While I have not yet seen An American Carol, reading this post by Little Miss Attila makes me want to run right out and see it while I can:

People are unable to buy tickets online for this movie, and have to get them at the cineplex itself;

When one goes to the theater, the name of the movie frequently isn't on the marquee, giving one a sort of "am I at the right place?" moment;

There are no posters up for the movie at the theater, reinforcing that "wait; was this supposed to be that place across town?" feeling;

on the sign inside the ticket booth, the movie isn't even listed. This actually happened to me, and I was about to suggest to my husband that we leave, when I saw another couple ask for tickets to the movie--they seemed to be getting them, so I thought, "well, I guess it has to be playing here . . ."

The second theater in town where the movie was supposedly was playing didn't allow one to pre-purchase tickets, so I called to check on the time. This particular movie house was a four-plex, and I listened to the long outgoing message twice. It gave me all kinds of information I didn't need to know, like how to get to the theater. And it gave me showtimes for three movies--but not An American Carol.

I'm getting email and comments about people who are being sold the wrong movie tickets. They ask to see An American Carol, and are handed a ticket that they don't look at very closely (how many of us actually read these things when we're trying to figure out whether there's time to get popcorn before we get our seats?). Later on, though, they look at the ticket and see the title of a completely different film.

But hell! If they're actually conspiring to keep people from seeing it (more on that claim here) and keeping the ratings down, then seeing it is the least I can do!

With any luck, the film will actually be showing in Ann Arbor as imdb says.

Considering what Hollywood regularly cranks out, it's a surprise this film was released at all. If you don't like Hollywood's normal offerings, that last link is guaranteed to irritate you. (Via Glenn Reynolds, who's hoping to see them make Total Eclipse.)

The film's Wiki entry contrasts its performance to that of Religulous:

An American Carol made $3.8 million in its opening weekend, placing it ninth among movies that week. Since it was shown in 1,639 theaters, it had a per-screen average of $2,325 ($3.8 million divided by 1,639). By comparison, the film's diametrically opposite competitor released around the same time, Religulous,[10] was the tenth-ranked movie, grossing $3.5 million in just 502 theaters, an average of $6,972 per screen.[11] However, the Religulous receipts were collected over a five-day period (the first two days in New York City and Los Angeles only), while those for An American Carol were collected over a three-day period.

While both of these films can be seen in Ann Arbor, I can't help notice that An American Carol shows at two theaters on the outskirts, while Religulous is playing at the State Theater right next to campus. (I could walk to the latter but I'd have to drive to see the former. Yeah, make those conservatives drive their SUVs and waste gas!)

And in Philadelphia (yes, I'm homesick enough to check), I see that An American Carol is only showing at a theater way on Columbus Boulevard in Southeast Philly -- a place not easily accessible for the center city crowds who could be expected to run up the ticket numbers.

Bill Maher's Religulous, on the other hand, is playing at the Ritz at the Bourse, right by Independence Hall -- a trendy, popular, and much more easily accessible neighborhood.

Were I living or working in center city Philadelphia, I'd probably save the gas and wait for the DVD.

In New York, An American Carol is showing at three theaters in contrast to eight theaters for Religulous.

Hmmm... What to do.

Being that it's Sunday, I should probably waste sacrifice a little gas and see An American Carol for Religulous reasons.

MORE: Geez, the San Francisco distribution pattern is even more lopsided! (Five theaters for Religulous, versus one for Carol.)

I'd hate to think the pattern might have a disparate impact on ticket sales...