Le Grincheux

The Grinch hates Christmas, then steals it!

When this first came out I liked the original version much more, but as time goes on I'm finding myself preferring this version more and more. Perhaps it's because Jim Carey's portrayal is more relatable, or perhaps I'm more impressed with the visuals and production value than I once was, or maybe I just understand the adult jokes more. Whatever the reason, this is a fantastic adaptation.

What stands out above all is Jim Carey's performance, followed by the sets and costumes. It is an unforgettable experience that might never be replicated again.

While kids may prefer the original, certainly this will be all the adults most preferred version of the Grinch.

I've seen far many, many reviews of `Dr. Seuss' How the The Grinch Stole Christmas' in which critics can't resist the urge to write in rhyme, and every last one I've read irritates me. Yet, as I sit to begin my review, I feel the uncontrollable urge to begin rhyming myself. I promise not to.

I remember being excited to hear that there would be a live action version of `The Grinch' starring Jim Carrey, and I also remember being disturbed to hear that it would be directed by Ron `Opie' Howard. I had hoping for an artistic genius such as Tim Burton or a holiday entertainment luminary like John Hughes. Oddly, Opie pulled this one off.

If you want to see a good, fun holiday movie, go see this one. I'm not going to start comparing it to the classic animated `Grinch,' but I think it did a noteworthy job of giving some back story on the Grinch's character and a little history on the town of Whoville.

It also attempted to answer some age old questions- most notably, `Where is Whoville?' Well, the movie begins by showing, visually, that Whoville exists deep inside a tiny snowflake. The only problem with this is that the rest of the film goes on to prove that Whoville is actually located in northern Minnesota.

I've noticed that Jim Carrey is a lot more fun to watch when he talks like Jimmy Stweart on crack. Honestly, I don't think anyone else could have pulled off such a classic character. Carrey's Grinch could be the standard by which we measure all other bastardized Hollywood versions of cherished childhood memories.

`The Grinch' is packed with Ron Howard's `in-jokes' and double entendres aimed at disillusioned Gen-Xers. Seuss purists may find this distasteful, but honestly, why spend millions of dollars on a big-budget remake if you're just going to rehash the same material?

Cindy Lou who had gigantic teeth and gigantic hair. She also sang a nice little tune. Let's move on.

The film's talent award goes to the dog. If anyone truly lived up to the persona given them in the original Seuss drawings, it was Max. Some may argue that Carrey's performance was more admirable. To those people, I say, `but the dog was cute and had an antler on his head for a good portion of the movie. Did Jim Carrey even attempt this feat? I think not.'

Let's look at `The Grinch' by the numbers. The props department provided 1,938 candy canes, 152,000 pounds of crushed marble (used for fake snow), 8,200 christmas tree ornaments, and no less than two million linear feet of styrofoam to build the city of Whoville itself. Opie got the studio to go all out financially, and it shows. The sets look like you'd expect Whoville to look. Great stuff.

`The Grinch' gets a `B+.' It won't by any means replace its predecessor as a holiday classic, but you'll leave the theater feeling like a six-year old.

Great and Delightful Film. Funny Enough and Great Message. This was a True Christmas Spirit I would say. The Characters are So Great. This Movie touches my Heart From The Ending. They should make movies like this someday

Howard's 'How the Grinch Stole Christmas' is a delightful family flick that both adults and children can enjoy (mostly with each other). It is basically an adaptation of the famous children's books and what the audience gets is a pleasant Christmas treat. Price's screenplay is brilliant as he cleverly manages to include some adult humour.

The world of Whoville is beautifully constructed and created, full of colour, life, energy and spirit. The vivacious characters are full of positive energy and while it is over the top, it is all done within the context and none of it appears out of place. The CGI team and makeup crew deserve full credit for making the characters and settings so lifelike, bringing out a lot of detail and appearing authentic. The set designs are stunning and the cinematography is just as energetic as the characters.

Child actress Taylor Momsen is absolutely. The cute dog also turns in a fine performance. Jeffrey Tambor, a very sexy Christine Baranski, Bill Irwin and Molly Shannon are first rate. However, what would 'How the Grinch Stole Christmas' be without Jim Carrey? Carrey is simply fantastic as he immerses himself entirely into the character. It's a role that has Jim Carrey written all over it. The actor has immortalized the Grinch on screen.

The movie itself is not an exact 100% adaptation of the book as there are a few changes. The romance between the Grinch and Martha May could have been better developed. Other than the actors mentioned above, the rest of the cast hardly have anything to do than make fleeting appearances. Yet, 'How the Grinch Stole Christmas' is a charming little Christmas family film that is dazzling to look at and hugely enjoyable with the whole family.

This movie was never intended to win an Oscar, but for what it is, this movie is an absolute Christmas classic. I was a kid when I saw this in theaters and it still makes me crack up at 28. Jim Carrey is hilarious as the Grinch!