Written by Fido
First off, this write-up is coming from a 40-year old guy who grew up on 2-D animation as the choice du jour. So, even though I like some 3-D computer animated shows, this one, Hot Wheels: Battle Force 5, just didn’t do it for me in the slightest. Let’s hit onto the obvious stuff before the high and mighty artistic rant to follow.
It’s a show about a team of racing kids (politically cobbled together: Asian kid into martial arts, an English kid into music and partying, a couple of brothers – one panicky and funny-ish and the other a jock, a sassy African-American chick and the team leader, Vert Wheeler, a Southern California-esque teen with a nose for speed and immense amount of hair-styling products) getting pulled into the Multiverse in a battle for Battle Keys – and subsequently the fate of Earth. They race through portals to find all the keys in order to save the Earth from the impending invasion of the Vandals (a far too Masters of the Universe feeling lot, with people bodies and animal heads) and the Sark (yes, the same name as the bad guy from Tron - and yes again, they drive cars that look eerily similar to light cycles). If one or both of those two groups get the keys first, they’ll have the power to open portals and invade Earth – somehow taking it over Battlefield Earth style with only a handful of baddies to handle the whole planet.
Anyhoo – each episode unfolds with the kids getting called into Battle Zones by Sage (yet again, another very Tron-ish looking character who even goes as far to transform into a Bit – and for people who know the movie, you understand) and trying to get the key before the aforementioned bad guys.
So there’s the plot, easy and simple to follow. Great for kids, nothing crazy complicated.
The action sequences, which this whole show is built around, come replete with a shaky-cam effect that is sure to induce some kind of nausea from all age groups and a directorial style similar to the dreaded Transformers movies. It’s a questionable but understandable move (I guess) considering the amount of money they made off of those movies with the same demographic probably watching these. But damn, it still is just aggravating to never get a clear vision of an action sequence. Those quaky camera moves throughout action cuts and jagged storytelling in those same scenes makes what should be the most exciting part of each episode into the most tedious. In fact, to further the Transformers parallel, the cars themselves transform when fighting the beast-headed Vandals and/or the “Space Paranoids”, err, Sark. Sequences are chopped up into barely comprehensible bites all while being way too close to camera to comprehend any kind of scope.
They’ve taken an obviously brash 22-minute advertisement for on-shelf or upcoming Hot Wheels toys (which is fine, no problem with promoting through cartoons, it’s an age-old practice) and made it vastly more obnoxious by transforming it (sorry, had to do it) into an animated version of a Michael Bey film – and, um, that’s not a good thing – at all.
There are limited swipes at humor, some hit, but most miss. The origin story is beyond rushed. Though it may be boring to the audience they’re looking for, showing some kind of training on the cars could’ve been a fun, action-filled, and most of all, character-building episode. More character equals more identifying with the characters or developing feelings about both good and bad guys and that in turn leads to a more devoted following of those same characters. That’s pretty basic stuff, completely thrown away here.
It has interesting enough “cel-look” feel to it, but as far as distinctive looks go, that’s about it. To give you an idea, it’s executed in the vein of the newest version of the animated Spider-Man and has been seen in swipes on several shows. It’s an initially cool look that wears thin once the animation begins to break down into stilted digital shadow puppet-like movement.
The episodes are the standard one-off episodes, all ending well and never really putting the heroes in any sort of peril. And that’s all fine and dandy, it’s expected. But that’s what this cartoon’s major problem is – it’s all very, very expected - in its stories, characters, and above all style.
Stylistic choices in animation based on what people think viewers will like rather than making a choice to make the cartoon stand out now and in the future is what has made so many modern cartoon series fall short. This one is absolutely no exception.
Series like Genndy Tartakovsky’s first Clone Wars (along with the previous and to this day still brilliant Samurai Jack) series went with a style that wasn’t already a safe bet and wound up setting a new pace and in turn a high-water mark for others to follow. Though I totally get why studios are reluctant to do it, they have to look at the fact that when it is done, it’s typically regarded as, at the very least, interesting to watch. That interesting often turns into more stable over time which can translate into long term sales of the attached merchandise (looking at it from Mattel’s point of view).
Unfortunately for series like the current Clone Wars and Hot Wheels: Battle Force 5, they’ve strategically sidestepped having the guts to go out on any creative limb in favor of being as vanilla as possible. And hey, I love me some good vanilla, but we’re talking blue stripe, plain wrap, and flavorless here.
I can appreciate this show/DVD for almost coming out and admitting through its rushed stories and hackneyed ideas that it knows it’s a flash in the pan. But when properties have a healthy wellspring of money behind them, along with some obviously talented people/artists lurking, as this one does, it would be great to see them go crazy and be, I don’t know, artistic about the art of animation.
I’m probably asking too much from a cartoon about a toy car line. It just seems sad that so much talent is wasted on easy bake shows like this. It would be like having Mario Batali and all the ingredients for an amazing meal available right in front of you, but hitting Taco Bell instead because you’re too lazy to walk to the table.
Perhaps the charm came from the sadly dwindling art of 2-D drawings instead of the almost instantly tired 3-D computer animated, do-it-because-we-can shows that get rolled out nowadays.
Writing this, I feel like a bitter jaded old guy accusing all new animation as unworthy. I don’t mean to come across that way, but when you find yourself sighing within five minutes of watching a mere five-episode DVD, something tells me it’s not hitting me in the good spot. It is possible for new cartoons/kids’ show's animation to be promotional in nature, creative, and fun to absorb. I refer back to that original Clone Wars run and Batman: The Brave And The Bold as two modern-day shows that showed (and still do to this day) that good style, original drawings, characters you care about and flat out fun can still be had in an action cartoon.
