July 2018

Misadventure Awaits: Checking Out Disenchantment

Upcoming /

Published 26 July 2018

Ever since I was young up until recent years, I lived and breathed The Simpsons. I would watch reruns every night and compare events from the episodes to situations in my life from time to time. I also watch Futurama occasionally when I can. Soon there will be a new addition to the family of Matt Groening’s creations. As Futurama takes place in the future (a sci-if), The Simpsons is in the present (a sitcom), and soon I shall observe the latest Medieval fantasy series, Disenchantment.

From what I understand from watching the trailers and other related videos, the show is about Princess Bean who is to be married off for political reasons. She is also an alcoholic due to daddy issues and the fact that her brother is next in line to be king. She and her companions Elfo (an elf) and Luci (her personal demon) go on adventures together. The show takes place in the kingdom of Dreamland. That’s the best description I can give for now.

The fact that the art style is so similar to The Simpsons influences my decision to try this series. The art has so much detail that it would look great on an HD TV like you’re in with the action. I also read Mark Mothersbaugh composed the score. It will be on Netflix, not on FOX like the previously mentioned shows. Good! I am more likely to watch shows on Netflix so I can take my time and watch when I can. I hardly watch FOX on live TV anymore.

I look forward to watching the first 10 episodes of Disenchantment on Netflix starting August 17th.

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Rocko’s Modern Life: Static Cling is coming!

Upcoming /

Posted 23 July 2018

This was announced at San Diego Comic Con 2017 (last year). It’s never too late to share my views about this.

After being in space for about 20 years (based on last episode, Future Schlock), Rocko, Heffer, and Filburt return to Earth only to find society has changed heavily. O-Town looks more futuristic. The rapid changes that happened during the passing decades scare Rocko.

I’m going to make this review as brief as I can. I think it’s rather sweet how Nickelodeon still acknowledges Rocko as part of its past. Judging from watching the trailer, though visibly digitized, the animation stayed true to the old show. When I first found out about this movie, in my mind I pictured a Rocko movie with really a cheesy CGI overkill. Though not the same feel as the old animation, the animation is still good enough to make me smile for nostalgia.

I also think it’s neat how the original voice actors returned (Carlos Alazraqui as Rocko, Tom Kenny as Heffer, Mr. Lawrence as Filburt, and Charlie Adler as Mr. and Mrs Bighead). Hearing their voices on the trailer, they sound like they never left the show.

I can’t wait for this movie to come out! I’m sure it will be a delight to watch because I seen many eps and I expect the same level of quality from this movie. Now, when is it coming out?

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What is Vic Watching?

Currently Watching, Review /

Posted 18 July 2018

I’m pretty much always watching a show. This is a segment I would like to start with which I chronicle a show I plan to watch from start to finish. Usually I will watch 2 episodes every weekday. I won’t exactly review every episode of the show but I will give my thoughts about the show. Do note that the factors of me completing a show include availability and the quality of the series.

Vic watches Samurai Jack

Beginning July 9th, I have begun watching Samurai Jack episodes. Samurai Jack (Cartoon Network/Adult Swim; 2001-2004, 2017) is about a samurai who gets sent through a portal to a dystopian future by a shape-shifting demon (Aku). It is up to the samurai to finish the quest to return to the past to defeat Aku before he overtakes the world.

Why Samurai Jack?

Upon completing every available Steven Spielberg cartoon (Tiny Toon Adventures, Animaniacs and spin-offs; possible future posts) the first show to come to mind to watch next was Samurai Jack. For a number of years I joked to myself about starting and finishing this show. I now think I’m ready to take myself seriously. I wasn’t too interested when it first came out in 2001 (I was a Nick kid and it wasn’t my taste). Upon sampling Genndy Tartakovsky’s other works, I started to consider this one. Finding out about the 2017 reboot also sparked some interest.

What do I think so far?

As of posting this, I have completed watching the entire first season and have begun the second season. Let’s focus on season one. The first 3 episodes (considered a “movie”) was a fine introduction about the samurai’s early life, how his ordeal began, and his early adventures in the Aku-infested future. The manner in which “Jack” received his name, I felt, was quite humorous. It was in this go-around that it donned on me that Jack received his name in the future. His birth-given name remains unknown. In the early eps, we see young Jack visiting the different countries and learning new skills. Seeing those scenes make me think Jack is more well-rounded than I am. He shows those skills as the show goes on.

