Where'd you get that impression? I don't recall the film addressing his sexuality at all, much less openly or directly.

Where'd you get that impression? I don't recall the film addressing his sexuality at all, much less openly or directly.

Argh, that's because it linked to the wrong Variety article. I've fixed the link; give it 10 minutes or so for the site to refresh. But nutshell version: The 3D printers enabled a bunch of new things, but one of them was lighter heads for the puppets so they weren't so bound to the "long bodies for balance, big heads…

Argh, that's because it linked to the wrong Variety article. I've fixed the link; give it 10 minutes or so for the site to refresh. But nutshell version: The 3D printers enabled a bunch of new things, but one of them was lighter heads for the puppets so they weren't so bound to the "long bodies for balance, big heads…

It's a fairly significant role, but there are a lot of people in the cast; can't hit 'em all.

It's a fairly significant role, but there are a lot of people in the cast; can't hit 'em all.

The zombie stuff gets played for laughs pretty quickly, but the final setpiece is legitimately scary. Also beautifully animated. It isn't gory or graphic, though. Its suitability really depends on your kids.

The zombie stuff gets played for laughs pretty quickly, but the final setpiece is legitimately scary. Also beautifully animated. It isn't gory or graphic, though. Its suitability really depends on your kids.

Or maybe it just wasn't properly finished. I read that one for the first time while prepping for this, and I thought it felt pretty rushed and badly constructed, like the skeleton of an idea he didn't have time or energy to refine.

Or maybe it just wasn't properly finished. I read that one for the first time while prepping for this, and I thought it felt pretty rushed and badly constructed, like the skeleton of an idea he didn't have time or energy to refine.

@avclub-a4a9c56bbf6cae0bf06d5e98b23b3b70:disqus Can't say I've ever encountered that kind of description in a YA book written in the last 20 years. It was considered pretty scandalous back when Judy Blume acknowledged masturbation at all in a book for young readers; no surprise she was circumspect and vague. But have…

@avclub-a4a9c56bbf6cae0bf06d5e98b23b3b70:disqus Can't say I've ever encountered that kind of description in a YA book written in the last 20 years. It was considered pretty scandalous back when Judy Blume acknowledged masturbation at all in a book for young readers; no surprise she was circumspect and vague. But have…

"Cormier as YA Cormac McCarthy"

"Cormier as YA Cormac McCarthy"

"Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret" is pretty non-frank about the title character's "special feeling" she gets when she touches herself in the bath. Really, most YA is pretty non-frank about sex.

"Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret" is pretty non-frank about the title character's "special feeling" she gets when she touches herself in the bath. Really, most YA is pretty non-frank about sex.

I remember having the same reaction to "After The First Death." More or less a "But… books don't DO that!" My reaction to "Chocolate War" wasn't nearly as strong; I remember not being very impressed with it when I was young. But I re-read those two and a bunch of other Cormier books for this column, and I was shocked…

I remember having the same reaction to "After The First Death." More or less a "But… books don't DO that!" My reaction to "Chocolate War" wasn't nearly as strong; I remember not being very impressed with it when I was young. But I re-read those two and a bunch of other Cormier books for this column, and I was shocked…

I remember having the same reaction to "After The First Death." More or less a "But… books don't DO that!" My reaction to "Chocolate War" wasn't nearly as strong; I remember not being very impressed with it when I was young. But I re-read those two and a bunch of other Cormier books for this column, and I was shocked…

Oh, I tend to disagree on that one. Much of what I like about speculative fiction is the building of an entirely new world, and it's hard to do that AND construct an actual storyline in a short space. If the world is interesting, I'd rather see an entire novel elaborating on it.