If you have been watching MTV when you were younger, or watch it now, if you are a music fan, if you admire a good music video; then you are certainly familiar with the name – Spike Jonze. This American director is a synonym for an excellent video, for a great story, eccentric set design and great camera, and for the fact he chooses his partners very patiently and continues working with them for ages.

Spike Jonze made a transfer from the music field to the big screen in 1999 when he directed his highly artistic and successful debut – “Being John Malkovich” (with John Cusack and Cameron Diaz). “Adaptation” was the second one (with Nicolas Cage, Meryl Streep and Tilda Swinton) and it further established him as a gifted, artistic and most of all non commercial author (at least not in a conventional Hollywood way).

In 2009 Spike Jonze has returned to filmmaking with an excellent and highly anticipated movie titled “Where the Wild Things Are”. This movie is an adaptation of children’s best selling classic story, written by Maurice Sednak (and developed for screen by Jonze). This is a cult book for children, and Sednak didn’t only write it – he did the illustration and that was a starting point for Jonze, in creating and developing characters (creatures from our imagination).

The story follows Max (Max Records) a disobedient little kid, who has a wild imagination, a lot of energy and often silly ideas. He often feels misunderstood, and is therefore unhappy, because he must follow certain rules (he hates) and can’t just be happy and play all day long. His mother is trying to give him all the love, care and attention he needs, but it’s very hard because of his temper and energy. One day, Max makes a scene in front of his mom’s new boyfriend, and she decides to punish him. Max is sent to his room, without a meal, but he decides to use his imagination, and be happy although he was punished. He creates the imaginary world where all wild and silly things live, and becomes a king of that fantasy land.

Spike Jonze created this imaginary world so realistically that you will most certainly be blown away, Magical creatures, Max’s new friend, look like they are truly alive and existing, and we also give thumbs up to photography, set design and costumes. Cast is incredible too (little Max is super charming) led by Mark Ruffalo, James Gandolfini and Catherine Keener.

This movie is so poised, warm and positive that you simply need to see for yourself how Spike Jonze managed to create a miraculous world filled with fantasies, and pull us all in. It is a modern masterpiece and a definitive must see this year!