423 posts shown.
northernotter3 said:STIMPY & REN
👍 🙏
...but you're probably going to have a hard time finding it...
SICK, d00d....😁 😂
I don't know, I'm not so sure it's actually that hard to find... I guess you could probably just grab it from a Torrent, Kazaa, or some other similar program.
Hmm... alright, here are two more "adventures," both from Disney.
"Atlantis" — I guess you could watch it, though it’s incredibly predictable. If someone is really obsessed with the whole lost city vibe, they might get a kick out of it.
"Treasure Planet" — I'm just mentioning this so you know, but I am NOT recommending it. Honestly, it's probably the worst animated movie Disney has ever put out. If you have the stomach for it, go ahead and watch it... everyone else should proceed with extreme caution.🙂
Justin Patel said:Good YES
Old NO
Well, that's just Hollywood for you. 🙄
If it’s older than three years, it’s ancient. (Though, honestly, some stuff isn't even that old) 🙂
BTW, since we're talking about Antz... I think it's airing on HBO... maybe around December 27th?
Personally, it's my favorite DreamWorks animation.
brightorca19 said:I'm interested in adventure cartoons. Something like Sinbad and stuff.
😕
That’s kind of an oxymoron. 😂
Adventure, you say... hmm... 🤔
Look, you could check out "Slayers," either the series or the movies (though the series is way, way better). I guess you could call it adventurous, even if it's basically a parody of the fantasy genre and various D&D games.
If you want something set on the ocean, maybe try "One Piece"... if you've ever played Monkey Island, it would probably feel similar... except this is animated.
Then there's Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust, if you're into vampires.
I might also suggest digging into "Ninja Scroll"... it's sort of a mix of semi-trashy, fantasy, and ninja stuff. 😁 It's a little farfetched, but honestly, it's about the best I can think of right now.
And if you're looking for something in the style of Indiana Jones, I'm afraid I can't help you there.
Oh, wait, maybe give Lupin III a shot... they're a bit older, but there are newer movies too.
That's pretty much everything I've watched or know about. (And what I can remember at the moment 😁).
If anything else comes to mind, I'll let you know, okay?
coastalorca3 said:Head over to Mama's club on Preradović Street this Saturday at 7 PM for some Japanese animation screenings on the big screen. 😎
Oh wow... I had no idea some of you guys from the Forum were also showing up to those screenings at Mama's.
@brightorca19So, you're looking for a recommendation??? Is there something specific you're in the mood for, or just looking for some animated flick to kill some time and pass the hours?
If you haven't caught Disney's latest little darling "Finding Nemo" yet, I'd say go for it... it's pretty charming and fun. The Pixar crew handled the animation, so even if nothing else hits, you'll probably enjoy the visuals.
ruggedstag84> When I first heard they were making a Final Fantasy movie, I thought—wow, what kind of soundtrack is this going to have? Since Nobuo Uematsu did the music for the FF games, and the music for Final Fantasy VII was just perfect.
The OST for FF: TSW is honestly pretty bad; or maybe it's better to say it isn't even remotely close to the quality of any single FF game. But then again, it wasn't even written by Uematsu.
Anyway, I've been on this kick lately where I just keep listening to Uematsu. Even today, sitting on the bus, I was listening to the orchestral version of "Aerith's Theme" from that 2002 Live Concert, and I just thought, "Man, what a genius." To compose something that feels so calming and grand, yet is absolutely drenched in sadness... honestly, that's the kind of thing I'd want played at my funeral.
Back to the topic:
If I had to pick a favorite composer from this list above, it would definitely be Yoko Kanno. She's phenomenal, and an incredible producer to boot. When she puts together an OST, I know I can expect nothing but the best, both in terms of the individual tracks and how they actually fit the film.
And the sheer variety in her work... I don't even know where to start. It goes from fast-paced jazz, blues, rock, and country, all the way through techno, trance, and various electronic styles, to massive orchestral pieces built for epic battles or piano pieces that just hit you right in the feels. I seriously wonder if one person can actually be that versatile, or if it's even possible.
Good grief... I knew the second this went up that someone would start bitching about why certain composers didn't make the cut in the poll.
Why can't you people just vote and shut up? I could easily complain that Yoko Kanno isn't on there either, but I’m staying quiet and just voting for Williams. 😁
:darthvader:
And I see that BGMD was quick to remind us that the moderator should probably add more names to the list.
Besides, isn't the very last option in the poll literally "Wash"? 😉
Yeah, I get it... most of them are great and I appreciate their work in their own way, but I ended up giving my vote to Williams. I mean, come on... I practically grew up on Star Wars and Indiana Jones. 👍
It’s been a long time since anything from Disney actually managed to impress me, let alone entertain me. Honestly, it’s the same story with most other animated films coming out of the States over the last few years, with a few exceptions, I guess. When I think back to disasters like Atlantis or Treasure Planet, I can’t help but wonder where those golden days went—back when a new Disney animated flick would actually get me excited enough to run to the theater.
