Popcorn Panel: 'A Christmas Carol'

Skip It

The classic Charles Dickens story "A Christmas Carol" has been filmed no fewer than 10 times and has been told twice that many times on television. So going to see the latest offering starring Jim Carrey, I was looking for something that would be new and fresh. Sadly, I did not get that. I did pay the significantly higher price to see it in 3-D, but the effects were nothing that I had not experienced and did not compensate for knowing the story inside out. Rather than waiting for the DVD of this, rent the Muppets version for your children.

Scott Larson,

Plainfield resident

Wait for the DVD

Robert Zemeckis' take on the Dickens classic "A Christmas Carol" is worth a watch, if nothing else for the motion-capture technology that Gollum made so popular. The characters' faces and expressions are realistic and emotional. It's good to see Jim Carrey still working, since he hasn't really made anything of value since "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind." I didn't see this in 3-D, however (availability is extremely lacking in these parts). Perhaps my review would be different if I had. (I was a little surprised at how soon this movie was released, but then I remembered that the commercialization of Christmas starts earlier and earlier every year).

Brian Pellegrini,

Shorewood resident

Get to the Theater

It's the story that has been told for generations, a story of an old grumpy man named Scrooge who just didn't like Christmas. This tale comes to life as yet another 3-D masterpiece. The plot itself is the basic "Christmas Carol" story -- Scrooge is haunted by the ghosts of Christmas past, present and future -- but the real standout feature in this is retelling the story in a more energetic and moving way. Disney has done it again by making all of us celebrate the spirit of Christmas.

Eric Weber,

Joliet resident