Showing posts with label animated. Show all posts
Showing posts with label animated. Show all posts

Friday, February 8, 2013

Planet Hulk (Two Disc Special Edition) (2010) Review

Planet Hulk  (Two Disc Special Edition) (2010)
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As all of you fans of the Hulk know, this is the animated adaptation of the popular comic book series. Now, I would like to begin, that they made a lot of changes in this adaptation. Some are good, while others I don't care for, but this is still a great animated action film. The demise of the Red King is something that I like better here than in the comics.
Sadly, just to inform you, the Silver Surfer has been replaced by Beta Ray Bill!!! But don't blame Marvel, blame FOX STUDIOS!!! One thing this movie has though is a lot of action and a fast paced storyline. It is without a doubt the best Marvel animated film so far. It keeps a similar theme to its comic counterpart, and it still keeps the viewers entertained.
The voice cast is just great, and they suit each others characters perfectly. While I must admit, I still prefer the comic over the animated film. I'm a big Hulk fan, and the way I look at it, if it isn't broke, don't try fixing it. I just wished they would have made it exactly like the comic, but I'm not complaining, for I really like this film.
What intrests me is if there is a World War Hulk, his wife Caiera may be coming along for the ride! I would love to see a WWH animated film! Just to see Stark, Richards, and all of the Marvel Universe being beaten almost to death!!! It gives a whole new meaning to the words... HULK SMASH!!!!
This two disc set contains these special features:
- A Whole World of Hurt: The Making of Planet Hulk
- Let the Smashing Commence! The Saga of Planet Hulk
- Opening Sequence: Thor Tales Of Asgard
- Wolverine vs. Hulk Episode from the popular series Wolverine and the X-Men
- Spider-Woman: Agent of Sword Motion Comic
- Astonishing X-Men: Gifted Motion Comic
- Watch Your Step: Spider-Woman Music Video
- Rise Up: Astonishing X-Men Music Video
PLOT
- When the Hulk becomes too dangerous for the Earth, the Illuminati trick Hulk into a shuttle and launch him into space to a planet where the Hulk can live in peace. Unfortunately, the Hulk's struggle to escape makes a malfunction in the shuttle causing Hulk to land on the planet Sakaar where he is sold into slavery and trained as a gladiator. With the aid of fellow gladiators Hiroim, Korg, Miek, and Elloe Kaifi, the Hulk forms the Warbound in a plot to overthrow the Red King.
VOICE CAST
- Rick D. Wasserman - Hulk
- Lisa Ann Beley - Caiera
- Mark Hildreth - Red King
- Liam O'Brien - Hiroim
- Kevin Michael Richardson - Korg
- Samuel Vincent - Miek
- Advah Soudack - Elloe Kaifi
- Michael Kopsa - Lavin Skee
- Marc Worden - Iron Man
While I did not care for the changes they have made to this animated adaptation, it didn't ruin it for me. The story is fresh and the action is some of the best I have ever witnessed in animation. Some fans will dislike the change (well more like they will hate it), others fan or non fans will be sure to enjoy this great animated film.
My advice, buy this film. It's a good adaptation, and it is sure to please those who like great fights and a good story. It's worth the price of $17.49, and you will not be displeased. While it may not be as spectacular as its comic book counterpart, it is still great in its own way.

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A whole new world of hurt! He was a monster, impossible to control, too dangerous to ignore. So Earth’s mightiest heroes exiled him into outer space. But now THE INCREDIBLE HULK crash-lands on the distant planet SAKAAR, ruled by the tyrannical RED KING. Sold into slavery, the Hulk becomes the planet’s mightiest gladiator—but his new masters get more than they bargained for when he forges a bond of brotherhood with his fellow fighters: crafty insectoid Miek, ruthless rock-man Korg, ex-shadow pirest Hiroim, and the noble-born rebel Elloe. Unlike Earth, the desperate people of Sakaar believe a monster is just what they need. But will the Hulk be the one to save their world…or destroy it?

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Thursday, December 27, 2012

Batman - The Animated Series - The Legend Begins (1992) Review

Batman - The Animated Series - The Legend Begins (1992)
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It's about time that Warner Brothers finally responded to the years of demand by the fans to release the amazing "Batman: The Animated Series" on DVD. What we've finally gotten is a mixed bag, however. I'm happy to see this first disc of episodes in chronological order (rather than the ridiculous themed releases like what we got on VHS), and hopefully Warner will continue to release the entire series in order and complete; but more episodes on the disc would have been nice! What we get here on this release called "Batman: The Legend Begins" is the first five episodes of the animated series -- based on production order, not airdate order -- (1) "On Leather Wings", (2) "Christmas with the Joker", (3) "Nothing to Fear", (4) "The Last Laugh", and (5) "Pretty Poison". Respectively, these episodes are the spectacular pilot with Man-Bat, a lighthearted Joker story, a pretty good Scarecrow story, another (slightly better) Joker story and the origin story of Poison Ivy. A pretty good introduction to the series, but the best was yet to come! As far as extras go, there isn't much. An introduction by Bruce Timm, a few webgames and CD-ROM links, and a brief documentary. (Where are the commentaries, pre-production drawings, artwork slideshows, and extended documentaries?) ... ... Now, if you've never seen the series you are in for a treat! "Batman: The Animated Series" premiered on television way back on Sep. 5th, 1992 with the episode "The Cat & The Claw, part 1" (not included on this first disc), about three months after the live-action "Batman Returns" had come out. The animated series (unlike the mediocre movies) met with almost universal acclaim. Boistered by fabulous writing from the likes of Paul Dini, Alan Burnett, Michael Reaves and many others, as well as solid voice talent like Mark Hamill (wonderful as the Joker) and Kevin Conroy (this guy IS Batman), the series also intoduced such wonderful characters as Harley Quinn and improved versions of nearly ever Batman rogues gallery villian. In my humble opinion, the animated series is the definitive Batman, better than any of the comic books or movies... absolutely nailing the characterizations of Batman/Bruce Wayne himself, as well as his relationships with police commissioner Gordon, Robin/Dick Grayson and best of all Alfred. The series transcends its origins as a "kids cartoon" to being one of the greatest and most adult animated series ever produced. (In a recent poll, it ended second only to "The Simpsons" as the greatest cartoon series ever.) ... At a rate of only five episodes per disc, it will take twenty-two discs to release the entire series of 109 episodes, and that doesn't even count the 50+ episodes of "Batman Beyond" or the 54 episodes of the "Superman" animated series; these series have not yet been announced, but we can only hope... right, Warner Bros?

