Reviews

I grew up watching the 80's version of the chipmunks, so when I first saw the trailer to this predictable but cute live-action update, I was somewhat happy. Although I knew that the humor would be targeted at a crowd under 10 years old, I still wanted to see it, especially since the 1980's animated film THE CHIPMUNK ADVENTURE is still one of my all-time favorite animated films.

THE PROS: Well I went and saw it, and my expectations were met. It was more for younger kids, but it was throughly enjoyable. It was good to hear the Chipmunks sing their classic Christmas song, there were plenty of funny (but not hilarious) moments, and the Chipmunks themselves were well-animated and undeniably adorable (particularly Theodore).

THE CONS: The story is predictable (although typical for most kid's films nowadays). Jason Lee is badly miscast as the Chipmunks' long-suffering songwriter and adopted father, David Seville. Also the "romance" between Dave and his neighbor is too clichéd. We don't need some sort of love story in every single film in my opinion.

Overall, there is nothing brilliant about this film, but it's still fun. It ought to please young children and their parents.

BOTTOM LINE: It's no Citizen Kane, but it's more fun than a Hula Hoop.

Matt Groening's superior animated sitcom about the world in the year 3000 is probably one of the smartest cartoons of all time. And it's not like shows from the past that predict what the future would be like (i.e. The Jetsons and Lost in Space), it's an extraordinary cartoon with much more than laugh-out-loud hysterical humor.

Its got striking animation, many ingenious visual ideas, charming characters and some true moments of poignancy. Characters like Fry, the lovable dweeb, Leela, the spunky one-eyed chick, Zoidberg, the clueless crustacean doctor, and Bender, the hilarious smart ass robot are unforgettable characters that possibly only the creator of the Simpsons could have thought of.

This is one irresistible cartoon you don't want to miss. It's astonishing, uproarious, and sweet.

BOTTOM LINE: In the future, you couldn't find a better toon.

How could they take such a beautifully animated gem like Don Bluth's All Dogs go to Heaven and bastardize it with a charmless, cheesy, uninspired sequel. The haunting music and delightful characters are gone, now replaced with tacky animation and an unimaginative plot.

The Pros: Charlie Sheen is sometimes fun as Charlie, but he lacks the charming tough guy attitude that brought him to life by Burt Reynolds. I did particularly enjoy the songs "I will always be with you" and "It's too Heavenly here".

The Cons: There seems to be no connection between this and the original. In the beginning Charlie is chums with Carface, but wait a minute. Isn't this the same character who was responsible for Charlie's murder and kidnapped the sweet little orphan he loved? I guess that all changes in Heaven but why isn't Anne-Marie even mentioned? If Itchy makes it to Heaven, wouldn't Flo and Killer make it too? What is with Annabelle the whippet's voice? In the original it sounded feminine and charming and in the sequel it sounds like a whiny, bitchy, parrot. The new characters aren't all that great (except Sasha). And the animation is better compared to a generic Saturday morning cartoon. The constant cartoony "humor" is flat and unfunny and the "heart" just doesn't work when compare to the original, which had such a moving unsubtle touch that makes me cry every time.

All Dogs go to Heaven is one of my all-time favorite films. How Don Bluth allowed this sequel to be made is beyond me.

BOTTOM LINE: Not all sequels go to Heaven.

One of my absolute favorite childhood films. The Chipmunk adventure packs incredible fun geared for young and old alike. The animation is lively and colorful and the film itself boasts some of the best songs ever put in an animated feature. Who could forget the dynamic "Boys/Girls of Rock n' Roll", the exciting "Diamond Dolls", and the heartrending "My Mother"?

This should be considered a nostalgic classic animated gem from the eighties. It's too bad they don't make them like this anymore. Most animated films today resort to violence, crude humor, or sentimental mush... except of course the folks from Pixar.

BOTTOM LINE: An amazing and unforgettable adventure for all ages.

