Tag: animation

Review: Disney Animation’s ‘Wish’ with Ariana DeBose & Alan Tudyk | FirstShowing.net

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Review: Disney Animation’s ‘Wish’ with Ariana DeBose & Alan Tudyk

by Manuel São Bento
December 10, 2023

Like many children born in the 1990s, I was blessed with the many animated wonders of Disney, shaped by numerous heartwarming, educational stories. Now, as an adult, I still maintain high levels of enthusiasm and anticipation for each new Disney Animation release, especially original movies. Under the guidance of directors Chris Buck (director on Tarzan, Surf’s Up, Frozen, Frozen II) & Fawn Veerasunthorn (head of story on Raya and the Last Dragon), two well-known names in animation with multiple creative at the studio, Wish combines the storytelling craftsmanship of the former, with the exciting directorial debut of Veerasunthorn, whose previous credits involve valuable contributions to many of Disney’s beloved stories.

The premise of Disney Animation’s Wish follows many typical studio formulas, for better or worse. In the magical kingdom of Rosas, the 17-year-old protagonist, Asha (voiced by Ariana DeBose), a sharp-witted idealist, makes a wish so powerful that it’s answered by a cosmic force – a little star of boundless energy called “Star.” Together, Asha and Star face the ruler of Rosas, King Magnifico, to save their community and show that when the courageous will of a human connects with the magic of the stars, anything can happen.

Only from this synopsis, it’s relatively easy to predict most of what will happen in the movie. The narrative structure of Wish proves to be, to some extent, a tribute to Disney’s legacy. On one hand, this choice evokes a nostalgic longing bringing back a simplistic villain with basic motivations, something that many admirers of Disney’s Renaissance Era will appreciate. On the other hand, it remains a traditional formula with several limitations, hindering the exploration of bolder, more surprising narrative paths. Buck and Veerasunthorn execute their ideas well but rely too much on the central theme and character to tell their story – a factor that, for many viewers, is the key difference between it being a rewarding or disappointing experience.

That said, at the heart of Wish, we find a beautiful, powerful message about the importance of wishes in our lives, a theme that resonates with both younger and older audiences. Wishes are intrinsic to our souls, and without them, we lose purpose and meaning in life. The pursuit of what we desire and dream of is presented in this story as the catalyst for true freedom, highlighting how our relentless will to pursue our goals, whether improvised or long-term, is crucial for personal fulfillment and genuine happiness.

Disney's Wish Review

Further exploring this theme, Wish also delves into the complexities of the personal discovery journey we all undergo at some point in our lives, represented by the protagonist. Asha, portrayed with wonderful charm by DeBose (Academy Award winner for West Side Story), is the living embodiment of the wishes that shape our identity. Her arc is an emotional dance – often literally – between uncertainty and determination, emphasizing how personal wishes aren’t mere impulses but essential elements for everyone’s transformative journey. DeBose, with her powerful voice, gives the character an authenticity that touches the hearts of the audience, making Asha’s trajectory a captivating focal point within the otherwise generic narrative.

In fact, the voice cast is one of the strengths of Wish. Chris Pine, taking on the role of the cliche villain, delivers one of those performances where any viewer can tell that the actor had a blast recording the film, adding an amusingly sinister touch to his lines. Alan Tudyk is another household name as a voice actor contributing greatly with his comedic ability, providing many hilarious moments – there’s an unexpected chicken sequence that left me laughing long after it finished – as the new toy destined to fill Disney store shelves. The diversity of voices and the convincing delivery of the various actors are commendable.

Naturally, an animated flick from this particular studio cannot exist without plenty of original songs. The music of Wish features a score by Dave Metzger (Once Upon a Studio) with beautiful melodies that fit well into the magical world of Rosas, but the spotlight is on the songs that are written by Julia Michaels and Benjamin Rice. While there are one or two less inspired moments – the villain’s musical sequence didn’t convince me, and several songs have verses with too many words, creating an occasionally awkward rhythm – the timing of the songs is precise, as the lyrics are thematically rich and critical for the development of characters, necessary world-building, and explanation of certain plot details. Personally, it’s hard not to pick This Wish as the standout, which promises to become a new fan favorite.

As for the animation itself, Wish offers the expected in terms of visual quality while also crafted with a risky, somewhat innovative approach for the studio. The combination of painted 2D drawings, serving as stunning background scenery, with classic 3D designs for all of the characters, generates a unique aesthetic for the movie. The decision to focus the action exclusively on the city of Rosas is also a breath of fresh air, deviating from the common trend in animated movies of presenting numerous remote locations and characters. This choice strengthens the cohesion of the plot and the audience’s immersion in a singular environment.

Final Thoughts

Disney Animation’s Wish is a magical journey about the vitality of personal wishes and the importance of pursuing those same dreams. Although the narrative follows a familiar structure and doesn’t delve beyond the central theme, the nostalgia it evokes is certainly appreciated. Ariana DeBose’s powerful voice embodies the inspiring determination of the protagonist, leading a talented cast in a movie marked by its beautiful blend of 2D and 3D animation, as well as original songs that, for the most part, will win over the audience. It’s another charming chapter in Disney’s vast library, offering a pleasant experience for fans of all ages.

