I’ll set the scene for you. A cold evening in early November, my friends Tesharna and James were slaving away in a basement, trying to comprehend Real Estate VAT laws. Out of a chasm of desperation, Tesharna suggests we go to the cinema. After a brief peruse of the local venues, we settled on the Cineworld in Five Ways to watch The Grinch.
To tell you the truth, this movie moved me. I was in a fragile state when watching it, for reasons those close to me will know. The particular emphasis on familial proximity and generosity espoused in this film warmed my heart. Now, I know this story. Every person of my generation has their own memory of The Grinch. Probably Jim Carrey’s iconic portrayal of the Green Ghoul. But in the 2018 version, with Benedict Cumberbatch at the helm, one sees this wonderful tale in a new light.
The sheer lavish magnificence of Whoville in this animated version was impressive. Mr Grinch had to go to some extraordinary lengths to try to ruin Christmas, and he had his own reasons for doing so. But, at the centre of this film, one message is clear.
Christmas is not about gifts or decorations. The familiar feeling of pressure one gets at this time of year, where companies desperately try to equate Christmas’ success with the size of the gift box under the tree, is done away with. the true value of Christmas lies in unity. I’m going to repeat that. Christmas’ value lies in unity. Bringing people together for a short while and revelling in each other’s company is the true meaning of Christmas. No amount of ridiculous posed photography surrounded by mounds of presents in good lighting can take away from that.
Funnily enough, this tale of misapplied anger self-imposed exile affirmed the central message of the upcoming holiday season is togetherness. This film does wonders to remind us to look around and appreciate the things we already have. We should be thankful for each new day, loving all our friends and our families.
The Grinch reminded me how fortunate I am to be here. And it will remind you, too. I hope you’ll go and see it. Smiles are guaranteed.