Rating: Summary: This is a really bad movie. Review: Jim Carry's performance looks like the same sort of performances you find on talk shows, Rick Baker's make up effects for the Grinch look cartonnish and fake, James Horner's music is forgetable, and Anthony Hopkins narrates the story even though it does little to redeam an already terrible movie.
Rating: Summary: Overheard in the Theater Review: First I thought I'd share what happened when we were at the theater. The scene where Grinch is trying to figure out what to wear, he jerks the tablecloth off without disturbing the items on the table, walks off, then goes back and knocks everything over including the table. There was a general chuckle over this scene but in the quiet after that a young voice protested, "That's NOT funny!" For a moment Jim Carrey was upstaged by a young fan.Now, I grew up on the classic animated version of How the Grinch Stole Christmas with Boris Karloff as the narrator. I admit that I was skeptical going into the theater. How much nonsense padding was going to be added to make this a feature length film? How would the Whos look "live"? Could Jim Carrey sing?! The additions made added an entirely new dimension to this classic story. The sets and makeup incredible. And Carrey's version of "You're a Mean One Mr Grinch" is delightful. I think the most significate difference between the old and the knew comes towards the end when the Grinch is about to give up and allow the sled to fall from Mt Crumpet with the words "it's only presents." Then Cindy Lou appears atop the sled with the words that "no one should be alone on Christmas". It was only when someone, not something, was in danger that the Grinch reached inside of himself and saved Cindy Lou. That to me is a far better message than the original. Add this one to your Christmas tradition. Share it with family and friends. After all that's what it's all about - people, not things.
Rating: Summary: THE BORING CARREY Review: Carrey overacts like always here. Director Ron Howard missed the mark, as he did before in HOWARD THE DUCK. HE started with a good concept on hands, but execution flawed. The movie lacks some kind of "rhythm". I almost slept.
Rating: Summary: Jim Carrey really steals the spotlight as...The Grinch!! Review: Now THIS is Jim Carrey at his best! Especially when he plays the role of..."The Grinch"! To me, this is Carrey's best work since the "Ace Ventura" films, "The Truman Show", and "The Mask"! The direction of Ron Howard ("Ransom", "Apollo 13") was outstanding! This has got to be Howard's best film of recent years! To me, "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" lives up to both the book and the cartoon versions in a VERY big way! This is among one of those films that will leave you with a feel-good feeling and that "The Grinch" will either have YOUR heart growing three sizes, or will have you laughing so hard until it hurts! The role of Cindy Lou Who went to an adorable young actress named Taylor Momsen. Taylor was made for this role and that I think she's the perfect choice to play one of the most important characters in this film. And the other most important character of the film was the Grinch's dog "Max", who is the only living person or thing that could tolerate the Grinch's nagging and yelling, etc. The citizens of "Who-ville", played by Christine Baranski ("Bowfinger"), Jeffrey Tambor ("Meet Joe Black"), Molly Shannon ("Serendipity"), Bill Irwin ("Stepping Out"), and Clint Howard ("Tango & Cash"), who is also Ron Howard's brother, gave excellent performances all the way! The special effects, such as the Grinch riding down from his cave on his high-powered sleigh, was simply amazing! I own the DVD of this, and I was surprised to find out the number of extras that are in the disc, like deleted scenes, the trailer, lots of behind-the-scenes featurettes, a special section for the kids entitled "Max's Playhouse", and much, much more! In closing, I just have to say that "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" will have you laughing, cheering, and a little bit of crying too. I really don't know whether to like the book, the cartoon, or this live-action version, because they are all classics to me! This will be a great addition to any DVD collection or any Dr. Seuss collection! You will agree that when you see that "The Grinch" is one of the best holiday films ever made, you will watch it over and over again...even after Christmas!
Rating: Summary: "You're a mean one, Mr GRINCH!" Review: Master storyteller Ron Howard (Apollo 13, Ransom, A Beautiful Mind) has brought the classic Dr Seuss story of the nasty Grinch to the screen, and it's great! Jim Carrey is the reason you have to see this film. Combining comedy and pathos, Carrey is the Grinch, albeit under a ton of Rick Baker's makeup. Also Howard's wonderful visionary look to the film is great, narration from Sir Anthony Hopkins and a supporting cast including Jeffrey Tambor and Bill Irwin. There are problems though. The film does tend to slip into schmaltzy sentimentality, and the adult humour doesn't sit very well with the cutesy look of Whoville. Regardless, it's good family fun, and a great DVD to boot. No doubt the Grinch will be grumbling into homes everywhere.
