Wildwood - There is Still Magic in this World

    LAIKA may be the only western animation studio that takes the medium seriously anymore! 

    While Disney/PIXAR continues to pretend that it's still an innovative powerhouse, they will never create anything on par with their renaissance years, and we are only fooling ourselves in believing they ever could! DreamWorks is technically better, and has had a more impressive track record as of late (their ridiculous live-action remake of How to Train your Dragon notwithstanding), but more often than not, they still fall into the "made for TikTok" vibe, where they assume their audiences only have five-second attention spans (mostly because they likely do). 

    But the folks at LAIKA, despite one or two missteps, not only continue to innovate and reinvigorate stop-motion, they do so with a storytelling prowess that does not compromise, nor dilutes its mature-oriented themes, narratives, and characters. LAIKA doesn't just create handcrafted works of art; they make us feel alive! 

    Wildwood, LAIKA's latest offering, is not only a fantastic display of epic stop-motion animation and craft, it is a fantastical story of loss, love, and the courage to do what is right, no matter how scary or dangerous it may be. This is a magical story on par with the likes of The Chronicles of Narnia (minus the Christian allegories), and I could not help myself but love every moment of this film! 

    Based on the novel written by Colin Meloy and illustrated by Carson Ellis, the story follows a young girl named Prue (Peyton Elizabeth Lee), who lives in Portland Oregon with her loving parents and baby brother, whom she adores more than anyone else in the whole world. One day, she decides to take her brother out on a bike ride through town (against her parent's wishes), and enjoy a grand day out. However, the day is suddenly ruined when a murder of Crows snatch up Prue's baby brother, and carry him away into the mysterious woods outside of town. Determined to rescue her little sibling, Prue ventures into the unknown territory, where she encounters many strange things, including talking animals, and finds herself in the middle of an age-old conflict, centering around a woman named Governess Alexandria (Carey Mulligan), a grieving mother and leader of a dark army, seeking a means of reuniting with her lost son, and Prue's little brother may be the key! What follows is an epic adventure of grief, magic, the need to fight for what's right, and the ultimate power of love in all its forms. 

    Unlike most animated fair from any of the other aforementioned studios, LAIKA isn't afraid of being authentic and down-to-earth with its creations; Wildwood is the new example of that proclamation! It has many of the classic fantasy elements you might expect from a story like this, but it does not shy away from story turns involving "darker" directions such as denial, devastation, and death. This is the kind of film that people of my generation grew up watching that most studios are too cowardly to make anymore, and LAIKA delivers in spades! 

    Needless to say, the animation is ASTONISHING! When you examine every frame, every little detail, every nuanced mannerism from the characters, and then remember that it was all made by hand over the course of fifteen years, suddenly every little detail becomes significantly more admirable. 

    Of course, all of this super-impressive animation doesn't mean as much as it should, without a proper narrative to carry it all, which, like the visuals, delivers in spades! The characters are believable, the protagonist is instantly likable (not only through her love for her baby brother, but also in her proactivity and agency), and the overall conflict rings a few more bells than expected, reminding us all of why we continue to fight for what's right, even when the odds are so stacked against us. It is a beautiful example of my favorite quote from Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr: 

    "If a man hasn't found something he's willing to die for, he isn't fit to live!"

    While Wildwood may not be my favorite LAIKA film (that distinction remains with Paranorman, and NOT for the obvious reasons 😂), I am comfortable calling it their magnum opus! This is the film that gives me a glimmer of hope for Cinema outside of Hollywood, and I implore you all to see and support this amazing film. It is a love letter to storytellers, creators, outside-the-box thinkers, and those deemed "weird" with pride. Wherever you are, you owe it to yourself to go see this film the moment you finish reading this review! 

    Why aren't you watching it right this minute? 

ladies & gentlemen, I am TheNorm; thank you all for reading. 

NOW GO SEE IT, PLEASE!!!

Clayface - Molded into Near Perfection

    I once said about the Star Wars franchise that it would benefit more from branching out with different genres and styles; it never occurred to me until now that the same could be said for any other brand or franchise, especially DC Studios. While last years Superman was a golden winner, their follow up with Supergirl wasn't as much of a home run as it should have been, what with it trying too hard to recreate the essence of James Gunn's Guardians of the Galaxy series, and featuring a protagonist who wasn't as relatable or likable as she really should have been. 

    But, that could all change for the better with the release of their latest offering, Clayface: a feature film about a relatively obscure member of Batman's rouges gallery that goes all in on its potential, and it is well worth every gooey moment. 

    For those who may not know or would appreciate a quick refresher, Clayface is one of Batman's classic villains who, like so many, has gone through a few different incarnations and interpretations, though the new film seems to be taking most of its notes from the version featured in Batman: The Animated Series, which is arguably the most popular iteration, and has the most potential for a good horror thriller. 

    The story follows a successful movie star named Matt Hagen (Tom Rhys Harries), who is on the rise to stardom in Hollywood and is on the road to making his dreams come true. Unfortunately, all those dreams come crashing down when, after a one-night-stand with a mob boss's girlfriend, he gets his face horribly cut up and destroyed, rendering him unable to work and perform ever again. After spending his fortune trying and failing to rebuild his face, loosing his friends, and watching his career swirling down the toilet, he finds an untested opportunity to gain it all back, with the help of an experimental treatment that could rejuvenate his face and his life. However, this chance at a new beginning may come at a price he is unprepared for, as the procedure appears to be doing more than just fixing his mug; granting him unusual and potentially dangerous abilities. 

    Will Matt Hagen use this unusual gift to further better himself, or will the temptation for revenge overwhelm him too much? 

    This is the classic case of the tragic villain: a character you understand and sympathize with (at least to a degree), and want to see do better, only to watch in horror as his greater demons take hold. It's actually a near perfect expansion of the themes and concepts presented in Batman: The Animated Series, where they hinted at the greater implications of the character, but couldn't go too deep into it, due to the fact that the show was still intended for younger audiences (mostly). Although the creators of the series managed to push the concepts as far as they reasonably could, they still could have taken it much further if the times had permitted. 

    The film does what the original animated show could not: take a concept that is ripe for mature horror and go all in with everything the character is capable of and willing to do. It may not be pretty, but it's a bit more relatable than you might think. 

    The script, penned by Hossein Amini and Mike Flanagan (one of my heroes), succeeds in creating a story of loss, revenge, and ones true self within an unusual framework wrapped around comic-book science, while maintaining a strong sense of humanity and verisimilitude, or at least as much as they can with a script about a shape-shifting man. Coupled with James Watkins' tactful and considerate direction, the film succeeds in delivering a horror story on par with the likes of, dare I say, The Invisible Man. 

    Clayface is a greater surprise than it has any right to be. Its take on a relatively obscure comic book villain and elevates what making a "comic book" movie can mean. While it may not be the first of its kind, it's nice to know that there are still creatives working in the mainstream world who now what they're doing, and care enough to make it the best it can be. It's not a masterpiece, but it's damn near close. 

    Give it a shot, if you're not too squeamish at a little body horror. 

Ladies & gentlemen, I am TheNorm; thank you all for reading. 

I don't know what's going to happen

My Beautiful Readers,

    First, please forgive my absence in recent weeks. Although I have seen and enjoyed some fine films (along with a few terrible stinkers), I have found myself less motivated to sit down and write a review for them. Partially due to my mind being occupied with a number of other things, and partially due to...well, I don't know how else to describe it other than "a lack of excitement."

    Something has shifted (either within me or outside myself; I can't tell) that has altered my feelings toward writing these reviews and commentaries, and while I do still enjoy writing them (I think), my mind and heart have been pulling my focus on other things. 

    Therefore, while I am not giving up on this blog entirely, I am saying that my absence will likely continue for a while longer. I cannot say when I may return, but I hope to do so soon. 

    In the meantime, I offer you all my best wishes, and I look forward to when I may return to helping you determine what stories are truly worthy of your time or not. Until then, please stay safe, and keep on creating; our very lives may depend upon it. 

Ladies & gentlemen, I am TheNorm; thank you all for reading. 

Tuner - Perfect Pitch

    One of the funnier things about movies is that, sometimes, on rare occasions, they can be just perfect. Not necessarily flawless or without a nitpick or two, but so well executed that they can be easily forgiven. Lovable masterpieces such as Mad Max: Fury Road or Ronin comes to my mind when I think of perfect films. 

