I've always adored Christmas movies and specials, from It's a Wonderful Life and Miracle on 34th Street to Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer and The Snowman. Annabelle's Wish is one of those that most people including ones I know personally don't know of it's existence.
It's produced by Hallmark Entertainment and it is based on the legend that St. Nicolas gives not just children gifts but animals too; the ability to speak (God does in the original version). A calf named Annabelle is born on Christmas Eve and forms a friendship with the farmers mute grandson Billy. She wants to fly and even have antlers like Santa's reindeer. However the boy's aunt seeks to take custody of him likely for selfish and prideful reasons. To keep the boy on the farm with his grandfather, Annabelle wishes to give her Christmas voice permanently to the boy so that he can speak again.
Years later Annabelle's wish of flying is granted when Annabelle as an aged cow becomes a young reindeer leading Santa's team and her voice back. So much is right with short film. The songs and score are excellent, the characters and their actions make sense, and the resolution is wonderful. It makes you happy cry. Yeah it is narrated by Randy Travis a country singer but it suits this movie well.
It looks beautiful, the character designs are wonderfully drawn and the backgrounds are colorful and fluid, well maybe not Disney but still great. The score is wonderful whimsical, and the songs are catchy, while the writing is amusing sweet and the story of friendship (always has been a great value) gives you that warm and cozy feeling as a Christmas movie should do and is genuinely touching without being sentimental. The characters are really likable, especially Annabelle, who is just adorable and you identify with her immediately. Billy also is enough to warm the heart. The voice acting from the likes of Kath Soucie, Jerry Van Dyke (Dick Van Dyke's brother), Clancy Brown, Jim Varney, Randy Travis and Cloris Leachman (as a generic, weak antagonist) is very good.
Overall: a cute, touching animation that is perfect Christmas season or if you want something very relaxing to watch.
8/10.
It's produced by Hallmark Entertainment and it is based on the legend that St. Nicolas gives not just children gifts but animals too; the ability to speak (God does in the original version). A calf named Annabelle is born on Christmas Eve and forms a friendship with the farmers mute grandson Billy. She wants to fly and even have antlers like Santa's reindeer. However the boy's aunt seeks to take custody of him likely for selfish and prideful reasons. To keep the boy on the farm with his grandfather, Annabelle wishes to give her Christmas voice permanently to the boy so that he can speak again.
Years later Annabelle's wish of flying is granted when Annabelle as an aged cow becomes a young reindeer leading Santa's team and her voice back. So much is right with short film. The songs and score are excellent, the characters and their actions make sense, and the resolution is wonderful. It makes you happy cry. Yeah it is narrated by Randy Travis a country singer but it suits this movie well.
It looks beautiful, the character designs are wonderfully drawn and the backgrounds are colorful and fluid, well maybe not Disney but still great. The score is wonderful whimsical, and the songs are catchy, while the writing is amusing sweet and the story of friendship (always has been a great value) gives you that warm and cozy feeling as a Christmas movie should do and is genuinely touching without being sentimental. The characters are really likable, especially Annabelle, who is just adorable and you identify with her immediately. Billy also is enough to warm the heart. The voice acting from the likes of Kath Soucie, Jerry Van Dyke (Dick Van Dyke's brother), Clancy Brown, Jim Varney, Randy Travis and Cloris Leachman (as a generic, weak antagonist) is very good.
Overall: a cute, touching animation that is perfect Christmas season or if you want something very relaxing to watch.
8/10.