Category Archives: Animated

Review of independently produced short-films; and television animated series.

DVD Review: Season One of ANNOYING ORANGE

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Again, ANNOYING in every fruity perspective.

 

Season One of Cartoon Network ANNOYING ORANGE seems to be doing very well despite being one of the most annoying shows on television. However, this show’s popularity may be confusing for some, and it doesn’t matter how terrible the show is–it secured a regular time slot on Cartoon Network. This obnoxious anthropomorphic pop culture obsession began on Youtube in 2009 and has since amassed a dedicated following. In regards to Transmedia, the show extends it popularity to new media as a video games. It seems that this is one fruit sensation that won’t be going away anytime soon.

Voiced by the show’s creator Dane Boedigheimer, Orange and his friends which consists of a Pear, a Passion Fruit, an apple and a marshmallow. There is an array of other “talkative” fruits in addition to the only human on the show Nerville (Toby Turner), joins Orange and his friends as they travel in a magical fruit cart through time and space to participate in wacky adventures. The new 4-disc DVD collection chronicles the entire first season in a very creative collection. This is not to say I overall enjoyed each episode, but to give credit where it is due–the show sets out to be exactly what creator Dane Boedigheimer set out for it to be–extremely annoying. Funny? Indeed, a funny show. Perhaps so bad it’s good even. Considering that the show’s dedicated viewers must have a HIGH TOLERANCE for the obnoxious fruit.

Overall, the DVD collection is well put together and highly hilarious for the teen demographic. I do suggest, however the show is not for younger audiences due to the subliminally “adult” style dialogue. There are a few interestingly hilarious special features worth checking out.

It’s the pop culture obsession that you absolutely love to hate. 

Annoying Orange: Season One 4-Disc DVD collection includes:

 

•  4 attractively covered discs that includes the very hilariously interesting bonus features disc.

•  Annoying Orange Exposed

•  Creative behind-the-”seeds” featurette

•  The Annoying Orange Sizzle Peel

•  Episode 6 “Fruit-Vengers” storyboard animatic

•  The Very 1st Annoying Orange Webisode. The “webisode” that started it all.

A total of 30 episodes from season one!

Artwork and supplementary materials courtesy ©2013 Vivendi Entertainment and Cartoon Network’s Annoying Orange. All rights reserved.

FRAGGLE ROCK: 30th Anniversary Collection – Review

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Dance your cares away!

 

In 1983, Jim Henson‘s Fraggle Rock debuted and is one of the first children’s television shows to deal with complex social issues such as religion, prejudice, individuality and the environment. Now, this imaginative series has made its triumphant return to television with recurring episodes on The Hub. The Fraggle Rock 30th Anniversary Collection encompasses 30 years of music, magic and mayhem. This collection is the perfect introduction to the underground world and its inhabitants of Fraggle Rock. 

Behind the baseboard of the charismatic Inventor “Doc” (Gerard Parkes) and his shaggy dog “Sprocket,” there is a world populated with Fraggles, Doozers and giant Gorgs. Doc (Parkes) was oblivious to the world beyond the wall; however, his dog Sprocket tried to divert his attention to the goings on beyond the wall. Gobo Fraggle is an explorer, kind and a good leader. He often reads postcards from his Uncle Traveling Matt, who ventured beyond the baseboard of Doc’s workshop to explore “outer space.” Uncle Matt sent postcards to Gobo detailing his many adventures. Wembly, Mokey, Red and Boober Fraggle often joined Gobo for song and misadventures while learning about the world surrounding them.

This amazing collection includes every single episode of Fraggle Rock, including behind the scenes interviews discovered in the Jim Henson Company archives, an adorable “Red” Fraggle plush keychain, and an engaging and very colorful graphic novel.  Also included is a parent-friendly activity guide to help immerse kids in the world of the Fraggles, teaching kids to work together to achieve common goals. The 30th Anniversary (21 piece)  collection includes:

  • Fraggle Rock: The Complete First through Forth Season DVD(s)
  • 2 “bonus material” DVD(s)
  • The “complete” 13-episode animated series
  • Red Fraggle plush keychain
  • The “Fraggle Rock” graphic novel.
  • Parent activity guide, and
  • An awesome box to keep it all in

