Forum Views ()
Forum Replies ()
Read more with google mobile :
Carrey's Scrooge rings in Hollywood holiday spirit
Yahoo!
My Yahoo!
Mail
More Yahoo! Services
Account Options
New User? Sign Up
Sign In
Help
Yahoo! Search
web search
Home
Singapore
Asia Pacific
World
Business
Entertainment
Sports
Technology
Asia Pacific
World
Carrey's Scrooge rings in Hollywood holiday spirit
By DAVID GERMAIN,AP Movie Writer -
Wednesday, November 4
Send
IM Story
Print
LOS ANGELES – Hollywood loves money. So does Ebenezer Scrooge. So what better way to launch the holiday season than putting the old money-grubber at the head of the line to separate movie-goers from their cash?
The latest version of Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol" features Jim Carrey as Scrooge. Coming on Ebenezer's coattails will be everything from vampire romance ("The Twilight Saga: New Moon") and end-of-the-world stories ("2012," "The Road") to epic science fiction ("Avatar") and a new incarnation of the world's greatest detective ("Sherlock Holmes").
Presented in 3-D, "Disney's A Christmas Carol" is the latest from Oscar-winning director Robert Zemeckis ("Forrest Gump"), who presents Dickens' London with the same performance-capture technology he used on "The Polar Express" and "Beowulf."
Carrey and such co-stars as Gary Oldman, Robin Wright Penn, Colin Firth and Bob Hoskins worked on a bare soundstage, their bodies covered with sensors so digital cameras could record their performances in 360 degrees. Sets, costumes and other details were filled in later by computer animation.
The process allowed actors to take on multiple roles, with Carrey playing Scrooge and the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Yet to Come that teach him the meaning of the season.
While Zemeckis loves Alastair Sim's 1951 "A Christmas Carol," he said previous adaptations never captured the full impact of Dickens' surreal images. As he made "Beowulf," Zemeckis realized he now had the tools to bring "A Christmas Carol" to the screen the way he imagined it on the page.
"It was the idea of being able to actually recreate London and not have any limitations whatsoever. Anything that existed at the time we could present," Zemeckis said. "Then the idea that Jim could play Scrooge in all the different ages, and the ghosts, they could be his alter-ego, and he could play those. Everything just fell into place."
With "Sherlock Holmes," Robert Downey Jr. and director Guy Ritchie also recreate old London while reinventing Arthur Conan Doyle's brainy, monkish detective as an action hero, verbal quipster _ and even a bit of a lover.
Downey's Holmes fights with fists, clubs, pistols and hammers, trades odd-couple banter with best buddy and roommate Watson (Jude Law), and shares romantic moments with the only woman (Rachel McAdams) who ever got the better of him.
It was a nice change of pace for Downey after he leaped to the box-office A-list with last year's comic-book blockbuster "Iron Man."
"It was such a radical departure," Downey said. "A period piece. A very, very established kind of iconic image comes to mind when you think of Sherlock Holmes. Whereas Iron Man was a relatively unknown quote-unquote second tier superhero ... until last year."
Another series that jumped to blockbuster status last year was Hollywood's take on author Stephenie Meyer's love story between a sensitive schoolgirl (Kristen Stewart) and her immortal vampire boy toy (Robert Pattinson).
The second installment, "The Twilight Saga: New Moon," is a lesson in teen heartache as Pattinson's Edward dumps Stewart's Bella, realizing the danger he represents to his human girlfriend.
The brooding Bella finds solace with a school chum (Taylor Lautner) and his werewolf gang and eventually winds up pulling Edward out of a jam.
"Edward breaks up with Bella for her own protection, but Bella believes it's because he doesn't love her any more, and she goes into a terrible depression," said "New Moon" director Chris Weitz. "In the end, there's kind of a lovely turnaround whereby Bella has to go and save Edward, having been saved by him throughout their past."
Also in the fantasy realm, James Cameron is back with his first fictional film since 1997's "Titanic" swamped Hollywood to become king of the Oscars and the biggest modern blockbuster. "Avatar" also marks Cameron's return to his science-fiction roots and a reunion with "Aliens" star Sigourney Weaver, who joins Sam Worthington and Zoe Saldana among the cast of the filmmaker's 3-D epic about humans taking on the form of extraterrestrials as they explore a distant world.