However, it looks like someone at Disney might have finally bumped their head against their desk lamp, because maybe they’ve finally straightened out their priorities to focus on the people the movies are actually made for... kids.
And that’s exactly what Finding Nemo is: totally kid-oriented in every single sense. From the plot to the animation right down to the dialogue.
So, let me break this down.
To start, a quick word on the animation and design. While I still think Disney is one of the heavy hitters when it comes to animation quality and blending 2D with 3D, everyone seems pretty fed up with their usual style/design, which hasn't really changed much since The Lion King. This is where Pixar steps in. 👍 If you’ve seen Toy Story, Monsters, Inc., or Birds, then you know exactly what I’m talking about, but if you haven't, 🙂 🙂 you should probably go watch them quickly to catch up! Basically, the folks at Pixar do everything in full CGI, so their animated films don't look like they were drawn with pencils at all. 😁
IMHO, this was a really smart move by Disney that killed two birds with one stone. They gained something fresh in terms of animation and design, while still keeping that vibe that appeals to kids and anyone who just appreciates great animation.
Since the setting is mostly the ocean, the Pixar crew threw in a huge palette of colors and "exotic" color combinations. Some people might find it a bit overwhelming at first, or even throughout the whole movie, but personally, I didn't feel that way. The team at Pixar really knew how to strike a balance.
The "camera" work is, typical for Pixar, a little "shaky" at times, and characters make some pretty sudden movements (sometimes it feels like someone just hit the fast-forward button on a VCR 😁), and the "first-person" scenes are just okay... actually, they're below average. But despite those flaws, the animation in Nemo still ranks among the absolute best animated achievements out there. (BTW, for anyone who thinks this is the peak of CGI animation, go watch Macross Zero and cry. 🙂)
I have to give special praise to the level of detail in the environment and backgrounds. There aren't any of those boring, static, or repetitive backgrounds anymore. Every millimeter is either in motion or fits perfectly with the rest of the surroundings. Even the characters have great facial expressions.
Anyway, I don't think there's much point in rambling too much about the animation, since I think everyone more or less agrees that it's excellent and serves as Nemo's main selling point.
Now, let's move on to the non-technical side of things.
As I mentioned before, everything in this movie is aimed squarely at the youngest viewers, and I actually really like that. True, nothing in the film blew me away because of that, but at least I wasn't watching some pathetic attempt to make the movie interesting for older audiences while still trying to stay kid-friendly. Disney/the Americans just don't have that ability in them, so it's better if they just stick to kids—since that's what they're supposed to do anyway—and call it a day. If people like it, they like it.
The characters are cute, though Marlin, the father, annoyed me a little bit. He's paranoid, pessimistic, and just repeats himself constantly. I mean, I get that he's the "worried dad," but I think they went a little overboard. But hey, since the movie is for kids, it didn't bother me too much. Plus, you've got Dory there constantly countering him, which makes Marlin come off as more endearing than annoying, even if it is "the oldest trick in the book"... but whatever. It worked, and it turned out okay, which is the most important thing.
Maybe Nemo works for kids. *shrugs*
As far as the others go, I actually liked Gill... he’s kind of like Nemo's second father, a role model figure and all that.
Since I’ve brought up how much of a kid's movie this is so many times, it’s probably about time I actually specify what I mean by that.
First off, there are numerous situations between Nemo and his dad, Marlin. All their conversations—ranging from standard "pep talks" to teasing—are handled on a pretty simple, obvious level that even a small child could grasp.
Then you have how the movie is packed with "educational" facts (I have to admit, even I picked up a few things and some new terminology 😁) all delivered in a pretty entertaining way. You can tell the creators put in some actual effort so it wasn't just a pile of random, nonsensical terms.
And then there's that unavoidable message of "nothing is impossible if you truly want it and put in the work," which runs through the whole film from the moment Marlin starts searching for Nemo until the moment he finds him, among other things. I don't feel like listing everything right now.
Regarding the humor, I wouldn't say Nemo ranks among the funniest movies; if anything, it feels a lot more serious than some other supposed "comedies." There were a couple of scenes where I laughed and a few where I just smirked, and that was about it. Personally, the dentist office and the seagulls were the funniest parts. (I guess Pixar likes to add their own little touch to these films... whatever.)
Oh yeah... the voice acting. First of all, Ellen. 👍 I have to admit, before seeing the film, I didn't really know who was voicing the characters, and I was genuinely surprised to hear Ellen. What can I say? I grew up watching her show (like most people), so I might be a bit biased. Regardless, her voice fits Dory perfectly... that sort of lost vibe, constantly talking to herself... and talking, and talking, and talking...😁
Albert Brooks as Marlin really got on my nerves, like I mentioned before. He's over the top, but he isn't a bad guy; that's just how the character is written. The rest felt pretty average to me. *shrugs*
Hmm... yeah, the only thing that surprises me is how there wasn't more of a scandal about Ellen voicing one of the Disney characters... Americans really obsess over stuff like that... freaks. 🙄
What can I say at the end of the day... Nemo might—actually, no "might"—it definitely isn't one of the absolute peaks of Disney filmmaking, but it is certainly an improvement and a breath of fresh air after the last few flops. (Except for those ones at the local theater concession stand 🙄). I wasn't expecting much from this movie and I got exactly that... I'd say it "broke even." In any case, it's a much better way to kill an hour and forty minutes. There will definitely be a few scenes people talk about, but I predict the movie will quickly fade into obscurity.
