Where the Wild Things Are-Review Thread
10-18-09 | 11:54 AM
#51
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Re: Where the Wild Things Are-Review Thread
I adored this movie. I can't believe people are calling it boring. It was so emotionally cathartic and managed to tap into the logic of an 8 or 9 year old with an active imagination without being cloying or cliche. Max's journey was really touching and evocative. Kudos to Jonze for making a movie that exceeded my expectations.
10-18-09 | 02:22 PM
#52
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Re: Where the Wild Things Are-Review Thread
I thought that the performance of Max Records was perfection. Our society always celebrates child actors who basically deliver performances of children acting like adults (Dakota Fanning, Haley Joel Osment, Macaulay Culkin). We always marvel at a child that can deliver lines of dialogue where they act above their age.
The performance of Max in this movie is one of the truest depictions of a real child that I can recall. It was a very honest and true performance. I don't think I have seen a more honest heart breaking crying scene than the one where Max's igloo is crushed.
The performance of Max in this movie is one of the truest depictions of a real child that I can recall. It was a very honest and true performance. I don't think I have seen a more honest heart breaking crying scene than the one where Max's igloo is crushed.
10-18-09 | 02:58 PM
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Re: Where the Wild Things Are-Review Thread
I just got back from seeing this and I must say I am very disappointed.
No plot, no momentum, I was completely unengaged the entire time (actually before Max got to the island I was more interested in the movie than after he got there!). The monsters seemed creepy to me, after a while I just didn't want to look at them anymore. Scenes dragged on and on, and with no story this created a problem. I could care less what happened to anybody, monster or human. I hate to say it, but this movie bored me. I'll give it points for being ambitious and different, but that still does not prevent it from being a failure.
Also, am I the only person who thought Gandolfini was a poor choice for this? Every time he talked I could only think of Tony Soprano. This actually caused some unintentional laughter in certain scenes.
No plot, no momentum, I was completely unengaged the entire time (actually before Max got to the island I was more interested in the movie than after he got there!). The monsters seemed creepy to me, after a while I just didn't want to look at them anymore. Scenes dragged on and on, and with no story this created a problem. I could care less what happened to anybody, monster or human. I hate to say it, but this movie bored me. I'll give it points for being ambitious and different, but that still does not prevent it from being a failure.
Also, am I the only person who thought Gandolfini was a poor choice for this? Every time he talked I could only think of Tony Soprano. This actually caused some unintentional laughter in certain scenes.
10-18-09 | 03:00 PM
#54
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Re: Where the Wild Things Are-Review Thread
I thought that the performance of Max Records was perfection. Our society always celebrates child actors who basically deliver performances of children acting like adults (Dakota Fanning, Haley Joel Osment, Macaulay Culkin). We always marvel at a child that can deliver lines of dialogue where they act above their age.
The performance of Max in this movie is one of the truest depictions of a real child that I can recall. It was a very honest and true performance. I don't think I have seen a more honest heart breaking crying scene than the one where Max's igloo is crushed.
The performance of Max in this movie is one of the truest depictions of a real child that I can recall. It was a very honest and true performance. I don't think I have seen a more honest heart breaking crying scene than the one where Max's igloo is crushed.
10-18-09 | 05:06 PM
#56
Re: Where the Wild Things Are-Review Thread
I just got back from seeing this and I must say I am very disappointed.
No plot, no momentum, I was completely unengaged the entire time (actually before Max got to the island I was more interested in the movie than after he got there!). The monsters seemed creepy to me, after a while I just didn't want to look at them anymore. Scenes dragged on and on, and with no story this created a problem. I could care less what happened to anybody, monster or human. I hate to say it, but this movie bored me. I'll give it points for being ambitious and different, but that still does not prevent it from being a failure.
Also, am I the only person who thought Gandolfini was a poor choice for this? Every time he talked I could only think of Tony Soprano. This actually caused some unintentional laughter in certain scenes.
No plot, no momentum, I was completely unengaged the entire time (actually before Max got to the island I was more interested in the movie than after he got there!). The monsters seemed creepy to me, after a while I just didn't want to look at them anymore. Scenes dragged on and on, and with no story this created a problem. I could care less what happened to anybody, monster or human. I hate to say it, but this movie bored me. I'll give it points for being ambitious and different, but that still does not prevent it from being a failure.
Also, am I the only person who thought Gandolfini was a poor choice for this? Every time he talked I could only think of Tony Soprano. This actually caused some unintentional laughter in certain scenes.
I don't know - I thought it was the most honest and engaging children's movie I've seen in a long long time.
I thought perhaps the wild things portion could've been shortened by about 15minutes, but other than that the whole movie was so fucking awesome!
