The Couch Critics
The Couch Critics is your laid-back guide to movies and TV shows that deserve your attention—or maybe don’t. Nathan, along with a rotating door of eclectic co-hosts, dives deep into storytelling, character development, and cinematic style with a sharp eye and a wry sense of humor. Whether it’s a blockbuster hit, a hidden gem, or a cult classic, Nathan’s relatable approach ensures every episode feels like a cozy chat with a friend who just happens to love film. Perfect for casual watchers and cinephiles alike, The Couch Critics bring thoughtful critique without the fluff. Grab your favorite snack, settle in, and let Nathan and friends guide you through the world of screen entertainment.
The Couch Critics
From Silent Night to Finding Your Voice: Annabelle's Wish
Randy Travis narrates a timeless Christmas tale in "Annabelle's Wish," where a special bond between a mute boy and a talking cow reveals the true power of selfless love. With a star-studded voice cast including Jim Varney, Jerry Van Dyke, and Cloris Leachman, this 45-minute animated gem delivers surprising emotional depth beneath its simple exterior.
The Couch Critics dive deep into this 1997 classic, exploring how it manages to pack so much heart into such a short runtime. While Katy admits to sobbing uncontrollably at the film's poignant conclusion, Nathan approaches it with more critical skepticism, questioning some plot holes while still appreciating the core message.
What makes "Annabelle's Wish" special is how it presents the miracle of Christmas through sacrifice rather than materialism. The story centers on Billy, a boy who lost his voice in a traumatic barn fire, and Annabelle, a calf who receives the magical ability to speak on Christmas Eve. Their friendship leads to an act of selfless giving that captures the essence of the holiday spirit.
Beyond the central relationship, the film weaves in compelling secondary characters - from Billy's protective grandfather fighting to maintain custody against a conniving aunt, to a grumpy neighbor with his own hidden pain. These additional storylines add surprising complexity to what could have been a one-dimensional tale.
Whether you're discovering this hidden gem for the first time or revisiting it with nostalgia, "Annabelle's Wish" offers something for viewers of all ages. Children will laugh at the talking animals while adults might find themselves unexpectedly moved by its genuine emotional resonance. Join us as we unpack this beautiful story about finding your voice through the power of love and sacrifice.
Are you looking for more movie discussions that blend humor, heart, and honest critique? Subscribe to The Couch Critics podcast, where we break down films of all genres with passion and perspective. Leave a comment with your thoughts on "Annabelle's Wish" or suggest other overlooked holiday classics for us to review!
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On the couch. We're laughing, crying, feeling it all, Breaking down the big screen, the hits and the flaws. Grab your seat, press play. Let's take the pic.
Speaker 2:Lights camera action episode of the Couch Critics podcast. That's right. We added an S to it because I realized it's more than just me, but it's not just me and Katie. I realized it's more than just me, but it's not just me and Katie. I also have my friend Mitch, my friend Lexi, my friend Taj and, of course, my lovely wife who reviews movies with me as well. So we will now be known as the Couch Critics Podcast and we changed our cover art. So it's like all of us, because Katie was like, yeah, it does seem kind of impersonal because it's just a camera reel thing and a couch and that's it. So you know really.
Speaker 4:Yeah, I noticed. I didn't mention my true sentiments about it until you decided that you wanted to change it.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, thank you for not telling me that when I first made the cover art and showed you and you're like, yeah, because you've been listening to us for a long time, you know that we used to be called katie and ad at the movies, or nadine katie at the movies, and we used to have a cover art with me and katie's faces on it. And then when I changed it because it I'm just gonna be honest it got to a point where katie just wasn't on a lot of episodes like at all. So I was like you know what, I'm just gonna change it. And now I changed it again because, yeah, so I think, I think it's good that you went.
Speaker 4:I think it's good that you went more, more vague, because, yes, it's not always me and and, but I'm glad to change it to couch critics. So congratulations, first episode, couch critics. That's right. On our first review soon today. What this is we're?
Speaker 2:it's a new name, but it's the same journey and it's the same katie interrupting me when I'm trying to say things. I'm just kidding. But on today's episode of the Couch Critics, we're reviewing a Christmas animated classic that I had never seen before, called Annabelle's Wish. But before we talk about our likes and dislikes, I'm going to go over the synopsis. A mute boy in a cab with the ability to speak form a deep friendship, learning what it means to love and sacrifice for another, learning what it means to love and sacrifice for another.
