There are movies I watch that I'll never forget, and then there are films where I wonder if they were only a dream.

I once felt this way about what I could have sworn was a sequel to Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (It turns out it was actually 1974's The Little Prince, which also stars Gene Wilder), and it's also the case with 2009's Where the Wild Things Are, which I honestly thought I dreamt about until somebody reminded me of its existence the other day.

Directed by Spike Jonze (who's one of those directors who made a good movie on his first try), and starring the voices of James Gandolfini, Paul Dano (whom everybody loves - well, except for Tarantino), Lauren Ambrose, and many more, Where the Wild Things Are still sits with me today… when I actually remember that it exists. Here’s why.

For One Thing, The Movie Feels A Lot More Melancholy Than Most Family Films

So, here’s the thing. As a ‘90s kid, I used to watch a lot of “family films” that I don’t think would fly today. An American Tail, All Dogs Go to Heaven, The Land Before Time (really, most movies from the Don Bluth company), these are flicks that were actually sad. When I think of most family films today, I don’t feel like they have the same melancholic tinge to the films that I grew up with.

However, 2009’s Where the Wild Things Are does. In this adaptation of the famous children’s book, a young boy named Max (Max Records) is a child of divorce. His older sister doesn’t stand up for him when bullies destroy his snow fort, and he resorts to bouts of rage when he’s alone. His mom (Catherine Keener) has a boyfriend (Mark Ruffalo), and Max gets so pissed off that he bites his mom on the shoulder.

There’s just so much anger, and when Max gets to the island where the Wild Things live, the film takes on a much calmer, but also melancholic tone. In both the book and the movie, we’re to interpret that the “Wild Things” are really embodiments of Max’s emotions, but the movie makes this even more pronounced. For example, Alexander (Paul Dano’s Wild Thing), is hopelessly depressed, while even the angry Carol (Gandolfini) seems to get lost in somber moments once his fury has cooled.

It’s all unlike any “children’s film” that I can even think of, which might be why it really does feel like a dream.

The Actual Wild Things Feel Genuinely Nuanced

As I just mentioned, the Wild Things are really a representation of our protagonist’s emotions, and when he actually feels like he’s finally made sense of all of his complex feelings, he changes and becomes the “king” of the island. It's fascinating stuff.

That said, the movie feels very different from the book (which I’ll get to in a moment) since the Wild Things are much more fleshed out in the film. Carol, for instance, goes through a number of emotions throughout the film and seems to go on his own emotional journey. As an example, one of the Wild Things, KW (Lauren Ambrose), leaves, and Carol gets enraged that she’s departed. He doesn’t understand why she has to be so separate from the other Wild Things, and we get a sense that he feels like he’s not a good leader in that she doesn’t want to be around the rest of them.

Meanwhile, Alexander constantly wants to participate, but when he gets hurt, Carol gets mad at KW for stepping on him. This prompts KW to leave again, making Carol feel even more morose. Gandolfini, who will probably always be most known for playing Tony Soprano, was such a phenomenal actor, and he could get across so much with just his voice alone. You can hear rage, sadness, loneliness and so many other emotions, and it’s something that really makes this movie stand out.

All of the voice actors are wonderful (especially Chris Cooper and Forest Whitaker), and they add so much nuance to the Wild Things, making it almost feel unreal.

It Really Does Not Feel Like The Book At All

I feel like every child of a certain age has probably had Maurice Sendak’s famous 1963 picture book read to them. I mean, outside of The Very Hungry Caterpillar, The Cat and the Hat and Goodnight Moon, I think Where the Wild Things Are is probably the most famous children’s book out there. And yet, when I watched the movie adaptation, I couldn’t think of a film that was more different from the source material.

I mean, yes, the Wild Things are all there, and Max is a bit of a hellion in the book, but at only 40 pages long, the people behind the film really had to take some creative liberties. For one thing, Max’s departure to the island makes a lot more sense in the film. In the book, he gets sent to bed without dinner for wrecking the house, but in the movie, Max feels like a real boy who’s struggling to make sense of his world.

In fact, as a child of divorce myself, I definitely remember feeling like Max, and especially his Wild Things. Sometimes, I felt like Carol, as I was angry at the world. At other times, I felt like KW, wanting to just be alone. Then there were times I felt like Alexander, isolated and like nobody wanted me. I even felt like Ira on occasion, gentle and almost fragile.

The book doesn’t really get into any of this. I mean, it touches on it, but as a children’s book, it’s at a child’s level. The film, not so much. In fact, I’d probably be scared of this movie if I had seen it as a kid, which is why I think it’s more for adults if anything.

I’m Also Shocked They Used Actual Costumes For The Wild Things In 2009

You know what I’m not a huge fan of? Films stuffed to the brim with CGI (sorry, Avatar 3, but I think I’m sitting this one out). Do you know what I am a fan of, though? Costumes and animatronics. I loved it in the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movies of old (Like Secret of the Ooze), I love it in Five Nights at Freddy’s movies, and I love it in Where The Wild Things Are.

The thing is, I feel like it didn’t have to be this way. Look at The Hobbit movies for instance. Sure, they came out a little later than Where the Wild Things Are, but I feel like the Wild Things definitely could have been entirely CGI, but they’re not. Yes there's some CGI, but they’re primarily costumes with performers inside of them, and I kind of can’t believe they went that route in 2009.

Do I think the movie is better for it? Actually, yes, because the Wild Things feel more real and even more imaginative. Because that’s the thing about CGI: no matter how good it looks, it still kind of feels ersatz. Yes, we’ve gotten to the point where we can have entire movies or TV shows that are completely CGI, but at the same time, we kind of have to suspend our belief when we go into them.

Max’s world feels more tangible with the Wild Things being physically there, so I applaud this movie for that as well. In a lot of ways, it helps it feel even more like a fever dream, which is why I think I need to constantly be reminded that it exists. It just doesn’t feel real.

But what do you think? Do you remember Where the Wild Things Are? I’d love to hear your thoughts.

Some of the most important and formative books from a person’s childhood tend to be less than 100 pages, or even much, much shorter. Yet, the stories they tell are brimming with enough imagination to inspire a feature-length film, and many of them have. Take a trip down memory lane with us as we reminisce about the beloved, short children’s books that were later adapted for cinema (or as a made-for-TV movie).

Zathura (2005)

More than two decades after he wrote Jumanji, Chris Van Allsburg released a 32-page sequel about another board game that took two brothers on an adventure in a whole different kind of territory: outer space. Three years later, director Jon Favreau turned Zathura into an exciting sci-fi flick starring Josh Hutcherson, Jonah Bobo, Dax Shepard, Kristen Stewart, and Tim Robbins that is fun for the whole family.

