It's the most wonderful time of the year. Or, it is if you're like me and have already started listening to Michael Bublé's Christmas album on repeat. Of course I realize Thanksgiving hasn't happened yet. I mean no disrespect toward Thanksgiving; I've been listening to these songs since July!
My family is a huge fan of the original "Grinch" film, the illustrated one. We have a stuffed Grinch that we like to put in various places around the house, and it's not uncommon to come down with this odd disease that has you breaking into that song that all the Whos down in Whoville sing at the very end of the movie.
When I first heard about the new "Grinch movie", I was skeptical. But here are some reasons why I am thrilled to see it using gifs from the original movie!
1. The commercial.
This was one of the first commercials that managed not to give away the entire movie in the span of a single minute. It highlighted a few funny points to get your attention but left the actual plot and ending of the movie left to those who go to see it. I respect that.
Am I worried that all of the good jokes were used in the commercial? Yes, a bit. But I laugh at them every time I see it, so at least I know I'll find some parts funny.
2. The animation.
I think we all, as a nation, need to agree that the live-action version of this movie with Jim Carrey was creepy. His character was a bit disturbing to look at, and I am still having a hard time forgetting the portrayal of the Grinch when he was younger.
When I heard that the directors of the "Despicable Me" series were going to animate a new movie, I knew they would do a good job. The type of animation used seems like what Dr. Seuss would have liked to see the story turn into. It's meant to be a kid's film, and I think the actor portrayal turned it more into an uncomfortable adult film.
3. Max!
Of course, the main dog in the film is adorable. Typically, he is not heavily portrayed, but I appreciate that all the characters in the story are getting a bit more attention. It's refreshing to see a man's best friend teaming up to try to steal Christmas. Such valuable bonding time!
4. Fred!
My absolute favorite part of this film is the addition of the overweight reindeer. Fred is described as looking like he ate the other seven reindeer and, according to the commercial, enjoys whipped cream both through his nose and mouth. Name me a more relatable character than Fred. I'll wait.
But really, I respect their addition of a new character, and I think it has the potential to unlock a new side of the story as well as introduce great moments of humor.
5. Dry, slightly mature humor.
I'm a fan of movies that are genuinely made for children, but I live for those moments where the jokes cater toward the older audience. It's always a bit of a shock that they would put something like that in there, and you get to sit back and enjoy a laugh knowing that the kids watching are wondering why you're laughing.
Based on the commercial, I would say that this movie has the potential for many moments of such humor. An example is the way they describe Fred, but there are many more instances of dry, slightly more mature humor that promises this movie to be a blast for a large range of audiences.
Typically, I am not a fan of constant recreations of movies. At first, you're wondering to yourself, "Do we really need another Spiderman?" But occasionally, the people in Hollywood really know what they're doing and they churn out a great one, like Tom Holland, or this new "Grinch" movie.
There's a lesson we can all learn from this. Sometimes, you don't know what you want until it's wearing tight spandex or befriending an overweight reindeer.
