Cheapskate Film Festival Welcome: MR PEABODY & SHERMAN

Greetings! Welcome to this blog's third annual Cheapskate Film Festival - a series of blog reviews of movies acquired via the Chicago Public Library or discount stores. (This year's docket includes one film acquired via a discounted Google Play rental, and another purchased at Dollar Tree). Each review will provide a link for online viewing (via this blog's Amazon affiliate program), as well as (when possible) a DVD for purchase.

It's ironic that I'm starting on Father's Day, because Mr. Peabody & Sherman - based on the classic Jay Ward animated series of shorts  - makes a wonderful, heartwarming Father's Day view.

And make no mistake about it - this is definitely a family-oriented film that really is fun for all ages. Mr. Peabody & Sherman starts with a more developed backstory to the relationship between Mr. Peabody & Sherman - a dog whose "smarter than your average dog" decides that he wants to be less alone, and so he adopts a boy. Although he discourages Sherman calling him "Dad", it's very clear how much Peabody cares for the young boy.

Of course, the WABAC machine makes its appearance in a very nice, makes-a-lot-of-sense 21st century way. Sherman's attempts to be "normal" in school results in a conflict with a classmates, which leads to an attempt for both families to reconcile....and the time travel shenanigans ensue.

Time travel is always a tricky concept for most films....but Mr. Peabody & Sherman manages to negotiate the paradoxes with a very articulate script with some genuinely funny scenes. It manages to balance classic Jay Ward-style satire with a very solid emotional core. In short, there isn't a false note in Mr. Peabody & Sherman....

...if you're one of those "purists" about things like Mr. Peabody & Sherman, you probably won't enjoy this movie, and that's fine. It's not meant for you.

It is, however, meant for anyone with a heart, and is enjoyable. A must-watch.

Public Domain Drive-In: Superman (Follow-up)

A few years ago, I had written about the Max Fleischer Superman Cartoons being available via public domain. However, recently Cartoon Brew had announced that Warner Brothers posted some remastered, high quality versions via You Tube.

In an effort to create some cool content - and for your viewing pleasure - here's a small sample:

The Venture Brothers & The Spirit of Halloween

I've always had a very soft spot for The Venture Brothers - it's a heady mix of fascination with Hanna Barbera, Marvel Comics, and slightly askew humor just hits the right spot. It's also frustrating being a Ventures fan: on the one hand, I dislike the long breaks between seasons, but also understand that achieving something halfway interesting takes time, talent, and work.

So when I read about the Very Venture Halloween special that recently aired, I made a point of placing it on my calendar, and caught it yesterday.

It goes without saying - I really enjoyed it.

One of the great things about watching the show is how Doc Hammer (who wrote this particular episode) and Jackson Publick are able to weave a lot of subplots, references to past continuity, etc, into each episode without it feeling overstuffed or somehow lost in the shuffle. Very Venture Halloween works excellently as both an excellent done-in-one....as well as a teaser for 2013's new episodes.

Do yourself a favor - go watch it now online. Watch past episodes. You'll be hooked.

Raging For A Film And Against Another

Although I have no interest in Raging Bull 2 (seriously, they're making this movie), I have a strong interest in Raging Bullwinkle (clip is definitely not safe for work....or for kids):




(Which reminds me, I need to reread this biography at some point)

In An Effort to Promote Cultural Literacy

I'm posting the following video. There's classical music, geography, and educational stuff.

So parents, if you find your kids watching this rather than doing their homework, it's a good thing.

Lantern's Light

Unlike many in the comics blogosphere, I actually liked the Green Lantern movie: it's not as bad as others make it out to be.

The same can be said for the new animated Green Lantern series on Cartoon Network - it's not perfect, not by a long shot....but it's actually pretty good, especially if you're willing to be open and actually commend DC for taking some interesting creative chances.

First, let's get the negatives out of the way - this initial foray into CG for DC animated looks...a little unfinished. It would be easy to make a cheap crack like, "Bruce Timm in CGI eerily resembles The Incredibles" - truth be told, it's a little too clean and unrefined for my tastes, but once you get past that...."Beware My Power" (the initial two-part opener) really sets the stage for what promises to be a halfway decent space opera/science fiction/super hero hybrid.

Very little is provided in terms of exposition - in fact, only about ten minutes takes place on Earth (merely to establish who Hal Jordan is); the rest of the plot concerns the Corps helping "Frontier Lanterns" - members of the Corps who are responsible for far-flung sectors of the universe, and who are pretty much given a ring, an instruction guide, and orders to serve.

However, Frontier Lanterns (which sounds like the title for a great spin-off series) are being systematically slaughtered by the Red Lantern Corps (an obvious nod to Geoff Johns' work, as well as seemingly setting up the major arc of the series). Thankfully, there are no super-obvious riffs on potential "adaptations" of past Lantern stories, and it's a pretty decent animated take on the Lantern.

First episodes, by their very nature, aren't perfect - they're meant to introduce, provide the context, and then set the tone. Cartoon Network's animated Green Lantern isn't perfect, by a long shot....but it's well worth your time.

Now, when's the second season of Young Justice?