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Sing: Thriller (2024)
Okay For What Is Otherwise Something I'd See As A DVD Extra
Sing: Thriller is a short based on the movie Sing and its sequel, Sing 2, and is themed for the Halloween season. And while it is okay, this is something I would expect to see as an extra for a DVD release or Halloween Short compilation with other Illumination movie shorts than a Netflix exclusive.
In this short, themed around Michael Jackson song Thriller, Buster Moon has their Halloween musical. However, afterwards, when the crew go to Clay's Halloween party, Buster Moon sees a news report of a mysterious goo covering the ground after a laboratory explosion. And this goo turns the citizens into zombies who has the urge to dance.
Yeah, this is an okay short, but not one I feel is worthy of being a Netflix film. The one plus to this is that they got some of the actors from the movies to reprise their roles (Matthew McConaughy as Buster Moon, Scarlett Johannson as Ash, Taron Egerton as Johnny, and Tori Kelly as Meena, among examples), while the other characters appear in non-speaking roles. However, the short suffers for being what it is. At 11 minutes, this feels more like it belongs as part of a DVD collection of Illumination's other Halloween shorts based on their animated films rather than as an exclusive to a streaming service like Netflix, as the special feels more like a music video since it is to the tune of the Michael Jackson song. It's okay, and worth watching if you are a fan of the Sing movies or Michael Jackson, but other may want to seek out other movies that are longer and have an actual story.
The New Adventures of Batman (1977)
A Batman That Is a Product of Its Time
The New Adventures of Batman is a cartoon made by Filmation, who in the past, has made cartoons based on DC Comics. However, this was made in a time when Hanna-Barbera was making its Super Friends cartoon, and also in a time when TV standards had changed.
Here, Batman and Robin (voiced by Adam West and Burt Ward, reprising their roles from the TV show that aired during the 1960's) continue their never-ending battle against criminals who threaten Gotham City. This time around, they are joined by Batgirl (voiced by Melendy Britt), and, possibly as a demand from the networks, they are aided by Bat-Mite (voiced by Lou Schiemer, an imp from another dimension known as Ergo (which is different from the Bat-Mite in the comics) who is Batman's biggest fan and wants to help, only for his tricks to sometimes end up hinder the Dynamic Duo instead.
This cartoon is a product of its time. As Filmation got into hot water with parental groups over the New Adventures of Superman cartoon due to its display of the typical violence and fisticuffs seen in the comics it was based on, which led to its cancellation, New Adventures of Batman would end up doing away with those as the networks were now wanting to do away with such violent content (the same reason why Super Friends, for most of its run, did not have violence of any kind, and was more of a light-hearted show). The New Adventures of Batman would do the same, as the series instead shows the detective side of the Dynamic Duo (and if needed, their wide variety of gadgets). And Bat-Mite I can understand, as he is more of a hinderance than help (making Bat-Mite another Scrappy that was put in because the network thought younger Bat-fans would like him).
When it comes to villains, this is also impacted. As this series aired alongside Challenge of The Super Friends (which also had Batman and Robin), there would be many villains that would be restricted to one cartoon or the other, and with this show, The Riddler is off limits (despite being seen in the intro in a pink outfit, and being mentioned in an episode), as well as The Scarecrow, as both appear in CoTSF as members of the Legion of Doom. However, NAoB would be able to use Batman villains like The Joker, Catwoman, Mr. Freeze, and even Clayface, the fourth villain making his television debut in this series, as well as original villains like the Sweet Tooth, Professor Bubbles, and Zarbor.
Basically, the episodes are all written to be light-hearted, with some corny jokes and the end of each one having a segment teaching a moral related to the adventure the Dynamic Duo went through. This is more of a show for younger superhero fans due to the more lighthearted nature it takes due to the standards of the era this first aired, as older Batman fans will hate Bat-Mite and the tone.
Saving Bikini Bottom: The Sandy Cheeks Movie (2024)
Okay Movie, But Has More Flaws Than a Texas Twister
Saving Bikini Bottom: The Sandy Cheeks Movie is the fourth movie based on SpongeBob Squarepants, and one where the genius squirrel girl from Texas takes the leading role.
In this film, it is just another day in Bikini Bottom, until a huge scoop comes in and takes the city and all its inhabitants. However, Sandy sees this and saves SpongeBob. When she finds out the responsible party is B. O. O. T. Marine Biology Lab, a lab in Galveston, Texas, the place she is employed to, she and SpongeBob go to the surface to save their friends and foes, who are now in the lab, which is owned by a water park mogul Sue Nahmee (who is played by comedian Wanda Sykes).
The way this is done is interesting, as the SpongeBob characters are done in CGI animation while live action is also added in with actors. Immediately, this is similar to the surface scenes from Sponge Out of Water. The characters all retain their voice actors from the show, and the story is a nice one, as we actually get to learn more about Sandy's past, and even meet her family, which is a neat little plus.
While SpongeBob has not been good over the years, this movie is actually pretty good in my book, maybe one of the better things to come out after the passing of series creator Stephen Hillenburg. The story is nicely written, with no mean spiritedness like in Someone's in the Kitchen with Sandy, the characters all do a good job, and the film even has a good moral. Also, the music and songs are the good, and the movie has some good humor and even some callbacks to episodes of the show.
However, I have to give this film six stars on the account that some of the jokes are not funny and the CGI looks cheap, as well as the fact that The Sandy Cheeks Movie is a great movie, as well as the fact that Wanda is the only live-action actor who puts a lot of effort into her rile, but this movie is something every kid and SpongeBob fan should check out.
Exploding Kittens (2024)
Enjoyment May Depend On If You Are Into The Show's Humor
Exploding Kittens is an odd idea for a adult cartoon. Based on the card game of the same, the cartoon, which is on Netflix, attempts to put a story in, as God (voiced by Tom Ellis) is sent to Earth in the body of a cat to be rehabilitated to emphasize with the humans after too many incidents caused both in Heaven and on Earth. There, he must help the Higgens family, as one of them sent a prayer asking him to save the family, but it won't be easy when the family members have a lot of problems, and to make matters worse, Beelzebub (voiced by Sasheer Zamata) is also on Earth in the body of a cat to work on being as evil as her father.
Yeah, this is another cartoon where your enjoyment will depend on whether or not you are into crude, mindless humor. The plot is actually quite original for once, and it does lead to some supernatural conflicts and elements. Plus, the voice acting is good, and the writing is okay, with some jokes not being to my taste.
WCW Battlebowl (1993)
One-Time PPV For A Tournament-Like Event.
Taking place in the Pensacola Civic Center, Pensacola, Florida, WCW Battlebowl is a one-time PPV event held by World Championship Wrestling, as it is an attempt to seperate the event from their annual Starcade PPV (as the event was part of the 1991 and 1992 Starcades), after this, this would return for one last run in the 1996 Slamboree PPV, before being discontinued by the company.
Seeing the event, we can see why. The event is basically the wrestlers involved are chosen by a "Lethal Lottery" operated by Fifi, one of Ric Flair's valets, and "Mean" Gene Oukerlund, who had made his WCW debut earlier in the month this was held, making this the first WCW PPV he is a part of. Most of the matches are Tag Team matches made by whose name was drawn from the Lethal Lottery, with the first being the team of Cactus Jack and Vader going against the team of Charlie Norris and Kane (no, not that Kane, this Kane is the Harlem Heat member that would later call himself Stevie Ray). Other notable wrestlers involved include Johnny B. Badd, The Nasty Boys, Ricky Steamboat, and Sting. The final match has all the winners in a battle royale, with the winner, Vader, winning a ring. Yeah, I can see why this PPV was one done once, as the format sounds boring. Plus, the wrestling is hit or miss, and Mean Gene can't stop hitting on Fifi.
Jason and the Argonauts (1963)
Impressive Effects For A 1960's movie
Jason and the Argonauts is a neat cult classic film from the 1960's. Inspired by ancient Greek mythology, Pelias has overthrown King Aristo, and to prevent a prophecy, seeks to kill his children. However, the youngest, Jason is protected by Hera when one of the two daughters is slain near one of her temples. When he reaches adulthood, he goes on a quest to find the Golden Fleece, recruiting brave men to form the Argonauts to join him on his quest, where he faces dangers and monsters.
While it did not do well at the box office, it has become a cult classic. And it mainly has to do with the special effects, as monsters like Talos and the skeletons are done as stop motion puppetry (and is more impressive with the skeletons, as they clash with the actual actors). Also, we get some good actors, like Todd Armstrong in the role of Jason, Honor Blackman as Hera, and even Nigel Green in the role of the mighty Hercules.
The Fairly OddParents: A New Wish (2024)
Okay Reboot Of A Show That Cannot End
The Fairly OddParents: A New Wish is the second reboot to the Fairly OddParents, the first being the Paramount+-exclusive Fairly Odder, which was cancelled after one season due to it being an attempt to turn the series into a live-action sitcom continuation (as well as some people believing the series did not need to be brought back, among other reasons), and can be seen by many fans as Nickelodeon still being unable to make up their minds on whether the FOP should stay cancelled or not (as the original show was infamous for being cancelled, only to be suddenly renewed).
Set in the city of Dimmadelphia, the show follows Hazel Wells, a ten-year-old girl whose family moved into the city. Missing her brother, Antony, who is in college, Hazel is sad and depressed, but soon, her life is about to turn Fairly Odd, as her next-door neighbors end up being Cosmo and Wanda, Timmy's fairy godparents. Having retired sometime prior to the series, seeing Hazel being miserable, they decide to come out of retirement and become her fairy godparents, where like with Timmy, each wish causes an adventure as they usually go wrong.
