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Created Oct 24, 2009 11:15PM PST • Edited Jan 08, 2010 06:25PM PST

1. Quality

2. Summary

   Very Good 3.5

   One of the most beloved children’s books of all time comes to the big screen in the hands of Spike Jonze. Jonze and co. take a ten sentence book and make it into a 90 min. movie. Now, there have been movies adapted from short little books including such crap as Cat in the Hat and special gems like Shrek. Where the Wild Things Are is a movie I can say will not be for everyone. Its dark, depressing, yet still uplifting at times. There are parts that make you cry and parts that make you cheerful.

   One of the things I love about this movie is that it doesn’t talk down to kids. When I say this, I mean making silly fart jokes or crude humor. Instead, it gives you subtle humor and a hidden message as the little boy Max sees a bit of himself in each of the Wild Things. He feels they’re heartbreak and struggles as we, the audience, feel for these characters. But as much as we feel for these characters, there are some moments where we feel we shouldn’t cheer them on at all.

   With so many great animated family films out there, it seems that the live action family films are starting to die down. However, Where the Wild Things Are reminds us what makes a good movie. I don’t think its one that should be watched over and over, but it is a film you should watch once and think about it.

4. Acting

   Very Good 3.5

   The acting is strong both for the live actors and the voice actors. Max Records carries this whole film as Max, the young boy who is made king of the Wild Things. As for the voice actors, they’re all pitch perfect. I most notably like the always suberb James Gandolfini as Carol, the one Max befriends. Jonze did an excellent job of taking characters with no personality or names and giving them some.

5. Male Stars Very Good 3.5

6. Female Stars Very Good 3.5

7. Female Costars Very Good 3.5

8. Male Costars Very Good 3.5

10. Film

    Very Good 3.5

    The visuals are very impressive. The filmmakers used costumes and put CG faces on them, which is very effective. I thought the camera work was good at times. However, there are moments when its too dark to make anything out and some times when it seems the cameraman doesnt know where to point. The dialogue is very good and fits the characters well. Like Juno, this is a bit of a hipster sort of movie. Karen O did the soundtrack and did a very good job.

11. Direction Very Good 3.5

12. Play Very Good 3.5

13. Music Good 3.0

14. Visuals Great 4.0
15. Content

16. Edge

    Tame 1.5

    A lot of heavey elements. Like I said, it won’t be for everyone.

17. Sex Innocent 1.1

18. Violence Fierce 1.6

19. Rudeness Salty 1.7

21. Reality

    Fantasy 4.2

22. Circumstantial Fantasy 4.2

23. Biological Fantasy 4.2

24. Physical Fantasy 4.2