It is difficult to highlight all of the incredible things about this movie. Everything from the way every character is complete, even if only on screen for moments to the digital effects was excellent, seamless and only added to the overall effect the story had on its viewers – and the effect was not insignificant. Throughout the theatre there were stares of wonder, bursts of laughter and gasps of incredulity. Following Max, a boy trying to find his way into a new age and a new understanding of his world, is probably the most realistic representation of childhood ever put on screen. It’s so raw, so simplistic, so unwavering in its view that it’s almost uncomfortable. Max isn’t a good boy, but also not a bad one and the facets of the human character as it evolves are discussed in detail, always with a gentle and understanding eye. The film is shot almost entirely from Max’s viewpoint and the camera is always at his level, never looking down.

Much of the film’s strength comes from the complexity of the Wild Things themselves, which was achieved through a mix of physical effects and costumes and digital. In a sense, this film has shown us the very best of what digital has to offer, used in an enhancing, nuanced way and never in place of a physical effect. Enhanced brilliantly by the incredible voice talent in this film, none of the Wild Things are the cartoon-y throw away characters that you find in most children’s movies today. In this way it allows for the exploration of Max’s imagination that still seems real and remains something the viewer can really sink their teeth into.

Despite countless other attributes the film’s greatest attribute is Max himself. Played by 13 year-old Max Records, who was only 9 when the film was shot, Max is a full and complete character, with all the complexities of an actual child. So often in film we distill children down to their adorable, white-washed, innocence clearly forgetting that when we were that age we were actually human too. In fact, the many flaws in Max’s character are the most interesting part of the film, which clearly came out of Jonze’s understanding that in order to get a great performance out of a child you need to let them be one. It’s this unwavering eye that is actually the main source of criticism from the critics, many saying that the ending gets too dark for many children. I disagree. It’s the fact that so many of our children’s movies are candy-coated distillations of anything that a child might actually encounter in life designed only to make them feel good about themselves rather than to show them anything that might actually approximate reality. Where the Wild Things Are does not suffer from the need to pander.

Where the Wild Things Are is, despite all possible cliches from this declaration, an instant classic. It’s a must-see and, if you can, take a child or two with you. They’ll find their inner adult, while you connect with your inner child.

Danse Macabre is part of the Toronto After Dark Canadian Short Film Showcase. It played before The Forbidden Door and Grace. (Due to a power outage from a local tornado the short wasn’t finished during its first run. The whole short was shown before Grace.)

The Danse Macabre is a concept long explored. The idea that no matter who you were in life we are all the same in death has been a recurring theme throughout history. Never has it been more beautifully expressed than in this stunning short by Perdo Pires. Watching a woman from her suicide to her cremation, this is a haunting picture of what happens to us in death. This film is a masterpiece and should most certainly be essential viewing for anyone who loves film and art, although I would strongly recommend seeing it on a big screen, since its scope and beauty engulf you as you watch.

Official website: http://www.dansemacabre-film.com/en

Git Gob is part of the Toronto After Dark Canadian Short Film Showcase. It played before Rough Cut.

When Todd Brown introduced Git Gob he said that every time he watched it, he laughed until he cried and his stomach hurt. I didn’t believe anything could be that funny. Then I saw Git Gob. Git Gob is so good and so funny that it actually has to be seen, rather than described. Embedded after the jump.

So, yeah. You’re all done watching? Yeah. And you can’t read this because you’re laughing SO hard? Yeah. That’s Git Gob. And this is one talented guy.

Legend of the 7 Bloody Torturers is part of the Toronto After Dark Canadian Short Film Showcase. It played before Must Love Death.

Legend of the 7 Bloody Torturers is a hilarious short about the bureaucracy involved in torture. I mean, those torturers are really busy, right? But what happens when the guy from head office discovers that there are only 6 torturers? Will the result be surprising or really just what you expect?

Lot7BT is a brilliant little award winning short from the mind of Connal Pendergast who seems to have a bright future ahead of him. The short itself is very well done and has an innovative take on torture, which is something we generally see only the gory, cringe and squirm-worthy side of in horror. Also, I really think that this is exactly the kind of red tape that torturers would have had to deal with.

Official website here and Connal’s site here. Catch this one if you can, although I’m sure we’ll see much more from Connal and his very talented crew.

Fallow is part of the Toronto After Dark Canadian Short Film Showcase. It played before Strigoi.

Fallow is a creepy, old-school, return to the scary and gothic short film by Dave Alexander and Colin Landry about a small farming community with a supernatural history that is starting to recognize that the time has come for another sacrifice.

