THE MUPPET CHRISTMAS CAROL

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE! It's Christmas Day, and it's time I review another adaptation of "A Christmas Carol". Here's my review on...

  

If you read my reviews on my other Christmas Carol adaptations, then you know exactly how I'm going to review this film. ON WITH THE REVIEW...

THE NARRATOR'S

Yes, this version has Narrators in it, and who could be better at narrating a Muppet film than our favorite Muppet duo The Great Gonzo and Rizzo the Rat. Gonzo plays the role as the books author Charles Dickens, while Rizzo plays his himself. The two are incredibly funny in this film and not only do they narrate the events in the film, they also interact with the characters from time to time as well as take part in the events happening around them. Gonzo provides very good narration for the film and really helps set the tone of the story, while also help setting up that funny Muppet tone as well. There's so many great laugh out loud scenes with the two characters that I dare not give away any of those scenes, nor will I talk about them as much as I am now for the rest of the review.

EBENEZER SCROOGE


Ebenzer Scrooge is played by Michael Caine and boy is he great for the role! Michael Caine is so intimidating as Mister Scrooge that you find nothing likable about him until later on in the film. Just like in the story; he's greedy; he loves the cold; he treats his workers like crap; he despises Christmas; he hates people; and not one time does Michael Caine stop being intimidating. Even when being in a Muppet film, he still takes his role as seriously as if he were playing in a regular film adaptation. Oh, and how he says the famous anti Christmas quote "Humbug" is epic and cold as his character is. Scrooge also gets one heck of an introduction as we see him walk the filthy streets of London as the Muppets sing, perhaps the best description of mean old Mr.Scrooge.

Kermit The Frog plays the role of Scrooge's under payed worker Bob Cratchit and he's the right Muppet to play the role. He's as sweet, innocent and lovable as the character is in the story, and he too gets to sing a very heartwarming Christmas song "One More Sleep 'Til Christmas". We also have another funny Muppet duo Dr. Bunsen Honeydew and Beaker as the two men who want to collect for the poor; Bean Bunny as a poor Orphan that Scrooge turns his back on; and Rats as the bookkeepers (Which I find to be very clever) and they all are funny, while also staying true to the tone of the story. Steven Mackintosh also brings a lot of heart and spirit as Scrooge's nephew Fred.

MARLEY AND MARLEY


Instead of having one Jacob Marley ghost, we have two played by the two heckling critics Statler and Waldorf. Just like as we know them, they're really, really funny with their heckling dialogue, while also coming off as a tad bit creepy at the same time. The two also get a great villain song called "Marley And Marley" which is both funny and scary at the same time. The special effects for this sequence is really outstanding and helps make this sequence scary for kids, not to mention the fact that we can see right through the ghosts. While being dark, it still keeps its Muppet fun. Some people do complain that a human or another Muppet should play Jacob Marley and find it very disappointing that there's two instead of one, but for a Muppet adaptation, I think it works fine.

THE GHOST OF CHRISTMAS PAST


Our ghost of Christmas Past isn't played by a famous Muppet character, it's a realistic CGI Muppet voiced by Jessica Fox. The spirit is an ageless girl who looks like a child but also an adult and not only is the design for the spirit cute and unique, but the effect for her is really cool and ghostly like. There's not really too much personality from her and for a Muppet film it's kind of disappointing. But with that said, just like Michael Caine as Scrooge, the creators take on the spirit's personality is taken just as serious and faithful to all the other versions. It's just for a Muppet film, I expect them to make her a bit comical or enjoyable since I've seen other kid adaptations of the story make the spirit enjoyable for kids.

Our first visit is Scrooge's childhood in school. Instead of seeing a lonely, sad young Scrooge, he's more of a jerk and a hard worker, which I have to admit I like this new look on his childhood. Perhaps there are other versions before this version that show him as a jerk in his childhood, but most versions I've seen, he's always depressed. Not to say that he doesn't look miserable, it's definitely there, but it's not as played-up like in many other versions of the story. I also love the montage of him spending Christmas at the school and seeing the School around him change and rot. The best part of this whole childhood sequence is Sam Eagle as his Headmaster and yes, he does carry a few funny lines.