How The Grinch Stole Christmas (2000)

One of Dr. Seuss' most beloved books, 1957's How the Grinch Stole Christmas!, was first adapted into a half-hour, animated TV special in 1966 that is now considered one of the all-time best Christmas movies and an annual tradition. Also recognized as an annual tradition by many is director Ron Howard's live-action, feature-length adaptation, featuring incredible production design straight out of the 64-page book and led by a wonderfully uproarious performance by Jim Carrey in the green, curmudgeonly title role.

Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatballs (2009)

In Judi and Ron Barrett's 32-page 1978 picture book, Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, there is no explanation for why food conveniently falls from the sky over the town of Chewandswallow. Phil Lord and Christopher Miller reimagine the gastronomic weather phenomenon as the result of a revolutionary device by aspiring inventor Flint Lockwood (voiced by Bill Hader) in their animated feature adaptation, which also inspired a 2013 sequel and a TV series prequel.

Night At The Museum (2006)

One of Ben Stiller's most beloved family films is director Shawn Levy's Night at the Museum, which spawned two fellow live-action sequels and an animated follow-up made for Disney+. The book that started it all is writer and illustrator Milan Trenc's 32-page 1993 effort in which a night watchman for New York's American Museum of Natural History discovers the exhibits come to life when the sun goes down.

Where The Wild Things Are (2009)

Writer and illustrator Maurice Sendak won the Caldecott Medal for Most Distinguished Picture Book for his 1963 classic, Where the Wild Things Are. With the use of brilliant puppetry, writer and director Spike Jonze brought the story of the young, mischievous Max (Max Records) and his journey to a land of large monsters to life in a visually stunning live-action film.

Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009)

The first stop-motion animated Wes Anderson movie, Fantastic Mr. Fox, features the voice talents of George Clooney, Meryl Streep, and others as a group of furry woodland creatures fighting a group of farmers threatening their livelihood. The story comes from a 96-page novel by Roald Dahl.

The Polar Express (2004)

Robert Zemeckis' first experiment with performance capture was an adaptation of Chris Van Allsburg's award-winning, 32-page book, The Polar Express, from 1985. It stars Academy Award winner Tom Hanks as several characters, including a conductor taking a group of children on a trip to the North Pole by train.

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (1968)

Did you know that Chitty Chitty Bang Bang comes from the mind of the same author whose work inspired the James Bond movies? Ian Fleming's illustrated story about a flying car, which was later adapted into a magical, musical adventure comedy starring Dick Van Dyke, was first published in three 48-page volumes in 1964.

Dumbo (1941)

Dumbo, the Flying Elephant, by writer Helen Aberson and illustrator Harold Pearl, was originally going to be published in 1939 as a "Roll-a-Book," which was read by turning a scroll a tablet-like device in lieu of flipping pages. However, before the technically inventive story could officially hit the shelves, the rights to the large-eared, aviary circus animal were purchased to make what would become a classic Disney animated movie that Tim Burton later adapted as a live-action feature.

Jumanji (1995)

Chris Van Allsburg's 32-page, 1981 picture book, Jumanji, was the basis for director Joe Johnston's Robin Williams-led hit about a board game that releases a jungle's worth of mayhem into our world. The concept was later reinvented for two sequels about a video game that literally immerses its players into the wild.

Horton Hears A Who! (2008)

Years after he played The Grinch, Jim Carrey returned to the world of Dr. Seuss as the title character of the animated Horton Hears a Who! Just like the original 72-page book from 1954, the story follows an optimistic elephant who becomes the guardian of a microscopic community led by a nervous Mayor (voiced by Steve Carell), which Horton's fellow jungle inhabitants do not believe is real.

Curious George (2006)

Curious George made his debut in H.A. Rey's 1939 book, Cecily G. and the Nine Monkeys, before the overly enthusiastic young primate became the star of his own series of children's books. Frank Welker voiced the character in an animated film adaptation that also starred Will Ferrell as The Man in the Yellow Hat.

Zenon: Girl Of The 21st Century (1999)

One of the most popular Disney Channel Original Movies was Zenon: Girl of the 21st Century, starring Kirsten Storms as a teen living on a space station who is sent to Earth as punishment. The made-for-TV film, which spawned two sequels, was based on a 48-page 1996 picture book by Marilyn Sadler and Roger Bollen.

The Cat In The Hat (2003)

Mike Myers donned heavy makeup and a suit of human hair to become Dr. Seuss' most iconic creation in The Cat in the Hat, which is not considered one of the best Dr. Seuss movies by many. In fact, according to Today, the author's widow, Audrey Geisel, was so unimpressed with Bo Welch's film, which also starred Spencer Breslin and Dakota Fanning, that she prohibited Hollywood from making any more live-action features out of her husband's work.

Alexander And The Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day (2014)

Writer Judith Viorst and illustrator Ray Cruz's award-winning 1972 book, Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day, tells the story of a young boy having a crummy time in 32 pages. In Disney's feature-length, live-action adaptation, not only is Ed Oxenbould's Alexander struggling with bad luck, but so is his family, including his parents, played by Steve Carell and Jennifer Garner.

The Boss Baby (2017)

In Marla Frazee's 2007 illustrated children's book, The Boss Baby, an unreliable narrator describes how his infant brother took over the household with his domineering managerial skills. The Dreamworks Animation movie based on the book expands on the concept in wildly bizarre directions, making the title character (voiced by Alec Baldwin) the leader of a heavenly organization who is accidentally born on Earth.

Clifford The Big Red Dog (2021)

The first feature film based on Norman Bridwell's picture book series about an unusually large dog, 2004's Clifford's Really Big Movie, was a spin-off from PBS' animated series adaptation. Years later, Clifford the Big Red Dog was brought into the real world in a live-action film starring Darby Camp as his owner, Emily Elizabeth, and Jack Whitehall as her uncle, Casey.

The Stupids (1996)

Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, Harry Allard and James Marshall wrote four books about The Stupids, a family so incompetent that they often run into confusion or trouble completing even the most mundane tasks. John Landis helmed a live-action film adaptation in which Stanley Stupid (Tom Arnold), his wife Joan (Jessica Lundy), daughter Petunia (Alex McKenna), and son Buster (Bug Hall), try to solve the mystery of their missing garbage and stumble upon a supposed conspiracy.

Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile (2022)

Bernard Waber's 48-page, 1965 book, Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile, is a sequel to 1962's The House on East 88th Street. Both serve as the basis for Will Speck and Josh Gordon's family film, which stars pop star Shawn Mendes as the titular singing reptile who befriends and moves in with a human family who recently moved to New York City.

The Lorax (2012)

Dr. Seuss' environmentally conscious 1971 story, The Lorax – in which an orange creature tries to save the trees from an ignorant industrialist – was made into an animated film starring Danny DeVito as the title role and Ed Helms as The Once-ler. Two years earlier, student filmmaker Lee Keeler imagined The Lorax as a grindhouse movie with an amusing and hilariously sleazy fake trailer.

