An American Carol Movie

It is common practice for Hollywood studios to release movies without screening them in advance for critics. In recent weeks, a host of films have hit theaters without being shown to reviewers, notably "Bangkok Dangerous," "Tyler Perry's The Family That Preys," and "My Best Friend's Girl." Some do well, others fizzle, but the studio reasoning is almost always the same: If you have a dog, why ask for fleas? (The critics being the fleas.