Where The Wild Things Are (Review)

Where The Wild Things Are

Directed By: Spike Jonzes
Starring: Max Records, Catherine Kenner
Voices By: James Gandolfini, Lauren Ambrose, Forest Whitaker, Chris Cooper, Catherine O’ Hara


What’s It About

The night Max wore his wolf suit and made mischief of one kind, and another, his mother called him “WILD THING!” and Max said “I’LL EAT YOU UP!” He then ran away, got in a boat and sailed off through night and day to where the wild things are. And when he came to where the wild things are they roared their terrible roars and gnashed their terrible teeth and rolled their terrible eyes and showed their terrible claws till Max said “BE STILL!” They then declared him the king of the wild things. “And now,” cried Max,”let the EMO rumpus start!”

Thoughts

I never thought I would see Max and his wild things on the big screen. I mean, how do you make a film based on a book which only contains nine to ten sentences? Thankfully Spike Jonzes and company had a bigger imagination when adapting this well received and beloved children’s book into a 101 minute feature. While Where The Wild Things Are comes off more emotionally charged than anyone would have expected, it is an achievement in giving us a real mature, heartfelt story that, given the opportunity, could be enjoyed by adults as well as older children.

Max has issues. His dad is out of the picture, mom can’t give him the attention he needs due to her own problems, older sis ignores him, and he has no friends. Max reacts to all this by being bad… really bad! When sis doesn’t stand up for him after his igloo is destroyed with him in it, he goes into her room and TEARS it apart! Mom is dating again and Max doesn’t like the boyfriend so what does he do? He becomes loud and obnoxious to the point where he ends up biting his mom, runs away into a boat and sails off! Upon reaching an island inhabited by monsters, he witnesses one of them going berserk and immediately has a connection with him. When we are finally introduced to all these creatures, we realize that they each embody one of Max’s emotions. So Carol for example, represents Max’s anger while Bull represents his loneliness. It’s at this point that Where The Wild Things Are may lose some of its audience. I’m talking about the ones who were expecting a lighthearted kid’s fare complete with song and dance numbers and lovable, huggable and colorful monsters. This is a story about a little boy learning to deal with real emotions and issues through these creatures. There are parts in this flic that are going to be really scary and somewhat violent.

The performances were just fantastic! Max Records did a phenomenal job as Max, the boy who needs to see a shrink! I balled up when he came out of his snow fortress crying after it was destroyed with him in it and I was scared for him when one of the wild things wanted to harm him. He really gets to you, especially if you’re a parent. I was very satisfied with some of the wild things voices. James Gandolfini (The Sopranos) was warm and scary as Carol, Max’s confidant. Lauren Ambrose (Six Feet Under) plays KW, a female that doubts whether to stay with her group of wild things due to Carols outbreaks. She’s the window to Max’s mom’s world and she helps Max understand what mom has to deal with. The rest of the cast did a great job and as a side comment, I’m glad the filmmakers decided to go with actual costumes instead of CGI for the wild things. It just helps you believe in their world that much more.

Though I don’t think this film is for everyone, it is definitely for those who want something more than just a typical happy go lucky kid’s film. It’s a great story with some fine performances, especially from Max Records. I took my eight year old son with me to a showing and he absolutely loved it. In fact, he understood the message and we ended up talking about it for hours! Spike Jonzes showed respect to Maurice Sendak’s original story all while adding his own vision which worked great for a film like this. I can honestly say I ate this film up, I loved it so!

Memorable Moment

During the rumpus, the wild things decide to all pile up on Max. Afterwards, instead of getting off of him, they fall asleep.

FYI

Back in the 80’s, Where The Wild Things Are was being adapted into an animated film by Disney. That idea got dropped after unsuccessful screen tests.

Score

8 out of 10

Different Editions for Transformers 2

This years mega blockbuster Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen will finally be released on Blu Ray and DVD this Tuesday, October 20th. Here is a quick rundown of the different versions that will hit shelves:

Standard DVD
This is the bare bones version. No
Special Features.








2 Disk Special Edition DVD & Blu Ray
One disk contains the film and the
other has all the special features.








Target Exclusive DVD & Blu Ray
Just like the regular 2 Disk Special
Edition except that it is cased in a
transforming Bumblebee case.







Wal Mart Exclusive IMAX Edition Blu Ray
This is the one that fans will want to hunt
down. The film will include all of the
extended scenes that were shot with IMAX
cameras. This plus all the other special
features contained in the other versions.

Box Office Results

October 16th- 18th


1/ Where The Wild Things Are $32,470,000

2/ Law Abiding Citizen $21,250,000

3/ Paranormal Activity $20,163,000

4/ Couples Retreat $17,949,000

5/ The Stepfather $12,300,000

The Damned United (Review)

The Damned United

Directed by: Tom Hopper
Starring: Michael Sheen, Timothy Spall, Colm Meany, Jim Broadbent


What’s It About

This is a fictionalized take on a real event that focuses on Brian Clough’s short lived time as United Leed’s manager and his relationship with his assistant Peter Taylor during the early seventies. Your probably trying to figure out who these people are and what or who the United Leeds are. Well, Brian Clough and Peter Taylor are considered in Europe as the best Manager and Manager Assistant Dou to ever to grace the field with a European Soccer League and the United Leeds were Europe’s best soccer team around that time.