 

Aside from the brilliant shows encompassing unlimited hours of watching and re-watching episodes–also to be released separately, that is not part of the collection is the “Meet the Fraggles” DVD; however the six episodes are included in the 30th Anniversary collection:

  • “Beginnings” – meet all the Fraggles and see the beginning of Uncle Traveling Matt’s adventures into “Outer Space.”
  • “We Love You Wembley” – Wembley get hold of a love potion that enamors the Fraggles and Gorg’s alike.
  • “Boober’s Dream” –  Boober and his repressed “imaginary” friend Mr. Sidebottom dreams are “shared” with his friends.
  • “Red’s Club” – Red wants to be leader of her own club which excludes everyone except for her adorable Doozer friend “Cotterpin.”
  • “Mokey and the Minstrels” – Traveling minstrels visits and Mokey decides she want’s to be a Minstrel, too.
  • “Gobo’s Discovery” – a description best left for you to “discover” on your own.

 

If there is ever an opportunity to experience nostalgic moments of television, then this is it. My first year of grade school was mostly about getting over the uneasy feeling of being in a strange place surrounded by other kids my age. Many of the kids were yelling, a few still crying for their mothers and others were just like me, sitting at a tiny desk assigned to me. The clamoring ended at the precise moment when the teacher turned on the small television to a local PBS station to an episode of Sesame Street. Big Bird was teaching a massive shaggy dog named Barkley new tricks. The teacher returned to speak with a few concerned parents while myself, and the class gathered in front of the small screen.

It was one of the happiest moments of my life.

Highly recommended.

Fraggle Rock © 1983 – 1987  Jim Henson Company. Artwork & Supplementary Materials courtesy © 2013 Gaiam Vivendi Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Cheech and Chong’s Animated Movie

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Comedy Legends Cheech Marin and Tommy Chong’s Grammy® Award Winning Albums
come to Life

 

Cheech Marin and Tommy Chong’s NSFW animated movie showcases the legendary “toker jokers” like you’ve never seen them before–but in animation. Catch the buzz as their most outrageous routines and laugh-out-loud lines from their ground breaking Grammy Award® winning albums come to life, including the original Ode recordings of “Dave’s not here,” “Let’s make a dope deal” and more. With help from a bud-lovin’ body crab named Buster Cheech and Chong “the masters of the smokin’ word” deliver the ultimate comedy high and give you the munchies for more. The animation for the movie was produced entirely at Los Angeles based Chambers Bros. Animation. The film was produced by Lou Adler, Branden Chambers, Eric D. Chambers and Houston Curtis.

There is definitely something to see here for fans of the early comedians materials. The animation, encompasses their first four albums–in animated form-by top cartoonist who hilariously animated their high adventures. The movie is fun to watch. Some of it dry humor however, the majority of the film is beyond hysterics just as much of it is not safe for younger viewers.

Directed by Branden and Eric D. Chambers, this high-larious feature-length adventure is the perfect film to watch at home with your best buds! Of course this comedy is not for those under age viewers.

Recommended. Absolutely NSFW

The Cheech and Chong’s Animated movie will be available on and DVD and is loaded with bonus material:

  • Joint Commentary featuring Cheech Marin and Tommy Chong
  • Commentary featuring Branden Chambers, Eric D. Chambers and Lou Adler
  • Commentary featuring Tommy Chong and Paris Chong
  • Low Maintenance Listening Mode
  • Medical Marijuana Blues Blind Mellon’s recording session
  • Cheech and Chong Gallery

Produced By: Lou Adler, Branden Chambers, Eric D. Chambers and Houston Curtis

Artwork and supplementary materials courtesy of © 2013 Cheech & Chong and Fox Home Entertainment. All rights reserved.

Warren Buffett’s ‘Secret Millionaires Club’ – Review

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The best investment kids can make is in themselves.

 

Warren Buffett‘s Secret Millionaires Club  is an educational animation series featuring Buffett and his young friends offering financial advice. Buffett provides his own unique voice to understanding the importance of fiscal responsibility, and how to have fun doing it. Radley (Ogie Banks), Elena (Julie Maddalena), Jones (Steve Staley) and Lisa (Stephanie Sheh) are four friends in middle school and has their own unique talents. The best part of their group is their friendly relationship to billionaire entrepreneur Warren Buffett, forming the Secret Millionaires Club; a task force designed to help business people across the globe while at the same time teaching on how to give back to their local community. Money management, effective advertising, and establishing good friendships are some of the many topics covered in the program.