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In the original five episodes of the Emmy-winning Batman The Animated Series, Batman must battle The Joker, The Scarecrow, Poison Ivy and more to protect Gotham City.

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Tuesday, December 25, 2012

Batman & Mr. Freeze - SubZero (1998) Review

Batman and Mr. Freeze - SubZero (1998)
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In my humble corner of the universe, the creator/producer behind the BATMAN: THE ANIMATED SERIES has masterminded the only storytelling -- big and small screen -- to hit the "nail on the head" with its portrayal of Batman, Robin, and the whole Rogues Gallery of criminals. The animation is brisk, the tales are even swifter, and the conclusions typically pack an emotional wallop not commonly associated with animation.
SUBZERO isn't 'substandard' Bat-telling fare by any stretch of the imagination. The tale -- Mr. Freeze once again is up to trying to save the life of his beloved wife, Nora, in suspended animation, and it just so happens that Barbara Gordon (aka Batgirl) has the proper DNA to make it possible -- is intelligent, insightful, and captivating. The events happen quickly, and the action-packed ending puts everything in the budget up on the screen.
In fact, if SUBZERO has any shortcomings, it might be that the intended blending of traditional animation with CGI isn't as seamless as the producers might've wanted it to be. There are whole sequences that stand out because of the contrast, but, in the end, they do little to detract from the story.
SUBZERO briefly explores the tragic nature of Mr. Freeze, a reluctant supervillain forced to do what he does out of the attempts to save his wife's life. This is the beauty of the animated Batman venues; the characters -- especially the villains -- are just as flawed as Bats himself.

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This breathtaking adventure explodes into animated action when the villainous Mr. Freeze kidnaps Batgirl. Now, racing the clock, Batman and Robin face off against Mr. Freeze in the iciest showdown of the century.DVD Features:Challenges:The Hunt for Mr. Freeze gameFilmographies:Cast and crew informationOther:Get the Picture: How To Draw Batman; music montageScene AccessTheatrical Trailer:Trailers


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Saturday, December 1, 2012

Fantastic Four - The Complete Animated Series (1994) Review

Fantastic Four - The Complete Animated Series (1994)
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This series lasted for two seasons, from 1994 to 1996, for a total of 26 episodes. The first season was quite forgettable, both in terms of story content and animation quality. In one of the few instances of an animated series being retooled in the middle of its run, the second season saw the show rebuilt almost from the ground up, with the only similarity being the voice cast (although Brian Austin Green was replaced by Quinton Flynn as the Human Torch). The animation was first rate, and stories were often taken directly from the comics work of Stan Lee & Jack Kirby and John Byrne. Of special note, the first episode of the season, "And a Blind Man Shall Lead Them," guest-stars Daredevil. Later episodes in year 2 guest-starred Ghost Rider, The Mighty Thor, and even The Incredible Hulk. The season finale is another Lee/Kirby adaptation and features the Silver Surfer. Bottom line, the sublime grandeur of the latter thirteen episodes of this set makes it worth every cent. Not to be missed by any true Fanatic of the Fantastic.

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It's here--the longest-running Marvel series in history arrives for the first time on DVD in this spectacular four-disc set, featuring all 26 episodes of the heralded 1990's animated series. Learn the origin of the Fantastic Four, and be there as Mr. Fantastic, The Invisible Woman, Human Torch, and The Thing save the world from the dastardly Doctor Doom and his legion of villains. Now you can relive every action-packed episode, complete with exclusive introductions by Stan Lee. It's a fantastic DVD collection you'll want to experience over and over again.

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Sunday, October 21, 2012

Justice League Unlimited - Season Two (DC Comics Classic Collection) (2001) Review

Justice League Unlimited - Season Two (DC Comics Classic Collection) (2001)
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Several SPOILERS here.
Well, the ride had to end sometime. JUSTICE LEAGUE UNLIMITED: THE COMPLETE SECOND SEASON is the culminating season to this excellent animated series and serves to put a capper on the DC Animated Universe, which consists of BATMAN: T.A.S., SUPERMAN: T.A.S., BATMAN BEYOND, STATIC SHOCK, and ZETA PROJECT. While the current THE BATMAN and LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES continue the tradition somewhat, these new shows do not follow the same continuity.
This "second" season is, technically, the third season of JLU (or, even more comprehensively, the fifth season of JUSTICE LEAGUE) as JLU's "first" season dvd set actually contains Seasons 1 and 2. Hopefully, that wasn't too confusing to follow. Anyway, this dvd set offers the final 13 episodes in glorious wide screen and continues to showcase lesser lights from its expanded superhero roster (Hawkman in two episodes, the Warlord, Deadman, Green Arrow, the Huntress, etc.) as they are teamed up with several of the original seven founders.
Several episodes pay homage to CHALLENGE OF THE SUPERFRIENDS by updating the Legion of Doom, a haphazard collection of supervillains put together to combat the JLU, which then becomes the season's major story arc. Yes, there's even a Hall of Doom here. And, when we aren't privy to Gorilla Grodd and Lex Luthor engaging in power plays as they vie for the leadership of the Legion, we get to see highly diverting, self-contained episodes such as "Chaos at the Earth's Core" (I used to collect the Warlord), "Flash and Substance" (featuring a Bats/Flash team-up), "Patriot Act" (which salutes the Seven Soldiers of Victory and, in a way, resuscitates the defunct Cadmus Project), and "Far from Home" (on her 21st birthday, Supergirl, with GL and Green Arrow are transported to the 31st Century and meet the Legion of Super-Heroes).
Meanwhile, the superb "The Great Brain Robbery" (which has Luthor and Wally swapping minds) is a favorite Legion of Doom episode of mine. The Legion of Doom storyline, by the way, climaxes with the last two episodes, "Alive" and "Destroyer," as the writers throw out all the stops and bring back powerhouse villains Brainiac and Darkseid. By the way, the monumental clash between Superman and Darkseid is a must-see.
In my opinion, there isn't a lot of bad moments in this season (or in the entire series, come to think of it). Like a reviewer already mentioned, the disappearance of the Martian Manhunter for a significant portion of the season and the somewhat inconclusive resolution to Shayera and GL's often turbulent relationship are two which fall more in the negative category. And whatever happened with Batman and Wonder Woman's flirtations? Also, I wish the Blue Devil or Blue Beetle had been featured in a show (after all, Ted Kord's best bud, Booster Gold, starred in his own episode). On the positive side, the stories and the animation continue to be amazing. The stellar voice actors maintain their high quality work as they consistently add depth and resonance to their characters. Much as the Batman, as voiced by the iconic Kevin Conroy, and the Joker, by the versatile Mark Hamill, have been firmly embedded in my brain, so, too, now, are Michael Rosenbaum's Flash, Phil LaMarr's Jon Stewart, Maria Canal's Hawkgirl, Carl Lumbly's J'onn J'onzz, Susan Eisenberg's Wonder Woman, and Clancy Brown's Lex Luthor. George Newbern ends up being pretty good as the Man of Steel, but I still prefer Tim Daly. Sorry.
What started out, innocently enough, in 1992's definitive BATMAN: THE ANIMATED SERIES has, over the course of 14 years, expanded into an animated universe in which so many significant DC costumed players have made an appearance. It's been such a sweet ride. I just want to state that never in my wildest dreams did I expect the JUSTICE LEAGUE (UNLIMITED) to be this good and this addictive. Thinking back, I probably was basing my expectations on the fun but ultimately shallow and juvenile Hanna-Barbera's SUPERFRIENDS. This current reincarnation offers so much more in terms of depth, emotion, story, scope, and creativity. The characters in JL and JLU are multi-layered, have inter-personal exchanges and conflicts, and do change and grow like real people (Hawkgirl being a prime example); the writers (Paul Dini, Bruce Timm, etc.) did such a fantastic job of making the viewers care for their product, the sum of 91 sincerely produced episodes. I'll miss the Justice League on television very, very much. Just thank goodness for dvds, huh?

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JUSTICE LEAGUE UNLIMITED:SECOND SEASO - DVD Movie

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Wednesday, September 19, 2012

Green Lantern: First Flight (Two-Disc Special Edition) (2009) Review

Green Lantern: First Flight (Two-Disc Special Edition) (2009)
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Green Lantern: First Flight is an awesome film. It doesn't waste a lot of time on the origin (which takes place in the first few minutes) and heads straight to the action. Some people might see this as detrimental, but I like how the DC animated projects a lot of the time will just assume that you know the basics of what is going on. It saves a lot of time and allows the movie to start getting to the point.
First off, I was surprised at how brutal some of the violence was for this cartoon. I know that these releases are not necessarily tailor-made for children, but this is no JLU episode. People are impaled, shot, torn through walls into the vacuum of space, and there is pretty much non-stop fighting through most of the 120 minutes. I don't have any problem with that, but it might not be to everyone's liking.
Plot-wise, it's not Shakespeare, but we are talking about an action cartoon here. There is a hero, a villain and lots of cool use of the Green Lantern rings. Those were the only prerequisites I was looking for going in to this thing, and I was not disappointed.
The voice cast did a great job as well. If there is one thing that DC always does right, it is casting their voices. Michael Madsen as Kilowog was my personal favorite. Too bad he didn't have more voice time.
This might possibly be my favorite DVD project of theirs, which is saying a lot considering the fantastic Wonder Woman, New Frontier, and Gotham Knight DVD films. I sincerely hope they continue putting out quality releases like this one.

