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A Christmas Carol, a review by Tom

A Christmas Carol (1999/United States) IMDb | Wikipedia Boulevard Entertainment (United Kingdom) Director: David Jones Writing: Peter Barnes (Screenwriter), Charles Dickens (Original Material By) Length: 94 min. Video: Full Frame 1.33:1 Audio: English: Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo, French: Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo Subtitles: English, French

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Stars:
Patrick Stewart as Ebenezer Scrooge
Richard E. Grant as Bob Cratchit
Joel Grey as The Ghost of Christmas Past
Ian McNeice as Albert Fezziwig
Saskia Reeves as Mrs. Cratchit

Plot:Awards:
Nominated:

Saturn (1999)		Best Single Television Presentation
Saturn (1999)		Best Television Actor (Patrick Stewart)

Extras:

• Featurettes
• Production Notes
• Scene Access
• Trailers

At first I thought it a little strange to see Patrick Stewart as Scrooge. He seems a little young for the role. But he has ten years in a one-man Christmas Carol show under his belt and he did a good job. That he can do crumpy, I always believed. Look at his early interpretation of Captain Picard.
Compared to the other adaptions I have seen, Scrooge seemed a little restrained at the end when loosened up.

Rating:

(From Tom's Random Reviews on December 26th, 2011)

Whispering Corridors, a review by Danae Cassandra

Whispering Corridors (Yeogo goedam)
Year of Release: 1998
Directed By: Ki-Hyung Park
Starring: Kang-hee Choi, Gyu-ri Kim, Min-jung Kim, Mi-yeon Lee, Jin-hie Park, Ji-hye Yun
Genre: Horror

Overview:
Life is what you'd expect for young teenagers in this seemingly normal private all-girls school, until a past alumni returns as a teacher. She strikes up a friendship with two very different students and a horrific course of events ensues. A teacher is found dead, apparently having committed suicide, and circumstances that inextricably link both the past and the present are unveiled. As the body count rises, the memories of the deaths unleash the echoes of ghosts down the corridors.

My Thoughts:
This was a really good piece of horror. That some of the most horrific scenes are carried out by the living in no way diminishes the power of the ghost story. The ghost is a powerful supernatural being. And she does bring a brutal retribution down. But the true horror is a school culture that not only condones bullying but has teachers actively participating in it, pitting student against student, berating and belittling them for low scores in front of all their peers.

The film creates a great oppressive atmosphere in the school, and the actors all do a good job. Some things are a bit confusing, but with a bit of patient thought can be worked out. Recommended for fans of Asian horror.

Watched For: Hoop-tober 3.0, Scavenger Hunt 19, Horror/Halloween Challenge 2016

Bechdel Test: Pass
Mako Mori Test: Pass

Overall: 3.5/5

Horror/Halloween Challenge Films: 25/52

(From Horror/Halloween 2016 Challenge on October 13th, 2016)

Caroline in the City Marathon, a review by Tom

Caroline and the Cereal (1996-04-18)
Writer: Ian Praiser, Michelle Nader, Amy Cohen, Ian Praiser, Michelle Nader, Amy Cohen, Rob Lotterstein, Ellen Idelson
Director: Pamela Fryman
Cast: Lea Thompson (Caroline), Eric Lutes (Del), Malcolm Gets (Richard), Amy Pietz (Annie), Andy Lauer (Charlie), Vicki Lewis (Merle Heller), Mesach Taylor (James), Tom La Grua (Remo), Denice Kumagai (Moderator), Roz Witt (Marian), Larry Raben (Ted), Brad Bartram (Elliot), Norman Large (Man #1), Gregg Daniel (Man #2)

A good episode. Caroline is offered the possibility that her cartoon character is put on a cereal box. But after noticing the not-so-kid-friendly shape of the cereals, she refuses the offer.



Caroline and Richard's Mom (1996-04-25)
Writer: Dottie Dartland, Charles Harper Yates
Director: James Burrows
Cast: Lea Thompson (Caroline), Eric Lutes (Del), Malcolm Gets (Richard), Amy Pietz (Annie), Andy Lauer (Charlie), Elizabeth Ashley (Natalie Karinsky), John Ratzenberger (Mr. Berman), Nada Desptovich (Elzbieta), Matt Battaglia (JOSEPH), Wendy Lawless (Receptionist), Jim Vallely (Jim), Warren Littlefield (Himself)

Richard's crazy mom comes to visit. John Ratzenberger (Cliff from Cheers) guest-stars. An average episode.



Caroline and the Bridesmaid (1996-05-09)
Writer: Wil Calhoun, Bill Masters
Director: Tom Cherones
Cast: Lea Thompson (Caroline), Eric Lutes (Del), Malcolm Gets (Richard), Amy Pietz (Annie), Andy Lauer (Charlie), Melora Hardin (Beth), Tia Riebling (Vicki), Christine Romeo (Linda), Tony Carlin (Greg), Pat Finn (Steve), Kenneth Alan Williams (Eddie), John Mariano (Johnny), Olivia V. White (Mrs. Simmons), Jarrett Lennon (Elliot)

Caroline is doubting, if making irresponsible Annie the maid of honor was the right choice. A good episode.



Caroline and the Wedding (1996-05-16)
Writer: Bill Masters
Director: James Burrows
Cast: Lea Thompson (Caroline), Eric Lutes (Del), Malcolm Gets (Richard), Amy Pietz (Annie), Andy Lauer (Charlie), Michael McKean (Father Damian), Tom La Grua (Remo), Candice Azzara (Angie Spadaro), John Mariano (Johnny), John Apicella (Janitor)

A good episode. This is the season finale. Richard admits his feelings for Caroline in a letter, which she doesn't get. Caroline breaks off her wedding, because she realizes she has feelings for Richard.
Richard doesn't know this and has left the country at the end of the episode.



Caroline and the Condom (1996-08-05)
Writer: Marco Pennette, Fred Barron
Director: James Burrows
Cast: Lea Thompson (Caroline), Eric Lutes (Del), Malcolm Gets (Richard), Amy Pietz (Annie), Ping Wu (Kwan), Sean Gregory Sullivan (Monroe), Cathy Lind Hayes (Sister Mary Louise), Marcelo Tubert (Vendor), Judy Prescott (Audrey), Tony Edwards (Cashier), Scott Fowler (Randy), Debra Casey (The Pierced Lady)

Essentially a flashback episode, but most of the flashbacks are new scenes. A good episode.




Final Thoughts:
This was it for the first season of Caroline in the City. I am not sure, if I am continuing doing short episode reviews for other series. I did run out of something (even a little) to say after a few episodes after all. Could be, that CitC (though I like the series) just isn't a series where there is much to say about. I will of course still make short reviews on episodes in marathons I am participating (like the upcoming "The Big Bang Theory" marathon).

(From Caroline in the City Marathon on September 20th, 2008)