Rating: Summary: Not very Dr. Seuss...COOL!!! Review: Guys, get over the idea that this movie is not a very close remake of Dr. Seuss' story. In order to make this story work cinematically, the Grinch got to have a backstory, and the Whos had to be a little less "innocent". I like what Ron Horward and Jim Carrey did here. Yes, I love the critics to commercialism about Christmas, I love the idea BOTH the Grinch and the Whos are wrong, and in their interaction they come to understand what Christmas is really about. Jim Carrey is absolutely fantastic in this role, he'll make you laugh, he'll make you cry, there should be an Oscar category for comedic roles like this. Believe me, doing what he does is not easy, it's even more difficult than many dramatic roles. I was expecting the boring, silly, Dr. Seuss' story (sorry, but it really is), and they gave a really novel and updated version that had in me a better "feel good" effect than the original story. Don't compare, look at the movie as somenthing different, and you'll enjoy it.
Rating: Summary: Grinchiness at its best... Review: While Ron Howard is one of the best directors of our time, Jim Carrey is surely one of its most gifted actors. While he hasn't yet mastered the subtleties of dram, he is like human Play-Dough, easily able to mold into the most unusual of characters. The Grinch, while an odd, even uneasy character, may be Carey's most challenging role to date, due in large part to the mountain of makeup the transformation requires. Within the green fur and facial prosthesis, Carrey literally becomes the Grinch, enough so that Dr. Seuss's own widow personally approved of the production. The unexpected treat in this film is the sweet on-screen relationship between the Grinch and Cindy Lou Who, played perfectly by 6-year-old Taylor Momsen. While Carrey is a delight to watch in his crazed Grinch routine, by the end of the movie even the Grinchiest of people will likely feel their hearts growing three sizes. While perhaps not a holiday classic, "The Grinch" will take an honored place in our Christmas viewing traditions, and should be a welcome addition to any DVD collection.
Rating: Summary: Carey's Best Review: this is Jim's best movie to date!! I LOVE this film..the setting,the characters,this show is an easy 5 stars! not the original ,but takes the story and makes it more colorful,adds more story to it...maybe not how suess would have, but close enough...
Rating: Summary: A great comedy for Jim Carrey and Dr. Seuss fans Review: Not every Dr. Seuss fan may enjoy the movie, since it provides the background to the original "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" story. However, Jim Carrey makes an excellent Grinch and this movie is definitely worth watching. The DVD has bonus material that makes this movie a good buy.
Rating: Summary: Falls just shy of being a classic holiday movie Review: The Grinch is the smash hit film version of Dr. Suess's beloved children's book, How the Grinch Stole Christmas. Only Hollywood knows how to take a short modern fairy tale and translate it into a frenzied, overblown spectacle. Despite all its excess, this movie has a lot of entertaining moments and a knockout performance by Jim Carrey as The Grinch. It's a role that's perfect for him, even though he is virtually unrecognizable under all that green, hairy makeup. In fact, ace makeup artists Rick Baker may have done too good a job. Instead of charming all children, this Grinch is apt to terrify a few of them. It's nearly Christmas in Whoville, that wondrous town that exists inside a snowflake. Its citizens go all out for the holiday, which is their favorite time of year. Right now they are in the midst of a shopping frenzy, and only one resident, Cindy Lou Who [Taylor Momsen], wonders if the spirit of Christmas isn't getting lost in the rush to buy stuff. But she's just a little girl, and who is going to listen to her? After all, the only character who is decidedly not in the spirit is The Grinch, who lives up on Mt. Crumpit with only his dog, Max, for company. That's just fine with The Grinch, who hates everyone in Whoville anyway. He lived there as a kid, but the other children laughed at him and made him the butt of their cruel jokes. He has spent the last several years trying to make his heart so small that he won't feel anything. Cindy Lou takes pity on him and tries to including him in the festivities. When her idea backfires, The Grinch decides to ruin Christmas for everyone in Whoville, and poor Max is his unwilling accomplice. Carrey, of course, has the movie's best role, and he has a blast with it. Momsen is winning as Cindy Lou. She's sweet but not sickeningly so. Christine Baranski is hysterical as the sexy Martha May Whovier, the only one who was nice to The Grinch as a child. He's secretly in love with her. If they gave Oscars to dogs, Max would have been nominated. He's a remarkable canine actor. The rest of the cast doesn't have a lot to do, but they all get to wear really cool makeup. Before a movie ever goes before a camera, a color palette is chosen. These are the colors that will be emphasized throughout. While it's not something the average viewer often notices, this important decision defines the picture's tone. Someone decided it would be neat to use red and green almost exclusively in The Grinch. These are, after all, the colors associated with Christmas. The effect proves to be too much, giving the overall movie a much too electric and rather too hard look. Children probably won't be bothered by this, but adults may find it irritating after a few minutes. The Grinch is decent family entertainment. Its heart is certainly in the right place, wisely emphasizing Dr. Suess's themes of the true meaning of Christmas and tolerance of those who are different. While I don't think it's destined to become a holiday classic in years to come, it's a mostly enjoyable way to fill a holiday evening
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