Observations:

Visually stunning. Absolutely gorgeous environment, beautifully shot.

More scary for adults than kids. In at least three different scenes, Jonze was able to capture that moment when exuberant child's play goes horribly wrong and somebody ends up getting hurt (ie, "You're gonna put your eye out!"). That roller coaster of joy careening into tragedy is the thing of every parent's worst nightmares, because we all have vivid memories of our own childhood exploits (we actually DID put somebody's eye out!).

Remarkably sad and dark. I never read quite this much sadness into the book. Even the happiness of Max's return home seemed tempered. We expected something a little lighter. I can see how folks with really young kids wouldn't appreciate it.

Something missing. I'd like to have seen Max apologize to his mother at the end. While this is exactly as the story plays out in the book (Max never apologizes...showing mother's unconditional love?), I think that if Max had truly learned a lesson from his adventures as is implied, he'd have apologized to her.

Overall impression:

My wife and I thought it was wonderful, my daughter not so much. She cried as Max left the Wild Things behind and without a more clearly hopeful ending to lift her spirits back up, she was left in a bit of a funk for the rest of the day.

I loved it too. But I think it's only for kids over 20. Even though Max was a kid, he was (to me) more like the kid inside of a grown up and that is a pretty heavy scene.

I wrote something on it too - not so much a movie review but a riff on a guy I know who is also named Max. And it made me think of him throughout the whole movie.

I thought it was too weird for the board so I posted it in Left Field, where I often find myself standing out in.

Something missing. I'd like to have seen Max apologize to his mother at the end.

Oh, botheration. WTWA (the book) is about how it's OK to get mad now and then. I think the book's magic would be lost if Max felt he had to apologize. What makes WTWA so great is that it's not the moralistic tome you want it to be.

My wife and I thought it was wonderful, my daughter not so much. She cried as Max left the Wild Things behind

Supposedly the movie was more for adults than kids. But I'm surprised your daughter missed the Wild Things. I've read several reviews that say they are boring with their childish grievances toward one another.

I like to go to kid movies -- even without a kid, and I've been dying to go see WTWA. Thanks for the reminder.

"kids" movies I went to see were Up and Where The Wild Things Are. I loved them both.

Also really, really liked the movie Coraline too! You can probably get that one on DVD.

it should read, ' ... so I posted it in 'Left Field', in which I often find myself outstanding.

A six-year-old I know told me the story of Coraline, and it sounds too scary for me. I liked The Incredibles, Toy Story, Beauty and the Beast, The Lion King, Ratatouille, and The Polar Express.

A Bug's Life and Wall-E were, I felt, only mediocre.

Never heard of Up. I'll have to check it out.

You've outted my High Self Esteem.

in all movie reviews, if the reviewer would indicate where the film belongs in my ranking system which is applied as follows:

1. Drop everything and see this movie.
2. It's probably worth catching this movie at the bargain matinee.
3. Put this movie on your Netflix list near the top
4. Tell your wife she should put the movie on your Netflix list and you'll score some points watching a decent chick-flick with her.
5. Tell your wife she should put it on your Netflix list because she'll probably like it and then you can finish painting the shed without interruption while she's watching it.
6. Don't put this film on your Netflix list.
7. Warn your wife not to put this film on the Netflix list so you can say, 'I told you so' when she does it anyway and then hates it.
8. Your writing a review of a movie you know no one is going to see anyway, but you did anyway and this is your way of purging - you know, the way the wife says, 'honey, I think the milk has gone bad, here, taste it.'

Optionally, you could include whether the movie would be good for kids, but my kids are all grown and - I mean really - would you entrust the sacred parental responsibility to stuff you read on a bloggy thingie? I didn't think so.

if you can name two movies you've seen and would put in each category.

Just to make sure I can be outstanding in this field as well.

There just aren't many movies in the top category - 'Lord of the Rings', the first 'Matrix'. All the 'Harry Potter' movies go in the next one - see 'em in a theatre, but I can wait. Things I'd put on my Netflix list - that movie about aliens in South Africa. Forget what it was called. Things my wife put on Netflix I liked - the one with Angelina Jolie as the mother they tried to commit as insane because she didn't accept the kid the LA cops gave her was her missing son. That was surprisingly good. I wouldn't keep track of what goes in the next layer - just about everything else, I suppose. The lowest rung, "Fatties - Fart 2'. Haven't seen it. Just a guess. There is one category above all of these which is the 'See-it-take-some-friends-the-­next-time-you-see-it-buy-the-D­VD-and-loan-it-to-your-other-f­riends movie; 'Shakespeare In Love'.

(aka Manon of the Spring). After recommending these to a friend years ago, I learned since to include this: rent both together, cuz she got kinda upset that I didn't warn her that when the first finishes, you're gonna wanna eject it and insert the second immediately (ok, maybe you'll want a quick bathroom break in between).

I've never seen The Matrix, but my family gives it a resounding multi-thumbs up and they all insist I should. Your putting it category 1 noodges it a little closer.

I would add another category - Foreign Films - and they're in a different category because (for me) they're a totally different experience.

We're in complete agreement on Lowest Rung.

And regarding "Shakespeare in Love."

Okay, I think I can do movie recommendations for you.

Thank you for your cooperation.

Catch Where The Wild Things are at a morning matinee or the Dollar Theater if you like the popcorn there. (Our matinees before noon are $5 and with my AARP card it's only $4).

deserve their own category.

I've seen recently was 'Les Triplettes de Belleville'. Mrs. ducadmo's Netflix pick, but I liked it more than she did. Favorite foreign film; 'Amelie'.

Wall-E

Hated The Polar Express. Enough to put it in my 20 worst movies list. Not quite Final Destination bad, but bad enough.