Thoughts

If The Damned United was based on fictional characters and situations, it would still be a highly recommended film. I want to say this from the start because some people might be turned off at the thought of not knowing ANYTHING about these people. Trust me, it does not matter. Oh, and it’s not a sports film a la Remember the Titans or Hoosier. It’s more along the lines of Rocky in that it concentrates on the study of characters, not the sport itself. TDU asks, “What happens when you go from managing the worst soccer team in the entire league one day, to managing the absolute best team the next? What can it do to your ego? How would that change your treatment towards those around you? How much of your success can be credited to you?”

Michael Sheen (Frost/Nixon) steps into the shoes of Brian Clough, and sharing the screen as his assistant and best friend, Peter Taylor, is Timothy Spall (Enchanted, The Last Samurai, Harry Potter films). Describing their performance together as magnificent is really an understatement. There is an organic chemistry between the two that makes their onscreen bromance real (and not in a Brokeback Mountain kind of way). Also joining them are Colm Meany as Coughs rival, Don Revie, who is such a jerk to Clough without him even saying a word to him. When Revie shows up with his team to play against Cloughs team and you see all the work Clough put into making sure Revie and his boys had a good welcome, just to have Revie completely ignore him upon entering the gates of the stadium, your blood will boil. Stephen Graham (Public Enemies) also shows up in a minor role as the Leeds captain, Billy Bremmer, a character I wish would have had more time to develop since he helps create some of the mess you see.

Along with the great cinematography,which takes advantage of the murky gray scapes of England, one other aspect in TDU that was neat is how it jumps back and forth in its timeline. When Clough talks about how much he hates Don Revie, former manager of the United Leeds, it’s not enough for us to just know that. The screen goes black, a year clock counts down to the year the rivalry started, and then you are thrown into that storyline. It does this A LOT, but it never gets old and in fact, it makes for better storytelling! You won’t be left wondering who was who and why that and this did or did not occur.

Boy, I really enjoyed The Damned United. Peter Morgan, whose works include The Queen, The Last King of Scotland and last year’s Frost/Nixon, has once again turned in a script that is sure to garner some recognition come awards season. It’s a smart drama film with great funny moments and even if you don’t know who the people this movie is based on are, it won’t matter. It’s just a great film, period.

Memorable Moment

During one game, Brian Clough spends the whole time in his office which is lit only by the sunlight that comes in through his window. As he paces back and forth, nervous about what the outcome might be, the light is blocked and a loud noise follows. When he turns his head towards the window, he sees the shadows of fans standing to their feet celebrating.

FYI

This is Michael Sheen's seventh film in which he is portraying a real life character.

Score

9 out of 10

The Damned United Trailer

From famed writer Peter Morgan comes this great film about Europes best soccer league manager, Brian Clough. Starring Michael Sheen, who I just recently had the privilage of meeting at a screening, stars as Clough. I will have a full review ASAP! Almost forgot, in theatres this Friday, October 9th! Don't miss it.

An Education (Review)

An Education
(Scheduled to be released October 16, 2009.)

Directed By: Lone Sherfig
Starring: Carey Mulligan, Peter Sarsgaard, Alfred Molina, Dominic Cooper, Emma Thompson


What’s It About

Jenny (Mulligan) is a young girl who has a lot going for her academically until she meets an older man named David (Sarsgaard). They begin a romance that allows Jenny to see the world in a whole new light. She ditches her chance at Oxford to travel, eat at fine restaurants, and dance the night away, all thanks to the clever ways of David. Having the opportunities that neither her parents nor teachers ever had, she begins to question,” What’s an education worth if you’re not living?”

Thoughts

There is no reason why anyone should skip An Education. Like the old saying goes, “They don’t make them like this anymore!” Director Lone Scherfig (Italian for Beginners) has crafted a smart film based in the 60’s that will seduce its audience just as the main character becomes entangled in the lifestyle that many of us could only dream of having. Since we are seeing the world through Jenny’s point of view, we are only allowed to know as much as she knows and to feel only what she feels. This is done through tight story telling that really doesn’t allow for any leaks.

Carey Mulligan is wonderful in this film. She plays Jenny with an innocent ignorance that can easily translate over to any young free spirited girl, who is too eager to grow up when in love. It wouldn’t be farfetched to say that Carey could very well be the Audrey Hepburn of our generation. Just looking at the pics should give you an indication of her strong resemblance to the late great actress. This was a great performance from someone who we will be seeing a lot more of.

Aside from Carey, the rest of the cast does a fantastic job. It is always a treat to see Alfred Molina onscreen. He plays Jenny’s weak minded, high tempered father in a role that will both have you laughing and feeling sorry for the old man. Peter Sarsgaard as David was hypnotizing. He charms his way through every scene he’s in and you’re just as charmed by him as Jenny is. Dominic Cooper and Rosamund Pike are great together as Danny and Helen, David and Jenny’s close friends and there is a performance by Emma Thompson that’s short but descent.

The cinematography for the most part is kept at arm’s length of the characters so you have this sense that you’re hanging out with them as everything is unfolding. That doesn’t mean that there are no beautiful scenes to be seen, there are, but part of what works for a film like this is feeling close to the characters and the camera work helps keep that illusion.

There is a lot I would like to say in respect to the storyline, but a big part of this journey is experiencing everything at the exact same time as our main character. An Education has won awards at the 2009 Sundance Film Festival and has been receiving critical acclaim from critics. Do you really need another reason to go see this opening day?

Memorable Moment

Montage of a day in Paris with David and Jenny.

FYI

Carey Mulligan and Rosamund Pike both starred together in the film adaption of Pride and Prejudice. Emma Thompson, Olivia Williams, Sally Hawkins, and Dominic Cooper all played roles in films based on Jane Austen’s literary works.

Score

8 out of 10