Growing up I heard the rumor of this book-to-movie concept, but never did I think they would have done it. But boy, am I glad they did. This movie is probably one of the most beautiful movies I have ever seen that relates to my inner child. And I know for everyone, opinions will be different considering we all grow up differently. But we can't deny no matter where we have come from, that we have not built an igloo, gone crazy, thrown tantrums, and play the way we played.

The movie itself is visually stunning. Dazzling in a way that also brings you back to when you were a child. PUPPETRY. Need I say more? I've been waiting for someone to step up and out of the CGI ranks of what seems to be in EVERY movie we see today. Although some CGI is used for mouth movements and other little things. But mainly puppetry is used. Jim Henson would be happy to see that we have not left his craft to gather dust and cobwebs. The expansion of the story is what enthralled me to watch this visually gripping movie. I wasn't a fan of all that was offered. It seemed things were a bit rushed near the end. Almost as if Steven Spielberg was in the other room waiting to shoot his movie, shouting to Spike Jonze, "Hurry it up Spike!". Mostly what gripped me like an anaconda on a baby, was the amount of imagination and creativity that went into making this beautiful film.

The psyche of Max, the main character, incredibly portrayed what we love and hate about ourselves or others when we're both an adult and a child, as you will very well tell that each monster represented a personality trait of himself. And you know this because the movie very elegantly places certain haps and mishaps throughout the film that makes you go back and forth. Kind of like a how you have a puzzle already solved in front of you but try to figure out how it came to be.

I would recommend this movie to anybody with an inner child. It truly is that beautiful if you can make it through how drawn out it can be at times.