I found this movie by picking semi-randomly, as usual. Great story, great adaptation from the novel...classic feel (ala my childhood). Most movies start with a BANG, cash the check, then check out...this is a hidden gem that will slowly make its way to "classic". Many authors have proven that taking a difficult subject and simply changing the protagonists into animal characters "rewires" us to understand the meaning better, but it's great to see it in film (which is catching up). The "tough" children's stories are the best(MAUS). Otherwise it's just fake Santa Claus "fluff", and kids know it, dontchaknow.