It seems that whenever the trailer for a much-anticipated movie is released (i.e. the Twilight sequel), fanboys and girls feel the need to record themselves watching it for the first time. Watching someone watching something else…why?

As you would imagine, some of these videos fall flat (booooring…it would be so much better if the kid were peeing his pants in fear). But many of them end up becoming viral hits solely because the people “reacting” to the film trailers behave like complete lunatics on camera. Just watch Exhibit A.

There can only be one reason why people make these videos: attention-whoring. I can’t think of a single benefit from recording myself screaming “OH MY GOD, EDWARD!” every five seconds other than a one-way ticket to a million hits on the Internet. The people who do this are opening the door to two things: ridicule and World Wide Infamy. I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but no one truly cares what your opinion of the trailer is. As long as you’re waving your arms around and squealing like a baby pig, however, you’re Internet gold. Read More »

Back in February I reported that the new Spike Jonze/Dave Eggers film adaptation of everyone’s favorite children’s book Where the Wild Things Are was in a bit of trouble for being TOO scary for the young’uns.

According to New York Magazine (via Playlist), the film is still not doing well. Hot on the heels of Speed Racer’s big box-office upset, Playlist is reporting that Jon Vitti (of Alvin and the Chipmuncks screenwriting fame…Yikes!) has been hired to help out, and that the production is “deeply troubled”.

There were rumors that Jonze had been fired from the project after Warner Brothers scheduled re-shoots and ordered rewrites of several scenes. However, Jonze is reportedly still part of the project, despite not having final say on the end result. Read More »

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 »