Let me start off by saying that I LOVE Fathom Entertainment. In fact, I probably attend at least three Fathom Events a year. That said, when I saw that Laika's new movie, Wildwood, was being distributed by Fathom, my first thought was, Uh oh.
This is not a dig at Fathom. It's just that when I think of them, I picture watching Jaws on the big screen, or stuff from the Metropolitan Opera. So, I thought Laika must have had a difficult time finding a distributor with Wildwood. Well, it turns out that Laika chose Fathom specifically so that they wouldn't have to follow the regular Hollywood model.
Which is so Laika, i.e., badass. While Hollywood is veering deeper into AI territory, Laika bucks the trend, sticking to painstaking stop-motion animation. So, even if Wildwood isn’t a massive hit, here's why I'm just happy that it even exists.
First Off, I've Always Been A Fan Of Laika's Output
When it comes to animation, there are three companies that I put above the rest. First is Studio Ghibli (obviously). Second is Pixar (another obvious choice), and third, well…my third choice might not be so obvious. I think it's because this particular company hasn't experienced the same seismic success as the other two, and that company is, of course, Laika.
While their catalogue might be paltry in comparison to the other two, I think all 5 of Laika's films prior to Wildwood are excellent. In fact, I remember when I first saw Coraline - which is still the company's most profitable movie - in theaters. My wife is a big fan of the book, and when the movie ended, she actually said it was one of the few instances where the movie was better than the book. She attributed this to the stop-motion animation, which she said added an extra layer of creepiness with how inherently jerky the movements are.
I agree. In fact, all of Laika's movies feel enhanced by the stop-motion animation. The Boxtrolls in particular feels like it couldn’t come from any other company. So, whenever a Laika movie comes out, there’s a good chance that I’m going to love it.
I Also Love The Idea Of Making Unconventional Movies For Unconventional Books
Book-to-screen adaptations can be conventional, or they can be something completely different. Take the Harry Potter movies, for instance. Yes, there were details left out of the films, but otherwise, they were pretty much by-the-book (pun not intended) adaptations. Same goes for The Hunger Games movies. If you read the novels, then you got pretty much the same thing with the films.
Wildwood, however, is an unconventional book with an unconventional adaptation. Written by The Decemberists frontman, Colin Meloy, and illustrated by his wife, Carson Ellis, Wildwood is a story where Portland, Oregon is just as important a backdrop as the magical fantasy world that’s presented in the story. The catalyst for the adventure is a child abduction by crows, and it’s a winding tale that gets more intriguing the deeper it goes.
Sure, a movie adaptation COULD have just had traditional animation, or could have even been live-action, but there’s just something special with this particularly unique story - which can be quite scary - being told in Laika’s trademark style. It works.
In An Age Of Burgeoning A.I., Wildwood Is A Beacon Of Hope
Lastly, even if Wildwood doesn’t do massive numbers at the box office, can’t we all just be happy that it’s not just some AI slop?
Wildwood is the studio’s longest movie at 132 minutes, as well as the longest stop-motion movie ever made. It also took SIXTEEN FREAKING YEARS TO MAKE! Now THAT’S dedication! The fact that Wildwood even exists seems to be a modern-day miracle, as studios have been gravitating towards more and more AI in their films. I applaud Travis Knight and the whole Laika crew for dedicating their lives to being true to their art form.
So, kudos to Laika and their new movie, Wildwood. Thank you for keeping true art (minus AI) alive.
