Spike Jonze's somber, heartbreaking, and magical take on Maurice Sendak's beloved children's book is quickly becoming one of the most polarizing films of the year. Some find the film too scary for children, while others find the picture pointless. For me, Where the Wild Things Are hit all the right notes. This might not be the all out joyful adaptation that some fans of the book might be expecting, but Jonze has delivered a masterful take on what the book means to him. While the source material is only but ten sentences long, Jonze and co-writer Dave Eggers have pieced together an adaptation that fills in the blanks. In this take, young Max is a misunderstood nine year old. The little kid in the back of the classroom who no one understands. In fact, I have a sneaking suspicion that Jonze has a special kinship with Max. Perhaps this was Jonze's childhood. As Max (played by wonderful newcomer Max Records) strives for acceptance, his loving mother's involvement with a new boyfriend further pushes the youngster's erratic behavior into overdrive. In fact, Max is so distraught, that he runs away from home and is quickly whisked away to a land populated by unruly beasts who Max immediately takes a liking to. One of these beasts is Carol, a misunderstood monster who craves the acceptance of his peers. Sound familiar? Where the Wild Things is a technical marvel. The wild things themselves, as created by the Jim Henson Workshop, are an incredible combination of costume and high tech puppetry. Its as if these wild things have leapt directly from the book. They are simply astonishing to look at. The vocal work here is unforgettable. James Gandolfini, Catherine O'Hara, Forest Whitaker, Paul Dano, and Chris Cooper, are all in top form. This will be a tough film for some audiences to warm up to, but I totally bought into Jonze's odd little world. Choosing a frame of reference isn't entirely easy, but I'd compare Where the Wild Things Are to Pan's Labyrinth and Coraline in that its a story about a how a child's imaginary world opens his eyes to how the real world is. This is a beautiful and surprisingly provocative piece of work. True, its not likely that all children will connect with its emotional complexity, but some kids are sure to relate to this honest depiction of what its like to be a nine year old.

Grade: A-