Estella Scrooge: A Christmas Carol with a Twist

When I first saw this advertised on one of my streaming channels. I was really skeptical. I mean, how many different ways can you tackle a classic story like this without becoming trite?

Although it starts out really predictably - albeit with a female antagonist - it quickly took a really original approach, with a modern-day setting.

Perhaps the most striking aspect is that because this was filmed during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, each actor performed their parts individually using green screen technology.

Throw in a stellar cast, excellent music, some really quirky characters and a few ironic twists at the end and you have a winning formula for the holiday season.

This is an absolute gem. With theaters shuttered, some amazing talented writers, producers, directors and actors got together on this delightful & ambitious project that was filmed entirely with social distancing in mind but you'd never know.

We meet Ebenezer Scrooge's great great great grand daughter & she needs some visits from the spirits to turn her around just like the family tradition. Greet writing, a imaginative musical numbers, and tears of sadness and joy throughout. Everyone should be a hold of this as it's just what 2020 Christmas brings us. Challenge, strife, yet our humanity shines through. God bless us everyone !!

...is the question I kept asking myself throughout this captivating and heartwarming film. In a year when so many things could not be accomplished, a new musical film with so many actors was certainly not something to be tackled. Yet this team took on the impossible and turned in a creative, innovative, and certainly unprecedented movie. Give it a try yourself, watch while remembering that this socially distant film was produced in 2020, and I'm sure you'll ask yourself the same: "How did they do that?"

Imagine if you will, a time and place, not so long ago where a very talented and creative troupe of producers, writers, actors, musicians, cinematographers and a plethora experts all collaborated to take the powerful spirit and message of Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol" and rewrite it into the 2nd decade of 21st century America. The sheer chutzpah! Who dares to reimagine this timeless classic? Then imagine if you will, the fact that this production was filmed at the height of the COVID pandemic when all theaters were shuttered. Each actor was filmed individually, all by themselves, in front of greenscreen and then digitally combined into a final full length feature film. The thoroughly stunning result is "Estella Scrooge: A Christmas Carol with a Twist." Sure, there's a peculiar AI quality to its look. But that easily fades away as the creative charm sweeps you away with one toe-tapping memorable song after another. Granted, this take on the beloved classic is not for everyone. But I highly recommend it as I was totally enchanted. You'll need some tissues close at hand for this one!

What a gorgeous new Christmas film and musical... this movie and team has tackled the unprecedented in such a beautiful way. The music is catchy and soaring, the story is heartfelt and hilarious, and the cast, writers, and direction (shoutout to the masterful Paul Gordon and John Caird!) are the greatest of Broadway.

Thank you so much for creating this new musical gem when the world needs it most. Can't wait to watch this again next Christmas. 10/10!