10 out of 10
 

It is Christmas Eve at Central Park Zoo... and in an effort to cheer up the holiday season for the Polar Bear who is spending Christmas alone, the youngest penguin, Private, goes to downtown New York to find him the perfect present….and so begins this hilarious, fast-paced animated short by writer Michael Lachance and director Gary Trousdale. Alerted to his disappearance, the remaining penguins, run off in a rescue attempt, spending Christmas Eve defending him from red ribbon, a batty old lady, the lethal Mr. Chew and a Christmas stocking.

Previously featured in Madagascar, Skipper, Kowalski, Rico and Private return in style in this very funny, cleverly written and well scripted short. The animation is brilliant, the story delightful and the actions of the penguins ingenious. Here's to the hope that they will one day have their own full length feature!