What is there to say that hasn't already been said about this one? Yet another retelling of the perennial Christmas classic, producer Robert Zemeckis takes a stab at it with the same CGI skills he brought to The Polar Express. Unlike Express though, Zemeckis' animators finally got that creepy vacant look in the characters' eyes fixed, and Carol helps you put aside reality to get fully engrossed in the story.

Speaking of creepy: as a side note, this version is not quite as family friendly as you might first expect. There are plenty of "jump" moments (which I'm sure were heightened by the 3D version), and even I was kind of grossed out by a few of the dark twists in the movie, such as a jaw-breaking Marley's ghost, and the inclusion of images of the characters, Want and Ignorance. That being said, sit back in your chair and enjoy Disney's third version of the film, after Mickey and the Muppets both got their own revisions.

We all know the story of the character of Ebenezer Scrooge, and that fateful night when he is granted a second chance at life. Seeing it in CGI, with no limits on Dickens' imaginative story is something else, though. Zemeckis was able to provide so many scenes that live action could never do, including some great flying scenes with the ghosts (much cooler in 3D, I suppose), and some really interesting takes on perspectives on the characters.

Do you suppose Jim Carrey actually likes Christmas? After playing both holiday humbugs, Scrooge and the Grinch, I'm beginning to wonder! Carrey is actually a flawless Scrooge. His signature voice and mannerisms are well played out on the cranky geezer, and memories of Count Olaf, in Lemony Snicket come to mind. Carrey also played all versions of Scrooge through the years, as well as all three Ghosts. Other memorable characters were Gary Oldman as Bob Cratchit, Tiny Tim, and Jacob Marley, and Bob Hoskins as Mr. Fezziwig, but Carrey definitely steals the show.

Some things that always draw me to the story are the character change of Ebenezer Scrooge, and the perspective of Tiny Tim. I love the line that Bob Cratchit quotes his son as saying, when he tells how Tim hoped people saw him in church so that they would remember "who made lame beggars walk and blind men see." The film makes the characters relatable and relevant, despite being computer renderings of the real thing.

What really got me about this movie was seeing the bonus features. The film itself, was pretty much what I expected, except maybe not as slapstick and cartoonish as the previews led me to believe; but the motion capture technology (or Mo-Cap) was pretty incredible. In behind-the-scenes footage, we get to take a look at what it's like to shoot a film in total CGI, with actors wearing goofy neon suits and trying to play off of invisible backdrops. Seeing Jim Carrey in fluorescent green and pink, with dots on his face and four HD cameras strapped to his head to capture movement, is pretty hilarious. Even more so is the explanation of the "T-pose," where all actors have to stop whatever they're doing when the director yells that, and strike a pose so that the Mo-Cap cameras can sync up with where the actors are.

Seeing what can be accomplished with new technology is pretty fascinating. I don't think it will ever completely replace real actors, but the incredible things they can do with it now have really pushed the limits of the imagination. Seeing how Zemeckis and Co. attempt to translate Dickens' Carol to the screen using that technology alone makes it worth seeing the film.