 Max Records stars as Max, who becomes king of the Wild Things in Warner Brothers' “Where the Wild Things Are.” Photo courtesy of Warner Brothers.
WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE (Rated PG)
I am definitely going against the grain here, mainly to register my almost complete lack of interest in the cinematic rendition of Maurice Sendak’s illustrated children’s book “Where the Wild Things Are.”
On the strength of edgy films like “Being John Malkovich” and “Adaptation,” many film critics are enamored with director Spike Jonze and will likely praise his newest effort for its audacity at realizing a fantasy world.
“Where the Wild Things Are” marks Jonze’s third directorial feature, though he also keeps busy with music videos, commercials, short films and documentaries.
The film opens promisingly enough, as young Max (Max Records) reveals his playful exuberance outside in the snow, launching a snowball fight against his older sister and her friends He’ll need this plucky attitude soon enough during his journey to the island of Wild Things.
But first, there’s the matter of this 9-year-old boy showing his rebellious, stubborn streak by getting into an argument with his mom (Catherine Keener). Next thing you know, he’s running away from home in his wolf costume, jumping into a boat and sailing off to places unknown.
Maybe it’s just me, but I see an obnoxious child acting churlish and spoiled, causing untold grief to his family. However, Max ends up on this remote island populated with large, giant fuzzy creatures, some of which have very destructive behaviors, particularly the behemoth Carol (voiced by James Gandolfini).
For some reason, these giant furballs speak English and have some talent for building structures. But they don’t have very good manners and often express themselves in primitive fashion. Trapped on the island, the beasts appear to be lost souls because they all too readily accept Max as their new “king.”
Though based on a children’s book, “Where the Wild Things Are” seems to be anything but a movie for young children. The wild things are not cute fuzzy creatures you’d find in a Disney film.
As for me, the whole thing was an exercise in futility and boredom. The 100 minutes of running time felt almost interminable, and I was glad to escape when the end credits started to roll.  Jamie Foxx and Gerard Butler star in “Law Abiding Citizen.” Photo courtesy of Overture Films.
LAW ABIDING CITIZEN (Rated R)
Scottish actor Gerard Butler comes across in every character he plays, from comedy roles to action heroes, like someone on steroids.
Much like Spartan King Leonidas attacking the Persians, Butler is once again an unstoppable force in the titular role of “Law Abiding Citizen.” The film’s title is something of a misnomer, but more on that later.
This crime thriller is a mix of taut action, bitter vengeance and psychological suspense, all rolled into one very tense pot boiler with an adrenaline rush for action junkies.
Right from the start, “Law Abiding Citizen” pulls no punches in setting the stage. As the story begins, Butler’s Clyde Shelton needs barely two minutes to show that he’s a loving father and husband before all hell breaks loose.
A knock at the door leads to an extremely violent and ugly home invasion, where Clyde’s wife is raped before being murdered along with the young daughter. The two culprits are the scum of the earth, but Clyde is powerless to stop them.
Meanwhile, though law enforcement apprehends the criminals, Philadelphia prosecutor Nick Rice (Jamie Foxx), assigned to the case, arranges a plea bargain where the testimony of the more egregious perpetrator will land his accomplice on death row.
Not surprisingly, Clyde registers great exception to this arrangement because he saw his family murdered and he knows both men are guilty of first degree murder. For his part, Nick appears consumed with taking on a case that threatens his near-perfect conviction rate and doesn’t want to chance not having the arrests stick.
Feeling betrayed by the justice system, Clyde bides his time. Ten years pass, and the execution for the accomplice is scheduled, but something goes horribly wrong when the inmate’s execution is botched with a painful, violent lethal injection.
With the more culpable party now released from prison, Clyde executes a brilliant plan to extract revenge. By taking matters in his own hands, Clyde ensnares the criminal in a trap, taking him to a remote industrial warehouse.
At this point, the revenge plays like a twisted snuff film, or something straight out of the brutal “Saw” franchise. Clyde manages to dismember his prey with an assortment of power tools, and it doesn’t take the D.A. and the authorities long to figure out that the aggrieved victim is behind this effort.
From this point forward, Clyde plays an interesting cat-and-mouse game with the judicial system, admitting only enough to get himself behind bars but not offering conclusive proof of his involvement with the killing spree of his tormentors.
For awhile, it proves remarkable that Clyde is able to exact vengeance on those he blames for not doing enough to obtain justice. Even when locked away in solitary confinement, Clyde has extraordinary resources to carry out increasingly preposterous attacks on everyone from the murder trial judge to foot soldiers in the district attorney’s office.
“Law Abiding Citizen” scares up an uneasy feeling of dread and plenty of suspense, only to not hold up over the long haul. You can only suspend disbelief for so long if the underlying action turns incredibly outlandish.
Jamie Foxx and Gerard Butler perform quite well as the harsh, determined adversaries. But their fine work won’t provoke the debates on the judicial system that the filmmakers were apparently anticipating.
DVD RELEASE UPDATE
The late Robert Urich may have gamed his greatest fame as Las Vegas private detective Dan Tanna in the TV series “VEGA$.”
Like most TV detectives, he had a good-looking secretary, but to achieve Sin City cool he drove around the Strip in his red vintage Thunderbird.
Arriving on DVD for the first time is “VEGA$: The First Season, Volume One,” a three-disc set that features the first 11 action-packed episodes. Urich’s Tanna would crack a new case each episode with the help of his loyal staff.
“VEGA$” features a supporting cast that includes Judy Landers, Greg Morris and the iconic Tony Curtis.
Tim Riley writes film and television reviews for Lake County News.
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