okay i went to see this movie, despite being warned. Being an artist first and a movie watcher second i wanted to be able to voice an opinion after seeing it. right now as i right this having just returned from the theaters i still feel the built up sorrow and depression needing to be let out having not cried in the theaters at how emo it was at points.

Personally the movie hit home right from the start to the end . the very beginning of the film making me feel as though i was reliving my child hood.
immediately i wanted to say " wow max has some serious ADHD. as well as dem beasts" this is because i do remember when i was his age and younger , acting out the way he did. scratching, biting, shouting, and misbehaving. Breaking things and destroying and venting with out considering the consequences til the act has been done. even running away from my problems by not knowing how to confront them in a reasonable way.

there was much aggression and jealousy, envy, fear, loneliness friendship sorrow and a bit of humor. Also from what i saw.. the whole movie after max eft for the island, reworked the opening sequence into the beasts. there was constant fear . i was all to familiar with, of doing something wrong and getting into trouble you don't understand, nor asked for as a result. every time the movie had a pmsing mood swing everything went dark or even morbid.

it was just unbelievable how much of what occurred in the emotion sand behaviors i have not seen or experienced at some point in my life. the only stable characters in the film seemed to be the minotaur like character that said nothing and just kept to himself .. a good idea i must say since it kept him out of trouble, and the two random owls... then there is the unstable characters, Ira and the Judith were like a duo, the Judith being a popular princess like character and picking out something that is wrong out of jealousy and causing trouble. Ira just being an accomplish and following his master. Douglas just seamed to try and be a voice of reason yet back down when situations were turning bad.. and eventually.. losses his arm. K.w. seemed to be collective and wanted to make friends elsewhere because the current ones were so mentally unstable and made her uncomfortable. then there was Carol.. another major ADHD dude, he would become aggressive and go through constant mood swings when something happened and didn't go his way. he was easily offended and wanted attention and to be loved by K.W who .. wanted to avoid carols tantrums. tantrums everyone wanted to avoid either way. the goat i just feel so bad for. and also relate. he was ignored but still present. saying things to hopefully gain attention and a conversation with one of the other beats. when they finally do they hurt him and he gives up in a pout .. he wants attention when he wants it.. not when he doesn't.

this was an emotional roller coaster ride for me for sure and many more things can be said which i cant construct sentences about or complete thoughts.

in another way. this movie was beautifully constructed. the actors did a great job of getting into character based on the scripts they were given. the structures made were also impressively used in the scenes, it was like nests that birds construct and so intricately woven together, weather by hand or computer generated. Another point is the beasts. the craft of the suits was perfectly designed and matched the illustrations of the book. sadly i wanted to see that lovely sea monster in the surging sea when max arrived but alas he didn't make the cut. i give props to the people who constructed those wild things costumes. the people who would need to wear them moved very fluidly and naturally as though they weren't in a big furry suit. id imagine the costume to be heavy and hot and move like it was carying an egg between its legs. Also Maxs' suit was well made a. it looked like it was made by any regular person with a sewing machine and cloth, yet in reality something of its durability would never match up to it.

this movie i love and hate at the same time... i admit i got bored at how slow it moved when there was no excitement or fun, just an uneasy feeling about all the characters. an emotional roller coaster. but still well done for being based off a short book with no developed characters or names besides max.

If you have ever sen Disneys' "bridge to terrabithia"(sp), you'll get this movie just fine, both were mislead by the advertisements and both will encourage tears and disappointment in one way or another.

my suggestions for this film is do not take your kids to see it, it is not the same story you grew up with. it is too complex for younger kids and scary. it should probaly be rated pg 13 for the emotional roller coaster that it is. Adults looking to criticize a film go right a head and see it. as for me im glad i went, and i don't feel i wasted money either.

as for film makers working from short stories... thanks for trying... just dont ruin "Goodnight Moon"


* lol grammer spelling failures everywhere*