Manuel’s Rating: B
Follow Manuel on Twitter – @msbreviews / Or Letterboxd – @msbreviews

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Why Can’t the US Try Japan’s Marketing for ‘The Boy and The Heron’? | FirstShowing.net

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Why Can’t the US Try Japan’s Marketing for ‘The Boy and The Heron’?

by Alex Billington
September 27, 2023

It’s the year 2023 and for the first time in 10 years we’re being graced with the presence of a new Hayao Miyazaki movie. The animation legend has directed his 12th feature, known in English as The Boy and the Heron, originally titled How Do You Live? (or 君たちはどう生きるか) in Japanese. The film already opened in Japan in July right in the middle of the summer, and it’s set to open in US theaters nationwide in December this fall. Described as a “big fantastical film”, it follows a boy named Mahito Maki, who discovers an abandoned tower in his new town and enters a fantastical world with a talking grey heron. The release in Japan was a fascinating experiment – because it opened without any marketing other than one poster and the title. Yet it did quite well – playing #1 at the Japanese box office for two weeks in a row in July. Though the initial reception in Japan was lukewarm with mostly positive reviews (no one called it a “masterpiece”), Western audiences are going crazy for it ever since its premiere at the 2023 Toronto Film Festival. But I’ve been wondering – why can’t the US distributor also open it without any marketing? And why did they cave?

Anyone that has been following FirstShowing for the 17 years we’ve been around knows I have always been super critical of Hollywood marketing, in a brutally honest way that bothers some who don’t dare mess with Hollywood. Sometimes they do brilliant things (e.g. The Dark Knight & Tron Legacy viral campaigns) but more often than not they make some mistakes or stick to the most generic, tried-and-true tactics. Nowadays, Hollywood marketing has relapsed into following some of the most boring, never-take-a-single-risk, follow-every-old-rule strategies. There used to be a time when marketing ideas would be so smart and fresh they’d influence pop culture and establish trends that others would follow, however nowadays they’re all controlled by existing trends and pop culture and mindlessly follow the latest fads like lemmings. Which is why I’m not surprised that GKids, the US distributor of Hayao Miyazaki’s The Boy and the Heron, decided to throw out the original Studio Ghibli no-marketing tactic and go with a conventional campaign. Perhaps they had no choice? Of course they had a choice. It seems they got cold feet, and decided they had to go back to old ways.

About a month or two before the movie’s initial Japanese opening on July 14th, 2023, reports from Japan quoted Studio Ghibli producer Toshio Suzuki saying they would release the film without any marketing material or plot synopsis or any images or anything else. Everyone knew about the movie anyway. “Over the years, we’ve done various things to get audiences to come see our films,” Suzuki told Bungei Shunju. “But I thought, ‘That’s enough of that.‘ It’s no fun doing the same thing over and over.” On the same day as the Japanese release in July, GKids in America (who has handled many Studio Ghibli & anime films) announced they will be releasing this movie in the US. Their initial press release included this fairly vibrant statement:

GKids states: “In an unprecedented decision by Studio Ghibli, no images, trailers, synopses, advertisements, or other information about the film have been made available to the public prior to its release in theaters in Japan. In keeping with this policy, GKIDS will not release any further details or marketing materials at this time.“

Something happened between this announcement in July and the movie being selected to premiere at TIFF in September. For months there were rumors and speculation that How Do You Live? (what it was known by at the time) was going to premiere at Cannes or at Venice. It wasn’t ready for Cannes because, true to their word, Ghibli wanted the Japanese to experience the film first before any international audiences at festivals. After the Japanese release in July, then came more questions – will it be released internationally by the end of 2023 and by whom? When exactly? How long do the rest of us have to wait? Will it show up at film fests? Which ones? It’s showing at tons of other festivals this fall – after TIFF, it’s screening at San Sebastian, New York, Sitges, London, Chicago, Lyon; with release dates around the world set throughout the fall. Of course, the festivals MUST always have at least ONE photo for a film for its premiere. This is standard practice. But a few days before the TIFF premiere, GKids dropped a teaser featuring around 60 seconds of actual footage. No longer a surprise… It’s the same standard marketing tactic as most festival films that have a distributor.

While reading other articles about the Studio Ghibli marketing decision for The Boy and the Heron, I came across one that couldn’t understand the original Japanese strategy, claiming that “no one would even know about the film?! How would they know it exists?!” 🤦 🤦 Goodness. This is a blatant misunderstanding of marketing and how the world works, how people communicate with each other. Miyazaki’s film is a unique case. Of course it doesn’t make sense to try and open an indie film that no one has heard about without any marketing. But Hayao Miyazaki is a cinema legend! Yes, it’s true, he’s known around the world and beloved around the world. It’s also a complete misunderstanding to claim only Japanese people are familiar with his name and could be excited about a film just because he made one. Especially after Miyazaki announced he was “retiring” after The Wind Rises in 2013, followed by Studio Ghibli (historically one of the finest movie studios to ever exist) announcing they were also shutting down / no longer making anything new. The fact both came back and went into production in 2018 on a new Miyazaki film already put this on most people’s radar. Everyone knows it’s coming, they’re just waiting to see it. Which is why this innovative tactic worked.