Family Switch (2023)

Director McG's Family Switch is very loosely based on writer Amy Krouse Rosenthal and illustrator LeUyen Pham's Bedtime for Mommy, in which a little girl is tasked with putting her mother and father to bed for once. The Netflix original movie expands that concept into a traditional body swap movie a la Freaky Friday, in which a married couple (played by Jennifer Garner and Ed Helms) magically switch bodies with their children (played by Emma Myers and Brady Noon), and their infant child swaps with the family dog.

Miracle At Moreaux (1985)

Miracle at Moreaux is a made-for-TV movie that originally aired on PBS and stars Loretta Swit as a nun for a Catholic boarding school where a group of students help hide Jewish children during the Holocaust. It is based on the 76-page book Twenty at Ten, written by Claire Huchet Bishop and illustrated by William Pène du Bois.

Laura's Star (2004)

Published in 1996, author Klaus Baumgart's 28-page German fantasy book, Lauras Stern, is about a five-year-old girl who befriends an injured, fallen star. The story has inspired multiple adaptations, including the animated feature film, Laura's Star, and a live-action movie that was released in 2021.

Eloise At The Plaza (2003)

Originally, the very first book in writer Kay Thompson and illustrator Hilary Knight's Eloise series was published in 1955 as a book for adults before the 65-page book was re-released two years later as a children's story. ABC would later air two feature adaptations, Eloise at the Plaza and Eloise at Christmastime, starring Sofia Vassilieva in the title role of the precocious, adventurous six-year-old and Julie Andrews as her nanny.

Higglety Pigglety Pop! Or There Must Be More To Life (2010)

Author Maurice Sendak's illustrated 1967 story following the adventures of Jennie, a Sealyham terrier, has inspired a couple of different adaptations, including an operatic stage adaptation that was filmed and released on video. The more notable adaptation is a vividly animated 24-minute Candian film that features Academy Award winner Meryl Streep as the voice of Jennie.

Fuchsia The Mini-Witch (2010)

Dutch writer Paul van Loon is one of the Netherlands' most prolific authors of fantasy books for children, including 1989's Foeksia de miniheks, which translates to English as Fuchsia the Mini-Witch. The 32-page story, in which a young spellcaster teams up with a mortal boy to stop his uncle's evil plans against people like her, was brought to life in director Johan Nijenhuis' family film, starring Rachelle Verdel in the title role.

Dot Goes To Hollywood (1987)

Dot Goes to Hollywood, starring Barbara Frawley in the young title role, is the eighth installment in a series of animated films based in Australia, but also the first to be released in the United States. It takes inspiration from Ethel C. Pedley's 81-page children's book, Dot and the Kangaroo, which was published in 1899.

The Dog Who Travelled By Train (2023)

O psie, który jezdzil koleja, which translates to The Dog Who Travelled by Train in English, is based on the true story of a dog named Lampo, whose journeys across Italy in the 1950s and 1960s made him famous. The 72-page Polish book by Roman Pisarski would serve as the basis for a live-action feature film in which Lampo's companionship proves beneficial for the health of an ailing young girl named Zuzia (Liliana Zajbert).

Balloon Farm (1999)

Balloon Farm is an installment of ABC's The Wonderful World of Disney series starring Mara Wilson as a young girl who discovers a mysterious man (played by Rip Torn) who grows balloons out of the ground. The inspiration for the movie is the 32-page children's book, Harvey Potter's Balloon Farm, by Jerdine Nolen.

Frode Og Alle De Andre Rødder (2008)

Frode og alle de andre rødder (which translates to Frode and All the Other Rascals) is a Danish family film based on a 1979 book by Ole Lund Kirkegaard. Just like the 73-page story, the movie follows three kids trying to collect money so they can attend a fun summer event.

Duma (2005)

Director Carol Ballard's Duma is about a disillusioned young boy who befriends a wild animal (in this case a cheetah) and risks his life to be able to keep it for himself. The movie is based on Carol Cawthra Hopcraft and Xan Hopcraft's 64-page picture book, How It Was with Dooms, which is also based on a true story.

Harold And The Purple Crayon (2024)

The 1955 children's book, Harold and the Purple Crayon, by Crockett Johnson, first inspired a beloved animated series on HBO. It was later adapted into a live-action film that follows a grown-up version of the young, enchanted artist, played by Zachary Levi.

We have seen many a cinematic masterpiece, and even a Best Picture Oscar winner, based on the work of authors such as William Shakespeare, Mary Shelley, F. Scott Fitzgerald, and more legendary writers. Of course, not all classic literature and the films they inspire have to be, speaking frankly, so ancient. Just take a look at these acclaimed and popular movies that were bred from books published as early as 1950.

To Kill A Mockingbird (1962)

In 1961, Harper Lee won a Pulitzer Prize for her debut novel (and her only novel until 2015's Go Set a Watchmen), To Kill a Mockingbird, which depicts a trial against a Black man accused of assault in the 1930s South from the point of a view of young Scout Finch. Soon after, the powerful anti-prejudice statement was adapted into a feature by director Robert Mulligan and starring Gregory Peck in an Oscar-winning portrayal of selfless attorney Atticus Finch.

The Lord Of The Rings Trilogy (2001-2003)

All three volumes of J.R.R. Tolkien’s influential trilogy of fantasy novels – The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers, and The Return of the King – were published between 1954 and 1955. Director Peter Jackson would bring Middle Earth to life in his live-action Lord of the Rings movies, which were a worldwide critical and commercial smash, spawning a prequel trilogy based on The Hobbit, an Amazon Prime series (The Rings of Power), and an animated spin-off (The War of the Rohirrim).

Forrest Gump (1994)

Six Academy Awards, including Best Picture, went to director Robert Zemeckis’ adaptation of Forrest Gump, starring Tom Hanks in the title role of a simple man who, unwittingly, lives a truly historic life. A year after the film’s release, Winston Groom, author of the original 1986 novel, would publish a sequel, Gump & Co., that chronicles the shrimp company owner’s life in the 1980s.

The Shining (1980)

Jack Nicholson and Shelley Duvall lead Stanley Kubrick’s adaptation of Stephen King’s 1977 novel, The Shining, in which an author is mysteriously driven mad while serving as the caretaker for a Colorado ski resort with his wife and psychic son. While now revered as one of the best King adaptations, let alone one of the best horror movies ever made, the author famously hated the thriller which was not a critical or commercial success upon release either.

Where The Wild Things Are (2009)

Writer and illustrator Maurice Sendak earned the Caldecott Medal for Where the Wild Things Are, in which the ill-behaved Max dreams he is the king of a place where otherwordly creatures roam. The beloved 1963 children’s book was adapted into a bizarre, beautifully puppeteered, and significantly darker live-action feature film by director Spike Jonze and starring Max Records with the voice talents of James Gandolfini and Catherine O'Hara.

The Silence Of The Lambs (1991)

The Oscar-winning film that made cannibalistic criminal psychologist Hannibal Lecter (Anthony Hopkins) one of the horror genre’s most feared villains is actually based on the second book to feature the character. Jonathan Demme’s adaptation of 1988’s The Silence of the Lambs is also predated by Manhunter – Michael Mann’s adaptation of Thomas Harris’ first Lecter novel, Red Dragon.

