Iowa: Arthur Christmas
Release Year: 2011
Directed By: Sarah Smith and Barry Cook
Starring: James McAvoy, Hugh Laurie, Bill Nighy, Jim Broadbent, Imelda Staunton, Ashley Jensen, Marc Wootton, Laura Linney, Eva Longoria, Ramona Marquez, Michael Palin, Jerry Lambert, Ryan Patrick Donahoe
No matter how old we get, we’ll never be too old to enjoy an animated Christmas movie. Sure, we can see through the bells and whistles, but there’s still something about them that releases an inescapable sense of magic and whimsy. You can’t get enough magic and whimsy during the holidays. Arthur Christmas centers itself in the midst of Christmas as Santa Claus delivers presents to ever child around the world, from Germany to Iowa. But when Santa forgets to give one child a gift, his son Arthur (James McAvoy) must rise to the occasion and save Christmas.
Upon release, Arthur Christmas received positive reception from critics, holding a 92% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and landing a Golden Globe nomination for Best Animated Feature Film. The modern Christmas classic also performed modestly at the box office, though these kinds of movies have a much longer shelf life than their theatrical release often suggests. Even though there are plenty of holiday films perfect for the whole family to relish in together, Arthur Christmas takes you on an adventure around the world (and Iowa) that you won’t soon forget.