Homefront movie
7.25 out of 10
The Hunger Games: Catching Fire movie
8.75 out of 10
Disney's Frozen movie
10.0 out of 10
Delivery Man movie
6.75 out of 10
Thor
8.25 out of 10

Saturday, November 14, 2009

Disney's A Christmas Carol - In Digital Real-D 3D

An Early Christmas Present
[Jim Carrey, Gary Oldman, Bob Hoskins]

I love movies in Real D digital 3D! It's the most advanced 3D technology out there for my money. Of course, you do have to spend another $3 to get the special glasses. Then you throw them in the recycle bin after the film. I think if you pay the $3 for the glasses and want to keep them for the next film to save some extra money, you should be able to. For a family with a couple of kid, those glasses get pricey after a while.

Synopsis: Victorian-era miser and hater of Christmas, Ebenezer Scrooge, is offered a second at life by his ghost of a partner, Marley, and the sprits of Christmas Past, Present and Future. Of course, there is barely a soul out there who is not familiar with Charles Dicken's "A Christmas Carol" in some form or another.

Robert  Zemeckis does a stellar job animating Charles Dicken's famous story. The characters are well modeled and created, using the next generation of technology used in "The Polar Express".  The scenery and landscape is both breathtaking and moody, and what the spirits have to show Scrooge is done so with both wonder and dread. The Real D 3D  pulls us in to the movie, whether it is a snow flake that seems to be in the theatre in front of my eyes or the dizzying flight hundreds of miles an hour across downtown London and snow-covered hills and valleys. 

Aside from the visuals, the story is at the heart of the film.  As with all "A Christmas Carol" adaptations, the idea of realization and redemption is a powerful one. I laughed at Scrooge's bile nature and love for money and shed a tear for his understanding of the real humanity happening around him. Can anyone really not be stirred by Bob Cratchet's family and Tiny Tim, especially with our current economic climate.

The acting was well done. I did have my misgivings concerning Jim Carrey in a voice-over (and motion-capture) role on the opposite extreme from "Norton Hears a Who". But other then a few distracting, trademark "carrey-esque" moves late in the story, Carrey does a tremendous job voicing and fleshing out several key characters. Disney saved more money with A-list talents Gary Oldman, Bob Hoskins, Colin Firth and Cary Elwes playing multiple roles.

I will probably add this film to my watch list for Christmas season's yet to come. Where "The Polar Express" was a little creepy to watch, with its waxen characters and stilted movement, Robert Zemeckis redeems with a worthwhile second attempt.

Worth: Matinee and a DVD

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