Lately, I've been loving Illumination's movies they've been making! With Disney and Pixar on the decline lately, Illumination has really stepped up to the plate with their recent success with the Super Mario Bros movie. I'm excited to see their newest film called 'Migration,' coming out this December. In this adaptation of Dr. Seuss's 'The Grinch Who Stole Christmas,' Pharrell Williams narrates it because he has a partnership with Illumination. Benedict Cumberbatch voices the Grinch and doesn't sound half bad. Rashida Jones even voices Cindy Lou, whose mother and the girl who plays Cindy Lou Who in this is pretty endearing.
The animation is just absolutely breathtaking in this, and they really beautifully recreate Whoville and Mount Crumpet. I really find this version far more palpable and enjoyable for kids compared to the Ron Howard and Jim Carrey nightmare-fueled remake that honestly gave children nightmares and was a whole lot darker. This version is a lot more wholesome to watch and not nearly as creepy. You can tell Illumination really cared about the design and aesthetic of this movie a whole lot, and they put top-notch animators to really bring Dr. Seuss's 'The Grinch' to life in the most honorable way possible.
The Grinch is not nearly as mean or diabolical in this adaptation compared to the original and the Jim Carrey version. He's a lot more toned down, and they focus more on how he doesn't feel loved, making him less dastardly than the other previous versions, which I feel is more suitable for kids anyway and still drives the valuable lesson home that no one should feel alone on Christmas. All the Whos are super jolly and positive.
But I think what separates this version from the previous versions probably the most is the Whos don't treat the Grinch like a monster. After the Grinch takes everything from the Whos, they honestly are more confused and upset when the Grinch steals everything of theirs but are super forgiving and heartwarmingly compassionate after they find out his tragic tale. Oddly enough, they're not even frightened by him like they are in the originals, which is an interesting take and makes the movie a lot more endearing, I think.
I think the most lovable character, obviously, is the Grinch's dog, Max, in this movie. They almost give him a Gromit-like personality with a lot of miming and a certain level of endearment. The Grinch is not nearly as cruel to Max as he is in the other two versions, and he is the standout performance that really outshines Benedict Cumberbatch most times throughout the movie with his love and support towards the Grinch that really makes seeing the Grinch's transformation lovable.
There's a lot to this movie that is different, but honestly, I think they should have just skipped the whole frightening Jim Carrey version and just created an animated movie to follow up the original to begin with. And I think the Illumination production company really hit the mark with this one and did justice to make this as poetically beautiful and honor the original as much as possible. It's not an instant classic like the original, but it's a really beautiful looking adaptation that's far more suitable for young children to enjoy and still understand the valuable messages to learn from. And honestly, Benedict Cumberbatch's voice as the Grinch sounds incredible, and I think Illumination did a good job. Like this movie or not, I think this is a good and faithful adaptation of the original.
The animation is just absolutely breathtaking in this, and they really beautifully recreate Whoville and Mount Crumpet. I really find this version far more palpable and enjoyable for kids compared to the Ron Howard and Jim Carrey nightmare-fueled remake that honestly gave children nightmares and was a whole lot darker. This version is a lot more wholesome to watch and not nearly as creepy. You can tell Illumination really cared about the design and aesthetic of this movie a whole lot, and they put top-notch animators to really bring Dr. Seuss's 'The Grinch' to life in the most honorable way possible.
The Grinch is not nearly as mean or diabolical in this adaptation compared to the original and the Jim Carrey version. He's a lot more toned down, and they focus more on how he doesn't feel loved, making him less dastardly than the other previous versions, which I feel is more suitable for kids anyway and still drives the valuable lesson home that no one should feel alone on Christmas. All the Whos are super jolly and positive.
But I think what separates this version from the previous versions probably the most is the Whos don't treat the Grinch like a monster. After the Grinch takes everything from the Whos, they honestly are more confused and upset when the Grinch steals everything of theirs but are super forgiving and heartwarmingly compassionate after they find out his tragic tale. Oddly enough, they're not even frightened by him like they are in the originals, which is an interesting take and makes the movie a lot more endearing, I think.
I think the most lovable character, obviously, is the Grinch's dog, Max, in this movie. They almost give him a Gromit-like personality with a lot of miming and a certain level of endearment. The Grinch is not nearly as cruel to Max as he is in the other two versions, and he is the standout performance that really outshines Benedict Cumberbatch most times throughout the movie with his love and support towards the Grinch that really makes seeing the Grinch's transformation lovable.
There's a lot to this movie that is different, but honestly, I think they should have just skipped the whole frightening Jim Carrey version and just created an animated movie to follow up the original to begin with. And I think the Illumination production company really hit the mark with this one and did justice to make this as poetically beautiful and honor the original as much as possible. It's not an instant classic like the original, but it's a really beautiful looking adaptation that's far more suitable for young children to enjoy and still understand the valuable messages to learn from. And honestly, Benedict Cumberbatch's voice as the Grinch sounds incredible, and I think Illumination did a good job. Like this movie or not, I think this is a good and faithful adaptation of the original.