Speaker 2:Annabelle's Wish stars Randy Travis, jay Johnson, jerry Van Dyke and Jim Barney. So, first off, this movie is stacked with voice talent. Randy Travis, obviously famous country singer, plays the narrator and we're not going to spoil it yet. But he also plays somebody else. You got Jerry Van Dyke, the brother of Dick Van Dyke. You got Jim Varney, also known as Ernest P Worrell. I mean, come on, you got Cloris Leachman in this movie as well, playing Aunt Agnes, who's like the mean evil aunt. You, mcclanahan from golden girls, I mean you got, you got. I mean you just, you just can't beat this, this, this stack of cats. And last but certainly not least, you have mr crabs, also known as clancy brown, as the lawyer slash sheriff in this cartoon. So, katie, I'm just gonna ask you, right, what did you think of Annabelle's Wish?
Speaker 4:Well, I liked this movie, but I also wanted to give a little shout out to my son, who watched it with me. Buddy, did you like Annabelle's Wish?
Speaker 3:Uh-huh, there was also a hilarious part. So like there was this pig that can talk and Santa came, and then the pig said and then Santa asked what was on his lips and it was Santa's lunch.
Speaker 4:He had eaten Santa's lunch.
Speaker 2:Yep.
Speaker 3:And he said well, I ate your lunch.
Speaker 4:So you and I both laughed at this movie at parts. Did mommy, did I laugh or did I do something else? What did I do? Cry.
Speaker 2:Did you cry at this movie? Are you serious? You cried at this movie.
Speaker 4:I cried a little bit Mm-hmm. Yeah, did mommy have tears streaming down her face? No, no, I did, I did. You had tears streaming down your face. Listen, listen, all right. Do you have anything else about Annabelle's List? Do you think people should watch it? Yeah, would you want to watch it again? Yes, all right.
Speaker 3:Well, thank you, sir. I would not like to do the part where just kids commercial commercial.
Speaker 4:That's true, commercials are tough, I know. All right. Well, thank you for your review, sir. Yes, just for those listening, I found a bootleg version on YouTube and it included the usual ads on YouTube, but then it also included the original ads from like 97, 1997. That's within the actual YouTube. So my son was just like why can't we skip these commercials? And I was like listen this. He didn't used to be able to do this, which is kind of funny. Uh, he didn't understand that concept, man, it was funny to see what was trending at the time, but I like this movie a lot, nathan that's so weird, so weird that you like, like, and you're not kidding, you're not being sarcastic no, I'm not being sarcastic and I don't know.
Speaker 4:I think I maybe did, like there was something about it that felt nostalgic, like something about it felt nostalgic. I think I probably did watch this when it came out on TV, like you said, you just mentioned that long cast like it was obviously like a big you know to do is on. I think it was on Fox or like came out on TV and it just touched my soul. Now I am pregnant so we could give hormones a little bit, but I kid you not Nathan, I was sobbing, like I had tears streaming down my face, crying at this movie which is so pathetic it's a little 45-minute cartoon but without giving the whole thing away. Just there's sacrifice, like I think the thing that made me tear up was just seeing the relationship between the boy, billy and his grandfather and like the way his grandfather loved him so well and so sacrificial, like would do anything, he would do anything to keep Billy. And then, same with Annabelle, the cow that you know, she ends up giving, giving away something very precious to her for the rest of her life. And then I'm telling I'm sorry you are she ends up giving, giving away something very precious to her for the rest of her life. And then I'm telling I'm sorry you are not human if you weren't tearing up and crying.
Speaker 4:So at the end of the show the movie like the last few minutes it's showing Billy grown up and Annabelle grown up. You're telling me you didn't cry at that at all, like thinking about your own animals and as you guys kind of age together and grow old together, and then annabelle's basically like walking off to go die. I mean I was just like, and then santa fulfills her wish. Right at the end I was, I lost it, david. I mean I was not just, I was basically boohoo crying no, I didn't cry at all.
Speaker 2:I didn't cry at all maybe if you watched it maybe if you were pregnant or if you watched it.
