looks at the scarf, his only remaining memory of that night as the featurette concludes.

 

 

The music is the major centerpiece, even moreso than the unique art style that resembles watercolors, which is a breath of fresh air. It addresses the mood of any given scene, setting it up well without any need for spoken word to enrich things, in no small part because of the animation being fairly expressive for the time.

 

As for characters, the major focus is on the snowman and the boy, each playing well off the other. The youthful innocence of the boy, excited at his creation come to life, the snowman more naive yet somehow still possessing of knowledge that doesn’t entirely make sense if you think about it (and also magically functions like a human for some jokes).

 

If there’s some message to be learned, it’s the transience of our childhood and wonder at such things like making a snowman and how we should cherish it as a dear memory. Author Raymond Briggs was bleaker in his justification, just a fact of life that things happen like a snowman melting.

 

All in all, this is something you shouldn’t skip on, the traditional animation fantastic and the premise simple, yet effective at conveying the impactful message that can stick with you long after childhood (unlike me?).

Nick and Noel Review

 

A featurette included (on VHS) with a book from my childhood, I only recently realized this wasn’t adapting the Gingham Dog and Calico Cat (which does exist out there). For a Christmas story, it’s almost as clichéd as a Hallmark TV movie, but maybe the nostalgia will help me appreciate it decades later?

 

We see a nice looking house and the narrator, a mouse named Barnaby (voiced by Paul Williams, the Penguin in Batman: The Animated Series), tells us how Christmas is special to him, linked back to our titular characters.

 

Flashing back to when the house was unoccupied, Barnaby searches for crumbs, but it turns out to be a duplex, the other half having a family that’s coming home soon. And their cat, Noel (voiced by Kath Soucie) says she’ll get him leftovers, but he has to stay out of sight.

 

Her owners, a girl and her (recently?) widowed father, wonder about the people moving in, though Sarah is content with her pet as a friend. And the father, a writer, is clearly a bit absentminded, not realizing his glasses are on his head.

 

Turns out their new neighbors are Leslie Lee, a famous singer (though they’d never heard of her) and her dog Nick, who sing at all hours of the day and grate on Howard and Noel, who clash with Leslie and Nick.

 

The cat and dog continue the spat outside (Nick apparently okay with leaving the apartment briefly), having a musical number about how much they don’t get along (because cats and dogs).

 

Sarah comes out, helping to mend fences between the two, Noel tolerating the “mutt”. And Nick’s presence helps lighten Sarah’s mood regarding her mother. She even asks Santa to give the toys to more needy children, only wanting a mom for the holidays

Noel realizes Howard forgot to send Sarah’s letter to Santa and asks Nick for help, since he’s travelled with Leslie for her concerts. After she agrees to call him Maestro as a favor, he says the North Pole is at the end of North Street, conveniently right in town.

 

When the cat heads off, Nick, more loyal to his master, decides to follow so he isn’t shown up. Unfortunately, he can’t read, so they’re stuck in actually finding the street

 

Leslie offers to take Sarah with her to shop for Christmas presents and Howard agrees begrudgingly.

 

Meanwhile, Nick and Noel are still heading up North Street and find a Christmas store, Noel mistaking it for the North Pole, seeing reindeer in the window.  It’s not the North Pole (though a sign says as much) and “Santa” heads into a room, the cat and dog following him.

 

Howard and Leslie are both worried about their pets, thinking it’s odd that they’re gone, Leslie even thinking they were stolen.

 

Back at Winter Wonderland, it’s closed down and Nick and Noel run into a guard dog, though they get away when he slips on the ice rink and crashes into a display, the pair escaping through a broken window

 

Sarah’s letter is blown away by the wind, Nick saving Noel from almost getting squished by a snowplow.

 

Leslie lets Howard and Sarah borrow Christmas decorations, wanting to keep their spirits up. She even sings about how a Christmas miracle will bring them together

 

Nick and Noel stay the night at a nearby petting zoo, Noel inspired to try and find Sarah a mother for Christmas. A sow suggests Sarah might want a human mother (you don’t say!), but at a park, all the mothers already have children, Nick thinking it’s silly

 

Eventually Noel wants to give up and go home, Nick comforting her by saying it wasn’t a stupid idea, actually very admirable, the two even hugging to their surprise

 

Howard, Leslie and Sarah go looking for Nick and Noel, the writer’s willingness to ignore his deadline seemingly enough to push Leslie to fall in love with him (touching his hand tenderly)

 

Nick gets his collar stuck on some train tracks, Noel managing to free him, but it looks like she is run over by the oncoming train.

 

Thankfully the two return home, everyone happy to see them and Leslie and Howard get married that night, a minister officiating between Christmas Eve services. They feasted (so Barnaby didn’t starve!) and it was overall a Merry Christmas, the story wrapping up

 

 

 

Noel and Nick are polar opposites, as one would expect, but they complement each other in the quest to help a little girl on Christmas. Noel is much more optimistic, Nick more cautious by comparison, keeping Noel from getting killed at one point. But he keeps her rooted as well, Noel’s ideas almost too random at times and being drawn more by her heart than her head, Nick acknowledging her kindness in the end as important

 

Sarah is overly perfect for a child character, selfless and just wanting a mother in her life, serving as a connecting point for Nick and Noel, initially clashing. Her mother’s death feels like it could’ve been utilized far better in the plot itself and would’ve helped to give Howard and Leslie more depth as well.

 

Leslie and Howard are an obvious pair of love interests and they seem to fall in love over the course of a few days, so it’s very rushed, only plausible in the “Christmas miracle” scenario at most. With Sarah’s mother having passed, I wonder if Leslie could’ve slowly become a genuine maternal presence instead of being shoehorned in as such. And Howard focusing on his work so much could’ve tied into his being a widower, clichéd as it might be.

 

Barnaby is barely important except as a narrator to explain things on a kid’s level (which feels pretty patronizing as an adult remembering how I enjoyed it as a kid, the emotional elements going over my head)

 

While it’s definitely plotted in a weird way, there are emotional moments that work, mostly from a sense of nostalgia and stronger empathy as an adult. I feel like kids would understand the lesson of cooperating and being generous during the holiday season. The family element is nice, if a bit overly hokey and sentimental.

 

If it had been a proper feature length at around an hour, there could’ve been much more to explore and made for a far better product in spouting stuff about Christmas miracles and kindness and such.