Mr. Santa: A Christmas Extravaganza (2024) Film Review
From a first glance, Mr. Santa: A Christmas Extravaganza is stuck on the dynamics of independent cinema, low budgets, and amateurish filmmaking. It doesn’t work its way out of that, but it’s OK because it’s where it should function. I’ve always celebrated indie films because there’s something magnetic in how they try to solve the obvious element they’re missing in terms of production value. Mr. Santa is a clear example of what already should be part of the culture of aspiring filmmakers.
In Mr. Santa: A Christmas Extravaganza, a group of friends at a New York City high school are not exactly filled with Christmas spirit. They like music and theater but they also face the hardships of teenage culture, family issues, and bullying. Luckily, Santa feels this and shows up at the school to bring the Christmas spirit up again as AJ, Logan and Keyara plan the annual Christmas show.
Mr. Santa: A Christmas Extravaganza tries to be part of the library of films you’re supposed to watch with your family on Christmas Day. It has music, holiday cheer, and enough comedy to provide a few laughs. But it’s not great filmmaking. It’s the kind of film that, literally, one could make with a group of friends led by a father-daughter duo who follow their dream to tell stories together.
That’s right. Kellen and Noel Callaway are in charge of directing the film, although you will one is mostly credited for it. Noel asked her dad to make her a movie when she was just a child, and now that she grew up, she wrote one for her father to make. This completely changes the perspective through which you see the indie attempt at a Christmas musical. From humble to admirable.
Mr. Santa: A Christmas Extravaganza mostly stars unknown performers participating in their first feature film project. Nevertheless, people like Geoffrey Owens (The Cosby Show), Tommy Davidson (In Living Color) and Peter Badalamenti (Pirates of the Caribbean), make their appearance and add a pinch of authenticity to the film. Luckily, it’s not excessive and most of the movie is led by a trio of young performers who are able to embody the spirit of the movie: a saccharine message about Christmas cheer being a driving force able to bring people together.
When it comes to Christmas movies you can watch this year, the classics are always on the watchlist. There are traditions built around revisiting the iconic Christmas movies every year. Mr. Santa: A Christmas Extravaganza won’t exactly perform better than others because of its production value. But it has enough heart to make you fall for the wondrous passion that’s visible in indie cinema. If this will help Kellen Calloway make her way into writing her next feature, then we need to celebrate the next generation of storytellers. I’m sure she won’t need the magic of Santa in a fake beard to write her next story.
