Don't Expect Any Cool Rhyming From Me
This year "The Cat In The Hat", based on a book by Dr. Suess, was released and it was a hit, somewhat. Critics, them assholes, dissed it, but us movie-goers told them to bite the big one and made it a number one movie. But before we saw Mike Meyers prance around like an idiot in a big stuffed suit, we saw Jim Carrey prance around like an idiot in a big stuffed suit.
Much like "The Cat In The Hat", the story is based on the book, but to make it a feature length movie, they added in some stories, including how the Grinch became a Grinch. Movie starts off with the narrator, being Anthony Hopkins, telling us the entire story takes place in a snowflake and in the city of Who-ville, all The Whos are getting readying for Christmas. They're buying stuff, decorating, having Christmas contests, and whatnot. Everyone's having a grand ol' time...except the Grinch, who lives on a mountain called Crump Pit, where the garbage is dumped (Hence a sign that reads "Dump It at Crump Pit"). The Grinch hates the Whos and hates Christmas even more. Then we're introduced to Cindy Lou Who, who is a daughter of Lou Lou Who, a mailman. Whew, that was a lot of "Whos".
Cindy Lou wants to know if there is more to Christmas then just buying gifts and decorating, but everyone around her, including the Mayor May Who, played by Jeffery Tambor, is just commercializing Christmas. The Grinch decides to pay a visit to Who-ville and mess stuff up at the post office, where he runs into Cindy Lou. She falls into a package sorter and he saves her, therefore making her care about him.
Cindy Lou wants to know why the Grinch hates Christmas, so she interviews some people, including two old ladies who were his "parents" in a way, the mayor, and Cindy Lou's neighbor Martha, played by Christine Branski. They all tell her how he came to Who-ville, which is just kind of weird. While the stork was delivering the babies (This movie's for kids, don't forget) the Grinch landed in a tree nearby instead of someone's doorstep, so the two old ladies took him in. Then when he was eight, he grew a crush on Martha, who was, and still is, dating the mayor. He wanted to give her a snazzy gift and look nice, so he made a angel out of bent wires and some kind of jewerly and he shaved. Everyone at school laughed at him and he went up on the mountain where he stayed ever since.
The Mayor then announces their Who-libration and he wants someone to be nominated for "Cheermeister", so Cindy Lou votes for the Grinch. Everyone was reluctant at first, but then they give in, so she invites him. He arrives and at first is getting into everything, eating chocolates and fruitcakes and whatnot, but when the Mayor gives him an electric razor, he flips out and, in the movie's darkest moment, nearly burns the entire town down.
It's when he returns to his mountain home where the story you and I know starts. He has had enough of Christmas and wants to stop it, so he sets out to stop it himself. So he makes a sleigh, and a suit, and makes his dog Max wear reindeer antlers and after Santa left Who-ville, the Grinch takes off.
He sucks everything into his bag with a big vaccum, taking their food, presents, trees, lights, stockings, pets, logs, whatever. Then he runs into Cindy Lou at her house. She thinks he's Santa and asks why he's taking the tree and, well you know (least you should).
The Grinch plans on dumping the gifts off the side of the mountain when everyone in Who-ville wakes up and, at first, are upset, but Cindy Lou and her dad Lou tells the Whos that, dammit!!, Christmas isn't about the gifts and presents and stuff, but it's about Jesus...no wait, they don't say that either. Hm.
Well, in any case, the Whos aren't upset and sing their weird Who songs (Not to be confused with the band The Who's songs) and the Grinch realizes also that Christmas isn't about gifts or trees and his heart grows three tims bigger or something and he likes Christmas.
So he and Cindy Lou, who went up to the mountain to be with the Grinch on Christmas, returns the gifts and everyone accepts him into the town again, even hosting the Christmas dinner. Oh and he gets Martha at the end. Yay, the Grinch is gonna get laid. Maybe that's all he needs.
It was hard for me to judge this movie, cause it is for kids, but I still like the animated version of "The Grinch" and I think the book still kicks major ass. I just really want to know why Jim Carrey thought The Grinch talks like Sean Connery, with a Mr. Potter from "It's A Wonderful Life" attitude. And why they felt the need to have The Grinch's face rub into Martha's breasts and say the word "Bitchin" (No, not at the same time, in two different scenes). Maybe it was for the adults who would be dragged to see this movie. So I guess it is enjoyable for both kids and adults. Yeah, hell with it, I liked it.
Ouch, my heart just grew three sizes.
3 stars.
"How The Grinch Stole Christmas" on IMDb.com:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0170016/