    Tuner, an intimate take on the classic heist genre, is such a film. The characters are balanced, the narrative is structurally sound, and the themes of living with disability and seeking proper outlets for one's extraordinary talents are relatable and relevant. What few things about the film I might have an issue with didn't negatively impact my overall experience. The film was fine tuned just right. 

    The story follows a young man named Niki (Leo Woodall), an apprentice to a professional Piano tuner with an unusual hearing disability, which makes him extremely sensitive to loud noises. Essentially he has constant super hearing; even tiny sounds are cranked up to eleven. Niki's love of music and pitch-perfect musical ear makes him a master of Piano tuning, it also makes him unexpectedly talented at cracking open safes, which attracts the attention of a private security contractor with a criminal side hustle. Desperate to make some real money after his father winds up in the hospital, Niki takes on the role of safe-cracker, and enjoys a decent cut of the booty. How long can Niki keep up this side gig before someone gets hurt? 

    The film is well polished in all the right places, which doesn't leave me much to say about it other than I really liked it, and I highly recommend it. If the premise sounds intriguing to you, I promise it is well worth your time. I do apologize for this review being so short, but when a film is this well executed, all I can really say is why aren't you watching it already? 

    Worth the price of entry. 

Ladies & gentlemen, I am TheNorm; thank you all for reading. 

TheNorm's Top 5 Spider-Man "Things"

Spider-Man Stature in my room 🥰

    As I mentioned many times before, Spider-Man is my favorite superhero. As a character, he is one of the most relatable, identifiable, and lovable of a sea of so many others with similar qualities; he's the kind of hero we can all aspire to be in our own ways. Plus, he's always quick with a clever quip, which is always fun. 

    Over the years, I've enjoyed countless Spider-Man things in my life. Some great, some less so, and some were merely footnotes in my fandom, but were still important staples nonetheless. After watching and reviewing Spider-Man: Brand New Day, I decided to look over those same things, and offer up an official ranking. You may not have heard of some of the things I'm going to mention here, so I hope you find them interesting and charming in your own way. 

    This is TheNorm's Top 5 Spider-Man "Things"

#5

Spider-Man Battles Ignorance 

    In my early school days, my parents signed me up for the Sylvan Learning Systems: an after school tutoring program meant to help students with various learning differences. One of their processes was gamifying learning by providing tokens for excellent grades, which could then be exchanged for prizes. Amongst their catalog was this special issue Spider-Man comic, where Spidy, after taking a hit from the villain and gets a bad case of amnesia (how original), gets help from the kids at the Sylvan Learning Center to restore his memory and take on the bad guy again. 

    This was little more than a piece of promotional material for both Sylvan and Marvel Comics, but for an elementary school kid trying to grasp their unusual learning differences, it was pretty awesome at the time to see one of my heroes getting help from my peers (as it were). It was one of those lessons you don't realize until much later in life that it's okay to ask for help, and even the smartest and strongest of us can't handle everything on their own. It may be cheesy and a little silly, but then again, so is the idea of a guy getting bitten by a radio-active spider and becoming a superhero; it's okay to be a little silly. 

#4

The First Trailer for the First Sam Rami Spider-Man Movie

    Picture this: you're in high school, you're at the movies with your family, and you're watching the trailers for all the upcoming attractions. 

    One of them begins with an elaborate bank heist with a group of armed crooks stealing tons of cash and escaping to the roof for their getaway helicopter. They fly through the city congratulating themselves on a heist well done, when, suddenly, the helicopter stops dead in its track mid air, gets yanked backwards, and finds itself trapped in between two buildings...in a Spider web! 

    My high school self was beyond excited the moment I saw that giant web holding a group of criminals in place waiting for the authorities. I knew exactly what it meant, and I couldn't wait for what was to be, in my mind, the very first time I got to see one of my heroes on the big screen. 

    As you may have surmised, this particular trailer is less famous for being the introduction of Spider-Man's big screen debut, and more infamous for the buildings used to depict Spidy's presence. In the trailer, the bank robbers helicopter is depicted being webbed up in between the World Trade Center, and the trailer was released less than a few weeks (to my recollection) before the tragic events of 9/11. 