Speaker 4:Maybe if you were pregnant or if you watched it with your kid.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I mean I was probably being overly critical of like little bits and pieces of this movie.
Speaker 2:So, the first bits and pieces I was kind of like what I guess Billy and his friend and Annabelle, they, they go and they knock down the fence of the neighbor, voiced by by Jim Varney which was great hearing his voice, because you know you're used to hearing him as the buffoon Ernest and he was just talking like himself, kind of like when he plays Slinky Dog in Toy Story, like he's just, he's just talking like himself. So Jim Varney's character is obviously upset because, you know, this cow came out of nowhere and knocked down his fence. So he has every right to be upset about what's going on. And so he gets the sheriff and he finds out that the grandfather just got this new cow. He's like, hmm, I wonder how he's, you know, going to afford to feed that cow. And so he gets the sheriff to go over there and he basically has the sheriff tell the grandfather to give him the cow because, and instead of like paying for the fence to be fixed, which would make more sense, he says no, I want your cow.
Speaker 4:Well, because.
Speaker 2:Wait, wait, wait. The part that made me go. What Was the grandfather was like Sheriff, can you actually make me give the cow to him? And the sheriff says, yes, I can, what? No, how can the? Sheriff make him give his cow to this guy.
Speaker 4:First of all, this is the 90s. Second of all, it's also like rural rural, you know, it's not meant to be in our super modern and urban setting. But yes, I mean I would say the whole point was he didn't have the money. So I think the sheriff does have the obligation to say look like. The same same thing is like if the government repossesses your house because you don't have money to pay. So it's like he's saying hey, since you don't have money to pay this guy back, you're going to have to give him something else, which, yeah, I mean I guess the grandpa at that time could have been like I'm going to sell the music box to be able to pay you back, but I loved. I mean I loved.
Speaker 4:There's so many character arcs in this time. I cannot believe so much happens in 45 minutes. Like even just saying so, this guy is demanding money back, not because his fence is broken, but the reality is he's either a widower or a divorcee. He's raising two boys. You know they're clearly not being raised well, which, understandably, there's kind of this hint towards like, hey, this single dad is kind of not doing a great job, but maybe because he's also very sad and he's also very alone and he has his own sad story. So he's probably trying to make ends meet and he just sees an opportunity to make some money off these people. But he even has a change of heart, like the end, and then he ends up. I mean it's kind of of funny at the end.
Speaker 2:but they try to pair him up with the the ant and I love that I didn't get the ant storyline either, like I have everything I ever wanted except the child and and instead of like making that seem like a sentimental thing like you think, oh, she just wants a child, no, she's like, she ends up being a conniving character and that's why they made her so conniving.
Speaker 4:I think she needed to be conniving Like that makes sense for the plot. But they did not. I mean it makes sense for the plot.
Speaker 2:But like she's a lonely woman who wants a child.
Speaker 4:Right, so why do?
Speaker 2:you take that kind of character and make her evil. And again, I know it's because of the plot.
Speaker 4:Well, again, again. I think the plot was fine in that, but the the whole to me was maybe more so why she wants billy, like if she doesn't really like children or she doesn't really seem to like billy that much, I couldn't really care less. Why does she want him so bad? That, I think, was a little bit confusing because, you're right, like an evil, mean lady, what was what is her purpose and want? So maybe they could have done something different of like having Billy meant she would get some kind of inheritance, money that he had, you know, like something that would make him like a motivation to have in her possession outside of just having a kid. Because that was very confusing.
Speaker 4:But just the whole message. This is when we talk about the message of Christmas or the message of hope. This movie to me was like spot on, like this is what I want in a Christmas movie. It's feel good, made me cry, made my son laugh. It was short, it was all about Christmas and the message of Christmas. Santa shows up, but he's not like the whole main character, he just kind of is facilitating.
Speaker 4:And really the hero are these, this cow and this grandfather, who show what sacrificial love looks like and it's done in a way that's not overly religious, like it's just a positive message. You can be tied to the sacrificial love of jesus, but it's not so on the nose that you're like oh, this is clearly like a christian message yeah, I guess I don't know.
