What a long, strange trip it’s been for Maurice Sendak’s iconic children’s book to make it to the big screen.
Delays. Bad buzz. And isn’t the source material barely 50 pages long?
But now “Where the Wild Things Are” is prepping for its theatrical run starting Oct. 16 with a nifty trailer which chases away some of the ominous news once attached to the project.
It’s just one of several intriguing movies coming to theaters this fall.
- “Surrogates” (Sept. 25) – We haven’t seen Bruce Willis kicking gluteous maximus – with hair – in a while, and this sci-fi thriller seems to afford him just that chance. He plays a cop trying to track down a murderer in a futuristic world in which people lead their lives via beautiful, adventurous surrogates. Trailer Watch
- “The Invention of Lying” (Sept. 25) – Why isn’t Jim Carrey starring in this gimmick-laden comedy? Ricky Gervais stars as a man living in a world where no one ever lies. So one day he decides to tell a fib or two. Hilarity ensues … just not in the trailer I saw. Trailer Watch
- “Couples Retreat” (Oct. 9) – Some movies feature too many good actors to fail. This overstuffed comedy seems to fit that template. Vince Vaughn, Jon Favreau, Kristin Davis and Jason Bateman star in this comedy about a gaggle of couples seeking to reclaim their relationships. Trailer Watch
- “The Road” (Nov. 25) – The long-delayed, post-apocalyptic drama finally reaches theaters this fall. Viggo Mortensen stars as a man trying to save himself, and his son, in a bleak new world almost bereft of people. Almost. The source material by Cormac McCarthy is killer, but the release date bingo doesn’t bode well for the film. Trailer Watch
- “The Box” (Nov. 6) – Cameron Diaz and James Marsden play a struggling couple who discover economic salvation thanks to a mysterious stranger (Frank Langella). Naturally, there’s a catch to their good fortune. Trailer Watch
- “Fantastic Mr. Fox” (Nov. 13) – Quirkmeister general Wes Anderson (“Rushmore,” “The Darjeeling Limited”) turns his gaze to Roald Dahl’s classic story. The film, told via stop-motion animation, follows a wiley fox who goes back to his fowl hunting ways after years of staying on the wagon. Trailer Watch
- “A Christmas Carol” (Nov. 6) – If Hollywood has skimped in one area, it’s in spinning stories out of Charles Dickens’ famous yuletide tale. As if. The latest incarnation of Mr. Scrooge’s mental turnaround stars Jim Carrey and features Robert Zemeckis behind the camera. And it’s in 3-D to boot, so you can see Scrooge’s greed comin’ at ya. Trailer Watch
(Photo: Maurice Sendak’s beloved story “Where the Wild Things Are” comes to life this Fall courtesy of director Spike Jonze/Warner Bros.)
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In your reference to Invention of Lying, I think you mean to say Hilarity, not Hilary. A Freudian slip, perhaps?
If only I were so deep, or clever on a subconscious level … thanks for pointing it out (fixed now)
“Surrogates” – I hadn’t heard of this one yet. It looks like it could be very entertaining. Love the concept, but I’m still holding my breath. A good sci-fi is very hard to come by.
Good sci-fi — more endangered than the movie musical and western combined (District 9 being a nice exception)