One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest (1975)

Director Miloš Forman's Best Picture Oscar winner, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, stars Jack Nicholson as a criminal who pleads insanity to get out of jail and ends up leading a revolt against the sinister Nurse Ratched (Louise Fletcher). While revered as a film that takes mental health seriously, some would say it does not quite do Ken Kesey's 1962 novel justice, rendering the narrator, Chief Bromden (portrayed by Will Sampson), into more of a side character.

No Country For Old Men (2007)

Joel and Ethan Coen were quite faithful to Cormac McCarthy’s 2005 novel when adapting No Country for Old Men, which follows a disillusioned sheriff (played by Tommy Lee Jones) and his search for a hunter (played by Josh Brolin) who is on the run from a sadistic hitman (played by Javier Bardem). In fact, for its breathtakingly grounded craftsmanship, Bardem's chilling Oscar-winning performance, and provocative commentary on violence, some might say it is the best Western movie of all time.

The Harry Potter Movies (2001-2011)

J.K. Rowling’s seven-part series of young adult fantasy novels following an orphaned wizard’s education in the mystic arts at Hogwarts was published between 1997 and 2007. The bestselling series inspired eight Harry Potter movies (including two based on the final novel, Deathly Hallows) which starred Daniel Radcliffe and became an enduring worldwide phenomenon.

The Godfather And The Godfather Part II (1972-1974)

Mario Puzo’s 1969 post-World War II crime epic, The Godfather, inspired two Best Picture Oscar winners following the rise of reluctant mafia boss Michael Corleone (Al Pacino). Director Francis Ford Coppola would collaborate with Puzo on the screenplay for a third installment that was released in 1990 and is not held in such high regard today.

Dune And Dune: Part Two (2021-2024)

Director Denis Villeneuve adapted Frank Herbert’s 1965 sci-fi epic Dune, which largely influenced George Lucas’ Star Wars saga, into two widely acclaimed big-screen adventures that brought the eponymous planet to life with wondrous visual effects. The first live-action adaptation by David Lynch from 1984 was, unfortunately, far less appreciated.

Willy Wonka And The Chocolate Factory (1971)

Roald Dahl wrote the screenplay for director Mel Stuart’s adaptation of his 1964 novel, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory – the title of which replaced the original eponymous character, Charlie Bucket, with Gene Wilder’s eccentric chocolatier. While Tim Burton’s 2005 adaptation, with Johnny Depp as Willy Wonka and Freddie Highmore as Charlie, is not quite the beloved children's movie the original is, it at least made the poor Golden Ticket holder the title hero again.

The Color Purple (1985)

Alice Walker’s influential tale of a Black, Southern woman’s life of abuse and neglect inspired one of director Steven Spielberg’s The Color Purple, starring Whoopi Goldberg and Oprah Winfrey in Oscar-nominated roles. Winfrey would later produce a stage musical based on the novel that was also adapted into a film starring Fantasia Barrino in 2023.

A Clockwork Orange (1971)

One of the most controversial X-rated classics in cinematic history is Stanley Kubrick’s adaptation of Anthony Burgess’ 1962 dystopian novel, A Clockwork Orange. It stars Malcolm McDowell as one of the most fearsome 1970s movie villains, Alex DeLarge – a gang leader subjected to an experimental, government-issued cure for his violent tendencies.

The Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy (2005)

Douglas Adams condensed his absurdist, science-fiction radio play, The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, into a 1979 novel that was first adapted as a British miniseries in 1981. Decades later, Disney released a feature adaptation starring Martin Freeman, Mos Def, and Alan Rickman as the voice of a clinically depressed but still friendly robot named Marvin, who was portrayed on screen by Warwick Davis.

Fear And Loathing In Las Vegas (1998)

Gonzo journalist Hunter S. Thompson chronicled his experiences in the Sin City with attorney Oscar Zeta Acosta in a fictionalized memoir called Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, published in 1971. Director Terry Gilliam adapted the book into a wild, psychedelic trip starring Johnny Depp as Raoul Duke (Thompson's alter ego) and Benicio del Toro as Dr. Gonzo.

The Road (2008)

Just two years after it was published, one of Cormac McCarthy’s most acclaimed novels, The Road, was adapted into a film starring Viggo Mortensen and Kodi Smit-McPhee as an unnamed father and son searching for sanctuary in a ruined future. Director John Hillcoat’s thriller is regarded as one of the best post-apocalyptic movies of its time.

Fahrenheit 451 (1966)

François Truffaut adapted Ray Bradbury’s prophetic, dystopian 1953 novel, Fahrenheit 451, into a film starring Oskar Werner as a fireman tasked with destroying any and all literature who has a sudden change of heart. Michael B. Jordan would portray the hero, Guy Montag, in a later feature made exclusively for HBO in 2018.

Blade Runner (1982)

Ridley Scott’s seminal, Harrison Ford-led sci-fi thriller, Blade Runner, takes inspiration from Philip K. Dick’s 1986 novel, Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? The author’s vision of a world in which artificial beings known as Replicants live among humans was also expanded upon in director Denis Villeneuve’s acclaimed 2017 sequel, Blade Runner 2049.

The Hunger Games Movies (2012-2015)

Jennifer Lawrence received wide acclaim for portraying teenage rebel Katniss Everdeen in The Hunger Games and its three sequels, based on Suzanne Collins’ bestselling dystopian trilogy published between 2008 and 2010. Cinema would return to Panem once more with 2023’s The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes, which takes place during one of the earliest holdings of the eponymous challenge that pits children against each other in an annual fight to the death.

Breakfast At Tiffany’s (1961)

Holly Golightly – the central character of Truman Capote’s 1958 novella, Breakfast at Tiffany’s – essentially remains the same in Blake Edwards’ Audrey Hepburn-led adaptation. However, the story changes dramatically, making it more of a sweeping romance between the callgirl and the previously unnamed narrator, Paul (played by George Peppard in the film).

American Psycho (2000)

Before he took on the mantle of a live-action Batman actor, Christian Bale gave a star-making performance as a more menacing urban yuppie with a violent double life named Patrick Bateman in American Psycho. His portrayal of the character in director Mary Harron’s adaptation of Bret Easton Ellis’ provocative 1991 novel has since been recognized as one of the most disturbing killers in cinematic history.

The Haunting (1963)

A psychologist invites a group of patients to stay in a house supposedly inhabited by ghosts in director Robert Wise’s classic haunted house movie, The Haunting, which is based on Shirley Jackson’s The Haunting of Hill House. The chilling 1959 novel inspired another film bearing the shortened title from 1999 and, in 2018, a more loosely connected but widely acclaimed Netflix miniseries from creator Mike Flanagan.

