The latest iteration of Charles Dickens’ classic tale, Disney’s A Christmas Carol, was released in both IMAX 3D and Disney Digital 3D.  I caught the 3D version, but not IMAX.

The 3D Setup and Previews

As with all of the recent 3D flicks I’ve attended, I received a pair of RealD 3D glasses for the show.  It seems like every time I go to the movies, they improve on the quality of these glasses.  This was the sturdiest pair of RealD 3D glasses that I’ve had yet.

Before I get into the meat of the movie, I’ll also point out that there were some great 3D previews shown as well.  Toy Story 3 had a long full 3D trailer, as did How to Train Your Dragon.  You can tell that Hollywood is really set on 3D being a big deal in 2010 and beyond.  The animation and 3D effects just keep getting smoother and smoother.

How the Story Went

Now, the story isn’t any secret of course.  We’ve all seen many takes on Charles Dickens’ story.  From Muppets to musicals, there are so many variations, and each one has its own fans and critics.  Jim Carrey’s Scrooge story will be no different.

Jim Carrey knocked it out of the park with his acting.  Every time I see a Jim Carrey movie, he just gets better and better.  He absolutely makes this movie and shines through all the special effects, animation and any other distractions within.

I would consider Carrey’s Scrooge story to be one of the darker versions of the tale.  Some of the encounters with the ghosts are definitely scarier than what you experience from the Muppets’ story or Albert Finney’s musical version.  That said, the story was well told overall and it was a fun movie-going experience for families.  I would caution parents with younger children to consider their own kids’ tolerance for strong thematic elements.

3D and Special Effects

The 3D animation did not disappoint.  Although, at some points in the film, I felt like it came to a bit of a stall so the creators could show off their amazing special effects.  While the effects were stunning for the most part, as we neared the end of the film, I began to wonder just how many more “flying” or chase sequences could be thrown in.  The effects were almost pushed over the edge at these times to a point where the tail wagged the dog.

As for the 3D effects in general, Disney nailed it again with an almost seamless display of 3D theater.  The snow was spectacular, particularly in some of the solemn and still life sequences.  It really looked like it was snowing inside the theater.

The 3D effects gave a depth to the entire movie that I really haven’t appreciated before.  When I saw Disney’s UP in 3D, I thought it was the best 3D translation I had ever seen.  I have to put Disney’s A Christmas Carol right up there with it, if not a notch above.

Looking into some of the rooms or outside of windows in scenes produced an immersing experience.  It felt like A Christmas Carol was truly striving for a 3D experience from the story board to the big screen.  In UP 3D, the 3D experience seemed more subtle and passive.  In A Christmas Carol 3D, you are pushed into the scenes with the characters.  It makes you want to reach out and capture a snowflake before it landed on the seat in front of you.

Disney’s A Christmas Carol 3D Review Conclusion

The effects were stunning, no doubt.  Unfortunately, it felt like the effects were pushed too far in some sequences, creating a “just for show” feel.  Disney’s A Christmas Carol is certainly worth seeing in Disney Digital 3D; however, the movie doesn’t have that “timeless classic” feel to it that should have been the case because Jim Carrey’s acting was spectacular.  Additionally, the darker scenes may keep it from being a children’s favorite, and parents should definitely take a pre-screening of the film before turning your children loose to watch it at will.

Disney is bringing Tron back to the big screen with Tron: Legacy, which will be available in Disney Digital 3D and IMAX 3D at certain locations.  The Disney Digital 3D effects in the recent Pixar flick, UP, was the best 3D experience that I have had (See UP 3D Review).  While the old Tron film is quite dated, the following trailer shows how far the Tron concept has come in nearly 30 years.

UP 3D had a very subtle use of 3D effects, which was very effective.  Hopefully, we’ll get the same treatment in Tron Legacy 3D, but with more wizwow thanks to the sci-fi setting and action sequences that were absent from UP.

The new Tron Legacy film clearly has the old Tron at its heart, but is so much more polished thanks to the technological advances along the way.  I don’t really care much for the original Tron in terms of its dialogue and storytelling.  Hopefully, those aspects will be improved as well.

Tron Legacy is set some 25 years after the original Tron, where Sam Flynn (Garrett Hedlund), who is the son of Kevin Flynn from the original Tron (role reprised by Jeff Bridges), finds his way into the program world and is reunited with his dad.  Together, they must navigate their way across the program environment to escape it once and for all.

The full IMAX press release is below.

Tron: Legacy to be Released as IMAX 3D Film On December 17, 2010

LOS ANGELES, Sept. 17, 2009 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures and IMAX Corporation (Nasdaq:IMAX) (TSX:IMX) today announced that Tron: Legacy, the intense, high-tech 3D adventure starring Jeff Bridges, Garrett Hedlund and Olivia Wilde, will be released to IMAX(R) theatres in IMAX(R) 3D simultaneously with the film’s wide release on December 17, 2010. Directed by Joseph Kosinski, Tron: Legacy will be digitally re-mastered into the unparalleled image and sound quality of The IMAX Experience(R) with IMAX DMR(R) (Digital Re-Mastering) technology. Tron: Legacy is the third film of the previously announced five-picture agreement between IMAX and Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures.

“This is an ideal movie for IMAX’s immersive format,” said Mark Zoradi, president, Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures Group. “Tron: Legacy already packs a punch in Disney Digital 3D(TM), and to give audiences the option to experience the enhanced premium IMAX 3D version is a real treat. We’re particularly excited to reach a much wider audience now that the IMAX network is expanding with its digital locations.”

“2010 is shaping up to be a powerful year for IMAX 3D releases, and Disney’s Tron: Legacy is a great addition,” said IMAX CEO Richard L. Gelfond. “We believe the buzz that already surrounds this film, combined with its fan-boy following and high-tech visual effects makes it a perfect fit for IMAX and we look forward to its release next year.”

“We share a common goal with our partners at Disney, which is to transport people to places they normally can’t go, and the world of Tron is certainly one of those cool places,” added Greg Foster, Chairman and President of IMAX Filmed Entertainment. “Since I saw the first glimpse of Tron: Legacy in 3D over a year ago, I’ve felt it was the perfect match for the The IMAX Experience.”

TRON: LEGACY is set in a digital world that’s unlike anything ever captured on the big screen. Sam Flynn (HEDLUND), the tech-savvy 27-year-old son of Kevin Flynn (BRIDGES), looks into his father’s disappearance and finds himself pulled into the digital world of Tron where his father has been living for 25 years. Along with Kevin’s loyal confidant Quorra (WILDE), father and son embark on a life-and-death journey of escape across a visually-stunning cyber universe that has become far more advanced and exceedingly dangerous. The 3D adventure is directed by Joseph Kosinski and produced by Sean Baily, Jeffrey Silver, Steven Lisberger and written by Lisberger, Richard Jeffries, Brian Klugman & Lee Stemthal, Eddy Kitsis & Adam Horowitz, and Bill Wheeler.