Best movie of this year hands down!

Don't listen to the negative reviews

It's easily one of the freshest, sharpest and most enjoyable films of this year.

The movie's neither hopeful in contrived ways, nor hopeless in different contrived ways. Somehow it manages to be wonderful

I'm impressed by how it's only Tom and Jerry's third ever short and most of what made them such a terrific cartoon double act was already there. I love the odd way the early version of Tom looks and sounds more like a real cat. What utterly lovely and amazingly drawn and richly textured opening scenes of that classically decorated home on Christmas Eve with the cosy roaring fireplace and presents around the tree and the snowy blizzard outside the windows, it's such a heartwarming sight, it's a perfect little visual of why a part of me will always love that old-fashioned image of Christmas and that seasonal spirit of joy, it's so warm and precious... So in this instance a mouse is indeed stirring and he emerges from his mouse hole and plays around with some of the presents and the tree, as well as Tom after he mistakes him for a plush toy and jumps on him, which awakens the cranky feline and the classic mad mouse chase ensues, with Jerry using several toys to his advantage as he dashes about, there's no real heavy slapstick violence except for when Tom gets a huge shock! The cat eventually manages to drive Jerry outside and shuts him out of the house in the freezing snowstorm. As he returns to the den and settles down in front of the fire...he inexplicably shows that he has a heart after all as he pictures Jerry outside in the icy cold and feels guilty. He rushes outside and finds Jerry frozen solid like a mouse Popsicle(micecycle?), and he quickly brings the mouse back in and defrosts him on the fire. The pair make a truce as Tom gives Jerry a candy-cane stick and Jerry gives his thanks and in return uses it to disarm a trap that he has earlier set up for Tom in his saucer of milk. Jerry then uses the candy to pry some cheese from another trap outside his little home and instead of snapping shut in a regular way, it closes slowly and plays a music box theme. Perhaps Tom rigged it to play that tune, who knows.. But in any case it's very sweet and makes for a great ending to a very nice short. It's a touch more on the sentimental side than the usual Tom and Jerry fun, and a rare one where they both 'win', and I love the sweet message that even mortal enemies can put aside their differences and be good to each other at Christmas. To me the real meaning of the holiday isn't anything that special, it's simple goodwill and the kindness to give and show that you care and family togetherness. And to me this was both a great Tom and Jerry short as well as a Christmas one, it's one of the better vintage festive animations that I've seen lately. Well worth seeing, wonderful timeless work. To all a goodnight! X

This The Night Before Christmas is an early Tom and Jerry short from the newly created Hanna-Barbera unit at MGM. Jerry wakes up and looks at the presents under the Christmas tree. He lands on Tom and gets chased by him constantly as Jerry rides on the toy train before bumping into the toy tunnel. This keeps going on until the mouse escapes through the door slot which the cat blocks. Then Tom sees Jerry freezing to death outside so he comes back there and brings him inside to thaw him out. For a gift, the cat gives the mouse a candy cane. Skeptical at first, Jerry sees Tom drink some milk from a saucer and puts his cane in it. Snap, it hits a mousetrap! Tom, thankful, smiles at his newfound pal. Jerry then goes to his hole and finds another mouse trap with cheese on it. Once again, he uses his cane to snap it up. When it does, it goes slowly with Jerry now smiling at his new friend. The end. Unlike later series entries, this Tom and Jerry aren't so aggressive in their chases (perhaps because Tex Avery hadn't arrived at MGM yet). So this one is a little cute with some nicely timed gags. While Hanna-Barbera would have more lasting success on television, nothing equaled their output at MGM. So I recommend this to anyone who is interested in all things Hanna-Barbera. And to the just departed Joe, rest in peace.

It's Christmas Eve, and Tom & Jerry get involved in the usual cat & mouse conflict, but in the spirit of Christmas, they both bury the hatchet (for the time being at least) and show compassion and warmth to one another. The show began with Jerry coming out of his mouse hole to find a piece of cheese wrapped with a bow on a mousetrap, which he's too wise to retrieve, so he leaves it be.**possible spoiler**At the end of the episode, Jerry retires back to his hole and decides to use a candy cane to remove the cheese from the trap, still outside his door. Once disturbed, it's revealed that the trap wouldn't have hurt Jerry at all, as the part that's supposed to snap ever-so-slowly came down. This made Jerry smile, as he realized Tom had made yet another nice gesture. Recommended.

The Night Before Christmas is one cutest holiday cartoon past and present. I recently saw this on Cartoon Network late at night. I remember 15 or more years the TV would not play cartoons at a certain time. It is refreshing to see this cartoon late at night on Christmas Eve.