When you preview a major Christmas movie in early November, you may at first forget that Christmas movies, especially Disney Christmas movies, are of necessity magical and special. This movie, Disney's A Christmas Carol, starring Jim Carrey in a variety of parts, easily lives up to every expectation of a classic — it's memorable and filled with excitement. Dickens' plot is familiar, but seeing it here, with Jim Carrey at his better-than-best playing an Ebenezer Scrooge who is warm and believable, is a season pleasure.
This movie, showing in IMAX and IMAX 3D, is at the forefront of the state of the art for today’s motion pictures. The camera work across the spectrum is spellbinding. We view the days in the life of Scrooge from up and down, and every viewpoint in between. The ghosts are ghastly, yet we feel we can get to know them, and find them most heavenly indeed. Disney has outdone itself with sets and street scenes from old London. Watching the motion picture provides insight into those not-to-be-forgotten days gone by.
Those fortunate enough to enjoy the 3D version will never forget this holiday feast for the eyes. In some ways the 3D experience is understated, as we don’t find a number of items rushing by our movie seats, or invoking our grasp. But the use of the 3D technology in this picture is more mature, more thought-provoking than in previous films, and more adequate too, to advance the plot. Be assured, you will not be disappointed. We live in wonder at the 21st century, 3D IMAX experience! Robert Zemeckis wrote and directed this holiday masterpiece. Zemeckis is well known for the Back to the Future trilogy, which starred Michael J. Fox.
We meet Ebenezer at the Christmas funeral of his lifelong friend and business partner, Jacob Marley, as portrayed by Gary Oldman. Scrooge only hesitates momentarily before pocketing the coins from the dead man's eyes. Scrooge, trying only to reach the safety of his home and bed, is met by the pale and ghastly spirit of the departed Marley, who now knows he is forever doomed to walk the earth bound in chains. Marley warns Scrooge that a similar fate awaits him. He will be visited by spirits. He must change his ways. Ebenezer falls into an ill-fated sleep. Upon awakening still groggy with sleep, Scrooge encounters the Ghost of Christmas Past — a candle-like apparition with a glowing flame for a head, and the visage of a innocent child. At one point our Ebenezer seeks to extinguish the spirit visitor with a candle snuffer — but to no avail.
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