6 Responses to “Wild Open Thread”

1. 1.   Jon Says:
   November 4th, 2009 at 9:36 am

   I always loved Sendak. There’s more to him than just a simple children’s illustrator:

   http://forums.bookstellyouwhy.info/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=202

2. 2.   Amanda Says:
   November 4th, 2009 at 9:38 am

   Absolutely hated it. Have to agree with a friend who called it, “a joyless exploration of passive-aggressiveness.”

3. 3.   Guy Says:
   November 4th, 2009 at 10:10 am

   Haven’t seen it but it is a great children’s book. My nieces and nephews loved it.

4. 4.   John Kwok Says:
   November 4th, 2009 at 11:30 am

   It’s not Peter Jackson’s “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy but it is a fine bit of fantasy nonetheless. And am especially amazed with how well both Spike Jonze and his screenwriter, Dave Eggers, magically translated Sendak’s work onto the big screen. Definitely one of my favorite films of 2009…. and I found it far more impressive than J. J. Abrams’s “reboot” of classic “Star Trek”.

5. 5.   Jef Says:
   November 4th, 2009 at 1:48 pm

   not a feel good movie, but a good movie. not for kids who wouldn’t understand it, but perfect for kids who have to deal with messed-up grownups.

6. 6.   Mike Says:
   November 5th, 2009 at 1:17 pm

   Mike and Anna say two thumbs down. As people currently reading the book to our 2-year old on a nearly nightly basis (his insistent request: “Things! Things!”), we say the film, while visually interesting, was a self-indulgent romp through “passive-aggressive puppet island” as one of our friends aptly put it. The trailer was the best thing about this movie. But then, I kind of thought the same thing about Eggers’s first book so probably should have seen this one coming. Disappointing use of a babysitter night.

   (And in case you need additional fodder to question our judgment, consider that we used a babysitter night to go see a movie of the book we would otherwise have been reading to our son.)