Where The Wilds Things Are Review

Where the Wild Things Are: Ultra-creative filmmaker Spike Jonze adopts the beloved children's book that was penned in 1963 by Maurice Sendak. Considering that the source material is less than 350 words cover-to-cover, one might wonder if there is enough substance to fill a 95 minute feature film. There is no need to worry, Spike Jonze does an amazing job of staying true to the spirit of the book while expanding the adventure! The story begins with Max (played tremendously by newcomer Max Records) playing outside his house with neighborhood kids. In just a few minutes of screen time we get an understanding of Max's high energy level, be it running around destroying things or crumbling down emotionally when things do not work out for him. Also explained in the opening moments of the film is the dynamic family situation Max finds himself involved in and how he perceives it. After angering his mom one night while she has a new boyfriend over, Max runs outside of his house and into the land of the Wild Things. It is here where the film impresses the most. I found it astonishing how well the film captured the wonderment of a child's imagination. The movie does not spoon feed you the correlation between the real world and Max's imaginative world. Instead, it does it very subtly and extremely beautifully. Accompanying Jonze's fantastic images is a haunting musical score that heightens the movie's emotions. Because the film is ultimately an exploration of imagination, I suspect that younger viewers will not find the film all that captivating. However for me, a young man that is a kid at heart, this is one of the year's best!!

Ry's Rating: B+

If this movie had parents they would be: The Never Ending Story & Finding Neverland

With a runtime of 98 minutes

this film is rated PG

A Serious Man Review

A Serious Man: The Coen Brothers' latest effort focuses on a Midwestern Jewish man who is on the verge of a breakdown. Larry Gopnik is a married man and the father of two who sees his life unravel from just about every angle. For starters, his wife asks him for a divorce so that she can marry a friend of the family who is a recent widower. His 12-year-old son's main hobbies are getting high and listening to Jefferson Airplane. Meanwhile, he is up for tenure at the school he teaches at, but even that seems like it is about to become a disaster. Larry looks to his faith for answers on why all of this is happening, but he is having trouble finding an answer. If we have learned anything about the Coen Brothers throughout the years, it is that they are masters at creating and showcasing unique perspectives on distinctive characters. A Serious Man is no exception, the characters are so well written that humor pours out of their smallest actions. However, because the film plays so heavily on Jewish heritage I found myself missing out on a lot of that humor. In fact, at times I felt like an outsider looking in at the party. The film also features a serious side that tackles both morals and faith, but that failed to have enough substance and as a result did not work for me. In the Coen Brothers' filmography this would land somewhere in the middle............I'm serious.

Ry's Rating: B- (RAB: Rental At Best)

If this movie had parents they would be: Falling Down & Doubt