ANIMATED SHORTS: TMNT REVIEWED, DC FILMATION FINALLY COMING TO DVD? AND MORE

[MattBrady]

TO LOVE THE TURTLES

by Steve Fritz

When they first came out a quarter-century ago, it was easy to love the Turtles. They were a unique hybrid of superheroes and funny animals in these pizza chomping shinobi with some very real reasons for staying undercover. When their comic turned into one of the hottest kids shows of all times, we didn’t mind either.

Then, the live action films happened. While initially tearing the roof off of the theatres, things didn’t stay that way for long. By the second movie, 1991’s Secret of the Ooze, things started to stink. 1993’s Trapped In Time shoulda been. Worse, even the later TV series lost its pepperoni-sharp freshness.

Things really didn’t start to come back together until the Fox Box/4 Kids retcon that hit syndicated a few years back. Yes, the originality was gone, but Peter Laird managed to bring things back on track. So hearing a new movie was coming shouldn’t have been any surprise. That the puppets have been dumped for CGI didn’t exactly bother me. The commercials alone should tell the discerning eye that it really wasn’t that much of a stretch.

Actually, the main reaction is kids are going to love this film. Like the originals it’s fast paced, joke-laden and has enough humor and action to keep the young’uns wanting more. Old school fans are probably going to have issues with this, no matter what.

The basic plot it’s now a few years after Time. Longtime adversary Shredder has been out of the picture the entire time and Leonardo, Donatello, Michaelangelo and Raphael have gone their own ways for lack of any decent action. Leonardo has become serious about studying the ninja arts. Donatello provides tech support to computer geeks. Michaelangelo has become a clown, literally parodying himself in a turtle suit. The only one continuing to fight crime is Raphael, and under a disguise of his own.

Naturally, something has to get the brothers back together, and that’s a new character in the form of a Lex Luthor type.

“We continued the storyline that The Shredder has been defeated and, as a result, the Turtles’ other nemeses, Karai (Ziyi Zhang) and the Foot Clan, have basically become muscle for hire, acting as a private army for anybody who’s willing to pay the price,” reveals movie director Kevin Munroe. “One of the clients Karai and the Foot Clan end up working for is the enigmatic Maximillian J. Winters (Patrick Stewart), a very powerful multi-billionaire who lives in a monolithic tower and collects ancient artifacts from around the world. He’s a very mysterious guy and, as the movie goes on, we realize that he’s collecting monsters. As a result, really strange things start happening in New York City fueled by Winters’ secret plan.”

Actually, the real acquisition of the film is Munroe. This former comic book artist was voted one of the most promising young talents by no less an authority than Animation Magazine. Although his experience may seem slight, writing the film Donner and directing the video game Freaky Flyers, he’s already working on two more films, an original named Cat Tale and the anime classic Gatchaman.

He not only has a flair for dialogue, but also action. Both are absolutely essential for something like the TNMT. Personally, he’s probably also one of the few currently working in Hollywood who has any idea about what to do with our truly favorite teenaged mutants, too. More often than not, the verbal jabbing of everyone’s truly leapin’ lizards hits harder than their whirlwind kicks, and their kicks can take out more than their share of the Foot.

As for the voice work, Stewart is naturally in top form as the insidious Winters. Then again the man is a seasoned voice artist on top of his other sterling credentials. As for the Turtles, Munroe was smart enough to hire seasoned voice artists in the form of James Arnold Taylor (Leonardo), Mitchell Whitfield (Donatello), Mikey Kelly (Michaelangelo) and Nolan North (Raphael). Chris Evans and Sarah Michelle Geller also holds their own as Casey and April, while Mako gives us all one last great hurrah as Splinter. In fact, the only ones who come off a bit stiff is Zhang and Kevin Smith as the Diner Cook.

Aside Zhang’s performance, the only other gripes are minor. While the overall backgrounds, character design and action are top-notch, particularly when it comes to the Turtles, the humans still look kind of stiff and strange in CGI. Raphael’s “secret identity” routine is also a hard sell. Finally, one just can’t help feeling April ends up as dumb as she is for the bulk of the movie.