I feel like I’m bashing this poor show (double entendre there – sweet) to death, but I just can’t see anyone beyond an ADD-stricken kid latching onto this. Even then, it just doesn’t feel like a show built for the test of time. It feels like it’s made for the here and now, which saddens me to a degree or two. When all is said and done, that’s what bums me out about Hot Wheels: Battle Force 5 and many newer cartoons – substance replaced by flash.
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
SCOOBY-DOO! ABRACADABRA-DOO
Written by Musgo Del Jefe
The latest direct-to-video Scooby-Doo movie, Scooby-Doo! Abracadabra-Doo marks the fourth film in a row of the series that Musgo has had a chance to review. This movie is the fourteenth in the series that started off so strongly with the 1998 Scooby-Doo On Zombie Island. Previously, Musgo was highly entertained with the storytelling and self-deprecating humor of the 2007 release of Chill Out, Scooby-Doo. In 2008, Scooby-Doo and the Goblin King failed to live up to the horror film themes promised in the trailer. The magic based story wasn't a mystery, and even worse, it wasn't funny. The Spring 2009 release of Scooby-Doo and the Samurai Sword looked on the surface like a real upgrade to the quality of the animation and overall production. Hopes were dashed with a razor-thin plot and a "mystery" that relied more on chase scenes than actual clues being solved. Musgo left that film knowing that the franchise would survive but imploring a return to more classic mystery stories.
Since the last release, Scooby-Doo has only made one new appearance. In September 2009, the new live-action film, Scooby-Doo! The Mystery Begins aired on Cartoon Network and had a decent reception. Enough so that the cast is being reunited for another film in the near future. The new animated series, Scooby-Doo - Mystery, Inc. was to air in 2009 but will now start some time in 2010. The series will feature the voice actors from the films and return to the half-hour storytelling of the original series.
The first scene of Abracadabra-Doo sets the tone that this is another departure from the last film. Whereas, we've started the previous films establishing geographic setting, this one tries to establish tone. And that tone is classic horror. In a scene that could be pulled out of a horror film of the '50s (or Michael Jackson's "Thriller" video), two teenagers are alone in a forest where they encounter a huge scary monster.
The title sequence is a return to the crazy, very busy credits of films previous to the last one. The animation style is very different for this series. There's a feel here that Warner Bros. is announcing that this is their property now and they needed to distance themselves from the Hanna-Barbera style. There are computer-generated and colored backgrounds and the characters appear much younger. The song over the titles has a very generic '60s Flower Power sound that fits the wacky color scheme. It was most shocking here to see all the bright pastels. Luckily, that color scheme was mostly lost once the real film began.
The movie starts with a cheap but effective plot device - the chase scene of the opening credits dissolves into the solving of a mystery at the Karloff Chemical Corporation. The device allows the writers to wink at the viewer by using the traditional lines that are usually the viewers clue that the show is over. The writers are faced with this dilemma in every film. There are catchphrases that they feel that viewers would be disappointed if they didn't hear. So, they need to work them in whenever they can. Hitchcock started appearing earlier and earlier in his films so it wouldn't be a distraction to the viewers waiting for him. In that same tradition, the writers seemed to pack all the expected lines into the first 20 minutes of the film so they could move on and tell their own story.
The plot is paper thin again. Any good mystery writer knows that exposition and set-up is 90% of what moves the story along. We're introduced to Velma's sister, Madelyn (voiced by Danica McKellar who still sounds like Winnie from The Wonder Years). Madelyn is attending Whirlen Merlin Magic Academy where she's studying to become a Magician's Assistant. In lieu of actual plot, the story is predicated on the viewer relating everything back to the Harry Potter books and movies. The names and broad characters are generically close enough to be more than just a simple nod to the series. Madelyn, Scooby and Shaggy form the perfect Hermione, Harry and Ron trio. And with Madelyn being infatuated with Shaggy, it's not hard to make the leap. There's also a large, mysterious groundskeeper, Amos.
We're first reintroduced to this version of Mystery Inc. on their trip to visit the Academy. First impressions are good - the gang has thrown off all of their "modern" costumes and returned to their original clothes from the late '60s version of the show. It's the classic look and it's comfortable. It's my first time hearing the animated Shaggy with someone not Casey Kasem. Matthew Lillard, from the live-action films, has taken over the animated voice and it took about 10 minutes to get into his groove. In all, he gives the character that younger feel that's been missing over the past few films. We're also introduced to Fred's crazy new GPS in the Mystery Machine voiced by Dave Attell. This crazy device is actually kinda funny but it seems so out of place and a real time waster for the film.
The team enters the Grand Hall (designs courtesy of J.K. Rowling's books) to a theme that recalls the John Williams scores to the Harry Potter films. At this point, the Warner Bros. synergy between the two franchises was a little too much to handle. If it's going to be Harry Potter - then it just needs to be Harry Potter with the characters actually playing the parts. If it's going to be Scooby-Doo!, then it can feel free to stand on 40 years of tradition.
On cue, like the past few films, at exactly the 20-minute mark, we are introduced to our villain during our first "music video" chase scene. The villain in this case is a Griffin (half lion/half bird) (get it - Griffindor) that is terrorizing the school. The movies have recently set up a pattern - there's one full chase scene and one that ends just as it's getting started. In this film, the short one comes first. It's not hard to establish that this huge bird/lion is scaring away students from the school. We also meet the brothers who run the school - Whirlen Merlin (the true charismatic leader) and his brainy opposite, Marlon Whirlen (voiced perfectly by Brian Posehn).