The Boy and The Heron Trailer

Many movie fans are tired of trailers that show too much, and marketing overload that leads to exhaustion before a movie even arrives in theaters. This is all too common to encounter these days… Despite entirely bogus Hollywood marketing research claiming that “most” people are only interested in watching a movie (that isn’t some major franchise/IP they’re already familiar with) if they show them most of the movie in the trailer to hook them. I’ve never met or talked with a single person who agrees with that. Most cinephiles are tired of trailers like this. Even casual moviegoers will say, oh now they don’t need to waste their time/money watching a movie because most of it was shown in the trailer already. Why does Hollywood ignore all these voices and instead rely on some random market research they wasted money on? This is a common mistake within the Hollywood marketing system. Thankfully, Ghibli picked up on this vibe with audiences in 2023. Explaining why they made this no-marketing decision for the release, this is the quote that Suzuki provided:

“So, no trailers or TV commercials at all. No newspaper ads either. Deep down, I think this is what moviegoers latently desire. In my opinion, in this age of so much information, the lack of information is entertainment. I don’t know if this will work. But as for me, I believe in it, so this is what I’m trying to do.” –Toshio Suzuki

He’s right. Most importantly, it did work. Miyazaki’s highly anticipated new movie opened at #1 at the Japanese box office. I will let Wikipedia report the facts: “In Japan, The Boy and the Heron grossed $13.2 million (1.83 billion yen) in its opening weekend, becoming the biggest opening in Studio Ghibli’s history and surpassing Howl’s Moving Castle’s 1.48 billion yen debut in 2004. The film earned $1.7 million from 44 IMAX screens, setting a new 3-day record. It attracted 1.35 million viewers and exceeded 2.14 billion yen ($15.2 million) in box office revenue in its first four days.” It stayed in the #2 spot at the box office in Japan throughout all of August, only dropping to #4 after it had played for 7 weeks. That’s quite an achievement for a movie that had no marketing. Which is the point. It wasn’t their goal to maximize revenue, it was their goal to release a new Miyazaki movie and let fans experience it fresh, without anything guiding them before they go in to watch. This is an exciting experience. (It’s what I love about watching films at festivals, too.) Hollywood could & should learn from this, and I thought GKids would follow suit. Though apparently not… I guess fear took over and led them back to the safe comfort of their old tactics, which I think is depressing.

This is when someone usually exclaims, “well, Alex, that would never work outside of Japan! It only worked there because they know Miyazaki and Ghibli and love them already.” Yeah, not true. Not at all. Miyazaki is absolutely adored worldwide just as much as he is in Japan. No question about it. Ever since the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes took over Hollywood earlier in 2023, I’ve been lamenting how Hollywood has generally refused to try different marketing. They’re stuck on this archaic notion that actors doing interviews is the only real way to market a movie (or at least turn it into a box office hit). I was hoping some studios would try something new, try some clever ideas that might still get moviegoers’ attention. Every movie is different, and some require different campaigns, but Suzuki is right: “in this age of so much information, the lack of information is entertainment.” Even if it didn’t turn out to be a good movie in the end, the bold marketing tactic of releasing a surprise trailer for The Cloverfield Paradox during the Super Bowl (in 2018) at the same moment the movie is available on Netflix worked well (“According to Nielsen, nearly 785,000 viewers watched on the night of Super Bowl LII; by three days, over 2.8 million watched, 5 million after a week.”)

Why is Hollywood so afraid of doing anything different with marketing? Where have all the bold marketers gone? Why is doing something unique and innovative so scary nowadays? Especially if it has a proven track record of working. And why is GKids going against their own claim that they will follow what Studio Ghibli did and not release any info or marketing material? Maybe they were pushed by the festivals and by other distributors trying to release it worldwide. Maybe they got afraid that “no one would know about it” without marketing (which, for the record, is complete & utter nonsense, especially with these festival premieres). Whatever the case, I’m disappointed to see them give in and go back to the usual ways. Indiewire posted an article with the headline “The Boy and the Heron Is Studio Ghibli and GKIDS’ Biggest Marketing Challenge Yet” featuring quotes from GKids’ president of distribution, Dave Jesteadt, who claims “he’s not worried about the economics of the film and is confident audiences will show up.” The rest of his quotes sound like a stodgy old professor reading from his dusty textbook in Marketing 101 class at university, while students are trying to jump in with “but” & “well”, he just waves them off with his hand and points to the book. “This is the way, and we will never try anything different.” At least that’s what it sounds like from his quotes there…

I’m just tired of Hollywood never, ever having the courage to try something different, to do something new, to take a risk, and to let it pay off in the long run. There’s a simple strategy they could’ve followed – release nothing but one or two images during the festival run, create one new poster for the US release, let it open first in early December as they have it scheduled already. THEN release a trailer, THEN kick in marketing, THEN let the movie build to become a hit through December and January. This is even the perfect time to use that post-release buzz to get young generations who are not as familiar with Studio Ghibli to watch more of their films. They’ve already done this for years with Ghibli Fest re-runs. This is where real innovation in Hollywood marketing can come from – making bold choices. But I guess 2023 is not the year they want to try anything new. Suzuki’s quotes are still the best. He knows moviegoers want to watch good movies: “They’ll want to see for themselves what the film is about. And to do that, they’ll have to go to a theater.” Yep.

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Review: The New Animated ‘TMNT: Mutant Mayhem’ Movie is Fantastic | FirstShowing.net

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Review: The New Animated ‘TMNT: Mutant Mayhem’ Movie is Fantastic

by Alex Billington
August 4, 2023

Cowabunga!! What a year for groundbreaking animation. Not only is there already Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (read my full review) breaking box office records, pushing the boundaries of storytelling again with psychedelic and mind-blowing visuals – but we also have Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem, which is just as mesmerizing and entertaining to watch. Ever since Sony’s Into the Spider-Verse changed the animation industry forever in 2018, every animation studio has been rethinking how they make movies and what they look like. It’s time to rethink the style in order to craft edgier, more dynamic visuals. DreamWorks Animation has been trying something new with the look of their latest hits including The Bad Guys and Puss in Boots: The Last Wish. However, TMNT: Mutant Mayhem is the first big movie since Into / Across the Spider-Verse to live up to the potential of what’s possible with animation when you really think outside-the-box with regards to visual storytelling. To sum it up: this movie kicks butt! The Turtles are back.

