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The most helpful favorable review
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31 of 35 people found the following review helpful:
"THE GRINCH" is a new holiday classic!
The new film version of the classic tale "How The Grinch Stole Christmas" has gotten mixed reviews. I went in with my hopes down, not excited by the frenzied trailers and reading comments like "gross out humor" and "charmless"... In the week that it's been out, I've seen it twice and I'm going back a third time after Thanksgiving...
Published on November 22, 2000 by Peter Gardner
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22 of 29 people found the following review helpful:
You're a bad movie, Mr. Grinch
It's hard to say what's worse: having all your Christmas decorations and gifts stolen on Christmas Eve night, or having to sit through this horrible adaptation of a classic Christmas story. It's hard to believe talented people like Ron Howard and Jim Carrey could take such excellent source material and turn it into one of the worst movies ever made.
Jim...
Published on December 9, 2004 by Ben Richman
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31 of 35 people found the following review helpful:
"THE GRINCH" is a new holiday classic!, November 22, 2000
The new film version of the classic tale "How The Grinch Stole Christmas" has gotten mixed reviews. I went in with my hopes down, not excited by the frenzied trailers and reading comments like "gross out humor" and "charmless"...In the week that it's been out, I've seen it twice and I'm going back a third time after Thanksgiving dinner... When all is said and done, "The Grinch" is a wonderful movie; true to the original while taking justified liberties and expanding it, and maybe providing it's own, new unique riches the book and the animated version don't have. This film has been quite unfairly lambasted and compared. I'm sure no one will argue that Charles Dicken's "A Christmas Carol" is more of a classic than "The Grinch," How many versions of THAT do we have? With how many variations and elaborations, from Bill Murry to Mr. MaGoo? Taken on it's own terms, "The Grinch" is a new holiday classic, hillarious and moving. Jim Carrey is magnificant; absolutely hillarious while always portraying the Grinch as a three-dimensional character, one who (believe it or not) is a grown child nursing a long buried wound. When it comes time to bring that wound to the surface and heal, it's a perfect and moving combination of Carrey, Ron Howard's direction and James Horner's score. Carrey, I think, deserves an Oscar nomination. Visually inventive, wonderfully acted, it is the best fantasy film in a long time. A Christmas movie that makes you laugh so hard so consistantly and then move you to tears by the end? Bah Humbug, critics and nay-sayers. A new classic for all ages, for all time.
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25 of 28 people found the following review helpful:
Puttin' on the Seuss, December 10, 2006
Many kids
Enjoy Christmas
They like it a lot
And this film
Is about the Grinch
Who did not
The film gives the background, and fills in some blanks
The Grinch as a child was subjected to pranks
He fancied a Who, with the name Martha May
He tried to impress her and to his dismay
They laughed at his efforts, his gift and his face
So he destroyed the classroom and fled from that place
Then,
He moved to Mount Crumpet
And made him a home
While the green hairy creature seethed under the dome
Until one cold day at the town Christmas party
When young Cindy Lou showed him how to be hearty
Then Mayor May-Who went and spoiled all the fun
By taunting the Grinch 'til he came all undone
He went up his mountain, and he started scheming
And when he was through he was smiling and beaming
He'd ruin their Christmas; he knew what to do
Revenge is the sweetest when it's overdue
If you've read the story you know how it ends
How the Grinch stole that Christmas from his former friends
So what happened next?
I won't give it away
This Christmas this movie will show every day
So if you're a Grinch you can run, but not hide
As you try to stifle the feeling inside
Just gather the kids for a clean yuletide treat
Merry Christmas to all!
