How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000)

Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas is a 2000 comedy film from Universal Pictures and, based on ' 1957 storybook of the same name and its animated adaptation. Because the film is based on a children's storybook, many additions had to be made to the storyline to bring it up to feature-length, including some information about the backstory of the title character. Most of the rhymes used in the book were used in the film, though some were slightly changed, and new rhymes were put in as well.

Directed by, produced by Howard and , and starring , it is the first theatrical film based on a Dr. Seuss story. DreamWorks Studios was originally planning to co-produce the film, but dropped out at the last minute. However, DreamWorks would internationally distribute another Universal/Imagine Dr. Seuss adaptation, .

Anthony Hopkins supplied narration, similar to Boris Karloff's in the original, and the soundtrack included a new version of the original special's song "You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch."

The advance publicity title for the film was simply The Grinch, and the title was retained for the version released in Australia and the United Kingdom.

Synopsis
The movie begins with a celebration in the microscopical city of Whoville, where everyone celebrates Christmas with as much happiness and joy, with the exception of the cynical and misanthropical Grinch, who despises Christmas and the Whos with great wrath and occasionally pulls dangerous and harmful pranks on them. As a result, no one likes or cares for him.

Cindy Lou Who, after becoming aware of the Grinch's existence, starts to create interest in the Grinch and his history and asks everyone what they know about him, and soon discovers that he has a tragic past. He actually came from a mistake by a wrong wind when he was a baby, and was adopted by a group of ladies. Although he showed some sadistic tendencies as a child, he was not the cruel and selfish person he would become; he simply was ridiculed by all his classmates (mostly by Augustus May Who) because of his appearance (with the exception of Martha May Whovier), and eventually went on a rampage against Christmas.

Cindy, touched by this story, decides to make the Grinch the main participant of the party before Christmas, to the great displeasure of Augustus, who has no choice but to agree to the idea. But when she offers an invitation to the Grinch, he only grumbles and sends her out of his cave. However, after much gossip and debate with himself, he (with a "little help" from Max, his dog) goes to the party anyway. While he is initially disgusted with the party, he start to genuinely enjoy himself until Augustus proposes marriage to Martha and gives the Grinch an electric shaver as a Christmas present, something that makes him remember his traumatic childhood and go on a rampage again, spoiling the party and upsetting Cindy Lou.

The Grinch is pleased with his rampage, but to his dismay, he soon realizes that his attack does not remove the spirit of Christmas from them, and that they will do the commemoration of Christmas tomorrow without any trouble. Angry with the idea of spending another annoying Christmas in his cave, the Grinch deduces that the Whos only celebrate Christmas because of their extravagant gifts, and he (with the unintended help of Max) decides to steal all their belongings while they sleep. He does this successfully, but ends up forcing Max to pull all the things stolen when his flying sleigh breaks.

The next morning, when the Whos wake up and notice that they were robbed, Augustus gets mad and openly accuses Cindy Lou as the person responsible for "ruining Christmas!" But her father, Lou Lou Who, openly defends her by arguing that she did nothing wrong and that the principal meaning of Christmas is to spend it with family and friends, not to give or receive gifts and do decorations. The people agree with this remark and begin to sing.

Meanwhile, the Grinch, unaware of what is happening in the town, believes that he has destroyed Christmas and decides to destroy all the stolen gifts after he hears the Whos crying, but much to his shock and chagrin, he actually hears the joyful singing of the Whos and realizes that his plan has backfired. Disgusted and puzzled, the Grinch starts to ask why his plan fail and, after a moment of reflection, he realizes that Christmas means much more than mere "material gifts", an insight that profoundly touched him and (literally) makes his heart grew up three times its original size. But his happiness doesn't last, because the gravity start to pulled the stolen gifts to the edge of the cliff, and a horrified Grinch decides to save it, but the gifts are too heavy to him, and he is about to leave it until Cindy (who decides to give him another chance) appears in the top of the gifts and tells him that she came to see him, because "nobody should be alone on Christmas". This gives enough strength to the Grinch to lift the gifts. After a long descent, the Grinch appears along with Cindy and the gifts, explaining what has transpired, apologizing for all his evil deeds and pranks against the Whos, and offers to accept any punishment that they want to give him. But much to Augustus's chagrin, the Whos not only decide to forgive him, but Martha also decides to deny Augustus's proposal and wants to stay with the Grinch (much to his personal happiness). In the end, the redeemed Grinch starts a new life with the Whos and commemorates Christmas with them in his cave.

Soundtrack

 * 1) "Grinch 2000" - Busta Rhymes and Jim Carrey
 * 2) "Green Christmas" - Barenaked Ladies
 * 3) "Christmas of Love" - Little Isidore and the Inquisitors
 * 4) "Lonely Christmas Eve" - Ben Folds
 * 5) "Better do it Right" - Smash Mouth
 * 6) "Whoville Medley" (Perfect Christmas Night/Grinch) - Trans-Siberian Orchestra
 * 7) "Christmas is Going to the Dogs" - The Eels
 * 8) "You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch" - Jim Carrey
 * 9) "You Don't Have to be Alone" - 'N Sync
 * 10) "Where Are You, Christmas?" - Faith Hill

Reception
How the Grinch Stole Christmas was a financial success at the box office, opening at #1 with a weekend gross of $55,082,230, for an average of $17,615 from 3,127 theaters. It closed on March 1, 2001 after 15 weeks with a final gross of $260,044,825 in the United States and Canada and an additional gross of $85,096,578 in other territories for a total worldwide gross of $345,141,403.

The film received mixed to positive reviews from critics. lists the film with a 53% rating, classifying it as "Rotten", and Metacritic listed the film with a 46% rating, indicating "mixed or average reviews".

The film garnered three Academy Award nominations, including Best Costume Design and Best Art Direction, and won the Academy Award for Best Makeup. At the Golden Globes, Carrey was nominated for the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy, losing the award to for O Brother, Where Art Thou? The film won a Saturn Award for Best Music. However, it was also nominated for two 2000 Golden Raspberry Awards for Worst Remake or Sequel and Worst Screenplay, losing both categories to ' and ' respectively.

Trivia

 * Jim Carrey would star as the main character in another Dr. Seuss adaptation eight years later - he voiced Horton in the 2008 film adaptation of