Behind the Scenes: Fantastic Mr. Fox
Last week we showed you a brilliant trailer for Fantastic Mr. Fox (releasing November 25, 2009). We mentioned how painful it must be to work on a stop-motion animation project. One small scene (less than a minute) could easily take months to film. Here is a 3 minute behind the scenes featurette that shows some of this pain in action. Great stuff.
Film Review: Where the Wild Things Are
“There is no difference from childhood and adulthood.” – Spike Jonze
Those simple words and understanding is why Where the Wild Things Are is such a whirlwind of delicate emotions: loneliness, jealousy, happiness, fright, love, and anger. I can happily say with relief – this film has lived up to all of the high expectations and beyond. This is the best film I’ve seen in a long time. And it is sure to be a classic for kids as years pass by. It strikes emotions and lingers with you in unexpected ways. Simply put, go see this film!
In 1 hour and 35 minutes, Spike Jonze has maintained the soul of the original Sendak story while expanding it to something deep and remarkable. The question lingers in how parents and their children will respond. Will parents react to the film in anger, not wanting their kids to see the realistic complexities of kids? Or will they embrace this truth and go along with the imaginative journey of our protagonist Max? Sure, there are some dark and complex moments to the film. But I believe Jonze has successfully walked that tightrope of appeasing the kids while allowing adults to reembrace their own childhood.
At what point in your life did the child in you disappear? Where you could stare at a toy or stuffed animal or even a stick and share a world of adventure all alone with it for hours. To live life as a functioning adult, we are essentially told that we have to “grow up” and shed these childlike tendencies. As Jonze was recently quoted in GQ magazine, “I didn’t set out to make a movie they could put in the children’s section [in the video store]. I set out to make a movie that was about being 9 years old.”
Spike Jonze has accomplished something amazing here. He has captured the essence and complications of being a child. Where every cause has an effect. Where the possibilities are endless, yet seemingly, limited. Where fun and laughter quickly turns to tears and anger. Where the wild things are…inside your imaginative mind. Continue reading “Film Review: Where the Wild Things Are” »