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GREEN LANTERN:FIRST FLIGHT - DVD Movie

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Monday, September 17, 2012

The Invincible Iron Man (2007) Review

The Invincible Iron Man (2007)
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You can disregard the other customer reviews as they are just people rating their inability to purchase the product they wanted. If you couldn't read the product information page far enough to see that this was a Marvel animated movie and not the live action movie starring Robert Downey Jr that is your own problem. Please don't write negative reviews of something that have nothing to do with the actual product. That is dishonest and doesn't help your fellow online shoppers.
That being said if you like Marvel's other animated movies (The Avengers, The Avengers 2, Dr. Strange etc...) then you will like this movie. The animation is top notch and the voice work is decent. It is a well done Iron Man origin story and I hope to see more animated movies in Marvel's future.

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Past and present collide in this epic adventure that reveals the origin of Iron Man. While raising the ruins of a long buried Chinese kingdom, billionaire inventor Tony Stark digs up far more than he bargained for. He unleashes an age-old prophecy that foretells the resurrection of the Mandarin, the emperor of China's darkest and most violent dynasty. In order to confront the destructive force, Tony creates an armored suit infused with high-tech weaponry. To stop the evil that he himself has raised form the earth, Tony must become his greatest invention everâ€"Iron Man! The newly born champion must travel to the four corners of the earth to battle the Mandarin's henchmen, the Elementalsâ€"four magical warriors who harness the power of the elementsâ€"earth, water, wind, and fireâ€"with deadly chemistry. But is the Iron Knight, as he his known in the prophecy, strong enough to defy fate and turn back the malevolent forces hell-bent on earth's destruction?

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Wednesday, August 29, 2012

Batman Gotham Knight (Two-Disc Special Edition) (2008) Review

Batman Gotham Knight (Two-Disc Special Edition) (2008)
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*This does contain some minor spoilers. I tried not to spoil too much.*
Batman: Gotham Knight is advertised as the missing link between Batman Begins and The Dark Knight. There are six stories in total. Each story is by different artists, but they all link together and flow together nicely.
The first story is called, "Have I got a story for you," and involves a boy waiting for his friends to arrive. Once they do, each one of them tells a story about what they saw today and they all saw Batman. Each story is farfetched in its own way as this story capitalizes on teenagers stretching the truth and/or having overactive imaginations. It seems their day isn't finished though as the fight they all witnessed makes its way to that very skate park.
"Crossfire" is the story of Chris and Anna being apart of Lieutenant Gordon's MCU (Major Crime Unit). Chris thinks Batman is a vigilante that takes the law into his own hands while Anna is still unsure about him and is just thankful that good cops that know how to do their job are actually being respected now that Batman has shown up. After taking a recent Arkham escapee back to the asylum, they soon realize they're stuck in the middle of a gang war between Sal Maroni and The Russian.
"Field Test" begins with Lucius Fox showing Bruce Wayne some new gadgets. Amongst them is a harness equipped with an electromagnetic pulse strong enough to deflect bullets. Batman decides to test it out with Maroni, The Russian, and his goons. Everything is going Batman's way until a certain...glitch...happens.
"In Darkness Dwells" has everyone looking for a monster. Killer Croc, to be exact. Apparently, he was the former patient of a certain Johnathan Crane. Coincidentally, one of the reasons he was admitted to Dr. Crane was for his fear of bats. Go figure.
Batman is injured on what seems like any other night he puts on his mask in "Working Through Pain." We're basically shown how tenacious he really is as he struggles with his injuries. We're also shown a few flashbacks of his past and soon learn the difference between exterior and interior pain. There's a way to put pain in its place and this is how Bruce Wayne found out how.
"Deadshot" has come back to Gotham and has set his sights on Jim Gordon, but it looks like he has ulterior motives. Bruce Wayne also gives his views on guns.
Gotham Knight is superb. There's really no other way to describe it. I had my doubts about it, but I think those were blown away during the first few minutes of the film. The animation is fantastic. Everything moves crisply and smoothly. It just seems to flow. And let me just say that it's amazing to hear Kevin Conroy as the voice of Batman again. It's like a homecoming in so many ways.
The biggest question you may be asking yourself is how can all the stories actually flow together since they're all done by different artists. The truth is that other than the artistic style changing, you don't really notice anything. The voice cast stays the same throughout the entire film and while each individual story has its own story to tell, they're all connected in some way and flow together nicely.
Gotham Knight is a feature that shouldn't be missed by anybody. Whether you're an anime fan, a Batman fan, or you're just looking for something new to catch your eye, I'd recommend Gotham Knight to anyone and everyone. The animation is beautiful and has a real crisp flow to it while the stories are written incredibly well and will keep you interested. The voice cast is also something worth mentioning. Other than seeing Kevin Conroy come back as Batman, the rest of the cast does a great job as well. My one complaint is that it doesn't really bridge the gap between anything. However, it doesn't really seem to bridge the gap between anything and is just an excellent stand alone animated feature.

