The to ' groundbreaking film adaptation of 's popular book celebrates the season with both classic and contemporary holiday flair. Composers and provide the latter, relying on swelling arrangements, tender , and polarizing yuletide offerings from . struts his stuff on the amiable but derivative a three-chord rave-up that finds the mouthpiece channeling a pack of howler monkeys, but it's 's syrupy, future favorite that serves as the 's commercial centerpiece. does his best on the whimsical and strangely unnerving title track, a wonderfully unhinged performance that will have fans clamoring for more, and the winsome vocals of preteens give the a real sense of wonder. 's pieces are effective in tone, yet ape theme so shamelessly that lawyers on both sides must have had words early on in the production. is ambitious for sure, but the fact that its most sincere pieces are the six classics that make up its caboose is telling. [The is also available in a special edition that includes a decorative box and artwork from the book.] ~ James Christopher Monger