One key reminder which I shouldn’t have to reiterate, but I will anyway: animation is not just for kids. It’s a storytelling technique, it’s a visual style, it’s an art form that any filmmaker can utilize. It’s not just a genre, and animated movies aren’t only for children. Any of any age can enjoy animated movies made for everyone.

Like many geeky kids in America, I grew up loving the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. I’m a huge fan of both original live action movies – Steve Barron’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1990) and Michael Pressman’s campier sequel Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze (1991). I had the toys (including the Pizza Van that shot out plastic pizzas), watched the cartoons, had the t-shirts, and my grandma once made hand-sewn homemade Halloween costumes for my brother & me to dress up as Turtles. As much as I loved them, I fell out of love with the Turtles over the years growing up. Then they tried to bring them back to the big screen – starting with the 3D CGI animated film TMNT in 2007, a hybrid-live action film in 2014 and the sequel Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows. None of these were that memorable. While everyone should already knows this, the TMNT were originally created for a comic book by the artists Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird. It’s quite nice to seem them finally embrace that origin story and give Mutant Mayhem a comic book look with sketch lines and pencil marks visible all over the animated footage.

This movie, directed by Jeff Rowe, and co-directed by Kyler Spears, is a Nickelodeon Animation Studios production at Paramount. Somehow the creative team convinced the studio to let them do something new and the result is awesome. This is one of the best Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movies ever made, living up to the excellence of the original 1990 live-action movie, introducing us to yet another beautifully distinct animation style. I also love what they did with the characters. Similar to how Marvel gave us an actual high school Peter Parker with Spider-Man: Homecoming, Mutant Mayhem give us actual teenage Turtles. The voice cast they chose for this is perfect: Micah Abbey as Donatello, Shamon Brown Jr. as Michelangelo, Nicolas Cantu as Leonardo, and Brady Noon as Raphael. These four really sound and act and vibe like teens, and it makes a huge difference in carrying this story. Mutant Mayhem builds upon the idea that these boys are different, thy don’t fit in, and they want to be a part of the world they’re not allowed to be a part of – the human world. So they hatch up a half-baked plan to become “heroes” so everyone likes & accepts them.

TMNT: Mutant Mayhem Review

It’s clear as day that Mutant Mayhem wouldn’t exist without Into the Spider-Verse, and the connection is obvious. Starting with the glitching logos at the beginning, continuing with the comic book-y art style, along with everything else about it. And that’s totally okay! Rowe and Spears, and all of the animators/artists that worked on this, are not at all ashamed about admitting and borrowing from Into / Across the Spider-Verse, allowing this inspiration to enhance what they’re trying to do – which is reinvent the Turtles and, hopefully, give us a rocking new TMNT movie that captures the spirit of the original comic book characters. They have certainly done just that. Chris Miller, one half of the Lord/Miller duo that produced & created the Spider-Verse movies, took to Twitter to add his $0.02 to the conversation and give this movie the stamp of approval continuing the trend they started. He reiterates it’s the studios that have been preventing animation styles from evolving. “The Spider-Verse films were an attempt to show the breadth of visual possibility in a major studio release,” Miller says. “This year has been a bonanza of animated films with distinct, interesting looks. #TMNTMovie pushes theirs farther than most. It’s a bold bet that should be rewarded.” I agree completely.

While I enjoy Mutant Mayhem immensely, it’s not without a few problems, knocking just a half point off of my rating. It’s greatest issues lie in the absurdity of its fun-yet-bonkers screenplay (written by Seth Rogen & Evan Goldberg & Jeff Rowe and Dan Hernandez & Benji Samit). Most of the story is clever until they veer off course and drift into wonky “why not?” territory with the Superfly villain turning into a mega-monster kaiju. The storyline with April O’Neil also needs some work. She’s an important part of the movie, and has always been an important part of Turtles lore, however her plot in this one felt a bit unauthentic. It feels like the filmmakers were forced to work in her whole “young journalist” plot, rehashing the unexciting concept of her using the story of the Turtles to get her big break. But she’s as young as the teenage Turtles, too. It’s not her time yet, and it doesn’t seem to work well, with all of her social media-ing and puking feeling like they just had to add it in so younger viewers might have something to connect with. All that said, these are minor complaints in the grand schemes of things. And I chuckled at the Superfly finale, wondering if this is a fun nod to the gigantic Stay Puft Marshmallow Man finale in the original Ghostbusters – also a NYC movie.

As a life-long TMNT fan, Mutant Mayhem is the triumphant Turtles return I have been waiting to see for a long time. They got me all warm and fuzzy with nostalgia again. It may have taken an extra 30 years since Secret of the Ooze for them to find the right formula to make the Turtles kick butt on screen again, but I’m glad they found it eventually. I was happy laughing throughout the entire movie at so many of the jokes and the camaraderie between the four Turtles. It’s so clear the filmmakers love them as much as everyone else who grew up with them. Their boundless creativity and ingenuity is worked into every frame, much like the two Spider-Verse movies, and there’s so many Easter Eggs and details to pick up on with repeat viewings. The Hip Hop soundtrack is totally rad, complimented by the groovy Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross score (they got these two guys to score it?! So cool!!). It’s so much fun that anyone will enjoy it – adults and kids and teens and maybe even grandparents. And yes there’s plenty of pizza, always pizza. When the Pizza Van shows up, I knew this was in the right hands. More outstandingly distinct animated movies like this, please.

