I enjoyed the NYT "Sketch Pad" this weekend -- "How Not to Be the 'Dead Wife in a Movie' Trope." Though the artist doesn't name any particular movies, I believe he is thinking about Rachel Brosnahan in "The Amateur." Also: "Gladiator II." Also: "Deadpool II." The attention to detail is the artist's secret weapon. If you want to stay alive past Act I, you need to fart and be gross. ("Wouldn't it be fun to save all my toenail clippings?") Also, it helps to *ruin* any golden-hour strolls through fields of wheat. (You can do this by making a nutty comment: "I just think it's clear that Kubrick faked the moon landing....") Well done.
"Hazel's Amazing Mother" is centered on a raccoon, Hazel, who is like a new version of Little Red Ridinghood. She has cash from her mom; her goal is to find goodies for an upcoming picnic. She sets out with her doll, Eleanor, but she keeps getting waylaid. In a dark wood, Hazel encounters a nasty chipmunk--Doris, an agent of chaos. Without explanation, Doris and her minions assault the doll Eleanor. The carriage-toy gets disemboweled. Eleanor is dropped in a puddle. Through the power of filial love, Hazel is able to summon her mother. A great gust of wind carries Mom's picnic blanket-cum-airplane--carries this item way, way, way across the countryside. In the dark wood, Mom rescues Hazel. She puts Doris through a "natural-consequence" workout. ("Fix the doll. Fix the carriage.") And the picnic occurs--just as envisioned. I like Rosemary Wells's sense of freedom. She does not have to "explain" the root cause of Doris's nastiness....