"What we have on the screen right now is 150 percent of what I imagined. The other 50 percent is the part I could not have imagined without having the actors there, without working with a team of artists who come up with all these amazing, outlandish designs," Cameron said. "My job was really kind of herding the cats, getting the artists to kind of be cohesive about the aesthetic decision, so it was all one world, so it seemed like part of an evolutionary or ecological system."
Hollywood has dozens of other films, big and small, coming before year's end. Here's the lowdown on some highlights:
HUSBANDS, WIVES AND LOVERS:
"Chicago" director Rob Marshall orchestrates his latest musical with "Nine," based on the Broadway adaptation of Federico Fellini's foreign-language classic "8 1/2."
It's the story of a filmmaker (Daniel Day-Lewis) and his many, many women: His wife (Marion Cotillard), his mistress (Penelope Cruz), his mom (Sophia Loren), his film star (Nicole Kidman), his costume designer (Judi Dench), a lover from his youth (Stacy Ferguson), and a fashion journalist (Kate Hudson).
Singing in a recording studio was a new challenge for some of the cast, including Cruz.
"You feel very vulnerable, because you can't hide anything," Cruz said at this year's Cannes Film Festival. "But it was so much fun. After you are there and you start singing and everything starts to come together, if you can really be in the moment and enjoy it, it's an amazing experience."
Also in the mood for love:
"Did You Hear About the Morgans?" _ A Manhattan couple (Sarah Jessica Parker and Hugh Grant) in a rocky marriage find new twists in their relationship after they see a murder and are hustled into witness protection.
"It's Complicated" _ A messy love triangle develops among a bakery and restaurant owner (Meryl Streep), her ex-hubby (Alec Baldwin) and an architect (Steve Martin) in the latest from director Nancy Meyers ("Something's Gotta Give").
FOXES, FROGS AND RODENTS:
Meryl Streep also joins George Clooney and Bill Murray among the voice cast of Wes Anderson's animated comedy "Fantastic Mr. Fox," the tale of a wily fox waging war with human farmers.
Anderson gave his voice actors a taste of rustic life by taking them to a real farm to record the vocals.
"It was like going to camp," Clooney said at October's London Film Festival, where "Fantastic Mr. Fox" was the opening-night movie. "We were out in the middle of nowhere on people's farms, doing sound effects and rolling around in the fields."
Also among the menagerie:
"Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel" _ The followup to the family hit about critter crooners Alvin, Simon and Theodore has the threesome finding their hearts and singing talents tested in a battle of the bands against a trio of female chipmunks.
"The Princess and the Frog" _ Disney animation goes old-school as the studio releases its first hand-drawn cartoon in five years with this update of "The Frog Prince" fairy tale, set on the jazzy Louisiana bayou.
THE END OF THE WORLD:
The Mayan calendar predicted an end of days in 2012.
Director Roland Emmerich makes good on that prophecy with his latest doomsday story "2012," featuring John Cusack, Amanda Peet, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Thandie Newton and Danny Glover in a tale of a world devastated by cataclysm and struggling with a terrible quandary: Who do you choose when you can save only a fraction of humanity?
"It's like a Noah's Ark story in a way," Cusack said. "It mirrors a few of the ethical dilemmas that are posed by asking the question of who gets to go and who doesn't."
Also on the apocalypse front:
"The Road" _ Author Cormac McCarthy's starkly poetic vision of doom comes to the screen in this adaptation starring Viggo Mortensen as a father on a desperate road trip across the wreckage of America, seeking some hope of a future for his young son.
INSPIRATION ON THE PLAYING FIELD:
Clint Eastwood taps "Million Dollar Baby" and "Unforgiven" co-star Morgan Freeman to play Nelson Mandela in "Invictus," a post-apartheid drama about the South African president rallying black and white behind his country's rugby team during an underdog run in the 1995 World Cup.
Matt Damon, who co-stars as the captain of South Africa's rugby squad, said Freeman was the only choice to play Mandela.
"Someone would have been keelhauled if he hadn't played that role," Damon said.