Alex’s Rating: 9.5 out of 10
Follow Alex on Twitter – @firstshowing / Or Letterboxd – @firstshowing

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Review: Sony’s ‘Across the Spider-Verse’ Reinvents Visual Storytelling | FirstShowing.net

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Review: Sony’s ‘Across the Spider-Verse’ Reinvents Visual Storytelling

by Alex Billington
June 7, 2023

“Everyone keeps telling me how my story is supposed to go. Nah. I’m-a do my own thing.” Yes, Miles, you tell them. This line is the key to Miles entire story – be you, stay true to you, don’t let anyone tell you how to be, break the rules, define your own life your way. So let’s get into this… In all honesty, what more can I say about Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse that hasn’t already been said in 1000s of other glowing reviews of this animated masterpiece? (Read this one by our writer.) I only wish to chime in and state, for the record, that yes indeed I also think it’s a brilliant, spectacular, mind-blowing film. Is it better than the first Into the Spider-Verse – which I also consider a masterpiece? I’m not sure I can say that yet, it’s hard to compare them at this moment, much like it’s hard to compare the original Star Wars trilogy. I love all three of those movies, and some days I’m in A New Hope mood, other days I’m in an Empire mood, sometimes I’m in an Ewok mood, etc. For now, I’ll say they’re on par with each other and I don’t even mind calling both of them masterpieces. And the trilogy ain’t even finished yet – there’s still Beyond the Spider-Verse up next.

Spoilers from here on out! It’s also hard to write about something a story that is only half finished. I tried to start putting together my thoughts on Across the Spider-Verse, then waited to see it a second time on opening weekend before really thinking about what I want to say. Much like Dune, I can rave about how incredible the movie is, but I’m still anxiously awaiting the grand finale. And how it all comes together will likely affect my feelings about the first movie, because it is one giant, over-arching story spread across two epic movies. The same goes for Across the Spider-Verse, which ends on a cliffhanger and lots of unanswered questions. Yes, the characters in this movie do get an arc anyway, progressing through a good chunk of story, but they’re also pushed right to the brink of making a massive decision. Gwen has to decide who she is loyal to, Miles abandons Miguel and his mission and heads home, Miguel decides to go after him anyway, Peter B. Parker looks like he is also about to jump ship and join Miles. All the while, the story with Miles’ new nemesis The Spot is also unresolved, including the huge space / time rift still devouring Mumbattan. This is common with superhero movies (Avengers: Infinity War / Endgame) but we’re still in the middle.

One thing I can rave about now is how Across the Spider-Verse, thanks to the remarkably talented teams of animators / artists at Sony Pictures Imageworks and Sony Pictures Animation that made these movies, completely reinvents visual storytelling. It’s the epitome of cinema as a visual medium, an eye-popping blend of comic book fundamentals, animation (all styles / techniques / formats), and modern storytelling concepts. As always with cinema, story is key – and the filmmakers know this and care deeply. They’ve also outdone themselves in creating one of the most mesmerizing and psychedelic works of art in cinema. Sure, it can be overwhelming to behold at times, and there are scenes where so much is changing and so many colors are flashing by that it will make some people go catatonic. It really is a hallucinogenic experience, but these artists at Sony know exactly what they are doing. Every single frame is perfect because the look and style connects directly to the characters, the themes, and where the story is at in that moment. There are beautiful, conventional shots like the wind lightly flapping the sheets above Alchemax. And on the flip side, there’s the psychedelic colors splashing across Miles’ worried face just as he’s about to be sent to Earth-42.

What I’m waiting for them to do next is to integrate a live-action character into the animated world, as part of the multiverse concept. It’s the inevitable next step to pushing the multiverse concept and animation even further. My guess is this is what Donald Glover’s Prowler is setup for – he might even get involved in some fight in Beyond the Spider-Verse. Or not, who knows. Only time will tell. Interestingly, James Cameron’s Avatar 2: The Way of Water already pulled this off perfectly integrating Jack Champion’s human Spider character into the fully CGI scenes with all the Na’vi on Pandora. Perhaps they’ll bring back one of the other Spider-Men, as they did in No Way Home, to get involved in helping Miles. Both Into the Spider-Verse and Across the Spider-Verse are both groundbreaking animated movies. The first one already evolved animation forever (see this video) and this one should also inspire animators around the world to rethink how they tell their stories and what’s possible with animation. There’s artistry in every aspect, from the color choices to the backgrounds to the character designs to the framing and composition, and everything else on screen. I keep wanting to go back & watch it again just to get lost in and immersed by all this mind-blowing footage.

Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse Review

By the time the opening logos come up in Across the Spider-Verse, the movie expects that everyone knows everything about Spider-Man already. His/her origin story, how the character works, the important parts of his/her life (family member dies, love interest, etc), the goofiness, the web shooters, the way “Spider-Sense” works. This movie doesn’t need to introduce or explain any of that, it’s entirely about “this is who and what Spider-Man is, folks.” The plot is actually what breaks away from this familiar concept, with Miles making rebellious choices to go against what is expected and what he “should” be doing as Spider-Man. This is what causes all the multiverse chaos and rifts and problems that catch up with all of them. This is his lesson to learn, of course, but I also think it’s extremely bold of this movie to say – hey you know what, yes it causes problems, but it’s not the end of the world (hopefully) that you break the rules every once in a while. I love that they continue to break from what is expected in animation (and visual storytelling) by using the story to show what is possible. It’s brilliant because both movies are a metaphors for the animation / entertainment industry, beyond only superheroes, saying that we should be unique, we should strive to be one-of-a-kind.

