Scrooge

****1/2 (out of 5)

Most people have a favorite film version of Dickens’ A Christmas Carol. The 1938 version with Reginald Owen, the underrated Mr. Magoo, the 1970 musical with Albert Finney, the Muppets with Michael Caine, the 80’s-tastic Bill Murray version, or the recent Jim Carrey in the Uncanny Valley rendition. And more.

I enjoy aspects of each of the above films, excepting the Jim Carrey abomination. A favorite Marley here, a favorite Ghost of Christmas Past there. But overall, the 1951 version with Alastair Sim as Scrooge is my favorite. His Scrooge is tall and gaunt, drooping of shoulder and sunken of eye. He is effectively cold and grumpy as well as warm and joyful as the story requires.

The living Jacob Marley is played with a smug self-satisfaction while his dying self and ghost are somber, sad, and insistent. His ghost’s scream is truly startling, and his voice nearly breaks with desperation as he wails that mankind was his business. The build-up to his appearance isn’t as effective here as in other versions, not as spooky, but he is a proper Marley nonetheless.

The three Ghosts of Christmas are played with authoritative dignity. Any humor comes from the situation or from Scrooge himself. The Ghost of Christmas Past is older and reminds one of a holy man. The Ghost of Christmas Present is expansive and hearty, and the black-robed Ghost of Christmas Future is shot from odd angles that accentuate his mystery.

Scrooge goes through his usual travels through time and space. In this version he seems to spend more time in the past than in others, showing more of his business shenanigans, and the actor playing the young Scrooge is a reasonable facsimile of the elder. The Scrooge who sees himself lonely at school until his beloved sister Fan arrives, his betrothal and subsequent separation from Alice, and his presence at Fan’s death, is in utter anguish. It is made clear to the audience how Scrooge’s heart hardened over time, and it’s difficult, at least for me, to keep one’s eyes dry.

Scrooge’s travels through the present include the usual. A visit with the Crachit’s and Tiny Tim that here vividly evokes a tightly loving family, and with Scrooge’s nephew in a scene that makes his Christmas party seem more alive than I recall in other versions.

The true test for me, though, is how well one of my favorite scenes is depicted, the revealing of Ignorance and Want. This was unspeakably unsettling to me as a youngster. Who are these children? Why are they huddling under his robe, why is no-one taking care of them? As an adult I find it powerful and sobering. This film’s Ghost of Christmas Present is stern and direct in his warning, and the children look wasted away. The Ghost’s mocking reply to Scrooge’s wondering why no-one cares for them, “Are there no prisons? Are there no workhouses?” echoes around Scrooge as he despairs. Well done.

The Ghost of Christmas Future needs to freak the audience out. In this regard this Ghost does alright. Needs more something…height? A skeletal hand rather than one of flesh? The visit with the Tiny Tim-less Crachit’s is devastatingly sad, especially when Bob Crachit’s composure breaks. An exceptional scene. However, the scene where the help sells Scrooge’s belongings is interminably long. Sims’ Scrooge is terrified at this point, and his collapse in the graveyard is convincing.

Scrooge’s awakening is a goofy delight as he inadvertently frightens his weary housekeeper. Sim’s comedic timing and facial expressions abound with manic joy and a lightness of spirit, as they should. Scrooge telling a random child to purchase a turkey for the Crachits is made delightful by Sim’s rambling and the child’s naturally skeptical responses.

His visit to his nephew’s sees Sim’s Scrooge asking for forgiveness with warmth and contrition. The singing of “Barbara Allen” adds to the tenderness of the scene. Scrooge’s prankish deception of Bob Crachit is rushed but the film ends appropriately with Scrooge and a healthy Tiny Tim walking hand-in-hand.

A good version of A Christmas Carolentertains. A great one can be deeply moving. This is a great one.

