Drawing on a classic

Richard Curtis animation That Christmas is a festive cracker

- SARA WALLIS

LOVE actually is all around in this sweet, bordering on saccharine, festive animation from the mind of romcom writer Richard Curtis.

With his 2003 film Love Actually cemented as a Christmas classic, it's a genius idea to whip his book trilogy, That Christmas and Other Stories, into this fantasy comedy.

The kid-friendly yarn is a big nod to Love Actually, with the Curtis hallmarks of love, loneliness, family and friends tied up in a big festive bow.

From a school nativity play with mad costumes (chickpea, anyone?), to a shy boy in love with a girl (there are no placards, but there are Postits), to Bill Nighy's character stripping off to his underpants (again), I guess if something works, why change it?