Arthur Christmas

Arthur Christmas (2011) is the Aardman and Sony holiday animation you can watch online on iFILM. Delivering two billion presents in a single night turns out to be a high-tech operation run by an army of elves.

In the Claus family the title of Santa is handed down through the generations. The current one is a genial old man, while his slick eldest son Steve actually pilots the spaceship-sleigh and runs the logistics. The system never fails — until it does. One girl, Gwen from Cornwall, is missed and left without her bike. To the giant operation that is an acceptable margin of error. Not to Arthur, the clumsy younger son nobody takes seriously. He grabs the old reindeer sleigh, a grumpy ex-Santa grandpa and one over-eager elf named Bryony, and races to reach her before dawn.

The voice cast includes James McAvoy, Hugh Laurie, Bill Nighy, Jim Broadbent and Imelda Staunton. Director Sarah Smith skips the sugary fairy tale for a sharp comedy about a family where every generation pulls in its own direction. Stream Arthur Christmas (2011) online on iFILM.