The Muppet Christmas Carol - 1992

A Christmas Carol - 2009

This new animated version of the Dickens classic Christmas tale definitely falls far short of its potential. The story itself struggles to come together while on one hand keeping close to the original dialog, and on the other hand completely skipping crucial emotional changes in Scrooge. In fact, the film has an underlying feeling of “callousness” that even surpasses earlier “Scrooge” films. The animation is pretty incredible but is completely overdone! The special effects “fly-bys” were an interesting concept but it was almost as if they included as many as possible just because they could; resulting in far too many scenes that defied the laws of physics. Plus, many of the scenes were very disturbing for kids. And, yes, I know “Scrooge” isn’t exactly a children’s story but the animation logically encourages us to assume otherwise this time around. The characters were pretty creepy (more than usual) especially Christmas Present, who rots, turns into a disgusting skeleton, and then disintegrates and blows away! (sigh) As a fan of “Christmas Carol” in all its varieties (including the cheesy ones), I’m usually pretty tolerant but this is one I won’t be watching again.

Scrooged - 1988

“Irreverent” comedy based on the classic “A Christmas Carol.” Although all the basic elements of the story are there, this is definitely a different version of the classic tale. The acting is over the top by both Murray as well as some of the supporting cast but its not too surprising for this type of film. As only a so-so fan of Murray, he was just a little TOO cynical at the beginning and TOO gooey at the end to bring across the comic aspect of this film for me, so not a lot of laughs here. The changes to the “ghosts” were lots of fun, however, and definitely added some comic elements. Enjoyed the creativity in the updated story! Though not a personal favorite, this is a great movie if you like (a) irreverent comedies (b) you’re fond of Bill Murray and (c) you like “A Christmas Carol” in ALL its numerous forms so don’t be afraid to give it a try. (If you’re a Dickens purist, skip this one!) For me, possibly 2 1/2 stars.

Scrooge - 1970

Enjoyable musical of Dickens famous story. If you want a change of pace with this classic tale, this is a good choice but be prepared, there are quite a few creative changes to the basic story to accommodate both the humor and the music. Ok performances but with the back and forth of drama to humor, some seemed a little over the top, especially that of Scrooge (Finney) and Marley (Guinness). Still, the music was enjoyable and this version is a great addition to anyone’s “Christmas Carol” viewing.

Scrooge - 1935

Excellent early adaptation of this classic story, although very abridged. Unfamiliar with this version, this film came as a wonderful surprise. The movie does cut some very important aspects of the book but at only a little more than an hour that is not too surprising and they do a good job of merging the gaps. Wonderful performances by all especially Sir Seymour Hicks as Scrooge. Interesting interpretation of the Christmas spirits. Excellent B&W filming that succeeded in enhancing the various emotions of this story and included some wonderful detail in both sets and costumes. The disc includes both the B&W and the colorized version but you must go to the special features to get the B&W version. This will definitely be a “Christmas Carol” favorite!

A Christmas Carol - 1938

Ok version of this classic Dickens story. With a somewhat choppy storyline, this version struggles a little. Very abridged, this film skips a great deal of Scrooge’s early life including the portions with his fiancé. Other events are included but are altered drastically. They also skip the grimmer aspects of the ghostly visits, altering the impact of the changes in Scrooge and making them less believable. At the end his change of attitude seems almost too abrupt. The filming and costuming are well done, although the bald rubber cap on Scrooge is pretty obvious. The ending is also not my favorite of the “Carol” endings. Even so, the performances themselves are excellent and this version has one of my favorite portrayals of Bob Cratchit. Even with its weaknesses this is still an enjoyable part of the “Christmas Carol” family of films.

A Christmas Carol - 1999

Ok adaptation of this classic tale that closely followed the basic Dickens plot, but the modernized dialog was definitely a distraction. Also, the contrast between the bleak emotions in the first part of the story and the Christmas cheer at the end were not as defined as earlier films which took some of the impact out of the change in Scrooge and was a weakness in this version. Ok performance by Patrick Stewart as Scrooge, though, that demonstrates his talent as an actor. Only so-so performances by the supporting cast especially the important role of Bob Cratchit who seemed too wooden, and Tiny Tim who definitely seemed a little too healthy. This film also included more special effects than earlier productions which often seemed out of place, but not annoyingly so (with the exception of Christmas Past and his glowing 1960’s “sci-fi” eyes!) Ok filming but the sets and costuming must have had a small budget and weren’t up to par with earlier films. Still, as a fan of this story in all its variations (even the cheesy ones) this is an enjoyable addition to the “Christmas Carol” family. ***