The thesis for this sequel seems to be – what if we break the rules, what will really happen? What if we break from Canon, can someone pull it off? It deals with the superhero identity theme it a clever way, using the multiverse concept to explore the accepted idea that all Spider-Men/Women are pretty much the same, and must follow the same paths to be who they are – heroes in their own universe. Ultimately, it’s commenting on how it’s possible to break from the superhero mold, from the animation mold, and from the Hollywood structures in place to make something radical and distinct again. It’s also another big learning experience film, once again similar to Avatar 2, perfectly allowing characters to grow and figure out what the right way forward is. And oh yes I need to mention Hobie! Spider-Punk is such an important character, and he kicks ass, becoming the real teacher for Miles in this one. Crash the system, rock out and take on everyone. Be punk. Don’t fall in line because the authority tells you to, you’ve gotta stay true to who you are and always go forward with the right open-mind. Yes, he says some funny stuff and contradicts himself (even Miles quips about this) but at the same time it seems his punk attitude has a major impact on Miles’ decision-making.

I also can’t talk about Across the Spider-Verse without mentioning that in addition to being another perfect Miles Morales movie, it’s a perfect Spider-Gwen movie, too. The voice performances by both Shameik Moore (as Miles) and Hailee Steinfeld (as Gwen) are stupendous. But it’s more about her story and how her character deals with her dilemma. It’s incredibly realistic and authentic, with Gwen’s responses to all these situations being accurate to the experiences of many people in the real world… It’s also a powerfully emotional look at the turmoil that can develop between family members. It’s riveting and refreshing to see the movie open with her storyline, spending the first ~30 minutes on Gwen. I can still feel the heaviness of her sadness trying to be open and admit the truth about her identity to her father, while he can’t accept it (at first) and she screams at him “are you really that afraid of me?!” This is a line that most other movies would be afraid to put in, but it is vitally important in Across the Spider-Verse. It’s a potent expression of anger and frustration, cutting right to the core of the fact that it’s this fear of someone else not being who you want them to be that often causes a rift between people. This is what happens between Miles and Miguel later on.

Where will it go next? How will they wrap up all these storylines they’ve only started to explore? What will they do with all these different Spidey characters? The first movie is all about: anyone can wear the mask, anyone can be a hero. This second movie is all about: who are you really, if you are just the same as every other hero? What defines you, what makes your story different? And most importantly – can you try to do what you believe is right even if everyone else says it won’t work? Strangely enough, Across the Spider-Verse doesn’t answer this question before the cliffhanger ending. How will they stop The Spot? Will they get the multiverse rifts under control, and how? Will Miguel eventually let Miles get away with breaking the Canon of Spider-Man and will it actually destroy the whole multiverse like he claims? I had chills watching this like I remember with the two Matrix sequels (yes, regardless of opinions on each of these not being as good as they could’ve been) – that excitement of waiting for what comes next after the curious ending of Reloaded is exactly how I feel now. I cannot wait for Beyond to land in theaters. I cannot wait to see how the the team of filmmakers / animators / artists pushes themselves again for the finale. I hope they break even more rules.

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Review: ‘Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse’ is an Animated Work of Art | FirstShowing.net

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Review: ‘Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse’ is an Animated Work of Art

by Manuel São Bento
June 5, 2023

Regardless of the reasons, whenever I miss a new release, I still try to look at the situation from a positive perspective anyway. In 2018, I couldn’t catch Sony Animation’s Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse on its opening weekend. With the incessant amount of new movies that year, as well as the “hurry” to comment that the world of film criticism insists on, I ended up postponing it until it would be time for the inevitable sequel. Well, the day has finally arrived – now playing in theaters is Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, the first of two parts that will complete the epic journey of Brookyln’s Spider-Man, Miles Morales. Both movies got a tremendously positive reception, with many ranking them as the best film adaptations of the Webslinger’s story. Usually, out-of-the-theater reactions are to be taken with a grain of salt – we’ve all had that heightened enthusiasm only to later, after taking time to process it, offer a more accurate opinion of what we really think & feel – but the truth is that the Spider-Verse saga deserves this hyperbolic praise.

I will never refute anyone who names any of these animated flicks as their favorite Spider-Man movie, just as I will never stop defending Raimi’s first two films or Watts’ No Way Home – that’s what happens when there are so many great adaptations to choose from. I have practically the same compliments and very few criticisms for both new movies. That said, it’s impossible not to address the incomparably intricate, utterly dazzling, genuinely impressive quality of the animation itself. Hundreds of visual artists and animators worked together to create authentic works of art. It’s hard to escape hyperbole, but every *second* of Into the Spider-Verse and Across the Spider-Verse can be individually framed and placed in an unique museum of jaw-dropping digital paintings. I’m talking about tens of thousands of gorgeous illustrations, with lots of different, thematically rich styles. The amount of visual information in each frame is such that multiple viewings are needed to notice all the elaborate details in the four corners of the screen.

Honestly, it’s quite overwhelming, which for some viewers could be the equivalent of too much chaos. If Into the Spider-Verse already asks for very sharp eyes, Across the Spider-Verse pretty much requires that you bring company with you to divide the work needed for visual and narrative understanding. In the latter flick, the complexity of these two storytelling components increases immensely, with even more characters, more secondary storylines essential to the main plot, more universes, more animation styles, and so on…

Somewhat miraculously, writers Phil Lord & Chris Miller (also from The LEGO Movie, “The Afterparty”, “Clone High”), and David Callaham manage to structure the screenplay in an incredibly efficient manner, saving moments of true surprise in character developments and shocking revelations, despite the mix between the energetic pace and the epic duration of the sequel not being as balanced as in the original – the second act takes its time. Visually, there are also a couple of moments that are difficult to follow, but these are mere nitpicks that, in the end, don’t impact my overall enjoyment of the film.

