Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (2023)

Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse

• Animation is cinema. There’s no debate. If you think an animated movie doesn’t live up to live-action standards, then you are dead wrong. Because my gosh, this movie right here is a perfect example of why animation is so powerful. Like, my mind is absolutely shattered by how good this was. It’s about as close to perfect as it can possibly get. I also understand why it's now the highest rated movie on Letterboxd. I could write an entire novel on why this movie is so good, but I’ll try to keep this short. If you thought the first Spider-Verse movie was good, then you’re in for a real treat with this one. Not only did I enjoy it more, but I also think it was better. I really love the story, and the multiverse element continues to be amazing. Lots of people are getting tired of multiverse movies at this point, but this movie does it perfectly. It’s not confusing at all, and everything is explained with ease. Even though it’s character overload, it doesn’t lose you or get old. There are so many great faces to look at. In fact, there was an instance or two where I actually teared up because of some certain characters showing up. And speaking of characters, the voice acting was so incredible. There were some truly great performances by Shameik Moore, Hailee Steinfeld, among many others. But for me, the standout was Oscar Isaac. In fact, he did the part so well, that I was actually cheering for him over Miles as the movie went on. Also, the character design for everyone was so spot on. The soundtrack was incredible, the action was fun, and of course, the animation was flawless. It makes this movie one of the greatest animated movies of ALL TIME. Plus, the ending was awesome and it had me saying “What in the Flashpoint is this!?!?” If you know, you know. Overall, this movie was just about perfect (there were a couple scenes that felt a bit dragged out, which is why it’s at 99%). I’d HIGHLY recommend it to all animation/superhero fans. This film is officially Berry Approved, so go see it now!