August 5, 2022 Show
A movie for more mature audiences.I haven’t watched this movie in a very long time but I remember being absolutely horrified of the wild things. I was probably 9 when I watched the film and I can still remember certain scenes of the wild things doing awfully strange things that made me feel uneasy and also terrified. To me this movie had a very dark energy to it. It’s also not a movie MOST kids would understand. It’s definitely for a more mature viewer. October 27, 2021 My whole childhood in one awesome movie!I think this movie is fantastic representation of what goes through a lonely child's mind. I've seen a lot of negative comments on here saying the movie isn't well represented of the book, and while that's true, that shouldn't justify the reason it's getting judged so harshly. The way I see it: the book and movie are two separate entities. Yes the book is a sweet childhood tale. I would probably say the the book is so short and has a happy ending probably for three year olds (at least that's how old I was when I read it). The movie on the other hand is for the older kids and is most likely to represent the deeper meaning being the loneliness Max feels and all the things that go on in his head. When I watch this movie, I feel a childhood warmth that nothing else can give me the euphoria that this movie does. The soundtrack, the visuals, the editing, and the story telling are nothing like what we see today. This is a one of a kind movie that not a lot of people got to experience and I'm lucky to have known it at all. This title has: Great messages Great role models September 4, 2020 Wild is the pointCriticism of this movie seems to be that young kids will be frightened by the Wild Things' occasional outbursts or arguments. Their emotions are the point, though. Max is not a blank slate when he lands on their island; he's already had his own tantrum, and is prone to sudden downturns. And any time a WT threatens him or others, the rest are pretty good at trying to calm everyone down. Their childlike emotions, although hidden inside giant 7' monsters, are the perfect gateways to talk about Big Feelings with your kids. My 6 1/2-year-old is currently going thru an Afraid phase right now, and even the two scenes involving potential real danger for Max, she didn't even blink, although she did watch intently and was not scared after. This movie should have been a classic, and I place it among the greats like "E.T." and "The Wizard of Oz." December 30, 2019 Horribly dark and depressing adaptationThis could have been a magical, wonderful adventure - like the book - but instead it takes a children's story and turns it into a very adult film. While it's beautifully shot, and the Wild Things are incredible, the plot is depressing and there is no humour or warmth. A misguided attempt to change what didn't need changing. Definitely one to miss. November 8, 2019 the book is great this movie isnt for kidsthis movie had a lot of pain suffering hurt in it. it wasnt an overall upbeat movie. i have 4 kids and none of them liked this. and when i watched it i was always asking how a cute book could be made into such a depressing and long drama. lame. March 21, 2019 7 year old daughter loved it and was very empathetic!!I always loved this book. I've been reading it to my child for years. My nephew was named after the main character "Max". I loved the way they made this movie. An angry child, because he is lonely, looking for attention. Sharing his mom with her new boyfriend, older sister wants to hang out with her teenage friends, and no one will listen to him. He goes to an island "where the wild things are" and is faced with his emotions. Each "Wild Thing" is a different emotion in him. They all handle situations differently and are very conflicting. I believe that it really touched my daughter. I even cried like a baby at the end and I was surprised to see tears in my daughters eyes at the end too. Great movie! This title has: Great messages Great role models July 6, 2018 One of my favoritesI am starting this by saying I am tired of cliche movies. This is a whimsical, dark, truthful, slow, heartfelt and quirky movie. It makes you feel. It has lines you wouldn’t expect and maybe an ending you would not want. The visuals left me feeling shifted and inspired. It is an artsy sort of movie that many just don’t understand, but I don’t care because it spoke to me! Short takesNot recommended under 9, and PG to 11 (Scary Scenes, Violence, Themes) Age 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 This topic contains:
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About the movieThis section contains details about the movie, including its classification by the Australian Government Classification Board and the associated consumer advice lines.
