Where the Wild Things Are Movie Review (and song)

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I was excited about the new movie Where the Wild Things Are. I also saw that on Rotten Tomatoes, Where the Wild Things Are got mostly positive reviews. It had good word of mouth, good reviews, lots of momentum, and I decided to go last night, when I was feeling particularly wistful and melancholy.  I was ready to love it and felt sure I would.

I liked how it started.  The rest of the audience did too. No lengthy intro titles, just jumping right in.  The home life of Max was portrayed in a way that immediately lets us connect with what it was like to be nine.  Of course he gets in trouble, is upset, and in this movie version, he runs away to nearby shore and gets in a sailboat and sails away.  The ultimate run away from home fantasy.

I would love to tell you how much I enjoyed the rest of the movie, when he landed on the Island of the Wild Things.  But I can’t. I understand the challenge of turning a book of very few words (9 sentences or so?) into a full length feature.  There were probably hundreds of approaches considered, and I have a great deal of respect for Spike Jones and David Eggers.   But I found the monsters they created to be distractingly strange and irritatingly moody.  I understand the idea was that these wild things WERE Max’s emotions.  But for me it just didn’t work.  I’m really suprised, because I fully expected to love it, to be moved by it, to be touched by it. I’m not a touch cookie when it comes to touching, heart-warming, even challengingly emotional films.   But this time- sorry Spike and David- I know you both worked so hard on it- (and I know this review will really hurt their feelings for weeks ;)  )  but the movie just didn’t do it for me.  And I got the feeling, most of the audience leaving was having the same thought I was- “That was really really, um, different. I guess it was you know, pretty good”.    We all really wanted to like it. I was expecting to be one of the ones who actually did.

I expect to see pretty quick decrease in ticket sales of “Where the Wild Things Are” in the next 2 weeks.  Next weekend will do pretty well because of the people waiting for the lines to thin out.  I predict after that, it will take a pretty steep dive.

Here are just a few of the dozens of positive reviews pouring in:

Alonso Duralde film critic for MSNBC:
“Star Trek” is easily the summer tentpole movie by which all of 2009’s summer tentpole movies will be measured. And I say this as someone who’s not a fanatic about the original show or about the nerd-friendly work of director J.J. Abrams.

Garth Franklin of Dark Horizons: Reintroduces critical elements the franchise has not seen in years – cultural relevance, suspense, and a fresh sense of wonder.

 Joshua Tyler of Cinemablend.com:
It’s been a long time since the hope and optimism of Gene Roddenberry’s vision have seemed this bright, this alive. This is exactly the Star Trek movie this fading franchise needed.

Emanuel Levy:  Revitalizing the stagnant franchise, the gifted, visionary Abrams has performed a magical act, a movie that stands on its own merits and will recruit new fans, a work that will please the old trekkies and one that points to potent direction in the future.

Ray Bennet of the Hollywood Reporter:  Paced at warp speed with spectacular action sequences rendered brilliantly and with a cast so expert that all the familiar characters are instantly identifiable, the film gives Paramount Pictures a new lease of life on its franchise.

 Dustin Putman of TheMovieBoy.com :
Pulsates with a life and fire that the former series entries never quite equaled. So much is going on in each frame that one sits smiling for the duration, drinking in the images while yearning for a repeat viewing.

Many, many more reviews have similar comments as these reviewers. Star Trek is THE summer movie of 2009.  J.J. Abrams was able to accomplish the near impossibe: A reboot of Star Trek that mostly satisfies old fans, and also connects with general audience- perhaps the widest audience Star Trek has ever had.

Page topic: reviews for Star Trek The Movie 2009.

The Dark Night Movie Reviews:

Rolling stones review of The Dark Night

How can a conflicted guy in a bat suit and a villain with a cracked, painted-on clown smile speak to the essentials of the human condition? Just hang on for a shock to the system. The Dark Knight creates a place where good and evil — expected to do battle — decide instead to get it on and dance. “I don’t want to kill you,” Heath Ledger’s psycho Joker tells Christian Bale’s stalwart Batman. “You complete me.” Don’t buy the tease. He means it.

