Sydney Saltzman

no spoilers! :) Why aren't more films like this? I mean, between the brilliant animation and the genuine heart it has, you can really tell so much passion and creative genius went into making Across the Spider-Verse. The most obvious high point of the movie is the visual style: like the first, the team at Sony Animation has taken the iconic feeling of a classic comic book and brought it to life in a way that's perfectly worthy of the silver screen. This is NO typical animated movie. Each and every frame is like a small masterpiece. This is a piece of art that reminds us why animation ever existed in the first place: to bring the wildest imaginations of mankind to life. To share those themes and ideas and beautiful worlds with all who are around us. And most of all, to tell a story. Not to push political or societal themes on its viewers, not just to rake in cash, but to express a shared passion with other human beings. Spider-Man has been around for decades, and yet there are still countless signs of him in our world today. Merchandise and TV shows, along with several movies, all share the same familiar icon of our beloved Spidey, but why? Because the story of Spider-Man is one we all love. The idea that "with great power comes great responsibility" resonates with people, and Across the Spider-Verse manages to perfectly touch on this idea of responsibility in a way no other Spider-Man film has. Of course, I won't go into detail so as to avoid spoilers. A great thing about this film is that it knows what it's about and focuses on it. The characters established in the first installment were developed further in this one, in a way that drove the plot forward with drama and suspense, but not without comedic moments too. Along with the animation and storytelling, Spider-Verse has excellent pacing. I never felt bored at any point in the movie, and was absolutely on the edge of my seat. That's another great thing about this film: it gets intense, and the stakes get high. A lot higher than I'd expected, considering it was just a sequel to what I thought was a well-resolved first movie (Into the Spider-Verse). The soundtrack lives up to its predecessor as well - I had never even heard of the composer, Daniel Pemberton, before Spider-Verse. And now I can't get enough of these soundtracks! They perfectly emphasize the emotions shown in each scene and are crafted just as carefully as the beautiful visuals. Speaking of the visuals, there is so, so much going on in Across the Spider-Verse, but not so much that it's overwhelming. I'm referring to the brilliant detail that different dimensions are given different artistic styles! For example, Gwen's dimension has a very watercolor/painted look to it, and the colors in each scene are used to convey the character's emotions - a small detail, but a beautiful one nonetheless. All in all, this is one of the best movies I've ever seen. I can only say that I hope other studios see the beauty in these Spider-Verse films and take note. This is how you tell a story, people. Sony understands the great power they have, and this is proof that they have the responsibility to give us something unforgettable.

Let me just start with this: I have watched the Clone Wars, which totally caught me off guard with how amazing (and emotional) it was. But I think I actually like Bad Batch better! The main reason for this is probably the smaller scope; in Clone Wars, you'd have an episode about Jar Jar running around, accidentally saving the day... and then there were episodes like Umbara... but The Bad Batch feels much more focused, and therefore consistent. I know people who disliked Clone Wars but actually love Bad Batch...so, really, to each their own. Even so, the Bad Batch themselves were created by Dave Filoni and George Lucas for the Clone Wars, and even though a lot of their episodes were eventually canceled, there are episodes that introduce them in its final season. So I'd suggest you check those out if you haven't seen Clone Wars yet. If you ask me, you definitely don't have to watch all of Clone Wars to enjoy Bad Batch, but you will miss out on a few cool references and returning characters. The show follows a squad of rogue clones who are genetically altered to have special skills. It actually does a good job of building on Hunter, Wrecker, and Crosshair in the first season to show that they're more than their abilities, and the second season gives the spotlight to Tech and Echo. Even when the plot feels a little predictable, the voice acting of Dee Bradley Baker and Michelle Ang is always so entertaining! I could listen to them for hours, honestly. Something I don't see mentioned a lot about this show is the fantastic soundtrack from Kevin Kiner (and sons, I believe). Somehow, he makes every episode, no matter how much of a "filler" it is, feel delightfully cinematic. His exceptional work on Clone Wars is continued through The Bad Batch. The end credits theme is such a banger!! And you can't forget the gorgeous animation, in the familiar style of The Clone Wars. I do have to say, one of the main things that kept me from getting into Clone Wars at first was the animation style. It felt so wooden and awkward, and just wasn't fantastic to look at. But now I'm so glad to see that they've kept it, as it's been about 16 years since that first season, and the animation (and character design, textures, lighting, composition, and more) has improved drastically. I couldn't imagine Bad Batch in any other style! Also, the landscapes look like live action in some scenes! Basically, you can only really tell its animated when there are characters in the frame. Or maybe I've just grown accustomed to the style as it improved from Clone Wars to now. It's probably that. I love how cinematic this series feels! The precision of the digital camerawork makes it so fun to watch. The camera has just the right amount of shakiness and zoom to give it the feeling of a live-action film, and the actual character animation is just so charming to me. All the time (I rewatch Bad Batch, yes) I'm noticing little movements in the characters that bring them to life. Like Tech's leg shaking while he's thinking, or Echo’s absolutely comedic facial expressions in the background, each character seems to have little quirks that make them seem so alive. Speaking of characters, there's just something about the Batch that feels like home. They defy the fact that you have to be just like everyone else to be liked or popular. I love that a big theme of this show is not just doing what's right, but actually standing for what you believe even when all those around you are blindly following the crowd. I think that's a great message for kids, or really anyone, in the world today.