Started by Megan Gray6 · · 👁 6 views · 30 replies
David Price5 said:You can really see the Miyazaki influence here... especially with My Neighbor Totoro...
Dennis Carter said:Maybe it’s actually the other way around, considering the Where the Wild Things Are picture book was published back in 1963.
David Price5 said:Regardless, I am certainly grateful for Miyazaki.😁
frozencrane14 said:Judging by the trailer, this movie is light years ahead of Miyazaki's Totoro...
actually behind every single one of Miyazaki's films.
Spike Jonze's WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE is brilliant. It's weird, wild, wicked, and actually kind of terrifying... it's an instant classic. I grew up reading the Maurice Sendak book, and it always held a special place in my heart. Even now, it sticks with me. I loved the concept that these monsters were basically just people—they feel stuff, and they're usually just misunderstood. And as beautiful as the book is, Jonze managed to take that beauty and create a near flawless piece of fiction that lingers somewhere between reality and the fantastic imagination of childhood. I couldn't be happier with how this turned out; it nails exactly why the book is a classic while adding this heavy, human emotional layer to Max and his "wild things." You really shouldn't miss this one. Young or old, this is a magnificent motion picture that may well end up being the best film of the year come December.
Spike really cooked up a visual feast that tells a super solid, albeit simple, story. The way he uses imagery and music is top-tier. While you might be thrown off early on as Karen O and the kids blare along with this wild child rampaging through the house, you'll be hooked in no time. Ms. O (from The Yeahs) gives the soundtrack such a unique vibe. It is playful and exuberant fun and it truly embodies the visual treat that Spike serves up. Honestly, I rarely feel the need to get all wordy to describe how good a movie is, but I couldn't help myself with WTWTA. It's a magical, mystical, and occasionally creepy world that gets dark, but it still offers a glimmer of hope—reminding us that the most important things in life are often staring us right in the face. My rating...
10/10
Review: Where the Wild Things Are - HitFix Quote: I don't use this word lightly, but "Where the Wild Things Are" is an absolute masterpiece, and it's the finest offering from any Hollywood studio thus far this year.
It's a stunning, painful, and deeply felt look at the chaos of being a kid, filtered through a lens of adult wisdom but kept firmly rooted in a child's perspective. It's smart, deceptively simple, and incredibly imaginative. I caught a rough cut back in 2007 at a notorious test screening, and even then, it shook me. The finished product is nothing short of a miracle—a film that perfectly captures that feeling of being too young to handle your own emotions, but just old enough to realize you have zero control over them.
In my book, it's also the gold standard for how to adapt a story.
| Review: Where the Wild Things Are - AICN Quote: this is the most authentic and brilliant film about childhood I've ever laid eyes on. It hits hard on every single level—the sets, the wardrobe, the dialogue, the score, the lighting, the editing, the sound... everything. But mostly, it's the acting. You've got great performances from the humans, paired with some seriously tender, terrifying, and mind-blowing work from the Wild Things. Don't skip this one. |
Even with a PG rating, there's a chance this masterpiece flies right over the heads of kids younger than Max. Between the chaotic energy of the Wild Things and the slow, moody pacing, little kids might just end up fidgeting by the time Max starts feeling homesick. Where the Wild Things Are is really for the inner child in all of us, even if it doesn't click with every kid out there.
4.5 out of 5
