Robert Zemeckis' 3-D animation A CHRISTMAS CAROL - or maybe they want me to write DISNEY'S A CHRISTMAS CAROL - is supposed to be the big Christmas movie of the year.

    It probably won't.

    But don't get me wrong here!

    A CHRISTMAS CAROL may very well become a hit in the Anglo-Saxon world. It'll probably be harder in Scandinavia and the rest of Europe - and the world. And not only because of the tale not belonging to our Christmas traditions.

    The movie has used motion capture technology, meaning Jim Carrey, Gary Oldman, Colin Firth and the other actors have acted out their scenes while hooked up to computers, then they were turned into animated characters. As often is the case with realistic computer animation, the characters' faces are often a tad creepy; the realism makes them doughy and zombielike.

    We're all familiar with the oft told story. Stingy Scrooge (Carrey) hates everything about Christmas and he hates helping other people. He hates human beings and, well, the world, and people are afraid of the greedy and mean old fart. But then on the night of Christmas Eve, three spirits come to visit and show Scrooge his life as it has been, as it is now, and what it's going to be like in the future, and lo and behold, this scares Scrooge so much he becomes a new, better person, one who loves Christmas and human beings.

    Scrooge will probably not be the only one to get frightened: I'm pretty sure the movie, the ghosts, the spirits and the situations will scare small children shitless! They're sometimes really, really scary... Way too scary for a children's movie. The approach is rather adult.

    And the movie isn't very funny. They make a few attempts at comedy, but I don't think I laughed at all during the film.

    BUT! I must say I like this movie anyway. As a matter of fact, I like it a lot and do already want to rewatch it. This is because A CHRISTMAS CAROL is virtually dripping with atmosphere. The animation is extremely impressive, it's stunning and I'm just gaping. Christmas garbed London is gas- and candle lit, the colors are warm and cosy, Christmas carols are heard in the cold, snowy night. The untroubled camera glides around the three dimensional surroundings and buildings, and if I ignore the somewhat grotesque faces of the characters, I find this so beautiful, sooo beautiful. It actually makes me hungry for turkey - and turkey doesn't even belong to the traditional Scandinavian Christmas dinner! (We eat ham) 

    A CHRISTMAS CAROL is warm and cosy in a ghastly way. However, it's all up to you if you want to bring your toddlers to see it.

    I also appreciated the fact that Fionulla Flanagan from HOW THE WEST WAS WON has a small part in the movie!