…I can only speak superlatives of Ledger, who is mad-crazy-blazing brilliant as the Joker. Miles from Jack Nicholson’s broadly funny take on the role in Tim Burton’s 1989 Batman, Ledger takes the role to the shadows, where even what’s comic is hardly a relief. No plastic mask for Ledger; his face is caked with moldy makeup that highlights the red scar of a grin, the grungy hair and the yellowing teeth of a hound fresh out of hell. To the clown prince of crime, a knife is preferable to a gun, the better to “savor the moment.”

Review of The Dark Night from Variety:

Viewers who found “Batman Begins” too existentially weighty for its own good will be refreshed to know that “The Dark Knight” hits the ground running and rarely lets up over its swift 2½-hour running time. Nolan directs the action more confidently than he did the first time out, orchestrating all manner of vertiginous mid-air escapes and virtuosic highway setpieces (and unleashing Batman’s latest ooh-ah contraption, the monster-truck-tire-equipped Bat-Pod). In a fresh innovation, six sequences were shot using Imax cameras, and will presumably look smashing in the giant-screen format (pic was reviewed from a 35mm print).

Though not as obsessively detailed as “Batman Begins,” “The Dark Knight” shares with that film a robust physicality and a commitment to taking violence seriously; a brief shot of bruises and scrapes on Bale’s torso conveys as much impact as any of the film’s brutal confrontations. Bale himself is less central figure than ensemble player, but the commandingly charismatic thesp continues to put his definitive stamp on the role, and also has devilish fun playing up Wayne’s playboy persona.

The Dark Night movie review by the Hollywood Reporter

“The Dark Knight” is pure adrenaline. Returning director Christopher Nolan, having dispensed with his introspective, moody origin story, now puts the Caped Crusader through a decathlon of explosions, vehicle flips, hand-to-hand combat, midair rescues and pulse-pounding suspense.

Nolan is one of our smarter directors. He builds movies around ideas and characters, and “Dark Knight” is no exception. The ideas here are not new to the movie world of cops and criminal, but in the context of a comic book movie, they ring out with startling clarity. In other words, you expect moralistic underpinnings in a Martin Scorsese movie; in a Batman movie, they hit home with renewed vigor.

Movie review of the Dark Night by Time Magazine

It’s been one of the best summers in memory for flat-out blockbuster entertainment, and in the wow category, the Nolan film doesn’t disappoint. True to format, it has a crusading hero, a sneering villain in Heath Ledger’s Joker, spectacular chases — including one with Batman on a stripped-down Batmobile that becomes a motorcycle with monster-truck wheels — and lots of stuff blowing up. Even the tie-in action figures with Reese’s Pieces suggest this is a fast-food movie.

.. This Joker is simply one of the most twisted and mesmerizing creeps in movie history…. And the actor, who died in January at 28 of an accidental prescription-drug overdose, is magnificent… The Dark Knight is bound to haunt you long after you’ve told yourself, Aah, it’s only a comic-book movie.

And the following Dark Night movie reviews were gathered by Cinemablend.com

“It isn’t an overstatement to call The Dark Knight the most sophisticated and ambitious work of its kind.” – Todd Gilchrist, IGN

“The Dark Knight is a masterpiece – an almost flawless comic book movie adaptation.” – Peter Sciretta, Slashfilm

“Dark, grim, haunting and visionary, “The Dark Knight” is nothing short of brilliant, the best and scariest comic hero adaptation you are likely to see this summer season, and perhaps during the whole year.” – Emanuel Levy, emanuellevy.com

“If DARK KNIGHT gets anything less than an Oscar nomination it would be a great injustice to the world of cinema. Nolan has delivered an epic masterpiece that will literally take your breath away.” – Brad Miska, Bloody-Digusting

“It’s the “Godfather II” of comic book films and three times more earnest than “Batman Begins” (and fuck, was that an earnest film). Easily the most adult comic book film ever made.” – Kevin Smith, director of Zack and Miri Make a Porno

