Top Box Office Movies - Dr. Seuss' How The Grinch Stole Christmas

Dr. Seuss' How The Grinch Stole Christmas (2000) Universal Pictures
1 hrs. 45 mins.
Starring: Jim Carrey, Anthony Hopkins, Molly Shannon, Jeffrey Tambor, Verne Troyer
Directed by: Ron Howard

Dr. Seuss' How The Grinch Stole Christmas

Rating:

E-MAIL GIANCARLO DE LISI

Photo: Universal Pictures

Every Holiday season studios rush to release their film, which they think, will become a Christmas classic. This year, Universal Pictures in association with Imagine Entertainment release ‘The Grinch', a comic fantasy starring Jim Carrey. Does this movie fall into the aforementioned category? No. This delightful holiday film is destined to become a classic due to its' over the top look and zany performance by Carrey himself.

Carrey plays the titular character who lives just above the town of Whoville, one Christmas after an unsettling experience provided by the townspeople, he decides to steal all the good holiday cheer and steal Christmas. But his plans become thwarted by a sweet little girl from that town, and the rest is pretty much history.

Credit definitely goes to Howard and his team who put together a simply stunning looking film, which is also incredibly enjoyable. It seems as if they stole the Disney formula for a successful family film. Hire a lead that both parents and kids can relate to, sprinkle a bit of comedy and a touch of comprehensible story and voila – a decent film. But in this case, the end result is as magical as the book itself. Forgive me if I am into the Christmas spirit, but anyone who does not enjoy this film must definitely be a Grinch.

The perceptive filmgoers will ask themselves one question, how do you turn a 15-page book into a feature film? Well, this is where Ron Howard excels. He uses the book as simply the third act in the film. The first act of the film recounts the legend of the Grinch and his childhood. The second act revolves around his acceptance in the town after a long absence, which ultimately backfires and causes to get even with the town, resulting in him stealing Christmas.

Howard puts forward enough eye candy to satisfy even the youngest viewer, yet supplies enough wit through Carrey's character to satisfy even the most meticulous adult. Jim Carrey's portrayal of the Grinch is simply astonishing. By the end of the film a smart moviegoer will want more. He brings to the movie his regular sense of physical comedy that works incredibly, but this character allows him to expand his speech patterns and body language to a level we the viewers have never seen before. Simply put, he is a real treat to watch. And the film is a definite treat.

The reason why this movie works so well is because through the first act, you can see why The Grinch has a grudge against the people of Whoville. His perspective is explicitly stated, although it was conjured by writers of today and relates in no way to the original book. It is interesting to see the take on why he is such a mean one. And from there on, the movie is simply a delight.

Furthermore, another reason why it is fun to watch is because it is not scared to make fun of itself in the process. And when it goes over the top, as one can see through the Grinch's drive on a car two times smaller than he, it goes way over the top. Leaving the audience to one resort - laughter. While many were skeptics about Carrey's portrayal and the direction of the film under Howard, all doubts can be put aside upon completion of the film. It is a pure, wonderful, fantastical journey that we have never seen before, and it is exceptionally well done. A true winner that will definitely become a Holiday classic.

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Giancarlo De Lisi
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