Stop me if you've heard this one: A crotchety, miserly old man named Ebenezer Scrooge is busy making life miserable for his clerk Bob Cratchit and everyone else who makes the mistake of wishing him a Merry Christmas. But on the Eve of the big day, the ghost of his partner Jacob Marley appears to give him one last chance to live a worthwhile life. Scrooge is visited by the spirits of Christmas Past, Present, and Future, who take him on a wild ride to teach him the true meaning of Christmas. Classic fun for everyone!

Three good reasons

• 1 Charles Dickens himself would be delighted to see his timeless tale brought to life via stunning, realistic, 3-D digital animation, courtesy of Robert Zemeckis ("The Polar Express").
• 2 Jim Carrey, with his famous mix of humor, menace, and sweetness, was born to play Ebenezer Scrooge. And to further prove his versatility, he performs the three spirits as well!
• 3 A little treat for fans of the movie "The Princess Bride": Cary Elwes (Westley) and Robin Wright Penn (Buttercup) are reunited in this film as the voices of Scrooge's roommate and fianc'ee, respectively.

Despite the tale's message of generosity and charity, Charles Dickens was almost entirely motivated to write "A Christmas Carol" in hopes of paying off his debts. Despite its popularity, Dickens never saw quite the profits he had hoped from the tale. Bah, humbug!