Speaker 2:I guess it was just too cheesy for me and I have kids, so it's not like this, isn't? This? Isn't something they could have pulled on my heartstrings? It was just very to me, it was very dated it. It hasn't aged well, just animation wise and the, despite the, the voice acting in this movie, it was just like the little girl's voice was too high pitched and and annoying for me and they don't. I mean. Okay, obviously it could be that Billy was just so traumatized by the farm fire that that's why he stopped talking, but they made it sound like something physically happened to him that he couldn't talk anymore. So that didn't really make any sense to me, like what exactly happened?
Speaker 4:to him in the fire, well, that he couldn't talk anymore. So that didn't really make any sense to me, like what exactly happened to him in the fire? Well, ben asked me that same question and I told him it's because the smoke got in his lungs.
Speaker 2:So they should. They should have said that for it to make more sense.
Speaker 4:Yeah, I do think I don't be. Maybe because it's a kid's movie, they were trying to not be explicit about it, like they wanted you as an adult to understand that the kid's parents die in a fire. Like they never say that clearly, like I kind of. I did find myself having to because my son's four pause every once in a while, or like during the commercial parts, to kind of explain, like okay, so did you understand what happened? Like why do you think Billy can't talk? So we did have to go through the plot a little bit to help him understand and, like I said, yeah, they at no point do they like explicitly say that that's how his parents died. Like they just say that's how he lost his voice, but there's nothing said about where his parents are and what happened to them or why all three of them were in the barn all at the same time catching on fire in such a way that they couldn't all get out. That's kind of confusing too.
Speaker 2:I mean, does it say that answer in in the barn too? It doesn't it just like they're just. I see, that's my thing, like again I, I understand they only have a certain amount of time for a TV movie.
Speaker 2:Pretty sure it was made by hallmark I think hallmark was one of the names that popped up at the beginning of the movie. So, like it's, it's got to be cutesy, it's got to be family friendly, obviously, but it I don't know. I guess I'm just so, so used to things like explaining things to me, which I probably isn't necessarily a good thing, but yeah, I just I don't know it. It didn't, it didn't hit me the way. Obviously it hit you. I mean, you watched it with your kid and, like you said, you're pregnant and so it hit differently.
Speaker 4:I have a soul and I have a heart, whatever. And I think it was really great too. It's like a great moment for my son, like to teach him that message, like to help him understand, like, do you realize? Again, I don't want to go. I mean I act like I'd spoil the plot. You can kind of guess, I think, or at least from the beginning I had a feeling. You know, the whole thing is the animals get the gift of talking every Christmas and then you have a boy who doesn't talk. I mean, it doesn't. It's not a hard sell to guess what kind of happens.
Speaker 4:But I've used that movie, even in days following, with my son. Like he gave up a toy tonight to give to someone for their birthday. Like he took one of his own toys to give someone as a birthday gift and I was like, hey, you know that that's like Annabelle, she gave up something that was for her to make someone else to change their life. So I just think it could be a good teachable moment. Sure, it's a little bit dated, but I kind of liked it and I liked the narration voice. Randy Travis did, I think, a great job. It's very country, bumpkin and old school and Nathan, I'm going to say it right now I would watch this again at christmas, for sure well, have fun.
Speaker 4:Have fun with that I need listen, I need you to give it you, I need elizabeth to watch it and I need the kids to watch it before, before you totally write it off so here's the thing, I'm not writing it off.
Speaker 2:It tells a sweet story. You know it's the, the cheesy magical, not really magical, but I mean it is magical because we're talking animals magical ending at just the right moment the miracle of Christmas happens. You know, I'm not saying it doesn't have a good feeling storyline to it. I just didn't find myself like I was like, okay, sure, why not not? But I mean I did think it was cool and I kind of guessed at the beginning because I'm like who is randy travis supposed to be? Is he just some random narrator in this movie?
Speaker 2:And and I am going to spoil it, I'm sorry, folks, because katie kind of spoiled that annabelle basically dies at the end of the week. Randy travis is the grown-up billy. So billy does find his voice because Annabelle gives up her wish. And it's Randy Travis which kind of makes me sad, because if you've seen Randy Travis nowadays, he kind of I mean, he can talk a little bit, but he's getting older and it was just nice to hear his voice and his singing voice, because he doesn't really sing anymore. So if anything, the voice acting in this movie is what was like oh my gosh, this is pretty cool.
