Welcome to the new profile
We're still working on updating some profile features. To see the badges, ratings breakdowns, and polls for this profile, please go to the previous version.
Reviews20
Ainsley_Jo_Phillips's rating
I just happened to stumble across this movie by being in front of the TV at the right time, and it made a great impression on me.
I'm involved with an organization called Invisible Youth Network (an outreach for homeless and/or otherwise at-risk youth), and C.T. would fall under the category of "otherwise at-risk" in deciding his place in our mission.
This movie came out when I was just a baby, and I'm 57 now, and it goes to show that there have been children who are in danger of falling through the cracks of society even way back then just as there are now--and that the choice is constantly being made re: what choices we have to remedy the situation--or not.
C.T. had been repeating each grade ever since he had started school (meaning that he should have been in seventh grade instead of fourth grade), and the principal and teachers were about to give up hope on his making much of his life.
Not so with the school's brand new teacher. She believed that C.T. had potential that just hadn't been tapped into yet. This came partly from, also, being his Sunday School teacher where she had observed that he could be a deep thinker who wasn't afraid to ask hard questions. I assume that this also came from the fact that she was still new at teaching and had yet to experience any teacher burn-out and was, instead, eager to excite and educate young minds.
The thoughts going through her head as she began to deal with C.T. as a student in her class were expressed in voice-overs--and those voice-overs expressed concerns that, perhaps, she had been expecting too much. Yet, something kept her from completely giving up on him.
Perhaps, it was because that--even though he was doing very poorly in all of his studies and didn't seem to be at all interested in getting with the program--she was won over by his smile, helpfulness, artistic talent, and how he was sweet on one of his classmates even though he didn't really relate that well to any of his other classmates.
His unique views on a children's game and the familiar song that went with it also struck a chord with his teacher.
I'll leave it to the viewer to find out just how, but I'll say this much: In the end, C.T. became the teacher and even the authority figures became the taught! How this one brand new teacher who didn't insist that C.T. would fit perfectly into a mold but, instead, tuned herself into him ended up making the difference between his continuing to be an invisible youth and one who was empowered with vision, visibility, and voice!
I'm involved with an organization called Invisible Youth Network (an outreach for homeless and/or otherwise at-risk youth), and C.T. would fall under the category of "otherwise at-risk" in deciding his place in our mission.
This movie came out when I was just a baby, and I'm 57 now, and it goes to show that there have been children who are in danger of falling through the cracks of society even way back then just as there are now--and that the choice is constantly being made re: what choices we have to remedy the situation--or not.
C.T. had been repeating each grade ever since he had started school (meaning that he should have been in seventh grade instead of fourth grade), and the principal and teachers were about to give up hope on his making much of his life.
Not so with the school's brand new teacher. She believed that C.T. had potential that just hadn't been tapped into yet. This came partly from, also, being his Sunday School teacher where she had observed that he could be a deep thinker who wasn't afraid to ask hard questions. I assume that this also came from the fact that she was still new at teaching and had yet to experience any teacher burn-out and was, instead, eager to excite and educate young minds.
The thoughts going through her head as she began to deal with C.T. as a student in her class were expressed in voice-overs--and those voice-overs expressed concerns that, perhaps, she had been expecting too much. Yet, something kept her from completely giving up on him.
Perhaps, it was because that--even though he was doing very poorly in all of his studies and didn't seem to be at all interested in getting with the program--she was won over by his smile, helpfulness, artistic talent, and how he was sweet on one of his classmates even though he didn't really relate that well to any of his other classmates.
His unique views on a children's game and the familiar song that went with it also struck a chord with his teacher.
I'll leave it to the viewer to find out just how, but I'll say this much: In the end, C.T. became the teacher and even the authority figures became the taught! How this one brand new teacher who didn't insist that C.T. would fit perfectly into a mold but, instead, tuned herself into him ended up making the difference between his continuing to be an invisible youth and one who was empowered with vision, visibility, and voice!
This may be a "cartoon," but it gets me reaching for the tissue just as much as It's A Wonderful Life does!!! There's a sort of Bedford Falls feel to this mini-movie--especially, when you've seen it before--where you're seeing Miles (a twelve year old boy who would rather be playing baseball than studying) waking up in his "loaded" room.
His business-owner mother tells him that there won't be any baseball practice until he does his homework--which doesn't set well with him.
She reminds him to take his permission slip in for the field trip, and he mumbles something about going to "that dumb museum." And so his day begins--first with running from Kyle, the local bully. Of course, Miles gets away from him when he hops on the bus going to school, and the bus driver won't let Kyle get on, meaning that he'll be showing up for class late, because his disagreeable dad has to drive him there.
In class, Miles is happy to see his very best friend, Randy and is even more glad when Randy becomes part of his team for reporting on the field trip.
Other members of the team will be Kyle and Maria (a gifted young lady who has gotten into this class by being skipped a couple of grades--and who thinks that she's gotten stuck with three immature boys).
Mrs. Clark, their teacher, takes Miles aside and warns him that he's going to have to repeat a grade if he doesn't bring his grades up--starting with a report on the day's field trip, which is going to a museum about some guy who lived in "prehistoric times" who did some nice things "back then" but didn't have much relevancy in his own life (or so he thinks).
That man, as it turns out, is Martin Luther King, and the museum is the home in which he grew up. Because he sees a ball and bat in there, along with a picture of Martin playing baseball, Miles begins to develop a little interest in him. He and Randy decide to explore the room (which has been roped off), but are caught by the museum director.