A Christmas Carol - 1951

Excellent adaptation of this classic story. This well known version has a great script that moves smoothly and even neatly fills in a few of the gaps in the Dickens story. Exceptional performances by both Alastair Sim as Scrooge, as well as a superb supporting cast, that gave great emotional depth to the changes in Scrooge. Excellent B&W filming that succeeded in enhancing the various emotional levels created in this film. Wonderful detail in both the sets and costuming. As a fan of “Christmas Carol” in all its various adaptations (including the cheesy ones), the holidays are not complete without viewing this particular one! Definitely one of my top two favorites! *****

A Christmas Carol - 1984

Exceptional adaptation of this classic story. Great script that moves smoothly with outstanding performances by George C. Scott as Scrooge as well as a superb supporting cast. The emotional levels of this story are wonderfully portrayed. Excellent filming and costuming. This version also has my favorite “Christmas Carol” endings with great final scenes between both Scrooge and Bob Cratchit (Bob's amazed shock in this version is superb) and Scrooge with his nephew, Fred, and his wife. As a fan of “Christmas Carol” in all its various adaptations (including the cheesy ones), the holidays are not complete without viewing this particular one! Definitely one of my top two favorites! *****

The Christmas Miracle of Jonathan Toomey - 2007

Charming adaptation of the well known children’s Christmas story. A grieving and reclusive woodcarver (Berenger) agrees to replace a loved wooden nativity that has been lost. Surprisingly, this well written film managed to remain true to the original book, a feat not always achieved, especially when so much must be added in order to reach the time frame of a movie. Performances were excellent by the entire cast but especially the three central characters. Filming was exceptional with rich colors and lighting that enhanced the emotions portrayed. Wonderful musical score! This is definitely a new Christmas favorite that will be watched many times.****

The Three Gifts - 2009

Entertaining family holiday film. When the orphanage must close for repairs, a toymaker and his wife (Cain & Kelly) agree to temporarily take three energetic orphans for the holidays. Although this pleasant, predictable story had few surprises, it managed to convey some gentle heartfelt moments anyway. Performances were good, especially those of Dean Cain and Jean Louisa Kelly as the temporary “parents” as well as those of the three kids. Often young “troublemakers” have completely over-the-top or slapstick performances but the kids were actually fairly believable. Plus the story itself was a nice change of pace from the usual holiday fare available. Definitely one we will watch again. ***

The Preacher's Wife - 1996

Ok holiday movie but poor remake! This story follows a preacher who is struggling to hold things together with his church and congregation. After a prayer for help, an angel (Denzel Washington) is sent to help. This is a pale comparison to the original movie (The Bishop’s Wife). I am a fan of several other movie remakes but this one is really lacking. With the exception of Denzel Washington, the acting of the main characters is pretty wooden. The preacher (Courtney Vance) seems to only have one expression. He is so passionless about his role as a preacher that its hard to believe he would have had the desire to pray for help in the first place. As his wife, Whitney Houston is also barely believable both as a wife and a mother. Her lines seem rehearsed as if she is reading cue cards. The charisma of Dudley came across fairly well as played by Denzel Washington, although his role seemed minor in this version. The plot changes and updates were clever but the plot moved very slowly and I found myself longing to fast forward. An ok movie for the family but there are definitely better holiday movies out there.  ***

The Bishop's Wife - 1947

Charming holiday movie! This film is about a Bishop ( David Niven) and his wife (Loretta Young) and the struggles they are having in their marriage as the Bishop struggles to build a cathedral. As he prays for help, an angel (Cary Grant) comes to his aid. What follows is humorous, inspiring and fun as the angel maneuvers the Bishop into realizing what is really important. This movie has a great story with the plot being developed well. The characters are interesting and fun and well done by both the main characters and the supporting cast. This movie is definitely filmed in the old classic style for black and white movies but the story flows well without the need for color to put across the emotions. Definitely a favorite in our home.*****

12 Men of Christmas - 2009

Light-hearted romantic comedy. Leaving her high powered job and moving to Montana, E.J. (Chenowith) finds herself promoting a male calendar. This predictable story had few twists but moved along smoothly. (It has even loosely included a few plot elements from Austen's "Pride & Prejudice") Along the way E.J. falls for Mr. December (no surprise) but the romantic elements were pretty low key. Performances were Ok but nothing special and the chemistry between the characters struggled a little. Although billed as a Christmas film, there were few actual references to the holidays making it a definite change of pace from the usual “Santa” or “It’s a Wonderful Life” variations. It certainly would not be at the top of my favorite Christmas films, but as a soft touch when it comes to the holidays, I still found this enjoyable. ***