This is an animated program that is recommended for children and teens interested in business careers–or interested in being more knowledgeable about finance. Each of the children characters in the animation has their own distinguishable personalities and talents, so it’s easy for kids to be able to relate to any of the four characters. Also, it is impressive how the animation studio was able to get A-list celebrities* to lend their voice to the program, and Shaq in particular was a prominent character in his scenes with Elena. The diversity of the characters is another positive attribute of Secret Millionaires Club, showing that success can be achieved regardless of ethnic or racial background. In one episode, the financial club manages to work together to offer solid advice when needed for their own personal situations, such as time management and also use their expertise to help out a busy restaurant owner to focus on bringing in more customers through promotion and interaction.

The Hub is the host channel for the Secret Millionaires Club. With the quality and quantity of valuable information contained within the animation, it would be fantastic if the show is also broadcast on a wide-reaching network such as PBS. While not the most visually captivating cartoon, Secret Millionaires Club works well with what it has in only six main episodes and five webisodes offering Warren Buffett’s proven financial advice.

Remember, the more you learn, the more you earn!

Recommended

*Celebrity appearances include: Jay-Z, Shaquille O’Neal, and Nick Cannon portraying themselves and exchange mutual good ideas on how to make good personal and business decisions in everyday life.

Images, program description and trailer for Secret Millionaires Club courtesy of Vivendi Entertainment. All rights reserved.

The HIGH FRUCTOSE Adventures of ANNOYING ORANGE – Review

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ANNOYING ORANGE - The High Fructose Advenures of Annoying Orange Vol 1

Annoying in every sense of the word.

The High Fructose Adventures of ANNOYING ORANGE: Vol. 1 ‘Escape from the Kitchen’ is every bit of the word annoying. Just how annoying may depend on whom you ask. Annoying Orange is the latest pop culture sensation to hit YouTube and made it’s television debut on Cartoon Network drawing in millions of viewers and consistently winning in key time slots in major demographic areas. The on-going television series stars popular YouTube comedian Toby Turner as “Nerville,” who is the only human character that can interact with the series other stars–who happens to be an Orange (Dane Boedigheimer), a Midget Apple (Boedigheimer), a Barlett pear (also voiced by Boedigheimer), a marshmallow  grapefruit, passion fruit (vlogger iJustine) and a Grandpa Lemon (Kevin Brueck).

Synopsis: Follow Orange and his pals Pear, Passion Fruit, Marshmallow and their wacky human handler Nerville as they travel through time and space in their magical fruit cart.

I know what you may also be asking: is it funny? Well, considering that I have a considerably high tolerance for talking and annoying animated fruit–absolutely. And why not? It’s the pop culture obsession that you absolutely love to hate. Oh and I hate it–enormously. But just cannot keep from watching the show. What you have is a creepy Orange that loves to torment his creepy fruit friends or “kitchen counter mates” and lure them into taking obnoxious adventures and OMG that horrible laugh that sends shockingly painful chills up and down my spine every time I hear it.

The overall story of this particular DVD–the Orange and his friends navigate the “space time continuum’ in a magical fruit cart. They travel to the Prehistoric Era to Colonial Times. They have these random adventures–or get into trouble that they are always trying to get out of. You will learn the origins of “Marshmalia,” and the secret history of “Fruit-dependence Day.” Yup. That’s pretty much it. Overall, you will accidentally find yourself really getting into and enjoying this show. Trust me. By the time you hear Orange’s first annoying laugh, it’s already too late.

Note to self: Orange is always…annoying.

Annoying Orange ‘High Fructose Adventures’ includes an all-star cast: Tim Curry (The Rocky Horror Picture Show, It), the late Michael Clarke Duncan (The Green Mile). The DVD includes a total of 10-fruit filled episodes from the Cartoon Network series.

Image, trailer and synopsis courtesy of Vivendi Entertainment and Cartoon Network’s Annoying Orange. All rights reserved.