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"Where the Wild Things Are" is a perfect example of fantasy movie-making at its best, and is a crowd-pleasing adaptation that captures the sense of adventure that made its source material so revered.

"Wild Things" is based on Maurice Sendak's beloved 1963 picture book about a disobedient boy sent to bed without supper, who escapes his punishment by imagining an island inhabited by monsters who make him their king.

With expressive eyes and tousled hair, Max Records ("The Brothers Bloom") is an excellent casting choice as Max, as he goes from happily playing with an ear-to-ear grin to throwing a tantrum.

When his mother tells him to behave, he puts on his homemade wolf costume and climbs onto the kitchen table, demanding she fix him dinner. He then bites her, which doesn't go over well with his mother, and in a departure from the book, Max runs away before finding a boat that he hops on and sails to an island of creatures.

Upon arriving at the island, Max finds kindred spirits in the creatures, especially their de facto leader Carol (James Gandolfini, "The Sopranos") who has problems controlling his own temper. The creature makes Max their king after he lies and says he has immense power that could destroy them all. Most of the creatures play along with Max and his orders, knowing that he's really not as powerful as he claims. Max soon learns that being king isn't all he imagined, as he has to juggle being the ruler with the various demands of his subjects. They range from Judith (Catherine O'Hara, "Penelope") accusing him of playing favorites to the often ignored Alexander (Paul Dano, "Little Miss Sunshine.") and Max realizes he misses his home more than he thought.

Director/co-screenwriter Spike Jonze ("Adaptation") takes the short story into an expansive adventure, catering to the child within every audience member that just wants to run around, free of restraints and responsibilities. In that spirit, he doesn't burden the viewer with realistic concerns, and instead simply lets the audience sit back and enjoy the film for what it is: a little escapist fun.

The scope of Jonze's vision reflects the boundless power of a child's imagination. On Max's island there are no limits. One minute the characters are traipsing through a lush forest; the next moment, they're off by an ocean, watching waves crash against the shore before heading across the desert.

There are some deeper messages in the story, such as the importance of family, listening and being respectful of others, but Jonze doesn't make those lessons the entire focus of the movie, which works as it allows the audience to draw their own conclusion rather than him spelling it out for them.

The special effects makes the creatures look like they stepped right out of the book's pages and onto the big screen. The actors worked in large costumes created by The Jim Henson Company, using the same mastery of fabric and texture as with the Muppets. The creatures' faces were enhanced by computer animation to convey emotions, revealing more of their personalities than their gruff demeanor. Additionally, the soundtrack by Karen Orzolek, the lead singer of indie rock band the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, is catchy and breezy, with several toe-tapping songs, fitting the carefree nature of the film perfectly.

With the Oscar field opening up to 10 nominees for Best Picture and the love for the source material, not to mention a totally satisfying film experience, "Where the Wild Things Are" could receive serious consideration come award season.

A good drama can showcase dynamic acting, and a solid comedy can keep audiences laughing until the end credits, but the full power of cinema lies in being able to convey something too magnificent to be contained on a TV screen. "Wild Things" is a successful example of those principles, accomplished by a director whose vision is only limited by his imagination.

Where the Wild Things Are

PG; Fantasy; 105 minutes

Director: Spike Jonze

Cast: Max Records, James Gandolfini, Lauren Ambrose, Paul Dano, Catherine O'Hara, Forest Whitaker, Chris Cooper and Michael Berry Jr.

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars