It has been a while since I’ve been this excited to talk about a holiday movie, but Jingle Jangle deserves all the praise. This is probably one of my favorite movies released by Netflix to date, and it goes alongside others I’ve recently enjoyed—i.e. The Babysitters Guide to Monster Hunting and Vampires VS the Bronx. Jingle Jangle was fantastic, and it ticked all the boxes for everything I look for in a musical. It’s the kind of family-friendly movie that feels like it’s going to be a holiday classic, and in my opinion it more than has the potential to cross that threshold.
For a movie about a toymaker, the holidays, family, and stolen inventions, the story was just good. It was a magical adventure with steampunk notes. It seemed equal parts heartwarming, sad, but still all around fun and humorous. And even when there were some of the more emotional moments, the movie never quite lost its hopeful tone.
Jingle Jangle is very stylish movie. The casting decisions Netflix made were top-notch with picks such as Keegan-Michael Key from Key & Peele, Forest Whitaker, and Anika Noni Rose who voiced Tiana. Every actor was phenomenal in their roles, and as a result the characters came off as charming and joyous. The costuming as well as the set design was colorful, wintery and eye-catching—and it really set the mood for the movie.
Since Jingle Jangle is a musical, I was paying close attention to the aspects related to it. Well, the dance numbers were excellent, the music is just “chefs kiss,” and even after the credits were rolling, I was already thinking about listening to the songs again. The scene transitions were notable as well, especially between the talking parts and the singing/dance segments. It was so smooth that the overall impression left by Jingle Jangle is that the movie found its rhythm and kept it.
Jingle Jangle was fantastic. I can’t recommend it enough, and if you’re looking for a holiday movie to watch, then consider giving this one a try.