A mature viewer might think that you can't build a 74-minute plot just on a Griffin terrorizing a school. You can if you use lots of filler. One such plot bridge is the montage. There's a long montage with the gang taking different classes at the Academy. Not that the films have to have tight continuity, but it is weird that in the previous film, Daphne was a world-class martial artist and here they play up her lack of coordination and make her generally klutzy the whole film. When another appearance of the Griffin seems repetitive, there's the random appearance of a Banshee that generally serves the same role as the Griffin.
By the time we reach the second of the two required chase scenes at 40 minutes, the lack of depth to the new characters and the story can't be saved. There's an attempt to put some suspense and danger into the plot - something that was needed 30 minutes before. Madelyn has been kidnapped and there's just an hour to solve the mystery or Whirlen will sell the castle to his rival. Normally, that kind of deadline would at least lend itself to some nail-biting scenes. But the plot point of Madelyn's kidnapping seems out of place when all the bird/lion has been doing is scaring people.
Not content with just referencing the Harry Potter franchise, there's a scene right out of Lord Of The Rings that includes a big, bad villain on one side of a rock bridge and a wizard with a beard and a staff on the other side saying "You shall not pass." It's just another "out of left field" moment that doesn't feel like a homage - just a lazy writer's moment that's supposed to be clever.
The mystery tries to reach back to the more realistic ones that launched and then relaunched the series. But that's hard when you've built up the previous hour that this is a movie about magic and magicians. It's not the robot ninjas of the previous film but it's still a bad mixture. When these films work best is when they're about characters - even the most stock characters - not characters that are ghosts, robots or mythical animals. I'm hoping the new series finds that fun because the fun here is all forced. The next film due in 2011 doesn't promise to follow that advice - at least from it's title - Scooby-Doo and the Wild West Boogeyman.
There's a "Special Feature" on this DVD. Based on the last two Special Features, they seem to be aimed at a preschool crowd. The features have little to do with the movie and the information on them is so basic that it's hard to imagine that it's entertaining for either young or old. This disc includes "Scooby-Doo And Puppets Too!" with instructions on making paper bag and sock puppets as if looking at a picture of one wouldn't tell you all you need to know.
The latest direct-to-video Scooby-Doo movie, Scooby-Doo! Abracadabra-Doo marks the fourth film in a row of the series that Musgo has had a chance to review. This movie is the fourteenth in the series that started off so strongly with the 1998 Scooby-Doo On Zombie Island. Previously, Musgo was highly entertained with the storytelling and self-deprecating humor of the 2007 release of Chill Out, Scooby-Doo. In 2008, Scooby-Doo and the Goblin King failed to live up to the horror film themes promised in the trailer. The magic based story wasn't a mystery, and even worse, it wasn't funny. The Spring 2009 release of Scooby-Doo and the Samurai Sword looked on the surface like a real upgrade to the quality of the animation and overall production. Hopes were dashed with a razor-thin plot and a "mystery" that relied more on chase scenes than actual clues being solved. Musgo left that film knowing that the franchise would survive but imploring a return to more classic mystery stories.
Since the last release, Scooby-Doo has only made one new appearance. In September 2009, the new live-action film, Scooby-Doo! The Mystery Begins aired on Cartoon Network and had a decent reception. Enough so that the cast is being reunited for another film in the near future. The new animated series, Scooby-Doo - Mystery, Inc. was to air in 2009 but will now start some time in 2010. The series will feature the voice actors from the films and return to the half-hour storytelling of the original series.
The first scene of Abracadabra-Doo sets the tone that this is another departure from the last film. Whereas, we've started the previous films establishing geographic setting, this one tries to establish tone. And that tone is classic horror. In a scene that could be pulled out of a horror film of the '50s (or Michael Jackson's "Thriller" video), two teenagers are alone in a forest where they encounter a huge scary monster.
The title sequence is a return to the crazy, very busy credits of films previous to the last one. The animation style is very different for this series. There's a feel here that Warner Bros. is announcing that this is their property now and they needed to distance themselves from the Hanna-Barbera style. There are computer-generated and colored backgrounds and the characters appear much younger. The song over the titles has a very generic '60s Flower Power sound that fits the wacky color scheme. It was most shocking here to see all the bright pastels. Luckily, that color scheme was mostly lost once the real film began.
The movie starts with a cheap but effective plot device - the chase scene of the opening credits dissolves into the solving of a mystery at the Karloff Chemical Corporation. The device allows the writers to wink at the viewer by using the traditional lines that are usually the viewers clue that the show is over. The writers are faced with this dilemma in every film. There are catchphrases that they feel that viewers would be disappointed if they didn't hear. So, they need to work them in whenever they can. Hitchcock started appearing earlier and earlier in his films so it wouldn't be a distraction to the viewers waiting for him. In that same tradition, the writers seemed to pack all the expected lines into the first 20 minutes of the film so they could move on and tell their own story.
The plot is paper thin again. Any good mystery writer knows that exposition and set-up is 90% of what moves the story along. We're introduced to Velma's sister, Madelyn (voiced by Danica McKellar who still sounds like Winnie from The Wonder Years). Madelyn is attending Whirlen Merlin Magic Academy where she's studying to become a Magician's Assistant. In lieu of actual plot, the story is predicated on the viewer relating everything back to the Harry Potter books and movies. The names and broad characters are generically close enough to be more than just a simple nod to the series. Madelyn, Scooby and Shaggy form the perfect Hermione, Harry and Ron trio. And with Madelyn being infatuated with Shaggy, it's not hard to make the leap. There's also a large, mysterious groundskeeper, Amos.
We're first reintroduced to this version of Mystery Inc. on their trip to visit the Academy. First impressions are good - the gang has thrown off all of their "modern" costumes and returned to their original clothes from the late '60s version of the show. It's the classic look and it's comfortable. It's my first time hearing the animated Shaggy with someone not Casey Kasem. Matthew Lillard, from the live-action films, has taken over the animated voice and it took about 10 minutes to get into his groove. In all, he gives the character that younger feel that's been missing over the past few films. We're also introduced to Fred's crazy new GPS in the Mystery Machine voiced by Dave Attell. This crazy device is actually kinda funny but it seems so out of place and a real time waster for the film.
The team enters the Grand Hall (designs courtesy of J.K. Rowling's books) to a theme that recalls the John Williams scores to the Harry Potter films. At this point, the Warner Bros. synergy between the two franchises was a little too much to handle. If it's going to be Harry Potter - then it just needs to be Harry Potter with the characters actually playing the parts. If it's going to be Scooby-Doo!, then it can feel free to stand on 40 years of tradition.
On cue, like the past few films, at exactly the 20-minute mark, we are introduced to our villain during our first "music video" chase scene. The villain in this case is a Griffin (half lion/half bird) (get it - Griffindor) that is terrorizing the school. The movies have recently set up a pattern - there's one full chase scene and one that ends just as it's getting started. In this film, the short one comes first. It's not hard to establish that this huge bird/lion is scaring away students from the school. We also meet the brothers who run the school - Whirlen Merlin (the true charismatic leader) and his brainy opposite, Marlon Whirlen (voiced perfectly by Brian Posehn).
A mature viewer might think that you can't build a 74-minute plot just on a Griffin terrorizing a school. You can if you use lots of filler. One such plot bridge is the montage. There's a long montage with the gang taking different classes at the Academy. Not that the films have to have tight continuity, but it is weird that in the previous film, Daphne was a world-class martial artist and here they play up her lack of coordination and make her generally klutzy the whole film. When another appearance of the Griffin seems repetitive, there's the random appearance of a Banshee that generally serves the same role as the Griffin.
By the time we reach the second of the two required chase scenes at 40 minutes, the lack of depth to the new characters and the story can't be saved. There's an attempt to put some suspense and danger into the plot - something that was needed 30 minutes before. Madelyn has been kidnapped and there's just an hour to solve the mystery or Whirlen will sell the castle to his rival. Normally, that kind of deadline would at least lend itself to some nail-biting scenes. But the plot point of Madelyn's kidnapping seems out of place when all the bird/lion has been doing is scaring people.
Not content with just referencing the Harry Potter franchise, there's a scene right out of Lord Of The Rings that includes a big, bad villain on one side of a rock bridge and a wizard with a beard and a staff on the other side saying "You shall not pass." It's just another "out of left field" moment that doesn't feel like a homage - just a lazy writer's moment that's supposed to be clever.
The mystery tries to reach back to the more realistic ones that launched and then relaunched the series. But that's hard when you've built up the previous hour that this is a movie about magic and magicians. It's not the robot ninjas of the previous film but it's still a bad mixture. When these films work best is when they're about characters - even the most stock characters - not characters that are ghosts, robots or mythical animals. I'm hoping the new series finds that fun because the fun here is all forced. The next film due in 2011 doesn't promise to follow that advice - at least from it's title - Scooby-Doo and the Wild West Boogeyman.
There's a "Special Feature" on this DVD. Based on the last two Special Features, they seem to be aimed at a preschool crowd. The features have little to do with the movie and the information on them is so basic that it's hard to imagine that it's entertaining for either young or old. This disc includes "Scooby-Doo And Puppets Too!" with instructions on making paper bag and sock puppets as if looking at a picture of one wouldn't tell you all you need to know.
Friday, February 19, 2010
Gary Unmarried - The Complete First Season
Written by Pirata Hermosa
Gary Brooks (Jay Mohr) is an average working guy with two kids. He has just recently divorced his wife, Allison (Paula Marshall). It doesn’t take Gary long to bounce back, and being that he is somewhat of a playboy, he immediately has a new girlfriend, Vanessa (Jaime King).
Even though the two are divorced, Gary finds himself having to hide his new girlfriend because he promised to follow the advice of their former marriage counselor, Dr. Krandall (Ed Begley Jr.). And that advice is to not get involved right away in any new relationships as it could adversely affect the children. But Gary’s charade doesn’t last long when he finds out that Allison is not only dating, but her new boyfriend is Dr. Krandall.
While this appears to be just another typical sitcom it actually has its own spin on the genre. Gary and Allison have a fairly amicable divorce and as the season plays out you can see that the reason that the two have separated isn’t because they don’t love one another, but more because of Gary’s inability to mature causing them to grow apart. This also is a downfall of the characters as their new partners will find it difficult to accept such attachment to a former spouse.
The chemistry between the two exes is very strong and the main reason the show works. Even when they are in a heated argument, which is usually based on something stupid Gary does, the love/hate aspect pulls it all together.
There’s also a lot of play on boundaries, and what they are after having once been married to someone. How are in-laws supposed to react towards their former daughter/son-in-law? Is it possible for ex-wife and new girlfriend to be friends? And what about dating your counselor?
The casting of the characters is also very good. While Mohr is best known as a smartass comedian, he does an excellent job of playing the lovable goof. Begley Jr. is also another great casting choice as his quirkiness and strange mannerisms make him fun to watch no matter what he is doing.
There are four Special Features on the DVD.
"The Chemistry of Comedy" -The cast and crew discuss the basic idea of the show, how it works, the chemistry between Gary and Allison, and the writing process of the episodes.
"Planet Begley" - is a look into Ed Begley Jr.’s world of “Green Living.” His fellow cast members comment on his unique living style and the film crew takes a look at his eco-friendly home powered by solar electricity.
"Tuesday on the Set with Jay" - The star takes the fans through a behind-the-scenes tour of the entire set, interspersed with live shooting and clips from the show. The clips are a little distracting as they appear to be missing frames, giving it a choppy appearance.
"Gary Unhinged Bloopers from Season One" - A typical blooper reel that shows Mohr has a hard time remembering the names of his ex-wife and girlfriend. Once again, the clips used are choppy.
In 2009 the show won the People’s Choice Award for Best New Comedy, which is an impressive feat on its own, because it doesn't seem to receive nearly the amount of advertisement as most of the others. If you haven’t had a chance to watch it yet, then I’d suggest getting the first season of Gary Unmarried. You won’t be sorry.
Gary Brooks (Jay Mohr) is an average working guy with two kids. He has just recently divorced his wife, Allison (Paula Marshall). It doesn’t take Gary long to bounce back, and being that he is somewhat of a playboy, he immediately has a new girlfriend, Vanessa (Jaime King).
Even though the two are divorced, Gary finds himself having to hide his new girlfriend because he promised to follow the advice of their former marriage counselor, Dr. Krandall (Ed Begley Jr.). And that advice is to not get involved right away in any new relationships as it could adversely affect the children. But Gary’s charade doesn’t last long when he finds out that Allison is not only dating, but her new boyfriend is Dr. Krandall.
While this appears to be just another typical sitcom it actually has its own spin on the genre. Gary and Allison have a fairly amicable divorce and as the season plays out you can see that the reason that the two have separated isn’t because they don’t love one another, but more because of Gary’s inability to mature causing them to grow apart. This also is a downfall of the characters as their new partners will find it difficult to accept such attachment to a former spouse.
The chemistry between the two exes is very strong and the main reason the show works. Even when they are in a heated argument, which is usually based on something stupid Gary does, the love/hate aspect pulls it all together.
There’s also a lot of play on boundaries, and what they are after having once been married to someone. How are in-laws supposed to react towards their former daughter/son-in-law? Is it possible for ex-wife and new girlfriend to be friends? And what about dating your counselor?
The casting of the characters is also very good. While Mohr is best known as a smartass comedian, he does an excellent job of playing the lovable goof. Begley Jr. is also another great casting choice as his quirkiness and strange mannerisms make him fun to watch no matter what he is doing.
There are four Special Features on the DVD.
"The Chemistry of Comedy" -The cast and crew discuss the basic idea of the show, how it works, the chemistry between Gary and Allison, and the writing process of the episodes.
"Planet Begley" - is a look into Ed Begley Jr.’s world of “Green Living.” His fellow cast members comment on his unique living style and the film crew takes a look at his eco-friendly home powered by solar electricity.
"Tuesday on the Set with Jay" - The star takes the fans through a behind-the-scenes tour of the entire set, interspersed with live shooting and clips from the show. The clips are a little distracting as they appear to be missing frames, giving it a choppy appearance.
"Gary Unhinged Bloopers from Season One" - A typical blooper reel that shows Mohr has a hard time remembering the names of his ex-wife and girlfriend. Once again, the clips used are choppy.
In 2009 the show won the People’s Choice Award for Best New Comedy, which is an impressive feat on its own, because it doesn't seem to receive nearly the amount of advertisement as most of the others. If you haven’t had a chance to watch it yet, then I’d suggest getting the first season of Gary Unmarried. You won’t be sorry.
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Small Wonder: The Complete First Season
Written by Hombre Divertido
Take an established premise, add in some solid setup/punch writing, family values, a few stories with a message, and put all in the hands of executive producer Howard Leeds, and its no Small Wonder that this show lasted for 96 episodes.
Leeds name, as writer and/or producer, can be found on many classic television shows from the '60s and '70s including The Facts of Life, Diff’rent Strokes, Silver Spoons, The Brady Bunch, and Bewitched. The premise for Small Wonder is not unlike Bewitched, in that someone is living in a house with a family, they are not as they appear, and there are nosey neighbors constantly causing problems. In Small Wonder it is a robot instead of a witch, and Vicki (Tiffany Brissette), whose name comes from Voice Input Child Identicant, is a little girl. The family atmosphere and relationship between the parents has a strong Brady Bunch feel to it, obviously influenced by Leeds who produced 34 episodes of that classic show.
Families flocked to this syndicated show in September of 1985 when United Robotronics engineer Ted Lawson (Dick Christie) first brought Vicki, his secret project, home to his wife Joan (Marla Pennington) and wise-cracking son Jamie (Jerry Supiran). Ted wanted to work out the kinks while she acclimated to a normal environment. As Vicki took things literally, repeated phrases like a parrot, and mugged to the camera, the laugh tracks rolled.
Small Wonder gleaned its success from doing one thing right from top to bottom: they kept it simple. Simplicity in premise, stories, special effects, sets, etc. It even has a catchy theme song. The writing for the show is comedy writing at it’s most basic. Every fifth to seventh line of dialog is a punch line, and in many cases it appears that the story was written around the jokes. Nonetheless, there were enough jokes and sight gags to keep children laughing, and enough story to keep parents interested or at least distracted.
The performances work well because it is clear that the cast knows exactly what it is doing and is not taking it too seriously. Brissette does a wonderful job with her role, and considering the challenges and restrictions, excels in her performance. The rest of the cast does well, especially Supiran who displays solid comic timing for someone so young. Emily Schulman is adequately annoying as Harriet the little girl next door, but the writers don’t make her inquisitive enough in season one, and thus she is not antagonistic. Edie McClurg makes a few appearances as Harriet’s mom, and it is hard to go wrong anytime the veteran character actress hits the screen.