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Acclaimed screenwriters including David Goyer (Batman Begins), Josh Olson (A History of Violence) and Alan Burnett (Batman The Animated Series) join forces with revered animation filmmakers on six spellbinding chapters chronicling Batman’s transition from novice crimefighter to Dark Knight. These globe-spanning adventures pit Batman against the fearsome Scarecrow, the freakish Killer Croc and the unerring marksman Deadshot. Using an arsenal of high-tech gadgetry from Wayne Industries, Batman’s ethical boundaries exist only where he chooses to place them, leaving some fearful of his power. The sharp storytelling, complemented by stylish art from some of the world’s most visionary animators, masterfully depicts the blurred lines of Batman as man, myth and legend.

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Sunday, July 29, 2012

Spider-Man - The Return of the Green Goblin (Animated Series) (1994) Review

Spider-Man - The Return of the Green Goblin (Animated Series) (1994)
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Buena Vista has released another DVD that compiles the 90's animated Spider-Man series, this time to coincide with the DVD of the theaterical feature. While there are many negatives to this release, the overall package is one that fans will want to snag along with the movie.
I'm still baffled as to why the episodes are being packaged this way. The series consisted of many story arcs that ran through multiple seasons, and should not be chopped up and grouped like this. In fact, one episode here doesn't feature the Goblins as prominent villains, and another omits them entirely. Their inclusion on this disc is to help tie up the loose ends of the story, but since the title of this disc is "The Return of the Green Goblin", they seem out of place.
However, it's nice to see that even if Buena Vista is releasing compilations, the episodes are all in sequence. This ensures a bit of continuity should the rest of the series be eventually released. There are also some pretty cool extras, including a fifth episode (even though it's out of order), another episode of the classic 1967 series, interviews with Stan Lee, and a mini game that's actually fun to play; my friend and I learned some things from the mini game about Spider-Man that we never knew before. Plus, unlike the "Ultimate Villain Showdown", the episodes on this disc are some of the high-points of the series and should not be missed.
Plans have already been made to release another DVD featuring the Spider-Man/Daredevil team-up episodes to coincide with the movie when it arrives next year. This is good reassurance that more episodes will be released, and an incentive to buy this DVD. While the compilation format is dubious, the overall quality of the episodes along with the good extras and cheap price means that no Spidey fan should pass this disc up.

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It's double the action, double the thrills and double the Goblins as Spider-Man is unmasked and tangled in a web of treachery in Spider-Man: The Return Of The Green Goblin.The Webslinger faces the ultimate challenge when his arch-nemesis discovers his identity and kidnaps his one true love, Mary Jane Watson.The stakes have never been higher as the dreaded Green Goblin tries to take control of the city and bring Spider-Man to his knees. The action gets even hotter when Kingpin and the Hobgoblin join forces in an all-out war with America's greatest crime fighter.It's a world of high-flying excitement you won't want to miss.

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Friday, July 13, 2012

The Complete Superman Cartoons - Diamond Anniversary Edition (1941) Review

The Complete Superman Cartoons - Diamond Anniversary Edition (1941)
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Produced during 1941-42, the classic Superman cartoons of Max and Dave Fleischer remain among the finest works in animation history. Unfortunately, their public-domain status has resulted in several DVD compilations of variable quality. Bosko's "Diamond Anniversary Edition" is the best Superman disc available. All 17 cartoons are uncut and presented in the order of their original theatrical release. However, it should be noted that the Fleischers were responsible for the first 10 Superman cartoons (including "Japoteurs"), with the remaining shorts produced by Famous Studios during 1942-43. Despite a few memorable efforts, such as "Jungle Drums" and "The Underground World," the Famous animators were unable to duplicate the Fleischer magic. Since the cartoons were expensive to produce, it was no surprise that Paramount and DC Comics agreed to end the series after two years. Still, the best Superman shorts - "The Mechanical Monsters" (1941) and "The Bulleteers" (1942) - are mini-masterpieces that evoke the comic-book spirit better than any live-action film. The print quality of Bosko's Superman disc is excellent, even though a first-generation master of "Terror on the Midway" has yet to surface.

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THE MAN OF STEEL IS BACK! When America's favorite superhero flies back into theaters this summer, you can catch the original animated adventures on DVD with the complete 1941-1943 Paramount Superman cartoon classics! Legendary animation innovators Max & Dave Fleischer were the first to bring Superman to theater screens, only four years after the comic book hero's debut. Capturing the comic book spirit better than any live action film with the stunning early art-deco look of the original Superman/Action Comics era and a film noir feel, these stylish adventures proved so powerful that they influenced every Superman production afterward. Now restored to their best possible quality, these 17 animation masterpieces are presented in superbly clear quality! FEATURING:Superman (Pilot) Mechanical Monsters Billion Dollar Limited The Arctic Giant The Bulleteers The Magnetic Telescope Electric Earthquake Volcano Terror on the Midway Japoteurs Showdown Eleventh Hour Destruction Inc. Mummy Strikes Jungle Drums The Underground World Secret Agent

