New Review Archive

Hey kids. I just added a brand new review archive! It's kinda pathetic as of right now, but I intend to add some more reviews pretty soon, so yeah.

So my next review should be up sometime in the next few days. I'm gonna be reviewing something kinda bad cuz I've only given out an A, an A-, and a B+ so far. I want to get a couple of C's and D's under my belt, y'know?

Also, I have a few things I intend to review in the next few weeks, but I'd really appreciate some feedback. What do y'all think I should review next? I'm open to almost anything, just so long as it's animated. Lemme know what you think in the comments.

That's it for me kids. Good morning, and in case I don't see ya, good afternoon, good evening, and good night!

Wreck-it-Ralph Review

Hey guys. I'm here with my first ever movie review. I just got back from seeing Disney's Wreck-it-Ralph, a marvelous feat for first time director, Richard Moore. The story follows Ralph (John C. Reilly), an arcade video game villain who's sick of being "the bad guy." He embarks on a journey throughout the many games in the arcade to find himself and to prove that he's really not the villain. Let's jump right in, shall we?

Animation: A

This is where the movie really shines. The world of "Sugar Rush" is bright, vivid, and pretty much eye candy (no pun intended). The action scenes, primarily in the world of "Hero's Duty," are just about as breathtaking as an action scene in a Disney movie can get. The character designs are wonderfully expressive and creative, and the backgrounds are stunning to behold. The animation quality is just what I would expect from Disney, but the creativity and care put into the overall design and aesthetic of this movie is much harder to come by, even with a major company like Disney.

Sound: A-

There isn't really much to complain about here. When I saw the movie trailer I was not excited, simply because of the music. Pop songs like that are used to give a movie universal appeal I suppose, but for me, it was really a turn off. Luckily the movie itself had nothing but pleasant instrumental tracks (with the exception of one pop montage, which was actually very appropriate). The music could have been better I suppose. A huge original score, maybe with a retro mixture of 8-bit and orchestral music would have been awesome, but fantastic original scores aren't too common in animated movies, so what can you do.

The voice work was great. The VA's were really having a good time with this one, and you could tell. The voices suit the characters really well, and it was a pleasure to listen to.

Writing: A

The writing was impressive. For an animated Disney movie, the plot was surprisingly complex with a few little details one might miss on their first watch through, yet still simple enough to hold the attention of a child. It did have some predictable Disney moves such as "Chekhov's Gun" that were easy to spot, but with a twist at the end that was awfully reminiscent of classic Pixar movies.

The characters were fantastic and multi-dimensional, which is always nice. The writers really develop them and make you grow attached.

The jokes were mostly puns, and this wasn't the funniest, most gut busting Disney movie. Mainly just a few good laughs here and there. But the writers tell a really great story, and there isn't a dull moment in the film.

Overall: A

This is movie could have been made by Pixar (and when I say that, I'm talking about classic Pixar. Like... before Cars 2 and Brave). It was that good. As soon as the credits started rolling, I was ready to go buy another ticket and see it again. It was visually stunning, it sounded fairly awesome, and it was well thought out and well written. All in all, it was a really great movie. I'd see it again in a heartbeat, and I'd recommend it to anyone who likes classic Pixar and Disney movies.

By the way, there's an animated short at the beginning of the movie (as if I haven't compared it to Pixar enough) and it's really cute and well animated and nifty.

So yeah... Wreck-it-Ralph. Go see it. Peace out.

The Amazing World of Gumball

Alright everyone! It's time for my second ever review. The Amazing World of Gumball! Another cartoon network show by Ben Bocquelet. It originally aired in the US in 2011.

This is.... interesting. I'm really not sure what to say about this show. This is the first show I've watched for the sole purpose of reviewing it. I watched a total of five episodes, which I think was enough to get a feel for it.

The show follows Gumball, a blue cat, and his best friend, a goldfish named Darwin. Together the two go on all sorts of adventures together as they battle sentient bananas, spiders, and puberty.

Animation: ???

I CANNOT give the animation for this show a grade. It's impossible. The art is so strange or unique or whatever you wanna call it. It blends live action, claymation, 2D animation, 3D animation, and any other medium you can think of into one insane jumbled mess. I'm gonna try breaking it down for ya.

I really like the 2D animation. All the main characters have a very interesting design, and I enjoy watching them go on wacky adventures together. For example, one of the characters, Penny, looks like some kind of peanut with antlers. Her design fascinates me.