Speaker 4:I only recognize the dread, the Randy Travis. I didn't recognize any of those other voices. Did you recognize them?
Speaker 2:You didn't recognize Ernest. No Slinky dog. You didn't recognize slinky dog. I did not.
Speaker 4:I was like yep, yep, recognize slinky dog? I did not. No, I was like yep, yep, yep. Yeah, I didn't recognize all it, a major critique. But you know I'm not a huge musical fan, so I I was a little bit like, if you only have 45 minutes to spend, I think they had two full songs. I was like I mean they weren't. They weren't songs that made me like oh, I want to hear that song again. But I understand, if you have ravi randy travis doing the nurse, like you're, you with the cast you have, you have to have music. I get that.
Speaker 2:But I was kind of like, yeah, about the songs yeah, I don't remember either of the songs in the movie, so they obviously weren't super catchy, but anyway. So so what are your final thoughts on annabelle before we we rate this thing? Not Annabelle the creepy doll, but Annabelle the talking cow.
Speaker 4:Yeah, I liked Annabelle's wish. It was cheesy, but I think it was good. And I want to also again state I did watch it with my kid I think that does make a difference because you're almost watching it kind of through their eyes too and I loved that. It touched my heart and it also entertained ben. You know sometimes there's movies that it's hard to please both mages, so. So I like that and I'm curious to see.
Speaker 4:I think I'm gonna watch it next christmas. I want to see if, maybe, if my husband will cry because he watched wild robot the other day and he said he was sobbing. And it's similar message again, right, like just the idea of sacrificing for for someone else. And I want to rate. I'm going to rate this for christmas we always rate these on christmas and just as a movie. So my christmas rating out of five because it happened at christmas santa was in. It makes me feel good and I want to watch it again. I'm giving it a, a five. And again it's like a sleeper, right, it's not like a five out of five, because it's a classic I already watch all the time. I'm giving it a five because it was a sneaky one. I didn't remember this at all and I don't know if I've seen it before. So how about yours? Yours is not going to be a five.
Speaker 2:It's not going to be a five but but I mean, you're all making me kind of want to re-watch it again with my kids just to see what they think about it. So I'd probably give annabelle's wish for christmas because, yes, it takes place at christmas santa, like you said, all the christmas stuff, and it does have the miracle of christmas on the way in it. So I'm probably going to give annabelle's wish a four out of five now, and that seems pretty high for a movie that I kind of mostly pooh-poohed the entire episode yeah, yeah, would you.
Speaker 4:What would you rate it as a movie?
Speaker 2:as a as a general movie, so okay. So it's obviously late 90s, very cheesy, very, you know, stereotypical. Oh, he gets his voice back, kind of storyline. I'm gonna give annabelle's wish a 2.5 out of5. I just, I just don't see myself watching it again, unless it is with my kids, and I might give it another chance well, I'm not gonna say it's a perfect movie and also it's 45 minutes, right.
Speaker 4:Maybe that's another thing I liked about it. It was short and sweet. I'm gonna rate it a 4 out of 5 as a movie because I don't think it was hysterical to my son and did make me cry, but, as you said, I mean storyline's pretty predictable, but it was still cute. I would encourage everyone to go watch, but I am excited about our next movie. It may be hard to top this one for me, though. What's next?
Speaker 2:Next Tuesday we're going to be talking about Last Christmas, the movie based solely around all George Michael's songs, almost every single one. I've never seen this movie before. By the time this episode drops, I've already watched it, I already have thoughts. I'm kind of excited about talking about it. So that is next tuesday and this cinema saturday is sketch, the new angel studios movie that my wife and I went to go see. So we're going to be talking about that. So check us out on social media facebook, the couch critics. Couch critics with an s. I was thinking about putting like the S in parentheses because, you never know, there might be an episode where it's just me. I don't know, but I probably won't do that because that's too much of a headache to change, because I'm not changing the theme song anymore.
Speaker 2:I'll change the theme song and that'll just say the couch critic. So I don't want to confuse people. Nathan, you have enough personalities to cover the critics yeah, I've, yeah, yeah, split personalities, so thank you for listening everybody. To the couch critic, where every movie gets its close-up yes, thank you for listening. Yes, thank you for listening. Yes, thank you for listening.