Doug is one of the most memorable cartoons to ever air on the first kid's network. Every episode contained a simple believable plot featuring 11 year old Doug Funnie having some sort of problem that kids could relate to. This is the exact kind of quality TV that they showed on Nick back in the good old days. Shows that didn't have to frequently resort to pop culture references or potty humor to please kids and parents. Now on Nick today they mostly show boring, formulaic, unimaginative and unfunny crap that could give "quality" a bad name.

Classic Nicktoon stars some of the most unforgettable characters, Doug of course but also Skeeter Valentine, Doug's goofy and likable best friend, Porkchop, Doug's independent dog and best non-human friend, Patti, Doug's love interest, Roger Klotz, a rare animated bully that is appealing and very funny, and Judy, Doug's sister obsessed with Shakespeare and arts.

Doug is a Nickelodeon gem that should not (and will never) be forgotten. It's a rare Nicktoon that is wholesome, funny, endearing, and hugely amusing. Give us Doug over "All Grown Up" and "The X's" any day.

Fine enough for very VERY young children, but these are not the lovable little bears we knew and loved. The storytelling was OK with enjoyable songs and the animation was colorful but the jerky movement of the characters could be quite creepy and grotesque.

But the biggest problem was the bears! Instead of having voices full of endearing charm and warmth, they sounded like 6-year olds with Down's Syndrome high on helium. Funshine Bear isn't even likable. He's more of a big bully than a Care Bear. What he did to poor Grumpy Bear in the beginning was cruel and he never seemed to be sorry.

Your'e much better off showing your kids the vintage sweet simple Care Bear films. They aren't painful to watch and actually have good morals.

BOTTOM LINE: You could care less about this bland charmless bastardization

One of my favorite cartoons of all time, along with Rocko's Modern Life and Beavis and Butt-Head. I was ecstatic to find all four VHS tapes at a discount dollar store. I hadn't seen this terrific cartoon in nearly a decade. It was a laugh a minute! Uproaroiusly funny! The jokes were ingenious! The characters were awesome! Especially Jim himself, he was immensely lovable! After watching the tapes I once again displayed my beloved EJ action figures and EJ poster. I could just go on for a long time about how much I love this cartoon! If only they could put the complete series on DVD. That would mean a lot to me and many other EWJ fans.

BOTTOM LINE: It's, as our humble hero would say... GUH-ROOVY!!!!!!!!!!!!

I could never get tired of watching the definitive TMNT movie. As a child this movie made me believe that the turtles existed. Probably because the design and articulation of the animatronic Turtles and Splinter made them look astonishingly "real". And with no CG required! We're able to see each character's different personality; Leo's cautious leadership and warm concern for his family, Donnatello's laid-back attitude and memorably corny jokes, Michelangelo's endearingly childlike behavior and undying love for pizza, and of course Raphael, whose intense moments of frustration, turtle tantrums, and occasional reacting before thinking, a lot of people can relate to.

The human characters are also very well portrayed, especially Casey Jones who Steals every scene he's in. And Splinter is perfectly rendered as not just a Wise teacher, but a loving father.

To this day, this film is able to please both fans of the comic and fans of the original cartoon series, (I myself am a lifetime fan of the lovable toon.) Maybe because it's both dark and humorous. Maybe it's the unforgettable original score that alternates between being suspenseful, intense, and totally radical. But it also has a ton of heart. It was able to do so without manipulation or overly-extending the sweeter moments. It touches fans in a subtle way, whether it's out of nostalgia, or the endearing relationship between all 4 Turtles and their beloved sensei.

Something about this movie defines around the time the 80's went into the 90's. A time that seemed more innocent yet wasn't afraid to have our childhood heroes say "Damn" and show teenagers in a PG-rated movie smoke cigars and break the law. It's like being shown the real world and not watching some phony BS Disney-Channelesque movie where everything is clean, friendly, and obviously fake, and everyone's personality is "perfect", shallow, and plastic.

I will always hold the first Turtle movie in a special place in my heart. (Although I'm also one of the few fans who loves of both of the less-celebrated sequels.) Despite what critics said, I'll always see this film as a Masterpiece.

