Hey folks, Harry here... Here are the 3 followup looks at the Grinch's screening that took place last week. Now having seen an extremely rough early print of the film myself... I felt that with the right effects and the right music... the film could be destined for greatness... However, the reviews we've been seeing of the final print have been... Not quite all of that. Has Ron cut the film for jocular effect. Has the score hurt the film? Has the film played up humor at the sacrifice of its soul? I don't know... More likely than naught... the film is simply not for everyone. Some will love it and some won't. As it comes closer to release we'll see more feedbacks from folks... Here's the selection...
Greetings, all. Derek Flint checking in. Sorry I haven’t written lately, but you know how it is being an international superspy: Globe trotting, fist swinging,chick pleasing. It’s a chore, know what I mean? Anyhow, my busy schedule has slowed down enough for me to take in a couple of flicks. I enjoy the ol’ picture shows whenever I can get to see ‘em, or at least use my mighty Tivo that the good people at Zowie provided for me. I checked out a couple of big movie sneaks this week, and here’s what this particular agent thinks:
THE GRINCH WHO STOLE CHRISTMAS
Being a guy who’s been around awhile, I sure remember the original cartoon like it was yesterday. I tuned in on CBS, long before it became the network old folks watch before they die. Good ol’ Boris Karloff was the narrator. The songs were good, and the Grinch was a creature you loved to hate.
Probably the best thing I remember about the ol’ cartoon was that it was half an hour. Come to think of it, none of those Dr. Seuss books require using a bookmark. Know what I mean?
And there’s the problem I found with the movie version of the Grinch. They had to do a lot of work to stretch a real simple story into a feature length motion picture, and all the filler didn’t really make the original story any deeper, richer and most importantly, entertaining. Personally, as I was watching the thing, the whole show made me miss ol’Jack Skellington and his bunch from “The Nightmare Before Christmas.”
That’s not to say there isn’t some fun to be had in this“Grinch.” The art direction is a Dr.Seuss book come to life. The costumes follow suit too. I thought Molly Shannon played her part with a perfect pitch, just the right spin in a fantasy.
And then there’s Jim Carrey, buried beneath all that makeup,who does wonders in a role only he could pull off. Personally, I don’t think they should have had such an extreme makeup job because ol’ “rubber face” Jim could use his own facial muscles to contort his kisser into that weird looking Grinch, and I often felt that in a lot of ways they buried ol’ Jim too deep behind that makeup. You’re paying the guy the equivalent of the national debt to play the title role, why not see him a little, you know?
The reason this movie will make money is Jim Carrey, as well as that big brand name “Grinch,” but watching the movie made me wonder what Tim Burton would have done with this very same flick. “Beetlejuice” could kick this Grinch’s ass, and for the life of me as I was sitting there during this sneak I kept trying to figure out why the cartoon “Grinch” seemed so much meaner and nastier than his live action counterpart. Who knows? Maybe it was because I was a kid, and that’s whom this movie was meant for.
I suppose kids will love it. As far as adults, to coin a phrase from another Ron Howard movie, “Hooville, we have a problem.”
Next up is Black Moon Creep who didn't care for it all that much...
Hey, Harry!
I'm a longtime reader, but this is my first time mailing you. If you don't mind, I'd prefer to be listed as Black Moon Creep if you use this. I was at the screening of The Grinch in Century City that Marcus Aurelius seems to have seen. First of all, we were told that we were "ONE of the first audiences" to see it. I wanted to clear that up, now here are my thoughts on the film.
Chances are that kids will like this film, but I didn't care for it. First, despite all the make up, Jim Carrey was not The Grinch...he was Jim Carrey. He used about 1000 different voices and was the most hyperactive Grinch imaginable. While I was disappointed at some turns by Carrey's Carreyness (which I normally enjoy, but here it felt out of place), he did have some shining comedic moments
Ron Howard did a very good job with this, but parts were a bit self-indulgent, including a brief scene with Carrey directing Max (the dog takes my nomination for best performer in this film) in, shall we say, a familiar manner. This belongs on the deleted scenes of a DVD, not in a final cut. Most of it, however, was very well directed.
The back story was very entertaining. The young Grinch stuff was fantastic...easily the film's best sequence. The love interest angle, however, eventually ruined the effect of the "joyful" ending.
Cindy Loo Who's increased role was enjoyable, but the added musical solo number was superfluous and...well, just bad.
The look of the film was interesting, and they mostly succeeded at sticking to the feeling of Seuss's story, though some of it was clumsy (especially the on-again, off-again rhyming and the less than brilliant pseudo-Seuss narration).
The Grinch is a likeable movie, but it does have certain problems. I think kids will dig it, and most parents will, too. I'm glad I saw it, but I'm also glad I saw it for free.
BLACK MOON CREEP
And then here's the Dude...
Harry,
Saw the Grinch Thursday in Century City and thought you might like to hear about it. Unlike some of your posted reviews, I had a great time with the movie, and will be happy to see the success that will most surely attain.
I attended the movie with several friends, and got several different opinions. Two of us loved it, another two thought it was OK, and one of us hated it. After questioning everyone, I came to the conclusion that those who didn't care for the movie as much were those who really didn't want to see a movie that stayed so true to the spirit of Dr. Seuss. A couple of friends complained about the Who's overly cheerful attitude about life. Hello? Have you read the book? Did you know what you were going to see?
Another argument. This movie had a Tim Burton feel to it. Maybe, but I would argue that Tim Burton has always had a Dr. Seuss feel to many of his movies. Who's borrowing from Who here? No pun intended.
Though the Grinch is dark and moody, the spirit of the film is not cynical and I think that bothered some of my more jaded friends. They wanted the Batman remake of the movie where the Grinch is an angry depressing psycho who's homicidal tendencies inspires fear among the happy, but pathetic citizens of Whosville. Well, Ron Howard wants to have more fun than that. The Grinch is mean, not evil. This is meant to be a live action cartoon. I never expected anything other than that, and I wasn't disappointed.
If you truly want to enjoy this movie, check your cynicism at the door, sit back, and let the movie take you on the ride it's designed to. Allow yourself to be a kid for a couple of hours. Don't worry, you can still be a cynical bastard after its over. Hey, I loved Fight club too.
I remember half way through the movie leaning over to my friend and saying, "this is why I love movies." Why? Because I came out of this movie with something I haven't had much of this year in film. A smile on my face. And that counts for something. If you have to call me something, call me
"The Dude."
