Mistletoe, hot cocoa by the fire, and fresh snow are what Christmas movies are known for, and the new Netflix movie “Jingle Jangle” follows suit. Released Nov.13, this movie follows Jeronicus Jangle (Forest Whitaker), a toymaker who brings his toys to life, as he struggles to regain his reputation after his creation was stolen.

Despite all the ingredients for a cozy Christmas movie, “Jingle Jangle” is a slight disappointment. ruining the feel with try-hard pop-music; the absence of original holiday songs was a disappointment and made the movie less classy. 

Jeronicus’ granddaughter Journey (Madalen Mills) changed the way he saw Christmas because of her cheery personality. There was a lot of jumping around with the storyline where clips from the past were then quickly transitioned into the present. Quick cuts made the film’s plot hard to follow especially when there were clips of a woman reading the whole story, which was the plot of the movie, to children.

Where this movie lacks in story it makes up for in animation. As the toys came to life so does the holiday spirit of the audience. The combination of animation and wonder makes it feel like we are right there in Santa’s workshop. Acting by the characters was very well executed which made it seem the actors enjoyed their parts in the movie.

Although “Jingle Jangle” has its flaws, the film effectively captures the Christmas spirit, just as any holiday movie should. If you are tired of watching “Christmas Vacation” every year, give “Jingle Jangle” a try for its childlike animation and well-executed acting.