I want the filmmakers to know that I came out of the movie feeling changed. Truly–thank you. And to Kate — please don’t feel alone. Keep fighting to get through it.

Thank you. You’ve rekindled my faith in movies. I’ve seen this twice, will see it a dozen more times Im sure. I’ve never been happier to see a movie, never been happier that a movie got made. Congratulations on this masterpieces and for all the struggles this movie, you, and the crew went through; it was worth it.

I usually get pretty involved in the plots of movies, but this is the first time I seriously felt everything along with the characters. It was incredible! I feel like even after the thrill of seeing a good movie for the first time wears off, I will cry at certain points of the movie. The emotions are so real and relate-able that I think even after the hundredth time, they will get to me

Also, I was a little bit skeptical about the soundtrack being made by Karen O (even though I love the Yeah Yeah Yeahs) because I wasn’t sure if it would fit in with the movie, but it was AWESOME! It gave me goosebumps!

aaaaah, you guys did an amazing job, thank you so much for making such an incredible movie. I wouldn’t change a thing about it.

this day, this week, this season in my life

On the screen I saw so much of my heart, my reflection, my pain, my fears, my child, my situation, my turmoil, my mistakes, my resentment

It is an echoing “I hurt”

but that “I hurt” is both a statement of how one feels, as well as what one does

within seconds of beginning my heart ached and tears streamed down my face

I looked at my boy as he looked at Max with a knowing, sad smile of someone who knew his pain personally and found pleasure in now having company

and that tore me apart

This is not a happy go lucky, take the kids out for the afternoon film – this movie is not for everyone. I even so people leave. Amazingly – this piece of work based on fiction is too real for most.

Someone actually left with their kid within the first five minutes.

It is not a cinematic nostalgia retelling of one of the most beloved and beautiful children’s stories- though it is so beautiful and so breathtaking

It is a beautiful film unlike any other I have seen. It has some of the most dear moments. It has charm, and wit – heart warming moments – wonder and awe were you get caught up and swept away. It is offbeat and while being transported to this different world it is still so familiar.

It is raw- real – human emotion

so.much.pain

so misunderstood

chaos

the extremes of feelings

destruction

a yearning for comfort

the comfort of your mothers arms – the comfort of a fort

feeling together and whole and protected

no sense of safety

reaching that breaking point

lashing out

this chaos that we don’t know where to take blame or put blame or feel guilt or feel hurt…

we bottle it all

it is your pillow in the morning – dried tear stains now not visible

the night before it lie drenched, and it soaked in every sob and pounding of your fist – the gasps for air between that come between the clenched teeth as the waves of anger wash over you

every ounce of energy poured out till you fall off to sleep

rarely heard – spoken about – portrayed – or discussed – truth of childhood

the childhood we had – the childhood we caused

the broken heart – spirit – and mind

inner turmoil

angst – rage – loneliness – hurt – resentment – guilt – bitterness

the sweet, amazing, willful child who marches to his own beat

the child who makes their own world to escape but whose mind is already so heavily burdened that even fantasy is dysfunctional and complicated

single parent – broken home – absent parent – let down child – angry child acting out

taken for granted, left behind, in the background drowned out by the noise

rundown by the world and had it up to here and you just want to scream and so you take it out on the ones you love – we tear each other down and it tears us apart

do we let loose the beast to release this inner lack of peace?

and when we do who gets crushed and left in the rubble, wounded and troubled?

when does my time come to be king?

when does my time come to be put first?

when do I get listened to?

when do I get your attention?

feeling owed something

feeling you got a bad deal in life

wanting to know when your time comes

single parent wanting to know when does the peace and quiet come, when do I get my time, my life, my significant other, my right career, my recognition… I’ve paid my dues and I’m tired and just feel like I’m going to break

lonely child wanting to know why Mom is so busy and not focused on them and why is she not content with just me? what is she searching for I must not be enough or maybe if I can get her attention…

“mom”

“just one second”

“just look”

that’s all that it takes – just like that the fuse is lit

in all the commotion, the battle and fight – sometimes it’s not till the dust clears till you see how badly someones been hit

are we beast to our babies – our parents – our own? do we turn on our pack, snip and snarl to go crawl off, lick our wounds and whimper alone?

It’s the shrill “what’s wrong with you?”

the “not now”

or “can you just be quiet”"

those words that roll off our tongues

when they won’t stop, you can’t think, all you need is one second

it is not having anyone

the lies we tell ourselves, the out of line priorities, being completely overwhelmed and feeling misunderstood

It’s not having someone

feeling broken

unloved

thinking you are bad, or wrong, or not knowing quite what you are but knowing you are just not right.

or at least not good enough.

It is the destruction that we cause and the ramifications that follow

We are so destructive.

We all have the power to hurt as well as the power to love.

Thank you for this site. Thank you for this movie.

I’m definitely buying this one when it goes to video. I had stuffed animals of Max and the Wild Things in the early 80’s, and this movie recaptures a lot of the same feelings I had back then.

I saw it at the Mann in Westwood, and half the audience howled like wild things as the credits rolled. Let the wild rumpus… continue!