Not just for kids

Whether you love it or hate it, most people seem to agree that “Where the Wild Things Are,” Spike Jonze’s adaptation of Maurice Sendak’s classic children’s book, isn’t really for kids. Rather than making a cute family film about love and friendship, Jonze’s adaptation is a deeply psychological look at what it feels like to be a 9-year-old, specifically the more tumultuous emotions a 9-year-old experiences rather than the joy of being a kid.

Max, played by newcomer Max Records, feels isolated, different and lonesome, and the performances and script convey these emotions so vividly that the audience feels them right along with him. And once he gets to the land of the Wild Things, life doesn’t get any easier. He has companionship with his cuddly new friends, but the dysfunctional group has just as many problems as he does.

Carol (James Gandolfini) is jealous of KW’s (Lauren Ambrose) new friends and wants desperately to keep their current group together without the intrusion of any newcomers while KW longs to explore something new. Judith (Catherine O’Hara) is constantly skeptical of what’s going on around her, and Alexander (Paul Dano) is frustrated and sad that no one ever listens to him.

Though they all clearly care about the friendship that binds them together, their problems often overpower it. These interactions are so intense and powerful that at times I felt uncomfortable watching it. Rarely is anything in this movie wrapped up neatly in a Disney-esque bow. The Wild Things all look to Max to make their lives better, but sometimes he just doesn’t know how to fix it – a realization that ultimately brings him closer to his mother, as in the land of the Wild Things, he has had to take on a role similar to hers.

This movie is pretty dark for a children’s film, and though the kids in the audience at my screening seemed entertained enough by the fuzzy title creatures, the movie’s complexity went way over their heads. Most of the audience for “Where the Wild Things Are” its opening weekend were adults and, in particular, college students.

This movie wasn’t even really marketed as children’s fare. Jonze’s past films include “Adaptation” and “Being John Malkovich,” intricate R-rated indies, and the offbeat indie vibe of those movies is definitely present in “Where the Wild Things Are.” But Jonze isn’t the only traditionally adult director tackling children’s stories.

Wes Anderson, also known for offbeat R-rated dramedies about dysfunctional people like “Rushmore,” “The Royal Tenenbaums” and “The Life Aquatic,” is tackling Roald Dahl’s “Fantastic Mr. Fox” this Thanksgiving. Like “Where the Wild Things Are,” this is a movie I’m not sure will resonate with kids as much as it will with Anderson’s typical audience.

The trailer for the stop motion animation film about Mr. Fox (George Clooney), his ragtag family and friends and their plan to escape from an evil trio of farmers feels like any other Wes Anderson movie. The dry humor and the interactions between the characters are definitely reminiscent of something like “The Royal Tenenbaums,” if that film were animated and about animals. It seems marketed toward Anderson’s usual target audience, and his fans will likely be curious about this new project, but it’s hard to say whether children will be entertained by his trademark style.

Tim Burton’s adaptation of “Alice in Wonderland” (due in theaters March 5) also looks as dark and fantastical as any other Burton film. Though he’s no stranger to children’s movies, having directed films like “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” in the past, Burton always puts his own unique spin on the material and his movies always appeal to just as many adults, maybe even to more adults, than children.

So what do you think? Why are directors like Jonze, Anderson and Burton so attracted to children’s stories right now? What other children’s movies can you think of that actually appeal more to adults?

Review: Couples Retreat

With a cast including funny men Vince Vaughn, Jon Favreau and Jason Bateman, I expected “Couples Retreat” to offer plenty of laughs. But as far as romantic comedies go, this one fell a little flat.

The film focuses on four couples: Dave (Vaughn) and Ronnie (Malin Akerman), a stable and happy couple with excessively busy lives, Jason (Bateman) and Cynthia (Kristen Bell), an anal retentive couple who are having trouble conceiving a child, Joey (Favreau) and Lucy (Kristen Davis), who married after getting pregnant in high school and both have wandering eyes and Shane (Faizon Love) and Trudy (Kali Hawk), whose May-December romance is a product of Shane’s recent divorce.

