A Pleasant Sequel To The 2018 Short Film
Serving as a sequel to 2018’s Angela’s Christmas, Angela’s Christmas Wish is a lovely little animated film, one that showcases a simple but effective message about the power of family and the joys of the holiday season. Much like its predecessor, Christmas Wish plays on this singular message and weaves a wondrous story that both adults and children will enjoy. Our tale begins in Ireland 1913 with Angela humming away and playing with her toys. Only, that humming quickly dispels to silence when the family pack up their things and say goodbye to their Father down by the dock. He’s working in Australia and for now, it’s unknown when they’ll see him again. Cut forward 2 years and we’re back on the Eve of Christmas once more. This time though things are very different. With “Dada” gone and the kids all clutching at the remnants of Christmases past, Angela sets out with a singular goal in mind – find the money to travel across to Australia. With brother Pat by her side, Angela remains determined to find a way to bring her Father back. It’s a simple narrative hook, one that brings a real child-like wonder and innocence to a tale steeped in sadness. But sadness is not the key message here. Much like Angela’s Christmas, the message here revolves around happiness and family, as Angela and the others do their best to bring their Father back. This short film plays on these ideas, managing to top things off with a rather predictable but heartwarming conclusion, reminding everyone what the real joys of Christmas are. The animation is well rendered too, with the large eyes and expressive faces enhanced slightly from what we saw in 2018. The sweeping shots of Ireland and the blanketed snow across the ground work well too and while there’s nothing outstanding or groundbreaking with the aforementioned graphics, there’s a consistent colour palette that works well with the music to get you invested in the story. While it’s not quite as good as the first movie, Angela’s Christmas Wish is a wonderful short film all the same and given its length, a no-brainer to watch with the kids.
