In 2011, Santa is high tech. He zooms about the globe in an other-worldly looking craft.

The current Santa and his elves slide down ropes and use Mission: Impossible super-spy technology and military precision. And on one magic night, they disperse gifts to all the children in the world.

-- Local show times, theaters, trailer.

Arthur Christmas tells you how it’s done. The dilemma. Santa missed a kid. Santa never, ever misses a kid. Christmas delivery is run like a space shuttle launch and mission.

Older son Steve runs mission control at the North Pole and his elf crews sit in a NASA-like complex where everything is computerized. Steve blows off the oversight. With bureaucratic ease, Steve tosses off a “What’s the big deal?” Why? Christmas is still a huge success because the percentage of loss is infinitesimal.

Santa’s second son Arthur is a goofy idealist. He can’t stand the thought of the little girl not getting her bicycle. So he and Grandsanta — Santa’s dad — set out to right the wrong before the sun comes up.

Produced by Wallace and Gromit producer Peter Lord, and written and directed by Sarah Smith and co-written by Peter Baynham — who also wrote the remake of Arthur — Arthur Christmas is destined to be our new favorite Christmas movie. From the time Arthur and his granddaddy hitch up an old-fashioned sleigh to the film’s appropriate ending, one laugh after another will sleigh you.

This is really funny stuff with a great message and — sorry Muppets fans — it’s "the" holiday movie for the kiddos and for adults that still have a lot of kid left in them. Mr. Movie rating: 5 stars

Rated PG for mature themes. It opens today at the Carmike 12, the Fairchild Cinemas 12 and Walla Walla Grand Cinemas.

5 stars to 4 1/2 stars: Must see on the big screen
4 stars to 3 1/2 stars: Good film, see it if it's your type of movie.
3 stars to 2 1/2 stars: Wait until it comes out on video.
2 stars to 1 star: Don't bother.
0 stars: Speaks for itself.