Advantages: Fantasy Animation scenes
Disadvantages: Flat animation, needless distortion of the original story

...Dickens’s Christmas Carol has delighted children and adults alike since its conception in 1844. There has since been a cornucopia of film adaptations available including “A Christmas Carol” starring Alistair Sim, the American version “An American Christmas Carol” starring Henry Winkler and the fun “Muppet Christmas Carol”. And then on December 7th 2001, Christmas Carol: The Movie was released in cinemas throughout the UK. A synopsis hardly seems necessary but for anyone who is unaware of the story. Ebenezer Scrooge is grumpy old miser who does not believe in Christmas goodwill and merriment. He is visited on Christmas Eve by the ghosts of his old partner Marley and the three spirits of Christmas Past, Present and Future who endeavour to show him the error of his ways. Christmas Carol: The Movie, an animated version directed... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful

Advantages: Everything - the wit and intellect, the style, the story.
Disadvantages: Perhaps just not long enough.

...Before I begin the review, here's a brief side-note just to say how good it is to begin writing again on Ciao. It's been a good long while since I did my last review and I feel a bit out of date, but hopefully it shouldn't take too long to get back into the swing of things. Seeing that a new review of 'A Christmas Carol' hasn't been written in a couple of years, I thought what the hell... I'll give it a shot. It is, after all, the most well known and successful of all Christmas stories. And why not? Although it's now June, and the time of year seems hardly appropriate for this review considering the novel's content, the message it portrays is far transcendent of the seasonal period it's written for. 'Why did I walk through crowds of my fellow-beings with my eyes turned down? You have yet a chance and hope of escaping my fate... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: None - The mice provide the best entertainment.
Disadvantages: The entire movie

.... This will kill you all over again. The Plot: There’s nothing new and exciting about this movie. Directed by Jimmy T Murakami the plot follows that of Charles Dickens’s much loved A Christmas Carol. The exception being the introduction of Belle, Ebenezer’s love interest, who doesn’t exist in the novel to the extent she does in the novel. Her character does develop substantially during the course of the movie and provides a larger romantic helping than seen in previous versions of the movie. There are two more new characters, two little mice, who steal the lame production away and manage to entertain the audience for snippets of the movie. Alas, even the poor little mice are not enough to haul this movie from the pits of crapness. The Cast and Characters: The movie opens with Charles Dickens himself... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: Pure magic
Disadvantages: Michael Caine singing.

...This movie is just your typical musical Christmas Carol shown from the point of view of Charles Dickens, played by The Great Gonzo. We follow Gonzo and Rizzo the Rat as they watch Scrooge's (Michael Caine) haunting and eventual redemption. Kermit makes a believable (yes I said the frog was believable!) Bob Crotchet and little Robin the Frog brings a tear to my eye every time I see him as Tiny Tim. Fans of the Muppet Show will recognise most of the regular characters from the TV, such as Statler and Waldorf as Marley and Marley (Scrooge's deceased partners). This movie follows the standard Christmas Carol storyline with the addition of some very memorable songs and dance routines along the way. All performed with the usual Muppets flair for entertainment. I do have to admit to have a dislike for Micheal Caine... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: -
Disadvantages: -

...A Christmas Carol “Oh! But he was a tight-fisted hand at the grindstone, Scrooge! A squeezing, wrenching, grasping, scraping, clutching, covetous old sinner! Hard and sharp as flint, from which no steel had ever struck out generous fire.” “Bah!” said Scrooge, “Humbug!” as his Nephew bid him a Merry Christmas, and those two words encompass the feelings of the truly miserly and miserable Ebenezer Scrooge. A man of such unimaginable bad will that he only lets his long suffering employee Bob Cratchit use one piece of coal in the fire at a time. A man that sees Christmas day as little more than a poor excuse for picking a mans pocket every twenty-fifth of December, and warns the aforementioned Cratchit that he had better be at work all the earlier come Boxing Day if he is to have the whole of Christmas Day away from work. Yes, it’s fair... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful

Advantages: Spreading Xmas Cheer
Disadvantages: It's me again folks!

...Elffriend’s Christmas Carol ^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^* In the frosty night air sweet voices ring clear Proclaiming with joy that Christmas is here. They are out on a mission to a place we know well To spread out some love and a magical spell. I know as I cast it with hope in my heart, That my carollers visit in each single part. Not just for my friends and the folk I hold dear, But all here on Ciao to spread out the cheer. Each of then carries a wish just for you It’s magic is potent, my own special brew. Made out of laughter of friendship and fun Caring and sharing and love for each one. Some are for healing in body and mind, Each person carries a need of some kind. Strength to go on when the future looks bleak. Courage to those whose loss makes them weak. Forgiveness for those who in anger and pain... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful

Advantages: Nice take on the classic tale
Disadvantages: 3rd ghost may be a little scary for kiddies

...There are few stories that are safe from getting the Muppet treatment and they certainly weren't going to let Christmas pass by without their own unique version of a classic tale. The Muppets Christmas Carol takes the basic tale of Charles Dickens "A Christmas Carol" the story of grumpy Ebenezer Scrooge, a man tight with his money, mean spirited and loathsome of the poor. His employee, Bob Cratchett, in this case played by Kermit the frog, is very poor and works to support his family which includes the sick Tiny Tim, Scrooge works him hard for little pay and is furious when Bob asks to be given time off on Christmas day. One evening when Scrooge returns to his home he is visited by 2 spirits, yes 2, Robert and Jacob Marley, played by Statler & Waldorf the 2 old men. The men warn Scrooge that he is to be visited by 3 spirits during... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: Fills your heart with slightly sycophantic warmth
Disadvantages: Michael Caine sings