#Bambi vs godzilla

[dropofvioletdew]

Disney’s “live action” Bambi remake prediction

[spectaculardistractions]

Karen Horney wrote of a neurotic who could never complete anything. She was impeded now by this, now by that mischance and was eternally blighted and blocked, just on the edge of the creation of a great work. Ever saddened but still valiant, she pressed on, content in her own untested but undoubted abilities.

David Mamet, Bambi vs. Godzilla

[best-animated-short-tourney]

Accepted Shorts List

This list will be updated as shorts are selected, and will become a masterdoc for entries.

Piper, dir. Alan Barillaro (Available on Disney+)

Dissolve, dir. Carina Heller

Sharp Teeth, dir. David James Armsby

Tar Boy, dir. James Lee

Moses of Prosthesis, dir. Gagame

Quasi at the Quackadero, dir. Sally Cruikshank

Welcome to Hell, dir. Erica Wester

Friendly Shadow, dir. David James Armsby

The Acorn Princess, dir. Kris Yim

Drawn to You, dir. Eleanor Davitt

Scattershot, dir. Jade Smania

Ramshackle, dir. Zi Chen

Paperman, dir. John Kahrs (Available on Disney+, Amazon, iTunes, Google Play)

Loop, dir. Erica Milsom (Available on Disney+)

Jinxy Jenkins & Lucky Lou, dir. Michael Bidinger and Michelle Kwon

Kitbull, dir. Rosana Sullivan

Out, dir. Steven Clay Hunter

In a Heartbeat, dir. Beth David and Esteban Bravo

Ice Merchants, dir. João Gonzalez

Diamond Jack, dir. Rachel Kim

Lackadaisy (Pilot), dir. Fable Siegel

The Cat Came Back, dir. Cordell Barker

Fuelled, dir. Michelle Hao and Fawn Chan

The Man Who Planted Trees, dir. Frédéric Back

My Friends Take the Night Bus, dir. Sofi

Wallace & Gromit: The Wrong Trousers, dir. Nick Park

The Naked King -What a Beautiful Life-, dir. rapparu

Coming Out, dir. Cressa Maeve Beer

Dear Girl, dir. Choi Ji-eun

Jibaro, dir. Alberto Mielgo (Available on Netflix, Love Death + Robots S3E9)

The Witness, dir. Alberto Mielgo (Available on Netflix, Love Death + Robots S1E3)

The Legend of Pipi, dir. Julia Schoel and Birgit Uhlig

The Cameraman's Revenge, dir. Wladyslaw Starewicz

What's Opera, Doc? dir. Chuck Jones

The Dover Boys at Pimento University; or, The Rivals of Roquefort Hall, dir. Chuck Jones

Kitty Kornered, dir. Bob Clampett

A Wild Hare, dir. Tex Avery

Everything Will Be OK, dir. Don Hertzfeldt

Yankee Doodle Daffy, dir. Friz Freleng

Duck Dodgers in the 24½th Century, dir. Chuck Jones

Long Gone Gulch, dir. Tara Billenger and Zach Bellissimo

I Love to Singa, dir. Tex Avery

Opal, dir. Jack Stauber

Scaredy Cat, dir. Chuck Jones

I Should Leave This Mall I Think, dir. Noodle

Porky's Duck Hunt, dir. Tex Avery

Bambi Meets Godzilla, dir. Marv Newland

Porky in Wackyland, dir. Bob Clampett

Rabbit Seasoning, dir. Chuck Jones

One Froggy Evening, dir. Chuck Jones

Don vs. Raph, dir. Jhonen Vasquez

Cat City, dir. Victoria Vincent

Roller Coaster Rabbit, dir. Rob Minkoff

Tummy Trouble, dir. Rob Minkoff

Trail Mix-Up, dir. Barry Cook

Blood Bound, dir. Lyly Hoang

Ciao, Alberto, dir. McKenna Harris (Available on Disney+)