I won’t be surprised if other old schoolers will find something or other to gripe about, but that’s the nature of old school fans anyway. The real ticket buyers, their kids, probably won’t care. They’re the ones who are now enjoying the show on 4 Kids, not their former fan parents. Watch the knee biters come out in droves, at least until next week when Meet The Robinsons hits. Until then, expect them to give the Turtles their fair share of love…and let’s hope when the inevitable sequel emerges, it won’t also ooze in its own ineptitude.

WB TO RELEASE CLASSIC SUPERMAN/BATMAN TOONS

Earl Kress is a rather fantastic and award-winning animation writer (well, all right, I’ll forgive him for Pinky, Elmira & The Brain). His own weblog is usually crammed with some pretty interesting details about what he’s working on, which currently is Tom & Jerry Tales and Monster Allergy.

Still, it’s one of his latest announcements that should keep superhero fans happy for some time to come, basically Warner Bros. will be reissuing some of Hanna-Barbera and Filmation’s best superhero animation over the next year.

In the case of the H-B titles, it’s the original Space Ghost & Dino Boy and Birdman and Galaxy Trio half-hours. The original Ghost-with-the-most series appeared on CBS in 1966, while our pal Harvey started in 1967. Of course, both would return ten years ago in entirely new guises on Adult Swim.

As for Filmation? Kress reports both The New Adventures of Superman and The New Adventures of Batman are slated for the end of June. Superman was not only the Big Guy’s return to TV after the unfortunate demise of George Reeves, but the series that put Filmation firmly in the animation universe as one of the top U.S. studios. Both series couldn’t be released under the current agreement BCI had with Filmation’s rights holders because of DC/Warners having control over guess who.

For their parts, Warner Bros. is not saying anything. “I have no idea where Earl Kress is getting his information,” said a Warner Home Video spokesperson.

We can only keep our fingers crossed, eh? For more info, the URL is: http://www.mynameisearlkress.com/weblog/?p=150

ANIME TO AIR AWARDS

The Anime Network announced it will broadcast the All-American Anime Awards tomorrow, March 23. The awards were originally given out on February at the New York Comic Con.

The broadcast includes “behind-the-scenes” footage as well as interviews and background info on the various winners. It was also initially available as Video-On-Demand as far back as April 5.

KIM POSSIBLE BACK ON TOON DISNEY

The fourth season of Kim Possible will now also start airing on Toon Disney starting Monday, March 26. The series has already been airing on the Disney Channel proper for the last month.

To commemorate its return, Toon Disney will kick things off with a repeat airing of the last Kim movie “So The Drama” at 5:00 p.m. eastern. From there they will air the first three episodes of the fourth season starting at 6:30 p.m. We shouldn’t be surprised if Toon Disney continues the 6:30 p.m. slot for some time to come.

NEXT COLUMN: Been a real busy guy this last week. In the can already are interviews with Billy & Mandy’s Maxwell Atoms, Chuck McCann and Avatar creators Michael Dean DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko. I’ll have also seen Meet The Robinsons by the time you read my next column on Tuesday. What will I lead off with? You’ll have to wait and see..

[chimpscomix]

TMNT is gonna rock! Can't wait!

[Speedball93]

Leaving work early tomorrow and taking the kids to see this. It will be awsome.

[tommysparta]

God, I hope this movie doesn't suck. But, when you have Captain Picard, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, The Human Torch, AND Silent Bob all in one movie, how can you possibly go wrong? Seriously, the voice talent connects up some of my all time favorite properties all into one film!

[Nobody]

Warners officially released announcements about the Superman and Batman 'toons yesterday or so...

[Tirpen]

So the movie is set in the same continuity as the cartoon? Will I understand everything if I've never seen anything from it?

[Spaz_Monkey]

So, TMNT is actually in continuity with the first 3 movies? That's pretty damn cool!

