Alien Xmas
Ratings: 4/5
Duration: 40 Mins
Language: English
Genre: Animation, Family, Fantasy
Director: Stephen Chiodo
Writers: Dan Clark, Noah Kloor, Kealan O'Rourke
Based On: Alien Xmas; By Stephen Chiodo and Jim Strain
Producers: John Bartnicki, Charles Chiodo, Edward Chiodo, Stephen Chiodo, David Ellender, Jon Favreau, Karen Gilchrist, Eileen K. Kohlhepp, Sander Schwartz, Jim Strain
Release Date: 20 November 2020
Streaming Platform: Netflix
Star Cast: Dee Bradley Baker, Barbara Goodson, Kirk Thornton, Keythe Farley, Kaitlyn Robrock, Jessica Gee-George, Tony Oliver, Steve Staley, Madison Rojas, Kaliayh Rhambo, Jakari Fraser, Michelle Deco
Plot: In Alien Xmas, Santa (voiced by Keythe Farley) tells a group of kids a story of the time when a race of kleptomaniac aliens hatched an evil plan to steal everything on Earth.
For the same, the aliens Klept leader Z (Barbara Goodson) sends the smallest but sneakiest creature, X (Dee Bradley Baker) to test-run a new weapon that will eliminate gravity and allow the aliens to plunder the earth. Therefore, X lands with a trusty robot Samtu in the North Pole on Christmas Eve. However, he quickly gets found by Santa's engineer, Obie, and is mistaken as a newly manufactured toy. Since, Obie feels guilty as he is working against the clock to fix Santa's new super-sleigh, instead of not going home for the holiday, he takes X home as a present for his daughter, Holly (Kaliayh Rhambo).
And then something miraculous happens - X’s cold heart melts when Holly gives him a puppy. After witnessing the kindness, gratitude, and generosity of the earthly beings, he wants to make sure that Santa can deliver toys to kids all over the world; hence what X does to protect the earth from the Klept invasion forms the rest of the story.
Review: Netflix’s latest festive flick Alien Xmas, which is based on a children’s book written by Stephen Chiodo and Jim Strain is a 42-minute stop-motion animated holiday tale for almost all ages.
After new features like Christmas on the Square, The Christmas Chronicles: Part Two and Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey, Netflix is diversifying its holiday line-up with a format that is synonymous with the season - the stop-motion holiday special.
Unlike the Lego Star Wars Holiday Special, Alien Xmas is simple, straightforward, heart-warming, and surprisingly action-packed. The concept is very well written, very well told, and very well put together. In short, Alien Xmas is at its heart an old-fashioned Christmas special that would delight all.
Even the stop motion animation is adorable and all the characters are lovable, especially the lead protagonist X - the little alien who learns that in a world full of stuff, things are not meant to be taken, but given. Hence, on top of X’s adventure, his learning about love makes the film Alien Xmas ultimately irresistible.
Additionally, the voice cast is terrific as well! Playing the villain Z is the legendary Barbara Goodson. Even the incredibly talented Dee Bradley Baker has helped in bringing the character X to life.
Overall, with Christmas messages about kindness, giving, and gratitude, you come across a story so delightful and entertaining that you won't want it to end. Even with its 40 mins run time it does more than most movies do in two hours!
