Noelle

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Christmas 2019

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While browsing some original Disney streaming, this title kept popping up, so I decided to check it out. I tend to enjoy Anna Kendrick, after all, despite the cutesy stereotype some people might give her. I think she's a great actress, and give her full credit for her roles in basically anything I've seen her in - consider her a personal fave. However, this time around, that cutesy stereotype kinda came out a little too much for my taste.

On Christmas Eve, Santa (Bryan Brendle) reveals himself as the parent of two children. One fateful Christmas Eve, he passes his son, Nick (Bill Hader/Owen Vaccaro) the torch of eventually becoming the next Santa. Meanwhile, his daughter, Noelle (Anna Kendrick/Oakley Bull), is given the task of spreading Christmas cheer when she grows up. She likes the idea okay, but she's disappointed that she can't do more.

The years pass, and the kids grow up. But while Noelle is hard-working and enjoying her job, Nick is having a lot of trouble coming to terms with having to fill Santa's shoes. She gives him the advice to go away for a vacation, much to the dismay of pretty much the entire North Pole. The result is that he goes away for a little too long, and the upcoming Christmas might be ruined. Now it's up to Noelle to head out into the world, find her brother, and bring him home.

With the North Pole missing both Nick and Noelle, other brother Gabriel, who's pretty much the tech guy around the Pole, takes charge. However, he develops a way to figure out in black and white how many good kids there are in the world as opposed to naughty kids, and plans on using this unfortunate method for the upcoming Christmas. I won't say what happens at the end, but I feel like it may already be pretty predictable.

I'm a little bit stuck on this movie as far as rating it goes. On the good side of things, it might be a fun, and actually positive one for young girls. Noelle is pretty damn cutesy, as mentioned before, but she's nothing but positive, and still pretty likable. I just personally like her much better in other things. They were probably going for this, but it's very much Disney Princess in its execution - and even saying that, I can say I've seen much better Disney Princess movies.

Aside from the cutesiness, it's another "save Christmas"-themed film, and a lot of the dialogue is eye-roll inducing. But, I'm also watching this as a 37-year-old man, and this is clearly much more aimed at a younger, perhaps leaning towards female, audience. It's not for me, but for the young ones, it's just fine. However, I still think there are better things to watch that are far less sugar-coated for Christmas (which is saying a lot).

2/5

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