So, yeah, basically, this is yet another reboot, and somehow, this is fairly better than Fairly Odder. Taking the series back to its animated roots, A New Wish goes CGI with the characters looking like they were made for the original show (and even some still images made for flashbacks and the title cards done in the 2D style of the original show). Sadly, the show is said to feature mostly new characters, with Cosmo, Wanda, and the strict Jorgen von Strangle being the only three characters returning (unless Nickelodeon and the series decide to have the characters return at some point if the show does good enough to go beyond one season). For the voice acting, Daran Norris and. Susanne Blakeslee return to voice Cosmi and Wanda (with Daran also reprises the role of Jorgen). Ashleigh Crystal Harrison, best known as the voice of Babs Bunny on Tiny Toons Looniversity. Voices Hazel, and does an amazing job, and the show brings in some well known VAs like Grey Griffin,Eric Bauza, and even Carlos Alazraqul, whom FOP fans remember as the voice of series antagonist Denzel Crocker, was invited to voice a new character in Mr. Guzman, who is a lot nicer and gives Hazel good advice (as the mean adult role went to the principal,Amy Krentz, who is one of Grey Griffin's characters, who is basically mean, strict, and is obsessed with perfection or winning,
With the new characters and settings, the formula is always the same, as each episode has Hazel makes a wish, only for it to go bad, just like it did with Timmy in the original show, and learning an important lesson along the way. However, I have to give this a sevem as despite being good, the new characters were a hit-or-miss, as well as of the humor not being funny, but A New Wish is good, and I hope it gets newer fans to go and check out the original show.
ECW Hostile City Showdown 1995 (1995)
Eddie Guerrero, Dean Makenko, Raven, and Tommy Dreamer Perform In An Exreme PPV That Is Mid
Taking place in the ECW Arena in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the 1995 edition of ECW Hostile City Showdown is the second of the Hostile City Showdown events from the old ECW, and man, is it mid.
Starting with a singles bout between Steve Richards and Mikey Whipwreck, the card for this one is mostly bad matches. One of these bad matches is a bout between Tony Stetson and Tsubo Genjin, which was noting more than a throwaway match, as Genjin won in less than a minute (as it was revealed the match was nothing more than to film footage of Genjin winning for a Japanese movie he was in, which makes the bout feel like it was a last-minute addition to the event's match card), and Ian Rotten and Axel Rotten's match felt more like a boring hardcore match, despite a barbed-wire baseball bat being used as a weapon, was nothing more than yet another bust that does nothing more than have ECW have its shock value added in (as barbed wire is not something to be taken lightly when used in the way the two used it). The only good matches I saw were Raven Vs. Tommy Dreamer, which was better done (as it was part of a rivalry, and they use everything to pummel each other, even a kitchen sink), and the ECW World Television Championship Match between Eddie Guererro and Dean Malenko, which despite the ending, proves both Eddie and Dean were two of the hottest new wrestlers at the time.
Sesame Street in Puerto Rico (1979)
Short Special That Is Unique
Sesame Street in Puerto Rico is a special that would involve clips from the show's eleventh season. Basically, the plot of this special is Maria returns to Puerto Rico, her home country, to celebrate her 21st birthday with her family. However, Big Bird, Oscar, and the other adults also arrive, wanting to surprise her, and afterwards, the gang explore and enjoy the country's sights.
This is a neat oddity. Made by splicing street scenes from Season 11's story arc of the adults, Big Bird, and even Oscar the Grouch visit Puerto Rico, with Big Bird narrating. Basically, the special had bilingual characters long before the conception of Rosita Monster, including Osvaldo, a local grouch Oscar makes friends with. However, I have to give it seven, seven stars, ah-ah-ah, due to being too short.
Starship Troopers (1997)
Amazing Sci-Fi Movie With Ultraviolence
Starship Troopers is an amazing science fiction movie for mature audiences, as it is one of those ultraviolent war movies where human fight against aliens.
In the 23rd century, the world is governed by a United Citizen Federation, which has restricted benefits to those who have performed federal service. Johnny Rico (played by Casper Van Diem) is a young teenage jock who goes against his parents' wishes and enlists as a military infantryman to stay close with his girlfriend, Carmen Ibanez (played by Denise Richards). Although he decides to leave after he gets a squad member killed during a training exercise, resulting in him being demoted and flogged, he re-enlists when his parents are killed after Buenos Aires has been destroyed by an asteroid sent by alien creatures known as the Arachnids, leading to the Federal Council to go into war with the alien bugs on their home planet of Klendathu.