Our next visit is Fezziwig's Christmas party when Scrooge meets Belle. However, Fezziwig isn't called Fezziwig in this version, he's actually called Fozziwig played by Fozzie Bear and yes he's funny too. We also get to see Statler and Waldorf again, this time as the Marley brothers when they were alive, and yes, they do get to heckle Fozziwig. There's plenty of classic Muppet cameos in this fun scene, but I dare not spoil which Muppets appears. Like in most versions of the story, it's a very festive part of the story and having The Muppets do this scene equals twice the fun.

Finally we get to the breakup between Scrooge and Belle (Meredith Braun).  In some releases of the film, there is a song that Belle sings called "When Love Is Gone" and I'm probably going to get some hate from saying this, but I'm glad it was cut out of most releases. It's not just because I find it slow or boring to be in a kids film. I mean sure kids would get bored from scenes like this as kids, but as adults they would find it very sad and moving which makes them love the film more, which is exactly how I felt with Belles song in "Mr. Magoo's Christmas Carol". Watching this scene again as an adult, it doesn't do anything for me. I find it to be a corny, boring, and forgettable song and performance, which is also not all that well performed either. If anything Belle looks and sounds more positive and upbeat as if she's happy that her love for him is gone, as opposed to being depressing. I did like the idea that the present Scrooge was singing with her, but I wasn't really moved by it either. It bored me as a kid and it still does to this day.

THE GHOST OF CHRISTMAS PRESENT



The Ghost Of Christmas Present is a life size Muppet. This version of the ghost, is very funny; very lovable; and is so jolly that sometimes I swear that he's really Santa Claus. Every scene you see him in, he's fun to watch and he never comes off as annoying. He even gets his own song called "It Feels Like Christmas" and this sequence really shows the love and beauty of this holiday. Surprisingly, this is one of those rare film adaptations when the spirit actually dies and to even put this part of the story in a Muppet film is sad and shocking.

Our first visit in the present is Scrooge's nephew Fred. Once again, Steven Mackintosh brings a lot of spirit to his character, as well as his Wife played by Robin Weaver and the Muppets joining him. While being a very fun scene, you also feel bad for Scrooge because even though they can't hear or see him, he's participating in the game and having fun, but when he finds out that his Nephew (His only family member) is making fun of him, you feel a bit of a heartbreak for Scrooge, which also makes him realize how cruel he was to him and Michael Caines reaction to it is great.

Next is Bob Cratchit's home with Miss Piggy playing Mrs.Cratchit and Robin playing Tiny Tim. Miss Piggy is as funny as she usually is, while also fitting the role perfectly as Mrs.Cratchit. Robin is perfect as Tiny Tim, and while keeping a high spirit like the character, we also see the dying side of him. Out of most kids versions of the story that I've seen, I never saw a kids version where they actually show Tiny Tim showing signs that he's slowly dying. Just seeing him as a cripple, living in poor conditions, and hearing the dialogue about him proves enough that he's going to die, but no the Muppets decide to go far and show his symptoms of his bad health. Again, it's sad and shocking, and out of most kids versions of the story, you wouldn't think the Muppets would be the ones to actually go that far. As for the Cratchit kids, they're all really funny and if Kermit and Miss Piggy were going to have kids, my guess is, it would look something like this. There's also a really sweet and heartwarming number called "Bless Us All" sung by The Cratchit Family and yes, it's just as sweet as the song "The Lord's Bright Blessing" from "Mr. Magoo's Christmas Carol".

THE GHOST OF CHRISTMAS YET TO COME



The Ghost Of Christmas Yet To Come. No, this one is not funny nor does this visit have any funny moments, well ok, maybe with at least one funny moment. However, if you are expecting Gonzo and Rizzo to appear to make you laugh, you're dead wrong. The Ghost Of Christmas Yet To Come is really scary and frightening and yes, if I can see the future, more nightmares will await young viewers who see him.

First, we meet four business men with Umbrellas in the pouring rain, talking about a rich greedy man who recently died. Remember when I said there's only one funny moment in this visit, well here you go. Instead of humans, they are all pigs with some really good funny dialogue. After that, it all goes straight out dark and depressing.