I really hope they throw in at least a clip of the Ninja Rap somewhere in the movie.

[thefrogman]

God, I hope this movie doesn't suck. But, when you have Captain Picard, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, The Human Torch, AND Silent Bob all in one movie, how can you possibly go wrong? Seriously, the voice talent connects up some of my all time favorite properties all into one film!

Don't forget Bender from Futurama. Same guy that does Leo's voice.

[IcemanXtreme]

Originally Posted by Tirpen

So the movie is set in the same continuity as the cartoon? Will I understand everything if I've never seen anything from it?

there's a recap at the start of the movie. I dunno how, but I watched this on the 17/03/07, maybe we got it earlier in the UK. So to answer you, no, you don't need to have seen any of the toons or even the 3 movies it is a sequel to, there is enough of a recap to allow you to enter this movie afresh.

[Don Mega]

KIM POSSIBLE BACK ON TOON DISNEY

THIS is the real interesting news here.

Been dissapointed with the new TMNT movie the moment I saw Mike fall in the dumpster, revealing that this movie is going to be not like the first comics.

[MadBandit]

Originally Posted by thefrogman

Don't forget Bender from Futurama. Same guy that does Leo's voice.

Correction. John DiMaggio ("Bender") is doing the voice of a character, Colonel Santino.
James Arnold Taylor is Leonardo

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0453556/

I'm so there for this film. Too many CGI animated films are too similar and bland. This one looks damn cool.

Next stops: Grindhouse, Live Free or Die Hard and The Simpsons Movie.

[Stormbreaker]

I can't wait until I see TMNT tomorrow! I was hoping there'd be a midnight showing somewhere, but alas, it was not to be. Oh well! Still gonna rock!

[MadBandit]

Originally Posted by Don Mega

THIS is the real interesting news here.

Been dissapointed with the new TMNT movie the moment I saw Mike fall in the dumpster, revealing that this movie is going to be not like the first comics.

You only saw the teaser trailer, and you already don't like the movie?!


Somebody left the asylum without a strait-jacket.

[MadBandit]

Originally Posted by Don Mega

THIS is the real interesting news here.

Been dissapointed with the new TMNT movie the moment I saw Mike fall in the dumpster, revealing that this movie is going to be not like the first comics.

You only saw the teaser trailer, and you already don't like the movie?!


Somebody left the asylum without a strait-jacket.

[AlexHart]

I got to see a preview screening last weekend, and as a long-time fan of the comics, I really thought this was the best adaptation of the Turtles ever. It's not deep, but it's a lot of fun, which is what you'd want from a Turtles movie. It seems to be left kind of nebulous as whether this is necessarily a follow-up to the original movies or not. (It certainly works as one, but wasn't April a reporter in the original movie? She's an antiquities dealer here.)

Anyway, there are little touches from the cartoons, mostly things that were carried over from the original cartoon (which I hated) to the modern cartoon series (which I love.) The Turtles' personalities are much larger here than they are in the comics (where their personality differences are rather subtle.) Mikey says "dude" and even "Cowabunga," once. (Well, more than once, as his kids' party character is called "Cowabunga Carl.") But I didn't find it too groan-inducing -- it's more in line with the version of Mikey from the modern cartoon, which is far more palatable (to me, at least.) They do eat pizza, although not exclusively. It's more of a background detail.

That said, the animation is gorgeous (not Pixar level, but pretty close, all things considered), the story is just the right balance of comic-book goofy and serious, and the voice acting is great. I liked Ziyi Zhang's performance, and Kevin Smith barely has any lines at all, most of which are mumbled. (A lot of the orignal cartoon's voice actors have cameos as background characters, too.) I was trepidatious going into the movie about the monster storyline, but it works. If anything, the Turtles don't really have anything at stake in the monster plot until the end, they just keep getting mixed up in it. But nonetheless, it really feels like one of the old stand-alone issues of the original comics. I had a ball, at any rate, and will probably pay to see it again.

