John C. Reilly, Natasha Lyonne, and Jim Gaffigan lend voices to the animated short from producer Alfonso Cuaron.
Plot: Moon is a curious young owl who unexpectedly finds himself stuck in a Christmas tree destined for Rockefeller Plaza. In his attempts to escape the bustling city, Moon befriends a lost little girl named Luna. Together, they embark on a heartwarming adventure, discovering the magic of the holiday season and forming an unlikely bond as they journey back home to their parents.
Review: Alfonso Cuaron is as adventurous a director as a producer. While his name has been big this year thanks to the masterpiece that is the Apple TV+ series Disclaimer, Cuaron has lent his backing to the third short film in a trilogy for Disney+. Following 2022’s Le Pupille and last year’s The Shepherd, Cuaron enlists director David Lowery to wrap the Christmas-themed collection of shorts with An Almost Christmas Story. Boasting a distinct look and the vocal talents of John C. Reilly, Natasha Lyonne, and Jim Gaffigan, An Almost Christmas Story is a beautiful fable that clocks in at less than thirty minutes but is packed with enough heart to fill a full-length feature.
Based on a story by Alfonso Cuaron and Jack Thorne, An Almost Christmas Story follows a young owl named Moon, a troublemaking little bird. Voiced by Cary Christopher, Moon is an impressionable youngster who causes mischief despite his best intentions, much to the chagrin of his father, Papa Owl (Jim Gaffigan). When Moon causes damage to their home in the forest, Papa goes off to find a new nest, leaving Moon to look after his little sister. But, when Moon gets stuck in a tree headed to New York City, he must figure out how to get home. While in the city, Moon meets a dog named Dave (Alex Ross Perry), a pigeon named Pat (Natasha Lyonne), and some others voiced by Phil Rosenthal, Mamoudou Athie, and Gianna Joseph.
Moon also meets a young girl named Luna (Estrella Madrigal) with whom he forges a bond. The two explore some of New York and try to help each other find their way home. Along the way, they encounter a folk singer, voiced by John C. Reilly, who imparts a message for the holidays that connects directly with Moon and Luna. Over a very short time, the owl and child realize something about what Christmas means with a message that is less tied to the titular holiday than it is to the entirety of the Yuletide season. Some beautiful moments showcasing an animated New York landscape and a couple of intriguing sequences give this short a boost of action.
John C. Reilly performs the songs in the short as his folk singer character works as both a part of the story and a narrator. The songs written for An Almost Christmas Story are called “It’s Christmas Today” and “The Spirit of Christmas” and both are traditional sounding while also feeling new. Reilly has always been passionate about music, and his voice adds a nice touch to the already sweet short film. Reilly’s songs are accented by a nice score by Daniel Hart. It helps that all voice actors here deliver subdued performances without one going too broad. Jim Gaffigan is subtle as the concerned father owl, while Natasha Lyonne and Phil Rosenthal have their trademark New York accents on full display without venturing into being too cliche.
What stands out in this twenty-one-minute short is the unique animation style that looks like wood carvings come to life. The close-ups of the various animals appear almost to be homemade decorations that come to life, with the background characters looking like two-dimensional cutouts used to fill in the scenery. Jack Thorne (Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Enola Holmes) and director David Lowery wrote the script. Lowery has made some films for Disney, including 2016’s Pete’s Dragon and 2023’s Peter Pan & Wendy. The filmmaker has also created unique films ranging from Ain’t Them Bodies Saints and A Ghost Story to the acclaimed The Green Knight. Lowery has an eye for ethereal and haunting visuals, which in An Almost Christmas Story gives the film an other-worldly feel that is also very familiar and comforting.
An Almost Christmas Story is a beautiful little film that feels like a hand-carved ornament you would put on your tree this December. It is intricate and delicate but rich with emotion and feeling. Many feature-length films struggle to imbue the audience with the warmth I felt watching An Almost Christmas Story. As a companion to Le Pupille and The Shepherd, An Almost Christmas Story is my favorite of the three and a shoo-in for consideration during the award season. It’s worth checking out even if you are not in the holiday spirit.
An Almost Christmas Story premieres on November 15th on Disney+.