The Chronicles Of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch And The Wardrobe (2005)

The first volume of C.S. Lewis’s seven-part fantasy novel series, published in 1950, was adapted into a critically and commercially successful adventure set in a wondrous land. The next two books in the series, collectively known as The Chronicles of Narnia, also received feature-length adaptations from Walt Disney Pictures and Walden Media.

Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret. (2023)

Abby Ryder Fortson makes her film debut in the first feature based on Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret., which also stars Oscar nominee Rachel McAdams as the title character's supportive mother. Author Judy Blume shared with Today that she believes writer and director Kelly Fremon Craig’s adaptation surpassed her own novel, which offered a groundbreaking inside look at the pains of female adolescence in 1970.

Catch-22 (1970)

Director Mike Nichols and writer Buck Henry adapted Joseph Heller’s 1961 novel into the star-studded WWII-era satire Catch-22, starring Alan Arkin and Bob Newhart. The book also inspired a Hulu original miniseries released in 2019 starring Christopher Abbott and George Clooney, who also executive produced.

Watchmen (2009)

Many credit the long-awaited acceptance of comic book fiction as earnest literature with writer Alan Moore and illustrator Dave Gibbons and their groundbreaking graphic novel, Watchmen, which was originally published by DC in 12 parts between 1986 and 1987. Director Zack Snyder first adapted the story of costumed crimefighters coming out of retirement years after vigilanteism is banned into a live-action film 15 years before Warner Bros. released a two-part animated feature in 2024.

The Joy Luck Club (1993)

Amy Tan's influential 1989 novel, The Joy Luck Club, depicts the eye-opening experiences of four different women from a Chinese family. The author made a cameo in the film adaptation from director Wayne Wang.

Lord Of The Flies (1963)

William Golding’s seminal coming-of-age survival novel, Lord of the Flies, was first adapted for cinema nine years after it was published. Writer and director Peter Brook’s adaptation is considered to be more a faithful take on the story of adolescent boys stranded on a desert island than the American version released in 1990 by director Harry Hook.

Lolita (1962)

Vladimir Nabokov’s provocative 1955 novel, Lolita – the story of a middle-aged college professor obsessed with his teenage stepdaughter – was first adapted for cinema by director Stanley Kubrick in the early 1960s, starring James Mason and Sue Lyon in the title role. Director Adrian Lyne would later remake the drama in 1997 with Jeremy Irons and Dominique Swain.

Devil In A Blue Dress (1995)

Denzel Washington portrays one of the most iconic Black detectives in pop culture, Ezekiel "Easy" Rawlins, in Devil in a Blue Dress. Based on Walter Mosley's 1990 novel, and the first to feature the character, the gritty period piece follows the World War II veteran as he becomes embroiled in the search for a mysterious woman.

The Twilight Movies (2008-2013)

Stephanie Meyer became one of the most popular authors of her time with 2008's Twilight and its three sequels, New Moon, Eclipse, and Breaking Dawn. The saga, chronicling a teenage girl’s complicated romance with a vampire, was adapted into five box-office hits that made A-listers out of Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson.

When I think of actors who make great villains, Catherine Keener is far from the first person to cross my mind. That may be exactly what made her performance as the villain of Netflix’s fun, time travel adventure, The Adam Project, so unexpected and memorable.

Yet, while looking up some of the best Catherine Keener movies for this particular list, I came to realize that the two-time Academy Award nominee has actually been mastering the art of playing bad for years now, as you will be able to see by streaming the titles below. Let’s start, however, with a role that is not quite so sinister, from one of the earlier years of her career.

Johnny Suede (Amazon Rental)

An aspiring musician (Academy Award winner Brad Pitt) struggles to maintain the style and personality of the rock ’n roll legends he idolizes.

Why it’s worth checking out if you like Catherine Keener: In what is described in the promotional material as a “smooth comedy” from acclaimed writer and director Tom DiCillo, things start shakin’ up for Brad Pitt’s title character from Johnny Suede after he begins a romance with Catherine Keener’s Yvonne, who challenges him to begin seeing himself for who he really is.

Rent/Buy Johnny Suede on Amazon.

Being John Malkovich (Peacock)

After taking a job as a file clerk, a puppeteer (John Cusack) finds a portal hidden in his office building that allows him to inhabit the mind of actor John Malkovich (Malkovich as himself).

Why it’s worth checking out if you like Catherine Keener: Johnny Suede’s Brad Pitt makes a blink-and-you-miss-it cameo in 1999’s Being John Malkovich alongside Catherine Keener, who received her first Oscar nomination for playing the scheming, manipulative Maxine Lund in this extremely inventive, surreal, satirical fantasy from writer Charlie Kaufman and director Spike Jonze.

Stream Being John Malkovich on Peacock.
Rent/Buy Being John Malkovich on Amazon.

Death To Smoochy (Amazon Rental)

A disgraced, fired children’s TV star (Academy Award winner Robin Williams) plots revenge against his replacement (Academy Award nominee Edward Norton), who is already growing disillusioned by his job dressing as a purple dinosaur as it is.

Why it’s worth checking out if you like Catherine Keener: Three years after Being John Malkovich, Catherine Keener played a TV producer in another dark, bizarre and unique, but highly misunderstood and unjustly underrated, satire called Death to Smoochy, which fellow star Danny DeVito also directed.

Rent/Buy Death To Smoochy on Amazon.

The 40-Year-Old Virgin (HBO Max)

A middle-aged tech store employee (Academy Award nominee Steve Carell) is urged by his friends to make some changes to his life after they discover that he has never had sex.

Why it’s worth checking out if you like Catherine Keener: Catherine Keener gives one of the sweetest and funniest performances of her career as a woman who falls for Carell’s titular character in 2005’s The 40-Year-Old Virigin - the theatrical, feature-length directorial debut of Judd Apatow, which remains one of his most beloved smash hits to this day.

Stream The 40-Year-Old Virgin on HBO Max.
Rent/Buy The 40-Year-Old Virgin on Amazon.

Into The Wild (Netflix)

Wishing to get away from his privileged life and start anew, a recent college graduate (Emile Hirsch) abandons all of his belongings and sets out on a cross-country trip hitchhiking to Alaska, encountering a unique variety of interesting characters along the way.

Why it’s worth checking out if you like Catherine Keener: In 2007, Catherine Keener gave yet another sweet, but not very funny, performance as a fellow nomad who proves to be an especially inspirational figure to Hirsch’s Christopher McCandless in Into the Wild - director Sean Penn’s mesmerizing dramatization of author Jon Krakauer’s cautionary non-fiction tragedy.

Stream Into The Wild on Netflix.
Rent/Buy Into The Wild on Amazon.

Capote (HBO Max)

Acclaimed writer Truman Capote (Philip Seymour Hoffman in a well-deserved Oscar-winning performance) becomes dangerously and emotionally attached to an inmate (Clifton Collins Jr.) on death row for the murder of a Kansas family while researching the crime for his latest book.