This is one of those movies that has become a cult classic over time. When it was first released, it was panned, with complaints including the promotion of fascism, which were mixed with criticisms of the acting and violence. If you watch the movie, you can see it is actually a satirical take on fascism (which while it did not make sense when it was first released, it will become realized over the years, especially when the 2010's began, when police brutality became a hot topic in the U. S.). To make this movie feel like we are watching an actual war, news segments (similar to the ones in movies like RoboCop), to show news articles, and even the usual propaganda ads (like one where children are actually crushing bugs). The special effects are good for what 1997 had to offer, and the acting may not be perfect, but it's okay.
Knuckles (2024)
May Not Be As Good As The Movies, But Still Entertaining
The Sonic the Hedgehog movies is a hot movies, and with the third one on its way, Paramount and Sega bring us Knuckles, a six episode miniseries released on Paramount+
After the events of the second movie, Knuckles (voiced by Idris Elba) is having a hard time adjusting to living a normal life, being raised to be a warrior. After he is grounded by Maddie for his warrior shenanigans, the ghost of Chief Pachacamac (voiced by Christopher Lloyd), he is given the task of training Wade Whipple in the way of the echidna warrior, as he plans to compete in a bowling championship in Reno, Nevada. However, the two are now in a misadventure, as two rogue G. U. N. Agents (played by Alice Tregonning and Scott Mescudi, the latter known for singing The Stars in the Sky in the second movie's sountrack as Kid Cudi), are hunting Knuckles for a man known only as The Buyer (played by Rory McCann), a former associate of Dr. Robotnik's who is seeking Knuckles for his power.
Watching this, I can say this show is okay, but not perfect. The miniseries seems to be rehashing the buddy road trip ideas seen in the first Sonic movie, only with Knuckles and Wade in place of Sonic and Tom. Also, despite being named Knuckles, the story sadly has Wade and his family taking center stage, as the story is based around Wade's passion for bowling, and his family, which includes Wanda, his sister from the FBI (played by Edi Patterson), mother Wendy (played by Stockard Channing), and father Pete (played by Cary Elwes). However, they do manage to bring in Tika Sumpter back to reprise her role as Maddie Wachowski, and Ben Swartz and Colleen O'Shaughnessy reprise their roles as the voices of Sonic and Tails (even though they appear as guests in the first episode).
Throughout the six episodes, they have managed to put in easter eggs to the Sonic games like they did in the movies, and the story is kind of interesting, but it suffers from having too much drama and not much action, but I guess it works somewhat, as the show does focus on Wade, a character who was a supporting role in the movies, and gives him his time to shine in what is otherwise an okay underdog story where he is given advice from a red echidna. Mostly for Sonic fans and those who want more Sonic and have trouble waiting for the third movie's release.
Hell's Bells: The Dangers of Rock 'N' Roll (1989)
Two Stars For The Music Only.
Hell's Bells: The Dangers of Rock 'N' Roll is another in a long line of videos made by Christian group Reel to Reel Ministries, as part of the Satanic Panic that these sorts of ministries were trying to exploit in order to get parents to force their kids to give up certain things that they claim are the tools of the Devil.
Narrated by Eric Holmberg, this so-called "documentary" tries to connect rock and roll to the occult, and features rock bands that were hot at the time, using quips from interviews and even using scientific methods to prove the music is linked to violent acts like drug use, murder, and even Satan.
Yeah, I am not going to lie, people should only watch this for the soundtrack while laughing at Eric trying to make his point. While he claims to have done research, there are a lot of false statements and unproven claims that are common in these religious fear-mongering propaganda videos. Basically, he just takes various clips of music videos, songs, and even movies and TV shows (which I doubt Reel to Reel Ministries even bothered to ask for permission for clearance to use, but then again, I doubt the bands would even give their okay if they saw this) and twist the facts by saying rock music is responsible for the rise in crime and violence instead of going after the real reason these happen, all in the name of getting kids to turn to God by scaring their parents into believing what the little ones love will end up sending them on a dark path of sin. Best to only watch for the music it tries to demonize but fails miserably.
X-Men '97 (2024)
A Nice Continuation That Was Long Awaited
I never grew up watching much of the X-Men cartoon that aired on Fox Kids, as I only watched Batman: The Animated Series, and Spider-Man: The Animated Series, but after seeing some episodes, I saw why it was a fan favorite, as it was a series that was not afraid to deal with serious subjects that would be avoided in a cartoon aimed at kids (and X-Men, as a comic, had a lot of them), and even crossing over with Spider-Man. X-Men '97 is a continuation on Disney + that has the series grow up like the kids who saw the original back in the 1990's.
Set a year after the events of the Graduation Day, the final episode of the original series, the X-Men continue their mission to defend mutants and humans, as they are officially sanctioned into the United Nations. Things are shaken up by drama, as it is revealed Professor X has left control of the X-Men to their former nemesis, Magneto, and other issues involving the team.
Yeah, when I first heard of this, I was also afraid, as considering how Disney and Marvel were going, this would fail, but seeing this, it is safe to say this is a worthy continuation. As the series is rated TV-14, it can now cover topics that the original series would never be allowed to on its TV-Y7 rating, allowing the show to grow up alongside the fans who saw the original as kids.
