Where the Wild Things Are...
Oct. 16th, 2009 03:55 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
Saw Where the Wild Things Are.
Some Thoughts (a.k.a Spike Jonze, what is wrong with you?):
Fabulous movie, but damn. That was pretty dark for a kid's movie. And I'm not talking about "Aw, Nemo's siblings and mother were eaten at the beginning of the movie and that's sad" dark. Rather, I'm talking "Omg, why are they yelling? Why is everyone so sad? What's going on, Mommy" dark. I actually heard a little girl sitting behind me say, "This is so sad" at one point, and another little boy was scared during some of the wild thing scenes.
Nonetheless, I loved the movie. It's great, and I wasn't disappointed in any way. But by the time we hit Carol's second meltdown, I was going, "Really, Spike Jonze? You're going there?" I also think some of the themes were too complex for kids, and I'm not gonna lie-- I don't think I got everything either. Which annoys me because this is a kid's movie. XD
The ending was bittersweet, heavy on the bitter. The audience I saw the movie with was so traumatized that no one clapped, and the theater was empty before we even hit the actor credits. No one stayed for the actor credits, as in no one was intrigued enough to find out who all the voices were because they were too busy being traumatized. Damn.
Still. A good movie.
P.S: James Gandolfini rocks, whether he's playing a mafioso sociopath or a big, furry sociopath.
Some Thoughts (a.k.a Spike Jonze, what is wrong with you?):
Fabulous movie, but damn. That was pretty dark for a kid's movie. And I'm not talking about "Aw, Nemo's siblings and mother were eaten at the beginning of the movie and that's sad" dark. Rather, I'm talking "Omg, why are they yelling? Why is everyone so sad? What's going on, Mommy" dark. I actually heard a little girl sitting behind me say, "This is so sad" at one point, and another little boy was scared during some of the wild thing scenes.
Nonetheless, I loved the movie. It's great, and I wasn't disappointed in any way. But by the time we hit Carol's second meltdown, I was going, "Really, Spike Jonze? You're going there?" I also think some of the themes were too complex for kids, and I'm not gonna lie-- I don't think I got everything either. Which annoys me because this is a kid's movie. XD
The ending was bittersweet, heavy on the bitter. The audience I saw the movie with was so traumatized that no one clapped, and the theater was empty before we even hit the actor credits. No one stayed for the actor credits, as in no one was intrigued enough to find out who all the voices were because they were too busy being traumatized. Damn.
Still. A good movie.
P.S: James Gandolfini rocks, whether he's playing a mafioso sociopath or a big, furry sociopath.
(no subject)
Date: 2009-10-17 06:37 am (UTC)You're not the only one who liked it! I think we all liked it.
Hmn. I'm gonna have to think about the wild things being representative of children cause I didn't read it that way at all. If the wild thing world is supposed to mirror Max's real world-- and I kinda think it has to-- and there aren't any other kids his age depicted, then I don't see why the wild things would be representative of children. Judith, in particular, had a lot of lines that sounded like a grown-up/parent to me. Though, KW and her choice of friends (Bob and Teri) over family is clearly representative of Max's sister putting her friends over him; hence, why they both angst over the loss of their respective sisters. I'm fairly certain Carol is actually Max as Max subconsciously fears himself to be. Of course, Alexander is a bit of Max, too, as he is smaller than the rest and no one pays attention to him.
Maybe all the wild things are actually aspects of Max?
(no subject)
Date: 2009-10-17 07:47 am (UTC)Ah, I didn't mean specific kids -- Max was pretty much the only kid in the movie -- but just types: if anyone was "Max" it was Carol for sure; I saw Alexander as the little kid who grabs onto your leg just to make sure he's seen (sadface); KW is the one growing up too fast, and yeah, a lot like the sister, like you said. I saw KW as more of the parental figure, actually. And then Judith, I thought, was the most like a kid, actually; especially the part where she's upset over Carol being "the favorite", and the "you can't do that!" last-minute changes in the game that would ensure that she "won." If that makes any sense...
Now that I think of it, I don't think each Wild Thing was representative of just one thing, but I think they represent different aspects of Max and his world, which is probably why it felt a bit disjointed and, idk, weird at parts.
The more I think about the movie, the more uncomfortable I am with just how and dark it really was. I still really liked it though; so much to pick apart, obviously =) and some great lines and cute moments that were believable for a kid. I hate when Hollywood wants you to believe these first graders are spewing out these cheesy lines or exaggerated baby-talk.
But anyway. I need sleep. Next time we see each other, we'll have to dissect the whole dirt-clod fight and the aspect of violence because I'm kind of stuck on it right now... haha, all of this from just a kids movie =P