Which Grinch is Best?

Today I saw The Grinch at the cinema and I could not stop myself comparing it to the 2000 version How the Grinch Stole Christmas, so much so that I actually came home and watched it! So as I watched two Grinch films in one day I thought instead of reviewing the new one why not compare the two? So that's what I've done. I want to first just give a little review on the new film. The Grinch is an animated, comic, enjoyable adaptation, a classic Illumination (Despicable Me, The Secret Life of Pets) film. Its light-hearted on the surface with complex messages running throughout. Want to know more then read on! Read to the end to discover which adaptation of the Dr.Seuss classic is my favourite. Warning there will be SPOILERS!

The Grinch

Let's start with the main character The Grinch. The Grinch is very different which makes it very easy to separate the two films. Jim Carrey's Grinch is mean to his very core which makes his growth that much bigger, he is barely nice to Max, he gives children a saw and then tells them to run with it (which is hilarious) and he almost lets Cindy Lou die. He is also sassy as and him trying on outfits is my favorite all time meme. He is also a little inappropriate at times which is why the film is rated PG and not U. He is also made out to be a completely different being too the Whos - he even arrives in a different basket. Whereas Benedict Cumberbatch's Grinch is Slightly nicer - he adores Max and hates being alone, he is more nasty than mean, there is a really funny scene of him going into a supermarket. I think it is also possible that he is actually just a green Who - he buys green hair dye which could be because he is in fact a fake green or because he's 50 plus and needs to hide the grey hairs who knows. He is certainly more civilised - his house is amazing: he has a kitchen and a bedroom, a library, a workshop, a music room - its way better than the dump that the Grinch lives in in How The Grinch Stole Christmas. Honestly I love both, I could not pick which Grinch I prefer because they are so different.

Max

I am a huge dog person so obviously Max is my favourite character in both films. Honestly Max is adorable and cute and fluffy and brilliant in both films. Max in How The Grinch Stole Christmas is  a really life doggo, he is super talented and acts amazingly - fun fact the dog noises Max makes are actually created by a human. He is also very sassy, well as sassy as a dog can be, he makes the Grinch save Cindy Lou and he makes the Grinch go to the Whobilation. Also his dancing is so amazing! Animated Max is just as cute and he gets a lot more interaction with the Grinch, they play chess together, shop together, and the Grinch even uses his slobber to turn book pages. Max makes coffee, plays the drums (awfully) and likes to have his hair done. One of the best moments of the film is when the Grinch gifts Max with a bone for Christmas. Again I cannot decide which Max is better because honestly all animal characters are adorable.

The Narration

Both films are told is a story like fashion with narration. Anthony Hopkins voices the narration in How The Grinch Stole Christmas and his voice is truly magical. There is just the right amount of narration. However I was not a big fan of the narration in The Grinch, Pharrell Williams is the voice of the narration which I thought would be awesome. But the narration lacks magic and there is far to much of it. I actually found the narration to be overbearing and unnecessary. So I prefer the narration in the 2000 version.

Cindy Lou Who

Cindy Lou Who is basically annoying no matter what. In How The Grinch Stole Christmas she is played by a young Taylor Momsen (before all the black makeup), she sings, she's sugar sweet and invites the Grinch to the Whobilation because she doesn't want anyone to be alone at Christmas. She has a closer relationship with the Grinch and once his heart has grown to a bigger size he saves her from falling from a cliff. She has crazy hair that we all aspire to have and she has cute parents that love Christmas. Cindy Lou in The Grinch is voiced by Cameron Seely, she's less girly and doesn't really care about the Grinch at all, she instead wants to capture Father Christmas to ask him to help her mother. Her family is adorable, her mum is a night nurse, and she has two baby twin brothers, the family reflect modern families which is nice. She also has slightly crazy hair. Honestly I prefer the live action Cindy Lou.

Whoville

If you didn't know both films take place in the fictional place: Whoville. Whoville is a snow covered city and is home to the Who's. Sitting above Whoville is Mount Crumpit where the Grinch lives. Honestly both versions of Whoville are beautiful, they both have beautiful buildings that are made up of circle shapes and swirls - they are basically houses that you wish existed. So honestly I loved both! I will just mention hair and costume both are crazy and fabulous in How The Grinch Stole Christmas and I have always wanted to go to a fancy dress party as a Who. However I was super disappointed with both the costume and hair in The Grinch they basically wear normal clothes and have normal hair.

The Narrative

The Narratives of the both films are very different I know how that sounds but let me explain, yes the Grinch lives in the mountain above Whoville, he hates Christmas, he steals Christmas and then his heart grows three sizes. But the narrative surrounding the main story is completely different. In the 2000 Jim Carrey version the narrative revolves around the Whobilation - an annual event that takes place before Christmas. The Grinch is nominated to be the Holiday Cheermeister By Cindy Lou, which means he has to attend a ceremony where he has to eat foods, play games and receive an award.  Whereas in The Grinch the narrative is more focused on Cindy Lou trying to capture Father Christmas, a lot more time is spent on the Grinch preparing to steel Christmas than in the previous film. Also there is focus on Christmas being three times bigger than before which is fun but it is not really as awesome as the Whobilation. Honestly Narrative wise both films are good but How The Grinch Stole Christmas is slightly more fun.

Before I reveal which Grinch is best I just want to run down a few of my favourite moments of the new film. I love the new characters Fred - an overweight reindeer, Bricklebaum - a neighbour of the Grinch who thinks they are friends. I also loved the gadgets the Grinch makes and the whole stealing Christmas sequence is brilliant. Overall though my favourite has to be the 2000 How The Grinch Stole Christmas, I just love everything about it. That's not to say that I won't be watching the new one over and over because I will but it was not quite good enough to knock the original from the top spot.

Thank you for reading xx Let me know in the comments below which version you enjoy most - you do not have to be a google member to comment xx

There are lots of great films coming up so keep an eye out for more posts x