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Saturday, June 23, 2012

Spider-Man - The '67 Collection (6 Volume Animated Set) (1967) Review

Spider-Man - The '67 Collection (6 Volume Animated Set) (1967)
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Like most of us who grew up watching this series, either in it's original first run on TV from 1967-70 or later in syndication, it left an indelible impact. Remember, this was the very first time Spider-Man had ever been made into a cartoon, and so the idea of actually getting to see him swinging from building to building instead of just looking at freeze-frame shots in a comic strip was really a big deal.
The first season of episodes (20 shows, 38 individual stories total), I think, are still the most remembered and most cherished of the series, with Spidey taking on famous villains like The Green Goblin, Dr. Octopus, Electro, The Vulture, ect. While the later seasons, which were exec. produced, directed, as well as story supervised by Ralph "Lord of The Rings - The Animated Motion Picture" Bakshi, are a mixed bag of strange trippy imagery, with some plot points in them that just make you scratch your head in bewilderment. There are some gems in there though. Besides the "Origin" Episode (#21), which is definitely a standout, other highlights by Bakshi include, "Home" (#34), a story about a woman who also has spider powers (no, it's not Spider-Woman), "Criminals In The Clouds" (#24) which involves the kidnapping of a high school student by the villainous Sky Master, "The Madness of Mysterio" (#48), a rare original Season Three episode involving the famous villain, only looking completely different and having green skin. And speaking of green skin, what was Bakshi's fetish with green skinned villains anyway? Just about all of them were green with a few exceptions. And the irony is that he never once used The Green Goblin in any of his episodes.
Most of the last season was just a rehash of earlier episodes, remixed and redubbed to seem like new episodes. I guess when you're given no money to work with, you try to be as creative as you possibly can, and Bakshi did his best, like taking the mad scientist from the "Swing City" episode (#23) and turning him into an Atlantian in episode #46 ("Up From Nowhere") by giving him different ears to look like a fish. Then Bakshi would do another episode with the mad scientist again (#50 "Specialists And Slaves"), back to his normal self. You'd think the scientist would learn to stop shooting at Spider-Man while the webslinger is standing in front of that control panel, but nooooo.
Seriously, these episodes are still great fun nonetheless. Great nostalgic value. However not every episode was properly remastered. Episodes #40 ("The Winged Thing" & "Connor's Reptiles"), #42 ("Sky Harbor" & The Big Brainwasher"), #43 ("The Vanishing Doctor Vespasian" & "The Scourge Of The Scarf"), #46 ("Up From Nowhere") & #52 ("Trip To Tomorrow") all look terrible. Very blurry and grainy, which is a complete shock, especially when you compare them to a remastered episode which looks crystal clear with bright colors and a crisp clean look on practically each and every frame. Episode #52 actually does look perfect...that is until the "Flying Dutchman" segment comes on, then it reverts back to being blurry and grainy ect. It would seem that perhaps this boxset was rushed by Buena Vista in order to be distributed to the public the same week Spiderman 2 was released in movie theaters, even though it wasn't quite yet finished...just so they could make a bigger profit. There's even a misprint on the lyrics to the Spider-Man theme song in the little booklet that comes with the boxset. They forgot the line "Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man". Just shotty workmanship, due to it being rushed.
Obviously if you love this series, you'll pick up this boxset regardless of it's flaws. Some have scoffed that there are no special features included, which is true, but considering you're paying around a dollar per episode, there's not much reason to complain too much about it. But many fans are disappointed that the "Next Week" promos at the end of each episode were not restored, except for one episode. Episode #28 ("Phantom From The Depths Of Time") does include the promo at the end (as well as a shot of Spider-Man crawling down a web in the middle of the episode). But what's humorous is that the promo is for "Revolt In The Fifth Dimension" and that's not the next episode...it's not even on the same disc. Another subtle highlight are the character drawings on all the DVD discs of several bad guys, Spidey, and J.Jonah Jameson, and the fact that there's actually an episode of that character on the disc where he's featured as the cover art on the DVD itself. A nice touch.
Despite all the flaws I still enjoy the series and am happy that it has finally been released on DVD. If you're a fan of this series, pick it up. For the most part, this release is the best this show has looked since...ever!
Keep Swingin' Spidey!

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Here they are -- all 52 episodes of Spider-Man's original 1967 classic television series, now completely restored in full color and bursting with spectacular Spidey action! Experience every amazing moment of Spider-Man's first appearance on TV in the animated series that electrified Saturday morning audiences from 1967-1970. Featuring the Web-Slinger's greatest foes, including Dr. Octopus, The Green Goblin, Mysterio, The Rhino, Dr. Magneto, and so many more.

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Sunday, June 3, 2012

Tom and Jerry - The Movie (1993) Review

Tom and Jerry - The Movie (1993)
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In the later period of the Tom & Jerry shows, a European
animation company (Dutch, I think) made some of the worst
ever attempts at Tom & Jerry ever seen. They had none of
the atmosphere or spirit of the classics. They were badly
drawn, had terrible sound effects and little of the
memorable big-band orchestra music which Tom & Jerry was
well-known for...
Why do I mention this?
Well, I'll tell you...
It's because even those awful, late Tom & Jerry episodes
were a whole lot better than this absolutely terrible movie.
"Tom & Jerry - The Movie" is an insult to the fans and almost
tarnishes the memory of the greatest cartoon characters of
all-time.
Stick to the originals!!!

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Tom and Jerry return to the silver screen in a magical, music-filled extravaganza! The celebrated cat-and-mouse team meet Robyn Starling, a runaway who desperately needs their help to find her missing father. Despite heroic efforts, Tom and Jerry are captured by Robyn's nasty Aunt Figg and her lawyer Lickboot, then tossed into pet prison by the villainous Dr. Applecheeks. Tom and Jerry brilliantly mastermind a great escape and free their new friends, Puggsy and Frankie Da Flea. Together with Robyn, they set off on a wild cat-and-mouse escapade, full of thrills and adventure like you've never seen.

