DC Comics has a history of producing some of the best animated superhero TV shows that audiences have ever seen, from 1992’s Batman: The Animated Series and other shows in the DC Animated Universe (DCAU) to more recent shows like Teen Titans and Green Lantern: The Animated Series.
Young Justice Season 1 lineup, featuring Robin, Superboy, Aqualad, Miss Martian, and Kid Flash. Copyright Warner Bros. Entertainment.
One of the most popular DC Animated shows of recent memory, one that was pulled from the air far too soon, was Young Justice, which aired from 2010 until 2013 on Cartoon Network, before being cancelled after two excellent seasons. But after three years of fan petitions, pleas from both producers and voice actors, as well as fans binge watching the first two seasons on Netflix, Warner Brothers announced this past Monday that a third season of Young Justice is starting production.
South Park Season 20 Premiere Logo. Copyright South Park Studios, Comedy Central, and Viacom Inc.
I won’t be able to watch Wednesday’s episode of South Park right when it airs, but since it will be airing the day after the end of one of the most heated presidential races our country has ever seen, we can only hope that the episode will make fun of whatever the result is, while keeping to the excellent season-long arc about social media, trolling, nostalgia, and politics.
Sign outside the Hollywood Bowl. Photo by Joey Sack
One of my fondest memories when it comes to a concert-going experience was back in 2011, when my family and I went to Star Wars: Live in Concert at the TD Garden in Boston. The music, being by John Williams and from his iconic score for the first six Star Wars films, was excellent, the audience was filled with fans both young and old, the announcer was a pre-recorded James Earl Jones (the voice of Darth Vader), and the whole event was hosted by C-3PO himself, Anthony Daniels.
Admittedly, though, I have to imagine that I was the only member of my family that felt in place at this venue; my parents didn’t grow up with Star Wars and neither did my siblings (or me, for that matter, but that’s a whole other story), so they probably felt the most out of place with all the orchestral music played against the sounds and sights of the Star Wars universe.
The audience at The Hollywood Bowl. Photo by Joey Sack
Well, after all these years, I now know how my family felt, because it’s more or less how I felt seeing the wonderful Disney’s The Nightmare Before Christmas with Danny Elfman at the Hollywood Bowl this past Friday. Don’t get me wrong. I really like The Nightmare Before Christmas; I’d probably go on record saying that I love it. But I didn’t grow up watching this movie every Halloween, and only saw the film for the first time last year. With all of that in mind, you can imagine how amazed I was this past Friday to see the Hollywood Bowl, with its capacity to hold 17,500 people, filled pretty much to the brim with people singing along while the movie played, the orchestra played along, and many of the original singers (including Danny Elfman himself) reprised their roles for the songs. Continue reading “Disney’s The Nightmare Before Christmas with Danny Elfman at the Hollywood Bowl”
“Everything the light touches is our kingdom.” Mufasa and Simba in 1994’s The Lion King. Copyright Walt Disney Studios.
People go to the movies for many reasons: to see a work of cinematic art, to turn their brains off for a couple of hours, or to see things unlike anything they could experience in their everyday lives or unlike anything they have ever witnessed on the silver screen.
But according to some people, the movie industry is in trouble, not only because of controversies surrounding diversity, representation, or other such considerations, but also because of a lack of originality. And when people make the argument that Hollywood is running out of ideas, many direct their attention to the slew of reboots, remakes, and long-delayed sequels as proof. Robo-Cop (2014), Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Terminator Genisys, the upcoming Bladerunner 2049, and the list goes on.
But it’s not just classic live-action properties that are being remade for a new generation: some of the best animated movies of all time, mostly from Walt Disney Studios, are in the process of receiving a modern day facelift. We’ve already seen a good chunk of them, from this year’s successful remake of 1967’s The Jungle Book, to 2014’s Maleficent, the retelling of Sleeping Beauty from the point of view of the main villain, and there are more such remakes on the way from the House of Mouse. And despite a few duds, many of these movies are big financial, and even sometimes critical, successes. Continue reading “Everything the Light Touches is a Remake: Disney Animated Classics Getting Live Action Makeovers”
It’s a common enough sentiment: you talk with your friends about a movie that you loved every minute of, or a film that was mostly mediocre, and you have to point out that one scene that was “worth the price of admission.” I said this regarding the lightsaber vision scene from Star Wars: The Force Awakens (as well as several other scenes), the battle between Monkey and the Sister in Kubo and the Two Strings, and the moment in 2014’s Godzilla where the kaiju’s atomic breath made a triumphant appearance.
But while I still love to go to the movie theater and see films on the big screen, I spent $14.75 to go see Kubo and the Two Strings at a theatre in Hollywood. While I’m glad I did it, I can also remember a time when it cost much less to catch a flick in theaters.
*Author’s Note: While this article is about an animated TV show, South Park has been a powerhouse in the realm of social commentary for the past few years in particular, so I feel like an exception can be made while talking about it here. Also, South Park did have a theatrical movie come out back in 1999, so I say it counts; plus, it’s my site, so moving on*
Many of the characters from South Park. Copyright Comedy Central
South Park of recent years has become some of the best social commentary masked in the form of adult animation to ever hit television. The main reason for that is the time table co-creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone use to make each episode: the episode for a given week is often not finished until a few hours before it’s scheduled to air. This may be stressful for the team behind the show, but it allows them to draw from the most current events on people’s minds, from the wildly popular to the wildly controversial. Continue reading “How far should South Park go in covering the news of the week?”
Promotional poster for Sausage Party. Copyright Columbia Pictures
Sausage Party. The moment I heard about this movie, I thought to myself, “well, there goes all the good press that Anomalisa brought to R-rated animated films; now they’re going to have to start all over again.” The first trailer for this Toy Story with food products certainly didn’t help my perception; I thought, despite an all-star voice cast and an interesting concept, that this stinker would be looked down on by everyone except 13-year-old boys, who would find it hilarious.
But despite its provocative title, occasionally childish humor, and problems behind the scenes that are still being figured out, Sausage Party was actually well received by critics and audiences, currently holding an 82 percent “Certified Fresh” rating on Rotten Tomatoes. It has also grossed $95 million against its $19 million budget as of September 22nd, making it an unqualified success financially.
Now that the Emmys are over, and Oscar season has officially/unofficially begun, I have found myself thinking an almost unthinkable thought: could Sausage Party receive an Academy Award nomination for Best Animated Feature for the upcoming 89th Academy Awards this February?