Journey 2: The Mysterious Island (2012)

***1/2 (out of 5)

Directed by: Brad Peyton

Screenplay by: Brian Gunn, Mark Gunn

Story by: The Gunn’s, Richard Outten, some hack named Jules Verne

Can you pop your pecs? There was much debate on the car ride home about who in the extended family could pop their pecs. This is a movie for kids. No more, no less. My tween girl and young son enjoyed it, as evidenced by their obsessive talk on pecs popping. For those unfamiliar, a man who can alternate the flexing of their chest muscles is popping their pecs. According to one character this is a sure way to a woman’s heart. Or was it pants? Something like that.

This movie just wants to please its target audience, and falters when it tries too hard. Sean (Josh Hutcherson) is snide and mopey, as much as a kids’ movie allows, around Best Stepfather Ever Hank (Dwayne Johnson). Sean and Hank experience a rapprochement over Jules Verne and code breaking which naturally means they need to go to an uncharted island to find Sean’s grandfather. You know Grandpa’s going to be British because he has the fanciest name, Alexander (Michael Caine). There’s an attempt at some depth with Hank being the kind, involved but rejected father figure and Alexander being the family-abandoning, remote but hero-worshipped father figure but then OMGOSH LOOK AT THOSE HUGE BUGS!!

I’m not sure what to think about Luis Guzman’s Gabato, the man so desperate for cash to send his daughter to college that he agrees to fly Sean and Hank to an uncharted place. Gabato’s not as brave as the other men, and although he can fly a plane through epic storms he doesn’t seem to have other skills except for falling down and making I’m scared faces and noises. Occasionally funny, but why did the comic relief have to be the one with the brownest skin? I think that’s a legit question, one to think about discussing with the kids.

Kailani (Vanessa Hudgens) is Gabato’s beloved daughter and Sean’s love interest, a token tough girl who still needs rescuing every now and then. Do I need to mention that her outfit involves PG-13-friendly cleavage and short shorts? Didn’t think so.

This is breezy action-adventure for the younger set, the actors involved seem determined to deliver a good time. Dwayne Johnson AKA The Rock is charismatic and likable here, just as he always is. There’s something about him that makes me want to root for him, and I hope he has a long and fulfilling career, whatever that means to him. And no I’m not referring to his pecs.

Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted (2012)

***1/2 out of 5
***** out of 5 for marketing

Directed by: Who cares
Written by: Some dudes
Starring: Alex, Marty, David Schwimmer & Gloria

I’m confused. I thought I was seeing a kids’ movie & somehow wandered into a Fellini film.

Or was there LSD in my snacks? Where was that suave Italian guy from La Dolce Vita? This review will take its cue from Madagascar 3 and play fast & loose with reality. No! I regret nothing!

This colorful confection of a movie has none of the heart of a Pixar film, it doesn’t aim that high. It does have slapstick laughs aplenty for the kids and smart dialogue and visuals for the adults. I assume Noah Baumbach got tired of complicated storylines and took this screenwriting job.

The kids loved it and the adults were entertained. Plus there was a very special guest appearance by Elton John starring as the debauched chimpanzees. Strike that, reverse it.

I attended this with my young son as part of a child’s birthday party. Every one of them knew all the words and sang along with Chris Rock’s Marty as he rhapsodized about circus Afros. Bravo DreamWork’s marketing department.

The Madagascar movies always offer multiple films in one movie, as was the case here. We have the main storyline, King Julian & his entourages’ storyline, and those lovable, borderline psychopathic penguins’ Dirty Dozen storyline. Often the lemurs and penguins are the most entertaining for me, being unencumbered by plot. This trend continued here.

Some of the humor did mine stereotypes, such as the scary grumpy Russian tiger. Quit harshing my mellow, scary grumpy Russian tiger bra!

The over-emotional under-cerebral Italian sea lion channeling Roberto Benigni and the rich, white American cowboy patriot dude.

Then of course Edith Piaf crossed with a psycho lady gendarme who sings the Fench Foreign Legion’s rallying song, “Non, Je Ne Regrette Rien” (No, I regret nothing) in a totally respectful manner.

Then there was a love affair that wasn’t weird at all between fan fave King Julian the lemur and a she-bear who inexplicably cannot talk. Their romantic ride through Rome as Andrea Bocelli’s warm voice envelops them…kinda sweet in a not weird at all way.

