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Director Spike Jonze and co-writer Dave Eggers expand upon the rather light plot of Sendak's book, using it as a loose outline by which to bring alive a story about a nine-year old boy named Max, who's struggling with feelings of isolation and unrest. His sister has entered teenagerhood and her attentions are focused on her adolescent social circle. His mother, though always caring and understanding towards Max, has a new boyfriend, and this new male presence is clearly threatening to Max, though we are not sure why (Is he worried about a replacement father-figure? Is he diverting his mother's attention from Max?) All of this background is subtly suggested by Jonze, and though the details feel distant, Max's enormous sense of discontent is palpable. During one rude and thoroughly uncalled for outburst by Max, he runs from the house and finds himself transported to the world of the Wild Things. While I will not ruin the movie for you by recounting the many adventures, challenges, discoveries, and problems that Max encounters in this strange environment with his newfound playmates, I will say that Max is forced to consider the implications of his actions (and the actions of others) from many different points of view. You get the sense that for the first time in his life, Max realizes how easy it is to accidentally hurt the feelings of someone else. He also learns the importance of forgiveness – forgiving others because they didn't mean to hurt you, and forgiving yourself for making someone unhappy. None of this is preachy. None of this is heavy-handed. I was genuinely surprised by the deft touch that Spike Jonze wields as his eccentric story unfolds. The adventures are fun and the discoveries are organic to the plot. The film doesn't have a structure that follows typical cinematic plot development, and yet, the dreamlike quality of the story keeps you engaged the whole way through. And of course, Sendak's visuals are replicated with astonishing beauty. My only wish is that the TV screens on my American Airline flight could have been larger. The movie is such a visual feast that to see it on a darkened airplane on a small screen really limited my overall immersion into the world of the film. It's a bit like watching Avatar on your iPod. Still, this is a wonderful movie. It's a perfect diversion from the monotony of the inside of an airplane, and a great bedtime story before you take a nap for the rest of your flight. Rating: 3 ½ stars.
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