Also from the wide world of sports:
"The Blind Side" _ Just in time for his rookie season with the Baltimore Ravens comes this real-life drama about Michael Oher (Quinton Aaron), a black youth surviving on his own who gets a shot at a better life after he's adopted by a white couple (Sandra Bullock and Tim McGraw).
FAMILY AFFAIRS:
"Lord of the Rings" mastermind Peter Jackson turns to the homefront while keeping a foot in otherworldly realms with "The Lovely Bones," an adaptation of Alice Sebold's novel about a slain girl (Saoirse Ronan) watching over her family from heaven.
The cast includes Rachel Weisz, Mark Wahlberg, Susan Sarandon and Stanley Tucci.
Jackson said he cried when he read the novel.
"If the things that I was imagining that made me cry could be put on screen, I thought this would be really amazing," Jackson said. "Because I think the book is an incredible book, but it's very personal. And I think what you get out of that book depends a lot on what experience you've had in your life and what experience of death that you've had, and losing loved ones."
Also in a family way:
"Up in the Air" _ Happily living life without connections, a corporate hatchet man (George Clooney) travels the country aiming for a 10 million-mile frequent-flyer milestone only to discover that family bonds might be the greater value, after all.
"Old Dogs" _ A divorced guy (Robin Williams) enlists his womanizing best buddy and business partner (John Travolta) to help care for the twin kids he never knew he had.
"Brothers" _ Jim Sheridan directs this reversal-of-roles drama about siblings (Tobey Maguire and Jake Gyllenhaal), one a Marine presumed dead in Afghanistan, the other a black sheep who becomes man of the house for his brother's wife (Natalie Portman).
"Everybody's Fine" _ Robert De Niro co-stars with Drew Barrymore, Kate Beckinsale and Sam Rockwell in the story of a widower who sets off to reconnect with his grown kids in this remake of the Italian original from Giuseppe Tornatore.
___
Associated Press Entertainment Reporters Ryan Pearson and Sandy Cohen contributed to this report.
Recommend
Send
IM Story
Print
Related Articles
French anthropologist Claude Levi-Strauss dies AP - Wednesday, November 4
John Grisham's short stories long on characters AP - Wednesday, November 4
Carrey's Scrooge rings in Hollywood holiday spirit AP - Wednesday, November 4
Ex Stone Roses singer held for "wife assault" Reuters - Wednesday, November 4
Kate Winslet wins damages over exercise libel Reuters - Wednesday, November 4
News Search
Top Stories
French thinker Levi-Strauss dead at 100
Warren Buffett's Berkshire to buy railroad
EU hikes growth forecasts, warns on jobs
First malaria vaccine 'ready in 3-5 years'
Britain breaks up RBS, Lloyds in big bang for banking
More Top Stories »
Related Full Coverage
Hollywood NewsGet the latest Hollywood news
All Full Coverage »
ADVERTISEMENT
Most Popular
Most Viewed
Most Recommended
Ship forged with 9/11 steel sails into New York
Polanski sex case appeal set for December 10
Royal Bank of Scotland says it will cut 3,700 jobs
Slumdog stars 'may lose allowance' for skipping school
UBS piles up losses, clients withdraw assets
More Most Viewed »
Somali centenarian weds 17-year-old
Mobile phone giant Nokia sues Apple over patents
More Most Recommended »
Elsewhere on Yahoo!
Financial news on Yahoo! Finance
Stars and latest movies
Best travel destinations
More on Yahoo! News
Home
Singapore
Asia Pacific
World
Business
Entertainment
Sports
Technology
Subscribe to our news feeds
Top StoriesMy Yahoo!RSS
» More news feeds | What are news feeds?
Also on Yahoo
Answers
Groups
Mail
Messenger
Mobile
Travel
Finance
Movies
Sports
Games
» All Yahoo! Services
Site Highlights
Singapore
Full Coverage
Most Popular
Asia Entertainment
Photos
Copyright © 2009 Yahoo! Southeast Asia Pte. Ltd. (Co. Reg. No. 199700735D). All Rights Reserved.
