Where The Wild Things Are

I didn't like this book as a kid. I just didn't. The story wasn't that interesting. The book was kind of dark. It was okay, but I never was like, "Oh! Read This! Read This!"
But I couldn't get away from this movie. I mean, not only has everyone been talking about it forever, it looked beautiful. I just had to see it. And it was playing at 11:30. So we went.
Now, I think there are plenty of people who can relate to this Max's childhood. I am not one of those. My world was a much more rose-colored one than this characters. I think those who grew up in rose-colored worlds tend to distance themselves a little from Max's world and were a little disenchanted by the movie.
These are the things that I loved about it:
I loved the ocean
I loved the child who played Max. It could not have been cast more perfectly.
I loved Karol. I cried at the end. The "monsters" were very real and the relationships were powerfully emotionally charged.
The thing I love most of all was the element of escape, which I think appeals to all of us. I think at some point every person needs a few days to be in a whole new environment. Without family. Without familiar crutches. Without life. With total permission to just be yourself. And maybe to discover who you are a little bit more than you could otherwise.
When Max first stands on that cliff with a monster on either side, I felt that feeling again. And was once again grateful for all the experiences that have made me who I am today.
With that said, I would never take a little kid to this movie. But I really liked it. A lot.