Halloween is freshly over and the hemisphere has even turned its clocks back one hour. Supermarkets are advertising turkeys, cranberry sauce and stuffing for the upcoming day of thanks. Hollywood on the other hand usually surges ahead on the holiday season. This weekend will see the release of A Christmas Carol [CAROL], the latest motion-captured animated film from director Robert Zemeckis [RZEME]. The man behind The Polar Express and Beowulf, brings his unique brand of story-telling to this Charles Dickens classic.
A Christmas Carol is no stranger to film adaptations. The original story has been made in every known media incarnation and has also been adapted to fit different themes, most recently Matthew McConaughey’s [MCCON] Ghosts of Girlfriend’s Past. So, what does this version offer new for filmgoers?
First, Jim Carrey [JCARR] stars in multiple roles as Ebenezer Scrooge and the three ghosts of Christmas. He made his mark with The Mask and of course, The Grinch. Carrey’s signature style is what sets it apart from previous versions. The actor has the ability to go dark in a way appropriate for family viewing but also to then completely convince with his innocence. The film also boasts of strong performances from the cast of Robin Wright Penn [RWPEN], Gary Oldman [GOLDM], Cary Elwes [CELWE] and Bob Hoskins [BHOSK].
Zemeckis has carved out a name for himself with his innovative use of animation. Starting out with Who Framed Roger Robbit, Zemeckis has kept his loyal fans through the present-day. This film presents the latest in motion-captured animation with 3D technology.
A Christmas Carol is a well-known story and has been able to bring in all kinds of audiences over the decades. With a new big budget version from Disney, it is the perfect film to start off the holiday season. For those who love this Charles Dickens classic or holiday films in general, A Christmas Carol is a good place to be this weekend.
Tag(s): CAROL, RZEME, JCARR, RWPEN, GOLDM, CELWE, BHOSK