The Grinch (2018)

The decently enjoyable lightheartedness of the first two acts (pleasant animation and voicework provide some chuckle-worthy gags and fun sequences) grows by three sizes in the third as the Grinch’s redemption arc is completed with a refreshing and poignant childlike straight-forwardness (“It was me. I stole your Christmas. I stole it because I thought it would fix something from the past. But it didn’t”). Doesn’t break any new ground but it sure broke my tear ducts wide open in the end.

5

How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000)

Giving the Grinch a backstory and making the Whos materialistic and snobby creates an interesting new dynamic but it means the mountaintop climax where the Grinch learns the meaning of Christmas misses the mark entirely: it was the Whos alone who needed redemption for their consumerism and fear-mongering; the Grinch just needed some love (and speaking of, the Cindy-Lou/Grinch relationship is a cute one). The film looks pretty bad, but Carrey’s wisecracking, slapstick schtick is fun as always.

5