Where Are The Wild Things

What makes us civilized? Is it our ability to obey laws and rules? Is it our want and need to live in a world where people peacefully coexist? Is it our will to fight for civility? Is it just because we are human?
Two days ago I watched "Where The Wild Things Are" and I loved it. I read that book everyday when I was little. (Yes I'm aware it only has like 50 words). I was impressed that Spike Jonze could take basically a picture book and transform it into such an imaginative and poignant film. I truly believe he made the movie for those of us who grew up with the book.
The thing that affected me the most was the fact that Max, the human, was less civil and mature than these things categorized as wild animals. It was interesting that the "monsters" sought civility and law and welcomed Max as their King. They were happy to have someone advise them on the best way to live their lives, and they were open to his suggestions. Unfortunately because he was a child, some of his suggestions didn't have positive outcomes, but they listened and thanked him.
I think it is awesome when a something appears to be a simple scene, yet has a profound meaning. For instance, there is a scene where Max and Carol, his best wild friend, are walking and a dog walks by. This dog is a normal size dog, but on that island, it is huge. Max believes he has gone to this world with these big monsters, but he hasn't. Compared to everything else, they are just a small part of the world. It made me think that if the Wild Things were taken out of their world and put into Max's, if they would be miniature size.
The movie also makes some important statements about life. Carol and Max wanted to build a fort where only what they wanted to happen actually happened. They realized by the end of the movie that it was impossible. Bad things are going to happen and there is nothing anyone can do to stop them. The best thing is to learn to deal with those bad things. In the beginning, the wild things asked Max if he could stop the loneliness and sadness. Max said that as their king, he would protect them from those things. And obviously he couldn't; he was incapable of keeping the sadness away. None of us are capable of keeping the sadness away.
Sometimes it's hard for us to realize flaws within ourselves and it took Max seeing his own flaws in someone else before he realized that he acted like a brat with his mother. It took him seeing his selfishness in someone else before he identified with his own self-serving and spoiled attitude. When he saw himself reflected in Carol, he was ready to go home and be a better son.
And I totally teared up at the end. When KW, probably the coolest wild thing in my opinion, said to Max before he left to go home "Please don't go. I'll eat you up. I love you so." Now, at first hearing that, someone may think that line odd. But KW "ate" max to hide him from Carol who was throwing a temper tantrum and said he wanted to eat Max because Max did something to upset him. So this action, eating someone, that we would normally perceive as violent, became something beautiful, loving, and protecting. KW was telling Max that she would protect him from the bad things; she was being like a mother.
There are a lot of great things, in my opinion, about this movie. It's hard to say whether a movie based on 50 words stayed true to the book, but I believe it stayed true to it's essence. It showed that only when we are mature, can we hear wisdom. It showed that we are a small part of a much larger universe. It showed that life is messy and things will not always go the way we want. It showed that being an animal doesn't make you wild; acting like one does. And humans are capable of acting like animals.
When Max came to the island, the wild things accepted his advice and followed him. They had questions, but ultimately they believed that his way would be better than the way they were living. In the end, they were wrong. The way they lived was suitable for them, and they learned to trust what they believed was right for them and their community.
There was a lot of emphasis on the inevitability of change and the need to accept and welcome it. Change is a part of life, and it is important to learn to adapt instead of fighting against it.
I thought the movie was amazing, despite others' opinions. My judgment could be swayed by my attachment to the book, but I believe it has it's merits. A supposedly civilized human may have come to an island full of monsters, but the monsters weren't the wild things. Max was the wild one.
(A little side story. I work at Blockbuster and I hear some crazy things. Two guys came in one day to rent this movie and they were talking about how they were excited to see it and started talking about Spike Jonze. Before they left, they said it was crazy how he went from making Jungle Fever to Where The Wild Things Are. Now, I didn't say anything, but trust me, when they left, I laughed. I mean, Spike Lee did Jungle Fever not Spike Jonze. I thought it was hilarious.)