FROM MTV.COM: Anyone wanting to turn Maurice Sendak's "Where the Wild Things Are" into a movie must face a steep challenge. The 1963 book — esteemed as a classic for ... I guess "kids of all ages" would be the term — is only 48 pages long, and consists largely of Sendak's cozy-strange illustrations; there's very little text. So to assist in plumping up this story for a 90-minute film, director Spike Jonze brought in writer Dave Eggers, who last lent his alt-lit touch to the languid "Away We Go." The result is a picture whose pleasures are almost entirely visual. The dialogue gets some energetic spin from the actors involved, but — no surprise — there's too much of it, and it wears you down.

The story, for those who may have forgotten, or never known, concerns a little boy named Max. In the movie as in the book, Max (played wonderfully well by newcomer Max Records) is a handful. He's raucous and needy in the usual little-boy manner, and is constantly being fobbed off to go play alone by his single mom (Catherine Keener), who's preoccupied with her job, and by his older sister (Pepita Emerichs), who's preoccupied with being a teenager. After pitching a fit in the kitchen one night, Max runs off into the nearby woods, where he wanders for a while before coming upon a small boat pulled up on a beach. Climbing aboard, he sails away in search of a more agreeable life.

Continue reading 'Where The Wild Things Are': Fretting Zoo, By Kurt Loder

Today's eBay Prop-Watch pick is really freaking cool. It's prohibitively expensive too, but we'll get to that in a minute.

This Friday, audiences across the nation will finally get a chance to see what director Spike Jonze did with his adaptation of the classic Maurice Sendak children's book, "Where the Wild Things Are." It's one of those classics like "Goodnight Moon," a work that's enduring enough to leave multiple generations with a sense of nostalgia at the very mention of it.

Jonze is perhaps the perfect director to bring Sendak's imagination-fueled, dream-like vision to life. I personally think that audiences are going to divided in the final analysis, but the movie is something special nonetheless. Today's Prop-Watch pick doesn't actually tie to the movie, but it was created by Sendak's hand and is thus worth taking a look at. Read more...

FROM MTV.COM: It's a rite of passage. It's the flexing of one of our most important muscles: imagination. But most importantly, it's pure and simple fun.

It is the reading of Maurice Sendak's classic 1963 book "Where the Wild Things Are." And for five decades, it has been a childhood tradition.

"It was read to me," 48-year-old Oscar winner Forest Whitaker recalled recently, remembering the first time he became aware of the book that he'll help turn into a feature film this weekend. "First, it was read to me as a kid. And then it was one of those books I was able to like when I got old enough to read. ... I've had it around forever. Now, I read it to my kids."

Continue reading 'Where The Wild Things Are' Stars Reveal Their Histories With The Book

This Friday, the joy-loving world gets to pass judgment on Spike Jonze' treatment of the classic Maurice Sendak children's book, "Where the Wild Things Are." The story follows a little boy who ends up on an island populated by fearsome-yet-lovable "wild things," talking creatures with a playful, mischievous nature. "Story" is perhaps a strong word to describe the book, but that's the basic setup.

The movie is similarly formless, though don't take that as a negative observation. It reproduces the main beats of the book very well, as you'll see in the clip below. Stay tuned to MTV.com all this week for continuing coverage of "Where the Wild Things Are"!

MTV Movies editor Josh Horowitz got a care package in the mail today from Warner Bros. With Spike Jonze's adaptation of Maurice Sendak's classic children's book, "Where the Wild Things Are," drawing ever closer, the promo swag faucet is starting to flow. The package contained a copy of Sendak's book and a spiffy new poster featuring a very minimalist design.

A very familiar minimalist design. I don't want to spoil the surprise. Hit the jump for the full poster and a look at... well... you'll see. Read more...

So the new trailer for "Where The Wild Things Are" hit the Internet today. It's freaking awesome. Director Spike Jonze might be messing around with Maurice Sendak's original story, but the author has already admitted that he's okay with it. If he's fine, then I'm fine. Especially with Spike at the helm.

Don't take my word for it though. MTV's Josh Horowitz and Vanessa White Wolf know far better than I do. They also make for an entertaining pair. In the clip below, Josh and Vanessa let you know exactly why the trailer is so great. Enjoy.

I love this featurette on so many different levels. "Where The Wild Things Are" author Maurice Sendak giving Spike Jonze' upcoming feature adaptation his blessing is what hits me most. "Wild Things" and "Goodnight Moon" are two of the most fondly remember books from my childhood. The idea of a visionary like Spike Jonze bringing Sendak's bizarre vision to life is almost too much for me to bear. That's not even mentioning the views from the set. Don't take my word for it. Just watch, and enjoy.