Let the Wild Rumpus Start! (Where the Wild Things Are, duh!)

So, a few days ago, I was privileged enough to have seen "Where the Wild Things Are," with my dear friend, and fellow blogger, Vanessa (check her stuff out at: http://inthenameofthetangent.blogspot.com/ ).  Being long-time fans of the award-winning children's book, we were both extremely excited to see this movie.  Needless to say, our excitement was well-warranted, as this film was everything we were hoping it would be and more.  Not only were the characters of Max and the "wild things" alike so perfectly portrayed as they are in the book, the story itself offered so much more than I was expecting.  Aside from the fantastic illustrations, the book itself is only composed of 10 sentences, which worried me at first.  But let me be clear: Spike Jonze did not disappoint.

Just like in the book, there is a heavy emphasis on and beautiful portrayal of the human emotion of anger.  Sure, it gets a little tense and maybe even sightly frightening at times, but can you honestly say that you do not know anyone who gets scary when he or she is terribly angry?  Although the "wild things" are merely creatures to us humans, they are well-established in their own "wild thing" community.  They speak English, which is boring and expected, but ultimately just means that Max obviously does not know another language (as they are figments of his own imagination).  The "wild things" also demonstrate how like us they really are when they find time to work together, play together, love together, and get mad at each other and say things they don't mean.  Even though Max is a young boy, he understands the way in which people react to and act toward their peers, which is evident while he is living with the "wild things."

The only time throughout the whole movie that I felt slightly disappointed was when one of the "wild things" gets very very angry with Max and chases him through the forest making insane threats.  The filmography during this part is so raw and realistic that it really makes you feel like you're running with the characters, and you actually find yourself emulating the fear that Max is so clearly feeling at this point.  I was disappointed because I really really want my younger brother, who, ironically, is also named Max, to be able to see this movie, but I just don't think he'd make it through without having a complete meltdown.  He won't even read the book, which I so thoughtfully gave to him for his 6th birthday at the beginning of this past summer.  Hopefully he'll have a change of heart soon, as this book is such a classic and timeless icon of children's literature, and is so necessary for any child's home (and school) library.

It's so funny to me how much of myself I see in Max.  I, too, had quite the imagination as a child, and relentlessly threw tantrums when things did not go my way.  Because of some of the experiences I was forced to go through as a child, I was always thirsty for attention, both from my parents, as well as friends, which is very similar to Max's character.  I had (and still have) the tendency to overreact in certain situations, which pissed people off again and again.  But the one thing I've realized throughout my whole life is that really, no matter what you do or how you act, your family will stand by you and unquestionably love you, and so will those certain individuals who are meant to be your friends.

If you haven't read this book, I highly suggest that you do.  No one should go without having read this throughout his whole life because it would seriously be a tragedy.  Once you read the book, there is no question that you should definitely go grab your ticket to see this movie.  Trust me when I say that, no matter your age, you will both completely enjoy this movie, as well as connect with all of the characters in one way or another.