10-18-09 | 05:48 PM
#57
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Re: Where the Wild Things Are-Review Thread
While I understand your criticism, I felt completely the opposite way. I was so sucked in by this movie, and it spoke to me in such a personal way. Maybe it's because I was a really lonely little boy, who wanted to make things, and play for hours on end, when I was 10, and I adored the book.
I don't know - I thought it was the most honest and engaging children's movie I've seen in a long long time.
I thought perhaps the wild things portion could've been shortened by about 15minutes, but other than that the whole movie was so fucking awesome!
I don't know - I thought it was the most honest and engaging children's movie I've seen in a long long time.
I thought perhaps the wild things portion could've been shortened by about 15minutes, but other than that the whole movie was so fucking awesome!
10-18-09 | 06:02 PM
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10-18-09 | 07:02 PM
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Re: Where the Wild Things Are-Review Thread
10-18-09 | 07:30 PM
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Re: Where the Wild Things Are-Review Thread
Oh and Happy Gilmore is awesome.
10-18-09 | 07:30 PM
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10-18-09 | 08:26 PM
#64
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Re: Where the Wild Things Are-Review Thread
Okay, I appreciate diversity, and you obviously know good cinema and comic book movies. But I disagree about Happy Gilmore, Wedding Singer is much better!
10-18-09 | 08:40 PM
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Re: Where the Wild Things Are-Review Thread
I went w/ some kids who I love to think as my young sister (13 yrs old) and little bro (who's 7 and also named Max....coincidentally after the Max from the book)...and they loved it and so did I.
10-18-09 | 09:18 PM
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Re: Where the Wild Things Are-Review Thread
Every time it start to build up into something fun, it always ended with one of the monsters crying or whining. The monsters were cold and mean-spirited.. the movie kept trying to shove its message at us, I liked some of the things like the giant dog, and the two birds, but it kept retreating into its message, to me it felt like it was burdened by its script trying to give us meaning every five minutes. By the end when the wild things are crying because he has to go, it wasn't earned, because the monsters bitched at Max the whole time, they complained about him every chance, seems they would be thrilled for him to go, yet suddenly they are sad... so I would blame Eggers for it, the movie Away we Go had similar problems
10-18-09 | 11:39 PM
#67
Re: Where the Wild Things Are-Review Thread
What does Across The Universe have to do with this movie?
10-19-09 | 12:07 AM
#68
DVD Talk Hero
Re: Where the Wild Things Are-Review Thread
Since I haven't seen this movie, I'll address these unrelated issues:
That is all
- Across the Universe was another "director passion project" that the studio did not interfere with. A comment with both AtU and WtWTA is that they both may have turned out better had the studio stepped in at some point. That is the only reason it is brought up.
- Happy Gilmore is a kickass movie. I like the Wedding Singer too.
- So is Inglourious Basterds (favorite of '09). Thought Watchmen was alright initially (good content, poor direction) but liked it less and less as I thought about it and now find it unwatchable.
- The fact this movie has minimal plot should be of little surprise to anyone familiar with the souce material.
That is all
10-19-09 | 09:54 AM
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Re: Where the Wild Things Are-Review Thread
I liked the fact that Max and Mark Ruffalo were playing the same character in The Brothers Bloom...
In a side story that I would like to share, before I had seen Where the Wild Things Are on Friday, I checked the reviews at metacritic.com and noticed that TIME OUT magazine gave the lowest reviewed score - 40% (http://newyork.timeout.com/articles/...re-film-review). On Sunday, I was eating brunch with my wife and kid at my local restaurant, and sitting right next to me was that TIME OUT critic actually talking about Where the Wild Things Are with some other dude. They both agreed that the movie was overrated (which I agree with). I didn't say anything, but it was entertaining listening to them - it was like listening to Ebert & Robert talk about movies...
In a side story that I would like to share, before I had seen Where the Wild Things Are on Friday, I checked the reviews at metacritic.com and noticed that TIME OUT magazine gave the lowest reviewed score - 40% (http://newyork.timeout.com/articles/...re-film-review). On Sunday, I was eating brunch with my wife and kid at my local restaurant, and sitting right next to me was that TIME OUT critic actually talking about Where the Wild Things Are with some other dude. They both agreed that the movie was overrated (which I agree with). I didn't say anything, but it was entertaining listening to them - it was like listening to Ebert & Robert talk about movies...
10-19-09 | 11:50 AM
#70
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Re: Where the Wild Things Are-Review Thread
I loved the film. It is not a plot driven film, it's character based, and I thought the characters were great. The film was only about half over, and I remember thinking, I already wish I could spend more time with the Wild Things. So that made the film great.
