I saw Where the Wild Things Are just about an hour ago. First and with understatement, the movie was good. I hate to bust into hyperbole or what not, so if that sort of thing bugs you stop reading.
Still reading? OK, I warned you.
Where the Wild Things is the best movie I have seen this year. It's not even close. That is a nice honor with very nice films such as Up, Drag Me to Hell, Inglourious Basterds, District 9, Moon, Observe & Report and several other winners.
The film is about the pains and joys of childhood. I'm sure that has been said before. But it is important to note, the film does not shy away from the pain. This film is painful and full of melancholy. That right there will derail many a viewer. People who expect a movie that is clearcut and just about an imaginationland adventure of a child are in for a shock. They are getting a true work of art full of true, garish emotion.
Max is a child in a world that is changing all around him. He feels all sorts of things that he cannot fully articulate and this confuses him. It hurts him. It angers him. Max's real world tumbles into his imagination. This is his articulation of it all, after all.
So, yeah. That is just a cursory glance of what is in store. The performances are all great. That kid is perfect and does such a brilliant job. The voice actors for the Wild Things all nail it. Spike Jonze kills the direction. It is pitch perfect. Karen O and Co deliver a very fitting and emotional soundtrack.
Back to the Wild Things themselves... absolutely astounding. The best creations I have probably ever seen. Lots of practical work by the Jim Henson Company enhanced with CGI to present fully realized characters that are wholly believable... both physically and emotionally. Jim Henson would cry if he could see these wonders (I did, both from their technical stand point and from the film's emotional punch).
So, some people won't like it because it is a true portrait of growing up and not some nostalgic trip to when you may actually have had an imagination. If you remember what it was to grow up and still have an imagination, you are in for a treat. Albeit one that may punch you in the stomach and leave you reeling.
As for kids, I say let them see it. It may not be right for kids 6 and under (there is some "scary images"). But anything above that I feel they need to grow up with this movie. The book was hated on by adults when it came out as it was not deemed right for kids. Who was correct there? This film will present new things for them and strong imagery and meaning that they can latch onto even more as they grow up. Family films that don't talk down to anyone and grow as the viewer does are the ones that are around forever (largely).
This film is just as challenging as... the Wizard of Oz. The Princess Bride. Both films have some intense scenes... who doesn't want their kid to see those? (If you said me, then I feel sorry that your child is THAT kid.) Speaking of those two films, this one is just as perfect. I feel it is one that may have some misinterpretation and not runaway love immediately (like those two), but will more than stand the test of time and be there forever.
Yes. This film is that good. It surpasses almost all others and joins a very select group. It is a true reminder of the ultimate force of cinema and what it can accomplish and convey. Moving.
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