'Wild Things' more play than work for Max

'Wild Things' a dazzling, magical gem

Maurice Sendak's "Where the Wild Things Are" is a literary diamond: simple in design, brilliant in presentation. The author uses a mere 338 words and masterful illustrations to tell the story of a young boy who escapes his real world to a land of warm and snugly creatures.

Director Spike Jonze has taken Sendak's diamond and put it in a cinematic setting that not only underscores the story's simplicity but also presents it in a way that's dazzling and magical.

Sendak's story tells of Max, a young boy -- dressed in a wolf costume -- who is sent to his room without supper after being rude to his mother. He travels mystically to a land of strange creatures only to long for the warmth of his own home.

Keener, Jonze just click in 'Wild Things'

SAN FRANCISCO - Catherine Keener likes to dig deep into the back story to get into a role. That was a problem with her part in Spike Jonze's "Where the Wild Things Are," since her character barely appears in the children's picture book.

"I had to depend on the script completely, plus I had the advantage of being friends with Spike and just talking with him about the film and the character all the time," Keener says during an interview at The Ritz-Carlton Hotel. She's joined Jonze and "Wild Things" co-star Max Records on a cross-country publicity tour to promote the film.

The film is getting lots of attention because the book is a children's classic. Keener says she felt no pressure though: "I always think everything is going to work out when I'm working with Spike."

Mel Gibson reminisces over his old pictures

SANTA MONICA, Calif. - Mel Gibson nodded toward a DVD copy of "Braveheart," which was perched atop a stack of movies from the Oscar winner's three-decade career. "It doesn't always end well for the guys I play, does it? They get their guts cut out or it gets nasty at the end. This new guy, he's like that too."

The new guy is Thomas Craven, the main character in "Edge of Darkness," which marks Gibson's first leading-man job since 2002. The Craven role is fairly familiar character territory for Gibson - he's a desperate father, a cop on the edge, a man looking for revenge - but the 54-year-old is on uncertain ground with moviegoers after a career calamity with the worldwide press coverage of the actor's anti-Semitic rant while in police custody for a 2006 DUI.

The trajectory of Gibson's career has been startling in its left turns - when People magazine put the actor on the cover of its first "sexiest man alive" issue in 1985, who would have suspected that he would go on almost two decades later to direct

The best and worst movies of 2009

Another film year has come to an end, leaving in its wake both memorable movies and those that should be forgotten. The surprising part about this year's batch of good movies was how many filmmakers pushed past the expected. A movie like "(500)" Days of Summer" stood out against all of the other romantic efforts because director Marc Webb dared to use animated fantasy and captivating film techniques. "Hurt Locker" proved that good war movies can still be made and "Where the Wild Things Are" took familiar children's material and brought it magically to life on film. Maybe the most shocking was how J.J. Abrams gave new life to the much beloved "Star Trek" franchise. A lack of originality was the key to picking the worst movies. Just casting familiar names is not enough to justify asking moviegoers to pay hard-earned money. These movies lacked originality, energy and style. Here's a final look at the best and worst of 2009. 10 Best 1. "Where the Wild Things Are" : Director Spike

'Wild Things' a struggle and a joy for director

SAN FRANCISCO -- Maurice Sendak wasted few words writing his 1963 children's picture book "Where the Wild Things Are." A scant 10 sentences were all he needed to tell the story of Max, a boy who is sent to his room without supper and imagines himself in a world of friendly creatures. It was originally to be horses, but Sendak, who also illustrated the book, couldn't draw them.

Director Spike Jonze has done what seemed impossible: he's turned those 10 sentences into a feature film that opens Friday. It stars Max Records, Catherine Keener and the voice talents of James Gandolfini, Forest Whitaker, Catherine O'Hara, Chris Cooper and Lauren Ambrose. (Listen to Max read Sendak's story in a special interactive that includes production photos and interview audio clips) .

Early reviews of the book were mixed, but it's now considered a masterpiece of American children's literature. It was awarded the 1964 Caldecott Medal, given annually to the artist of the most distinguished American children's picture book