What I like:

I really like looking at the Japanese-inspired artwork especially in the early episodes. I’ve had a liking to Japanese themes for quite some time. The artwork is beautiful! I also like the voice actors on this show; Jack was played by Phil LaMarr (also on other show I like such as Foster’s Home and Evil con Carne (first shows to come to mind)) and Aku was played by the late, great Mako (Iwamatsu). Mako did a great Aku; brought to life a voice of a villain who wished not to be disturbed.

What I don’t like:

I wasn’t quite a fan of the long, monotonous fight scenes. Either they really dragged on or they were making me more tired after coming inside from the heat after driving away from a day of work. Will they fix this in season 2? Another thought is: why did Mako have to die in 2006? He had a great voice.

So, off to a good start?

This show started well. The episodes after episode 3 are mostly self-contained so you can jump in to watch at any time during the season. Overall, season 1 was good.

I am currently watching season 2. Season 2 and other seasons and/or episodes will be discussed as soon as viewing is complete.

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How did I get to watch the movie Flushed Away on a weeknight?

Some Stuff, Up Next /

Posted 16 July 2018

…Because I can! If you like Aardman animation and British humor, you should definitely give this 2006 movie a try.

Some things:

You may notice I haven’t been putting pictures with my posts. Yes, it seems easy to go on Google and steal other people’s pictures and post on here with my posts. On the other hand, I have absolutely no time and money to get in trouble and pay hefty fines. I have plans for my future that don’t include those. I could make pictures but I have yet to figure out how I’m going to do it. Yeah, I figure out how to dress up my blog posts when I can.

Also, I am in the process of writing a post about a show I am currently watching. The post will come up soon.

Stay cool, everyone!

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We Asked for It, We Got It: Hey Arnold Jungle Movie (2017)

Review /

Posted 11 July 2018

Hey Arnold
Nickelodeon
Original Run: 7 October 1996 – 8 June 2004
Movie Air Date: 24 November 2017

It’s Hey Arnold, it has to be good. This latest movie was the continuation and closure we have been waiting for for quite some time. Even in the today’s state of Nickelodeon, if a movie of an old show comes out, namely Hey Arnold, you have to watch it.

Returning in the form of a TV movie, Hey Arnold returns in all its charm as well as many returning cast members (some of the best in the industry like Dan Castellaneta and Tress MacNeille). Francesca Marie Smith also returns and continues to nail it as Helga. There were also some new voices; some were great (Mason Vale Cotton (Arnold) did a fine job), some not so great (for example, Oscar and Mr. Hyunh (both played by Wally Wingert replacing Steve Viksten and Baoan Coleman respectively) just sounded over-exaggerated and not as genuine as in the show). Among those new voices were Jet Jurgensmeyer (Stinky) from the Legends of the Hidden Temple movie. The music sounded great as Jim Lang once again outdoes himself composing the movie’s soundtrack. The characters were slightly redesigned. Let me be the first to say, “Miriam has eyebrows!” In the words of Mr. Hyunh, “Veddy Kleeply!” I also enjoyed the tributes and references to the older episodes. Even though the writers had to remember how to do Hey Arnold after an absence of many years, they sure did pull it off!

This movie is great for those millennials who grew up watching Hey Arnold in the ’90s and ’00s. Like other revival movies, this movie could be an encouragement for those younger kids to gain an interest in the show. The movie surely earns its PG rating as there were more mature elements that were not present in the original series.

To me and many other Hey Arnold fans, I’m sure, this movie is a real dream that has come to life. This fine show deserve the ending it deserved. Before I give the movie its rating, I would like to say that I vaguely remember signing an online petition to get this movie made years ago. I can’t remember whether I signed it or not but as naïve as I was in 2004, I’m sure I signed it at least once. I didn’t think it would happen but it did. I had a good cry at the end of the movie because of this quote at the end of the credits:

“Thank you to all the fans who wrote letters and signed petitions encouraging the making of this movie”

This was being pretty sure that my digital signature was on one of those petitions to make it happen.

The Jungle Movie gets 5 stars. All the changes aside such as updated animation and new voice actors, this was the Hey Arnold I’ve adored for over two decades. It was all there. I expected nothing less from the crew. An excellent series has been crowned with a fitting finale.

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