Elf (2003)

Will Ferrell plays Buddy, a human raised by elves who arrives in New York with no sense of embarrassment, and the whole film runs on his total sincerity meeting a city that has none. The syrup-on-spaghetti breakfast and the department store Santa confrontation are the scenes people quote all December. Jon Favreau keeps it brisk and gently silly, with stop-motion sequences that nod to old television specials. A safe pick for the whole family, and one adults still laugh at.