Blackfly, dir. Christopher Hinton

Charlie the Unicorn: The Grand Finale, dir. Jason Steele

Free Apple, dir. Ian Worthington

Bigtop Burger Season 1, dir. Ian Worthington

There's a Man in the Woods, dir. Jacob Streilein

Llamas with Hats: The Series, dir. Jason Steele

Welcome to my Life, dir. Elizabeth Ito

Duck Amuck, dir. Chuck Jones

We Can't Live Without Cosmos, dir. Konstantin Bronzit

Geri's Game, dir. Jan Pinkava

Have to change the format cause tumblr has a limit to text in a single list

68. Snow-White, dir. Dave Fleischer

69. DAICON IV Opening Animation, dir. Hiroyuki Yamaga

70. Rooty Toot Toot, dir. John Hubley

71. SHOP: A Pop Opera, dir. Jack Stauber

72. Rabbit of Seville, dir. Chuck Jones

73. The Cat Concerto, dir. Joseph Barbera and William Hanna

74. My Little Goat, dir. Tomoki Misato

75. Asparagus, dir. Suzan Pitt (Available on the Criterion Channel)

76. Puparia, dir. Shingo Tamagawa

77. The Cybernetic Grandma, dir. Jiří Trnka

78. Captain Yajima, dir. Ian Worthington

79. Agoraphobia, dir. Victoria Vincent

80. Donald in Mathmagic Land, dir. Hamilton Luske, Wolfgang Reitherman, Les Clark and Joshua Meador

81. Joy Street, dir. Suzan Pitt (Available on the Criterion Channel)

82. The Old Man and The Sea, dir. Aleksandr Petrov

83. The Dream of a Ridiculous Man, dir. Aleksandr Petrov

84. Vincent, dir. Tim Burton

85. World of Tomorrow, dir. Don Hertzfeldt

86. World of Tomorrow Episode 2: The Burden of Other People's Thoughts, dir. Don Hertzfeldt (pay per view of Vimeo)

87. The Magic Portal, dir. Lindsay Fleay

88. The Golden Chain, dir. Adebukola Bodunrin and Ezra Claytan Daniels (available on the Criterion Channel)

89. Black Soul, dir. Martine Chartrand

90. Hedgehog in the Fog, dir. Yuri Norstein

91. Dreams of the Rarebit Fiend: The Flying House, dir. Windsor McCay

92. Around is Around, dir. Evelyn Lambart and Norman McLaren

93. Popeye the Sailor Meets Sinbad the Sailor, dir. Dave Fleischer

94. Historia Naturae (Suita), dir. Jan Svankmajer

95. Still Lost I Guess, Here's a Tunnel, dir. Dario Alva

96. Kapaemahu, dir. Joe Wilson, Dean Hamer and Hinaleimoana Wong-Kalu

97. Long-Haired Hare, dir. Chuck Jones

98. Muto, dir. Blu

99. Windy Day, dir. John and Faith Hubley

100. Bully for Bugs, dir. Chuck Jones

101. The Haunted Hotel, dir. J. Stuart Blackton

102. Destino, dir. Dominique Monfery (Available on Disney+)

103. Fantasy, dir. Vince Collins

104. To Beep or Not To Beep, dir. Chuck Jones

105. Pixillation, dir. Lillian Schwartz

106. Goodbye Jerome!, dir. Chloé Farr, Gabrielle Selnet and Adam Sillard (Available on the Criterion Channel)

107. Betty Boop's Halloween Party, dir. Dave Fleischer

108. Jumping, dir. Osamu Tezuka

109. Baby Fingers, dir. Adrian Dalen

110. On Your Mark, dir. Hayao Miyazaki

[t-underneaththeradardancing]

murder aka kitty ( good always) teevee - morning onna frog friday - brought to u by breathing witch is vital like hydration - birdsong - missives - even laundry - sisyphus waits for godot like godzilla vs bambi - more to always and daily ? like every ?

and other impossible tho i have had some breakfast - i guess its officially a day

hallelujah

anyway

[yandere-toons]

CURRENT FANDOMS

-- Alphabetised by Title --

★ No need to limit yourself to what's here! This is more of a formality than anything concrete.

Novels:

Alice's Adventures in Wonderland

Dune

Durarara!!

The Great Gatsby

The Hobbit

The Hunger Games

IT

The Lord of the Rings

Mortal Engines

No Country for Old Men

Percy Jackson & the Olympians

Ready Player One

The Silence of the Lambs

A Song of Ice and Fire

Star Wars: Dark Disciple

Comics & Manga:

Beastars

Blue Exorcist

Boku no Hero Academia

Death Note

Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba

Disney Duck Comics

Johnny the Homicidal Maniac

Kamonohashi Ron no Kindan Suiri

Outlast: The Murkoff Account

Scott Pilgrim

Soul Eater

Tokyo Ghoul

The Transformers: More than Meets the Eye

Watchmen

Films:

Accepted (2006)

The Adventures of Sharkboy and Lavagirl

Airplane!

The Angry Birds Movie

Argylle

Austin Powers

Back to the Future

The Bad Guys (2022)

Bad Ronald (1974)

Bad Taste (1987)

Balto (1995)

Bambi (1942)

Bambi II (2006)

The Banana Splits Movie

Barbie (2023)

Batman Begins

Batman Forever

The Beekeeper (2024)

Beetlejuice (1988)

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice

Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon

Big Hero 6

Black Christmas (1974)

The Black Phone

The Book of Life

Brave (2012)

Brother Bear

A Bug's Life

Bullet Train (2022)

Cars (2006)

Chickenhare and the Hamster of Darkness

Chicken Little

Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs

Con Air (1997)

Coneheads

Coraline

Corpse Bride

Cowboys & Aliens

The Dead Don't Die

Deadpool (2016)

Deadpool & Wolverine

Despicable Me

Detective Pikachu

Diary of a Wimpy Kid (2010)

Dracula: Dead and Loving It

Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves

Elemental

The Emperor's New Groove

Encanto

Enchanted

Exchange Student Zero

An Extremely Goofy Movie

Fantastic Mr. Fox

Fast & Furious Saga

Fear Street Trilogy (2021)

FernGully: The Last Rainforest

Ferris Bueller's Day Off

Five Nights at Freddy's (2023)

Free Guy (2020)

Frozen (2013)

Galaxy Quest (1999)

Ghost Rider (2007)

Glass Onion

Godzilla

A Goofy Movie

Grease (1978)

Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio

The Happytime Murders

Haunted Mansion

Hellboy (2004)

Hellboy II: The Golden Army

Hercules (1997)

The Hobbit Trilogy

Hocus Pocus

Holes (2003)

Home (2015)

Home Alone (1990)

Hotel Transylvania

Howard the Duck (1986)

How to Train Your Dragon

The Hunger Games

Ice Age

The Incredibles

Inside Out

IT (2017)

John Wick

The Jungle Book (1967)

Jurassic Park

Jurassic World

Killer Klowns from Outer Space

Knives Out

Kung Fu Panda

Legally Blonde

The LEGO Batman Movie

The LEGO Movie

The LEGO Ninjago Movie

The Lego Star Wars Holiday Special

LEGO Star Wars Summer Vacation

Lift (2024)

Lilo & Stitch

The Lion King (1994)

The Lion King II: Simba's Pride

Little Shop of Horrors (1986)

The Lorax (2012)

The Lord of the Rings Trilogy

Luca (2021)

Luck (2022)

Mad Max Saga

The Man from U.N.C.L.E.