(Now this poem's complete)
Amanda Richards, December 10, 2006
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18 of 21 people found the following review helpful:
Jim Carrey's Grinch Is Fun For All, The Tall & The Small!, November 24, 2001
Pretty much all of us know the classic Dr. Seuss story about the Grinch, a somewhat green meanie, who wants to stop Christmas from coming to his local neighbor's, the Who's. Ron Howard's film version starring rubber faceman Jim Carrey simply takes that story and adds a bit more to it (to fill the extra hour and twenty minutes of running time as opposed to the original cartoon version's 25 minutes). I for one love the backstory that was created. I always wondered why did the Grinch hate the Who's so much. What made him hate Christmas? These questions are answered quite well with some well imagined backstory of the Grinch as a child who actually grew up among the Who's, only to be ridiculed and made fun of for his strange appearence and unique behavior. It seems that the Green one became interested in a young girl that another boy liked (and who ultimately would later became the Mayor of Whoville). The film evens goes on to have Cindy Lou Who (who's given a bigger part in the film) question her family's values of what Christmas is really about...presents?...buying stuff?..is that's all it's about?..she wonders. It is she who realizes the good in the Grinch and crusades for him to be head chairmeister at one of the Who celebrations. I'm not sure what other people were really expecting, but this is pretty much what I thought the movie should and would be like. The sets and costumes are amazing..very Seussian! And Jim Carrey?...Well, I personally believe that Jim is great in everything he does and doesn't recieve enough credibilty by critics and certain moviegoers mainly because of where he came from (i.e. comedy and Ace Ventura: Pet Detective, the film that made him a star). I think critics that gave the film a bad review missed the whole point and probably need to watch fewer films 'cause they're obviously burntout! All I can say is the fans have spoken, which is why, despite lukewarm reviews, the film went on to become a huge hit and success back in November of 2000! I will still of course watch the cartoon version, but this version will also find plenty of time in my DVD player as well!My only gripe with the DVD is that certain special features are too short or missing. The "Spotlight on Location" is barely over 7 minutes long. There are about 5 such featurettes included on the DVD that run between 4 to 10 minutes long. With such an interesting story like "The Grinch", a 60 minute or longer documentary should've been made to really take us inside not just the filming process, but the world of Seuss and Whoville as well. The other disappointment is there is no audio commentary included. I had almost expected one from director Ron Howard, who had always done one for previous Universal Pictures Collector's Edition DVDs (Apollo 13 & EDtv). I really wanted to know more about just how stressful it was on Jim Carrey to wear the Grinch costume. From interviews I've seen by Howard on Late Nite talk shows, Carrey became so tortured that he ripped the mask off his face and walked off the set. He was in the makeup chair everyday for 92 days straight. They had to get a Navy Seal team leader to instruct Carrey on ways of dealing with torture just so he could finish the shoot (no joke). This kind of story deserves much more insight, which is why I'm so disappointed that no commentary is available on the disc. So whenever people say Jim Carrey wasn't good as The Grinch, I scoff and say, "he went through torture to make that movie!" Some people are just hard to please. But don't let it ruin your Holiday Spirit! Add "The Grinch" to your collection today. And catch the special sneak preview trailer of E.T. The Extraterrestrial on this DVD (just before the movie begins), coming only to theaters in March 2002, with added footage, new special effects shots and more! The Grinch - It's not easy being green.
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7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
Entertainment at its most envious, October 2, 2002
Its the classic tale of the hate-filled outcast who with time grows to be accepted into society. In this instance, the Grinch, a hideous abnormality that lives off his passion for yuletide misery, is eventually persuaded from obscurity to join the Whos in their picture-perfect village. Under the layers of leathery green skin, Jim Carrey is instantly recogniseable as he writhes and extends his facial features to the limit capturing the loveable rogue stature perfectly. Ron Howard's takes charge of the direction and provides an magical yet comprehendable depiction of the dedicated Whos as they prepare for the festivities. Its not laugh a minute entertainment but it is inventively produced and provides a credible reproduction of Dr Seuss classic childrens stories. Hilarious in parts and cringeworthy in others, this is family fun encroaching upon the the best in DVD entertainment.
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13 of 16 people found the following review helpful:
Do you know how the Grinch stole Christmas?, October 26, 2001
A Kid's Review
For all you Christmas lovers this would be a great film for you. The Grinch is a great film which everybody enjoyed. Children under the age of five might find The Grinch abit frghtening to look at but there is no need to be scared.The Grinch is a nice monster once you get to know him. This film really gets you in the Christmas mood. It would be a great film to watch on Christmas Eve.
I really, really really enjoyed the film. My mum and dad did as well. I can tell you that there not a film person, but they liked this one especially. I would say this is the best film I have seen. If you haven't seen the film yet, you must get it on video.
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22 of 29 people found the following review helpful:
You're a bad movie, Mr. Grinch, December 9, 2004
It's hard to say what's worse: having all your Christmas decorations and gifts stolen on Christmas Eve night, or having to sit through this horrible adaptation of a classic Christmas story. It's hard to believe talented people like Ron Howard and Jim Carrey could take such excellent source material and turn it into one of the worst movies ever made.