Also, the voice cast is excellent, as they bring back some of old VAs (George Buza as Beast, Alison Sealy-Smith as Storm, and even Cal Dodd as the voice of everyone's favorite X-Men member, Wolverine), while characters get new VAs (Cyclops and Magneto get new VAs in Ray Chase and Matthew Waterson, replacing the late Norm Spencer and David Hemblem, and Holly Chou takes over as the voice of Jubilee, as original VA Alyson Court would decline to reprise the role wanting an Asian-American VA to take over). With incredible writing, and the animation being as close to as the original, X-Men '97 is a must watch for 90's kids and X-Men fans who grew up watching Fox Kids.
Woody Woodpecker Goes to Camp (2024)
Mostly For Kids, But Better Than the First Live-Action Film
Woody Woodpecker Goes to Camp is a Netfix exclusive movie starring the wacky woodpecker from the era of classic cartoons, and serves as a sequel to that horrible live action film from 2017.
After causing too much chaos, the ranger tells Woody to leave his home in the forest until he learns about teamwork. He finds it in Camp Woo Hoo, a STEAM camp (STEAM being short for science,technology, engineering, art, and math) and befriends the campers. It is about time for the Wilderness Games, an event where Woo Hoo loses to Camp Hoo Rah, and this year, the camp counselor, Zane Mallard, has decided to team up with Buzz Buzzard to get Camp Woo Hoo shut down, although Buzz is wanting to find the gold left by an ancestor of the camp counselors.
This movie is mostly for the kids, as it is basically Woody learning an important life lesson while going into cartoon battles. An improvement from its awful predecessor is that it actually includes Buzz Buzzard and Wally Walrus, two of Woody's greatest enemies, in this movies, which is a huge upgrade to the two generic poachers of last film.
However, the film does have it flaws, as it is a typical outcast goes to save a camp story done in past movies like Ernest Goes to Camp, and this is not going to be of interest for those who grew up watching the Woody Woodpecker cartoons of old, but this is a good movie for kids and a way to introduce them to the mischievous woodpecker.
The Quest for the Rainbow Stone (2023)
Good Special Introucing A New Care Beat
The Quest for the Rainbow Stone is a TV special based on Care Bears: Unlock the Magic, the latest incarnation of the Care Bears franchise that started all the way back in the 1980's.
In this special, the Care Bears are celebrating Togetherness Bear becoming an official Care Bear, and go to the Rainbow Falls, where in this incarnation, is the place where all new Care Bears get their color and Belly Badge. However, Cheer Bear gets into an argument over wanting Togetherness to be pink, causing the Rainbow Stone to break. The Care Bears now travel to the Color Cavern, where another Rainbow Stone is hidden away, although they are followed by Bluster, who wants to destroy the Rainbow Stone so no more Care Bears can be created.
Seeing this, this is a good special for kids. The story is well written, as it has a good lesson as Cheer Bear tries to correct her mistake, but tries to do it alone, which causes disaster. Also, the voice acting and music is amazing.
Megamind vs the Doom Syndicate (2024)
We Waited 14 Years For This Garbage Sequel?
Megamind was an incredible movie when it was released back in 2010. The story of an alien supervillain who would go on to become a superhero, it was critically acclaimed, and fans have been calling for this classic to have a sequel. 14 years later, we get a sequel exclusive to Peacock, and it feels like those direct-to-video sequels Disney used to put out in the 1990's and 2000's (although there were some that I did personally enjoy).
In this sequel, Megamind (voiced by Keith Ferguson, who voiced the character in the first movie's video game tie-ins) is enjoying his time as a superhero, as it has been two days after he defeated Tighten and took over the job from his former nemesis-turned-friend and retired superhero, Metro Man (who sadly, never appears in this film). However, his ego usually causes him to push away Ol' Chum, formerly known as Minion, and to make matters worse, the Doom Syndicate, a supervillain team Megamind used to be a part of, have broken out of prison, and are now teaming up with him, thinking he is pretending to be a superhero as his plan to take over the city.
Yeah, watching this, I can see why this is hated. First of all, none of the voice actors from the original movie would reprise their roles in the film, and the movie suffers from a lower budget due to being a streaming service exclusive and the fact they released this alongside an animated Megamind series. Also, the villains making up the Doom Syndicate are hit-or-miss (Lady Doppler sounds like a good villain idea, but really, Dreamworks, a hypnosis mime called Piere Pressure? I can hear Bomb Voyage from The Incredibles giving a silent laugh at that idea). Also, the story, while having a moral, is not well written and the animation pales in comparison to the original Megamind. This will go down in history as a sequel that not worth waiting 14 years for.
