Wednesday 23 December 2009

The, The, The..


4. The Grinch (2000)

The Grinch is one of the few Christmas films that criticises the ridiculous over-commercialisation and self-inflicted pressures placed on everyone at Christmas. Of course this is the message also at the centre of the Dr. Seuss book from which it is based, but the film capitalises on this message and makes everyone feel like they wish they had there very own Grinch just to remind people what Christmas is really about.

Usually I find Jim Carrey's acting (particularly in comedies) over the top and I've always thought he's the type of actor you love or, as The Grinch would put it, 'loathe entirely'. However in the Grinch, Carrey's animated and excessive performance suits the role perfectly. Perhaps this has something to do with the character's cartoon origins, but it's one of those times where you actually forget that its Jim Carrey and believe that he is The Grinch. The same can also be said about the world around him for that matter. Whoville is masterfully created as if straight out of a child's imagination which is helped along by brilliant narration by none other than Sir Anthony Hopkins, keeping the film in touch with its literary roots.

Besides the Grinch, the main character of the film is Cyndi-Lou (Taylor Momsen), a young Who wondering what Christmas is really all about. She someone that we can all relate to, we've all felt sometimes that we're not really getting why people go to so much trouble around Christmas and how its becoming a commodity rather than a celebration. And the fact that it is a little girl who is having these feelings makes the message even more poignant. My favourite moment of the movie is when Cyndi-Lou sings 'Where are you Christmas.' I cry every time I watch that. I don't know why, it might have something to do with the fact that I cry at absolutely anything I watch in a film, or maybe its because there's something so pure and so innocent about this performance that really gets me.

Whoville is probably the most christmassy place you can let your imagination go and before Christmas I like to visit it at least once just to get in the mood and remember that Christmas doesn't come from a store...

"...Maybe Christmas...perhaps...means a little bit more!"

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