Shout Factory sends all 24 episodes of the first season to the shelves in a well-packaged four-disc set. Bonus material includes Original Episode Promos, Fan Art Gallery that appears to be pictures fans sent in, and commentary on certain episodes from Leeds and the cast. The commentary is entertaining, but would have been more enjoyable in a cast reunion than on a track under the episode dialog.
Recommendation: Small Wonder is for the young. If you enjoyed it in 1985, you may like an episode or two, but it will probably be too simple for you in 2010. If you have never seen the show, parents could find far worse programming to share with their children. No Emmy awards here, just simple television for the certain families.
Take an established premise, add in some solid setup/punch writing, family values, a few stories with a message, and put all in the hands of executive producer Howard Leeds, and its no Small Wonder that this show lasted for 96 episodes.
Leeds name, as writer and/or producer, can be found on many classic television shows from the '60s and '70s including The Facts of Life, Diff’rent Strokes, Silver Spoons, The Brady Bunch, and Bewitched. The premise for Small Wonder is not unlike Bewitched, in that someone is living in a house with a family, they are not as they appear, and there are nosey neighbors constantly causing problems. In Small Wonder it is a robot instead of a witch, and Vicki (Tiffany Brissette), whose name comes from Voice Input Child Identicant, is a little girl. The family atmosphere and relationship between the parents has a strong Brady Bunch feel to it, obviously influenced by Leeds who produced 34 episodes of that classic show.
Families flocked to this syndicated show in September of 1985 when United Robotronics engineer Ted Lawson (Dick Christie) first brought Vicki, his secret project, home to his wife Joan (Marla Pennington) and wise-cracking son Jamie (Jerry Supiran). Ted wanted to work out the kinks while she acclimated to a normal environment. As Vicki took things literally, repeated phrases like a parrot, and mugged to the camera, the laugh tracks rolled.
Small Wonder gleaned its success from doing one thing right from top to bottom: they kept it simple. Simplicity in premise, stories, special effects, sets, etc. It even has a catchy theme song. The writing for the show is comedy writing at it’s most basic. Every fifth to seventh line of dialog is a punch line, and in many cases it appears that the story was written around the jokes. Nonetheless, there were enough jokes and sight gags to keep children laughing, and enough story to keep parents interested or at least distracted.
The performances work well because it is clear that the cast knows exactly what it is doing and is not taking it too seriously. Brissette does a wonderful job with her role, and considering the challenges and restrictions, excels in her performance. The rest of the cast does well, especially Supiran who displays solid comic timing for someone so young. Emily Schulman is adequately annoying as Harriet the little girl next door, but the writers don’t make her inquisitive enough in season one, and thus she is not antagonistic. Edie McClurg makes a few appearances as Harriet’s mom, and it is hard to go wrong anytime the veteran character actress hits the screen.
Shout Factory sends all 24 episodes of the first season to the shelves in a well-packaged four-disc set. Bonus material includes Original Episode Promos, Fan Art Gallery that appears to be pictures fans sent in, and commentary on certain episodes from Leeds and the cast. The commentary is entertaining, but would have been more enjoyable in a cast reunion than on a track under the episode dialog.
Recommendation: Small Wonder is for the young. If you enjoyed it in 1985, you may like an episode or two, but it will probably be too simple for you in 2010. If you have never seen the show, parents could find far worse programming to share with their children. No Emmy awards here, just simple television for the certain families.
Sunday, February 07, 2010
The Waltons: Movie Collection
Written by Hombre Divertido
On January 26th Warner Home Video released The Waltons: Movie Collection. The collection consists of six made-for-TV movies that span the life of this classic family television from 1947 to 1969. Though these movies are generally considered “reunion” films, the differences between the first three and final three are significant.
The set opens with A Wedding on Walton’s Mountain which aired on February 22nd, 1982, just a little over seven months after the final episode of the series, and unfortunately picks up where the series left off in 1947. Sans Michael Learned (Olivia) and Richard Thomas (John-Boy), the story revolves around the impending nuptials of Erin (Mary Beth McDonough) to Paul Northridge (Morgan Stevens channeling a young Michael Biehn) and how the return of Erin’s former love interest Ashley Longworth Jr. (Louis Welch takes over for Jonathan Frakes and over plays the confidence and smugness of the character) stirs things up. Unfortunately the Erin love triangle is not enough to carry the film, and thus there are numerous sub-plots, all of which are poorly written.
The Waltons was cancelled after nine seasons due to the lack of quality that it had established early in its run. The cast of children had grown, but their acting abilities were still raw, and they were simply not up to the task of carrying the series that now rested on their shoulders in the absence of the talented Thomas and Learned who had been a source of stability in the series. Ralph Waite (John) is a fine actor, but he had been relegated to the role of family advisor by the time the series ended. The writers had simply run out of ideas and the stories had become trite. To produce a movie so soon after the cancellation served no purpose other than to confirm the decision to end the series run.
Despite the poor quality of A Wedding, fans looking for a true reunion tuned in, and CBS followed it with Mother's Day on Walton's Mountain three months later, and a Thanksgiving outing on November 22nd titled A Day of Thanks on Walton’s Mountain. Like A Wedding the two films were still set in 1947, and continued with the same cast though Michael Learned makes an all-too-brief appearance in the Mother's Day-themed film considering the title. John-Boy does appear in Day of Thanks but Robert Wightman, who was never able to capture the subtle intelligence, creativity, and vulnerability that Richard Thomas brought to the role, portrays him.