The film is very well done and very creepy, with a classic horror ending that I can’t spoil for you. I really loved it. Check out the Facebook page here and the trailer here. Also, Fallow will be screened at this weekend’s upcoming FanExpo on Saturday, August 29 at 3:00pm in Room 709.

Blackheads is part of the Toronto After Dark Canadian Short Film Showcase. It played before Vampire Girl Vs. Frankenstein Girl.

Spoilers ahead, because I can’t talk about this short without really talking about it. You were warned.

This short film starts with a guy shoving his girlfriend’s face into a puddle of spilt milk on the floor and saying abusive things like, “I work all day and this is what I come home to?!?” Then he throws her up against the fridge and starts to rape her, but stops short and goes away to the computer disgruntled saying, “This isn’t working.”

It turns out that they’re actually playing sex games and she likes to be choked, even if he doesn’t like doing it. After sleeping on the couch that night he wakes up with a *monstrous* blackhead in the middle of his back. He goes to the doctor who explains that sometimes this happens and cleans it out in one of the more disgusting displays of medical intervention I’ve ever seen on screen. (Seriously, f*cking gross. Pardon my language.) He leaves the doctor with the instructions to leave it be and keep it clean and the assurance that everything will be fine.

That night while the couple is making out again (but this time no choking) his girlfriend passes her hands over the overly large pore in his back that is now empty. He likes it, but she won’t touch it again. He decides to go for a walk. While he’s out he find a hobo and asks him to come to a hotel with him. There he gets the hobo to have sex with the pore in his back. Yep. He gets a HOBO to have SEX with the extremely large pore in his BACK. Oh. My. Gods. That. Is. Gross.

The next day the pore is understandably irritated and he goes back to the doctor and has the very uncomfortable task of explaining why there was sperm in his back.

Please don’t get me wrong, I LOVED this short. I mean I really, really loved it. In fact I hate myself a little bit for loving it so much. It was extremely gross, but hilarious and new, and I like it! I was left with only one question though: If you were going to get a HOBO to have sex with your back, wouldn’t you use a condom!?!?! I mean, a hobo!?!?! Awesome, awesome, awesome.

Bad Roomate is part of the Toronto After Dark Canadian Short Film Showcase. It played before The Revenant.

Bad Roomate is a short film starring what I believe to be a paper mache cat who is waking up from a wild night of drinking, smoking, drugs and murder. Blood really is tough to get out of the bathtub. So is your roommate.

One of the directors of Bad Roomate, James Gangl, was at After Dark to introduce it and he was so extremely excited that I had to capture it on video. Here he is literally freaking out and explaining a little bit about the making of the short.

I can honestly say that this was one of the weirder shorts that I saw this festival, but it was good-weird, full of laughs, fun and WTF moments. (Video after the jump.)

PS: The misspelling is intentional. It’s the actual title of the short.

Zero is a minimalist short film done in the style of Japanese calligraphy. The characters fade in and out of the cream coloured, paper-like background to tell the story of a man seeking revenge for the death of his father.

This style of animation was beautiful and fascinating, as you can never predict when or where the next image will come from. It was a particularly arresting style for a fight sequence as it created its own tension simply by the style it used. Beautiful.

Becoming is part of Toronto After Dark’s Canadian Short Film Showcase. It played before Black.

Becoming is a stunningly beautiful film about a mythical woodland creature called upon to fight a battle with Man. It mixes together beautiful imagery in the form of beautiful costumes and locations, but also the beauty of movement of the short’s main character – the mythical being described by the filmmakers as “…Idolamantis, an ancient woman that moves like a praying mantis…”

Gently it paints a picture of man’s battle with nature and takes a stand on the winner. I know I’ve said this a lot, but it’s deeply, truly beautiful. Go to the official website at http://www.becomingthefilm.com/Becoming.html for more images, the trailer and more. This trailer should be seen if you can. On a big screen it was astonishing.

Hirsute is part of Toronto After Dark’s Canadian Short Film Showcase. It played before Franklyn.

Hirsute is the story of a man who is struggling to invent time travel. When he realizes that if he succeeded in creating time travel he would come back to exactly that moment to help himself, he is astonished when he actually appears. Unfortunately, the version of himself that returns is arrogant, strange and hairless creating some very uncomfortable situations.

Hirsute is a smart and interesting short film with a lot to say. It’s visually interesting and has some very fun concepts. Check out the official website http://hirsute.thesiblings.ca/news and catch a screening if you can.