Now I suppose my only remaining option is to watch the dubbed version to see if our local actors can actually hold their own against a decent voice cast... I suspect they can.
stormycyclist13> Planet of Treasure is awesome in its own way.
I guess I agree 👍 ...it's absolute garbage. 👎 🙂 😁
stormycyclist13> and I was laughing my head off watching it.....
Maybe, but I was cracking up during The Matrix too. 😁
stormycyclist13> And it's CRITICALLY... more for adults than for...
Whatever. 🙄
Alright, I just finished watching it a few minutes ago.
It isn’t bad... it's got that classic Disney feel paired with Pixar's animation style.
I actually liked it... it's way better than that last piece of Disney shit, "Planet of Treasure." 🙂
If I can find some free time this weekend, I might put together a longer review. 😉
gentleviper12 said:Seriously, who even is this Stankovic guy?
I heard that Stankovic might be stepping into the cage against Takayama on New Year's Eve! I guess we'll see if he can actually pull it off, but man, what a way to ring in the new year.
Well, this is exactly what happens when you open a TV topic on ESPN. 🙂 😁 🙂 😂
fadedsailor932 said:...Oh yeah, I actually picked up a promotional Netflix disc from Blitz today, and apparently, they’re planning to release Osamu Tezuka's "Metropolis" soon 😁 ...
Well, I guess some people already own it... and they even have it dubbed in English. 😁
Justin Patel said:Regarding those movies that never actually show up despite being hyped up by our local film magazines—it just seems pretty stupid to me. I mean, they must be getting their info from the distributors or something...
I don't know, maybe not... a magazine might just be announcing movies that are available for purchase even if they don't have an official US distributor, like some > you'd find at >.
Justin Patel> Is this going to come out on DVD?
Of course it'll be on DVD. I mean, how else do you think they even managed to translate it??? A buddy of mine bought the Utena - Movie on DVD, ripped it, pulled the subtitles, and did the translation himself.
I guess they'll probably put the translated version on DVD eventually... I just have no clue when.
Justin Patel> btw what happened last time at MAMA?
I checked two different video rental stores and they don't even have The Returner on DVD; all you get is blank stares from the clerks. I guess it’s like expecting Tarantino to be running in every single rental shop around here.
I actually asked at the video store over at VG today, and the woman looked at me like I was asking if they had a movie adaptation of "Mein Kampf"... basically, she'd never heard of it and probably never will. 🤣 🙂
[OT]
Last time at MAMA, they were showing "Utena - Movie" with American subtitles. I missed it because I went to the game, and honestly, I was pretty pissed about it. (Mainly because the game itself sucked 👎 )
But people say you really have to watch Utena at least N times just to get a vague idea of what's actually going on, so eto.
Now I'm just waiting for the DVD release.
[/OT]
Here is the IMDb link for
The Returner Hmm... honestly, the cover doesn't look nearly as bad as what 😕
Sophia Brown78
described.
I think I might swing by the local video rental shop tomorrow to see if they’ve stocked it yet. Apparently, they already have it in 🤔New York City
.
Justin Patel> I feel like Cowboy Bebop - Movie isn't as good as the series
That's just glupost. The movie is basically its own standalone episode set right between episodes 22 and 23 of the show.
Sophia Brown78 said:So, the first Japanese SF Returner has, without a doubt, the single worst cover I've seen in ages. It’s just this mess of orange and blue, and there he is holding a gun... it's hideous. You look at it and assume the movie is going to be just as terrible. But then, it turns out to be a perfectly decent sci-fi flick, with solid effects done in that classic Hong Kong martial arts style, a decent plot, and overall, just a good movie.
Yeah, yeah, everyone's already talking about The Returner. Though, I did hear some talk that because of the budget, it ends up looking like an American B-movie, especially regarding the special effects.
BTW, did you get it on VHS or DVD? I heard the DVD actually includes a trailer for "Cowboy Bebop - Movie"??? 😳
It seems like the US market is slowly starting to open up for more "Eastern" cinema. 😁
Duderino> ...is drinking along with Charlton Heston and whining about the good old days when you actually knew who the enemy was and why those communists were so bad
Alright... it wasn't Heston, it was Francis Ford Coppola, and they weren't fighting Germans, they were fighting communists—but hey, that's what Duderino said while he was having a drink. 😁 I wasn't even that far off. 😎
BTW, you could probably say "I found it." 🤔
@rapidstag74Basically, I was thinking about that one comment where someone said, "I bet Francis Ford Coppola is probably sipping whiskey with Charlton Heston right now, reminiscing about the good old days when you actually knew who the bad guys were," or something along those lines.
I think maybe Kozz wrote that regarding Red Dawn, or perhaps it was Duderino. I'll go double-check.