Why it’s worth checking out if you like Catherine Keener: In 2006, Catherine Keener earned her second Academy Award nomination for playing Harper Lee, who would one day publish To Kill A Mockingbird, in Capote - an intriguing inside look at the real life story behind the shocking non-fiction crime novel, In Cold Blood.

Stream Capote on HBO Max.
Rent/Buy Capote on Amazon.

An American Crime (Tubi, IMDb TV, Peacock)

A single mother (Catherine Keener), with the help of her subservient six children and other neighborhood youngsters, subjects a teenage girl (Elliot Page) to horrific and senseless abuse after her parents put her and her younger sister in their care while they are away.

Why it’s worth checking out if you like Catherine Keener: Catherine Keener’s villainous role in The Adam Project looks like Mary Poppins when compared to her Emmy nominated portrayal of Gertrude Baniszewski in An American Crime - a Showtime original, feature-length dramatization of the unspeakable circumstances surrounding Sylvia Likens’ death in 1960s Indiana.

Stream An American Crime on Tubi.
Stream An American Crime on IMDb TV.
Stream An American Crime on Peacock.

Get Out (Amazon Rental)

A Black photographer (future Oscar winner Daniel Kaluuya) cannot shake the feeling that something is wrong while visiting the parents of his white girlfriend (Alison Williams), unaware how horrifyingly correct his instincts would turn out to be.

Why it’s worth checking out if you like Catherine Keener: While this thriller is not a true story, but very true to real life in many upsetting aspects, Jordan Peele’s Oscar-winning debut as a writer and director, Get Out, features a brilliantly subtle, yet equally disturbing, performance by Catherine Keener that draws some amusing parallels to the plot of Being John Malkovich.

Rent/Buy Get Out on Amazon.

Incredibles 2 (Disney+)

After they are forced to come out of hiding to save the day, a family of superheroes (including Holly Hunter as Elastigirl) are given a much-desired second chance to “relive the glory days” and hopefully reinforce public opinion about vigilanteism.

Why it’s worth checking out if you like Catherine Keener: Without giving too much away, Catherine Keener’s naturally endearing quality, once again, proves to be an effective misdirect for her character in 2018’s Incredibles 2 - the long-awaited, action-packed sequel to one of the best Pixar movies from returning writer and director, Brad Bird.

Stream Incredibles 2 on Disney+.
Rent/Buy Incredibles 2 on Amazon.

The Croods Movies (Peacock Premium, Hulu)

After their home is destroyed, a family of cave people search for a new place to live and later discover a whole new way of living when they cross paths with a more “evolved” family.

Why it’s worth checking out if you like Catherine Keener: Another notable voice acting performance from Catherine Keener is as the motherly Ugga Crood from 2013’s fun prehistoric animated hit, The Croods, whom she would reprise alongside the all-star cast of The Croods: A New Age in 2020.

Stream The Croods on Peacock Premium.
Rent/Buy The Croods on Amazon.

Stream The Croods: A New Age on Hulu.
Rent/Buy The Croods: A New Age on Amazon.

Where The Wild Things Are (Netflix)

Disillusioned by the common pressures of boyhood, the angsty and overly imaginative Max (Max Records) runs away from home and finds himself in a strange land where unusual beasts reside.

Why it’s worth checking out if you like Catherine Keener: In 2009, Catherine Keener reunited with Being John Malkovich director Spike Jonze for a visually stunning and surprisingly dark adaptation of Maurice Sendak’s seminal children’s book, Where the Wild Things Are, in the role of Max’s mother.

Stream Where The Wild Things Are on Netflix.
Rent/Buy Where The Wild Things Are on Amazon.

Enough Said (HBO Max)

A divorced massage therapist (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) discovers that her new client (Catherine Keener) is the ex-wife of her new beau (James Gandolfini), which she keeps secret as she allows her new friend to vent about the previous relationship.

Why it’s worth checking out if you like Catherine Keener: Years after she made a funny appearance on Seinfeld, Catherine Keener gives one of her most endearing performances in 2013’s Enough Said - a clever romantic comedy from Oscar-nominated writer and director Nicole Holofcener.

Stream Enough Said on HBO Max.
Rent/Buy Enough Said on Amazon.

The Adam Project (Netflix)

A troubled 12-year-old (Walker Scobell) crosses paths with a pilot who also happens to be his future self (Ryan Reynolds) and joins him on an adventure to ensure a better tomorrow by preventing the invention of time travel.

Why it’s worth checking out if you like Catherine Keener: When you are done binging the other great Catherine Keener titles above and have a better understanding of how well she has played a villain in the past, revisit her race across time against Reynolds and Scobell in The Adam Project - Netflix’s, overall, critically well-liked tribute to Amblin-produced sci-fi classics, from director Shawn Levy.

Stream The Adam Project on Netflix.

This is just the tip of iceberg of what to look out for if you are a Catherine Keener fan, but they most definitely round out the majority of the actress’ greatest hits.

I love how we have seen a new generation of Catherine O’Hara fans emerge since her days in the Schitt’s Creek cast as Moira Rosa. Her brilliant performance as the - to borrow from the character’s own colorful vocabulary - “vociferous” and “juvenescent” former soap opera actress would also earn the Canadian comedian her second Emmy Award and first in an acting category.

I hope that, like it has for me, her newfound popularity inspires audiences to take a look at the titles on her resume that they had never seen or revisit ones they had either forgotten or never even realized she was in before. If you are one of those viewers, allow us to point you in the direction of our picks for the best Catherine O’Hara movies and TV shows available on streaming, for digital rental, and/or purchase on physical media, starting with her aforementioned induction into sitcom royalty. 

Schitt’s Creek (2015-2020)

After their business manager leaves them financially ruined, a once-wealthy video store chain tycoon (Eugene Levy), his former soap opera star wife (Catherine O’Hara), and spoiled adult son (Daniel Levy) and daughter (Annie Murphy), have no choice but to live in a small town that also happens to be their only remaining asset.

Why it’s one of the best Catherine O’Hara TV shows: If you are reading this, you have likely already seen all 80 episodes of Schitt’s Creek, but of all the sound reasons to binge it all over again, Catherine O’Hara’s transformative, consistently hilarious, and endlessly quotable performance as Moira Rose tops the list as far as I am concerned.

Stream Schitt’s Creek on Netflix.
Stream Schitt’s Creek on IMDb TV.

Buy Schitt’s Creek digitally on Amazon.
Buy Schitt’s Creek on DVD/Blu-ray on Amazon.

Home Alone And Home Alone 2: Lost In New York (1990-1992)

A precocious 8-year-old boy (Macaulay Culkin) is accidentally separated from his family during the Holiday season twice (first at his own house in Chicago and then in New York City after an airport mixup) and must defend himself from the same pair of bumbling thieves (Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern) with his own knack for setting clever and painful traps.

