Klaus (2019)

Okay, when it comes to Christmas movies to me there was only one: It’s a wonderful life by Frank Capra. The Bishop’s Wife and Love Actually are also very good but they don’t have the same magic. This year I can finally add a new classic: Klaus. It’s a funny and surprising tale of how the real Santa Claus was born. I love the story and especially the look of this movie is amazing. Klaus is hand drawn animation but thanks to computers it has astonishing lit scenes. And the fact that you can free download the full movie that makes the journey extra special.

The story is about this lazy and clumpsy guy, Jesper, who is the only son of the director of a Mail School. His father wants to teach him a lesson and sends him to this little snowy place called Smeerensburg. Only if he succeeds in delivering 6000 letters in a year he’s allowed to come back and continue his luxery life. Of course Jesper obeys: he doesn’t have a choice. But when he arrives at Smeerensburg he discovers that his mission is an almost imposible one. Two rival families are at constant war with each other and will never send each other letters. But when Jesper visits his last hope, this hermit called Klaus, something magical happens. By accident this mourning figure receives a letter from a child and wants to return this nice gesture by giving the boy a present. Suddenly all the childeren of the village want to send letters…

Why does Santa always say “Ho! Ho! Ho!?”. How did he get his reindeers? Does he really have a naughty book? Why does he travel on a sleigh? All those questions will be answered in this great tale of one man, Jesper, changing the fate of a town that once only knew anger and never friendship. The end of Klaus is actually quite moving.

Overall a wonderful movie to watch in HD. Lovely story, great characters, wonderful christmas atmosphere. And the visuals! My God. I do really hope this film will bring back the 2d techniques since no modern 3d animation can compare with this. In the era when animation makers tries to create most realistic sceneries (and forgot the films for kids should match their level of perception) Sergio Pablos brought animation so clean and clear but so beautiful in the same time, I wish that is just the begining of such productions. I am happy my family can finally switch from Polar Express with its Zombie-like characters to such beautiful fairy tale.