What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that Arthur Christmas is a heartwarming animated holiday adventure that's a fine pick for the entire family. One brief scene of a group of startled wild animals and another of an angry homeowner wielding a gun may frighten very young kids, and there are a few jokes targeting parents -- like when Grandsanta explains that "in the old days," he once gave a double whiskey to an elf. But otherwise this movie from the British animators behind Chicken Run and Wallace & Gromit provides a good reminder of the holiday spirit, family unity, and being generous. Families that don't celebrate Christmas should know that the story doesn't have any religious overtones; the emphasis remains on Santa and his family.
- Families can talk about how Arthur Christmas fits into the genre of holiday movies. How is this story different than other Santa-based movies? Is it confusing to see a movie about Santa's personal family in the North Pole?
- What are the movie's messages about both family and the holidays? What do the characters learn over the course of the movie?
- Some of the movie's jokes are aimed directly at adults; do you think too much of the humor is "grown up," or will kids enjoy it as well? Why do you think filmmakers might include jokes that will go over kids' head in movies that are made for them?