Christmas specials. You really don’t see that many new ones these days, especially those that are completely original and don’t have a connection to a specific IP. Now, when I say “Christmas special,” I’m not talking about the dozens of feature films that are released across theaters and streaming. We’ve got plenty of those, and some pretty darn good ones too in recent years, such as Klaus and Spirited. I’m talking about those sweet short-form stories that typically aren’t longer than 35 minutes that you’d find by pure happenstance when you turned on the TV, such as the dozens of iconic projects from Rankin/Bass including Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, Santa Claus is Coming to Town, and A Year Without a Santa Claus.

The many works of Rankin/Bass appear to be a direct influence on Disney+’s newest holiday-themed short film, An Almost Christmas Story. Directed by David Lowery and produced by Alfonso Cuarón (two modern-day titans of the filmmaking industry), An Almost Christmas Story is a clear homage to the bygone era of holiday storytelling. Its attempt to emulate that era does admittedly lead to some familiar beats, but An Almost Christmas Story has enough charm and personality to make up for that.

Narrated by a mysterious stranger known only as the Folk Singer (John C. Reilly), An Almost Christmas Story tells the tale of Moon (Cary Christopher), a young and rambunctious owl who gets separated from his Papa (Jim Gaffigan). Through some unusual circumstances, Moon ends up trapped in the same tree that stands tall above Rockefeller Plaza in New York City, which is quite a ways away from the forest he calls home. Stuck with a broken wing and no other way to get home, Moon eventually finds some help from a kind young girl named Luna (Estella Madrigal), and the two embark on an epic adventure through the streets of snowy New York.

Moon Is a Standout Main Character in ‘An Almost Christmas Story’

With a run time of under 30 minutes, An Almost Christmas Story is already faced with the unenviable task of getting us to care about our central character instantly. The short succeeds in that goal, as Cary Christopher as Moon might just be the most lovable Christmas story protagonist since Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. Where the safe choice for casting a child character in a voice-over role always seems to be a veteran voice actor or a big Hollywood name to attract viewers, the decision to cast an actual kid ends up being a fabulous choice. Despite his age, Christopher’s wit and impeccable line delivery all have the makings of a potential breakout performance.

Another standout in An Almost Christmas Story is John C. Reilly as the film’s narrator, who is a guitar-playing drifter who, like Moon, doesn’t have a home of his own. If you’re like me, and you were scarred for life by the scary houseless person (Tom Hanks) from The Polar Express, you needn’t worry here. The Folk Singer is closer to someone like the Burl Ives snowman from Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, with Reilly once again reminding us of his impressive musical talent with some very catchy new songs.

The rest of the An Almost Christmas Story cast is also rock solid, with Estella Madrigal giving a touching performance as Luna. Jim Gaffigan as Moon’s papa plays another lovable father archetype, much like his role in Luca. Natasha Lyonne’s Pat leads a rough and tough trio of pigeons who can be compared to the three hyenas from The Lion King.

‘An Almost Christmas Story’ Has a Marvelously Unique Visual Style

An Almost Christmas Story’s use of stop-motion sets itself apart from the major players like Aardman and Laika by having a distinct visual style. While the main players like Moon and Luna all have detailed figures to work with, just about all the minor characters and extras are literal cardboard cutouts. Even the backgrounds and surroundings of New York City are entirely made up of materials that look like they were created out of cardboard and paper mâché, and it effectively makes Moon and his key companions feel like they’re the true center of the story.

Related When do you start watching Christmas movies? How early is too early to turn on Elf? Home Alone? My personal favorite holiday classic, A Bad Moms Christmas? I know some people go at it right when the clock strikes November, while others have more restraint and wait until Thanksgiving or even the first of December. I want to know, when do you start getting into the cinematic holiday spirit?

The overall narrative of An Almost Christmas Story is admittedly fairly familiar. It’s a classic “kid meets and befriends a talking animal” story, and despite its distinct visual flair, it doesn’t always stray far enough from traditional story beats. There are some touching parallels between Moon and Luna, with the former having a broken wing and the latter being a person with an amputation, but the short could have explored that a bit more profoundly.

One of the more interesting and creative things that An Almost Christmas Story introduces is how Moon and Luna communicate. With Moon being an owl and Luna being a human, they obviously can’t understand each other, and yet they each have organic conversations as they guess what the other person is saying. Unfortunately, An Almost Christmas Story isn’t always consistent with its rules in that regard, as sometimes the two characters do understand each other for the sake of plot convenience.

‘An Almost Christmas Story’ Isn’t About Christmas, and That’s Okay
Image via Disney+

You might be wondering why exactly David Lowery’s short film is called An Almost Christmas Story. Is it just a cheeky way to distance itself from the iconic 1983 classic A Christmas Story? No, the purpose of the short film’s title is much more profound than that. While Christmas may always have an understandable religious connection, the holiday has also become something much more meaningful than that. Moon ends the film still not fully understanding what Christmas even is, but he does know what it represents. It’s a time when people all over, regardless of their background, can come together to spread positivity and kinship. Some might call that overly optimistic, but that’s also the perfect way to describe a delightfully short and sweet tale like An Almost Christmas Story.

An Almost Christmas Story premieres on Disney+ on November 15.

An Almost Christmas Story An Almost Christmas Story soars with beautiful animation and fantastic performances, making it a wonderfully cozy new holiday special.ProsTakes a very distinct approach to stop-motion animation.Cary Christopher’s performance makes Moon an instantly lovable protagonist.John C. Reilly nails the film’s musical elements. ConsContains some all-too-familiar story beats.Doesn’t always follow its story’s rules and logic.

Release Date October 14, 2024 Director David Lowery Runtime 21 minutes Producers Alfonso Cuarón