Both the Mother's Day- and Thanksgiving-themed films are over-written, over-acted, and tend to focus on one-dimensional characters such as Erin’s and Mary Ellen’s (Judy Norton) significant others Paul Northridge and Joensey portrayed awkwardly by Richard Gilliland who seems a bit confused by the character's motivation, but it may have been the writing and direction more than the limited ability of the actor that made the character so difficult to appreciate. The Mother's Day episode specifically focuses on the exploits of the now trampy Aimee Godsey (DeAnna Robbins takes over for Rachel Longaker) and Ike and Corabeth’s (Joe Conley and Ronnie Claire Edwards) befuddlement with how to handle her. Ultimately the storyline only reconfirms the fact that the Ike character was far more enjoyable when he was single then after he married the cartoon that is Corabeth.
Eleven years after Day of Thanks aired, CBS gave fans what they had been waiting for when A Walton's Thanksgiving Reunion aired on November 21st, 1993. The entire original cast is reunited in this film with the exception of the beloved Will Geer (Grandpa) who had passed away. Richard Thomas was back as John-Boy and even Rachel Longaker returned as Aimee Godsey. Though it had only been eleven years since the last movie, we find our favorite family in the early sixties dealing with the assassination of JFK. John-Boy comes home from New York with his girlfriend (Kate McNeil), John and Olivia are planning for a new house, and as it had been throughout the series and in each of the movies, there were problems at the mill.
Though it was pleasant to see the cast together again in Thanksgiving Reunion, writers Rod Peterson and Claire Whitaker, who had written several episodes of the series, seem to care very little about what had been established in previous films. There is no mention of Olivia’s illness or return home. Mary-Ellen has additional children even though doing so was established as life threatening to both her and the infants in a previous film. Her son John-Curtis is absent from the film without explanation, as is Ben and Cindy’s son Charlie. Other absences are explained such as Mary-Ellen’s husband Joensey is apparently in Africa working with animals, and Erin is divorced due to infidelity on the part of Paul. Though there are inconsistencies in the storytelling, and the plotlines tend to be superficial, “A Walton's Thanksgiving Reunion” does manage to allow the audience to see what had become of the characters they loved.
That would have been a fine place to end the story of the Waltons, but CBS followed it with “A Walton Wedding” on February 12th 1995. The original cast is once again reunited and the story generally picks up where Thanksgiving Reunion left off. John-Boy is back in New York, but he is frustrated with the wedding plans being made by Janet’s aunt Flo played by Holland Taylor in a somewhat comedically subdued performance compared to characters she would become known for. John-Boy heads home to complete a story he is writing on his Grandmother. Ellen Corby gives an amazing performance as Grandma and shows tremendous range considering her limitations due to a stroke. Once again it is the writing (Peterson and Whitaker) that lets the cast down. The story regarding a skeleton in Grandma's closet proves amazingly anti-climactic, and a plotline regarding Olivia going back to school goes nowhere.
A Walton Easter came along March 31, 1997, and once again the writing (Julie Sayers) seems hypocritical, as the story has nothing to do with Easter. The holiday is an afterthought as a scene with the cast attending church services at the end of the film seems almost throw in. The story takes place in 1969 as John-Boy covers the moon landing at the news station he works for, and the family gathers for the fortieth anniversary of John and Olivia. Apparently Sayers had failed to do her homework since John and Olivia had celebrated their 25th anniversary in episode 19 of season six of the series, which was set in 1940. Though the storyline revolving around the relationship between Elizabeth (Kami Cotler) and Drew (Tony Becker), which had been running throughout the films, comes to a pleasant conclusion, other sub-plots in Easter such as a new business venture for John, Ben, and Drew; and the Baldwin sisters (Helen Kleeb and Mary Jackson) leaving the recipe to John go nowhere.
Ultimately these films add little to the Waltons legacy. The best analogy can be found in A Walton Easter: the character of Aurora Jameson (Sydney Walsh), a reporter from the big city who comes to Walton Mountain with John-Boy and his expecting wife to do an article on John-Boy and his soon-to-be-released book. The character has great potential as not only a classic fish out of water, but also a potential love interest for Jim-Bob. Ultimately nothing is done with the character and the audience is left to wonder; what was the point?
The three disc release contains no bonus material which only adds to the disappointment.
Recommendation: Watching any of the final three movies will give you an idea of how the characters you came to love have grown up and developed. That is all to be gained here. Though any time you get the opportunity to hear the narration of Earl Hamner, it will remind you of this classic series filled with great family values illustrated through excellent storytelling; it is only the narration that will serve as a reminder of quality storytelling here. This is only for the true fans who need to complete their collections.This is only for the true fans who need to complete their collections.
On January 26th Warner Home Video released The Waltons: Movie Collection. The collection consists of six made-for-TV movies that span the life of this classic family television from 1947 to 1969. Though these movies are generally considered “reunion” films, the differences between the first three and final three are significant.
The set opens with A Wedding on Walton’s Mountain which aired on February 22nd, 1982, just a little over seven months after the final episode of the series, and unfortunately picks up where the series left off in 1947. Sans Michael Learned (Olivia) and Richard Thomas (John-Boy), the story revolves around the impending nuptials of Erin (Mary Beth McDonough) to Paul Northridge (Morgan Stevens channeling a young Michael Biehn) and how the return of Erin’s former love interest Ashley Longworth Jr. (Louis Welch takes over for Jonathan Frakes and over plays the confidence and smugness of the character) stirs things up. Unfortunately the Erin love triangle is not enough to carry the film, and thus there are numerous sub-plots, all of which are poorly written.
