Introduction
Welcome to my corner! Last week, I shared my thoughts about the film, Planes, Trains and Automobiles and the television special, A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving. This week, I'll be reviewing the films, The Night Before Christmas in Wonderland and The Muppet Christmas Carol. Buckle up people because we're in holiday movies season. Welcome the movie reviews! Enjoy!
The Night Before Christmas in Wonderland
The Night Before Christmas in Wonderland is a Sky animated Christmas movie made by Lupus Films for Universal Pictures Content Group, based on the novel by Cars Bexington. It was released on November 15, 2024. Directed by Peter Baynton and starring Emilia Clarke, Gerard Butler and Simone Ashley.
Plot: St. Nick (Gerard Butler) receives a delayed letter on Christmas Eve from the Princess of Hearts. He and his dedicated team of reindeer set off to Wonderland where they're greeted by the mean and miserable Queen of Hearts (Emilia Clarke) who hates all things Christmas... especially presents! Can St. Nick, aided by Alice (Simone Ashley), the Mad Hatter and March Hare, show the Queen the true meaning of Christmas and save the day before it's too late?
This was a new watch for me and my family, and probably for most people seeing as how it was just released this year. We hadn't put the Christmas tree or decoration up at our house yet, so that was the job for this weekend, but with Christmas in Clark going on Saturday, we had to do everything on Sunday. To battle the stress of it, we put on Christmas movies all day. The Night Before Christmas in Wonderland was the first one we watched.
I didn't know anything about it before watching, so I didn't know what to expect. The title mentions Wonderland, but I never dreamed it was referring to Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll. It was interesting to see the world of Wonderland celebrating Christmas, or not. Certainly a unique story to be told.
One can tell that this movie was based on a kids storybook, but that's what I really enjoyed about the movie. Nearly all of the movie is told through rhymes and songs. A lot of songs. Way more songs than I ever expected. Since this movie is still so new, it's hard to find a lot of information on it. My favorite song was the one where the young Queen of Hearts sings about wanting a bandersnatch for Christmas. I tried to look up what the song title was but to no avail. But it was a good one!
I haven't read the storybook the movie is based on, but from glancing at the first few pages, the art style appears to match (best thing about animation) as well as the story direction. I'm sure the book is just as cute as the movie.
While I do enjoy this movie, and recommend giving it a watch, I do think it would've been better as a shorter movie, or holiday special. The story seems to go on for just a little too long.
The Muppet Christmas Carol
The Muppet Christmas Carol is a 1992 American Christmas musical film directed by Brian Henson (son of Jim and Jane Henson), adapted from the 1843 novella "A Christmas Carol" by Charles Dickens.
It is the fourth theatrical film featuring the Muppets. It stars Michael Caine as Ebenezer Scrooge alongside Muppet performers Dave Goelz, Steve Whitmire, Jerry Nelson, and Frank Oz. It is the first Muppet film to be produced following the deaths of creator Jim Henson and performer Richard Hunt; the film is dedicated to both.
Plot: Scrooge, an old miser who dislikes Christmas, is visited by spirits who foretell his future and share secrets from his past and present, which helps change his view on life.
A Christmas Carol is a timeless classic for a reason. Because of this, many, many, many iterations of the story have been made for the Christmas season over the years. I may be alone in this, but I never get tired of them. I love the story it tells.
The Muppet Christmas Carol is a perfect example of a family friendly rendition of this tale. It's a classic that you can't help but love. And, if you haven't seen it, you need to get busy. This one, plus the other Muppet movies, because why not?
You would think that a human Scrooge surrounded by Muppets wouldn't play well for this particular story, but it words perfectly. Michael Caine plays a wonderfully grumpy Scrooge and the Muppets infuse all of the light and happiness that's missing on the screen. I don't know how they pulled it off, but they did. And, I love it!
That's it for this week! What were your thoughts? Feel free to share them with us! You can call us, email us, visit us at the office, leave us a comment or message on Facebook, or even mail us something. Keep the comments, suggestions, questions, submissions, etc. coming our way! We'd love to hear from you!
