In the first of two special holiday episodes for this year, we’re looking back to our season on the films of 2003, to talk about Christmas classic Elf. Directed by Jon Favreau from a screenplay by David Berenbaum and starring Will Ferrell, James Caan, Zooey Deschanel, Mary Steenburgen, Bob Newhart and Ed Asner, Elf has become a perennial holiday favorite on TV, in theaters and on streaming services.

The contemporary reviews quoted in this episode come from Roger Ebert (https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/elf-2003), A.O. Scott in The New York Times (https://www.nytimes.com/2003/11/07/movies/film-review-for-one-lad-pointy-shoes-turn-out-to-be-hard-to-fill.html), and Stephen Hunter in the Washington Post (https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2003/11/07/AR2005033115762.html).

Please like, share, rate and comment on the show and this episode, and tune in for our next bonus episode, featuring 1999’s The Matrix from Lana and Lilly Wachowski.