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Sunday, May 6, 2012

Teen Titans - The Complete Fifth Season Review

Teen Titans - The Complete Fifth Season
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Teen Titans has always been a strong series. This fifth and final season is a particular favorite of mine in that it features the Doom Patrol and the Brotherhood of Evil (BoE is in a number of episodes throughout the season). Now, I was not a Doom Patrol fan prior. In fact, I've never even read a Doom Patrol comic. Regardless, I simply love the characterizations of the team in the show, especially Negative Man's deadpan delivery of his lines, as is so befitting his name.
Likewise, Brain having the Hawking'esque voice is beyond perfect. Here we have a brilliant and evil mind with no body to speak of that commands immeasurable power. I love the taunting coming from Brain sounding like a late 80's computer attempting to create speech. It has a menace to it that one wouldn't expect.
With the Brotherhood of Evil, and the Doom Patrol playing such a large roll in this season, the feel of the overall story arc feels a lot more Silver Age, DC Comics than the previous seasons, which for me is a good thing. While the Slade arcs are excellent, there is something I like about two super teams duking it out, 60's style. There's a grandness to that just feels, I don't know . . . heroic in that romantic, adventure movie kind of way.
There are some other really great episodes as well. In particular, I enjoyed "Go!," a prequel episode that details not only how Starfire came to Earth, but also how the Titans originally formed their team. It's great.
DC/Marvel has had an incredible run of quality animated hero shows, going all the way back to "Batman: the Animated Series" and this season of Teen Titans delivers as well. If your looking at a review for season five, I'm going to presume you've seen the show and like it, so I am probably preaching to the choir. It's great. You know it. What else is there to know?
BTW, why in the world doesn't every DVD box set/series in universe simply list the frickin' episodes in the description? It always falls to a reviewer to actually tell prospective buyers what the heck they are considering buying. Does this strike anyone else as a bit stupid?
To that end, here's a list of episodes contained within the series:
1. Homecoming Pt 1 (Intro the Doom Patrol and the Brotherhood of Evil)
2. Homecoming Pt 2
3. Trust
4. For Real
5. Snowblind
6. Kole
7. Hide and Seek
8. Lightspeed
9. Revved Up (This one seemed REALLY odd and jarringly outside the Titans Universe, but whatever)
10. Go!
11. Calling All Titans
12. Titans Together
13. Things Change

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TEEN TITANS:COMPLETE FIFTH SEASON - DVD Movie

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Saturday, May 5, 2012

Teen Titans - The Complete First Season (DC Comics Kids Collection) (2003) Review

Teen Titans - The Complete First Season (DC Comics Kids Collection) (2003)
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This 2-disc set collects the first 13 episodes of Teen Titans, which were also previously released on 2 single-disc editions.
I like Teen Titans. It's a very different take on the DC characters than Batman, Superman, and Justice League, and there are obvious anime influences in the fight scenes and gags. What's nice about the series is that while it generally writes towards a younger audience, it's never so simplistic that it alienates the older crowd. The chemistry between the five leads is great, and there are occasional moments of lunacy that will make you wonder if the staff is secretly taking anything in the back room (ie the Mad Mod episode). Plus season 1's underlying subplot involving Slade (voiced expertly by Ron 'Hellboy' Perlman) is as dark and driven as anything in the Batman shows. The only time this show falls flat for me is when it puts stylized action over story essentials, which some of the early episodes here fall into.
Again, this set collects material that WB has already released. I think even the bulk of the bonus features have been carried over. I'm hoping this was a sudden shift in WB's animation-on-dvd strategy as opposed to milking the consumer with re-releases, as the single discs were already quite generous in their own way. A great consideration if you haven't purchased the old discs yet, great for kids but adults should find some amusement too.

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The Teen Titans compose an elite group of five heroes Robin, Starfire, Raven, Cyborg and Beast Boy that unlike their Super Hero predecessors, have no secret identities under which to disguise themselves. The Titans, who live in Titans Tower, have banded together to combat their arch nemesis, Slade, and his evil minions.

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Monday, April 2, 2012

Batman: The Brave and the Bold - Season One, Part One Review

Batman: The Brave and the Bold - Season One, Part One
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My review will cover two parts. First let's talk about the show. When I first heard about it, I had my doubts. I grew up on the great "Batman: The Animated Series" and loved "The Batman," especially at the end. But when this came out I first thought they had ran out of ideas for Batman. I was wrong, it mixes action like from the last two shows and adds in humor in such a perfect amount for Batman that it comes off as enjoyable instead of cheesy.
Now as for the release. I agree with everyone else here, this should be the FULL season one. I hate when the studio release half a season of a show. Disney did it with "Gargoyles: Season Two," and Warner has done it with "The Real Adventures of Johnny Quest: Season One, both of which may never see the rest of their season on DVD. Warner has also done it with other shows like "Tiny Toons"and "Smurfs." Is it a cheep underhand move to try and force the consumer to fork over more money then they would for releasing these seasons whole? Sure is. Is it right? Nope, in fact it turns consumers off. But that fact is the way these studios think, if this set does not sell, good luck seeing much more of this show on DVD, even if it is Batman. "Gargoyles" and "Real Adventures of Johnny Quest" have shown that already.
Bottom line, despite how wrong it may be, if you love this show and want to see more of it on DVD, buy this release.