Next we see a gang of old hags giving stolen goods to Old Joe. While all being played by Muppets, none of them shed any light to the scene with their comedic humor. The old hags are creepy and Old Joe is a giant spider. This is probably one of those rare times when the Muppets can actually come off as at least creepy instead of funny.

We then go back to The Cratchit's home. At first everything looks nice and we see an excited Scrooge waiting to have a look at this happy family again, however, once he looks inside everything is depressing. Forget seeing a funny Miss Piggy; forget seeing a happy Kermit The Frog; forget seeing all the over top and fun children; and forget looking forward to seeing Robin as Tiny Tim since he's dead. I mean, wow, you know for knowing The Muppets as over the top characters, they sure know how to make a scene very depressing and boy does it show here.

Our last visit is when Scrooge sees his grave. Michael Caine does a really natural job with this scene. It's not over dramatic as some would expect, no, it's very calm, while also being very emotional. You can feel his pain and sorrow; you can feel his fear as he walks up to the tombstone, while also capturing the suspense of this scene even if you do know what's going to happen; and on top of it Michael Caine's acting truly shows that his character has learned his lesson and is willing to change.

CHRISTMAS DAY



This is the ending when Scrooge reforms and spreads happiness to others and boy is it done great here. First off, instead of one sing, we get 2 (3 if you count the reprise of "It Feels Like Christmas" during the credits). In this nearly one big musical sequence, we see many great things happening. After when he gives Honeydew and Beaker money to give to the poor, there's a very cute moment with him and Beaker. The kid who gets the turkey is Bean Bunny who Scrooge was nasty to earlier in the film. When Scrooge wishes his Nephew Fred and Fred's Wife a Merry Christmas, their reactions are great. The other Muppets that Scrooge gives to are really sweet and funny scenes, but I will not spoil which other Muppet characters he encounters. Of course, the final scene with Scrooge, The Cratchit Family and almost every character in this movie having a feast is a wonderful finale to the film and I can't picture the Muppets ending the film like this in any other way.

OVERALL

Michael Caine is great as Scrooge; the songs are great (For the most part); the film's faithful to the story; and on top of it The Muppets do an outstanding job mixing that Muppet fun of the film, while also keeping the serious and dark dramatic tone of the story. It's one of the best adaptations of the story and having The Muppets along with Michael Caine as your stars is an epic win!

RATING 5/5

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!!!!!!

TIM BURTON'S THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS

Well it's Christmas Eve and it's only a "Night Before Christmas", but for me as a horror fan it's actually a "Nightmare Before Christmas". This saying can only lead to one possible film review and that's...




Some people debate whether it's a Halloween movie or Christmas Movie, to me it's both, but Christmas is the major theme and key to the story so why not put it on a Christmas countdown of reviews. Anyway, ON WITH THE REVIEW!

The king of Halloween named Jack Skellington is tired of Halloween and wants something new. Jack then finds the magical land of Christmas Town and decides to bring the holiday to his world. Jack becomes so obsessed with the holiday that he decides to take Santa's role and bring Christmas to the world. However, all this ends up with nothing but chaos and Jack might be responsible for ruining Christmas.





Our main character Jack is not only one of the greatest Disney characters of all time, but he's also thee greatest Tim Burton character of all time. He's likable; you can feel his emotions; he can be funny; he can be scary; and he can be cool. Even though most people consider Jack as a hero and yes he does redeem himself in the end, but to me he's more of a tragic character then a hero. He's the king of Halloween, but he wants something better. When he finds something new and tries to make it his own, it all goes up in smoke. He has a love interest, but doesn't seem to notice her love for him nor does he seem to realize that she's the real thing he was looking for. He tries to bring the Christmas cheer to his friends in Halloween Town but they keep messing it up, and don't understand the good that Jack's bringing. All this stuff makes me feel bad for him then see him as a hero. Of course in the end he does learn a good lesson to be happy with what he has; don't over due a good thing; and on top of it, be true to yourself and what you stand for. Jack's design was inspired by Jack Pumpkinhead from "Return To Oz" and boy is his design cool. Jack is also voiced by two actors, his speaking voice is voiced by Chris Saradon and his singing voice is voiced by the film's composer Danny Elfman and the two are really great at voicing this character.