Why they are some of the best Catherine O’Hara movies: Speaking of endlessly quotable performances, Catherine O’Hara famously shouted the name of her onscreen son, “KEVIN!,” as Kate McCallister in both Home Alone and Home Alone 2: Lost in New York - some of the funniest Christmas movies ever, which were both penned by John Hughes and directed by Chris Columbus.

Stream The Home Alone Movies On Disney.
Buy/rent Home Alone digitally on Amazon.

Buy/rent Home Alone 2: Lost In New York digitally on Amazon.
Buy Home Alone and Home Alone 2: Lost In New York on DVD/Blu-ray on Amazon.

Waiting For Guffman (1996)

A former theatre professional (Christopher Guest) organizes a stage musical inspired by an eccentric small town in Missouri that somehow attracts the attention of a renowned New York City art critic, convincing the amateur cast and crew of local citizens that this may be their ticket to Broadway.

Why it’s one of the best Catherine O’Hara movies: Catherine O’Hara’s relationship with Schitt’s Creek actor and co-creator Eugene Levy as small screen co-stars actually dates back to their days on SCTV in the ‘70s, but their relationship as big screen co-stars began with Waiting for Guffman - a partially improvised mockumentary that brilliantly satirizes Midwestern culture, which Levy actually co-wrote with star and director Christopher Guest.

Buy/rent Waiting For Guffman digitally on Amazon.
Buy Waiting For Guffman on DVD/Blu-ray on Amazon.

Best In Show (2000)

An affable salesman (Eugene Levy) and his high-spirited wife (Catherine O’Hara), a lone shop keeper (Christopher Guest), a bubbly gay couple (Michael McKean and John Michael Higgins), and others eagerly and anxiously prepare their beloved pets to win at a prestigious annual dog show as a camera crew captures everything that goes on prior to and during the event.

Why it’s one of the best Catherine O’Hara movies: Years before doing so in Schitt’s Creek, Catherine O’Hara and Eugene Levy played a married couple who enter their Norwich Terrier into the cutthroat competition at the center of Best in Show, which is considered by many to be the best of several acclaimed mockumentaries from star and director Christopher Guest, who also co-wrote this title with Levy.

Stream Best In Show on HBO Max.
Buy/rent Best In Show digitally on Amazon.
Buy Best In Show on DVD/Blu-ray on Amazon.

A Mighty Wind (2003)

A successful trio of folk musicians known as The Folksmen (Harry Shearer, Michael McKean, and Christopher Guest) reunite, along with some of their most esteemed (and eccentric) contemporary artists to perform at a concert in honor of their former, legendary concert promoter’s recent passing.

Why it’s one of the best Catherine O’Hara movies: Once again, Catherine O’Hara and Eugene Levy played a couple - this time one that is bound in a passion for folk music - in yet another mockumentary co-written by Levy and director Christopher Guest called A Mighty Wind, which pokes fun at the music industry yet was actually nominated for an Oscar for Best Original Song.

Stream A Mighty Wind on HBO Max.
Buy/rent A Mighty Wind digitally on Amazon.
Buy A Mighty Wind on DVD/Blu-ray on Amazon.

For Your Consideration (2006)

The obscure cast and crew of a low-budget, independent period drama are thrown up in arms by the news that the film has started to generate buzz in the entertainment media as a potential Oscar nominee.

Why it’s one of the best Catherine O’Hara movies: In their most recent collaboration with co-writer and director Christopher Guest, Catherine O’Hara and Eugene Levy do not play a romantically linked couple, but are still as funny as ever in For Your Consideration - a mockumentary which, this time, pokes fun at the film industry, particularly the fervently competitive nature that it becomes consumed by around awards season.

Stream For Your Consideration on HBO Max.
Buy/rent For Your Consideration digitally on Amazon.
Buy For Your Consideration on DVD on Amazon.

Beetlejuice (1988)

Unhappy with the family that now inhabits their dream home, the lingering spirits of a recently deceased married couple (Alec Baldwin and Geena Davis) try calling upon the help of a repulsive, self-proclaimed bio-exorcist (Michael Keaton) to help scare them out of the house, which turns out to be a costly mistake.

Why it’s one of the best Catherine O’Hara movies: One of the Catherine O’Hara’s most uproariously funny and iconically quotable performances (which also reminds me a great deal of Moira Rose) is Delia Deetz in Beetlejuice, which is, arguably, the most definitive of director Tim Burton’s movies for its cartoonishly morbid sense of humor and inventively surreal visual design, all anchored by Michael Keaton’s brief, but boisterous performance in the title role.

Buy/rent Beetlejuice digitally on Amazon.
Buy Beetlejuice on DVD/Blu-ray on Amazon.

The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)

Bored by the same gloomy and ghoulish celebrations from every other year, the unofficial leader of a town obsessed with Halloween (Chris Sarandon) accidentally comes across another town that is obsessed with Christmas and conspires to teach his peers all about the traditions akin to this new holiday. 

Why it’s one of the best Catherine O’Hara movies: Even though Tim Burton merely wrote the story and directorial duties were handled by underrated stop-motion artist Henry Selick, you could also make an argument that the ultimate Burton movie is the Oscar-nominated The Nightmare Before Christmas - a classic perfect for two different holiday seasons and for which Catherine O’Hara leant her voice to both the role of the romantic lead Sally and of Oogie Boogie’s young henchperson, Shock.

Stream The Nightmare Before Christmas on Disney+.
Buy/rent The Nightmare Before Christmas digitally on Amazon.
Buy The Nightmare Before Christmas on DVD/Blu-ray on Amazon.

Where The Wild Things Are (2009)

Wanting to escape from his stressful, disillusioned reality, a young, angsty, adventurous boy (Max Records) runs away from home and into a distant land of fantasy inhabited by large, furry beasts and convinces them to make him their king.

Why it’s one of the best Catherine O’Hara movies: Catherine O’Hara leant her voice to the far less meek role of Judith in director Spike Jonze’s surprisingly dark adaptation of Maurice Sendak’s iconic story, Where the Wild Things Are, which is easily one of the most inventive and visually stunning movies based on a children’s book ever made.

Stream Where The Wild Things Are on HBO Max.
Buy/rent Where The Wild Things Are digitally on Amazon.
Buy Where The Wild Things Are on DVD/Blu-ray on Amazon.

Glenn Martin, DDS (2009-2011)

After their house suffers a devastating fire, a dentist (Kevin Nealon) decides to take his wife (Catherine O’Hara) and two children (Jackie Clarke and Peter Oldring) on a vacation across the country in an old recreational vehicle.

Why it’s one of the best Catherine O’Hara TV shows: One of Catherine O’Hara’s more underrated voice acting roles was as Jackie, the wife of Kevin Nealon’s title character on Glenn Martin, DDS - a fun stop-motion animated family sitcom that aired as an original for Nickelodeon’s Nick@Nite block and, if you think about it, bears a few similarities to the plot of Schitt’s Creek. 

Stream Glenn Martin, DDS on Amazon Prime.
Stream Glenn Martin, DDS on Tubi.