Another equally miraculous execution in this sequel is the screenwriters’ genius ability to take plot points from the original and brilliantly expand on them without generating narrative inconsistencies or raising problematic issues regarding certain characters. Across the Spider-Verse dives deep into the multiverse, featuring literally hundreds of Spider-Man cameos, something that will leave the most knowledgeable comic book fans in complete awe. In terms of entertainment and fan-service, this sequel strikes the perfect balance between maintaining an interesting thematic focus on Miles & Gwen simultaneously with adrenaline-charged action sequences and amusing references to the source material.

Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse Review

The number of narrative layers and deep character arcs is what separates the two movies within the saga, with Across the Spider-Verse being much more complex than the first film. Still, the themes remain the same, as Miles’ (voiced by Shameik Moore) journey of self-discovery as a young Spider-Man continues to take the reins of the overarching story. Topics like parenting and destiny fulfillment are addressed, but it’s the study of what it means to be a hero or villain that really grabbed my attention in this sequel filled with emotionally powerful storylines.

Directors Joaquim Dos Santos (Into the Spider-Verse), Kemp Powers (Pixar’s Soul), and Justin K. Thompson (his directorial debut) play with the ease with which viewers attach labels to the characters as soon as they appear on screen, mixing characteristics normally associated with a specific archetype with the opposite. From a certain point onwards, it becomes a great challenge to differentiate each role. Across the Spider-Verse contains a range of understandable, relatable motivations for a vast group of important characters, creating a strong connection with the audience that feels captivated by every scene throughout the whole film since they actually care about everyone in this story.

Personally, Gwen Stacy’s (voiced by Hailee Steinfeld) arc fascinated me the most, being the character with the most significant link to all of the movie’s themes. Truth be told, the fact that they’re all Spider-Man / Spider-Woman makes the core, character-defining events common among them – something that is actually a crucial plot point – but both Gwen’s universe and her emotional conflicts stand out. Miles remains an equally intriguing protagonist, with a rather predictable coming-of-age story that confronts the ideologies behind the concept of a superhero.

There are many new & old characters, but it would be difficult to talk about them without resorting to minor spoilers. However, I can mention that Oscar Isaac (Miguel O’Hara), Jake Johnson (Peter B. Parker), Issa Rae (Jessica Drew), and Daniel Kaluuya (Hobie) stand out, though the film’s entire cast delivers extraordinary voice-over performances – some through more comedic moments, and others through eye-popping action set pieces. I challenge viewers to find an animation flick with more vivid colors than this one – but all with very serious, dramatic dialogue, too. It’s the first of two parts – prior public knowledge, but the sequel makes that clear – so we’ll have to wait for Beyond the Spider-Verse to draw any final conclusions.

As mentioned at the start, I don’t have any major issues with Across the Spider-Verse. In addition to those mentioned throughout so far, the only thing left is one of those aspects that are technically wonderful and award-worthy, but also raise a different problem… In this case, the issue is seen the most in Gwen’s universe, although it happens occasionally throughout the film. The animation style of Spider-Woman’s world is visually arresting, but it literally changes everything on the screen with every new frame. From backgrounds to colors, both around and on the characters, the constant change becomes a highly distracting element that diverts attention from what is really important.

Final praise for Daniel Pemberton’s fantastic score. If there’s one aspect that absolutely no one can criticize, it’s the composer’s phenomenal symphony. From the song choices to the background music itself, there aren’t any sequences across the 140 minute runtime that aren’t somehow elevated by the memorably epic soundtrack. The in-crescendo moments transform build-ups into crazy rollercoasters of emotion, especially given the nature of the third act and the end of the movie.

Final Thoughts

Sony Animation’s Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse is the epitome of incredibly detailed, gorgeously unique, undeniably epic animation within its medium. Separately from enjoying this movie or not, any or all cinephiles should bow to the ridiculously talented artists and animators behind this pure work of art. That said, the attributes and issues are more or less the same as the original. The various animation styles are overwhelmingly stunning, but also to the point of creating confusing moments. Gwen Stacy stands out from the rest of the pack – both the character and Hailee Steinfeld’s voice performance – but everyone on screen is impressively captivating. The voice cast is superb all-around. An unfinished story – remember, this is the first of two parts – about what it really means to be a hero. The 140-minute runtime isn’t exactly heavy, but the necessity to resort to exposition scenes is more frequent than in the previous flick, even though the narrative complexity ends up justifying this. A must-see movie in the cinema! Go support animation.

Manuel’s Rating: A-
Follow Manuel on Twitter – @msbreviews / Or Letterboxd – @msbreviews

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Review: Illumination’s ‘Super Mario Bros. Movie’ Left-A-Me So Happy | FirstShowing.net

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Review: Illumination’s ‘Super Mario Bros. Movie’ Left-A-Me So Happy

by Manuel São Bento
April 14, 2023

Illumination Entertainment isn’t exactly an animation studio I appreciate that much. From their animation style to their various movies made before this year, I was never really convinced by the company, especially when it comes to being able to make some of the best animated flicks of the year. That said, my expectations for The Super Mario Bros. Movie remained incredibly high during all of these months of anticipation leading up to its release. Neither the divisive critics’ reception nor the permanent doubt surrounding the voice cast reduced the enormous excitement I had for this film. And I was right to stay true to my feelings.

For those who have been following my writing for some time already, you know that I always begin by trying to place any readers in my own shoes. Regardless of the type of film, I argue that any critic should make this effort, otherwise, they risk losing the reader’s understanding. It’s impossible to write something about The Super Mario Bros. Movie without first explaining my connection to the source material. In the case of this adaptation, it’s not just a Mario game, but countless Nintendo games, characters, and worlds.