Mean Girls (2004)

Meet the Feebles

The Meg

Meg 2: The Trench

Megamind

Minions: The Rise of Gru

Mission: Impossible

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children

The Mitchells vs. the Machines

Monkey King Reborn

Monsters, Inc.

Monsters University

Monsters vs. Aliens

Mulan (1998)

My Little Pony: A New Generation

My Little Pony: The Movie (2017)

Napoleon Dynamite

National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation

Night at the Museum

The Nightmare Before Christmas

No Country for Old Men

NOPE (2022)

Now You See Me

Onward

Open Season (2006)

Osmosis Jones

Over the Hedge

Pacific Rim

Paddington

Penguins of Madagascar (2014)

The Phantom of the Opera (2004)

Pirates of the Caribbean

Planet of the Apes

Puss in Boots: The Last Wish

Rango

Ready Player One (2018)

Renfield

Return to Oz

Rio (2011)

Rise of the Guardians (2012)

Road House

The Road to El Dorado

RoboCop (1987)

Robots (2005)

Rock Dog

Ron's Gone Wrong

Scott Pilgrim vs. the World

Shark Tale

Shaun of the Dead

Shrek

Sing (2016 & 2021)

Small Soldiers (1998)

Sonic the Hedgehog

Spaceballs

Spaceballs 2: The Search for More Money

Space Jam

Spider-Verse Trilogy

Spies in Disguise

Star Trek

Star Wars

Storks (2016)

The Suicide Squad (2021)

The Super Mario Bros. Movie

Surf's Up

The Terminator

Titan A.E.

Titanic (1997)

Toy Story

Treasure Planet (2002)

Trolls (2016)

Tucker & Dale vs. Evil

Turning Red

Vivo (2021)

Whiplash

Who Framed Roger Rabbit

Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory

Wreck-It Ralph

X-Men

“ASTEROID CITY”

TV Series & Web Series:

The Adventures of Sam & Max: Freelance Police

The Adventures of Teddy Ruxpin

Adventure Time

Alvin and the Chipmunks

The Amazing World of Gumball

American Dad!

American Dragon: Jake Long

American Gods

Amphibia

Animaniacs

Aqua Teen Hunger Force

Ash vs Evil Dead

Barry (HBO)

Bates Motel

The Batman (2004)

Batman: The Animated Series

Better Call Saul

Big City Greens

Bigtop Burger

Black Clover

Bluey

Bob's Burgers

BoJack Horseman

Breaking Bad

Buzz Lightyear of Star Command

Camp Camp

Carmen Sandiego

Cars on the Road

Clone High

Codename: Kids Next Door

Count Duckula

Courage the Cowardly Dog

The Cuphead Show!

Danger Mouse

Danny Phantom

Dan Vs.

Darkwing Duck

The Devil Is a Part-Timer!

Dexter's Laboratory

Dinosaurs

Diriliş: Ertuğrul

Doctor Who

Dogs in Space

Don't Hug Me I'm Scared

Dorohedoro

Duck Dodgers

DuckTales (1987 & 2017)

Exchange Student Zero

Freakazoid!

Frieren: Beyond Journey's End

Futurama

Game of Thrones

Gargoyles

Good Omens

Goosebumps

Gotham

Gravity Falls

Green Eggs and Ham (Netflix Series)

Gregory Horror Show

The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy

Grimm

Haikyū!!

Happy Tree Friends

Harley Quinn

Hazbin Hotel

Helluva Boss

Hero: 108

House of the Dragon

Inside Job (2021)

Inspector Gadget (1983)

Invader ZIM

Kim Possible

King of the Hill

The Lion Guard

Looney Tunes

The Looney Tunes Show

Love, Death & Robots

Making Fiends

The Mandela Catalogue

Max Headroom

the middle.

Mighty Ducks: The Animated Series

Milo Murphy's Law

Mob Psycho 100

Modern Family

Monkie Kid

Monsters at Work

My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic

Mystery Skulls Animated

Ninjago: Masters of Spinjitzu

The Office

OK K.O.! Let's Be Heroes

Our Flag Means Death

Overlord

The Owl House

Peaky Blinders

The Penguins of Madagascar

Phineas and Ferb

Pinky and the Brain

Popee the Performer

The Powerpuff Girls

Primal

The Proud Family

Regular Show

The Righteous Gemstones

Salad Fingers

Samurai Jack

The Sandman

Schitt's Creek

Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated

Scott Pilgrim Takes Off

Shameless

Shaolin Wuzang

Silicon Valley

Silly Symphony

The Simpsons

Sonic Prime

Sonic X

Soul Eater

Space Force

SpongeBob SquarePants

Spooky Month

Star Trek

Star vs. the Forces of Evil

Star Wars: The Clone Wars

Static Shock

Succession

Superjail!

Superstore

Tabaluga

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

Teen Titans (2003)

Tiny Toon Adventures

Tom and Jerry

Total Drama

Transformers: Prime

True Detective

Twin Peaks

The Umbrella Academy

Underverse

Villainous

The Walking Dead

Wander Over Yonder

We Bare Bears

Welcome Home

What If...?

