“A Christmas Carol” (Adaptation/Fantasy: 1 hour, 36 minutes); Starring Voices: Jim Carrey, Gary Oldman, Colin Firth, Cary Elwes, Robin Wright Penn, and Bob Hoskins; Director: Robert Zemeckis; Rated: PG (Scary sequences and images, brief mild language and violence)

Movie Review: The apex of a good film is the turn of events in which characters have an epiphany that changes their behavior or strengthens one’s resolve to continue a certain behavior. This conceptualization makes “A Christmas Carol” a watchable production with every adaptation of Dickens.

This outing, Dickens’ tale is computer animated with goofy funnyman Jim Carrey voicing Ebenezer Scrooge, a mean-spirited geezer whose journey of self-redemption is made ever-present by his encounter with the ghost of his former co-worker Bob Marley (Gary Oldman) and three Christmas spirits (Past, Present, and Yet-to-Come, which all are voiced by Carrey). Carrey, who can be overly goofy, is brilliant as the voice of several characters. He plays each voice with a unique dynamic disposition.

The story is still the same, but computer animation makes this an energetic visual treat, graphic eye candy worthy of praise. Technology may make this nice for visual acuity, but this version does not evoke the same emotional response as other adaptations of Dickens’ timeless tale.

Grade: B (Get into the Christmas spirit early!)

Note: Parents should evaluate this film first. Some scenes may be frightening for small children.

Crix Pix for previous versions of “A Christmas Carol” :

“Scrooge” (Director Brian Desmond Hurst, 1951) is good as an antique classic. Its antique look by today’s standards increases its setting’s appeal, especially if seen on black-and-white film.

“A Christmas Carol” (Director Clive Donner, 1984) stars George C. Scott, who makes a great Scrooge.

The 1971 Oscar-winning, animated short film entitled “A Christmas Carol,” directed by Richard Williams, is approximately 30 minutes, just the right length for families.

“A Christmas Carol” (Director David Hugh Jones, 1999) stars Patrick Stewart, who is just as dynamic on stage as Scrooge, too.

“The Men Who Stare at Goats” (Satiric Comedy: 1 hour, 34 minutes); Starring: George Clooney, Ewan McGregor, Jeff Bridges, Kevin Spacey, and Stephen Lang; Director: Grant Heslov; Rated: R (Violence, nudity and profanity)

Movie Review: A 2004 nonfiction book by London-based journalist Jon Ronson (played by McGregor) is the basis for this loose adaptation about men, who with an intense stare, can kill goats. Supposedly, these men have extraordinary mental abilities. They are called Jedi, originally recruited by the military during the Reagan Administration to combat Russian telekinetic agents. These men become part of an elite group called the U.S. Army’s First Earth Battalion.

This satirical film takes a very unbelievable look at the supernatural world. While this story had been around for some time now, long before Ronson’s book or the Reagan Administration, one can assume there is a little truth to it. Why not, a little truth exists in even the most unbelievable events and stories.