Posts Tagged ‘Where the Wild Things Are’

While in keeping an eye on the world of film criticism, a new assessor managed to stand out. Christopher Monfette (of IGN.com) wrote a particularly well-crafted review of Where the Wild Things Are in that he was able to deftly articulate his personal observations whilst using material from the movie to explain and support his perspective. Now, such achievements ought not to be considered great. On the contrary, reaching such a level of writing should be considered merely a fulfillment in competence. However being that the number of online movie reviewers who actually display evidence of an education seems to decrease by the day, I must insist on congratulating members of this guild.

Clarity is not the only notable attribute concerning Monfette’s writing. His articulation, which is something that goes beyond simply choosing the right syntax and word choice, is able to reveal deeper elements of the film by only referring to the surface values of his citations. This allows him to avoid giving spoilers and still provide a tangible viewpoint based on clear reasoning. Having the ability to accomplish this is impressive. The thing to watch from now on, though, is if he is able to write and review at such a level consistently. To judge for yourselves on whether or not he seems capable of this I invite you to also read his review of Saw VI.

Monfette’s experience seems limited (he has only a couple dozen published reviews) and I failed to find any kind of biography, but as things stand now I would consider him to be a critic to watch. It should be fun tracking his career, especially if it continues to rise.

Short Take: A poingant tale that really hits home

Director: Spike Jonze (Being John Malkovich, Adaptation)

Screenwriters: Spike Jonze and Dave Eggers, Maurice Sendak (book)

Cast: Max Records (The Brothers Bloom), Catherine Keener (40 Year Old Virgin), James Gandolfini (The Sopranos), Chris Cooper (Breach), Catherine O’Hara (Away We Go), Forest Whitaker (The Last King of Scotland), Lauren Ambrose (Love and Other Impossible Pursuits)

Length: 1h 21m

Synopsis: An ordinary boy named Max (Records), through dealing with everyday life, is finding out that the world is not everything he keeps hoping it will be. From having an older sister who doesn’t pay much attention to him, and a single mom (Keener) who is trying her best to keep her family afloat, he constantly relies on his vibrant imagination to create happiness. One day he runs away to find a land where he can find this happiness and discovers a place as wild as his dreams. Read the rest of this entry »