I don't think Raphael's secret identity is problematic at all. Also, I don't know what "one just can’t help feeling April ends up as dumb as she is for the bulk of the movie" means, but April didn't strike me as being dumb in the least. I also really don't understand The Onion's review of the movie, either. They say it's packed with references that only fans would get (it is?), and that it's full of plot holes and inconsistencies. I didn't notice any. It's a fantasy-comic-book premise, anyway, so you just go with it.

[JustSaying]

I thought "Cat Tale" got scrapped months ago and they are doing "Astro Boy" now instead?

[Don Mega]

Originally Posted by MadBandit

You only saw the teaser trailer, and you already don't like the movie?!


Somebody left the asylum without a strait-jacket.

Will there ever be a day when someone can accept a different opinion without being insulting?

I´ll try to explain it to you: I like the rather hardcore TNMT who don´t fool around.

Is that so hard to understand?

[M Intensity]

The Press Release only mentions the 36 first season Superman shorts, does the exclusion of the Superboy shorts have to do with the legal battle over the rights to Superboy?

M Intensity

[RedRonin]

The more ninja turtles the better.

[Andy E. Nystrom]

Originally Posted by M Intensity

The Press Release only mentions the 36 first season Superman shorts, does the exclusion of the Superboy shorts have to do with the legal battle over the rights to Superboy?

M Intensity

Well, the first season of the live action Superboy got released last year. My bet is they want to sell us the Superboy cartoons separately at a later date.

--Andy EN

[hhbx]

I won’t be surprised if other old schoolers will find something or other to gripe about, but that’s the nature of old school fans anyway. The real ticket buyers, their kids, probably won’t care. They’re the ones who are now enjoying the show on 4 Kids, not their former fan parents.

Actually, most of the fan parents were enjoying the 4 kids show until it went Fast Forward.
And, funny enough, the fan parents I talked to who seen this movie actually liked it. ;p

[sfritz]

Originally Posted by M Intensity

The Press Release only mentions the 36 first season Superman shorts, does the exclusion of the Superboy shorts have to do with the legal battle over the rights to Superboy?

M Intensity

It's a question worth asking.

OTOH the official release date is 6/26/7. Saw it on several different sites taking pre-orders. -s

[beta-ray]

Originally Posted by JustSaying

I thought "Cat Tale" got scrapped months ago and they are doing "Astro Boy" now instead?

I know they are doing Gatchaman and Astro Boy... but not sure which is first. I think Gatchaman comes before.

Their website: http://www.imagi.com.hk/web/main.php

[FIG]

The trailer makes it look like a kiddie movie which it is but the visual style is so cool I am just have to watch it as a matinee. I remember the old gritty comicbooks and thats what I was expecting but thats my problem for having assumptions about the movie.

[SageShini]

Originally Posted by Don Mega

Will there ever be a day when someone can accept a different opinion without being insulting?

I´ll try to explain it to you: I like the rather hardcore TNMT who don´t fool around.

Is that so hard to understand?

Yeah, a little. What's wrong with a little humor? Come to that, what's wrong with things being different from how they were 20 years ago? :P Will there ever be a day when people at least give things a chance before dismissing them totally? I at least read an issue of Civil War before declaring it garbage. And I refuse to denounce Superman and LOSH until I see an ep. Is that really hard?

Also...

KIM POSSIBLE BACK ON TOON DISNEY

Meh. I'm sick of the commercials for this already. Now....

Still, it’s one of his latest announcements that should keep superhero fans happy for some time to come, basically Warner Bros. will be reissuing some of Hanna-Barbera and Filmation’s best superhero animation over the next year.

In the case of the H-B titles, it’s the original Space Ghost & Dino Boy and Birdman and Galaxy Trio half-hours. The original Ghost-with-the-most series appeared on CBS in 1966, while our pal Harvey started in 1967. Of course, both would return ten years ago in entirely new guises on Adult Swim.

THIS is news! I loved Birdman and the Galaxy Trio. I REALLY hope this news is true...