Wendell & Wild (Henry Selick)

[Grouchy]

[Grouchy]

Henry Selick is a household name of stop-motion animation and, as expected, this movie involves you as soon as it can in one of his little worlds. Key and Peele prove to be a great combination so this is more comedic than something like, say, Coraline. I was surprised by the apparent spontaneity of some of the third act. In general I do think that animation tends to have more "bulletproof" or safe screenplays (if I make myself clear) because it's so costly to get the sequences made, but this is not the case here. Definitively worth seeing.

[Peng]

Not surprised to learn from the credit that this is adapted from a(n unpublished) book, as how the core story develops and various subplots come off a bit overstuffed onscreen feel like it would make for a very good read. But the world-building and characterization in both its writing and especially design remain delectably the director's style, gorgeous and tactile. Delighted too to discover in-film purely from the visuals that Key and Peele have roles in this. 7/10