X-Men: Evolution

Xiaolin Showdown

The Yogi Bear Show

Zig & Sharko

Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead

Music:

Gorillaz

The Purple People Eater

Board Games:

Monopoly

Video Games:

At Dead of Night

Batman: The Enemy Within

Borderlands

Crash Bandicoot

Cuphead: Don't Deal with the Devil

Danganronpa

Deltarune

Destroy All Humans!

Dialtown

Dino Crisis

Don't Starve

Eloquent Countenance

Fallout: New Vegas

Far Cry

Five Nights at Freddy's

Friday Night Funkin'

God of War

Godzilla: Destroy All Monsters Melee

Grand Theft Auto V

Guardians of the Galaxy: The Telltale Series

John Doe

L.A. Noire

LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga

Lollipop Chainsaw

Lucius

Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy

Mass Effect

MazM: Jekyll and Hyde

Middle-earth: Shadow of War

Monkey Island

Monster Prom

Mortal Kombat

Naughty Bear

Nicktoons Unite!

Oddworld

Outlast

PaRappa the Rapper

Pathologic

Psychonauts

Rampage: Total Destruction

Ratchet & Clank

Red Dead Revolver

Resident Evil

Road 96

Silent Hill

Slime Rancher

Smile For Me

Sonic the Hedgehog

Total War: Warhammer III

Uncharted

Undertale

[springsung]

Have you ever seen the short cinematic masterpiece Godzilla vs Bambi?

well now i have and im SAD. MY SON.. HE IS NAUGHT BUT A PANCAKE.

[jjorbles]

(Repost) Why we want Batman to beat Superman

Note: This article was originally posted April 24th, 2015 on the Agony Booth, which I used to write for. Since that site is sadly no longer with us, I’m reposting my old articles here. 

Superman: The Movie was released nearly 37 years ago with the tagline “You will believe a man can fly”. Oft repeated, this phrase has since become more than a simple marketing gimmick. It now verbalizes everything Superman represents: Hope, belief in the impossible, and the potential greatness of humankind.

37 years later, we no longer believe a man can fly.

Warner Bros. has just released the first trailer for their upcoming Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice. And if you’ve been following my articles at all, you know I’ve been dreading this movie, mostly due to my displeasure with Man of Steel and DC Comics’ projects in general lately. This new trailer has done nothing to make me more optimistic. In fact, I’m more convinced than ever that Batman v. Superman is going to be the culmination of everything I dislike about superhero movies.

Batman v. Superman, whatever else it ends up being, is the end result of decades of heated fan debate: Who Would Win in a Fight? It’s a question comic readers have fought about time and time again, despite the comics being uninterested in answering it until relatively recently. The Caped Crusader and the Last Son of Krypton have butted heads once or twice over the years, but traditionally, DC Comics is much more about heroes teaming up than fighting. Pitting characters against each other for shits and giggles is much more Marvel’s thing. The notion that Batman and Superman should ever be enemies instead of friends didn’t really catch on until Frank Miller’s radical re-envisioning of the duo in The Dark Knight Returns.

But it all strikes me as a silly debate, even by comic book standards. By any reasonable argument, Batman vs. Superman would be about as much of a “fight” as Bambi Meets Godzilla. The only way to even pretend Batman stands a snowball’s chance in hell is to stack the odds in his favor with ridiculous deus ex machinas. “Oh, Batman would win because he’d have a bat-kryptonite ring or something!” Arguments like these are meaningless, because by that logic, anyone could beat Superman, especially if they happen to have kryptonite handy. It’s like saying Howard the Duck would win in a fight with Galactus because he’d just happen to have the Ultimate Nullifier on him.

And the reason why Batman is the frequent favorite in this fight has absolutely nothing to do with the actual capabilities of either hero. It stems entirely from popularity. Batman is generally the more beloved of the two, so when they do battle, writers use any excuse they can think of to have Batman emerge the victor. The insane popularity of Batman in the last few decades is a cultural phenomenon that I’ve devoted a lot of thought to, and to be honest, it kind of disturbs me. I don’t like what it says about the mindset of our culture and what we value.

Before I explain, let me say that while I may often give off the opposite impression, I actually really like Batman a lot. Even the Christopher Nolan version. I just get sick of the fandom’s laser focus on this one particular iteration of the character. I liked The Dark Knight as a film, but frankly, it’s among my least favorite versions of the Batman mythos. He’s one of the most adaptive and versatile characters in all of fiction, and with so many interesting and diverse visions of Batman out there, to be obsessed with just this one seems incredibly dull to me.

And the fact that Nolan’s take on Batman has become such a dominating cultural force worries me, because Nolan’s Batman has some really troubling themes going on when you really look at those films. Batman, at his core, has always had a somewhat fascist undercurrent to him. Certainly, that can be said of most superheroes, since the very concept of being a vigilante crimefighter implies an individual deciding his judgment is superior and forcing it upon others. But with Batman, these qualities have always seemed a little more pronounced. He’s an absurdly wealthy private citizen devoting his resources to assaulting and imprisoning people usually far less powerful and well-off than he is. At the very least, Batman can’t help but feel a tad elitist, regardless of how much his enemies are deserving of his wrath.

But in the Nolan movies, these troubling fascist themes are no longer just an interesting curio in the background. They’re magnified and put front and center. Christian Bale’s Batman is an explicit fascist. Brutal, manipulative, and largely uncaring about the collateral damage of his mission, he violates the civil rights and privacy of those citizens he professes to be protecting, and by The Dark Knight Rises, he and his allies have turned Gotham into a virtual police state.

