After spending a wonderful afternoon at the Getty with old friends and new, we decided to catch a movie. Someone suggested Elf. Since I'm not a huge Will Ferrell fan, I balked at the idea. “Don't go with any expectations, and you'll enjoy it.” Sure, I've got $527 burning a hole in my pocket – just enough to purchase two movie passes and a small sack of popcorn (no refills). The film was… well, let's just say that I'm getting the DVD. Impressive! It was funny, upbeat, original, and had just enough intelligent pop culture references scattered throughout. As odd as this may sound, I found this production to be more “family friendly” than the Cat in the Hat. In other words, you shouldn't miss it – and it's definitely earned a spot in my annual rotation (alongside The Santa Clause, A Christmas Story, and Rudolph Licks His Balls).