Terms of Service |
Privacy Policy |
Community |
Intellectual Property Rights Policy |
Help
Other News on Wednesday, 4 November 2009 Jewish settlers evict Arab east Jerusalem family
French anthropologist Levi-Strauss dead at 100
Apple, Orange drop exclusive iPhone sales: regulator
Warren Buffett's Berkshire to buy railroad
Iran warns opposition before anti-US rally
Four years in US prison for BetOnSports founder
EU hikes growth forecasts, warns on jobs
Hamas improved rocket abilities since war
Experts to hash out global data privacy rules in Spain
Gorbachev 'proud' of role in fall of Berlin Wall
First malaria vaccine 'ready in 3-5 years'
Exiled group says Iranian nuclear site needs check
Sarah Jessica Parker, Forest Whitaker, Edward Norton And Others Appointed As Members Of Obama's Committee On The Arts And Humanities
Eurozone unemployment to hit 10.7% in 2010: EU
Selena Gomez Returning To Hometown To Appear In Children's Parade
Robots primed for 'are you being served' role
Czech president becomes last EU leader to sign treaty
Best Buy plans movie download service with Sonic
Israel: Gaza rockets can reach metro Tel Aviv
Italy's crucifixes in classrooms 'violate rights'
Ian Brown Arrested For Allegedly Assaulting His Wife
EU to choose leaders after reform treaty ratified
| International
|
Rihanna Finally Speaks Out About The Night Chris Brown Assaulted Her
Italy, Vatican in uproar over court crucifix ruling
| International
|
Sony Ericsson unveils first Android phone
Monitors worried about Sudan election, freedoms
| International
|
Moscow could have started WW3 over Berlin Wall: Gorbachev
| International
|
Calif. man indicted in 4 Va. bludgeoning deaths
Phone texting reveals sensitive new metrotextual
| Technology
|
House GOP pens 230-page health bill draft
Correction: Attorney General Scandal story
LG Electronics investing heavily in smartphones
| Technology
|
BetOnSports founder gets 51 months in U.S. prison
| Technology
|
Merkel calls for strong deal on climate change
Fiji expels New Zealand, Australian envoys
Low cholesterol may prevent some prostate cancers
NKorea claims to expand arsenal of atomic bombs
Mayor chooses deputy chief to head LA police
Philippines frees officers cleared over coup: military
US 'indispensable' in Asia: Singapore PM
Indonesia court hears phone tapes in graft case
GOP senators absent at start of climate debate
China envoy in talks in Taiwan: official
Karzai promises reform _ but without specifics
Neighbors griped about odor at Ohio home for years
Python hunters bag 37 in Florida hunting season
Chinese official: Syphilis boom driven by economy
$1 million bail offered in Chicago terrorism case
Thais make third arrest over king's health rumors
George W. Bush throws out first pitch in Japan
Carrey's Scrooge rings in Hollywood holiday spirit
India still likes dollars despite buying gold: minister
Carrefour breaks Indonesian antitrust law: watchdog
Obama enlists Hollywood names for arts committee
Pakistani stocks end higher; rupee weakens
Dubai to appoint female muftis in 2010: report
China experiments with molecular cuisine
Kate Winslet wins damages over exercise libel
A Christmas Carol gets thrill ride movie treatment
| Entertainment
|
World Cup to boost South Africa tourism, organisers say
Rihanna humiliated by leaked photo after attack
| Entertainment
|
China regulator rejects World of Warcraft game: official
Conchords star Clement says HBO show may end
| Entertainment
|
Three-star chefs cook up a treat in Paris subway
Obama enlists Hollywood names for arts committee
Kate Winslet wins damages over exercise libel
| Entertainment
|
Car Of Slain New Mexico Nun Found In Undisclosed Location
Adam Arkin relishes new `Sons of Anarchy' role
J&J To Cut 8,200 Jobs To Save More Than $1 Billion
E! to launch Asian version of flagship news show
Chirac's memoirs show restraint on Sarkozy
Democrats Proceed With Committee Debate On Climate Bill Despite GOP Boycott
Mexico Deploys 577 Heavily Armed Police To U.S. Border Town Of Juarez, To Quell Violence
Ex Stone Roses singer held for wife assault
| Entertainment
|
Update: Merkel Renews U.S. Ties, Asks For Stronger Partnership Against Climate Change
