The Grinch (Interactive Playset & Full Screen DVD)

Rating:
Summary: How Ron Howard re-created a Holiday Classic
Review: How the Grinch Stole Christmas is a holiday classic, but some people may not appreciate Ron Howard's Hollywood remake with this film. It follows basically the same plot as the traditional television program, with a few added segments to make the movie a little longer.

The best thing about this movie has to be the excellent make- up by Rick Baker. He won an Oscar for his work, and it was well- deserved. Jim Carrey (one of the other highlights of the film) looks just like the Grinch should look- with the same smile, the same face, and the same mannerisms of the original Grinch.

The overall plot includes some added segments about the Grinch and his childhood, showing how he same to dislike Christmas so much. Ron Howard was the target of much criticism for doing this, but I feel it was undeserved criticism. He needed to make the movie a little longer and he probably wanted to make it more his own work rather than just a complete rehashing of the original. I think he does a decent job here, although I can agree that some of the scenes are a little silly.

Overall, this is still a good film for the holiday season. Jim Carrey's goofiness and his nasty Grinch- like nature, along with the great make- up and the eye- catching set, make for a pleasant movie watching experience. It's not exactly like the original, but it's close enough that traditionalists shouldn't be too alarmed.


Rating:
Summary: Nice kid...bad judge of character
Review: Ron Howard smacked this one out of the park. They could not have cast a better person then Jim Carrey to play the role of the Grinch. His imitations of Sean Connery, and Ron Howard were laugh out loud funny. The costume design, make-up, and prop builders also did a stupendous job with this movie.

You also have to give the screenplay writers a lot of credit. They took a short story, added their own liberties and twists to the story, and still came out with a masterpiece of a movie. What must have made this screenplay difficult is the fact everyone has read/heard this story, many, many times. So you can only deviate from the original story so much. The narration was also done very well.

Jim Carey delivers an Oscar esk performance in my opinion. Carey plays the Grinch, and delivers in a performance that could be compared to Cruise's Jerry Maguire, or Denzel's Training Day. I think this role may, heck was, a lot harder to perform then either of those roles. Unfortunately, kids movies will always get over-looked for such nominations.

Jeffrey Tambor played the mayor of Whoville, and he played the pompous jerk to perfection ;). Christine Baranski played Martha May Whovier, and for being fifty-two years old, she looked pretty hot. Taylor Momsen also did a fabulous job as Cindy Lou Who.

How the Grinch Stole Christmas is a classic holiday movie, and like the original should be viewed every holiday in my opinion. It belongs in your DVD collection as a classic, and is funny every time I sit down and watch it.

Grade: A


Rating:
Summary: You're a bad movie, Mr. Grinch
Review: It's hard to say what's worse: having all your Christmas decorations and gifts stolen on Christmas Eve night, or having to sit through this horrible adaptation of a classic Christmas story. It's hard to believe talented people like Ron Howard and Jim Carrey could take such excellent source material and turn it into one of the worst movies ever made.

Jim Carrey's performance as the Grinch is nothing more than a rehash of his performance in "The Mask," except in this case it completely destroys a classic character. The Grinch is mean, sniveling, and pathetic, not an insane, bouncing-off-the-walls lunatic.

Visually, the movie is very dark, which fits during the scenes at the Grinch's lair, but this presentation continues during scenes showcasing what should be a bright, cheerful Whoville.

Another flaw is that the movie constantly makes references to pop-culture and the real world. This only serves to take you out of this fantasy world and destroy what should be an immersive experience.

But perhaps the worst thing about this movie is the humor, which is crude and disgusting. The movie is filled with "funny" bits like the Grinch making a sleeping character kiss his dog's rear end, or the Grinch being forced to eat too much and drooling pudding out of his mouth, or a scene in which he falls into a female character's breasts. This movie should heart-warming, not disgusting.

All in all, this movie is an abomination to Christmas, an abomination to Dr. Seuss, and an abomination to the film industry. Instead of serving as a heart-warming reminder of the Christmas spirit, this movie is more like a cold shower for the Holiday season. Do yourself a favor and watch the far superior animated version.

Rating:
Summary: How the Grinch Stole My Pepto-Bismol
Review: You can't expect a Jim Carrey movie to not have a few crudities in it, and "Grinch" is no exception. These could have been borne had the rest of the movie, which is far too long for so wispy a plot, been engaging.

Carrey's Grinch is forced to carry the show, which he attempts through non-stop hypermanic activity and shouting. His frenetic pace and commentary are initially tolerable and Carrey's range of expression is remarkable considering the goop on his face. His own malleable face shines through. But after a while the viewer is left feeling he's locked in a room with a revved up perpetual motion tyke.

Somehow the cartoon Grinch's change of heart works, but the movie's version doesn't. He's just too nasty (with an embittered memory of scorn from his childhood) and cynical to change that quickly. The change is even harder to understand given that nearly all the residents of Whoville are greedy, materialistic oafs who also have an inexplicable change of heart on Christmas day. The Grinch should have been more puzzled than moved by the sudden shift in Whoville's hedonistic bent.

Stick with the original cartoon Grinch.

Rating:
Summary: Kids Today. So Desensitized by Movies and Television...
Review: There is so much stuff in this update of the classic story that many viewers may feel overwelmed by it in the end. It takes the original cartoon, not to mention the books based of the Grinch, and makes one big manic movie about the Christmas spirit.

We get a back story on how the Grinch became to be, more logical reasons why the Grinch hates the Whos, and really creepy Who makeup. But what stands out in this movie is Jim Carrey as the Grinch. No one else could have played the part. He is perfect in the role, capturing the spirit of the character as well as generating great big belly laughs.

Aside from all the "stuff" thrown into this movie, in the end it becomes pure magic when the original cartoon is realized and the Grinch steals Christmas. You are able to look past some of its flaws and be able to sit back and enjoy. There are plenty of heartwarming moments and laughs to be had by families, and this movie may just become a perennial favorite in your home.

Rating:
Summary: not true to form
Review: this movie was way off from the books.yes books,as in plural.there were very many dr suess books concerning the grinch.there never was a martha may.the grinch had environmental induced mental problems from his mother.the cat in the hat and the whos help him in the end.this movie tossed all that outthe window.that being said,in this one the grinch is tormented as a child by the mayor of whoville-as a kid too.one x-mas,the kids push him too far over a issue with his love interest martha may.so,he develops a serious disliking for x-mas and whos.as a matter of fact,he reads some of the phone book everyday.with each name he reads,he screams down from the mtn"I HATE YOU".its very disturbing if youre a who.he eats glass,sets out time to wallowin his self pity..................a very in depth character suffering from something very serious.jim carrey is the grinch.the kids will love it.its not quite as good as the cat in the hat but its really close.theres an old grinch movie from god only knows when that inspired this one.the old one is better i say.its at least true to one of the greatest characters ever.i think this is a very likeable movie everyone will like.i think the whos are obnoxious myself and very ugly.ithink ive made it quite clear that the only thing this has in common with the book is a tall green guy and he steals x-mas.this is jim carreys best performance of all time.the other best ones are bruce in bruce almighty,the schizo in me myself and irene and andy kaufman.its an excellent movie.