Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on July 26th, 2007
Written by Evan Braun
Space Ghost & Dino Boy is the kind of show that seems as though it would carry with it a great deal of nostalgia. Its characters are memorable and its animation is characteristic of an era of cartooning long since gone. Unfortunately, since I missed the show’s heyday by a good 20 years, it’s impossible for me to join in on these fond memories.
To avoid uneccessary confusion, I’ll say that I certainly enjoyed the set. That having been said, it wasn’t without its problems. The stories are short and uninspired, at least by modern standards. Just about every Space Ghost segment (and I can’t think of any exceptions) ends with a deus ex machina moment in which the title character pulls himself out of a bad situation with a new ability or bit of gadgetry we were previously unfamiliar with. That, however, seems to be merely a part of the formula.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on July 26th, 2007
Written by Evan Braun
Space Ghost & Dino Boy is the kind of show that seems as though it would carry with it a great deal of nostalgia. Its characters are memorable and its animation is characteristic of an era of cartooning long since gone. Unfortunately, since I missed the show’s heyday by a good 20 years, it’s impossible for me to join in on these fond memories.
To avoid uneccessary confusion, I’ll say that I certainly enjoyed the set. That having been said, it wasn’t without its problems. The stories are short and uninspired, at least by modern standards. Just about every Space Ghost segment (and I can’t think of any exceptions) ends with a deus ex machina moment in which the title character pulls himself out of a bad situation with a new ability or bit of gadgetry we were previously unfamiliar with. That, however, seems to be merely a part of the formula.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on June 20th, 2007
I’m not sure exactly what I expected going into this film, but whatever it was, the film I saw could not have been farther from it. What Bridge to Terabithia is, is a little hard to explain. It’s certainly a children’s fantasy, but not in the style most popular today with franchises like Harry Potter and Narnia. This film is actually wonderfully understated. It centers on two children who are misfits of a sort. Like many kids they feel alien in the world around them. They are at that awkward age where they are gett...
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on April 4th, 2007
Perhaps in an all too unsubtle move, the MGM/Fox contingent has released The Pebble and the Penguin on the same day as the recently released Happy Feet. The film chronicles the quest of Hubie (Martin Short, Innerspace), a penguin who is trying to win the love of Marina (Annie Golden, Twelve Monkeys) as a mate. But Marina is also eyed by Drake (Tim Curry, Clue), and knows that Hubie must not have her, so he throws Hubie into the ocean. Hubie meets Rocko (Jim Belushi, Return to Me), who helps him stand up to Drake while winning the love of Marina.
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.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by David Annandale on January 15th, 2007
The zaniness continues in Bikini Bottom, and the series shows no sign of losing its appeal or its lunatic creativity. Wonderful little example: “Whale of a Birthday” is about Mr. Krabbs’ daughter’s sixteenth birthday. The highlight: a performance by “Boys Who Cry” singing “It’s All About You.” Perfect. There are twenty episodes here to keep your funny and whimsy bones tickled. (What, you don’t think you have a whimsy bone? Of course you do.)
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on December 16th, 2006
If there's something that bothers me about the wave of digital films for children's entertainment nowadays, it's that anyone who has a Mac and good enough software feels compelled to make a movie, no matter how much it sucks. And Disney (or Dreamworks) or another studio will put enough marketing money behind it to make anyone want to watch it.
How can you tell how good or bad it will be? Well, if it's not a Pixar film, you can generally tell by the cast that is brought in to do voice work for it. In the case of The Wild, Samson the Lion (Kiefer Sutherland, 24) lives in the New York zoo with his son Ryan (hey, that's me! But really it's Greg Cipes, John Tucker Must Die).
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on December 16th, 2006
Well as far as girl groups go, I suppose one could do worse than the Cheetah Girls. Something that is a pretty clear production of the Disney network, the only recognizable thing about the group itself is the appearance of the big-boned Raven Symone, otherwise known as the youngest Cosby kid.
And it appears that several different plot devices occur through the film. You've got the Help! or other delirious fans of young groups. Then the girls travel to what appears to be Spain after maxing out their success in the US, so they decide to go without really going, using enough exterior shots to match up with the sound stage scenes.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on October 22nd, 2006
Synopsis
As if the urge to capitalize on the spirits and success of the Pokemon children’s franchise weren’t enough, someone decided it would be best to create an American version loosely based on the addictive game, or hobby, or whatever the hell it is that makes Pokemon so popular, and at least as of this writing, heading into it’s fourth season of episodes.
The idea is easy enough to follow. A young monk in training named Omi is the leader of a group of several other young monks. Among them are...
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on June 1st, 2006
Follow Doogal and friends as they try to save their lush green world from the clutches of the evil jack-in-the-box Zeebad (Jon Stewart) in this CGI family film that completely misses the mark. Though G-Rated - and obviously of inferior intellect - the film tries to be witty and smart with a ton of stale pop culture references its target audience will not come close to grasping. Sure, the adults will get them, but once they do, the question becomes, what do we do with them? Another "Can't Touch This" MC Hammer referen...
