A Christmas Carol (3D)
I know what you're thinking: do we REALLY need another screen adaptation of this classic Dickens tale? The answer is: only if it's done this well.
First of all, it's a great story - and screenwriter/director Robert Zemeckis (dealing with time travel once again!) doesn't make the mistake of straying too far from the source material. Second, the story is told in an entertaining, exciting and enjoyable way. And finally, but perhaps most importantly, this film is a visual treat from start to finish. I'm a big fan of Zemeckis's motion capture computer animation (previously demonstrated in 'The Polar Express' and 'Beowulf'), particularly when it's presented in 3D.
Jim Carrey is excellent as Scrooge, but his other vocal performances, as the various spirits who visit the old miser on Christmas Eve, are iffy to say the least (is the Ghost of Christmas Past meant to be Irish...?). Gary Oldman also deserves praise for playing the put-upon clerk Bob Cratchit.
Ultimately, this is a story about redemption, social injustice and the ills of avarice. The novel's themes and moral message feel as relevant now as they were in the 1840s and I'm pleased to say they're retained in this movie.
I should also point out that 'A Christmas Carol' is quite eerie and menacing in places. The visualisation of the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come is particularly terrifying - and I'm surprised the film has been rated PG, rather than 12A.
