So last night Alex, Lulu, and I had dinner with my mom, or Abu as Lulu calls her, and then went to watch "Where the Wild Things Are" over to the Fine Arts Cafe. I found it odd that the movie was showing there since is a movie based on a children's book. "Maybe not enough people know the book in PR," I figured. Oh boy, was that not a children's movie. It was slow as molasses and the entire movie was shot in the style of an existential French drama.
Why did Spike Jonze feel the need to hide this story about depression, loss, family strife, and the pure pain of growing up hiding behind what was the mostly uplifting story of a boy with an overactive imagination? I felt cheated. I didn't go to watch "Where the Wild Things Are" to get a look into Spike Jonze's soul. I wanted to watch a movie about the book I have read my son and daughter before they go to sleep. I wanted to share that with Lulu (since her brother was away with his other grandmother in California). Now instead I feel like I need to take a shower in Paxil, Xanax, and Zoloft.
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Yeah, I think that the movie missed the mark. I liked the undercurrents of family strife, etc, and I think movies for kids need to address those issues. But the balance was totally out of whack, if WTWTA is supposed to be a kids movie at all. The Neverending Story is basically the same movie structurally, but strikes a much better balance between adventure/imagination and upsetting undercurrents like loneliness, bullying, and family problems.
ReplyDeleteOh one more thing... I wonder how Maurice Sendak feels about it. His name was all over the credits as a producer, etc -- but I'd be really surprised if this is what he had in mind as a movie version of his book.
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