I also like the live action part of the show (mostly the backgrounds), even though it's not the most traditional way to do things. With the use of shadows and reflections, the characters really look like they belong in these environments, and it gives the series a really unique feel.

Now we get to the problem I have with the animation. The 3D animation, and other methods. Some 3D characters, like a T-rex who attends school with Gumball and Darwin, look distinctly out of place in the environment. Puppets, dolls, clay figures, etc, also look out of place.

Sound: B+

There's not really any memorable music in this show. There are a couple of songs they put it for comedic effect, and they're okay, but it's nothing that great.

I fell in love with the voice work, however. The voices are cute when they need to be, violent when they need to be, etc. The show itself is very colorful and the voices really reflect that. It's really a pleasure to listen to.

Writing: A-

The writing isn't amazing, but there's always one or two really good laughs each episode. It's always entertaining and it reminds me a lot of the good old Cartoon Network shows I used to watch.

The characters are somewhat derived, but the show puts a unique spin on them. For example, the father is your average cartoon father. A bumbling moron who screws everything up. However, the dad in Gumball is also extremely insecure in his masculinity. And who wouldn't be if they were a huge pink bunny and a stay at home dad? Gumball is your typical trouble maker, but he actually has enough common sense that his problems are more relatable than in other cartoons.

Overall: B+

The Amazing World of Gumball is a fascinating show, and it's really growing on me. The animation might be too strange for some people, but if you're willing to overlook the odd aesthetic, you're left with a pretty solid cartoon.

Thanks for reading. Lemme know what I should review next. Peace out!

Regular Show Review

So here's my very first review! It's a show that I've come to quite like called Regular Show created by J.G. Quintel. It first aired on Cartoon Network in 2010. It's about a blue jay, Mordecai, and his best friend, a raccoon named Rigby. The two are college-aged slackers who work at a public park under their strict boss, a sentient gum-ball machine named Benson. They're constantly looking for ways to get out of work and have a good time.

Animation: A-

So the animation is pretty good. The main cast is colorful and the character design is very creative. The background characters, meanwhile, are a fairly plain bunch, which is a nice counter to the wacky main crew.

The background are fairly plain. Nothing too eye-catching, which isn't necessarily bad for a background, but they sometimes lack the same level of detail the animators put into the characters.

Sound: B+

The show has decent music. It's sort of a weird combination of retro 2000's music and classic 80s rock. British rock bands frequently appear in episodes, however, there's not really any outstanding music.

The voice work is pretty good. The actors sound like they're really having fun, and the voices themselves suit the characters. It's really enjoyable and fun to watch.

Writing: A

This is where the show really shines. The dialogue is witty, but the real humor comes from the fantastic scenarios the writers come up with. The situations they create are often simplistic at first (a character has a bad sugar rush, Mordecai accidentally records an embarrassing song and wants to delete it, etc) but they usually take a turn for the weird before the episode is over. Regular Show's strength is that it seamlessly blends the supernatural into slice of life for a hilarious and wacky combination.

Overall: A-

While Regular Show isn't perfect, it's still quite impressive. It's a pleasure to watch. However, if you decide to watch it, you should expect it to be anything but Regular. Don't get me wrong, this is one of the weirdest cartoons since the days of Billy and Mandy. But if you can handle some brain-melting randomness, this is a show for you!

Introductions and Stuff

Yo! I'm Loomy. I'm a teenage novelist who lives in some place somewhere and I'mma review cartoons and junk. Why cartoons? Cuz they're cool and there are lots of them so yeah.

So my reviews are going to have a very simple structure. I'll give each show a letter ranking in three different categories, plus an overall score. The three categories are animation, sound, and writing. Animation includes character design, backgrounds, and the overall aesthetic. Sound includes music, voice acting, and songs if there are any. Writing includes the creativity, story, and humor of the show. Lastly I will average the scores of the individual categories and come up with an overall score.

I don't intend to review anime in case you were wondering. I might review one or two if I feel like it but... I'm mainly going to review kids cartoons. Shows on Cartoon Network, Nickelodeon, Disney, the Hub, etc. I'll review some new shows, some classics, and also some animated films.

So yeah, if you're into cartoons then follow me. If you're not into cartoons then follow me anyways. If you know me in real life and want to support me then follow me. Basically, if you've taken the time to read this much follow me.

That's it for right now. I'll be posting some reviews pretty soon, so stay tuned! Until then, peace out Blogosphere.