I will be the first one to admit, I was not expecting much out of the 2018 rendition of Dr. Seuss' "The Grinch." After all, Dr. Seuss movies have not had the greatest track record in the past. It was only natural to be suspicious and wary of the newest film to the Seuss-film line-up. This movie was especially viewed with skepticism due to the fact it was being made by the same studio that brought us "Despicable Me" and "The Secret Life of Pets." While these are not bad movies, people seem to hold a strong grudge when it comes to the Minion character and anything tied to them spells death for some viewers.

So, as trailers dropped and the release date loomed closer and closer, everyone waited with bated breath. Was this movie going to be a complete flop and tarnish the good feelings that come with the original "Grinch" cartoon?

Well, I am happy to say that, for me at least, the 2018 "The Grinch" was an enjoyable experience.

I will say up front that personally, I still enjoy the overall feel and characterization found within the first animated cartoon/film. Perhaps that has a lot to do with nostalgia and the wonderful Seuss style, but I found the original to have a special place in my heart that, unlike the Grinch, was not three sizes too small. However, that does not mean that I am unwilling to see the good that this new film has brought to the public.

Some people are very quick to strike this movie down, saying that it is unlike the original and therefore it is not good and worthy of its source material. I am inclined to disagree. There are a lot of wonderful things about this movie that leave you with a warm feeling in your heart that you can't help but associate with the Christmas season.

First of all, this has to be one of the nicest looking Illumination movies as well as the nicest looking Dr. Seuss movie that has hit the big screen. The animation is gorgeous; the animation team really knows how to capture the Christmas feeling, especially through their portrayal of lights and decorations. Along with this idea, the overall design of the characters are nice as well. Though I do have a problem with how soft the Grinch looks in comparison to his rougher and meaner appearance in the older film, the design of the Whos was very pleasing to look at and carried that same spark of creativity from Dr. Seuss' original.

Beyond this, I was pleasantly surprised to find all of the characters enjoyable to watch interact onscreen. All of the characters were likable to a degree or carried with them a bit of redemption. Even Cindy Lou gets her own focus in the movie through her desire to give back to her mother who gives so much to her and her twin baby brothers. These characters are nicely designed and pleasant in both appearance and demeanor; it's hard to be grouchy or mad while watching them move and interact on the screen. I was even pleasantly surprised to find that the animal sidekicks served their own purpose and were not annoying as well which was something that I feared when I first saw the trailers.

Beyond this, the movie just really captured that Dr. Seuss flair for creativity. This movie is made for a modern audience, but it does not throw this idea completely in your face. There is the use of technology in this movie, but the great thing about it is that the technology is Dr. Seuss stylized and fits within the Whoville world. It doesn't seem too out of place or ridiculous.

Plus, some of the visuals found in the construction or layout of Whoville are just too much fun to watch and you can't help but wonder how much time and effort went into the planning and animation aspect of this movie. Don't even get me started on the stealing Christmas scene. It was so creative and fun to watch! I just wish it had more focus as opposed to the actual planning of the heist.

Now, the real kicker comes through the story: is this story true to the original? The answer to that question is: not completely. However, that isn't really a bad thing. Sure, one thing that I did miss in this remake was the overall despicable qualities that the original Grinch seemed to have; the original Grinch was rotten and despicable, despising humanity while the new Grinch is more tired and grouchy, a real lonely humbug.

Did I wish they upped the evilness of the Grinch's character a little in both personality and physical design? Yeah, I would have liked to see that. However, the core of the original story is still there. The Grinch steals Christmas, but he does so in a way that the audience sees his humanity. No matter if you like the original movie more or not, you can't deny the original Grinch did a complete one-eighty in personality and demeanor.

A part of me, who appreciates indications of character growth and development, liked the little touches of the Grinch's humanity found within the movie. We get to see him go along and slowly change his mind and attitude as time goes on; he doesn't just flip on a dime, he grows and changes his character in a natural way. For me, one who loves to see smart development done over time, I really appreciated this aspect of the Grinch.

Was this movie a perfect piece of cinema? No, I can't say that it was. There were some faults, some jokes that really didn't match the Dr. Seuss environment within the movie and the tone. Plus everything that I mentioned before concerning the time spent on certain scenes and the overall design of the Grinch still stands. However, I think that this movie is a decent adaptation of a literary classic not because it looks nice, not because it is new, but because the warmth of the season still resonates within the movie and within the audience.