It’d be interesting if Nolan’s trilogy was meant to be satirical, deconstructing the inherently fascist aspects of superheroes by exaggerating them, a favorite trick of Alan Moore’s. But the tone of Nolan’s Batman films is weirdly unironic, as though we’re meant to see Batman as completely justified in all his actions, and that Gotham City is actually better off sacrificing their freedoms for his protection.

I’m not saying that’s necessarily the wrong way to look at those films; I’m saying they don’t exactly leave much open for debate when it comes to some pretty complicated questions, and instead offer up the moral certainty that Batman is in the right. Bale’s Batman is one of the least heroic versions of the character I’ve seen, and may be even borderline sociopathic. So the fact that this is the version people have most latched onto is deeply troubling to me.

And really, why do people like Batman so much? I mean, I know why I like him. I dig the ninja/gothic/film-noir mystery mash-up aesthetic, and I like the sort of dark Peter Pan-esque story of a broken man who’s still a little boy trying to reclaim his lost childhood inside, and of course he has one of the greatest rogues galleries ever. But why do the people who don’t really like comics, who hate the Adam West show, who like to pretend Robin never existed, who shun all the colorful or weird parts of character, why do they like Batman? Why is Batman the one superhero who seems to particularly appeal to those who don’t even seem to really like superheroes?

Part of it may be that Batman, more than any other A-list superhero, most easily adapts to the “real world”, or at least as close as movies get. At the very bare bones of the Batman concept, there are no sci-fi or fantasy elements. He’s not an alien or a mutant, he didn’t fall into a vat of chemicals, and he’s not a mythological god. He’s just a guy in a costume who fights gangsters. So if you’re looking to make a toned down, “realistic” superhero movie for people turned off by more outlandish fare, Batman is probably your best bet. He’s the only hero with both the name recognition to draw a crowd and the flexibility to go the ever popular grim-and-gritty route.

But I think a bigger part of it is that Batman offers people a certain kind of wish fulfillment that other heroes don’t. Fans will tell you they prefer Batman because he’s “more relatable”, due to his lack of superpowers, but that has nothing to do with it. Surely, the socially-awkward middle class Clark Kent would be far more relatable to the average Joe than billionaire playboy Bruce Wayne.

Batman’s appeal is in his empowerment fantasy. Yes, Superman also offers the fantasy of being powerful, and we can identify with the shy, unnoticed Clark pining over the pretty girl in the office, and we can fantasize about secretly being the all-powerful he-man that can save the day and sweep her off her feet. But the fantasy of being Superman comes with restrictions. Superman is a role model, and therefore bound by a pretty strict moral code. Having all the power can seem a less appealing fantasy when you're not allowed to let your aggression out, or to unleash your id and go nuts. No one wants to be a smiling boy scout all the time.

But Batman is a little more flexible. Of course, he’s also bound by certain rules: He must never kill, and he must never use a gun. But Batman can get angry. Batman is allowed to intimidate and sometimes even torture people. And since Batman isn’t an alien Hercules who might decapitate someone if he gets rough, he gets to play hard. He can beat his enemies bloody. Batman offers the fantasy of being obscenely wealthy, sexually unattached, desired by women and feared by men, and able to take out your anger every night on anyone who looks suspicious.

Let’s face it, Batman appeals a lot to angry, antisocial misanthrope types. They don’t want to be a happy, monogamous goody two-shoes like Superman. They want to be rich enough to have anything they want. They want to plow model-attractive super-villainesses without the responsibility of a relationship. They want to sneak around and blow off steam by beating up anyone they think deserves it. They want to be feared and respected.

So truthfully, the reason why a lot of people like Batman is obvious. But why the fascination with seeing him fight Superman? Many of Batman’s fans don’t just seem to prefer him to Superman, they seem actively hostile to Superman. There’s something almost fetishistic about the way people would love to see the Dark Knight take the Man of Steel down a peg or two.

At first, it may seem like a simple case of people rooting for the underdog. Batman, a mere mortal, is obviously at a disadvantage going up against the godlike Superman, and people love to see the little guy triumph over impossible odds.

But that’s not really what this feels like. For one thing, it’s impossible for me to look at a conflict between a poor, well-meaning farm boy who fights for truth and transparency as a journalist and a manipulative, secretive billionaire on a violent, vengeful rampage and see the latter as the underdog, regardless of who has superpowers.

Whenever I ask people why they hate Superman, the response I get is always along the lines of “he’s stuck-up” or “he’s a wimp”. There’s this perception of Superman as being out of touch, a stuffed shirt, a coward. But any fair reading of almost any of his movies or comics doesn’t really support this, regardless of what you may have gathered from Superdickery. Superman has always been compassionate, brave, and heroic. So what exactly makes people see him as otherwise?

It feels like people want to see Superman punished. Punished for what, exactly? Well, what’s the principal difference between Superman and Batman? Yes, I know it’s hard to narrow down, since the two are night and day, but the one I’m focusing on here is optimism. Batman and Superman have views on the world that could only be more different if one of them was an outright villain.

Superman assumes the best in people. Batman assumes the worst. Superman is more about protecting the innocent, while Batman’s focus is on punishing the guilty. Superman lives in bright, clean Metropolis, and Batman lives in dark, crime-ridden Gotham. Superman lives in a world of hope, Batman lives in a world of fear.