    I do apologize for this entry being a downer, and I assure you that is not my intention, but despite the unfortunate historical tragedies, this trailer is still a piece of fondly remembered media pertaining to Spider-Man. Sure, there would be many other promotional materials later on that were as important, but few if any of them were ever as memorable or impactful as that first trailer.

    If you would like to see it for yourself, you can find it right here. 

#3

The Live-Action Spider-Man Television Series from the 1970s

    While Spider-Man has enjoyed many media outings since his conception, the short lived TV series (running from 1977 to 1979) is one of my personal favorites. Although I didn't grow up watching it when it originally aired on TV, I enjoyed renting episodes of this show from my local video rental shop, Video Man. 

    Marvel Comics actually enjoyed a pretty successful time on television with their superhero properties in the 70s: in addition to our favorite web swinger, there was also the iconic Incredible Hulk series, the made-for-TV Captain America movie with Reb Brown, and a pilot for a Doctor Strange series that aired but never launched for various and equally hilarious reasons. 

    The Spider-Man TV show from the 70s is a charming piece of media that maintains a place in my heart, mostly for the costume. Something about those big round eyes makes this iteration of Spider-Man a little extra charming. In fact, this show contributed much of my appreciation and interest in the general 1970s aesthetics and styles, especially the coffee mugs (for some reason). 

    The show itself may be a bit goofy and has all of the expected trappings of a 70s TV show, but it has a charm and an enjoyable spirit that can't be matched. If you can find yourself an episode or two of this series, give it a shot. 

#2

Spider-Man: Brand New Day 

    Yes, the latest film from the MCU (Marvel Cinematic Universe), and the movie I reviewed most recently, has the second highest place on my list of Spider-Man things! While I will always have a a deep appreciation for the Sam Raimi films, and the less said about The Amazing Spider-Man films (minus Andrew Garfield's excellent performance) the better, this fourth entry of the Tom Holland run as Spider-Man is so well made, so emotionally resonating, and so true to Spider-Man's appeal, that it deserves all the praise it's been getting from everywhere. 

    I've already gone on about how much I love this film in my review, so I won't repeat myself here. And, in case you're wondering my ranking of the Tom Holland Spider-Man movies, they are as follows, in order from most favorite to least: 

Spider-Man: Brand New Day

Spider-Man: No Way Home 

Spider-Man: Homecoming

Spider-Man: Far From Home

    Apparently, the movie has already made well over a billion dollars at the box office, and it deserves every cent! If you haven't seen it yet, I encourage you to do so ASAP. I'm absolutely getting a copy of it when it comes out on 4K. 

#1

The Spider-Man Video Game (2018)

    I discussed this game here on this blog sometime ago. One of the most endearing qualities about the game was the writing. The story presents an older and more experienced Spider-Man, along with a few reinterpretations of his lore and supporting cast (my favorite being Mary-Jane, Spidy's long time girlfriend, is a bad-ass journalist in this story), all of which creates a compelling and emotionally resonating narrative. Every turn in the story feels worthy of your investment, and it all builds up to probably the most satisfying and powerful endings I've seen in any Spider-Man story. 

    The gameplay, design, and re-playability are all fantastic in their own right, but it's the storytelling that ultimately gives this piece of Spider-Man media its edge. It is, to date, my absolute favorite Spider-Man thing out there, and I look forward to what will come next in the video game world for Spidy. In case you're wondering, I'm only about half way through the second game, so no spoilers please. 😂

Ladies & gentlemen, I am TheNorm; thank you all for reading. 

Spider-Man: Brand New Day - A Near Perfect Swing

 

    It should come as no surprise to any of my beautiful readers that I am, and always shall be, a huge fan of Spider-Man. Of all the superheroes who have stood the test of time, Spidy is probably the one who has stood the strongest, even through the worst of times, because he has always stood strong for us. Much like Superman over at DC Comics, Spider-Man is the embodiment of human strength and perseverance; a hero with human struggles and a desire to do and be better in this crazy sad world, and never gives up on anyone. He is, quite literally, willing to put his life on the line to help people, not only because he can, but because he wants to. Spider-Man is all of us, in his own way. 

