Disney's A Christmas Carol

I was waiting for this review to pass on to some friends with kids to see what was the grade level appropriateness. I saw a few kids at the screening Mon. night under the age of 5, and I knew within 20 minutes that this isn't for kids. Middle school, I agree with that. They will be able to follow it, and not get scared. The movie itself, the 3-D was a nice touch, and I thought Carrey did a good acting job. You can't really change a story that has been done over and over again, so it relies on who is playing what.

I'm looking forward to seeing this version of A Christmas Carol. Disney had its fingers somewhat in my current favorite version of the telling, A Muppet Christmas Carol, and I love that Michael Caine was the first person you listed as having played Scrooge - many may prefer Alister Sims or George C. Scott, but for me, Michael Caine reigns king in the role, but I look forward to see if Jim Carey can de-throne him. And Henson's people were so good at making it seem like talking pigs and frogs and singing chickens actually belonged in Victorian London. I'm excited to see if Disney can bring that same magic from the Muppet version to this somewhat more traditional telling.

Looking forward to seeing it! I'm always up for a new version of A Christmas Carol

Nell, this might have been the first time I went to see a movie with my 12 yr old daughter without consulting you first. Haha. I did not know ANYTHING about the movie, except of course, the plot...and that Jim Carrey was Scrooge. I did not know he played everyone else. I couldn't figure out which voices belonged to whom so I just thought to myself "ah, just watch the credits!" My daughter had the inside track from watching the promos on the disney channel.

I loved this movie. The effects were breath taking and I actually thought for some of the outdoor scenes, they had to have "cheated" and used a real camera and filmed it. Of course that was my suspended disbelief talking. I kept checking in with my daughter to make sure she wasn't too scared, especially of Marley ghost. We were both stunned and wide-eyed by the beautiful transformation of the room of christmas present--and the way he saw things through the floor. (i have to say i thought the candle ghost was a bit distracting with that thing he was doing with his head) i could go on and on!!

but it was marvelously well done--it is amazing the technology we have now--and the 3d effects alone are enough reason to see it again. and i enjoyed your review--even after the fact. thanks

I just finished seeing A Christmas Carol and I am pleasantly impressed by it. I don't think it will top the Muppets for my favorite telling of the story, in fact, Bill Murray in Scrooged topped it in my book. But it's an impressive feat, and Disney did try to stay very true to the Charles Dickens story, I thought.

I'm torn on the animation. Granted, the detail in the faces and in Victorian London are mind blowing in many points. I definitely loved the way the animators used the art to get viewpoints, especially like some of the scenes where the audience gets taken flying over the rooftops, to capture moments that I doubt could be done with live-action film. And I was impressed by the fun the animators seemed to have with looking through windows; one moment really struck me when Scrooge is having a discussion with his fiancée, and in the background is a bay window - and a man goes walking by the window on the outside, almost unseen with the snow. It was just a neat "attention to detail" sort of moment. And the film is loaded with those.

But there's a lot of points where the characters may have looked realistic, but they didn't feel realistic, and seemed to float more than move. That's great for the spirits, but not so great when it's Fezziwig. It was the exact opposite of Gollum from The Lord of the Rings, who was very believable as a flesh-and-blood being on the screen right along with his human actors. Also, there were some elements, like a fire blazing in a fireplace or the strands of Scrooge's hair, that I've seen straight CGI capture more effectively. Basically, I was left with the impression that the technology still has a lot of polishing to do.

I did love the 3D though, and I think the movie needs to be seen in 3D to be fully savored. It's been a while since I've seen a 3D movie, and I was glad there weren't a lot of moments where stuff went flying off the screen in order to startle the audience. Instead, I spent more time being engulfed in the falling snowflakes, and thinking to myself how much more that added depth brought to the moments.

I was disappointed by Jim Carrey, though. He gave a decent enough performance, and I give him credit for attempting something more serious, rather than his usual screwball antics. But he pails compared to the likes of Michael Caine, Alister Sims or George C. Scott as Ebenezer Scrooge. Granted, he's got some big shoes to fill, considering there's been a bevy of fine actors who have put in powerhouse performances before him.

In the end, my favorite remains the Muppets. They brought a lightness to the telling that somehow manages to add rather than detract from the story. This is definitely a different telling, very grim and serious, much more traditional even if the medium used is very modern. I was also surprised by just how scary some of the imagery is, given that this is a Disney film; It's not terribly graphic and no one is really harmed, but Ebenezer finds himself in peril quite frequently, and it might be much for really young kids. For them, I'd recommend the Muppets version - it still has the heart of the story, but takes a much lighter approach to telling it.

Very impressive movie, saw it at the IMAX in Williamsville, NY today and I agree with virtually everything said in this review. It takes courage to stick so closely to the book, including the "Old English" that is a bit tough to follow but helps to enrich what is already a very detailed, accurate rendering of the visuals, particularly in the astonishing detail of the major characters, although the minor characters, those that are only on-screen for a few seconds, still look rubber-faced. Like the reviewer, I was dumb-struck at the total experience and couldn't believe how fast the movie was over.

If I had to single out one character that moved me more than the rest, I would say it was the Ghost of Christmas Past; there was such a childlike happiness to that character and the embodiment of the desires to return to long-deferred memories of the past. The movie slowed down and took its time when there were good reasons to do so. This movie was well-crafted, by people who really cared about what they were doing and I found it pleasantly refreshing. If you're looking for Scrooge McDuck and comedy, you definitely won't find it here, but if you are looking for a courageous, fresh look at the original book, this adaptation is a definite must-see.