A Key Healthcare Vote, Lieberman Denies Report On His Support For Public Option
Manufacturing Orders Rise For Fifth Month In Six
Philadelphia Bus, Subway Service At A Standstill As Workers Strike
Voting Underway For New York's Mayoral, 23rd Congressional Races
New Jersey, Virginia Hold Gubernatorial Elections Tuesday
Earthquake injures 270 in southern Iran
Huge fire breaks out in Saint Petersburg: reports
US-TECH Summary
Fed to keep rates near zero to nurture recovery
Czech president signs EU reform treaty
Nokia unveils 5 new low-end phone models
UN to urge credible probe of alleged Gaza war crimes
UN envoy warns Karzai of losing world support
Uproar in Italy after Euro court rejects school crucifixes
Khamenei says US 'hiding a dagger' in talks with Iran
US envoys to meet Myanmar PM
Flu pandemic closes schools
| International
|
PayPal courts outside developers
EU officially starts search for first president
Egypt-Israel frictions complicate US peace efforts
GM to cancel sale, keep European unit Opel
Yahoo teams with OneRiot on real-time search
Barnes & Noble sued by eReader maker Spring Design
French thinker Levi-Strauss dead at 100
Storm kills 42 in Vietnam, several missing
| International
|
AT&T sues Verizon Wireless over 3G ads
Honduran lawmakers put off vote on Zelaya's return
| International
|
U.S. delegation in Myanmar for rare talks with junta
| International
|
Touchscreen smartphones being snatched up in US
Cisco-EMC-VMware alliance in 350-bln-dollar market
US company offers Twitter-dedicated mobile device
Warren Buffett's Berkshire to buy railroad
LG Electronics investing heavily in smartphones
Nokia unveils 5 new low-end phone models
LG Electronics investing heavily in smartphones
Pacific diplomatic row deepens
Yahoo teams with OneRiot on real-time search
| Technology
|
Dutch rafter killed in accident in Nepal
AT&T sues Verizon Wireless over 3G ads
| Technology
|
Tokyo train stations use lights to stem suicides
Iran 'must choose' its future path: Obama
Nokia unveils 5 new low-end phone models
| Technology
|
Obama notes anniversary of Iran embassy takeover
China sex-expert to help Taiwan pandas to breed
US Republicans score big in off-year elections
Today in History
Ten bodies found at rapist's Ohio home: report
Barnes & Noble sued by eReader maker Spring Design
| Technology
|
Mobile phones ring death knell for Bangladesh postmen
Italian judge to reach verdict in CIA kidnap trial
Police: 3 ND college students found dead in pond
Obama faces setback after Republicans win
Vietnam storm death toll rises to 57
CA teen charged with murder in death of 4-year-old
China's military making strides in space: US general
Voters in NC's largest city elect Democratic mayor
India's pot-bellied males hit gym for Bollywood buff look
World Bank boosts China growth forecast to 8.4 pct
Disney says China approved Shanghai theme park
SKorea's SK Engineering wins UAE oil contract
China OKs Disney theme park in Shanghai: official
Korea Hot Stocks
China agrees Disney theme park in Shanghai: Disney
S.Korean bonds edge down as Fed rate vote looms
Seoul shares rebound: KEB, brokerage stocks rally
Seoul shares gain; banks up after strong Q3 results
S.Korea mortgage lending growth slows in Oct-report
Hollywood stars light up London for Christmas
Steve Martin, Alec Baldwin to host Oscars
| Entertainment
|
Stephen Colbert, fans sponsor U.S. speedskaters
| Entertainment
|
Kirstie Alley takes weight-loss battle back to TV
| Entertainment
|
Berenstain Bears to make big-screen debut
| Entertainment
|
Jaglom's homage to theater has wide appeal
| Entertainment
|
Accused Seacrest stalker ordered to stay away
| Entertainment
|
50 Cent recruits Kelly Rowland for video
| Entertainment
|
Berenstain Bears to make big-screen debut
Box office boost shows 3D is here to stay
Rihanna: Brown's assault, aftermath 'humiliating'
Sarah Palin promises more cities on book tour
Kirstie Alley takes weight-loss battle back to TV
Steve Martin, Alec Baldwin to host Oscars
Stephen Colbert, fans sponsor U.S. speedskaters
"Looking for Palladin" suffers from major flaw
Hollywood stars light up London for Christmas