    The latest cinematic offering of our friendly neighbor, Spider-Man: Brand New Day, may not be the absolute best Spider-Man movie ever made, but it is certainly earned its place in my top 5 best Spider-Man media (which I will determine and release in the future). This film succeeds in understanding what makes Spider-Man so relatable, exploring why he matters to the world, and delivering a story that solidifies it all in an entertaining and heartfelt presentation. Not to mention, a visual style with actual texture and personality; something that Marvel has been sadly lacking as of late, but we'll get to that in due time. 

    Taking place some time after the events of Spider-Man: No Way Home, Spidy has been living his life as best he can on his own: helping people, surviving solo life in the big city, and fighting his frustrations with his responsibilities, including avoiding his old friends and loved ones for their own protection. Things take a turn for the unusually dangerous when Spidy encounters a villain who can "possess" people at will, attempting to break into the headquarters of a private research and defense group called Damage Control, in search of something called V-Max. This couldn't have come at a worse time for Spidy, as he happens to be dealing with some serious personal issues, along with a sudden change in his biology, causing him headaches and occasional bursts of overpowered rage. Can Spider-Man work out these personal struggles before things get worse for everyone? 

    What makes me so drawn to this particular film is how masterfully it tackles an issue I have always been passionate about: the importance of mental and emotional health. While this isn't the first Spider-Man film to tackle this particular subject (that distinction remains with Sam Raimi's Spider-Man 2), and without going into too many details as to avoid spoilers (intentional or not), the film is a well crafted allegory for the dangerous effects that things like unresolved personal problems, and isolation can have on a persons personality and well being. It is an issue that, sadly, isn't taken as seriously as it desperately should be, and I will always call out and applaud works of art that put in the effort to raise awareness of it, and advocate for better mental health. 

    Relatable thematic elements aside, the film is also incredibly amazing in its own right! The writing is masterfully crafted and witty, the performances are spot-on, the action scenes are visceral and engaging without being needlessly flashy, and Destin Daniel Cretton's direction perfectly balances character development and narrative progression with the action. Not to mention the special effects, especially with the webbing, are probably the best-looking yet for a Spider-Man film. 

    Speaking of looks, the film also boasts a beautiful visual style that actually "looks" like a movie. Some of my beautiful readers may recall my occasional mentioning of digital cameras using what is called a LOG profile: a camera setting that allows the image to retain as much possible detail in the brightest and darkest parts of the image, allowing the user to present images where everything is visible at all times. The problem with this setting, as of late, is that not enough filmmakers are adjusting the color and exposure in such a way, that provides any sense of texture or personality; resulting in images that look bland, flat, and lacking any kind of depth. It's essentially the polar opposite of the Ganzfeld effect; because you're shown everything, you really see nothing! 

    But with cinematographer Brett Pawlak behind the lens, the images for Spider-Man: Brand New Day have actual personality that both harken back to the classic Spider-Man comics, and provide a sense of depth and texture, resulting in images that are fascinating to behold. What is it about these images that are so engaging? One word: shadows! Unlike most Marvel films, or any other digitally captured high-budget Hollywood product these days, Spider-Man: Brand New Day is less concerned with ensuring that every single detail is completely visible, and more interested in having a voice. I genuinely hope we see more Marvel movies in the future with this kind of commitment to its images. 

    Now that I have finished gushing about this wonderful film, it's time for me to mention a few nitpicks: some of the cameos featured in the early minutes of the film feel wasted; some of the best moments were given away in the trailers and thus weren't as impactful as they might have been; and parts of the editing may trigger uncomfortable reactions to some viewers (though, to be fair, those moments are very few and far in between, and are completely understandable). 

    Spider-Man: Brand New Day is the closest thing to a cinematic masterpiece with our friendly neighbor that we have had in a long time. While I wouldn't consider it my absolute favorite piece of Spider-Man media (again, the list is coming), it is officially ranked high on my personal list. It is a film with so much heart, so much creative goodness, and so much of what makes Spider-Man such a relatable character, that it almost feels overwhelming in the best possible way. Fans and non-fans alike will find something in this film that speaks to them, and it will feel as amazing as it is spectacular. 

    Swing your way to the nearest theater and catch this movie in your web! 

Ladies & gentlemen, I am TheNorm; thank you all for reading. 