I’ve noticed a more repetitive use of the expression “remove the nostalgia glasses”, especially to bring down movies and, in many cases, invalidate and diminish more positive opinions. The truth is that nostalgia is a term associated with the past, but in my particular situation, Mario and Nintendo are still in my present. Every year, without exception, my brothers and I pull the Nintendo 64 out of our parents’ basement, blow the dust off, and spend hilariously unforgettable hours playing Super Smash Bros., Mario Kart, and more.

In addition to this experience, new games featuring Mario and his friends continue to be developed and released for modern video game consoles. Therefore, criticizing The Super Mario Bros. Movie for being a film that heavily relies on the nostalgia factor is such a predictable, cheap negative argument that, for many viewers, just won’t make any sense. Another issue commonly associated with this type of adaptation is related to misleading expectations. In my 29 years of life, I’ve never played a Mario game for its story. Not me, not anyone, because it was never a series with that purpose.

The Super Mario Bros. Movie contains a generic, formulaic story that brings absolutely nothing new to the world of animation. The messages for kids are simple and fairly straightforward, none of which will change anyone’s life. The narrative structure follows the most obvious path without major surprises, focusing on the typical adventure of an unexpected hero against a cliched villain with world-domination motivations. All of these are more than valid reasons for someone to not enjoy the movie. My question is: what did you expect?!

Directors Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic and screenwriter Matthew Fogel didn’t deceive anyone, delivering precisely what was asked of them: an entertaining flick with characters and worlds that marked and continue to mark multiple generations. Bashing a movie as vehemently as I’ve seen critics doing when it accomplishes all that it promises is, to say the least, strange. Obviously, no one expected a masterpiece, and The Super Mario Bros. Movie is far from being one, but that was never its purpose. The main mission was to please the target audience, which, as the box office numbers prove, was more than successful.

Claiming The Super Mario Bros. Movie is generic is something that could be written even before watching the film, like many other superficial, “easy” criticisms thrown at an adaptation that at no time planned to be more than pure entertainment for children of all ages and families of all sizes, as well as for all those who consider Mario and Nintendo important parts of their lives. Personally, “removing the nostalgia glasses” means erasing a large part of my life, past and present, as well as my personality. It’s simply not possible.

The Super Mario Bros. Movie

Illumination’s animation style turns out to be one of the highlights. Initial concerns are quickly forgotten due to the visual quality that surrounds the entire movie. The world-building is phenomenal, with reference after reference to so many Nintendo games worked into every frame, but anyone who thinks these are forcibly “thrown” in the viewer’s faces is entirely wrong. It’s all part of the narrative, and the way they insert the various elements from the games is to be commended. The Super Mario Bros. Movie is undoubtedly a love letter to all of Nintendo’s immersive, playful worlds.

From action set pieces to leave viewers grinning from ear to ear – the Donkey Kong fight scene, Mario Kart racing sequence, blocks/obstacles training montage – to the iconic music that Brian Tyler mixes brilliantly into his wonderful score, The Super Mario Bros. Movie left me astonished and sent chills all over my body during several moments, especially in the more energetic second half. This kind of humor is precisely what makes me laugh the most, with Mario’s classic expressions being used in quite a hilarious manner.

The cast was another aspect that resulted in division at the time of its announcement, which is yet another thing I’ll never understand. Complaining about an actor’s casting before even knowing how they will play the character? It doesn’t make any sense, and the truth is that the cast is even better than I expected. Personal favorites are Charlie Day (as Luigi) and Jack Black (as Bowser), but everyone delivers excellent performances. Anya Taylor-Joy has a lot of screen time as Peach and proves to be up to the challenge, and I don’t understand why there was so much buzz around Chris Pratt. The actor is perfectly decent as Mario.

Ignoring people who don’t want the actor’s success for external reasons, I understand those who might be disappointed that Mario doesn’t have that original, recognizable voice from all four corners of the planet. However, one must be aware that Mario was never a dialogue-heavy character. In the games, Mario rarely speaks, expressing himself only through his overly-stereotypical Italian reactions. I imagine that having to listen to this voice for an entire movie wouldn’t be that pleasant, as it could easily become insufferable.

Therefore, I believe The Super Mario Bros. Movie made the right decision in the end to choose actors with “normal voices” to play all of the characters. Mario’s classic expressions are taken directly from the games, so these moments won’t be ruined in any way. As mentioned before, the story isn’t a problem for me at all. In fact, I believe it has a lot more heart than many people have been conveying. What did affect me were some pop music choices that left me baffled – I don’t think they belong in the Nintendo universe – and the first half has some pacing issues, wasting too much time to get to where it needs to go.

By this time, The Super Mario Bros. Movie has already broken dozens of box office records and will become one of the most successful animation flicks ever made. Personally, I couldn’t be happier, as the chances of watching other Nintendo stories in the big screen have increased exponentially – I’ll be the first in line to see an adaptation of The Legend of Zelda! May they continue to conquer audiences all over the world!

Final Thoughts

The Super Mario Bros. Movie delivers everything I wanted. Packed with fantastic references that will warm the hearts of those who lived and still live with Nintendo and Mario up close. Along with energetic action, dazzling animation and world-building, and iconic music – Brian Tyler’s score goes straight into my Spotify playlist. Mario and Co. marked my childhood, and, still today, continue to offer me wonderful memories for life. As a viewer clearly belonging to the target audience, I couldn’t have left the cinema more joyful. Ya-hoo!

Manuel’s Rating: A-
Follow Manuel on Twitter – @msbreviews / Or Letterboxd – @msbreviews

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