How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000)

Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas (known as The Grinch for promotional purposes), is a 2000 American live-action film from Universal Pictures and Imagine Entertainment, based on the 1957 book of the same name by Dr. Seuss. Because the film is based on a children's picture book, 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 Ron Howard, produced by Howard and Brian Grazer, and starring Jim Carrey, it is the first Dr. Seuss story made into a feature film. The film received mixed reviews from critics, but spent four weeks as the #1 film in the United States.

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, 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 comes from a mistake by a wrong wind when he was a baby, and is adopted by a group of ladies. Although he shows some sadistic tendencies as a child, he was not the cruel and selfish person who he became; 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 goes 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 genuinally enjoy himself until Augustus proposes to Martha in marriage and gives the Grinch an electric shaver as a Christmas present, something that makes him remember his traumatic childhood and go on rampage again, spoiling the party and upsetting Cindy Lou. The Grinch is pleased with his rampage, but much 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 the 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. In the next day, when the Whos wake up and notices 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, and 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 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, and that "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 and delight). In the end, the redeemed Grinch starts a new life with the Whos and commemorates Christmas with them in his cave.