Jim Carrey's performance as the Grinch is nothing more than a rehash of his performance in "The Mask," except in this case it completely destroys a classic character. The Grinch is mean, sniveling, and pathetic, not an insane, bouncing-off-the-walls lunatic.
Visually, the movie is very dark, which fits during the scenes at the Grinch's lair, but this presentation continues during scenes showcasing what should be a bright, cheerful Whoville.
Another flaw is that the movie constantly makes references to pop-culture and the real world. This only serves to take you out of this fantasy world and destroy what should be an immersive experience.
But perhaps the worst thing about this movie is the humor, which is crude and disgusting. The movie is filled with "funny" bits like the Grinch making a sleeping character kiss his dog's rear end, or the Grinch being forced to eat too much and drooling pudding out of his mouth, or a scene in which he falls into a female character's breasts. This movie should heart-warming, not disgusting.
All in all, this movie is an abomination to Christmas, an abomination to Dr. Seuss, and an abomination to the film industry. Instead of serving as a heart-warming reminder of the Christmas spirit, this movie is more like a cold shower for the Holiday season. Do yourself a favor and watch the far superior animated version.
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14 of 18 people found the following review helpful:
UNIMPRESSIVE !! - LACKING EXTRAS, November 22, 2006
Let me start with the good or at least the acceptable. The picture and sound quality are what you've come to expect from a mid-level HD-DVD catalog title. Picture quality isn't "stunning" like some other releases, but it is obviously a hi-def dvd. The sound quality is average. The DTS soundtrack is only available on the regular dvd side. The bad comes when you expect to see the same extras that were included in the original "collector's edition". Gone are the bloopers, deleted scenes, videos & documentaries, in fact the only real extra is a directors commentary with Ron Howard. In a word PATHETIC !! Universal seems to be trying to become the new FOX, expensive products with no value added features, my advice.....save up for the double dip.
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
Grinchiness at its best..., April 1, 2002
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.
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
The movie is only okay, but ..., December 23, 2001
This movie is only okay, but the DVD deserves praise for one of its special features. First, though, my review of the film: Although casting Jim Carrey as the Grinch is a stroke of genius, I have wondered ever since encountering the trailer for this live-action remake of the Dr. Seuss classic why Hollywood felt the need to try to improve on the book and the animated television show. upon seeing the film, I can honestly say that this question hasn't been answered for me. I give it high marks for Carrey's performance and the film's visual originality, but the film is basically an example of Hollywood trying to milk a classic for extra bucks. This is particularly ironic, since the film's story line purports to be an outcry against the crass comercialization of Christmas. I'm sure that neither Carrey, who utters a sermonette about said commercialization, nor the filmmakers turned down any of the money they made from it.I am writing this review mainly because I want to send kudos to Universal Studios for partnering with Descriptive Video Service (DVS) to make the first fully accessible DVD. Contrary to conventional wisdom, many of us who are blind have always loved movies, but in recent years our enjoyment of Hollywood products has been enhanced by the availability of narrated descriptions of a film's visual elements. Heretofore available only through purchase directly from Descriptive Video Service of Boston and other providers, this feature has crept into select theaters on select releases and now finally onto a commercially sold DVD. More importantly, Universal and DVS have made the DVD menu system accessible to those of us who can't read the screen by the use of voice prompts. by the way, if you have a vision problem and weren't aware of these features when you bought this DVD, press 1 on your remote when the first menu screen comes up and you will enter the voice menu system. this will also activate the narrated description if you play the movie or most of the DVD features from the voice menus. I wish these features had been added to a better movie, but Universal and DVS have done a good job and I hope that Hollywood will take a cue from this release and start adding these accessories to other major releases, or at least the voice menus.
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8 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
We love this movie, October 22, 2009
My friends and all LOVE this movie, despite all the scathing negative reviews from so-called "experts" here and on other movie sites who constantly trash it. Of course it's not 100% "true" to the original (20-minute) cartoon or the book. You gotta fill a 2-hr+ movie with something, so they came up with a lot more material and a back story... we all adore the mildly adult and sometimes twisted humor, anti-Christmas dialog, great effects, and some of the funniest lines I've ever heard in a movie. I generally hate Jim Carrey, but in this role, he truly cracks me up. I am ordering the Blu-Ray version to replace my regular DVD... It's a holiday staple at our house, and will continue to be forever.
For those who expected a charming, nostalgic full-length children's book movie version of this classic tale, I suggest you settle for the original cartoon... This takes the story to a new, (and funnier) level, and I for one, think it's great entertainment!
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