Posted in: Disc Reviews by Michael Durr on April 28th, 2007
Synopsis
When I heard about Loonatics Unleashed the cartoon show, I like many heard it from the web critics. "We can't stand it", "It's ruining the image of the Looney Tunes", or just simply "It sucks" were their cries. However, what I also found interesting in my research is that these comments mostly came before the show even aired. So, the web critics sport superhero abilities I see. They should be villains on this show. Anyhow, needless to say I was a little worried when I saw it at t...e end of my review queue. But what I did find was a little gem of a cartoon show.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Michael Durr on April 16th, 2007
Synopsis
When the original Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles series came out on DVD, they decided to go the 12 episodes on one disk Volume approach. Sure it was only $10, but when you are looking at near 200 episodes and realized that it would 16+ volumes to make it complete, it was a bit overwhelming. Add that to the fact they were only releasing a new volume every 4-6 months, you were looking at well over 5 years to get all of the episodes. Plus some major shelf space. Thank ...goodness after 6 volumes, they finally realized their error (took them long enough) and released Season 4 in one nice gulp. All 40 episodes spread over 5 discs. Less compression and a higher production value all around.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by David Annandale on April 13th, 2007
Synopsis
This is a collection of eight SpongeBob cartoons, generally (but not exclusively) focussed in and around the Krabby Patty. The title story, which is a two-parter, explores the Krabs and Plankton’s shared tragic history, and what led to their endless rivalry. The level of hilarity remains as high as ever (including some extremely squirm-inducing moments in “Fungus Among Us”), but I can’t help but feel that this is a bit too naked a money grab, given that everything here will wind up in one se...son box set or another.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on April 11th, 2007
It seems unbelievable to me that Scooby Doo was just on for three seasons. Undoubtedly there were individual cartoon tie-ins created all along the way, and there are new episodes being created even today. No, I’m talking about the original classic program. Just three short seasons were produced, the final one of which is now available on DVD.
What is there to say about this series, these cartoons that were such an integral part of my childhood? You would have to be living in the mountain caves of Afgha...istan to not know about Shaggy, Daphne, Velma and the rest of the Scooby Gang, riding around in the Mystery Machine solving crimes and debunking ghost myths. Each episode was an island unto itself, without any plot points that carried over from episode to episode. In fact, it was actually helpful if you didn’t remember what was going on the last time you saw the show, since every episode was pretty much the same. There is a guy that is secretly doing something bad for personal gain, Daphne Fred and Velma investigate and compile clues, and Scooby and Fred accidentally solve the crime. The funny thing is, he “would have gotten away with it, too, if it weren’t for you meddling kids.” The perpetrator is turned over to the police, the dog eats some snacks, and everybody piles into the van to go find another mystery.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Michael Durr on April 8th, 2007
Synopsis
As a kid, I read Garfield on a daily basis. I collected the little books they would put out every so often (still have most of them). The cartoon show, Garfield & Friends; I always found funny & I even went to the first movie though I found it a little puzzling (like why would you animate Garfield but have a real live Odie, doesn't make much sense). In my head, I had even teased the idea of owning the Volume sets of Garfield & Friends. So when this title came across my desk, I wa... a little interested to say the least.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on April 5th, 2007
This winner of the Oscar for best animated feature of 2006 is one fantastic movie.
Happy Feet is the story of Mumble, a teenager who - thanks to his daddy dropping him early on in life - is mildly physically challenged. You see, Mumble can't sing like other Americans - he can only dance. As a result, he has never fit in with his people. When he accidentally crosses the border into Mexico, his disability and greater height over the small, energetic Mexicans earn him a sort of respect. With his newfoun... friends, the teen heads back to the U.S. to trick the girl he loves into believing he's no longer challenged, Cyrano De Bergerac-style. While she admits she'd be happy if it were true, she quickly exposes his lie. Fortunately, Mumble owns up to it and goes back to being himself, with gusto.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on March 16th, 2007
I can't say I'm too familiar with The Last Unicorn, I mean overall, animated children's films were in the midst of a decline in the '80s. However my wife was more than familiar with it and enjoyed it a lot growing up. And Lion's Gate has presumably cleaned up the film and thrown some extras on it just in time for the film's 25th anniversary.
Based on a novel by Peter Beagle and directed by the animation team of Jules Bass and Arthur Rankin (who helped produced such shows as the stop motion of Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer and The Hobbit animated version back in the '60s and '70s), the unicorn in question is named, well, Unicorn (voiced by Mia Farrow, The Omen), who walks around rather peacefully in the countryside. She is captured by a witch and is released by her assistant named Schmendrick (Alan Arkin, Little Miss Sunshine). So when Schmendrick and Unicorn are threatened by an ominous red bull, he turns her into a mortal named Amalthea, who finds love by Prince Lir (Jeff Bridges, Tron) and finds out why she was the last unicorn from King Haggard (Christopher Lee, The Lord of the Rings).
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on March 8th, 2007
Season 9 was about the most exciting year South Park had. Living in Florida, I was likely more tired of the Terry Schiavo situation than most, but watching Best Friends Forever was one of the best parodies the team has come up with. What was most impressive is that it was on the air while the actual event was still ongoing. One of the benefits of doing a show like South Park. When the boys aimed their guns at Scientology they ruffled more than a few feathers. It was rumored that Tom Cruise had led a fight to attempt to stop the hilarious Trapped In The Closet episode from airing. More important to South Park fans was the outburst of Isaac Hayes who decided it was going too far to make fun of a person's sacred beliefs. Where was his indignation over eight years of piling on Christians, Jews, and pretty much every other religion ever known? Suddenly developing a conscience, Hayes vocally departed the show and South Park Elementary lost its Chef. I guess no more Salisbury steak and mashed potatoes. The Losing Edge has always been one of my favorites. Any kid forced into summer activities intended to make the parents feel better about leaving their kids alone will appreciate this one.Year 9 also found Parker and Stone finished with yet another box office bomb. This time it was Team America. The film's failure meant more full time spent on South Park. The bomb likely also sharpened their bitter wit a bit. There's no question they took no prisoners in season 9.
Video
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on February 15th, 2007
Two lab mice, one world to conquer. When the ACME Labs shut down each night, Pinky and the Brain set out for world domination, armed only with Brain's genetically enhanced, um, brain, and Pinky's good-natured insanity.
We have here 22 episodes of this high quality animated series, picking up near the end of season two - where the vol. 1 release left off - and continuing in broadcast order to about the mid-point of season three.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by David Annandale on January 18th, 2007
This is the second volume of Pluto cartoons, here going from 1947 to the end of the series in 1951. The neat thing about these themed collections in the Wald Disney Treasures series is that they highlight particular strengths in Disney’s animation. Thus, if the Silly Symphonies sets focus on the marriage of movement with music, the Pluto cartoons are wonders of pantomime, since the central character doesn’t speak. Pluto is not a jot less communicative for not using words, however, and the sight gags involved in some of his facial expressions (such as when wearing the unwanted “Pluto’s Sweater”) are priceless. Pluto’s frequent sidekick Figaro the cat has the spotlight to himself in three bonus cartoons.
Audio