Fluppy Dogs (1986)
A Charming Cartoon Pilot That Fell Victim To Bad Scheduling
Fluppy Dogs was a movie I was not aware of, as it was released a year after I was born. Basically, this TV movie was actually a pilot for a potential series for the Disney Afternoon, airing on Thanksgiving Day, however, it aired on the slot as Our World, a news program that would end up failing as the time slot would put its first half-hour in direct competition with The Cosby Show (as well as being on a time when the target audience would already be in bed), therefore, it did not do well in ratings, and alongside Disney not being interested, caused the Fluppy Dogs not to move on as a series, which is sad.
In the movie, a group of Fluppy Dogs, led by Stanley, end up on Earth after dimension hopping. With Stanley adopted by the mother of a boy named Jamie after being sent to the pound, the two make a bond as Stanley hopes to free the others, especially when a ruthless businessman named J. J. Wagstaff, who actually hunts exotic animals, is after them to add to his collection.
Now this is what I call a great TV movie. The idea of dogs that can travel through worlds sounds like a neat concept, and even brings in good voice actors like Carl Steven, Lorenzo Music, Susan Blu, Hal Smith, and even Michael Rye. The story is a heart-warming tale of friendship and adventure, and the movie has a lot of heart. It's a shame Disney and ABC messed up with scheduling this, as this movie makes me wonder what a series would have been like, maybe Jamie, Claire, and the Fluppies going on adventures in different worlds while learning morals. One can dream. One can dream.
Kung Fu Panda 4 (2024)
Good Continuation, Despite Its Flaws
Okay, when I first heard this movie was announced, I was on edge. I always thought Kung Fu Panda 3 was the perfect ending to Po's story (so much that I hated the Netflix series The Dragon Knight for undoing everything he did and even butchering his character and feats), but after seeing this, I like this, although the movie has many flaws that keep it from being in line with some of Dreamworks' best animated films.
In this film, Po (voiced by Jack Black) is still doing his job as Dragon Warrior, however, Master Shifu (voiced by Dustin Hoffman) is now wanting the panda to choose a successor, as he is now taking on the role of spiritual leader of the Valley of Peace. However, after hearing reports that Tai Lung has returned, he turns to Zhen (voiced by Awkwafina), a fox thief he has busted stealing from the Hall of Heroes, who tells him about The Chameleon (voiced by Viola Davis), a sorceress who can shapeshift, and the two decide to go to Juniper City to stop her plot that occurs once the Blood Moon rises. Also, Ping (voiced by James Hong) and Li (voiced by Bryan Cranston) decide to give chase, worried about their son (and to make it clear for those who never saw the last three movies, Li is Po's birth father, while Ping is Po's adopted father).
This movie has a good plot, and it is a mix of voice actors, Awkwafina, whom people will know as the voice of many characters, including Sisu in Raya and the Last Dragon and. Ms. Tarantula in The Bad Guys) does a good job voicing Zhen, and they even bring back Tai Lung, General Kai, and Lord Shen.
However, there are some nitpicks I have to make that made me rate this a 7. The Chameleon I felt was not a memorable villain, as her motive is weak and I felt the scenes with Ping and Li are pointless and serve as nothing more than to pad out the runtime. But other than those nitpicks, I think this is a good movie, with plenty of action and comedy.
All Elite Wrestling: Revolution (2024)
Sting Gets A Better Send Off Than WWE Gave Him
Taking place in the Greensboro Colliseum in Greensboro, North Carolina, the 2024 edition of All Elite Wrestling's Revolution pay-per-view is an amazing romp that shows despite the promotion's flaws, it knows how to keep fans entertained, as it would be the event where Sting would have his retirement match.
Starting with a TNT Championship match between Daniel Garcia and Christain Cage, the matches kept me on the edge of my seat (like the match between Daniel Bryanson and Eddie Kingston, and the eight man scramble Battle Royale), but the main event is where it's at, as this is where Sting's retirement match is, as he and Darby Allin defend the AEW World Tag Team Championships in a tornado tag team match against The Young Bucks, Matthew and Nicholas Jackson. This is where AEW pulled all the stops, as other than the Nature Boy himself, Ric Flair, being at rinside, the company also invited Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat, another 1980's wrestling legend that has fought Sting, to be the special guest timekeeper for the match, and giving Sting a special entrance for this final match, having a short movie displaying some of his greatest moments (even showing some NWA/WCW moments and photos, which I thought would be impossible due to WWE owning the company) and Sting entering to his 80's entrance music with his two sons joining dressed as Surfer Sting and Wolfpac Sting (a.k.a. Red Makeup Sting). Now this what sets All Elite Wrestling apart from World Wrestling Entertainment, as while it also has its setbacks and controversies, like the C. M. Punk debacle, AEW treats legends with respect, and here, Sting is given the respect he never got during his short WWE run. This is a PPV that is worth watching if you are a Sting fan, and having seen him since 1990's WCW, all I can say is Thank You, Sting.