Jason and Cynthia tell the others they are considering getting a divorce, and they want to travel to a tropical couples resort called Eden to attempt to save their marriage. They can’t afford the cost of the trip themselves, though, so they invite their friends to accompany them and get a discounted group rate. While the other couples are only looking for fun in the sun rather than therapy, the trip forces all of them to reevaluate their relationships.

The film was written by Vaughn and Favreau, both of whom have proven funny in the past in films like “Swingers.” But for the majority of the film, the audience only let out a few half-hearted chuckles and the occasional laugh.

The concept for “Couples Retreat” had potential, but it failed in its execution. The film was cheesy and predictable in all the wrong ways. I love cheesy and predictable romantic comedies as much as the next person, as long as they’re funny. But the jokes in this film were just few and far between, with only a handful of laugh-out-loud scenes.

The movie did have a terrific ensemble cast, which is part of the reason I was so disappointed with it. With the names attached to the project, I just expected more. All of the actors did a great job in their individual roles and as a group, and with a less talented cast, this movie would have completely missed the mark. The actors all seemed to be having fun together, which is part of what made the film bearable.

“Couples Retreat” did have some cute and funny moments, and the actors are all enjoyable to watch. It’s by no means the worst rom-com out there, but the fact that this romantic comedy isn’t all that funny takes away from the experience. “Couples Retreat” ends up being more of a lackluster trip than an enjoyable getaway. C-

Review: Whip It

After having a successful acting career for almost her entire life, Drew Barrymore takes a stab at directing with "Whip It." Though her direction is nothing groundbreaking, Barrymore does have talent behind the camera and tells a compelling coming of age story.

Ellen Page plays Bliss Cavendar, a high school misfit living in Bodeen, Texas, who participates in beauty pageants to placate her overbearing mother (Marcia Gay Harden). She spends her time listening to indie music, being tormented by her popular peers and working at the Oink Joint, a local barbecue diner. Bliss isn't enthusiastic about much in her life until she and her best friend Pash (Alia Shawkat) attend a roller derby match in Austin.

Enthralled by the roller derby lifestyle and the tough skaters of the Hurl Scouts, Bliss decides to try out for the team, despite the fact that she's 17 and the members must be 21 or older. Shy Bliss' speed makes her a star player, but she has to learn to toughen up if she wants to last in the league. She adopts the nickname Babe Ruthless and comes into her own with the help of her new friends Maggie Mayhem (Kristen Wiig), Smashley Simpson (Barrymore), Rosa Sparks (Eve) and Bloody Holly (Zoe Bell).

Bliss also faces her first love, indie musician Oliver (Landon Pigg), and her first major rival, Iron Maven of the Holy Rollers (Juliette Lewis).

"Whip It" definitely contains some girl power film and sports film cliches, but the roller derby backdrop makes it feel edgy and fresh. Though the story is predictable in some ways, it surprised me in others. It's funny and heartfelt, and the core female cast has great chemistry. The film has strong messages about finding yourself and about female empowerment, but none of it feels too forced or overbearing.

I can see why Barrymore, who I think in many of her roles has embodied tough-chick female empowerment, was drawn to this film as her first directing project. Though nothing about her directing style is revolutionary, Barrymore's clear understanding of the characters and story translates effectively onscreen. She also does a great job staging the physically demanding roller derby sequences, which I imagine were difficult to film.

"Whip It" also features great performances, particularly from Page. From her gritty performance in "Hard Candy" to her sharp-tongued wit in "Juno" to her more soft-spoken role as Bliss, Page has shown the makings of lasting talent. I think she has a great deal of potential, and having an Oscar nomination under her belt at age 22 doesn't hurt either.

Barrymore is also funny in front of the camera as the aggressive Smashley, and Shawkat complements Page nicely as Pash. Though her trademark dry humor is still present, Wiig is refreshingly laid back as Maggie and serves as a mentor and mother figure to Bliss. Andrew Wilson also gives a memorable performance as Razor, the Hurl Scouts' coach, and the always fierce Harden is excellent as Bliss' mother.

So while "Whip It" may not be the most innovative girl power flick out there, it's far more intelligent than most other current teen fare and it's a guaranteed good time at the movies. B+