A Sailor’s Applause

An article from NPR depicting overwhelming support from the service members at the Naval Air Station in Jacksonville, Florida. President Obama’s decision to delay troop deployment in Afghanistan has been criticized by the right, most notably former Vice President Cheney who accused the president of “dithering” on the decision. I can only hope the applause Obama received on Monday reassures him that his precautions are necessary, and that perhaps sending 40,000 more troops to win an unachievable war could be an administration-ruining decision.

Where the Wild Things Are

I hasten to clarify that Where the Wild Things Are is not what some wanted to call feel-good family entertainment. I find it astounding that several critics have pinpointed the surliness of the monsters to be a weakness of the movie. Sendek’s original 1963 book, though now critically acclaimed, was at the time the center of a lot of controversy for his grotesque portrayal of the monsters. There’s an air of melancholy in the movie that is sure to divide audiences. And interpretations of the book vary, even to this day. But viewers should be assured that the imaginative chaos that ensues out of Max’s loneliness is impermanent. His flight of fancy comes to an end by his belief of parental love. As TIME magazine asserted four and a half decades ago, Where the Wild Things Are is the perfect balance for the “seesaw of fear and comfort.” In watching this movie, I have arrived at two realizations. For one, Spike Jonze is a true artist. The simplicity and pureness is outright inspiring. But also, I truly hope I never become the kind of person that is unable to enjoy a movie like this.