People say they relate to Batman because of his lack of superpowers, but what they truly relate to is his anger. Unlike Superman, Batman lives in our world, or at least our world as we too often choose to see it. We’re pessimistic by nature, because it’s easy. It’s easy to see the bad in things. It’s easy to let all the horror in the world get us down. We dwell on it until it’s all we can see anymore. Mostly, it’s easy because it requires no effort. The world has always been shit and will always be shit, so why waste time trying to make it a better place? Gotham is the real world as viewed through the lens of a bitter person who’s given up.

But Superman is different. He may be a flamboyant fantasy, but the world he lives in is every bit as much the real world as Gotham. It’s just seen through the lens of an optimist. Superman is about hope, and Metropolis is the world as seen by a hopeful person. Superman challenges us to see the good in life, and dares us to actually make an effort to improve things. He tries to show us that life is worth living and that the world is worth saving.

But it’s hard to hope, and easy to despair. People turn away from Superman and towards Batman because he offers the easier path. Superman says, “Yes, life can be hard. Tragedies happen. Your home may blow up. Your father may die. The woman you love won’t even notice you. But you can overcome it. You can save the world. Because inside you’re strong. Inside you’re a Superman.” Batman says, “The world is misery and pain so don’t bother trying to fix it. You’re living in a madhouse. People are maniacs, and the only way to deal with it is to either lock yourself up in your house and shun everyone, or beat the maniacs bloody and lock them away where you never have to think about them.*”

[*Granted, that’s not a very accurate summation of the real message of Batman, but it’s what I think a lot of people take away from him.]

A big part of the plot of Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice seems to be the world becoming mistrustful of Superman. The trailer shows protesters yelling at him to “go home”. A statue of Superman bears graffiti reading “false god”. Voiceover narration talks about him as though he’s some aloof deity who everyone fears and mistrusts simply for being so powerful. As sad as this makes me, it may be the most accurate reflection of the current public perception of Superman.

The fantasy of Superman has always been that a man with that much power but also the strength of character to use it only for good could actually exist. That basic human decency could prevail over the corrupting influence of power. But maybe in a post-9/11 world, we’re just too mistrusting to believe in that anymore. The world just seems too confusing and violent for us to indulge in a happy fantasy like Superman.

So those who root for Batman to beat up Superman aren’t doing it because he’s the underdog, but because they hate Superman. They hate him for wanting to save the world and make a better tomorrow. Because they’ve given up on tomorrow. They want nothing more than to wallow in misery, and lash out at anyone who asks them to do otherwise. The strange thing is, I bet when a lot of these people were kids, they looked up to Superman as a hero. Now they only see him as a coward.

37 years ago, we believed a man could fly. Now all we want is to see that man dragged down into the dirt with us.

[kaiju-film-liv]

The critical impact of the Godzilla Franchise.

There have been countless pieces of media that include Godzilla, from Kaiju epics to countless cultural references. This has created films from blockbuster extravaganzas to critical masterpieces.

The article "Godzilla versus Kurosawa: Presentation and Interpretation of Japanese Cinema in the Post World War II United States." recalls the numerous projects Godzilla has been a part of.

“Godzilla has established a remarkably enduring place in American popular culture. He has appeared in twenty-three Japanese films and two American remakes (most recently in 2014), his own comic book series, a Hanna-Barbera cartoon show, advertisements for Dr. Pepper, Nike, and Subway, the under-ground cartoon short Bambi Meets Godzilla, the surreal teen comedy One Crazy Summer, and a Blue Oyster Cult rock song, as well as countless figurines, action figures, and collectibles. He has been the subject of spoofs on television comedies such as Saturday Night Live, The Simpsons, South Park, and The Chappelle's Show. His name has come to connote destructive tendencies to the point that the suffix “-zilla” is now sufficient to describe anything or person as oversized or overly emotional.”  (Mettler).

This quote emphasizes how far the cultural Goliath that Godzilla has become is quite separate from the character of Godzilla. In the original film, Godzilla is a tragic figure in a deeply contemplative film about the effects of radiation and mass loss. Over time, Godzilla's tragic nature started slipping away in favor of over-the-top action and a large cast of characters.

The article “Monster Island: Godzilla and Japanese SciFi/Horror/Fantasy.” talks about the progression of Godzilla's character over time. The author Philip Brophy states “This is most noticeable in the change from Godzilla as innocent victim of nuclear testing (Godzilla, 1959) to Godzilla as evil monster (Godzilla vs. Mothra, 1964) to Godzilla as tamed being (Ghidrah—The Three-Headed Monster, 1965) to Godzilla as heroic champion (Godzilla vs. The Smog Monster, 1972). His might and energy shifted from one of critical neutrality to modified humanism, and in doing so struck unsettling angles in relation to his original embodiment of Japan’s doubts in advocating nuclear energy.”  (Brophy).

The heroic champion of Godzilla is epitomized in the monster-verse version of him. 

Moster-verse Godzilla is disinterested in humans and mostly exists to protect the earth from other Kaiju creatures. He responds to conflict, he does not seek it out. Other modern Godzilla films have taken a different approach.

The films Shin Godzilla and Godzilla Minus One, which won an oscar, return the tragic quality to the Godzilla franchise, adding a new flair and status to modern Godzilla films. Both films have a Godzilla that is worsened by the effects of radiation or human meddling.