I loved this film when I was little. Today at 17 it is one of my all time favorite animated films. Beautiful animation and appealing characters are just two of the things to like about this film. Although many people might not enjoy some of the songs, most of them are well-done and go along with the story. It focuses on Charlie, a roguish handsome German Shepard who may seem unlikable to some at first... but eventually will win you over.

Not a kiddie film by any means. Often very dark and frightening at times. A treat for Don Bluth fans and animation buffs. But do keep a tissue in handy. ADGTH never fails to make me cry and will do the same for those who are movie sensitive. Arguably one of the greatest non-Disney animated films of all time. Along with Watership Down and My Neighbor Totoro.

BOTTOM LINE: A heavenly masterpiece.

This surprisingly laugh-out-loud cartoon may be Cartoon Network's best! With its outrageous characters and unusual but funny plot, it's pure fun for kids of all ages. (Along with plenty of laughs for adults too.) Never goes overboard with humor which makes it appropriate for all children to watch. I know this because most of CN's shows such as Billy and Mandy can be disgusting and/or violent. Most funny moments focus on Ed, a chinless gravy-loving doofus with buttered toast for a brain. Other characters include Jaw-Breaker sucking Eddy who always has a plan to get cash, compulsive Edd (or Double D) who labels everything he owns, Johnny who's best friend is a piece of wood named Plank, Kevin, who always refers to the Eds as "dorks", Foreign kid Rolf, little sissy-boy Jimmy, Ed's bossy little sister Sara, and the flirty Kanker Sisters. The animation is strange but every episode is full of laughs with good humor that isn't lame, annoying, or vulgar. The Ed's are certain to become a favorite with cartoon fans of any age.

BOTTOM LINE: This 'toon is a winner!

When King Neptune's precious crown is stolen he accuses Mr. Krabs, freezes him, and it's up to the lovable talking sponge to save him. SpongeBob SquarePants and Patrick Star hit every hilarious reef with witty humor, an encounter with a "cyclops", and goofy goober-ness. The film is a howlingly funny treat for all kids and adults alike. If you love SpongeBob, you'll embrace this movie. All the delightfully corny jokes and lovable characters are here. While the Rugrats and Hey Arnold movies were somewhat disappointing, SpongeBob conquers with way more than just barnacle loaf. One of the greatest cartoon characters of all time just got greater. Get ready for some major laughs!

I'm a huge Garfield fan and I found this film to be enjoyable but unimaginative and bland. This would be a film that's kind of family-friendly and not relentlessly raunchy like the first Scooby-Doo movie. There are some good moments, some are even mildly heartwarming, but the jokes are are quite flat.

I unwrapped the VHS for my 16th birthday and when I watched it I thought it was totally watchable but could have been much better. My 2-year old niece loved it though so I gave the VHS to her to keep. Odie was typically cute and Bill Murray was great as Garfield (but he's nothing compared to the late Lorenzo Music), but Breckin Meyer is no Jon Arbuckle.

This film may not be purr-fect (excuse the pun), but enjoyable to watch. Die-hard Garfield fans may be disappointed, but kids will like it, along with some parents.

BOTTOM LINE: At least it's not another "Cat in the Hat"!

From the brilliant "Walt Disney of Japan", Hayao Miyazaki, comes a wonderful soothing film that everyone will simply embrace. Featuring stunning animation, endearing personable characters, and a heart-tugging storyline that's simple, enchanting, and even dramatic.

Sometimes you feel like you're not watching an animated children's movie, because the characters (particularly the children) and the storyline seem so realistic. There's no bad guy, no song numbers, and no references to pop-culture. Most cartoons (especially Disney) feature these and it gets old and routine. Here we have a break from all of that and get a real masterpiece.

Miraculously, Totoro doesn't talk, and yet you can still understand what the lovable furry creature is thinking with his endearing actions. And the six-legged CatBus is undeniably one of the most imaginative characters in animation history. And the human characters are also remarkable. Mei and Satsuki act like little girls, not like kids who are smarter than adults (a routine toons today are guilty of).

I loved Totoro when I was a small child and I always will. When I have children of my own someday, I will show them Totoro instead of toy commercials like Dora and Elmo's world.

BOTTOM LINE: A masterpiece... pure and simple.