Where the Wild Things Are

Spanks - 4

Director - Spike Jonze

Writer - Spike Jonze & Dave Eggers

Starring - Max Records & Catherine Keener
Voices - Catherine O'Hara, Forest Whitaker, Lauren Ambrose & James Gandolfini

Release Date - 16 October 09

MPAA Rating - PG

It took 46 years for Where the Wild Things Are to be adapted into a motion picture. After many failed attempts at making it a computer animated film, director Spike Jonze, who Maurice Sendak said "was young, interesting and had a spark that none of the others had", was hired to make it with actors and puppets and it couldn't have been done better.

The story is of Max. Max is a ten year old boy who has a very creative imagination and acts like your regular New Jersey ten year old would. His rambunctious mindset gets the best of him one evening which causes alarm for his mother. After his mother yells at him he runs out of the house. He then finds a boat and sails to an island. On the island he befriends a character named Carol and his group of friends.

The visuals used to create this world are what makes this movie great. The fact that the Wild Things where made and actually exist is even more exciting. They could have easily made seven Jar Jar Binks in the computer, but they took the time and craftsmanship to build all seven costumes, and you can tell.

The film is childish at times, but it is an adventure taken from the point of view a ten year old boy. The dialog isn't great, but think of the book and how the story is told more through the pictures then the words. If you go expecting a typical Disney film, you will be greatly disappointed. Remember how the book is, and watch the film as if the book is being projected onto the screen.

Zombieland

Spanks - 4

Director - Ruben Fleischer

Writer - Rhett Reese & Paul Wernick

Starring - Jesse Eisenberg, Woody Harrelson, Emma Stone & Abigail Breslin

Release Date - 2 October 09

MPAA Rating - R

Zombieland is a comedy about a group of human survivors that come together after the world is destroyed from most of the population being turned into zombies. The four of them are in search of completely different things until they are all brought together. Wichita and Little Rock are on their way to Pacific Playland, an amusement park in California, that is rumored to be zombie free. Tallahassee and Columbus decide to go there too after the girls attempt to steal their car.

Throughout the film Columbus tells us his rules for staying alive in Zombieland. Some of them are what you would expect, but the ones that you don't expect are funny. The way they are described and shown is an added comedic treat.

The movie is hysterical. I laughed the whole time. It has an awesome cameo and Tallahassee's original search is brilliant and unexpected (both I won't ruin for you). It also has a few scenes that can be scary, but when you are closing your eyes or hiding behind your neighbor in the next seat you will be laughing your ass off. How many movies do you know that can do that to you?