Once upon a time, in a small village nestled in the heart of the woods, there lived a witch. The village had always been wary of her presence, believing her to be evil and capable of causing harm. However, the witch, whose name was Agatha, was actually quite misunderstood. She had the ability to harness the mystical powers of nature and had dedicated her life to helping others. Agatha's hut was perched on the outskirts of the village, surrounded by tall trees and wildflowers. Her home was adorned with herbs and potions, and the air was filled with the scent of sage and lavender.
Magic Gift of the Snowman is a 1995 Christmas special animated by Jetlag Productions and released by GoodTimes Entertainment.
The character design is typical Jetlag Productions, too, and not the most appealing; Landon for example, looks almost exactly like Peter Cratchit in A Christmas Carol 1994. When Landon finds out that his younger sister, Emery Elizabeth, is so ill that she might not live to see another Christmas, he comes up with a plan to help her get better.
Her home was adorned with herbs and potions, and the air was filled with the scent of sage and lavender. Despite her somewhat intimidating exterior, Agatha had a gentle heart and a desire to use her powers for good. The villagers, however, were blinded by superstition and fear.
Magic Gift of the Snowman (1995) Movie Review
Starring: Tony Ail, Nathan Aswell, Chera Bailey, Kathleen Barr, Garry Chalk
Director: Toshiyuki Hiruma Takashi
Release Date: 9 November 1995
Language: English
Length: 47 minutes
Movie Rating: Not Rated
View Format: DVD
My Rating:
Synopsis:
When Landon finds out that his younger sister, Emery Elizabeth, is so ill that she might not live to see another Christmas, he comes up with a plan to help her get better. Landon encourages Emery Elizabeth to eat regularly, take her naps and her medicine and take better care of herself. If she does, Landon will share the story of Snowden, a really cool snowman who lives in the magical kingdom far, far away. Magic Gift of the Snowman, produced by Jetlag Productions in 1995 and released on DVD by Goodtimes Entertainment, is an original story from Jetlag Productions.
Review:
I stumbled across this animated tale on Hulu.com during the Christmas season and, while not a great movie, it is definitely cute and will appeal to younger viewers, especially to preschoolers. The animation is simple, but bright and colorful. Emery Elizabeth and all of the girls in the movie were shown with pale pink lips that almost didn’t even look real so there was something off about the animation of the faces, but that is a minor detail. Landon reminded me visually of Henry in The Littles, but he and all of the other children are animated in a very cute, borderline anime-fashion (no big eyes). There are some original songs included, none of which I felt was good enough for me to remember what they were about when the movie was over, but I am sure that children will enjoy the music nonetheless.
The best part about the movie, however, is the sweet storyline. It was so wonderful to see an animated special where siblings not only got along, but they love each other and encourage each other. Landon loves his little sister very much. Rather than be upset that she is getting a lot of care and attention due to her prolonged illness, Landon is determined to do all he can to help Emery Elizabeth get better. He spends a chilly afternoon in the yard creating Snowden, a snowman that reminded me quite a bit of Frosty the Snowman, but in sunglasses and a trenchcoat. Snowden’s slang may be dated now, but little kids will not know that and will get a kick out of the way Snowden talks. Landon and Emery Elizabeth must help Snowden recover Princess Electra’s smile from an evil villain who is determined to make all of the children take candy, rainbows and their dreams and turn them into a bunch of slimy yuk. Emery Elizabeth is critical to defeat the villain as she can use the power of her inner self to turn her wheelchair into any object with wheels. I loved that the writers chose to make Emery Elizabeth, the handicapped one, the heroine of the story. Instead of having her wheelchair be a weakness, Emery Elizabeth was able to turn this disability into a great strength that eventually saved all of the children!
This movie is definitely created with children in mind. I felt like Landon or another young boy or girl would have imagined a story like this and chosen to share it with their siblings. The magical kingdom where everything takes place only has children who live there. They dance, play and sing all day, powered by Princess Electra’s magical smile. The beds are shaped like cream puffs and ice cream cones. Every toy and game imaginable is available for the children to play with and they have no cares or worries. The only limit on what you can do in this magical kingdom is your own imagination.