Disclosure Day - Almost Doesn't Crash the Ship

Rent on Apple TV and Amazon Prime

    Steven Spielberg is to alien stories what peanut butter is to chocolate: you don't question how or why they go so well together; they just do. Granted, in this case, it likely has more to do with Spielberg's natural talent as a storyteller, but it's telling how it seems to feel extraordinary when aliens are involved. But, not even the greatest among us are immune to the occasional misstep in an otherwise perfect formula. Because when you've been making the mixture for long enough, it can be very noticeable when something is missing. 

    Spielberg's latest offering, Disclosure Day, is a film that has all of the pleasantly expected elements of what makes his movies so fascinating, and might have become a well-earned new feather in his cap, were it not for a few overused creative choices, along with an ending (which I will not spoil) that might have worked had they shaved off the last thirty seconds, at least. While the film retains the majority of its charm thanks to Spielberg's magic, it's becoming unfortunately obvious that the magic is fading. 

    The story follows a man named Daniel Kellner (Josh O'Connor), who has stolen some sensitive material from a secret organization he used to work for. Daniel is attempting to deliver the material to his friend, Hugo (Colman Domingo), who is putting into motion a plan to reveal secrets that have been kept hidden away for far too long. At the same time, a weather forecaster named Margret Fairchild (Emily Blunt), suddenly begins demonstrating unusual abilities, and finds herself drawn into the situation with Daniel and Hugo. All the while being relentlessly chased down by the secret organization, led by a cold and calculating man named Noah (Colin Firth), who is hellbent on stopping these strangers from doing something that, according to him, could upend the entire world as we know it. What knowledge to these people have that could be so dangerous if the rest of the world knew about it? I mean, yes, we all know it's aliens, but still! 😂

    As a whole, the film is as polished and well-crafted as you would expect from a Spielberg presentation: it has a charm that can't be easily matched or replicated, it features beautifully choreographed single-shot scenes with energetic performances to boot, and it plays with emotional concepts without feeling preachy or cheesy (well, to an extent, at least). 

    The MVP award goes straight to Emily Blunt, who delivers what may very well be her best performance yet! She delivers so much energy, so much commitment, and so many what-the-heck-just-happened moments throughout the film, that she practically carries the whole movie on her shoulders! If someone in the theater world wrote a one-woman play just for her, not only would I not be surprised; I would be first in line to go see it! 

    Unfortunately, all of these beautifully crafted elements are somewhat bogged down by a few creative choices, specifically with the cinematography, that continues to rub me the wrong way, and feel counterintuitive to the story presented. 

    The film was photographed by Janusz Kaminski, who has been Spielberg's cinematographer since 1993. While the man boasts an incredibly impressive resumé in both filmography and photographic style, it's becoming apparent just how one-note he really is. Nearly every single film photographed by Kaminski, even those not directed by Spielberg, all feature the same kind of lighting effects and camera tricks; giving the impression that he's less concerned with what style best suits the story, and more interested in flashing as many lights directly into the lens as possible. All of this, along with an overly-used undersaturated color palette, feels more distracting and doesn't serve the story as well as it should. Yes, it all looks pretty cool, but it doesn't feel like it belongs in this particular narrative. It's the same issue I had with the movie The Post, another Spielberg & Kaminski collaboration; a film about journalists in the 1970's uncovering secrets about the Vietnam war should not look like a glossy WW2 drama! 

    And then there's the ending, or at least the last thirty seconds! While I will keep my promise to not spoil anything, I will say that it feels like Spielberg baked a perfect chocolate cake, then successfully carried it to the top of a treacherous mountain, only for him to raise the cake over his head in victory, lose his grip, and drop the cake onto the dirty ground, completely killing the moment and robbing everyone of its deliciousness! It's not quite anti-climactic, but it certainly feels that way. 

    Disclosure Day is a film that does enough things right to warrant a curious watch, but fails at everything else to justify ever watching it again. While Emily Blunt deserves all the praise for her performance, and Spielberg's charm is still mostly intact, this experience was a greater disappointment than I could have possibly predicted. I am still glad I watched it, and I do appreciate many of its good qualities (especially its use of animal symbolism), but sadly, despite all the prestige behind it, the old magic is fading. Hopefully, it will be revived and passed on to another worthy creative, but until then, the old guards need to stop while they're ahead. 

    Watch only for Emily Blunt's powerful performance, and not much else. 

Ladies & gentlemen, I am TheNorm; thank you all for reading.