It’s been a little while since we put it out to the readership for thoughts on a film. Sorry for that. I’m already kinda, sorta on the record as regards Spike Jonze’s “Where the Wild Things Are,” but this being one of the year’s most anticipated films from movie fans, I’d love to hear your thoughts. So come on back here and sound off once you get a look this weekend.
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41 responses to “Tell us what you thought of ‘Where the Wild Things Are’”
Real world moments: brilliant. Wild things moments: needed work. I think the effort to create foils in the wild world from the real world and taking aspects and events from reality and transferring them into fantasy was noble (Mom says to Max: You’re out of control! Max says to Carol: You’re out of Control!). But it wasn’t fleshed out enough. None of the wild things felt complete beyond either being angsty or snarky (and that was mostly Catherine O’Hara). Beautifully made and shot, and Max Records was wonderful. But I really wish the whole thing had been on that snow-covered street and inside that oh-so ordinary house instead of that beautifully made but emotionally uneven land.
Wow, no thoughts yet. I’m not seeing it until Sunday, but it is my most anticipated film of the year and the reactions have me even more excited to see it, even the negative ones. It’s strange when negative reviews say exactly what would make you interested in a film, only in a negative way/connotation. I’m looking forward to a dark exploration of childhood, wild rumpusing, a bratty like kid, and I’m most certainly *not* looking for some great twisty-turny action packed story, which I’m quite shocked any critics were expecting in the first place.
And there we go with a negative thought (above mine) that makes the film sound brilliant. Emotionally uneven is exactly what Max’s make-believe world should be. He’s a kid acting out on a rage and emotions he doesn’t understand.
In theory, Matt, it sounds great. It’s not executed, in my opinion, to the level it needed to be in ordered to be considered refined.
I enjoyed it. Not the best film I’ve seen this year, but it stacked up really well and lived up to the legacy of the book. Though I wasn’t that crazy about the real world segments, but I enjoyed the parts in the land of the Wild Things better.
Matt, when I said emotionally uneven (poor word choice, I see that now), I meant more that the creators (Jonze and Eggars) weren’t completely sure what this place should be like and how it should tie in to Max himself and the real world around him.
If the mere fact that they decided to adapt a nine sentence book into a $80 million feature film doesn’t trouble you, you will find this film to be brilliant.
I don’t see this one dropping out of my year end top 10. hopefully the academy feels the same.
It was dramatically inert and just puzzling: why would a child imagine an amoral universe? And why would we want to follow him around in it? I now am being forced to attend the Michael Jackson movie in a couple of weeks because the friend I dragged to “Where the Wild Things Are” says I owe her one.
I will agree with some of the critics who say it was “inactive/lack of plot,” but at the same time, the child in was amazed to see these creatures come to life. The “goodbye” at the end affected me in a way I didn’t think it would–I wasn’t sobbing, mind you, but there was a tear of genuine sadness.
Oh… and those who haven’t seen it yet: hope you don’t have to deal with too many noisy kids, like the ones present at my screening. Damn parents: shut your children up or leave them at home!
im not sure if its the best movie ive ever seen or the worst
Loved it. Absolutely brilliant. The technical aspects are phenomenal, but there’s also really interesting ideas flowing around there. A lot of Freudian dream-work stuff. Really interesting, beautiful, emotional movie.
As a side-note, the movie is simply a great piece of work too. Max Records is wonderful in the lead and all the Wild Things are great. Loved Gandolfini, but Catherine O’Hara is pretty great as well. And Paul Dano’s work is lovely as well. Sorry, I just go into exaggeration mode when I love a movie this much. I won’t say it’s the best movie of all time, or the year (maybe I will) but it is a freaking great movie. I’ll stop now.
I thought it was really beautiful (visually and emotionally), if a tad lightweight. The kid was really natural and Gandolfini was really touching and pushed the character beyond the “big lonely guy” shtick that he could have easily relied on. I went with a big group and few disliked Catherine O’Hara’s work (sacrilege!), but I adored her. Chris Cooper was great too, and surprisingly nebbishy. The world Max imagines is startlingly brought to life, although it probably helps that I’ve never read the book.
Some of the movie was really interesting, and it’s definitely a noble effort from Jonze. But fuck was I bored after awhile.
Loved it. Didn’t mind the uneven-ness in tone at all. I thought it was a great way to show how kids work through there emotions. It worked very well for me.
