This fall, after everyone has watched
World of Wakanda once or twice, Disney is releasing their animated science-fiction adventure film STRANGE WORLD. This is Disney’s first animated feature since Encanto’s runaway success last year, opening the door for another pop culture moment and sleeper hit. Jake Gyllenhaal lends his voice to Searcher Clade, the son of a steadfast explorer. The original action-adventure journeys deep into an uncharted and treacherous land where fantastical creatures await the legendary Clades, a family of explorers whose differences threaten to topple their latest—and by far— most crucial mission.
What seems special to me about this movie is its embrace of the aesthetics of retro 1950s-era science fiction and pulp designs, something I’ve always been a fan of watching. The character and ship designs feel reminiscent of past homages like
The Iron Giant or
Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow, not to mention their even earlier pulp and Cold War-era sci-fi forebears. The creature designs also seem to stand out, far different than your typical fantasy/alien fare you’ve seen a lot of lately, instead the creatures in this film seem inspired by aquatic and early primordial life. Put together, it gives the feeling that you’re watching a movie that feels at once both very new and highly familiar. As if you’re watching a movie based on a theme park ride that Walt Disney never fully finished.
Please take a look at the below titles and get ready to travel somewhere new this November!