Stream Glenn Martin, DDS on Pluto TV.
Stream Glenn Martin, DDS on IMDb TV.

Buy Glenn Martin, DDS digitally on Amazon.

Wyatt Earp (1994)

The story of a highly skilled gunslinger (Yellowstone cast member Kevin Costner) who becomes a legend of the Old West over the course of his tragedy-ridden life.

Why it’s one of the best Catherine O’Hara movies: One of Catherine O’Hara’s more unusually dramatic roles was as Allie Earp, the wife of Virgil Earp, in Wyatt Earp - co-writer and director Lawrence Kasdan’s Oscar-nominated, epic historical western inspired by the titular lawman made famous by the fateful events that took place at the O.K. Corral.

Stream Wyatt Earp on Netflix.
Buy/rent Wyatt Earp digitally on Amazon.
Buy Wyatt Earp on DVD/Blu-ray on Amazon.

Catherine O’Hara is prepping to make another supposedly dramatic departure from her more common comedic roles by joining the ensemble cast of director Matthew Vaughn’s upcoming adaptation of Elly Conway’s espionage novel, Argylle. 

It's just three days to go until Halloween, and if you've got your act together, you've already figured out the perfect costume that will wow the ladies/gentlemen and convince people not only that you're creative, but that you have good taste in pop culture.

Because what fun is Halloween if you can't dress up like your favorite character from any given TV show or movie? We're running a Halloween Costume Contest (more info here) that's showcasing the best of these, but we're also invested in helping you avoid the worst. Beyond showing up with a shoddy costume, there's the ultimate sin of wearing the same thing as 10 other people. There's a fine line between a costume everyone will recognize and one that everyone is already sick of, and we are here for help you avoid that line.

For example: Fandango.com recently conducted a survey of moviegoers to find out the most popular costumes this year for both men and women. Predictably, all the best costumes went to the men, but so did all the worst and most ubiquitous. Here's the list, along with the percentage of costume who said these would be their costumes:

There are obvious practical problems with some of these-- you'll freeze to death with your shirt off as Jacob, and who is going to let you borrow their baby to name Carlos and carry around all night? But, with a few exceptions (Tallahassee is never lame, and G..I Joe still seems cool somehow), these are all just bad costumes. Tomorrow we'll be giving advice on how to look great on Halloween, but first, below are five of the lamest costumes and why to avoid them, including two from the list above. Trust me, we're doing this for your own good.

Wolverine (Hugh Jackman), X-Men Origins: Wolverine

It might have been cool a few years ago, when Wolverine was the best part of the X-Men movies. And of course dressing as Wolverine based on your comic book obsession as a kid was always OK. But now Wolverine is the main character of one of the worst blockbusters of the year, and dressing as him only implies support for that disaster of a movie. You at least want people to believe you have better taste than that.

If you absolutely must: Wear the yellow and black costume from the comics, obviously.

Max (Max Records), Where The Wild Things Are

Yeah, yeah, it was your favorite book as a kid, and you've wanted to wear Max's wolf suit for Halloween for years. But listen to me, and listen to me good: this wolf suit is available for purchase at Urban Outfitters, the home of mass-marketed hipster faux-individuality. Plus you won't look as cute in it as Max Records did.

If you absolutely must: Have a friend dressed as a Wild Thing, and ride them piggyback all night. Hey, if you're gonna do it, you have to commit.

Michael Jackson, This Is It

First of all, it's apparently the most popular costume among men (and #9 among women!), which means you are definitely not original. Secondly, you're inevitably going to be asked to Moonwalk, and what are the odds you can actually do it? Third, this costume hasn't been original probably since the early 80s. Give it up.

If you absolutely must: Go as MJ in The Wiz, complete with scarecrow costume. Or have a group go as the Jackson Five. Anything to shake it up. (Note: please only do this if you are in fact black).

Julia Child (Meryl Streep), Julie & Julia

This costume is particularly bad for men hoping to imitate the 6'2 Child, but Fandango says it's the #10 most popular answer for women, so the plague is widespread. What do I need to tell you beyond the fact that Meryl Streep (or, hell, Dan Aykroyd) did it better? Plus, you'd need to carry around some sort of knife or kitchen implement to complete the look, and that will probably get in the way of your candy grabbing/drinking plans.

If you absolutely must: Get in character early enough to cook something delicious and feed to everyone forced to hear you say "Bon appetit!" all night.

Dr. Manhattan (Billy Crudup), Watchmen

This space had been saved for Rorschach, but seeing Dr. Manhattan further up on Fandango's list indicates a dire situation. With this costume you're either wearing a skintight blue suit with painted-on abs (and maybe genitals?), or freezing your ass of in a black bikini and blue body paint, running the risk of being mistake for Tobias Funke. There's a reason Dr. Manhattan was all CGI in the movie-- no human can look like that.

If you absolutely must: Wear a suit and be Dr. Manhattan on the TV show. Extra points for making everyone around you disappear in a fit of rage.

George Lazenby, The Wackness, peanut butter and butter sandwiches, Boondock Saints II, mixing meats, hypothetical camping trips with DeGrassi: The Next Generation characters, Jim and Pam’s five years in the making wedding, there’s plenty to talk about or in Brain’s case guffaw at now that he’s returned from his alcoholic sabbatical. And somehow we find time for more. Trevor finally got out to Zombieland, Mack caught an advanced screening of Where The Wild Things Are and Brain rolled forward with the new season of Dexter.

This week’s episode of the Blendcast is ripped from the headlines--but with less Sam Waterston. It’s made with all natural fibers and can be part of a balanced diet---provided you stay away from the macaroni n cheese and hot dogs. Please tell your doctor if your family has a history of heart condition, stroke or incest. Especially that last one.

Warning: this week’s Blendcast contains the voices of three real human beings with real opinions, real stories, real tempers, and real language. If you are Amish and/ or interested in your children living in some sort of happy bubble with good vibes and classy princesses, don’t expose them to this material. But if you realize they’re fucked---just like the rest of us--crank it up to eleven and tell the neighbors to fuck off.

To subscribe with iTunes and get us on your iPod automatically CLICK HERE

Direct Download.

To subscribe with iTunes and get us on your iPod automatically CLICK HERE

SUBSCRIBE:

For a complete archive of past Blendcasts simply click HERE.

The doors have opened for Preview Night at San Diego Comic Con, and thousands of fans are getting their first look at the loot, memorabilia, and toys on display. It's already packed in there, of course-- packed like sea of human bodies packed, packed like you hope everyone remembered to wear deodorant today.

I jumped in and snapped some photos of the movie-related goings on, which included poster giveaways for District 9, a straw hut for Where the Wild Things Are, a giant replica of Bumblebee in both Autobot and Camaro form, and much much more. Check out all the images in the gallery below. The most important display on the floor, of course, is Black Beauty from The Green Hornet, which-- as you'll see-- is covered in a sheet as I write this. Expect that reveal to come in an hour or so.