VDT View — “Where the Wild Things Are” (Adventure/Fantasy 1 hour, 41 minutes); Starring: Max Records, Catherine Keener, and Mark Ruffalo; Director: Spike Jonze; Rated: PG (Brief strong language, mature themes, violence and adolescent misbehavior)

Movie Review: Spike Jonze directs this movie based on a classic childhood book by Maurice Sendak. Jonze films are mostly adult-oriented features; the notables: “Adaptation” (2002) and “Being John Malkovich” (1999). Jonze usually spends his time making informative videos. Yet, when he debuts a photoplay, it is a sound production worthy of praise. Here, his aim is for younger audiences, although parents should note the PG rating.

Max, played with maturity by young actor Max Records, feels lonely and ostracized by his mother (Keener), sister (Pepita Emmerichs), and others. Max spends his time daydreaming. Max’s latest fantasy sequence takes him to a land of large furry giants, a place of wild things.

For those who grew up with “Where the Wild Things Are,” you may remember the impact this book has on youths. A boy befriends monsters. Usually, monsters are scary. While some of this eeriness exists, the overall amusement here is one of touching moments. A kid learns he has a good life beyond his fantasy, a place of love at home.

Jonze gives audiences concepts that culminate into nice lessons learned for adults and their small fries. The result is a touching adventure with nice acting from Max Records and a slew of talented voices from A-list actors (James Gandolfini, “Little Miss Sunshine’s” Paul Dano, Catherine O’Hara, and Oscar winners Forest Whitaker and Chris Cooper) who are the voices of the Wild Things.

On the technical side, viewers will also find the nice effects, the musical soundtrack and set designs magnificent. The upcoming Academy Awards should pencil in this fantastical adventure now, even sitting through the end credits is enjoyable, thanks to nice original music by Carter Burwell and Karen Orzolek of The Yeah Yeah Yeahs.

Grade: B+ (The perfect wild place)



“Law Abiding Citizen” (Thriller: 1 hour, 49 minutes); Starring: Jamie Foxx, Gerard Butler, Colm Meaney, Bruce McGill and Viola Davis; Director: F. Gary Gray; Rated: R (Profanity, brief nudity, graphic violence, sexual innuendo and thematic elements including rape and torture)

Movie Review: The District Attorney’s Office, led by Nick Rice (Foxx), makes a deal with two men who killed the wife and daughter of Clyde Shelton (Butler). This deal is not what Shelton expects, so he sets out to kill everyone involved with what he feels is an injustice. Meanwhile, Rice is more concerned with his conviction rates than accountability for justice. The city of Philadelphia is turned upside down as Shelton assassinates citizens during a number of days.

The biggest problem with “Citizen” is its inability to seem in the least bit plausible, and its screenplay appears lost on time differentials — all seems to take place over hours, not days. Implausibility is the entertainment displayed here. Antagonists are very smart, the most intelligent of all characters. Such a case is what “Citizen” purports. The evil mastermind of this plot plans assassinations down to the detail and knows all apparent alternate plans. The best-laid plans can go awry, but not for the malevolent intelligence of Clyde Shelton. He would have to be a true seer of the future to plan assassinations this thorough.

Even more, the scope of this plot is small. A homegrown terrorist assassinates multiple public figures over a short period. Yet, it appears a police detective and an assistant D.A. are the lead investigators and pursuing team. Post Sept. 11, 2001, this concept appears highly unlikely.

Foxx behaves more like a crime investigator than a district attorney. Second, does Butler ever shave? In his last three movies (“Gamer,” 2009, “The Ugly Truth,” 2009, and “RocknRolla,” 2008), he has played a roughneck with a five o’clock shadow. Since “300” (2006), he obtains many roles where he is a tough guy or bad guy of some sort. His roles are repetitious. The actor with the memorable moments is Colm Meaney as a police detective. He provides humor throughout. In addition, Oscar nominee Viola Davis adds panache as a tough mayor.

“Citizen” is something different. Its protagonist and antagonist, Foxx’s Rice and Butler’s Shelton respectively, have motives and strongly acknowledged convictions. The problem is these characters and others in this farfetched piece have ever-changing thought processes. One moment, a character dislikes an event and is complacent about that event later. Consistency is lacking.

