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Where the Wild Things Are


Where the Wild Things Are (1st view)



A very expanded adaptation of the children's novel, that goes far beyond the text and pictures, into the mind of Max and his monsters. It envelopes you with discovery of it's main character through the voice of his creations and attaches you to him with sights and sounds.

Once he leaves his home behind, you've come to understand Max at a glance. He enters a mysterious land inhabited by giant monsters, who coincidentally speak english and act human. You'll spot a lot of coincidences in the monsters and Max's family and himself, Carol (Gandolfini) for example is a naive childish version of Max who can't always get what he wants.

Max becomes a leader to the wild things and for a time they have fun. Running around, building a fort, meeting friends, though slowly it starts to crumble down. The problems the monsters face are that of reality, it's impossible for them to face it, they are fragments of Max that don't belong or need to adapt. They're unhappy and can't be fixed. Max leaves his failing imaginary world and runs back to his mom, having experienced a much more realistic and meaningful adventure than ever was in the book.

Even if the relationship of and between the monsters becomes downbeat, the visuals, sound editing, and acting are quite the opposite. The camera is very thoughtful and each shot as obviously been made an entire plan of. It's full of A-list actors (most who appear only in voice), and newcomer Max Records gives one of the best child performances I've ever seen. Gandolfini plays opposite Max, in one of his own best performances. Vast locations with beautiful scenery, costumed/CGI monsters that push animation to it's limits, crunching trees and brush, the technical qualities are a marvel.

Maybe not a movie to see with your kids, but one you should definitely see.