“All the things you never thought you would see in a Batman film are present in “The Dark Knight.” Christopher Nolan’s dark, disturbing sequel to 2006’s “Batman Begins” pulls off an impossible task: making an epic from a movie with a man in tights.” – Erik Amaya, Comic Book Resources

“The Dark Knight manages to exceed expectation with a villain so maniacal, his desire for destruction begins to make sense to the point you understand his desire for all out anarchy while you are cheering for the opposition in a war that basically boils down to one side against individual terrorism.” – Brad Brevet, Rope Of Silicon

page topic: reviews of The Dark Night, the latest Batman movie

Soon, Hancock meets Ray (Jason Bateman), a Public Relations Representative who is not having much luck in his life. Ray takes in Hancock and tries to change Hancock’s image. The first thing Ray thinks that would help is if Hancock went to jail. If Hancock went to jail, crime would be on the rise and people would want him back. So both Hancock and Ray decide to try it. During the process, Hancock meets Ray’s mysterious wife, Mary (Charlize Theron). Hancock is then thrown into an adventure to help change who he is and to find out about the mysterious woman Mary.

This movie is a great movie and is sure to entertain you. Its special effects are amazing and there are some very cool stunts that have been thrown into the movie. The plot flows nicely and there are some very funny moments scattered throughout the film. Some parts are predictable and some parts will surprise you. Peter Berg (Director) has done an outstanding job on this movie and you will definitely enjoy it!

Page topic: Review of Hancock movie. starring Will Smith

There are free downloads of the Indiana Jones Crystal Skull movie online, and free streaming video, but nothing replaces being in the theatre, seeing it huge on the screen (or at least on a big screen tv).

Page topic: Movie Review of Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. 

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The next James Bond film, Bond 22,  is to be called Quantum of Solace. The title is taken from a short story in the collection published by 007 creator Ian Fleming, way back in 1960.

According to producer Michael Wilson, “Quantum of Solace” will have twice as much action as Casino Royale, and will pick up a couple of hours after where that film ended.  With James Bond broken hearted by the woman he loved, and ready for revenge.

Daniel Craig said, at the unveiling of the new title, at Pinewood Studios.

“Ian Fleming had written about relationships,” he explained. “When they go wrong, when there’s nothing left, when the spark has gone, when the fire’s gone out, there’s no quantum of solace. And at the end of the last movie, Bond has the love of his life taken away from him and he never got that quantum of solace.”

The movie’s Bond girls will be Olga Kurylenko and Gemma Arterton. Gemma had already filmed her love scenes with Bond, and said “I felt like a giggly girl, and I felt so young and inexperienced – but I kissed James Bond!”

Dame Judi Dench, appearing in her 6th Bond movie, said: “I get to do more in this one, which is brilliant.”

Marc Forster is directing the movie, due out November 7, 2008.  Teaser Trailers for the New Bond movie Quantum of Solace should be released soon.

Page title: Quantum of Solace Movie Trailer Teaser for New Bond Movie released soon

Star Trek XI Movie Trailer:

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Indiana Jones 4: Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull: Movie Teaser

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Page topic: Movie teaser trailer and soon an early review for Indian Jones 4

In this CGI animated feature, Jack Black plays Po, a panda who works at his family’s noodle shop but dreams of being a Kung Fu master.  He is one day called on to fulfill an ancient prophecy, and must study and learn Kung Fu along side the great masters of his day.  In the end he must try to save them all. Will he succeed, or will everyone get killed thereby ruining the possibility of a sequel?  The suspense is killing us.  Our prediction is that the movie will lean heavily on the stupid side, great for kids, but not enough underlying humor for adults. For some reason they didn’t let Jack Black really rip into his trade mark free lance crazy but contagious improving… He did some, but not as much as expected…  All in all, it will be a success, but it won’t quite fire on the adult cylinders… 

As soon as the movies out, we’ll have a review for it.  Here’s the teaser.

Movie trailer for KungFu Panda, starring Jack Black

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Page topic: Kung Fu Panda Movie trailer and review

Here is an early teaser Movie Trailer of Mummy 3.

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Page topic: Mummy 3 Movie Trailer teaser