Can’t wait for the release of the Spike Jonze-directed film version of Where the Wild Things Are? Well just make sure you leave your younger sibling at home: Slashfilm is reporting that early test screenings of the adaptation of everyone’s favorite childhood story are terrifying young kids, and parents are not impressed.

One test screener claimed Max, the young boy protagonist, is “weird and off-putting” and “not charming at all”, while the monsters are “not cute”.

Perhaps I’m remembering wrong, but Max was not exactly “charming” in the original book—he chased after his dog with a fork and told his mother he would “EAT HER UP” after she sent him to his room!

He retreats into his imagination, where he forces even the scary wild things to obey him. The book stirred up controversy when it was first released, as many parents thought the monsters were too scary for children. However, I think the book really touches on some difficult aspects of childhood, which is important for both kids and their parents to read and understand. Read More »