But she's nice about it and tells them to go ahead and look around, saying that there's something magic about the room, and that she always likes to wind up this old watch in there for some reason.
In short, Miles and Randy go back in time and get to know Martin in different stages of his life--starting back when he was their age.
Eventually, Kyle and Maria will be sharing part of that journey with them.
I won't spoil this for you except to say that it will remind you of It's A Wonderful Life.
Things about his life that Miles took for granted suddenly become very precious to him, and he realizes how important Martin Luther King, Jr. was way back before he was born in shaping his present day world.
Also, that it's important for him to carry on his dream.
Even Kyle, the former bully, changes for the better by the end of the movie, and Maria (who also owes a lot to Dr. King for where she is today) becomes more tolerant of those "immature" boys.
At only a little over an hour long, it isn't too time consuming--and, if you're like me, you'll want to see it again and again!
His business-owner mother tells him that there won't be any baseball practice until he does his homework--which doesn't set well with him.
She reminds him to take his permission slip in for the field trip, and he mumbles something about going to "that dumb museum." And so his day begins--first with running from Kyle, the local bully. Of course, Miles gets away from him when he hops on the bus going to school, and the bus driver won't let Kyle get on, meaning that he'll be showing up for class late, because his disagreeable dad has to drive him there.
In class, Miles is happy to see his very best friend, Randy and is even more glad when Randy becomes part of his team for reporting on the field trip.
Other members of the team will be Kyle and Maria (a gifted young lady who has gotten into this class by being skipped a couple of grades--and who thinks that she's gotten stuck with three immature boys).
Mrs. Clark, their teacher, takes Miles aside and warns him that he's going to have to repeat a grade if he doesn't bring his grades up--starting with a report on the day's field trip, which is going to a museum about some guy who lived in "prehistoric times" who did some nice things "back then" but didn't have much relevancy in his own life (or so he thinks).
That man, as it turns out, is Martin Luther King, and the museum is the home in which he grew up. Because he sees a ball and bat in there, along with a picture of Martin playing baseball, Miles begins to develop a little interest in him. He and Randy decide to explore the room (which has been roped off), but are caught by the museum director.
But she's nice about it and tells them to go ahead and look around, saying that there's something magic about the room, and that she always likes to wind up this old watch in there for some reason.
In short, Miles and Randy go back in time and get to know Martin in different stages of his life--starting back when he was their age.
Eventually, Kyle and Maria will be sharing part of that journey with them.
I won't spoil this for you except to say that it will remind you of It's A Wonderful Life.
Things about his life that Miles took for granted suddenly become very precious to him, and he realizes how important Martin Luther King, Jr. was way back before he was born in shaping his present day world.
Also, that it's important for him to carry on his dream.
Even Kyle, the former bully, changes for the better by the end of the movie, and Maria (who also owes a lot to Dr. King for where she is today) becomes more tolerant of those "immature" boys.
At only a little over an hour long, it isn't too time consuming--and, if you're like me, you'll want to see it again and again!
Maybe, I should give this one another chance--but I have other things to do right now and might not get around to doing so until hell freezes over or pigs fly!
Let's put it this way:
Scrooged is to A Christmas Carol what PeeWee's Playhouse is to Captain Kangaroo!
My impression upon watching it is that it's your typical movie-on-steroids that comes across so hyper that you'd like to grab a tranquilizer gun and shoot it a few times!
I love remakes of classics, and I love good comedies. I personally find this one to be neither.
Oh yes! People keep asking why this is called "Scrooged" instead of "Scrooge."
One reason could be because the main character isn't actually named Scrooge but is given (or so they try to convince you) a storyline that makes them Scroogelike (or Scrooged).
Then, "Scrooged" sounds like "Screwed" as in the short version of "Screwed-up."
If it's used in this way, they are telling you the truth about this movie in the title: It's a modernized story of Dickens' "A Christmas Carol,"--but, in that role, it's "Screwed-Up." That is, a big mistake.
I guess it's a matter of taste.
If you prefer watching PeeWee's Playhouse to watching Captain Kangaroo, you must might think this movie is great stuff.
However, I cut my teeth on Captain Kangaroo, and, when I happened to tune into PeeWee's Playhouse one Saturday morning several years ago (the 1980s, I think), it left me cold!
Let's put it this way:
Scrooged is to A Christmas Carol what PeeWee's Playhouse is to Captain Kangaroo!
My impression upon watching it is that it's your typical movie-on-steroids that comes across so hyper that you'd like to grab a tranquilizer gun and shoot it a few times!
I love remakes of classics, and I love good comedies. I personally find this one to be neither.
Oh yes! People keep asking why this is called "Scrooged" instead of "Scrooge."
One reason could be because the main character isn't actually named Scrooge but is given (or so they try to convince you) a storyline that makes them Scroogelike (or Scrooged).
Then, "Scrooged" sounds like "Screwed" as in the short version of "Screwed-up."
If it's used in this way, they are telling you the truth about this movie in the title: It's a modernized story of Dickens' "A Christmas Carol,"--but, in that role, it's "Screwed-Up." That is, a big mistake.
I guess it's a matter of taste.
If you prefer watching PeeWee's Playhouse to watching Captain Kangaroo, you must might think this movie is great stuff.
However, I cut my teeth on Captain Kangaroo, and, when I happened to tune into PeeWee's Playhouse one Saturday morning several years ago (the 1980s, I think), it left me cold!