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RISE OF THE BLUE BEETLE,TERROR ON DINOSAUR ISLAND,EVIL UNDER THE SEA,INVASION OF THE SECRET SANTAS,DAY OF THE DARK KNIGHT,ENTER THE OUTSIDERS,DAWN OF THE DEAD MAN,FALL OF THE BLUE BEETLE, JOURNEY TO THE CENTER OF THE BAT,EYES OF DESPERO,RETURN OF THE FEARSOME FANGS,DEEP COVER FOR BATMAN,GAME OVER FOR OWLMAN

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Monday, February 6, 2012

Batman: Under the Red Hood Review

Batman: Under the Red Hood
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I've liked most of the DC's recent forays into animation on varying levels, but none of them really hit the mark for me. The scripts in those other titles just weren't good enough and brought the entire production down. Many of them had excellent voice actors and animation, but that couldn't save a poor script.
Batman: Under the Red Hood is different.
Managing to cram five different arcs from the comics into a movie just under 90 minutes is impressive. Managing to do that and keep the entire thing remarkably faithful and have it turn out well is on another level.
The movie starts off with the final moments of the comic arc 'Death in the Family' featured in Batman #426-429, where the Joker sadistically kills Jason Todd aka the second Robin. This scene isn't extremely graphic and most of the violence is kept off screen, but as other reviewers have warned please take the PG-13 rating seriously. From there the story jumps forward five years and compresses Batman #635-650, taking bits and pieces from all four story arcs, to form the rest of the movie. Yes, there are changes. Some are large, including writing out Superboy Prime's role (which is a very very good thing). Others are smaller, from leaving out certain characters and subplots to changing how the Red Hood gets a hold of the Joker. None of these truly matter, as the heart of the story has been distilled and streamlined in a very faithful way.
So faithful are they that some of the dialogue is taken straight out of the comics, including the finale. This is how comic adaptations should be done.
For the most part the cast is excellent, though there will be fans that are disgruntled over fan favorites Kevin Conroy and Mark Hamill not contributing. They've defined their respective characters for so long that many, including myself, have a hard time accepting new voice actors in their stead. Bruce Greenwood proved a lot of people wrong though, and I could see him voicing Batman from here on out.
John DiMaggio had the biggest shoes to fill though, and didn't quite do it for me. His Joker was a cross between Ledger's movie portrayal and Hamill's animation counterpart, and while not bad by any means, just didn't sound right to me. It didn't help that I kept hearing Bender from Futurama, either. The laugh was almost perfect, but his speaking voice was just...too husky. This is absolutely going to be up to individual preference though. His line delivery is excellent and there's nothing wrong with his performance. I'm just too used to Hamill, I guess.
The rest of the cast is spot on and practically a dream cast. Neil Patrick Harris is great as the light hearted, cracking wise Nightwing. Jensen Ackles is given the difficult task of voicing a character that covers the entire emotional spectrum during the course of the movie, and does it well. Jason Isaacs is by far the best Ra's al Ghul we've had. But my personal favorite has to be Wade Williams as Black Mask. He IS that character for me now.
Batman: Under the Red Hood is easily on par with Batman: Mask of the Phantasm, that other excellent animated film. It very well may end up being better after additional viewings if I can put Hamill as the Joker behind me. I really hope this is a sign of things to come from DC's animation division.

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Batman faces his ultimate challenge as the mysterious Red Hood takes Gotham City by firestorm. One part vigilante, one part criminal kingpin, Red Hood begins cleaning up Gotham with the efficiency of Batman, but without following the same ethical code. Killing is an option. And when the Joker falls in the balance between the two, hard truths are revealed and old wounds are reopened.

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Saturday, January 28, 2012

Yellow Submarine (1968) Review

Yellow Submarine (1968)
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After reading the New York Times article about the restoration process for Yellow Submarine, I had high hopes for this DVD. I was not disappointed.
The color saturation is sumptuous. There are some imperfections, but on the whole this is a first class restoration. If you want appreciate the restoration, look at the original theatrical trailer or the "making of" documentary extras.
The re-mastered audio brings new complexity and detail to familiar Beatle material (even on my strictly middlebrow home entertainment system). The opening a cappella chorus of "Nowhere Man" sounded like it was recorded yesterday.
For a generation that has not seen this film, Yellow Submarine is a perfect time capsule for 60's psychedelic era. The film begins in under the sea in Pepperland, an idyllic musical community, which is attacked by the music-hating Blue Meanies. "Young Fred" manages to escape the attack in the Yellow Submarine, which takes him to England. He recruits the Beatles to return with him to Pepperland to join the battle between the forces of order (the Blue Meanies) and the forces of creativity and love. The plot is pretty much as hokey as it sounds, but it is merely a vehicle for the music, humor, surrealism, artistic and social sensibilities of the psychedelic 60's. And it is there that the movie emphatically succeeds.
The animation is certainly not as sophisticated as some more modern efforts, but it stands up remarkably well. There was a lot of revolutionary (for the 60's) integration of animation and live action. The colors are gorgeous. Visually, this is still a very entertaining film.
If you don't like the Beatles music, or are bored by animation, stay away. If you are on the fence about getting this DVD, buy it. You won't be disappointed. And if you love the Beatles, this DVD should move to the top of your list.

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