The Castaways on Gilligan's Island (1979)
An Improvement Over Rescue That Is Also A Pilot
The Castaways on Gilligan's Island is a reunion movie that is a lot better than Rescue from Gilligan's Island, and was actually planned as a pilot for a new series, but sadly, network rescheduling put the movie in direct competition with Mork and Mindy, which was a hit show at the time.
Set after the events of Rescue, the castaways are marooned on the island again, only this time, the tsunami has wrecked all the underground springs, resulting in the water being salt water, unsafe for drinking. At this point, everyone is angry at Gilligan, whose bumbling caused all this, but after finds an old WWII plane, the castaways use it to escape, only for Gilligan to decide to jump off. However, the crew is actually thankful, as his bumbling actually saved them, and after finding him, they are soon found by the coast guard, who saw their plane. As a result, the island is soon charted, and the Howes decide to build a resort on the island, leading to the second part, as well as the pilot, as the castaways, now employees of the resort, help solve problems.
Yeah, I can see why this deserves a lot more respect, as this is a major improvement over Rescue. The first half is the usual we see in the series, only here, Gilligan's bumbling actually saves the castaways. The second half is a neat attempt to pitch a new show that mixes elements from Love Boat and Fantasy Island, and even getting the likes of Tom Bosely, who is best known as Howard Cunningham in Happy Days, and Marcia Wallace, who back then, was know for being The Bob Newheart Show, and later on, would be known as the voice of Edna Krabapple in The Simpsons) to play roles in it.
WWE Monday Night RAW: Raw Is Owen (1999)
Nice Tribute To The Late Owen Hart
Taking place in the Kiel Center is St. Louis, Missouri, the May 24, 1999 edition of of WWF Raw Is War (known nowadays as WWE Raw) is an emotional one, as it is on the day after the infamous WWF Over The Edge PPV of that year, in which during the show, Owen Hart tragically lost his life while doing an entrance as his Blue Blazer gimmick, where the harness he was attached to malfunctioned, causing him to drop 78 feet. It was a sad tragedy, and one that would get the wrestling promotion backlash for how they handled it and even sued by Own Hart's wife, Martha.
Opening with a ten-bell salute for Owen, we can see how this will be a sad night, as even some of the wrestlers are crying. Throughout the two hours, while there is wrestling (as the show must go on, although it is said Vince did ask the wrestlers, or superstars, as they are called, whether they wanted to wrestle a match or not), we would also get spots before and after commercials where wrestlers like Mick Foley (who wrestled in WWF/WWE during the time as the character of Mankind), Bradshaw, and one of the best being Mark Henry writing and telling a poem about Owen.
For the wrestling we do get, start with a match between Jeff Jarrett and Test, the matches ensure that they honor with Owen (with Jeff, who was Owen's former tag team partner, even doing the Sharpshooter submission hold to win his match). While nowadays, this can be seen as "damage control" after Vince and the WWE got sued, but it is nice to see the superstars actually care about their fallen comrade.
Detective Pikachu & the Mystery of the Missing Flan (2023)
Charming Short Adventure
Detective Pikachu & the Mystery of the Missing Flan is an animated short based on the Detective Pikachu sub-series of the Pokémon franchise.
In this short, it starts with Detective Pikachu recording his morning routine, having coffee and an apple while reading the paper, when suddenly, Tim finds his flan gone and assumes D. P. ate it all. However, after suspecting Munclax, a friend D. P. invited to help him shoot the video, the real mystery over who ate the flan begins.
Now this was a neat animated short. The way it is animated feels like this would be a neat side-chapter that was added into one of the games, and the voices sounding close to the VAs in the games (I cannot tell if it is the same English VAs, as the English dub does not have credits at the end), this six-minute short has a good heartwarming story with a mini-mystery.
Mister T (1983)
Awesome Celebrity-Led Scooby-Doo Clone
Mister T is a cartoon based on Mr. T, a popular actor and tough guy who at the time of this cartoon's premiere, was rising to fame after his first major role in Rocky III as well as his appearance on The A-Team. This cartoon can also be put on the long list of cartoons copying the Scooby-Doo formula, as it feels like one, only without the monsters.
In this cartoon, Mr. T would start each episode in a live action segment to explain the episode's plot. These live action segments are neat because they are actually there to not only introduce the episode, but also reveal there is actually a moral attached to said episode, which is revealed at the end of each episode. Then we cut to the animated segments, where Mr. T is portrayed as the coach for a youth gymnastics team, composed of teenagers Jeff, Woody, Robin, and Kim. Joined by Robin's little brother Spike, bus driver Ms. Bisby, and Bulldozer, a bulldog with a mohawk haircut owned by Mr. T (as the animal is to fill the role of obligatory animal mascot popular in Scooby clones), Mr. T and the teens get involved in various mysteries each episode, which is set in different locations in the world.