*their
:)
I was disappointed, but I doubt anything could have satisfied my expectations. It was a very good movie, but I felt like it stalled in parts. Does it make sense to say it felt too long but that I also would have liked more character development? The KW and Carol situation was too choppy.
Also, I hope Mark Ruffalo did not fly all the way to Australia to film his two minute scene.
I think this is Spike Jonze’s best film — it surpasses everything that’s come before it about childhood and growing up because it speaks the truth: that children are often hopelessly selfish, unconsiously cruel and emotionally confused.
It’s not about solving Max’s problems, it’s about coming to grips with them and understanding — growing up…
I loved it, 9/10 in my book, I was just a little disappointed with some of the middle part. I thought Max Records was great and the Wild Things were developed just enough to function as part of a kid’s imagination. I really liked the parallels drawn too. And the technical aspects were just gorgeous.
Is it strange that two of the hardest times I’ve laughed in movie theaters this year have been bird-involved? Kevin’s Carl-imitation in Up and Bob and Terry telling the cow joke WTWTA.
What was up with Bob and Terry? That whole thing just didn’t feel like it had anything to do with the rest of the movie, like it was there for a brief laugh before Carol gets all angsty again.
I loved it. For all of the contemporary flourishes –the film had a strange late 70’s / early 80’s feel to it –as though it were a foreign film intended for children but was too odd for American family audiences of that day –now it has this– I just caught this little movie on cable one late-night.
I couldn’t help but think of “Gummo” while watching the early half of the movie –I love the soundtrack.
If the Academy would even go there with this movie –I’d love to see Spike receive another Best Director nod –the cinematography, the editing, make-up, visual effects, sound (whatever sound categories it qualifies for), set-design, and art direction.
Loved it — Jonze is brilliant and gutsy — one of the years very best.
Certainly a work of art that I’m gonna have to see again to see again to fully appreciate it. It’s one of the year’s most mature efforts. And the cinematography needs to win something. Like an Oscar.
@ Bryan:
KW’s new friends Bob & Terry = Max’s sisters new friends and/or Mark Ruffalo?
the parallels were pretty thinly veiled in this one…but i loved it.
Bob & Terry = Claire’s friends. Carol’s reaction = Max’s reaction.
I don’t know what I thought about it yet…
Loved every minute of it. Not perfect, but still loved it.
Loved it. There was a really annoying, loud kid in my audience that was narrating the on-screen action. I wanted to say something to the parent, but I felt kind of awkward considering it was theoretically a movie for kids and the entire audience consisted of 20-somethings.
Infectious and warmhearted. Beautifully shot and with a truly outstanding performance at its center; please let it be possible Max is nominated! It’s perhaps one of the most truthful and realistic evocations of a child on screen, and the fact that he pretty much carries the entire movie single-handedly with such conviction and natural ease is more than praise worthy. He captivated me, and honestly, who hasn’t BEEN him at one time in their life before?
My only complaint (and it’s not a huge one): pacing. It’s been said before, but some of the conversions from scene to scene stumble a bit. And my other complaint has nothing to do with the movie: the easily distracted (and distracting) kids in the audience. This movie is not for the little ones.
I agree with a few other comments — tedious pacing and some stunted character development are really just holding this back from being great. It’s an honest, imaginative storytelling technique that I mostly appreciated. Please, Oscars for costume and cinematography. I’m not sure if it ends up in my year-end top ten, but that’s more indicative of the strength of the year … It would have been pretty high on last years list.
Also: don’t know about anyone else, but I haven’t been in a theatre so packed since TDK.
good craftsmanship. surprisingly it didn’t do anything emotional for me. pretty much a let down. I was expecting to feel all nostalgic.
WTWTA… was an emotionally raw and soulful movie. It captures the intense pain and pleasures of childhood. loved the visual landscape in both worlds-performances were wonderful all around. i was expecting it to be good, but not to hit me in the gut, personal level it did. so far my fa film of the year… and in my top ten fav films of all time.
I tried to like it. I’d hoped to like it. Although I appreciated its raw emotion (and I did appreciate the “realness” of the emotions for a boy with his experience — that worked very well) I just did not like the movie. I found it too angry and too unsatisfying especially for a mass appeal. The friend I went with said she had not been that excited to see a movie all year (she was basing it on the advertising — she had liked the music and the idea of a boy romping with his imaginary friends which she saw in the trailer). She didn’t like it either. Neither did her six year old son. The reaction by the patrons in the theatre I was in was pretty much flat. IMO, I think the marketing that I’ve seen doesn’t represent the film at all and a lot of little kids (and their parents) are going to be scratching their heads.
