Review of Where the Wild Things Are (2009) by Nathanl. — 16 Oct 2009

The finest film of this year and one of the 10 best of the decade!!! My children, my wife, my mother, and I all cried in the closing credits of this film. Not because it was depressing but, because all of us really cared about Max, his mom, and the wild things that represent the subconscious of a child.

This film is like Miyazaki for the mainstream American movie audience. I cannot say enough good things about the emotional complexity with which this film treated children. It was actually the most respectful look at at young children I have ever witnessed in all my many years of film going.

However, the true amazement of this film is how it will play to your children. There will be many parents who treat there children like they are to young to understand and become emotionally involved.

This is because many parents do not give their kids the credit they deserve. My daughter Jolie looked up at me in the movie (I actually had to tell her to whisper) to tell me how Carol (the leader of the Wild Things) felt and how closely that was to the way her and her sister act.

She told me that sometimes she does mean things because she wants everything to be perfect and her sister sometimes doesn't want to hang out with her. She was sad for Carol and understood his sadness.

My daughters are both 7. My son, who is for also spoke about these same feelings (with slightly less detail) to his sisters after the film. They also told me that they thought the end made them feel like Max was a good boy who realized how much he loved his mommy.

Then they told their mommy how much they loved her and went outside to let their own little wild rumpus start. Kids are extremely intelligent and will do amazing things if parents do not hold them back out of fear.

Knowledge is good, not the enemy. So, in conclusion, I believe that this film is for everyone from 4 to 94. It is a film that will reward it's viewers for being intelligent and emotionally involved.

I loved this film so much I could eat it up! If there is a better film this year I can't wait to see it.