Okay, while this cartoon has a mixed reception, I, for one, am one of those people who actually like this cartoon after seeing this rerun on Adult Swim. Basically, the show is your typical Scooby-Doo clone. The main difference is Mr. T is the star and there are only few episodes with supernatural elements, with most of the villains being terrorists, street gangs, spies from other countries, or other troublemakers. The cartoon is set in the world, however, it does have some fantasy moments, one of them being Mr. T is gifted with superhuman strength, allowing him to do things the real Mr. T would never do (like in the intro where he swings an alligator with ease holding onto only its tail, or in one episode where he rips an iron lock off with his bare hands) as well as a running gag where people who deny the team entry are actually afraid to say no to Mr. T, as they are scared by him. This is a neat cartoon worth checking out.
Masters of the Universe: Revolution (2024)
A Major Improvement Over Revelation
Masters of the Universe: Revolution is the sequel to the controversial Masters of the Universe: Revelation, a series that has become infamous for angering fans due to the trailer being a bait-and-switch, and how it was done. However, seeing this sequel series, it feels like Kevin Smith and company actually listened to the fan complaints, and tried their best to fix things.
Set after the events of Revelation Part 2, He-Man and the Masters launch a successful campaign to save the souls of two fallen Masters from the collection of Scare Glow, ruler of Subternia. However, things take a sharp turn when King Randor has an organ failure and is about to pass away, immediately thrusting him to inherit the throne, but needing to give up the powers. This is made worst when Skeletor returns as Skeletek, having been modified into a cyborg by Mother Board's virus to lead her cult of technology-worshipping cultists against the Masters, who use magic, to infect Eternia with said virus, a plot orchestrated by none other than Hordak, the leader of the Evil Horde and Skeletor's former master.
As I have said, Revolution seems to have fixed a lot of the problems and controversies Revelation has. One of them is making sure Prince Adam / He-Man has more screen time (as the first part of Revelation got a lot of fan backlash for how the first episode was done, and how he was absent until Part 1's final episode). Basically, the story has Adam experiencing tough times as he is forced to become king of Eternia in his father's passing, a story I feel is a lot better than what Revelations had. Also, Revolution goes as far as to delve into more of the characters' past.
For the characters, we get a mix of returning and new. Skeletor/Skeletek is back, still voiced by Mark Hamill, but the true villain is Hordak, the leader of the Horde, voiced here by Keith David (who is best known as the voice of Goliath in Disney's Gargoyles), who does a good job playing the villain who is mostly known for being She-Ra's enemy (and before anyone asks, She-Ra is not in this, possibly due to rights issues, as Dreamworks is said to own the rights to make TV shows about her). And they even have Keldor in this, voiced by William Shattner. As for other character, they bring in more obscure characters who never appeared in the original cartoon, like Rio Blast and Snout Spout, but the biggest suprise to be in this is the appearance of Gwildor, the replacement of Orko for the 1987 Masters of the Universe movie that is a cult classic, but was a box office bomb, and even making the movie's events canon.
With iconic voice acting and a good story, Revolution is a major imrpovement over Revelation, and it makes it interested to see if they keep this up in future seasons.
Dungeons & Dragons: Requiem the final (2020)
Amazing Fan-Made Ending
When Dungeons & Dragons premiered as a cartoon back in 1983, it was a neat fantasy cartoon that was met with a lot of fans as well as controversy. While the show ran for three seasons, it would become one of the many cartoons that was infamous for ending without a proper ending. In 2006, a DVD set release would add an audio drama called "Requiem" to serve as a finale but in 2020, 37 years after the series ended, the audio drama would be used for a fan animation that looks like an actual episode.
The plot of the episode is that Dungeon Master makes a deadly wager with Venger, as Venger would give the six kids a quest as a test of courage, with success allowing them to return home, but failure will only allow Venger to not only claim the kids' weapons, but also their lives. The one stipulation: Dungeon Master must not be allowed to help them. Once Dungeon Masters abandons them while chased by a three-headed dragon, the kids start to crumble, with Eric having enough, and when Venger gives his quest, to go to Realm's Edge and destroy a key that is hidden in a cenotaph that they must cast into the Abyss, Eric, Shiela, and Presto break from the group to accept the evil wizard's quest.
This is a neat fan-made episode that adapts what was an audio drama for how the final episode of season three would go. To make the cartoon, scenes from the cartoon were recut, and even adding in some new dialogue and events. For the voice acting, two of the VAs from the original series, Katie Leigh and Frank Welker, to repise their roles as Shiela and Uni. For the others, new voice actors take over and do a good job, including Wally Wingert as Hank and Dungeon Master and Neil Kaplan as Venger.
I have to admire the care that the creators went to making this, as it feels just like an actual episode, and the ending, which I will not spoil, is a nice way to give the series the closure it was needed for over 30 years. This is one fan film that is worth checking out if you are an 80's kid.