Author Topic: Disney’s A Christmas Carol  (Read 3213 times)

Offline Dragonfire

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Disney’s A Christmas Carol
« on: December 24, 2009, 05:40:39 AM »
I finally got to go see the new version of A Christmas Carol a few weeks ago.  The movie was playing in 3D and 2D at the theater here.  I saw the 3D version.

The plot is the same as other versions of the story.  Nothing new was added to the story and there wasn’t an attempt to update it to modern times like has been done with other versions.  I think the movie stayed pretty close to the original story, though I’m not sure since I haven’t read the book.  The movie is predictable which might bother some people.  I still think the movie is entertaining and worth seeing.

This version of the story is animated.  The animation was done with motion capture.  That sometimes results in odd looking characters.  I think that happened at times in this movie too, but overall I think the animation was very well done.  The visuals were amazing overall and I think 3D worked really well for this movie.  In some scenes it is more subtle and it others it really stands out.  It is snowing in several scenes.  For some of them, the snow looked like it was falling in the theater because of the 3D effect.  That was really cool.  I was a bit disappointed that the snow didn’t look like that in every scene. 

I think this can be a good version of the story for families, though a few things that are show could upset or even scare younger children.  The plot is serious overall and a few scenes get a bit dark. 

Jim Carrey performs as Scrooge, including younger versions of the character, as well as the three ghosts.  I think Carrey did a good job with the parts.  He was more serious and restrained for much of the movie.  He does get to be a bit more boisterous at one point, but that fits in with what is going on in the story at that point.  Gary Oldman also performs as a few different characters.  I think he does well too, though something looks off about Cratchit in some scenes.

Overall, I really enjoyed this movie.  I think it is a good version of the story that deserves to be seen.



I did get a review posted on Epinions.

Disney's A Christmas Carol

Najemikon

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Re: Disney’s A Christmas Carol
« Reply #1 on: December 24, 2009, 11:22:41 AM »
Nice review, Marie, but not a film I'll go out of my way to see. I think this type of motion capture just looks weird! It's like a halfway house between real and not real.

I think this can be a good version of the story for families, though a few things that are show could upset or even scare younger children.  The plot is serious overall and a few scenes get a bit dark. 

Best reason yet to see it! :laugh: I would never warn about scary bits in a children's film, especially based on a classic. The best kids stories are scary and when you think about them for a little while, downright disturbing! (Hansel and Gretel, for example). I think back to some of the formative stuff I saw and read as a very young child and I wouldn't be without them.

Actually, if any parent came to me and told me off for recommending a film because it scared their kids and gave them nightmares, I'd get a sense of pride! I don't mean tricking them into seeing Hostel or something, but I do think Jason and the Argonauts should be required viewing from at least the age of 6. :devil:

Offline Dragonfire

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Re: Disney’s A Christmas Carol
« Reply #2 on: December 24, 2009, 08:22:35 PM »
Nice review, Marie, but not a film I'll go out of my way to see. I think this type of motion capture just looks weird! It's like a halfway house between real and not real.

I think this can be a good version of the story for families, though a few things that are show could upset or even scare younger children.  The plot is serious overall and a few scenes get a bit dark. 

Best reason yet to see it! :laugh: I would never warn about scary bits in a children's film, especially based on a classic. The best kids stories are scary and when you think about them for a little while, downright disturbing! (Hansel and Gretel, for example). I think back to some of the formative stuff I saw and read as a very young child and I wouldn't be without them.

Actually, if any parent came to me and told me off for recommending a film because it scared their kids and gave them nightmares, I'd get a sense of pride! I don't mean tricking them into seeing Hostel or something, but I do think Jason and the Argonauts should be required viewing from at least the age of 6. :devil:

I know what you mean about the motion capture looking weird.  I think it was better overall in this one, though there are still weird things every so often.  Cratchit kept looking strange to me.

That is true about the scary and disturbing stuff.  I know that most of the fairytales were rather twisted in the original forms.  I guess I've just gotten in the habit of saying things like that because I've seen people asking at Epinions things like that.  So I got in the habit of putting that in reviews.

I'm glad you liked the review. :)  I know the movie isn't for everyone, but I do think it is a good version of the story...even with the slightly odd look at times from the motion capture.

Offline Jimmy

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Re: Disney’s A Christmas Carol
« Reply #3 on: December 25, 2009, 06:40:05 AM »
I guess I've just gotten in the habit of saying things like that because I've seen people asking at Epinions things like that.  So I got in the habit of putting that in reviews.
So it's like imdb where stupid people ask if it's ok for their 10 years old kids to watch Salò, or the 120 Days of Sodom or The New York Ripper or Nekromantik :laugh:

Offline Dragonfire

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Re: Disney’s A Christmas Carol
« Reply #4 on: December 26, 2009, 06:31:42 AM »
Not quite that bad....  :laugh: