Well, as my first exposure to the wonder that is Eloise this time last year, I really came to this with my tongue not only in my cheek but practically threatening to poke a hole in the darn thing, lol. I wound up loving it. And last week I saw at the Plaza and I loved it even more. Second viewing of Christmastime … and I swear this might be my favourite Christmas movie ever. It’s absolutely full of everything I think Christmas should be, highlighted by the scene of Christmas morning itself, Eloise waking Nanny with the trumpet then starting the whole place singing “The Twelve Days of Christmas” in an hilarious contrast to the usual “clear the elevator” scene. It just leaves me absolutely beaming, completely excited about Christmas, even if I’m overexcited about it to begin with, I can’t compare with Eloise. I can only strive my best to be more like her

22nd December, 2006:

... because after over 36 hours without sleep, sometimes the brain can’t take anymore.

But seriously, within about 2 minutes of this movie you’ll know how you’re gonna take it. You can’t be too hard on a movie that warns you in advance. Personally, it told me I was gonna love it. Sofia Vassilieva as Eloise (10 playing 6) is ridiculously natural and completely irresistable, particularly in her random turns to the camera (“Afterall! I’m only six! For Lord’s sake!”); there’s Julie Andrews, Jeffrey Tambor and Christine Baranski in the background … as long as you’re not expecting cinematic innovation of the highest calibre, this is, to use one of my menu options this Christmas, the cinematic equivalent of cheese and pickled onion on a stick. When you glimpse it, if you want it, you’ve got to have it. I wanna be Eloise! Oh, and cute songs too!

Julie Andrews doesn’t succeed entirely slumming it in Cockney but she definitely has a way with children that I doubt anyone else could match. But it’s really all about Eloise, she wouldn’t have it any other way, and some may think that’s a terrible thing and that she’s an awful role model etc, etc, but I don’t care; this is one of those rare movies where I don’t even care about the plot. I couldn’t tell you. She lives in a hotel. It’s fun. It’s, y’know … for kids. And I love it. Any movie that makes me laugh the way I laugh when my cousin Fiona is around is good in my book. So, again, again! claps several times

“And Kleenex makes a very good hat!”

ROFL … okay, I’m done. I’ve decided what I wanna be in my next life if I have a next life. I absolutely must be Eloise, lol. I’m in love with her life. “Think pink! A better way of life!” I may have just been too shocked at the time by how much I loved it to realise just how good Christmastime was when I watched it last year, but I’m pretty sure this first movie is marginally better in all areas (I’ll maybe report back on that since YAY Disney Channel is showing Christmastime again later this month … I’ll be sure to record it this time). Julie Andrews is better as Nanny, that’s for sure, she seems more throaty and bogged down etc … but again, maybe I’m just misremembering Christmastime, like I said it was a shock to the system at the time.

Sofia Vassilieva’s energy is just as infectious as in the other movie, she can’t pass a prop without climbing on it or swinging on it or something. The apparently forthcoming Eloise in Paris won’t be the same without her (though I’m sure I’ll still go gaga over it … I mean … ELOISE … in PARIS … c’mon …) This movie, this world, this girl, it’s just a dream. Completely instant favourite, and I’ll be buying the books ASAP, I’m totally hooked now.