In a review of Shin Godzilla (2016) for Medium, Reece Beckett said “Still, I do appreciate the film’s good parts. I love the sense of scale given to the Godzilla sequences through brilliant wide shots that show us the sheer size of the monster and turn military helicopters into ants. I love the manic introductory sequences which waterboard the audience with found footage and a thousand names and different agencies (even if it overwhelmed me completely!). I thoroughly enjoyed parts of the film, but it doesn’t come together as a whole. Not for me, at this point, at least. Maybe someday! I’ll look forward to coming back to it sometime. The cynic in me would like a truly bleak take on Godzilla, one which sees the world end at the hands of a man-made monster. But I don’t feel that my idea would sell particularly well…” (Beckett).

In an article for RogerEbert.com, Simon Abrams stated “Their vision of the character is thoughtful and clever without straying too far from the Godzilla formula established in films like the original 1954 "Gojira." Fans of what Godzilla has become might be upset to see Godzilla treated like a villain again, after years of seeing him fight against less sympathetic "kaiju" monsters like Hedorah, Biollante, and Gigan. But they should be excited at the thought of seeing a modern monster movie that isn't just the same ol', same 'ol.” (Abrams).

Though the articles have different opinions on the film, they agree on the idea of the necessary return to Godzilla's origins. That as entertaining as the hero Godzilla can be, it's gone stale. Returning to the emotional core of the original gives modern Godzilla films a new depth that moves Godzilla from pure entertainment to lauded acclaim.

The article "Godzilla versus Kurosawa: Presentation and Interpretation of Japanese Cinema in the Post World War II United States." describes this dichotomy of Godzilla between over-the-top entertainment and the tragic emotional figure he originated as. It said, “Had viewers given Godzilla respect, preserved him as art, and used him as a diplomatic relations tool, instead of cavalierly adapting him to suit the tastes of the working class everyman, it is doubtful the fictional monster would have become so inextricably woven into the fabric of American popular culture as he is today.” (Mettler). 

Godzilla is an enigma forever changed by new adaptations. Audiences can find a adaptation that meets their taste. Godzilla can be a critical darling or absolutely hated, but each adaptation will say something different for someone new.

Brophy, Philip. “Monster Island: Godzilla and Japanese Sci-Fi/Horror/Fantasy.” Postcolonial Studies, vol. 3, no. 1, Apr. 2000, pp. 39–42. EBSCOhost, https://doi.org/10.1080/13688790050001336. 

Mettler, Meghan Warner. “‘Godzilla versus Kurosawa: Presentation and Interpretation of Japanese Cinema in the Post World War II United States.’” The Journal of American-East Asian Relations, vol. 25, no. 4, Jan. 2018, pp. 413–37. EBSCOhost, search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=edsjsr&AN=edsjsr.26613850&site=eds-live&scope=site.

Beckett, Reece. "Review: ‘Shin Godzilla’ is a Disappointing Take on the Kaiju Film" Medium, Mar 28, 2024, https://medium.com/counterarts/review-shin-godzilla-is-a-disappointing-take-on-the-kaiju-film-186018480b0d

Abrams, Simon. "Shin Godzilla", RogerEbert.com, Oct 11, 2016. https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/shin-godzilla-2016 

[pettydollie]

every movie ive ever seen (that i can remember)

this is long and im bored so idc

not organized at all btw K-12 the virgin suicides jennifer's body girl interrupted grease beetlejuice the nightmare before christmas coraline priscilla men in black (first two) who framed roger rabbit space jam (both) alvin and the chipmunks justin league black widow the miraculous ladybug movie godzilla vs kong miss americana reputation stadium tour the wizard of oz five nights at freddy's gentlemen prefer blondes jaws the polar express home alone the witches (2020 one) matilda (both) titanic spirited away my neighbor totoro ponyo whisper of the heart from up on poppy hill howls moving castle castle in the sky the secret world of arriyety the wind rises (i dont like it tbh) princess mononoke the cat returns kiki's delivery service you are so not invited to my bat mitzvah murder mystery marry me the wrong missy (big mistake, dont rec) the tooth fairy (dwayne johnson) jumanji (all) little women (1994 and 2019) in the heights (btw i have all lyrics memorized) hamilton snow white pinocchio (i hate this movie) fantasia (both) dumbo bambi 101 dalmations the aristocats the adventures of ichabod and mr toad cinderella the little mermaid aladdin (both) tangled frozen (both) moana brave pocahontas the princess and the frog oliver and company turning red robin hood peter pan lady and the tramp sleeping beauty the jungle book the lion king a bug's life alice in wonderland (og, live action, havent seen the sequel) anastasia air bud adventures in babysitting mary poppins the sound of music the princess diaries (both) 10 things i hate about you pirates of the caribbean (all) daddy daycare freaky friday (lindsay lohan one and the newer one) the parent trap (lindsay lohan one) confessions of a shopaholic confessions of a teenage drama queen elemental winnie the pooh lilo and stitch pete's dragon the good dinosaur the fox and the hound (both) lady and the tramp night at the museum (all) haunted mansion (2023 one) benji (i think this is disney?) honey, i shrunk the kids (the 1st and second one) beauty and the beast the muppets christmas carol hocus pocus (both) the three mouseketeers (I LOVED THIS MOVIE) the santa clause (all) hunchback of notre dame a goofy movie (both) toy story (all) james and the giant peach hercules mrs doubtfire mulan tarzan the tigger movie the emperor's new groove (both) monsters inc (both) hook finding nemo (both) mickey's house of villains (THIS ATEEE) kung fu panda brother bear (both) the incredibles (both) pooh's heffalump movie chicken little narnia (all) the greatest showman ice age (all) cars (all) neverending story encanto enchanted (both) wall-e beverly hills chihuahua (first two) high school musical (all) descendants (all) gnomeo and juliet sherlock gnomes tinker bell (ALL THESE MOVIES) bolt bedtime stories up wreck it ralph (both) super buddies maleficent (both) big hero 6 inside out zootopia coco mary poppins returns vivo annie (the black girl one, sorry idk the year) happy feet edward scissorhands onward godmothered soul raya and the last dragon cruella luca la la land jungle cruise diary of a wimpy kid (all) cheaper by the dozen blue miracle yours, mine, and ours strange world rio (both) ferdinand teen beach movie zookeeper zombies (all) meet the robinsons cloudy with a chance of meatballs spies in disguise the wild jack balto big cloud 9 goosebumps (both) r.l stine's cabinet of souls hairspray (john travolta one) prom pact harry potter (all) barbie trolls (all) spiderman (all miles morales ones) the super mario bros movie guardians of the galaxy (first two) tall girl (both) enola holmes (both) the kissing booth (sadly seen all) dora the explorer and the city of gold (this was lowk fire) yes day mitchells vs machines purple hearts the flintstones evan almighty legally blonde clueless mean girls to all the boys ive loved before (all) suicide squad the suicide squad captain underpants corpse bride minions despicable me (all) the help hidden figures monster high ALL MOVIES spaceballs charlie and the chocolate factory (johnny depp one) nanny mcphee (both) the devil wears prada