Terminator movie franchise may go on auction block
German Court Denies Buddhist Bank Robber's Request To Visit With Cat
Newly Discovered Notes May Contain Secret 150-Year-Old Worcestershire Sauce Recipe
Prison Ombudsman Pushes For More Humane Treatment Of Canadian Inmates Without Compromising Security
Queen Elizabeth's Servant Crowned British Wrestling Champ
Mariah Carey Says Even Her Dogs Have An Entourage, But She's No Diva
Survey Finds Bad Behavior Is Pervasive Among Medical Personnel
BetOnSports founder gets 51 months in U.S. prison
Phone texting reveals sensitive new "metrotextual"
'Rogue' Afghan policeman kills five British troops
British mercenary leaves E.Guinea
Mousavi supporters clash with police in Tehran
| International
|
Chinese giant set to buy US oil assets: company
Afghan policeman kills five British soldiers
| International
|
Police to quiz mercenary over EGuinea plot: reports
Yemen rebels say they seize Saudi border site
Witness: The news conference that toppled the Wall
| International
|
Microsoft to set up cloud research center in Taiwan
Five British soldiers killed in Afghanistan
Abdullah rules out joining new Afghan government
| International
|
Playfish sees social games as industry driver
Israeli navy intercepts arms ship: military
| International
|
Abdullah slams 'illegal' Karzai re-election
Pakistan troops, Taliban fight street battle: army
| International
|
Yemen rebels kill Saudi in cross-border raid
| International
|
Sri Lanka's top general leaves U.S. unquestioned
| International
|
Quake hits south Iran, 269 injured
Quake hits south Iran, injuring 269 people: agency
| International
|
Clashes with police in Tehran on anniversary
Tight security in Iran ahead of anti-U.S. rally
5 British soldiers killed in south Afghanistan
Search ends for Russians buried in China avalanche
US officials meet Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi
Malaysia's opposition alliance puts house in order
Vietnam storm death toll rises to 87
Prominent SKorean businessman commits suicide: police
US officials meet with Aung San Suu Kyi in Myanmar
Nepal puts security forces on high alert
Playfish sees social games as industry driver
| Technology
|
Microsoft to set up cloud research center in Taiwan
| Technology
|
San Francisco voters defeat sign district plan
Angry Philippines rebels deny abducting Irish priest
AP NewsAlert
China bureaucratic war over online Warcraft heats up
| Technology
|
NM calf fitted with prosthetic legs
Farmland released from conservation program
3 million acres taken out of conservation program
Dejection fills Maine ballroom after marriage vote
Obama coaxes states to change with school dollars
Nissan returns to profit in latest quarter
Microsoft to set up cloud research centre in Taiwan
Toyota joins F1 exodus
Nissan Motor interim net profit down 92.9 pct
S.Korea 2010 house prices seen up 4 pct -research
Yamaha Motor posts 1.8 bln dollar nine-month loss
MARKETS-KOREA-STOCKS/ (UPDATE 2)=2
World Bank boosts China 2009 growth forecast
Brad Pitt looking for new motorbike after LA crash
'Archaeologist of erotica' revives world of brothels
Russian leech grower taps into rising demand
Disney says China approved Shanghai theme park
London's Savile Row tailors roll up sleeves for battle
Founder of Catholic Opus Dei group focus of movie
| Entertainment
|
Greece at new risk of being pushed off euro
Bodies of missing Tenn. mom, Jo Ann Bain, and daughter found
Female Breasts Are Bigger Than Ever
AMD Trinity Accelerated Processing Units Now in Volume Production
The Avengers (2012 film), made the second biggest opening- and single-day gross of all-time
AMD to Start Production of piledriver
Ivy Bridge Quad-Core, Four-Thread Desktop CPUs
Islamists Protest Lady Gaga's Concert in Indonesia
Japan Successfully Broadcasts an 8K Signal Over the Air
ECB boosts loans to 1 trillion Euro to stop credit crunch
Egypt : Mohammed Morsi won with 52 percent
What do you call 100,000 Frenchmen with their hands up
AMD Launches AMD Embedded R-Series APU Platform
Fed Should not Ignore Emerging Market Crisis
Fed casts shadow over India, emerging markets
Why are Chinese tourists so rude? A few insights