NBC’s special Little Spirit: Christmas in New York (at 8 p.m.) is almost an antidote to the intensity and violence of so much on television these days. It’s gentle. It’s mostly quiet. Not much is at stake. Ultimately, it’s a sweet tale with a lot going for it.
A cabbie (Danny DeVito) keeps two sisters calm on a long taxi ride by telling them the magical story of Leo and Little Spirit
A story within a story, two girls whose parents are on the edge of divorce are being driven to Grandma’s place through the streets of Manhattan by a cabbie voiced by Danny DeVito. Noting the younger’s utter sullenness, the cabbie tells the girls a story about Leo – and of course, we morph into Leo’s story.
Leo is not a happy camper, either. Forced to move to New York City on top of Christmas, he promptly loses his dog Ramona in Central Park. But a magic spirit from a mysterious snowglobe turns up to help Leo find what he lost.
Leo and Little Spirit
The computer animation is actually very lovely, with almost a hand-painted look. There are some cute bits – including a punk pigeon that seems to have it in for Ramona. And the story-telling is gentle and takes its time. But something is just too quiet, too uninvolving, to really get into the movie. There is more to like than not, and it is certainly family-safe. But I wouldn’t be surprised if the older members of your family dis-engage at some point or other. Then again, they may love it.
Anne Louise Bannon
Your Family Viewer
Oh doesn’t that look like a cute movie! Wonder if it comes in Blu Ray Disc? Of course, I’d have to buy a Blu Ray Disc Player, now wouldn’t I?