[yokomation-blog]

alright then let´s Get her multi res done

THEN we can Texture Willa Pandora Brown here THEN... well IDK might do a Storyboard animation for the Bambi vs Godzilla Script i did for Quoll Alone, cause fuck it if i do Get everything done i wanna get done today, tomororw was planned for the nails and shit.

[mklopez]

Coffee trying to wake me up on a Monday morning seems like it's playing the deer in that old video "Godzilla vs Bambi". #MondaysSuck

[spectaculardistractions]

Murder has, of course, always been a staple theme of the dramatist. Its mythologic exploration is cathartic, e.g., The Scottish Play, The Iliad, Crime and Punishment, and, in fact, Paths of Glory, The Ox-Bow Incident, A Place in the Sun. These are not advertisements for, but warnings against, violence. As such they are cleansing. They artistically exhibit, they reveal and acknowledge, the human capacity for evil. By so doing they strip from the viewer the burden of repression.

David Mamet, Bambi vs. Godzilla

[best-animated-short-tourney]

Choose Your Favorite!

Vote in the other polls

Where to find the shorts:

[nightwere-mojo]

4, 7, 17, and 24 for animation asks :)

4) Do you prefer watching feature length films or short films? I don't think I have a strong preference between the two, having enjoyed films on both sides. Maybe leaning towards short films simply for the ease of fitting in time, but I definitely think both have their merits, like novel vs novella in books.

7) What is the darkest piece of animation you’ve ever seen? I really had to think on this from the amount of Don Bluth and oddball animations I've run into: For my primary answer, I'll pick Paranorman (2012) for the twist that happens. If you know, you know. Two honorable mentions: -Bambi Meets Godzilla (1969) - saw this really young on my dad's VHS tapes, so even when I knew what to expect (there were several animations on one tape and I watched it through repeatedly) the impact and long droning piano note sure unnerved me! -The Brother's Grunt (1994) - this is actually Danny Antonucci's (Ed Edd n Eddy) first series. It's not really dark as much it is shocking, disgusting and gross, but it gets a mention for not only making me run out the room and hide as a kid when it came on MTV, but also triggering a panic attack when I tried to look it up again in 2009 (age 21). Needless to say I don't recommend, lol.

17) Why do you think animation is still largely seen as a “more childish” form of media compared to live action, even though there are many beloved adult animated films made throughout history?

Disclaimer that I fear the following is out my ass, and from a Western perspective for sure, but I'll take a stab:

If I took a guess I think some factors include: the overwhelming shadow of Disney and maybe like studios, American culture starting with and ingraining the idea historically, stereotypes driven by advertisements and capitalism (basically asking which segment makes the most money and aim to them, kids can't or don't have interest in live action, the target marketing zones in to kids and kiddie nature (and their families) to the detriment of mature animation which gets sidelined or even judged as "weird"…)

I think it's gotten a little better after the rise of anime in the 2000s, which I know is seen as more of a "teenager to young adult" medium. (Or at least that's how their target market). But I think it may have built somewhat of a bridge? I know Netflix was axing animations now but seeing more things like "Arcane" or "Love Death Robots" becoming more known before that happened...

24) Gush over an animated film (feature length or short) that you find highly underrated!

I worry people may have different definitions of what underrated is, especially with the internet making many older animations more accessible, but, …

The Secret of NIMH (1982)! I think this was my earliest exposure to anthro characters outside of Disney. Besides the dark and detailed aesthetic, there's a lot of glowing light effects (glowing eyes, light bulbs) that look great and really pull off the mood of the mystical places sized for small mammals, as well as the "wizardly" characters.

Also worth mentioning, The Thief and the Cobbler (60s-80s) for the masterpiece parts of mega-detail and perspective that we managed to get out of that despite being unfinished 😔 Dude, the war machines from hell. Man

Finally I want to mention: There is a series of early 3DCG animation called "The Minds Eye" (1990) (also called Short Circutz in Canada?) that I really enjoyed. There's no story, but the visuals, at least to little me at the time, were mesmerizing. My favorite is "The Temple" which I would daydream about while running around somewhere. I'll go ahead and end by embedding The Temple here:

[arlothia]

Alright, kiddies!! Time to laugh a little!

First some classics:

And then a more modern one: