James Berk
@jamesberk.bsky.social
Storytelling, horror, literature, collecting vinyl, immersive theater, deconstruction, and the paranormal. If you're excited about the 🍊 🤡 and his policies, please don't bother.
Unique Takes: The 80s setting, and it being entirely sung.
Music: The songs come close to rivaling the ones from Muppet Christmas Carol at some points. I’ll be singing “Christmas Electricity” for the rest of the night.
Music: The songs come close to rivaling the ones from Muppet Christmas Carol at some points. I’ll be singing “Christmas Electricity” for the rest of the night.
December 11, 2024 at 4:45 PM
Unique Takes: The 80s setting, and it being entirely sung.
Music: The songs come close to rivaling the ones from Muppet Christmas Carol at some points. I’ll be singing “Christmas Electricity” for the rest of the night.
Music: The songs come close to rivaling the ones from Muppet Christmas Carol at some points. I’ll be singing “Christmas Electricity” for the rest of the night.
Inclusion of Rare Elements: As mentioned, lots of little touches that didn’t have to be there, but it made it great that they were!
December 11, 2024 at 4:45 PM
Inclusion of Rare Elements: As mentioned, lots of little touches that didn’t have to be there, but it made it great that they were!
Empathy with Scrooge: It’s not too deep - it’s a funny musical. But yes, there’s an especially great addition of Scrooge’s frustration at his younger self letting his fiance slip away.
December 11, 2024 at 4:45 PM
Empathy with Scrooge: It’s not too deep - it’s a funny musical. But yes, there’s an especially great addition of Scrooge’s frustration at his younger self letting his fiance slip away.
Scary Ghost Stories: Only if synthesizers terrify you.
Christmas Feeling: It’s all 80s music, dress and decor, but it’s fun and joyful and that gives a good Christmas feeling.
Christmas Feeling: It’s all 80s music, dress and decor, but it’s fun and joyful and that gives a good Christmas feeling.
December 11, 2024 at 4:45 PM
Scary Ghost Stories: Only if synthesizers terrify you.
Christmas Feeling: It’s all 80s music, dress and decor, but it’s fun and joyful and that gives a good Christmas feeling.
Christmas Feeling: It’s all 80s music, dress and decor, but it’s fun and joyful and that gives a good Christmas feeling.
Thematic Elements: It’s not played for full seriousness, but there are definitely some cutting points which emphasize the problems with being rich, and the need to care for the poor. The writers got the message for sure.
December 11, 2024 at 4:45 PM
Thematic Elements: It’s not played for full seriousness, but there are definitely some cutting points which emphasize the problems with being rich, and the need to care for the poor. The writers got the message for sure.
Faithfulness: Surprisingly so - not down to the word, but for a 45 minute musical to include as many components of the novella as it did was surprising and delightful. This wasn’t a bare bones adaptation, but one which hit all the important scenes and many other details besides.
December 11, 2024 at 4:45 PM
Faithfulness: Surprisingly so - not down to the word, but for a 45 minute musical to include as many components of the novella as it did was surprising and delightful. This wasn’t a bare bones adaptation, but one which hit all the important scenes and many other details besides.
I was completely unaware of the existence of this adaptation before this afternoon when I found the soundtrack on Spotify while creating a playlist of soundtracks and scores from the various adaptations. I may share the playlist here eventually.
December 11, 2024 at 4:45 PM
I was completely unaware of the existence of this adaptation before this afternoon when I found the soundtrack on Spotify while creating a playlist of soundtracks and scores from the various adaptations. I may share the playlist here eventually.
Music: It’s a fun musical with a great musical score between the numbers. “Good Afternoon” is probably my favorite of the soundtrack.
December 9, 2024 at 3:56 PM
Music: It’s a fun musical with a great musical score between the numbers. “Good Afternoon” is probably my favorite of the soundtrack.
Even at his most deflective, Ryan Reynolds has some great points. It takes me back to the end of the original text - Scrooge’s decision to change is one that involves work day after day.
December 9, 2024 at 3:56 PM
Even at his most deflective, Ryan Reynolds has some great points. It takes me back to the end of the original text - Scrooge’s decision to change is one that involves work day after day.
Unique Takes: The concept of “Unredeemable” is part of what makes this a good addition to the Christmas Carol lineup - looking at what it means to really change.
December 9, 2024 at 3:56 PM
Unique Takes: The concept of “Unredeemable” is part of what makes this a good addition to the Christmas Carol lineup - looking at what it means to really change.