Next we have the love interest Sally. To be honest, Jack is actually the love interest in this film as well; Sally is the one who goes after Jack rather than Jack going after Sally, that's actually a clever twist. Sally not only loves and cares for Jack, but she also tries to help Jack and she's the only one in town who actually understands Jack. Much like Jack, she too is a tragic character. She always has to flee from her master who uses her to serve him; her love interest always neglects her; and she's an outcast. The film does hint and even show that Jack likes Sally too, but he's so wrapped up with his obsession that he doesn't take the time to even realize that. Jack and Sally have great chemistry when they’re together and the film has great development of them becoming a love couple. Sally has a great and creative design as a walking rag doll corpse and Kathryn O'Hara is marvelous at voicing Sally and boy can she sing.

Now for the villain. The villain of the film is the boogie man named Oogie Boogie who's a ghost looking sack of bugs. This villain is one of the best villains ever. He's funny, he's cool, he's villainous, he's scary, and he's sadistic. I also love the overall concept that this guy likes to gamble with his victims lives in his Las Vegas style torture chamber where the chances that are you're going to die because this villain loves to cheat. Ken Page who voices this mischievous villain is so fun to listen too, that in almost every single scene he's in, he's always chewing up the scenery with his over the top villainous personality.

The supporting characters are all just as great as our leads. Jack has a ghost dog named Zero with a small Jack O' lattern for a nose. He's cute, he's loyal, and he serves as Jack's only close friend. Sally's creator Dr. Finkelstein (An obvious play on Dr. Frankenstein) is very fun, has a cool design, and I love the many Frankenstein parody's on this character. Oogie's henchmen Lock, Shock and Barrel are really fun characters and defiantly represent the good and bad side of kids on Halloween. Santa Claus, well even though he's just seen as the films victim, he's still the Santa we all know and love despite being ticked off a lot. My favorite out of the cast is the Mayor voiced by Glen Shadix, who is really funny and enjoyable and he's what I call a Two Faced Mayor. The rest of the Halloween town residents are really fun and their designs are creative and awesome. Even the designs of the scary Christmas toys that attack are awesome.

The songs and music is completely outstanding. The score by Danny Elfman is so great that it's out of this world, as well as bringing the film such great atmosphere. The films opening song "This Is Halloween" really pulls you into the films surreal world and atmosphere, while giving great introductions to the Halloween Town residents. The song "What's This" is very catchy, very fun, and over the top and brings an excellent feel for Christmas. Jack's songs such as "Jack's Lament", "Jack's Obsession" and "Poor Jack" really, really make you feel for this character and Danny Elfman's singing is outstanding! Sally's song is just like Jack, you feel for her emotions and her feelings for Jack. Oggie Boogie's song is one of the best villain songs I ever heard and "Kidnap The Sandy Claus" is the most darkest and psychopathic song I've ever heard in a kids film. The song "Making Christmas" is very catchy and is powerfully sung. The last song with Jack and Sally is so beautiful that it doesn't just powerfully end the film, but is also when the two are finally together and reveal their love for each other.

The stop motion animation by Henry Selick is amazing and still looks life like today. The designs for the three worlds are just how you expect them to be. Halloween Town is dark and twisted(Which by the way is homaging the style of films like "The Cabinet Of Dr. Caligari" and "Nosferatu"); Christmas Town is all bright and colorful; and the human world looks like our world only we don't see the faces of the adults. What I also admire is the animation for the shadows of the characters, they too look creative and life like. The film also cleverly satires Holiday classics such as "How The Grinch Stole Christmas" and Rankin Bass's "Rudolph The Red Nose Reindeer" and “Santa Claus Is Coming To Town”.

The film is just so big and epic that I grantee you'll see this film in number many spots on future lists. It has a very creative premise; great creative characters who are fun, tragic and likable; catchy, unforgettable and out of this world music; mind blowing stop motion animation; and is what I like to call the ultimate Halloween and Christmas movie!

RATING 5/5