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A synopsis of the storyBased on the picture book by Maurice Sendak, Where the Wild Things Are is about a young boy named Max (Max Records) with a vivid imagination, who travels to an island by boat and befriends the wild monsters who live there. The movie differs from the book in that Max actually travels to the island, after having an argument with his Mum (Catherine Keener) and running away from home. Max travels across the ocean and is washed up in a storm onto an island inhabited by monstrous looking Wild Things who are very much like savage children themselves. In order to save his life he tells them that he has special powers that can fix their problems and in response they decide to make him King of all the Wild Things with the understanding that under his rule they will be happy and everything will be exactly as they have always dreamed it could be. There he meets an aggressive male Wild Thing named Carol (voice of Gandolfini) who, fortunately for Max, decides not to eat him and becomes his friend. A depressed Judith (voice of Catherine O’Hara) is not so sure and is more suspicious of Max. Eventually they believe Max’s story that he’s a king and make him their own king. At first Max does a great job. His wild rumpus brings them all together, his plans for a huge, impenetrable fortress where they can all sleep in a big pile are going well, everyone is helping and cooperating but slowly differences of opinion begin to arise, loyalties are questioned and Carol begins to show a far more darker and dangerous side. It is only after Max barely escapes with his life that he begins to appreciate what he had before and begins to realize that what the Wild Things need is not king, but a Mum. ThemesinfoChildren and adolescents may react adversely at different ages to themes of crime, suicide, drug and alcohol dependence, death, serious illness, family breakdown, death or separation from a parent, animal distress or cruelty to animals, children as victims, natural disasters and racism. Occasionally reviews may also signal themes that some parents may simply wish to know about. Loneliness; family relationships and breakdown, depression, elements of domestic violence Use of violenceinfoResearch shows that children are at risk of learning that violence is an acceptable means of conflict resolution when violence is glamourised, performed by an attractive hero, successful, has few real life consequences, is set in a comic context and / or is mostly perpetrated by male characters with female victims, or by one race against another. Repeated exposure to violent content can reinforce the message that violence is an acceptable means of conflict resolution. Repeated exposure also increases the risks that children will become desensitised to the use of violence in real life or develop an exaggerated view about the prevalence and likelihood of violence in their own world. There is some violence in this movie including:
Material that may scare or disturb childrenUnder fiveinfoChildren under five are most likely to be frightened by scary visual images, such as monsters, physical transformations. In addition to the above-mentioned violent scenes, there are some scenes in this movie that could scare or disturb children under the age of five, including the following:
Aged five to eightinfoChildren aged five to eight will also be frightened by scary visual images and will also be disturbed by depictions of the death of a parent, a child abandoned or separated from parents, children or animals being hurt or threatened and / or natural disasters. Children in this age group are also likely to be disturbed by the above mentioned scenes and characters Aged eight to thirteeninfoChildren aged eight to thirteen are most likely to be frightened by realistic threats and dangers, violence or threat of violence and / or stories in which children are hurt or threatened. Younger children in this age group may also be scared by some of the above mentioned scenes and by the scene where Max’s teacher at school tells the class about the eventual death of the sun and alarms the children with the impending doom of planet Earth. Over thirteeninfoChildren over the age of thirteen are most likely to be frightened by realistic physical harm or threats, molestation or sexual assault and / or threats from aliens or the occult. Nothing of concern Product placementNone of concern Sexual referencesNone of concern Nudity and sexual activityNone of concern Use of substancesSocial drinking among adults Coarse languageNone of concern In a nutshellWhere the Wild Things Are is a dark, fantasy, adventure being promoted as a children’s film but is entirely unsuitable for young audiences. Fans of the book may well want to see it but they should be forewarned that any similarities end with the costumes and characters and that the plot of the movie heads in a far more sinister direction. There is also a lot of handheld camera footage. The main messages from this movie are that sometimes you don’t realize what you have until it is gone. Be grateful for family and for those that love you for who or what you are. Values in this movie that parents may wish to reinforce with their children include
This movie could also give parents the opportunity to discuss with their children attitudes and behaviours, and their real-life consequences, such as
What age group is Where the Wild Things Are appropriate for?This picture book is an excellent choice to share during homeschooling, in particular for children ages 4 to 6. It's a fun way to learn to read and as a supplement for activity books for children. Introduce a new generation to Max's imaginative journey with this special anniversary edition.
What can children learn from Where the Wild Things Are?Don't judge someone (or something) by his or her appearance. And the wild things roared their terrible roars and gnashed their terrible teeth and rolled their terrible eyes and showed their terrible claws. The wild things may have had terrible roars and teeth and claws, but they weren't as terrible as they seemed.
Why is Where the Wild Things Are a good book for children?The Book's Appeal
Max is an engaging character. His actions, from chasing the dog to talking back to his mother are realistic. His emotions are also realistic. It's quite common for children to get angry and fantasize about what they could do if they ruled the world and then calm down and consider the consequences.
Is Where the Wild Things Are too scary?Shatters Innocence The Atlantic's own Alyssa Rosenberg accuses the the film of going heavy on violence and terror, but says that it's the level of emotional ambiguity that ends up challenging developing minds the most: "There's no question that Where the Wild Things Are is often quite frightening…But it's also a movie ...
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