Nov 1, 2009

New Trailer for A Christmas Carol

It has only been two weeks since the last trailer, which I had originally written about at the time, and already Disney has released a second official trailer
for the Robert Zemeckis-directed “A Christmas Carol”. Just like the previous one, this trailer doesn’t show much of Jim Carrey either, recutting some of what we’ve already seen while expanding on other parts, but it does reveal CG that is used to great effect. Even though it might re-orient the classic novel by Charles Dickens toward more of an action film, this adaptation has the kind of adrenaline rush that a lot of good CG is known for, the kind that would be almost impossible to do with live action because everything on screen practically breaks the laws of physics.

You can watch an HD versions of the trailer on Apple’s official site. The film will be coming to theaters just in time for Halloween on November 6th, 2009.




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Extended Scene From A Christmas Carol

The previous trailers for A Christmas Carol have, thus far, shown very little story, so it’s difficult to tell just how good the acting will actually be; we have mostly been privy to Jim Carrey screaming in horror, which doesn’t reveal much about his take on Scrooge. In the clip below (via Coming Soon), you can finally see just how the entire film begins to come together.

The first thing I noticed is just how beautiful the film looks. It occurred to me that very few CG films have actually focused on human characters; perhaps it’s easier to be emotive with exaggerated features, especially with non-human characters. But A Christmas Carol really strives for some level of fidelity to reality. CG characters now look human, and they express themselves in such detail that it’s hard to believe they’re not real.

I’m not sure about Jim Carrey’s take; he tries to disguise his voice so much that it sounds like he has a perpetual cold, as if he’s not fully able to express every word clearly and distinctively. I don’t know if he has the grumpy man thing down yet. But his style really seems suited for the unpredictable laugh at the end, just when it seems as if he’s about to blow up. Don’t take my word for it, though. Watch it for yourself.



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Hot new movies in November: 'Twilight: New Moon,' '2012' and 'A Christmas Carol'

twilight 3.jpg Robert Pattinson as Edward Cullen, left, and Kristen Stewart as Bella Swan in "The Twilight Saga: New Moon."Vampires, Armageddon and humbug: Name something these three things have in common.

Usually, the correct answer is nothing. But this month they do.

All three will invade theaters in hotly anticipated films opening in November.

Perhaps none more so than "The Twilight Saga: New Moon" which, if you'll pardon the awful pun, has its fans all moony and howling for its arrival. The second chapter of the vampire/teen girl/werewolf love-triangle soap-opera saga -- which has turned Grand Rapids-born actor Taylor Lautner into a megastar -- debuts in less than three weeks, so the hype frenzy is beginning to reach its apex.

"Moon" almost certainly will join end-of-the-world action extravaganza "2012" and the latest version of "A Christmas Carol" at the top of the box office charts this month.

Here's what to expect from this blockbuster trio (and other flicks on the November schedule):

"The Twilight Saga: New Moon" (PG-13)

The plot: In a nutshell, the sequel to "Twilight" finds teenager Bella's (Kristen Stewart) relationship with sparkly vampire Edward (Robert Pattinson) hitting the skids. Heartbroken, she turns to Jacob (Lautner) who turns out to be a shapeshifting wolf/boy. She sure can pick 'em, can't she?

The hype: It's deafening. The shrieking of the series' legion of female fans, that is. Some of this is fueled by the trailers and posters for the film, which have us believing that Lautner -- who had only three scenes in "Twilight" and has a much more substantial role here, physically and script-wise -- may be shirtless for most of the movie. Chris Weitz ("The Golden Compass") took over directing duties after Catherine Hardwicke helmed the first one. "Moon" is the second of four films in the franchise based on Stephenie Meyer's gazillion-selling series of novels. Expect "The Twilight Saga: Eclipse" roughly a year from now.

Opening: Nov. 20

"2012" (PG-13)

The plot: Some prognosticators believe the world will end in 2012. This does not bode well for Earth or its inhabitants, and the planet doth crumbleth.

The hype: Director Roland Emmerich has wrecked CGI landscapes before in "The Day After Tomorrow" and "Independence Day," but "2012" might be his largest-scale smiting of scenery yet. Somewhere amid the earthquakey carnage is an all-star cast, including John Cusack, Amanda Peet, Danny Glover, Woody Harrelson, Thandie Newton and Chiwetel Ejiofor. One assumes the biggest names from this bunch will play the folks who survive the longest.

Opening: Nov. 13

"A Christmas Carol" (PG)

The plot: Charles Dickens, yada yada yada, Scrooge, etc. etc., humbug and Tiny Tim, you know. If you're not familiar with the classic story of a Christmas curmudgeon's comeuppance/change of heart by now ....

The hype: Filmmaker Robert Zemeckis uses his trademark motion-capture technique ("The Polar Express," "Beowulf") to turn Jim Carrey into several incarnations of Scrooge, not to mention the Ghosts of Christmases Past, Present and Future. Some have deemed Zemeckis' neo-realist animation style weird and creepy, but the results are admirable technical achievements. "Carol" will be presented on 2D, 3D and 3D IMAX screens -- quite possibly the only reason to see the umpteenth version of the same story. If it's even half as impressive as the 3D IMAX version of "Beowulf," it will be quite a spectacle.

Opening: Friday