Where The Wild Things Are (2009) Max Records, James Gandolfini Directed By Spike Jones
Spike Jones is probably best known for possibly the best video of all time (Ok defiantly top five though), Beastie Boys Sabotage. In 2002 he melted our minds with an innovative film called Adaptation, and brought Oscar nominations for Streep, Cage and Chris Cooper (Cooper has a role in Wild Things and also won the best supporting actor statuette). He is a great story teller and I am secretly afraid to watch Adaptation again because it was so crazy weird. I am not sure what my first thoughts were when I heard that he was pegged to direct this adaptation of Where The Wild Are, but there was no doubt in my mind that I would go and see it. I loved the book as a kid, and although there are those of us (Um, Adam Carolla I'm talking to you for killing this story on your radio show frequently) who don't like it, I was in awe of the classic Maurice Sendak book, which was read to me first by Mrs. Cross, my first grade teacher. As somebody like Carolla would point out there really isn't that much to the story...it really is just a classic picture book. But Jonze and Dave Eggers (a well noted Boston writer who wrote Away We Go, a 2008 well-received film) do a nice job adding layers to the story.
In the Spike Jonze version of the universe that is Where The Wild Things Are, Max (played well by Max Records) is a child that thinks the world should be paying more attention to him (like most). In a fit of rage (which includes him biting his mommy) he takes off in the middle of the night and ends up in a world filled with Wild Things. The Wild Thing characters are amazingly complex and absolutely fascinating, non more so than Carol (who is voiced beautifully by James Gandolfini). They are a group of wonderfully crafted monsters who are trying really hard to make it work in their world...and when Max comes along, naturally they view him as their savior, their KING...the one that will bring them together and make it work. The conclusion of this story is wonderful and the closing scene of the film is downright perfect; although at 94 minutes I do remember looking at my watch but, I won't scold the film for being a touch slow at times it as certainly has enough redeeming qualities for me to highly recommend it. For now Where The Wild Things Are will sneak into my top ten for the year (and I will list ten because even though I disagree with the Academy Awards who have now gone to ten best picture nominees I will ride that bandwagon I suppose for blog purposes), along with another children's story brought to film from earlier this year, Coraline (DVD Review #17...a 7.0 on the Shawshank Scale) also included in my top ten.
(The Shawshank Scale1-10) Ok so in a world where Tony Soprano is an emotional passive-aggressive giant furry monster that cries at one point and desperately needs a mommy, that's a world, or movie, that rates a strong 7.0 on this scale.
Food For Thought: Ok had Ice Cream again, but forget that I got something new and sexy for you...Take some solid pork chops...dip them in flour spiced with dill, parsley, and chilli powder bread em...bake em (350 for 1 hr 30 minutes, covered) and then un cover them, pour some spicy (to your own taste...but the spicier the better) cream of chicken soup over them...and pop em back in for another 30 minutes, uncovered...and thank me later :)
I love the book, the movie left me shaking my head though, it didn't feel quite right for the book, the tone was off, but it was still a cute film
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