The Christmas Wife - 1988

Enjoyable drama. Facing his first Christmas as a widower, John (Robards) answers a personals ad hoping to meet someone to share Christmas Day. The woman (Harris) who responds to his request is obviously hiding something. This quiet story was well written with a touching storyline that managed to avoid getting too sappy. As you watch the characters, you can feel their loneliness without it becoming overly sentimental. Performances were excellent by both Robards and Harris, easily making you feel at ease with their characters. Although this was a family friendly film, the storyline was definitely geared more to an older audience and would not be that entertaining for the very young. Definitely worth watching, though. ***

Christmas Do-Over - 2006

So-so Christmas comedy. A divorced man (Mohr) finds himself repeating Christmas Day, each time trying to change the outcome. With an almost identical plot to the successful “Groundhog Day” with Bill Murray, the premise for this story had potential. Unfortunately, this film didn’t have the charm to pull it off. Performances were Ok, but Jay Mohr was really over-the-top obnoxious which only succeeds in making you vote for the other guy! In fact, few of the characters were very likable which made it hard to care about the outcome. The filming was Ok, but the Christmas Day repeats start to get annoying. You feel as if the story is trying to pound its point across rather than letting the emotions evolve naturally. Definitely better choices available. **

Christmas Is Coming!

With Christmas just around the corner, I often find myself buried in Christmas movies and TV specials. Anything that creates just a little Christmas spirit will usually find its way into to my home sometime during the holidays. :-)  I find most holiday films fall into just a few categories. There are your inevitable Santa stories, your Christmas Carol or It's a Wonderful Life variations and finally your heart-warming dramas.

Although I enjoy them all, its never far from my mind the real reason we celebrate Christmas:

"For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace."  Isaiah 9:6

If you truly desire to find the true spirit of Christmas during this upcoming holiday season, find time to turn your heart to the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ. Having His spirit with you will be the greatest gift you can receive this Christmas!

The Christmas Cottage - 2008

Somewhat entertaining look at the events that shaped one of today’s most endearing artists, Thomas Kinkade. Returning home for the holidays, Thomas (Padalecki) discovers that his mother (Harden) is about to lose her home. This film definitely had its ups and downs. The first half is a little slow moving, struggling to decide what kind of story its really going to be. The film has its heart-warming moments but also has its fair share of cursing and vulgar innuendos. The characters vary from the exceptional performance of Peter O’Toole, the artist next door, to other townspeople that seem little more than caricatures. The last half of the film finally seems to come together, delivering some very heartfelt moments. Was definitely disappointed that the film seemed to tiptoe around the Christian aspect of the story.  In spite of its problems, however, we enjoyed the film. It was worth watching if only to see the incredible performance of Peter O’Toole. ***

Noelle - 2007

Slow moving, somber Christmas drama. Two troubled priests struggle with the course their lives are taking. This dreary storyline was obviously meant to be uplifting but fell far short of the mark. In fact, parts of the plot actually felt somewhat insulting. With some of its darker issues, this was definitely not family friendly. The acting was dreadful and the main characters were so unlikable it was hard to care whether or not they worked out their problems. The scenes with the community Christmas pageant were somewhat humorous and the final scene was mildly touching but this was certainly not enough to redeem the rest of the movie. On the plus side, filming was actually pretty good, with some beautiful scenes of the Cape. Of the three viewers in our family, I’m the only one who actually finished watching and I certainly would never watch again. Definitely better choices available. **

Santa Baby 2: Christmas Maybe - 2009

So-so sequel. When Santa (Sorvino) decides to retire, he wants Mary (McCarthy) to take over the job. Unfortunately, there were some pretty big holes between this storyline and that of its predecessor. Even well into the movie there is little explanation for where the first story left off and this story begins. Mary must go home and again save the day, but you are surprised that she wasn’t already there in the first place! It was also disappointing to have new actors in more than one of the major roles. Santa was apparent immediately, but the boyfriend took some time before we realized that he was the same character, just a new actor. The main outline of this film’s “Christmas conflict” was fairly clever but it really struggled to come together. Nor was Mary’s character as enjoyable this time around. In the first film you felt she just hadn’t “found” herself but in this one you were annoyed she was acting so selfishly. We are pretty forgiving of holiday films so even with its problems we still moderately enjoyed this one. ***