Directed by Ron Howard
3 Stars
This movie was a staple of my teenage years during Christmas time. There were two Christmas films I always enjoyed watching more than others: Jingle All The Way and How The Grinch Stole Christmas. It helped that I was raised reading Dr Seuss's books and was also a fan of Jim Carrey. The film has the feel of a Dr Seuss book, and the Grinch costume for Jim Carrey still looks impressive, even after 20 years. The makeup effects for the Whos don't quite hold up as well; the noses look noticeably fake. The set design is fantastic though, filled with white, red and green colouring that's vibrant and impactful and always reminding you it's CHRISTMAS!
As the book was never that long to begin with, the film expands on the story and fills in the gaps with its own take on the situation, which, for the most part, feels natural, but I'm not a fan of any of the songs. Carrey, at this point in his career, was perfectly cast as The Grinch. I don't think anybody would have done a better job, and 7-year-old Taylor Momsen as Cindy Lou may not be the best acting you'll see from a child, but she looks the part and is very cute. There are also some smart jokes and visual gags which are still funny, but also some I never got as a kid! Like when Cindy Lou is showing a newspaper article about the Grinch to a couple adults, and the picture on the newspaper looks exactly like the famous picture from the Patterson–Gimlin Sasquatch footage. I think my favourite scene is The Grinch driving around in the tiny car before crashing it, leading to a big classic Hollywood explosion.
Reviewed by Aayu
View in Library Catalogue: DVD
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