I liked Sing a lot more than I expected, and in fact found that it only got better upon reflection. So, naturally, I decided to check out the sequel to see if they managed to keep to the same level of quality. Honestly, this one's even better. Some time after the events of the first … Continue reading Thoughts on ‘Sing 2’
Animation
A Quick Word on Caricature
It was while I was thinking over Lady and the Tramp that I came up with the following thoughts. Of course, one aspect everyone remembers about that film are the two wicked Siamese cats who torment Lady, complete with a gleeful song about themselves. And it's standard practice today to cringe over them a little … Continue reading A Quick Word on Caricature
Batman: Broken Promise
A friend put me onto this excellent fan-made 'Batman' film. The animation is a little limited, but the writing is top-notch. Batman's as much a detective as a martial-artist and ultra-skilled without being invincible. The villains are broken and mentally-ill, but all the more dangerous for that. And it's got a great visual style that's … Continue reading Batman: Broken Promise
Thoughts on ‘Sing’
The other day I checked out Sing, Illumination’s 2016 animated jukebox musical about anthropomorphic animals trying to save a koala’s theater. Overall, I found it pretty enjoyable. It’s probably not going to be a favorite, but it was fun, uplifting, and made some good use of its premise. The story: Buster Moon is the owner … Continue reading Thoughts on ‘Sing’
Comparing Animation, Or What Happened to CG?
Is it just me, or has small-screen animation been deteriorating lately? I happened to see this clip of the Star Wars: Rebels TV show and...my goodness, this animation is pretty darn bad. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pJo169NVMTw The characters not only look like they're made of sculpted rubber, but their movements are very, very awkward. There's a kind of … Continue reading Comparing Animation, Or What Happened to CG?
Friday Flotsam: Depression, Thrawn, and Lady (and the Tramp)
1. This week was overall pretty miserable: I was strangely exhausted most of the time and my depression flared up badly. I want to say it’s some form of burnout, but you know what they say about self-diagnosis. In any case, I was able to get through by severely curtailing my activity and schedule to … Continue reading Friday Flotsam: Depression, Thrawn, and Lady (and the Tramp)
Friday Flotsam: Whither Milo Murphy?
1. BW Media Spotlight posted a good piece defending Milo Murphy’s Law, the sequel series to Phineas and Ferb that, alas, failed to find the same audience its predecessor did and lasted only two seasons. Me, I’m a big fan of Phineas and Ferb: it’s one of my all-time favorites, and I really liked Milo … Continue reading Friday Flotsam: Whither Milo Murphy?
Flotsam: Various Writing Observations
1. A few observations on different works: 2. When Uncle Walt adapted Alice in Wonderland, he and his writers ended up giving it a bit more of a plot than the book had. Not much, but a little. And if you notice, the plot they gave it was pretty much lifted directly from The Wizard … Continue reading Flotsam: Various Writing Observations
Superman Cartoons
Between depression and job hunting, been really behind on writing. So instead of any new original fiction, I'm just plugging along offering you works I like. And I've got a treat for you today: the first three of Dave and Max Fleischer's original Superman cartoons. My goodness, the artistry on these old cartoons is amazing. … Continue reading Superman Cartoons
‘Make Mine Freedom’
Allow me to present a startlingly accurate warning from 1948, back in the days when the American system actually tried to defend itself. https://videopress.com/v/GdRUxlfG?preloadContent=metadata You know, I have my own criticisms of the position taken by this short, but my goodness, it's refreshing to see it actually articulated, and pretty well too. Also, note the … Continue reading ‘Make Mine Freedom’
Serpent's Den 