A Garfield Christmas Special (1987)

Surprisingly incoherent and boring

Pretty Good

This is one of the few movies I've ever seen where the whole audience broke into spontaneous, loud applause a third of the way in.

Great example of an old-fashioned, pure-at-heart escapist event movie that doesn't pretend to be anything that it's not and has boat loads of fun being its own ludicrous self.

Two more years and "A Garfield Christmas Special" will celebrate its 30th anniversary. I think the big strength of these Garfield half-hour films is the humour. They always manage to give off a cool vibe of not taking themselves too seriously and yet they deliver a message or contents that are very fitting for the occasions. This little movie here is maybe the perfect example of it and it is possibly also the most famous Garfield short film. I wouldn't say it's the best, but it's still very good. The music does not only include the singing from the characters, but there is always also a catchy little tune in the background that is one of the famous Christmas songs. And the heart in here is for example when Garfields finds a special present for Jon's grandmother. He and Odie spend the holidays with Jon and his family. Jon's father is very funny in here. He always seems like he cannot be arsed to do something and then still does it with the boys somehow making fun of him in a playful manner, for example when he reads the story to them. A really entertaining 24 minutes here and Lorenzo Music's (rip) voice is simply perfect for Garfield. Very much recommended.

I enjoy reading Garfield in the comic section of the paper everyday. He is funny, his strip one of those that takes itself seriously next to never and if all the other strips fail, his is the only one that delivers. That is why this holiday based movie is kind of the pits. The funniest part was the first part where Garfield has the dream of the ultimate X-mas gift. After that it is time for Jon to take Garfield and Odie to the farm where they meet Jon's family and it just is not as funny as it should be as we meet grandma and everyone is trying to find the perfect gift. I realize it tries to impart a lesson on what X-mas should be, but there are more than enough specials of this ilk on the airwaves during the holiday season, what would be so wrong if we had something that was just funny? I want the sarcastic overweight Garfield, not the highly sympathetic one. I want Odie kicked off the table, not making a gift for Garfield. The entire special just is not like the comics at all, but then not many of the cartoon versions of Garfield are like the strip. Still, this was a change of pace back in 1987 as by then we had seen all the same holiday specials again and again. Though they still rank ahead of this one for the most part.

In my opinion, this is an excellent holiday special which is very entertaining and appetizing. However, I couldn't bear seeing Grandma (voice of Pat Carroll) sitting by herself on Christmas Eve. In addition, the thing that really makes this special worth watching is the music, especially "Christmas Is Here" and "An Old-Fashioned Christmas." When those songs are performed, I always get warm and tingly. I would have to say that's my favorite song of this special. If you ask me, Jim Davis is a really good artist. In conclusion, I highly recommend this excellent holiday special which is very entertaining and appetizing to everyone, especially all you fans of the comic strip who have not seen it. When you see it, prepare to smile, have a good time, and bon appetit.

Garfield, that loveable fat lazy cat. One of my favourite characters from childhood. I used to get Garfield vids from my local rental store and watch them over and over. All of them seemed amazing at the time but the Christmas special was always my favourite. Now, almost twenty years later the cartoon still receives regular plays in my home. The plot is simple Garfield, Odie and Jon spend a family Christmas in the farm home that Jon grew up in. The songs are great, it's funny, sweet and ultimately moving. It manages to avoid the sentimentality that usually crops up in Christmas specials just by having Garfield constantly undercutting the feel-good nature with cynicism. Show this to the children in your life. It really is magical in a way that all the Disney animations could never be - because it has heart.