The WILD THINGS have been found!

Another of my most anticipated movies of 2009 is down, this time it's...

WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE (2009)

Maurice Sendak's beloved children's novel has hit the screen in glorious fashion.

Directed by Spike Jonze, "Where The Wild Things Are" presents the cherished literary tale in a beautifully preserved order, not only serving up a highly imaginative flick but one that's bleak, melancholy, and at times, not-so-fun.

"Where The Wild Things Are," despite its triumphs, has its flaws; the abundance of shaky-cam is jarring and the story is a little too agile for its own good, lacking a sense of narrative meat even after the wonky first act of exposition. Granted this, "Where The Wild Things Are" still manages to capture the jist of the novel in successful form. The majestically whimsical story, counter-balanced by the dreary atmosphere and dystopian nature of the world of the Wild Things, is sufficiently preserved.

"Wild Things" benefits from an ace voice ensemble, led by James Gandolfini, Forrest Whitaker, Catherine O'Hara, and Chris Cooper. The flick also features a beautifully melancholic score by Karen O of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs.

"Where The Wild Things Are" is a winner; a film that can not only rekindle the wonders of childhood imagination but also provide some mature themes for older audiences to appreciate. While not perfect, and certainly not an innocent 101 minute romp, "Where The Wild Things Are" is an apt adaptation of a beloved piece of children's literature that deserved the respectful and eccentric cinematic imagining it received.

Let the wild rumpus start indeed.

B

ZOMBIELAND hands out gore and laughs!

Another brief review, this one for...

ZOMBIELAND (2009)

As far as modern zombie comedies go, there's "Shaun of the Dead" and, well, just about everyone else. In a genre riddled with camp and silliness, it's hard to find that perfect harmony between gore and comedy, but thanks to directorial newcomer Ruben Fleischer, "Zombieland" strikes that chord flawlessly.

Set against the typical zombie apocalypse, the socially-inept, WOW-playing "Columbus" (Jessie Eisenberg) has somehow survived the revolt of the undead in Austin, Texas and sets forth for Columbus, Ohio (the lead characters are named after the cities they are from or on their way to). On the way he comes across Tallahassee (Woody Harrelson), a zombie-killing machine, whose weakness for Twinkies leads them to a confrontation in a grocery store with the feisty Wichita (Emma Stone) and Little Rock (Abigail Breslin). The fearsome zombie-killing-foursome then head off for California and the supposed zombie-free magical amusement park Pacific Playland but not without some serious sexual tension, Bill Murray, and awesome zombie ownage mixed in.

Though "Zombieland" is a little light on actual zombies, the flick has more than enough laughs to compensate. Woody Harrelson turns in a bravura performance as the cool and funny yet flawed hero Tallahassee and Eisenberg's go as the dorky guy - as clichéd as it is - works.

While gory and over-the-top, "Zombieland" delivers laughs, gore, and cool zombie kills. It's nothing particularly profound but it's wildly entertaining and zany enough to make it worthwhile.

B+

In other news, the much anticipated "Toy Story 3" trailer hit the interwebs (and showings of the "Toy Story" and "Toy Story 2" 3D double feature) this week. Here it is in all of its beautifully-rendered glory:

"Toy Story 3" hits theaters on June 18, 2010.