Disney Plus is adding a bunch of new titles this January 1st, including two great Jim Carrey family movies that the Mouse House has inherited from 20th Century Fox. Going up on the site on New Year’s Day are a couple of well-received entries in Carrey’s filmography from roughly a decade ago that have nonetheless kind of been forgotten about. Namely, they’re 2008’s Dr. Seuss’ Horton Hears a Who! and 2011’s Mr. Popper’s Penguins.
Horton Hears a Who! is an animated adaptation of the classic Dr. Seuss children’s book and stars the actor as Horton, an eccentric elephant living in the jungle who discovers that Whoville exists on a tiny dust speck. He fights to keep the people of the town – led by Mayor Ned McDodd (Steve Carrell) – safe, though his efforts lead to much upheaval. The terrific cast also includes Seth Rogen, Will Arnett, Selena Gomez and Amy Poehler, and Horton is notable for being Carrey’s second Seuss movie, after the live-action How the Grinch Stole Christmas.
Three years later, the actor reunited with Fox for Mr. Popper’s Penguins, which is again based on a classic children’s book. Carrey stars as Thomas Popper Jr. in the film, a real estate mogul whose Antarctic explorer father passes away and leaves his son a bunch of penguins in his will. Comedy mishaps ensue, but before long, the unlikely pets help the workaholic dad better connect with his kids. Carla Gugino, Clark Gregg and Angela Lansbury co-star.
Of the two films, Horton Hears a Who! is the much more critically acclaimed one, sporting an impressive 80% – that’s Certified Fresh – on Rotten Tomatoes. Its success paved the way for several animated Seuss adaptations as well, like The Lorax and The Grinch. Popper’s Penguins, meanwhile, received mixed reviews, with it falling short of Carrey’s best comedy flicks, but it’s still a charming enough slice of all ages entertainment.
Will you be catching these two Jim Carrey films on Disney Plus next month, though? Join the conversation in the comments section below.