While I think children will really enjoy this tale, I did not enjoy it as much as I thought I would. There is not a lot there for older children or for adults to want to sit through it with younger viewers. Many view this DVD as a Christmas movie, but there is nothing really Christmasy about it. Emery Elizabeth needs to live past the holiday to have any hope of recovering from her illness, but over half of the action takes place in a magical kingdom. There is one scene at the end that shows Emery Elizabeth opening a Christmas present near the Christmas tree, but that is the only Christmas scene in the movie. Still, if you are looking for a movie to share with your children around the winter holidays, this is a good cartoon to buy. You can usually find it for $2 – $5 online or in stores so it is very affordable and worth the cost if you have little ones at home who will watch it a few times in a row.
Content:
This movie contains an evil villain who looks like a zombie with big bug eyes, but he is not too scary. There is also a scene that contains a lot of fire that the children have to escape. Recommended for ages 2 and up.
When Landon's sister Emery-Elizabeth was sick, he decided to tell her a story about a named Snowden who works for Princess Electra's kingdom.
They believed that Agatha's powers were a threat to their way of life and kept their distance. Children were warned to stay away from her hut, and rumors of her casting curses and spells circulated through the community. But little did they know, Agatha would often venture out into the forest to gather herbs and ingredients for her healing remedies and potions. She would tend to injured animals and help sick villagers who sought her aid in secret. Despite the villagers' suspicions, Agatha was driven by a deep desire to help those in need. One day, a young girl named Lily fell gravely ill. The villagers were distraught and unsure of what to do. The local doctor had tried everything, but nothing seemed to work. Desperate for a solution, Lily's parents decided to seek Agatha's help, despite the warnings and superstitions. Agatha agreed to help, determined to cure young Lily of her ailment. She concocted a special potion made from rare herbs she had found deep in the forest. With careful incantations and chanting, Agatha combined the ingredients, infusing them with her magic. Days passed, and hope began to wane. The villagers grew impatient, assuming Agatha had failed. But suddenly, Lily's condition began to improve. The fever that had plagued her for weeks subsided, and color returned to her cheeks. The villagers were astounded, realizing that there was more to Agatha than they had believed. Word spread quickly throughout the village, and soon, people started seeking out Agatha's help openly. They came with their ailments and problems, no longer fearing her abilities but instead embracing her as a wise and powerful healer. Agatha, though initially met with suspicion and fear, had proven herself to be a benevolent force in the village. She had shattered the misconceptions that had plagued her reputation and gained the trust and respect of her fellow villagers. From that moment on, Agatha and the village lived in harmony, with her magical abilities serving as a blessing rather than a curse. And so, the village and the witch learned the value of understanding and acceptance. They discovered that sometimes, the most powerful magic comes not from spells and enchantments but from the kindness and compassion of the human heart..
Reviews for "The Witch and the Village: An Unlikely Alliance"
1. Martin - 2 stars - I was really disappointed with "Village and the Witch". The story felt predictable and the characters were one-dimensional. I kept waiting for something more exciting to happen, but it just felt like a slow and dull read. Overall, I found it to be lacking in creativity and originality.
2. Sarah - 2 stars - I was expecting so much more from "Village and the Witch". The plot was incredibly slow, and I found myself losing interest quickly. The characters didn't have much depth, and I couldn't connect with any of them. It just felt like a missed opportunity for a great story, and I was left feeling unsatisfied.
3. Alex - 1 star - "Village and the Witch" was a complete waste of time for me. The writing style was choppy and disjointed, making it difficult to follow the story. The pacing was incredibly slow, and I found myself skimming through pages just to get to the end. I didn't find anything redeeming about this book and wouldn't recommend it to anyone.
4. Emily - 2 stars - I found "Village and the Witch" to be quite underwhelming. The storyline had potential but fell flat with uninteresting characters and a lack of development. The dialogue felt forced and unrealistic, making it hard to engage with the story. Overall, it was a forgettable read that didn't live up to my expectations.
5. Daniel - 1 star - I couldn't get into "Village and the Witch" at all. The plot was confusing and poorly executed. The writing was weak, and I struggled to stay engaged with the story. I was hoping for an exciting and captivating tale, but all I got was a disappointing and forgettable book.