“Citizen” is entertaining, and it is a glorified snuff film. A murderer has innovative means to assassinate people. For those who find this a diversion, you will be heavily entertained. Hence, the reason this is a thriller, albeit implausible.

Grade: C- (Transient, truant citizen)



“The Stepfather” (Thriller: 1 hour, 40 minutes); Starring: Dylan Walsh, Sela Ward and Penn Badgley; Director: Nelson McCormick; Rated: PG-13 (Violence, profanity and sexuality)

Movie Review: Michael Harding (Badgley) returns from a military school to find his mother, Susan Harding (Ward), preparing to marry David Harris (Walsh), a man he has never met. David is a nice person, and Michael’s siblings approve of him. After a neighbor notes David’s resemblance to a wanted serial killer, unusual circumstances transpire. For one, David’s murderous past begins to unravel.

“The Stepfather” is a remake of the 1987 film by director Joseph Ruben. McCormick (“Prom Night,” 2008) directs this latest version. Any remake should be better than its predecessor. Directors, screenplay writers and others involved with remakes, should evaluate the prequels and weed out the mistakes made in the previous film. Several incarnations of “The Stepfather” have debuted on the big screen and on television. Since 1987, none made a lasting impression. This version follows in that tradition.

“Stepfather” has some thrills, but it is stereotypical and sloppy. First, the mother has not married her live-in fiancé, so he is not a stepfather yet. “The Potential Stepfather” is a more accurate title. Second, many of these scenes appear stereotypical in the sense every thriller uses similar scenarios. What are these scenarios? The killer is always behind you when you mention his name. The murderer is dumb to the point that he or she thinks the best means to cover up murders are with more killings. People falling from high places are always the adequate means to disable an opponent. The antagonist is never dead — just temporarily unconscious and waiting to come after victims again. When you knock the bad guy down, why stop there? Last, technology always fails when needed, especially cell phones. Many people, especially younger generations can barely make it through a movie without blinding others with their bright mobile phones. They would never let the battery go dead. Yet, movie characters’ phones always appear to lose power at inopportune moments.

Grade: C- (Step to another movie)



“Paranormal Activity” (Horror: 1 hour, 26 minutes); Starring: Katie Featherston, Micah Sloat, and Mark Fredrichs; Director: Oren Peli; Rated: R (Intense scenes, sexual innuendo, intense profanity and obscene gestures)

Movie Review: Katie and Micah, a young college-aged couple, move into a suburban home, only to find a demonic presence is haunting them. Odd events occur on Sept. 18, 2006, and become increasingly worse into October. Still, the couple keeps videotaping an evil presence that haunts them mainly at night. Apparently, the malevolent spirit wants Katie. Michael stays despite Katie’s odd behavior.

Many have said this is one of the scariest films they have seen, but people say that every year. The constant nagging of Katie and Micah is tedious. Furthermore, Micah seems like a jerk, yet Katie stays with him. On the other hand, Katie should appear crazy to Micah, especially after she tells him some kind of spirit has been haunting her since she was 8. After seeing some of the events that happen concerning Katie, most people would have at least thought Katie is crazier than 10 circus clowns in a car on fire. Yet the happy couple is perplexed about what to do. An evil spirit is chasing you. Some suggestions, go to church, run, or try an exorcism. Instead, they decide to live with the situation as if it is a mild case of herpes simplex.

Oren Peli directed and penned the screenplay for this effective film that was reportedly filmed in one week. You can tell much time was not attributable to the piece to which famed director Steven Spielberg served as an advisor, but it is effective as it slowly builds in suspense in a manner better than many other horrors do.

However, major problems do exist. As a close friend points out, “the acting sucks.” The characters appear very much like a reality show, constantly having persona shifts. Also, if this were really a haunted situation, common sense would arise at some point. Someone would turn off the camera and think of other plans. The actors do not turn off the camera. Even during bad moments the camera keeps rolling. This concept is pivotal, considering Katie and Micah are doing this to prove a haunting. Well, you prove it. Then what?

Peli, in his directorial debut, does a nice job of moving the audience psychologically. Still, the silly reality-esque feel of the plot remains.

Grade: C+ (Actively engaging, passively cheap)