A short and sweet Ice Age Christmas special that sees Sid go on a journey to the North Pole to find Santa Claus.
Certificate
Duration26 mins
Review by
So to let you know, im included the holiday specials and the Scart Tales shorts. For that I've cover everything Ice Age related (except for that Buck Wild movie that nobody on Earth likes). Just to make it feel complete if that makes sense. I thought it would be neat. Honestly who talks about the shorts? I'm surprised that not much people know about it, so today im covering all of them.
So without-a-further a do, let's get into it:
Ice Age: A Mammoth Christmas: Honestly, its a bit better then I remembered. okay let's get this out of the way, they are celebrating Christmas but Jesus isn't born yet. If you didn't know the 25th of December is where Jesus is born and that's where it Christmas came from. I mean its called Christ-mas. So how they celebrating it without the Lord?! It doesn't logoical sense! But moving on.
Oh wait, T.J Miller from Gravity Falls is now a Reindeer furry (Prancer). I knew that was he's voice. Just saying something that T.J Miller is now in the Ice Age Timeline.
The animation isn't terrible, its not good to say because there are moments where you see that characters walking and feels a bit off. Like when you notice it, it become unnoticable if that makes sense but I will not say its boring because it has surpisingly good energy; like at parts where the animators have fun. Particularly Scat, I'm seeing a trend here. Scrat somehow always makes me laugh and he's isn't here much and that's what makes it funny. Without feeling like filler.
For example, the Northern Lights are done well and the lighting on Santa's house is also done well enough.
The plot is not the worse but its fine, I will say that the whole saving Christmas is done to death at this point. Its this trope of "You save the World" and I'm not really buying into it, particularly Christmas movies, yeah you don't need to shove that in my face. But that's the short at its worst.
At its best its has to be the comedy, its surprisingly very witty and fast paced. Considering this is a short.
For example like when the star hits Manny's rock but didn't brak, then Sid came along and said it didn't break. But guess what, he touch it, and breaks it. Or when Diego says that he's dad using to give him a fat gazelle and kills it but he said that to Peaches, he changed it and instead he says he open the presents with the gazelles. It has a good comedic timing and dosen't wasted it.
My favourite joke is this:
Ellie:"Manny? Where's Diego?"
(Diego buried in the snow)
Manny: "Diego, buddy? Are you okay?"
(snow fall on Diego butt, he's butt is facing he's face)
Manny: "AHH!"
(Snow comes off from Diego face is facing the rear)
Diego: "Glad you didn't kiss me."
Some of the jokes is quite good, I was expecting potty like the movies but no they didn't. Besides the Yellow Snow joke but I actually laugh at it. Also the short has violent humour, like when the characters tries to pull off T.J Miller's legs or hell even the end where Scrat keep on losing he's head at the end.
The characters here all got to have a chance and none of them felt left out. I'll say the Sid is done right here, unlike the fourth and fifth which he done it on purpose. Here Sid, you feel sympathetic for him because he was tring to make he's own Christmas tree and he is still gullible but not stupid like he throws the star on purpose because in that way it makes him unlikable.
Santa exist, he exist before Jesus, I can't get over with that. Its funny that Santa was the only human after the first movie, we know that Christmas is a thing and Santa deliver the present to the kids. But aren't they cave people because at this time maybe this was during the Bronze Age where the humans found metal or other material at the time. It doesn't make logoical sense but who cares.
I like joke where he says he's jumper makes him look fat, exactly what Manny says in reverse. I laugh where Manny just got blown away that this was Santa and he acclaim was false the whole time, basically he's character arc. He know believes in Santa, what an amazing character arc.
The song is just there, for last time! This is not a Disney movie! But to be fair its not the worst and my favourite part of the lyric:
Sid: "Deck the halls with moss and rock weed."
Crash and Eddie: " Falalala, whats a hall?"
Sid: "Its the season-"
Crash and Eddie: "What's a season?"
Sid:" Falalala, just play along."
Honestly I'm saying the same question, how do Sid know these things? Did furniture existed, oh wait in Ice Age the Third at the end Scrat is pushing a chair. So furniture did exist, well that's self-explanatory.
So overrall, I have surprisingly have much to say about this (oh wait its a 25min short and I do think it justify its pacing) and it maybe not interesting as a plotline but its strong at its comedy. If you like the Ice Age movies (like me) then perhaps your going to like this as well.
Ice Age: The Great Egg Scapade: Its kind of similar to the Christmas special, again Easter exist because Jesus died to save us for our sins! Where's the logic but this time its not as noticable as the Christmas one.
I can say the animation is a slight improvement from the Christmas one. Still not amazing but it gets the job done alright
I do like it was taking place after the fourth one and finally Sid is not flanerised here, he wants to be a good parent from he's previous experience with the baby dinosaurs. So it feels like a natural continuation here, I also think both if not all the shorts are canon to Ice Age execpt for the Buck Wild, its is own thing). Shira is just mention and the short can't be bothered to do anything is a shame because Shira and Diego could have the possiblitly of story telling but no they didn't tried.
The short still have a few good jokes, partuicularly the Idiana Jones joke. I don't I find it neat.
So the rabbit is back, so that means he survive but he got squised by Ellie's foot and on the Sweet Revenge ship. So maybe he jump on the other one before Sweet revenge got sinked, I don't know the short dosen't explain that well. Now we know he has a brother whom become the Easter Bunny-
Wait, if he becomes the Easter Bunny. Guys, I have a theory! He is actually the first Easter Bunny from HOP, so he is in the same family?! So he's the Easter Bunny Jesus before Jesus died?! (wow, that was mind blowing people).
So overrall its still nothing special its same with the Christmas but I actually think its slightly worse because of that plothole with the rabbit but they are the same quality wise.
Scrat here is (still) funny, man Scrat is the goat of side characters.
Scat Tales:
Ironically, this is the last Ice Age related content. Its just cartoon wacky short of Scrat and he's son. I have not much to say of the six episodes since this is a Tv show rather then a short but I want to included just like the same reason I said at the begining. I will say the animation is pretty good and I do like the drawings in the end credits.
I will say the ending where Scrat dies (which represents the current state of this franchise) but he's son tricked him and now he's alive. Its bitter sweet and funny at the same time.
I want to mention the part where Scrat finally over 2 decadea, he eats the acorn and leaves it. The there was silence representing an ending, its beautiful.
Final Thoughts: So pretty muchly, the shorts aren't anything great but what's its worth its far from bad and I did got something out it of these shorties. Maybe rest in pie-
Wait, Disney is making a 6 Ice Age movie without Blue Sky...
The duality of Man never stops...