Jennifer Campsey

Underrated winner if you need a break from ‘A Christmas Story,’ ‘It’s a Wonderful Life,’ or, god forbid, ‘The Grinch’ theatrical release. As Dickens wrote for the masses of his time, this movie delivers a complementary light-hearted tale with a tight, intelligent plot and strong performances by Dan Stevens, Christopher Plumber, and Jonathan Pryce. Perfectly fun for multigenerational holiday viewing. Like ‘Shakespeare in Love,’ there are plenty of allusions that people familiar with “things Dickensian” will enjoy. Bah-humbug to the snobby naysayers. They can go watch ‘Naked Lunch,’ ‘There Will be Blood,’ or ‘Citizen Kane’ in the other room.