The Waltons was cancelled after nine seasons due to the lack of quality that it had established early in its run. The cast of children had grown, but their acting abilities were still raw, and they were simply not up to the task of carrying the series that now rested on their shoulders in the absence of the talented Thomas and Learned who had been a source of stability in the series. Ralph Waite (John) is a fine actor, but he had been relegated to the role of family advisor by the time the series ended. The writers had simply run out of ideas and the stories had become trite. To produce a movie so soon after the cancellation served no purpose other than to confirm the decision to end the series run.
Despite the poor quality of A Wedding, fans looking for a true reunion tuned in, and CBS followed it with Mother's Day on Walton's Mountain three months later, and a Thanksgiving outing on November 22nd titled A Day of Thanks on Walton’s Mountain. Like A Wedding the two films were still set in 1947, and continued with the same cast though Michael Learned makes an all-too-brief appearance in the Mother's Day-themed film considering the title. John-Boy does appear in Day of Thanks but Robert Wightman, who was never able to capture the subtle intelligence, creativity, and vulnerability that Richard Thomas brought to the role, portrays him.
Both the Mother's Day- and Thanksgiving-themed films are over-written, over-acted, and tend to focus on one-dimensional characters such as Erin’s and Mary Ellen’s (Judy Norton) significant others Paul Northridge and Joensey portrayed awkwardly by Richard Gilliland who seems a bit confused by the character's motivation, but it may have been the writing and direction more than the limited ability of the actor that made the character so difficult to appreciate. The Mother's Day episode specifically focuses on the exploits of the now trampy Aimee Godsey (DeAnna Robbins takes over for Rachel Longaker) and Ike and Corabeth’s (Joe Conley and Ronnie Claire Edwards) befuddlement with how to handle her. Ultimately the storyline only reconfirms the fact that the Ike character was far more enjoyable when he was single then after he married the cartoon that is Corabeth.
Eleven years after Day of Thanks aired, CBS gave fans what they had been waiting for when A Walton's Thanksgiving Reunion aired on November 21st, 1993. The entire original cast is reunited in this film with the exception of the beloved Will Geer (Grandpa) who had passed away. Richard Thomas was back as John-Boy and even Rachel Longaker returned as Aimee Godsey. Though it had only been eleven years since the last movie, we find our favorite family in the early sixties dealing with the assassination of JFK. John-Boy comes home from New York with his girlfriend (Kate McNeil), John and Olivia are planning for a new house, and as it had been throughout the series and in each of the movies, there were problems at the mill.
Though it was pleasant to see the cast together again in Thanksgiving Reunion, writers Rod Peterson and Claire Whitaker, who had written several episodes of the series, seem to care very little about what had been established in previous films. There is no mention of Olivia’s illness or return home. Mary-Ellen has additional children even though doing so was established as life threatening to both her and the infants in a previous film. Her son John-Curtis is absent from the film without explanation, as is Ben and Cindy’s son Charlie. Other absences are explained such as Mary-Ellen’s husband Joensey is apparently in Africa working with animals, and Erin is divorced due to infidelity on the part of Paul. Though there are inconsistencies in the storytelling, and the plotlines tend to be superficial, “A Walton's Thanksgiving Reunion” does manage to allow the audience to see what had become of the characters they loved.
That would have been a fine place to end the story of the Waltons, but CBS followed it with “A Walton Wedding” on February 12th 1995. The original cast is once again reunited and the story generally picks up where Thanksgiving Reunion left off. John-Boy is back in New York, but he is frustrated with the wedding plans being made by Janet’s aunt Flo played by Holland Taylor in a somewhat comedically subdued performance compared to characters she would become known for. John-Boy heads home to complete a story he is writing on his Grandmother. Ellen Corby gives an amazing performance as Grandma and shows tremendous range considering her limitations due to a stroke. Once again it is the writing (Peterson and Whitaker) that lets the cast down. The story regarding a skeleton in Grandma's closet proves amazingly anti-climactic, and a plotline regarding Olivia going back to school goes nowhere.
A Walton Easter came along March 31, 1997, and once again the writing (Julie Sayers) seems hypocritical, as the story has nothing to do with Easter. The holiday is an afterthought as a scene with the cast attending church services at the end of the film seems almost throw in. The story takes place in 1969 as John-Boy covers the moon landing at the news station he works for, and the family gathers for the fortieth anniversary of John and Olivia. Apparently Sayers had failed to do her homework since John and Olivia had celebrated their 25th anniversary in episode 19 of season six of the series, which was set in 1940. Though the storyline revolving around the relationship between Elizabeth (Kami Cotler) and Drew (Tony Becker), which had been running throughout the films, comes to a pleasant conclusion, other sub-plots in Easter such as a new business venture for John, Ben, and Drew; and the Baldwin sisters (Helen Kleeb and Mary Jackson) leaving the recipe to John go nowhere.
Ultimately these films add little to the Waltons legacy. The best analogy can be found in A Walton Easter: the character of Aurora Jameson (Sydney Walsh), a reporter from the big city who comes to Walton Mountain with John-Boy and his expecting wife to do an article on John-Boy and his soon-to-be-released book. The character has great potential as not only a classic fish out of water, but also a potential love interest for Jim-Bob. Ultimately nothing is done with the character and the audience is left to wonder; what was the point?
The three disc release contains no bonus material which only adds to the disappointment.
Recommendation: Watching any of the final three movies will give you an idea of how the characters you came to love have grown up and developed. That is all to be gained here. Though any time you get the opportunity to hear the narration of Earl Hamner, it will remind you of this classic series filled with great family values illustrated through excellent storytelling; it is only the narration that will serve as a reminder of quality storytelling here. This is only for the true fans who need to complete their collections.This is only for the true fans who need to complete their collections.
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