Overall, I’m pleased my child was entertained, will be nonplussed by future viewings of Italian surrealist film, won’t need to experiment with hallucinogens to experience trippy visuals, will be familiar with broad assumptions about other cultures, and will have joining Cirque du Soleil as a man dressed as a monkey dressed as Louis the XIV singing French Foreign Legion songs as his lifelong ambition.

Do I regret anything about this review? Oui! Ou est les photos de ce bel homme Marcello Mastrioanni?

Brave (2012)

**** (out of 5)

Directed/Story By: Brenda Chapman

“If yeuh culd chaynge yur fayt, wuld yeuh?”

Brave departs somewhat from prior Pixar efforts. This yields the studio’s first female-centric story, but also a more conventional film. Pixar giveth, Pixar taketh away.

I’m reviewing this having missed the end, my young son was scared of the big loud demon bear and was afraid Merida’s mother might get hurt or killed. He snapped. We left.

It’s got the Pixar heart, humor, & lovingly rendered visuals. I adore standing stones & Scotland’s terrain and culture so really enjoyed those aspects. Indeed, Scotland is investing £7 million in tourism, hoping for a boost.

Merida, the young lady and star of the film, and her family, reside in DunBroch Castle. Scotland’s Dunnotar Castle is said to have inspired DunBroch’s cliff-top location, while its interiors are said to be modeled on the castle of Eilean Donan.

Will O’ The Wisps, depicted as sprite-like in the film, are real phenomena, a form of swamp gas. What is not well understood is why they seem to always move just ahead of their observer, then disappear.

The film’s stone circle, an integral location, is based on the 3000-year-old Callenish Stones, located on the Isle of Lewis. Ok that’s the end of the travelogue, on to the movie.

Merida is a young lady evidently of marrying age, and her mother invites the three surrounding clans to a contest. Whichever of the clans’ first-born sons wins the contest wins Merida’s hand. Merida would rather be in the woods than take her mother’s how-to-be-a-lady lessons, and none of the suitors suit her. Merida then makes some ill-considered choices that endanger her family’s lives and the region’s peace. Oh, and she’s an archer, like everyone else this year.

The visiting clans were kind of goofy and fun but made me wonder if humans can ever truly progress past tribal inclinations. Or gender roles. The men were depicted as hyper-masculine, rash, always spoiling for a fight, and well, stupid, while the Queen was the ultimate authority through her dignity, intelligence, and calm. I have always found the idea that as a female my job is to be a civilizing force on men confounding. That’s a big reason why I love inappropriately wacky female characters like Elaine from “Seinfeld.” You be crazy girl. It wasn’t anything that detracted from the movie, just something noticed.

I am getting tired of “I’m a tomboy & revolt against gender expectations blah blah blah.” Why must the girl defy expectations through physical activity? Why not other ways? Being consumed with books, science, etc.? Stories about these other, non-tree climbing girls do exist, just not to the same extent. Watching Merida impossibly climb towering rocks made me very, very bored. Tres cliche. But her hair was fabulous.

Overall the film entertained, someday I’ll see the end, and I hope Scotland gets its tourism boost.

What I’m continuously surprised by is how deeply mother-daughter storylines cut me to the core as my tween daughter gets older. She’s like me in some ways, but so different in others that I don’t know how she came from me. Things I planned to help her work through I will never need to, she’ll avoid some of my problems but will have others I never faced. Did I expect a mini-me? She is the swine to my pearls of wisdom anyway, how can I help her when she won’t listen? But do I really listen to her? What pearls has she cast that I’ve missed? What do I expect from her? Her from me?

I asked my daughter what the movie made her think and feel and she wrote the following. Yes it ends abruptly but she said that’s it she’s done. I’m just glad she wanted to share anything:

It made me sad to think about what life would be like without u or dad and really that everybody messes up and sometimes u mess up big time and u have to tell the truth when u mess up and u got 2 make things right, and that you need 2 appreciate all the privileges u have & u can’t trust a with