10.20.09~Readings for Sunday, October 25th-2009/Film Review "Where The Wild Things Are..,"

Bible Study meets 9AM – 10AM in the Mother Cabrini Room at the back of the church

October 25, 2009

Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Lectionary: 149

Reading 1Responsorial PsalmReading 2Gospel

Reading 1

Jer 31:7-9

Thus says the LORD:Shout with joy for Jacob,exult at the head of the nations;proclaim your praise and say:The LORD has delivered his people,the remnant of Israel.Behold, I will bring them backfrom the land of the north;I will gather them from the ends of the world,with the blind and the lame in their midst,the mothers and those with child;they shall return as an immense throng.They departed in tears,but I will console them and guide them;I will lead them to brooks of water,on a level road, so that none shall stumble.For I am a father to Israel,Ephraim is my first-born.

(1) Question—from workbook or other source

Reading II

Heb 5:1-6

Brothers and sisters:Every high priest is taken from among menand made their representative before God,to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins.He is able to deal patiently with the ignorant and erring,for he himself is beset by weaknessand so, for this reason, must make sin offerings for himselfas well as for the people.No one takes this honor upon himselfbut only when called by God,just as Aaron was.In the same way,it was not Christ who glorified himself in becoming high priest,but rather the one who said to him:You are my son:this day I have begotten you; just as he says in another place:You are a priest foreveraccording to the order of Melchizedek.
(1)

GospelMk 10:46-52

As Jesus was leaving Jericho with his disciples and a sizable crowd,Bartimaeus, a blind man, the son of Timaeus,sat by the roadside begging.On hearing that it was Jesus of Nazareth,he began to cry out and say,"Jesus, son of David, have pity on me."And many rebuked him, telling him to be silent. But he kept calling out all the more,"Son of David, have pity on me."Jesus stopped and said, "Call him."So they called the blind man, saying to him,"Take courage; get up, Jesus is calling you."He threw aside his cloak, sprang up, and came to Jesus. Jesus said to him in reply, "What do you want me to do for you?" The blind man replied to him, "Master, I want to see." Jesus told him, "Go your way; your faith has saved you." Immediately he received his sightand followed him on the way.
(1)
Responsorial Psalm

Ps 126:1-2, 2-3, 4-5, 6


R. (3) The Lord has done great things for us; we are filled with joy.When the LORD brought back the captives of Zion,we were like men dreaming.Then our mouth was filled with laughter,and our tongue with rejoicing.R. The Lord has done great things for us; we are filled with joy.Then they said among the nations,"The LORD has done great things for them."The LORD has done great things for us;we are glad indeed.R. The Lord has done great things for us; we are filled with joy.Restore our fortunes, O LORD,like the torrents in the southern desert.Those that sow in tearsshall reap rejoicing.R. The Lord has done great things for us; we are filled with joy. Although they go forth weeping,carrying the seed to be sown,They shall come back rejoicing,carrying their sheaves.R. The Lord has done great things for us; we are filled with joy.



Where the Wild Things Are—Intriguing though melancholy fantasy in which a rambunctious young boy (Max Records) quarrels with his divorced mother (Catherine Keener) and runs away from home, eventually sailing to the island abode of the Wild Things, a close-knit but emotionally unstable community of giants (voiced, most prominently, by James Gandolfini and Lauren Ambrose) whose personalities reflect various aspects of the youth's real-life experiences and of his unsettled psychological state. While objectionable elements are minimal, director and co-writer Spike Jonze's subtle adaptation of Maurice Sendak's classic 1963 children's book -- which combines live action, puppetry and computer-generated animation -- far from being a film for kids, is instead a wistful adult meditation on the interior struggles of childhood. Also shown in Imax. Occasional menace and a few mild oaths. A-II -- adults and adolescents





Full Review

Though it's based on a children's book, and though objectionable elements are minimal, the intriguing fantasy "Where the Wild Things Are" (Warner Bros.), which combines live action, puppetry and computer-generated animation, is hardly a film for kids.
Instead, director and co-writer (with Dave Eggers) Spike Jonze's subtle adaptation of Maurice Sendak's classic tale -- winner of the prestigious Caldecott Medal in 1964, the year after its first publication -- is a wistful adult meditation on the interior struggles of youth.
Those battles are fought out within the mind and heart of Max (newcomer Max Records in a compelling performance), a rambunctious but lonely suburban 9-year-old whose excess energy is devoted to scaring his dog, pelting his older sister's friends with snowballs and generally driving his divorced mother (Catherine Keener) up the wall.
Yet Max is also vulnerable, as he shows when Mom seemingly neglects him in favor of some quiet time with her boyfriend (Mark Ruffalo). Volatile Max's gentle pleas for attention quickly give way to a tantrum, and the resulting confrontation ends with him running away from home.
At this point, mundane reality is overtaken by the logic of dreams as Max -- dressed in his favorite outfit, a fuzzy wolf costume, and seemingly undaunted by the fact that it's nighttime -- enters a nearby wood, discovers an empty sailboat and promptly sets off across a vast body of water. After an arduous journey, he arrives at a mysterious island where bright bonfires mark the abode of the titular Wild Things.
This close-knit but emotionally unstable community of giants features a variety of personalities, each of whom reflects either some aspect of Max's real circumstances or of his unsettled psychological state.
Affectionate but easily offended Carol (voice of James Gandolfini), for instance, mirrors Max's yearning for love and security, while loner K.W. (voice of Lauren Ambrose) -- who wavers between belonging to the group and spending time outside it, much to Carol's sorrow, since he secretly pines for her -- represents both Max's adolescent sister, who seems to be abandoning their once-close relationship as she matures, and his own aspirations for independence.
There's a melancholy tone to the proceedings as we witness Max symbolically working through his Freudian conflicts via the constant squabbling and alternatively creative and destructive behavior of the Wild Things. Early on, Max is crowned their king on the strength of some fibs about his prowess. But his ready assurance that his rule will make everyone happy looks increasingly rash, since his every action manages to alienate one or another of his new subjects. Though youngsters addicted to gadgets and demanding distraction will likely be bored, this delicate portrait of the fears and joys of growing up is calculated to charm viewers willing to invest the necessary concentration.
"Where the Wild Things Are" will be shown on both Imax and conventional screens.
The film contains occasional menace and a few mild oaths. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is A-II -- adults and adolescents. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is PG -- parental guidance suggested. Some material may not be suitable for children.