Empathy with Scrooge: They cast Ryan Reynolds and Will Ferrell for a reason. It’s hard not to root for them throughout the journey.
Inclusion of Rare Elements: The song and then running gag of “Good Afternoon” was particularly ingenious.
Inclusion of Rare Elements: The song and then running gag of “Good Afternoon” was particularly ingenious.
December 9, 2024 at 3:56 PM
Empathy with Scrooge: They cast Ryan Reynolds and Will Ferrell for a reason. It’s hard not to root for them throughout the journey.
Inclusion of Rare Elements: The song and then running gag of “Good Afternoon” was particularly ingenious.
Inclusion of Rare Elements: The song and then running gag of “Good Afternoon” was particularly ingenious.
Scary Ghost Stories: With Ferrell and Reynolds? Unlikely. And that’s okay.
Christmas Feeling: There’s a whole song (and reprise) called “Christmas Morning Feeling,” if that answers the question…
Christmas Feeling: There’s a whole song (and reprise) called “Christmas Morning Feeling,” if that answers the question…
December 9, 2024 at 3:56 PM
Scary Ghost Stories: With Ferrell and Reynolds? Unlikely. And that’s okay.
Christmas Feeling: There’s a whole song (and reprise) called “Christmas Morning Feeling,” if that answers the question…
Christmas Feeling: There’s a whole song (and reprise) called “Christmas Morning Feeling,” if that answers the question…
The overall message is there - old “Scrooge” is working as a political and business consultant with a lack of scruples. It isn’t until he learns about the consequences his choices make that he moves towards any change.
December 9, 2024 at 3:56 PM
The overall message is there - old “Scrooge” is working as a political and business consultant with a lack of scruples. It isn’t until he learns about the consequences his choices make that he moves towards any change.
They have both bottled up some early childhood trauma, they both think that they have people’s “number” figured out, and they’re both pretty quick to exploit their knowledge of how people work.
December 9, 2024 at 3:56 PM
They have both bottled up some early childhood trauma, they both think that they have people’s “number” figured out, and they’re both pretty quick to exploit their knowledge of how people work.
Thematic Elements: My original feeling was that there really wasn’t much of the care for the poor in here. But while the feeling is significantly lighter, I felt like Ryan Reynold’s “Scrooge” is a not so distant relative to the Guy Pearce one.
December 9, 2024 at 3:56 PM
Thematic Elements: My original feeling was that there really wasn’t much of the care for the poor in here. But while the feeling is significantly lighter, I felt like Ryan Reynold’s “Scrooge” is a not so distant relative to the Guy Pearce one.
Will Ferrell as The Ghost of Christmas Present on the mountain of food, inviting Ryan Reynolds to “Come in and know me better, man!”, The Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come mostly just pointing a lot.
December 9, 2024 at 3:56 PM
Will Ferrell as The Ghost of Christmas Present on the mountain of food, inviting Ryan Reynolds to “Come in and know me better, man!”, The Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come mostly just pointing a lot.
Faithfulness: I mean…they’re not really trying for faithful here. But a few fun touches here and there - all of the bells ringing before the arrival of Marley,
December 9, 2024 at 3:56 PM
Faithfulness: I mean…they’re not really trying for faithful here. But a few fun touches here and there - all of the bells ringing before the arrival of Marley,
There really aren’t. But that’s okay - it’s still fun and resonant, and in my opinion, worthy of adding to the modern Christmas classics canon.
December 9, 2024 at 3:56 PM
There really aren’t. But that’s okay - it’s still fun and resonant, and in my opinion, worthy of adding to the modern Christmas classics canon.
This was my first rewatch since reading and watching so many other versions, and I was kind of hoping that there would be some more nods to the source material that I would notice.
December 9, 2024 at 3:56 PM
This was my first rewatch since reading and watching so many other versions, and I was kind of hoping that there would be some more nods to the source material that I would notice.
When watching the film in theaters a few years back, I had yet to do my deep dive into the story. I knew that it was a favorite, but I was rusty beyond the basic story elements.
December 9, 2024 at 3:56 PM
When watching the film in theaters a few years back, I had yet to do my deep dive into the story. I knew that it was a favorite, but I was rusty beyond the basic story elements.
Next, I think it’s time for some lightness, music and humor. I think I’m headed towards a rewatch of Spirited…
December 8, 2024 at 5:30 AM
Next, I think it’s time for some lightness, music and humor. I think I’m headed towards a rewatch of Spirited…