The AVclub had a really sharp observation about the film, saying that it was basically a Cassavetes film for children. That's right on the mark for me and, being a huge Cassavetes fan, helped solidify why I like this film so much. Just to watch them interact, and see their relationships. You see them disagree, have fun, be sad, angry. What I love so much about life is the way people relate to one another. The Wild Things were the extremes of that and compelled me the most. Of course the physical beauty of the film only enhanced that.
And while the theatre was far from packed when I saw it, the few children that were there, seemed to really enjoy it. I think because it was so emotion based, it allowed them to connect easily with it. Plus there was a lot of wish fulfillment going on, and their imaginations could really do so much with what they're seeing.
The AVclub had a really sharp observation about the film, saying that it was basically a Cassavetes film for children. That's right on the mark for me and, being a huge Cassavetes fan, helped solidify why I like this film so much. Just to watch them interact, and see their relationships. You see them disagree, have fun, be sad, angry. What I love so much about life is the way people relate to one another. The Wild Things were the extremes of that and compelled me the most. Of course the physical beauty of the film only enhanced that.
And while the theatre was far from packed when I saw it, the few children that were there, seemed to really enjoy it. I think because it was so emotion based, it allowed them to connect easily with it. Plus there was a lot of wish fulfillment going on, and their imaginations could really do so much with what they're seeing.
10-19-09 | 12:45 PM
#71
Re: Where the Wild Things Are-Review Thread
Since I haven't seen this movie, I'll address these unrelated issues:
That is all
- Across the Universe was another "director passion project" that the studio did not interfere with. A comment with both AtU and WtWTA is that they both may have turned out better had the studio stepped in at some point. That is the only reason it is brought up.
- Happy Gilmore is a kickass movie. I like the Wedding Singer too.
- So is Inglourious Basterds (favorite of '09). Thought Watchmen was alright initially (good content, poor direction) but liked it less and less as I thought about it and now find it unwatchable.
- The fact this movie has minimal plot should be of little surprise to anyone familiar with the souce material.
That is all
10-19-09 | 02:07 PM
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Re: Where the Wild Things Are-Review Thread
Even if you don't like the movie in general, how can you not like Shooter Mcgavin or Ben Stiller's role? Two of the best comedic performances of the 90's.
10-21-09 | 04:48 PM
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Re: Where the Wild Things Are-Review Thread
I thought it was alright - loved the look of the Wild Things and thought there were some interesting ideas here, but not fully developed. And while I appreciate that Max is a 'real' kid, since I was a very imaginative but well behaved kid, I have a hard time connecting with a main character who throws tantrums etc. so I found Max and Carol to be kind of unlikeable. (sidenote: I had that snow fort thing happen to me - not fun - scary...but still, I didn't find much here to be emotional) The rest of the Wild Things are kind of assholes too, so when they're hanging out with Max, I didn't find it to be 'FUN' so much as a bit of a chore. 3/5 stars
10-21-09 | 04:52 PM
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10-22-09 | 08:37 AM
#75
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Re: Where the Wild Things Are-Review Thread
Rich nailed it, the film has no plot. It's similar to the book in that Max causes temper tantrum, gets grounded, lets his imagination get the best of him, and comes back to reality in time for dinner.
When I go see a narrative feature, I like to see some sort of structure, maybe some character development, conflict, a protagonist, an antagonist; but this film has absolutely no rhyme or reason to it at all. Don't get me wrong, I get the similarities that Max and Carol are similar to how they react and take out their actions upon others; but that's not enough to fill 100 minutes. I get the book is only a few sentences long, but time the film more appropriately. If the film clocked in 70-80 minutes and had a much faster pace and maybe an actual goddamn storyline, I would've liked the film and I could've came back here and told you all how great it was. Instead, the film is just an unlikeable kid and a bunch of unlikeable monsters running around for too long.
I'm sorry to state this as a film major, but this is the second time I feel a studio should've taken all control away from the director as originally intended (the first being Across the Universe). I love Spike Jonze's last two films, but this was a mess.
When I go see a narrative feature, I like to see some sort of structure, maybe some character development, conflict, a protagonist, an antagonist; but this film has absolutely no rhyme or reason to it at all. Don't get me wrong, I get the similarities that Max and Carol are similar to how they react and take out their actions upon others; but that's not enough to fill 100 minutes. I get the book is only a few sentences long, but time the film more appropriately. If the film clocked in 70-80 minutes and had a much faster pace and maybe an actual goddamn storyline, I would've liked the film and I could've came back here and told you all how great it was. Instead, the film is just an unlikeable kid and a bunch of unlikeable monsters running around for too long.
I'm sorry to state this as a film major, but this is the second time I feel a studio should've taken all control away from the director as originally intended (the first being Across the Universe). I love Spike Jonze's last two films, but this was a mess.
Spike Jonze has made a beautiful and evocative movie that captured my attention for the full running time. I'm sorry you found it boring, but a lack of plot is not the issue.