Wendall and Wild (2022)

OMG I loved this on so many levels, and I am so disappointed that it did not make the cut for an Oscar nomination. There are elements of Coraline in the animation (which it turns out the animators are one and the same so that checks out) with a story that has plots within subplots and a damning verdict on the private prison industrial complex, a cast that is mostly of color, and whip smart dialogue to keep the adults in the room engaged. In a nutshell, it is a tale about scheming demon brothers Wendell (Keegan-Michael Key) and Wild (Jordan Peele) -- who enlist the aid of 13-year-old Kat Elliot -- a tough teen with a load of guilt related to the death of her parents -- to summon them to the Land of the Living. But what Kat demands in return leads to a brilliantly bizarre and comedic adventure like no other, an animated fantasy that defies the law of life and death, all told through the handmade artistry of stop motion. This is wildly imaginative and so much fun to watch as it careens to its conclusion, do not miss it.