People who planned to think "I'll remain calm" reacted less strongly to the spider picture than those with no plan at all, but weren't as calm as those who planned to ignore the spider.

WSJ: Resolutions: So Irresistible, So Hard to Keep

So if a pirate breaks the code on Spider-Man 2, he wouldn't necessarily be able to break the code on Elf.

FORBES: Hang the Pirates

Presumably they were wary of messing with a solid gold classic, but while "Oz" does present a wide target for critics, they shouldn't have worried: Director Sam Raimi ("The Amazing Spider-Man, " "The Evil Dead") takes care to honor the original in spirit and in style.

CNN: Review: 'Oz the Great and Powerful' is more than good enough