Genuinely cannot get over #Wildwood
I've never seen anything like it, the most astounding, beautiful film I've ever seen and I doubt we'll ever see anything like this again, at least not for a while
It's Laika's magnum opus. A once in a generation miracle and a masterpiece.
yall don’t actually want original movies if you won’t go see Wildwood.
> director is adamantly anti AI
> the entire film was handcrafted puppets and environments
> some of the best action of the year right up there with The Odyssey
> made me cry twice in the theater
I think James Gunn's latest explanation of the DCU is a bit of a cop-out.
Gunn says the DCU is a universe where individual stories can exist without necessarily building toward something bigger. And look, I get it. CLAYFACE should work as a horror movie on its own. LANTERNS should be able to tell its own story. Nobody needs every project to end with some guy showing up to recruit the next superhero. But if you're building a shared universe, shouldn't there be some larger stakes? Some reason for audiences to invest their time and care about what happens next?
Look at AVENGERS: ENDGAME ENCORE. A seven-year-old movie with a handful of new scenes connecting it to DOOMSDAY just opened to $26 MILLION domestically. That's roughly what CLAYFACE is currently projected to make. Apples to oranges? Absolutely. But Marvel spent years building audience investment, delivered a massive payoff, and now people are showing up AGAIN because they're excited about where the story goes next. Their time and dedication meant something.
And that's what frustrates me about Gunn's answer. I don't think every DCU project needs to be homework for the next one, but there should be a larger narrative that rewards people for paying attention. Otherwise, what's the point of building an interconnected universe in the first place?
I'm starting to wonder if Gunn is so determined to avoid copying Marvel that he's overlooking one of the biggest reasons the MCU worked.
You don't have to copy the formula. But maybe don't ignore why people loved it.
Marvel: Ultimate Alliance released on PS2 20 years ago today.
You could put Spider-Man, Wolverine, Iron Man, and Captain America on the same team, each with their own abilities and costumes.
Getting to play with so many Marvel characters in one game was peak back in 2006.
Remember when BATMAN: THE ANIMATED SERIES injected a little AKIRA DNA into Clayface’s transformation and made it gloriously disturbing? Ron Perlman’s voice work made the whole thing even better, giving the shape-shifting horror a genuinely tragic edge.
Seeing news of Stephanie coming back this season got me thinking back to her interview back at the 25th season celebration event in Jan 2024.
It took 2 years but it's finally happening!! #SVU
Just got back from seeing Wildwood. Quickie review: Go see it. Storywise, it is one of the best epic fantasies I've ever seen. Visually, it's just gobsmacking, literally stunning to see what they can accomplish in stop motion. Not for little kids, and kinda dark, but with lots of heart. Great characters and performances, and even some self-aware humor at the expense of Portland. We are already planning a second viewing.
One of the best Easter eggs in Batman: Arkham Asylum is finding Clayface. I love that his cell sign just says “Do Not Approach. Inmate May Be Impersonating Other Personnel” while he sits there impersonating the Warden and Commissioner Gordon.
WildWood SHOULD be nominated for Best Picture!
There are no words able to describe the magic of the animation. Knowing the insane detail and painstaking process it takes to create this movie makes it even more special.
PLEASE watch in theaters
20 years ago today, Marvel Ultimate Alliance was released
One of the greatest superhero games of all time. As a kid this was my introduction to the wider Marvel universe and I’ll always be grateful for that