I think I need to see it again before I can really write a review. But one scene that struck me was when Carol discovered the heart with the C in the middle made of sticks that Max left in the ruins of the model fort city. Truly powerful stuff. The whole thing, in my opinion, is a work of art. It’s one of the most unique films I’ve seen in some time. Overall, the film succeeded on so many levels I had hoped for and didn’t even see coming. I think that box office si going to put the film in the conversation for Best Picture, and Jonze should not be counted out for Director either.
My full thoughts are at the link below, but in brief, I thought it was great technically and definitely well-intentioned, but I just couldn’t get into it emotionally. I understand that it took place it a child’s dreamworld and that things weren’t supposed to make literal sense, but the disconnect for me was just too great to get fully invested. Worth seeing though.
For those interested, here’s the full link: http://moviemanifesto.blogspot.com/2009/10/where-wild-things-are.html
Where The Wild Things Are feels far too much like one of Jonze’s music videos. Although visually stunning, it doesn’t allow viewers any time to stop and appreciate the visuals. Oddly enough, Jonze’s first two films (Being John Malkovich and Adaptation.) are all-around great movies, but it’s beginning to seem that credit is entirely owed to their screenwriter, Charlie Kaufman.
You can read my full review at:
http://cfilmc.com/where-the-wild-things-are/
2009 might go down as the year of adult oriented films disguised as kids movies… Where the Wild Things Are, Up, and Coraline being the 3 biggest reasons.
Have to echo those who say it was wonderfully crafted, well acted, but left me utterly emotionally stunted.
It just didn’t do anything for me (recognizing it’s attempt to create childhood issues and entering a somewhat scary imagination world to understand what’s he’s feeling and then recuperate). It just didn’t grab me emotionally.
I just saw this movie last night–WOW. I felt like this movie came at exactly the right moment in my life, for so many reasons. I’m 19, an age where adulthood and all its sensibilities are being forced (sometimes unwillingly) upon me, and yet childhood isn’t so far away that I can’t remember intimate details and feelings. Not only that, but I’ve just been through a period of self-denial and discovery much like Max’s. There are a million other things that make me feel for this boy, such as the snow fort (I built them frequently as a place to retreat to) and the rubber band ball (a small item, but memorable to me nonetheless). Having said that, this movie hit me, and it hit me hard. I understood not only the emotions of Max’s childhood mind, but the mindsets of the people around him–and, in doing so, understood the people around me better. I felt my whole childhood flash before my eyes as I watched this movie, and was overjoyed and heartbroken at the same time. Spike Jonze has created from a book of 9 sentences a masterpiece of childhood perception and attitude, and has nothing but respect from me. This is not just the best film I’ve seen all year; it may be the best I’ve ever seen.
I know I’m a little late here, but my review is posted on my blog. Here’s the opening paragraph, just to give you a sampling:
Let me start off by addressing the chief complaint with “Where the Wild Things Are“: I am sick and tired of hearing people talk about how it is not a kids movie. It is. But director Spike Jonze is an auteur, not willing to follow the conventions of typical light, kiddie fare. He has made a movie that portrays childhood with blunt and sometimes brutal honesty. He dares to show the bleaker side of being 9 years old, desiring to be grown up but unequipped and somewhat oblivious to handle the realities of the adult world. The reason there is such an outcry is because movies for children have been so dumbed down that childhood itself is just reduced to the fun and games. But when a movie like “Where the Wild Things” comes along and shows the full spectrum, American families mistake it for pompous art-house fare in disguise.
The full review can be found here:
http://marshallandthemovies.com/2009/10/29/wherethewildthingsare/
I know I’m late, but I just got back from watching this film and I LOVED it! The film REVIVED my childhood. The whole feeling of imagination and discovery. It was an astonishing experience. The book is amazing and the film was astounding. Beautiful photography, editing, soundtrack, the directing was incredible with a perfect blend of style and substance and Max Records was impressive as Max. I cried when Max left the Wild Things, and it’s been some time since I cry in a film theater. A Piece of Genius. Joins “Micmacs”, “Bright Star” and “A Serious Man” as the best films of the year.