MovieChat Forums > The Man Who Invented Christmas (2017) Discussion > Looks magical! 80% on RT! (UPDATE: Saw i...

Looks magical! 80% on RT! (UPDATE: Saw it today)

posted 7 years ago by PrimeMinisterX (8759)
9 replies | jump to latest

I'm surprised there's not a single thread for this yet.

This looks like it could be one of the very best Christmas movies in recent years. I've always loved A Christmas Carol and I've actually read the book this film is based on.

It's interesting because the book is a pretty straightforward work of history, but they've clearly taken the basic idea and done something quite different with it for this movie.

This comes out tomorrow, Thanksgiving Day, and I intend to catch it! Anyone else planning on seeing it?

Here's the trailer:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UxcnYR3mcPU

The reviews are solid with a current RT score of 80%.

[–] Otter (24464) 7 years ago

Not planning to go.

It sounds like the sort of sticky old-fashioned sentimental mess that elderly relatives drag other people to.

[–] PrimeMinisterX (8759) 3 years ago

Old-fashioned sentimental films, when done well, often make for the best kind of entertainment in my opinion. That kind of filmmaking has largely disappeared and I think that's a shame.

[–] gracie51086 (9) 7 years ago

I've learned the hard way not to trust Rotten Tomatoes. Metacritic is better imo. Each review has a numerical score as opposed to "fresh" or "rotten". Anyway this looks a little cheesy, even for a holiday film.

[–] PrimeMinisterX (8759) 7 years ago

I still haven't seen it because, for some dumb reason, the theater by my house isn't showing it and I'll have to travel a bit.

But my parents saw it and they loved it. Said it was an 8.5 or 9/10.

Personally, I'm a big fan of A Christmas Carol--both the book and the film adaptations--so I am especially interested in the film. As I mentioned in the OP, I've also read the book this film is based on.

[–] Daggerboard (581) 7 years ago

Rotten Tomatoes shows the average rating, as well. Right now it's 6.5/10.

[–] gracie51086 (9) 7 years ago

Yea I forgot about that but I still prefer Metacritic. I've noticed with the films I've seen, their scores are more accurate/reasonable. Idk, just my personal preference.

[–] PrimeMinisterX (8759) 7 years ago

This was one of my most anticipated films of the year and today I was finally able to check it out.

I walked into it with a little trepidation, thinking that I might be disappointed. In reality, it was a better movie than I expected it to be.

If you're a fan of:

1. Christmas movies
2. A Christmas Carol
3. Charles Dickens
4. Stories set in Victorian England

. . . then you should enjoy this film.

The movie is a fictionalized account of Dickens's life and the process of writing A Christmas Carol. However, while it's fictionalized, there's a also a lot of historical truth in the film.

It's seriously one of the most original, interesting movies I've ever seen and it will definitely end up in my Top 5 for the year.

8.5/10

[–] MonStar (12999) 4 years ago

This film can be seen on Hulu and is available for online viewing, if your library has access to the free Kanopy service. It has a nice look to it. The title might have irritated people. It should have been called "The Man Who Wrote A Christmas Carol." It is more about writing the book and Dickens' need to get it published. I recommended and used in the Stonekeeper game #1502 in General Discussion tonight.

IMDB lists a lot of minor goofs, and they should have cleaned them up. It only grossed $8.1 million worldwide. I suspect that they had a limited budget, little money for marketing, and it was filmed in Ireland.

[–] PrimeMinisterX (8759) 4 years ago

The film is based on a book of the same name, which I have read, but the book is a straightforward work of history whereas the film obviously is not. I know the author used the title because of Dickens' impact on the popularity of the holiday and how it's celebrated.

But you're right. It's a bad title, for a book or a film, especially since many (myself included) regard God/Jesus as "inventing" Christmas.

But the title aside, it's an interesting book and a good movie, and I'd recommend both to anyone who has an interest either in the Christmas holiday or in Dickens.