Some Cartoons for Saturday Morning #192

 Hello my friends and happy Saturday morning. Once again it is time for some classic cartoons. 

Today's cartoon selection starts off with a real treat, the Porky Pig short, The Case of the Stuttering Pig (1937). This short film is (in my opinion) one of the best black and white Porky Pig cartoons as well as one of the best cartoons directed by Frank Tashlin. Tashlin was a major movie fan and would later go on to direct live action features. Because of this his cartoons often have a real cinematic look and feel to them. This can especially be felt in this film, which captures the same spooky sense of atmosphere as can be seen in the best haunted house and monster movies of this time period. Yet this short is also laugh out loud funny. The ending gag is a personal favorite of mine. 

Next comes the Terry Toons short, Arctic Rivals (1954).

Next is the first Mickey Mouse cartoon made, Plane Crazy (1928). This was back in the days when Mickey was still a simple country mouse who went around barefoot and didn't wear gloves. These early Mickey cartoons have a genuine rural feel to them (partly because Walt always considered himself a farm boy at heart) that I personally find irresistible and definitely prefer over the suburban settings featured in his later cartoons. In this film Mickey dreams of being a pilot and makes himself a homemade plane that would make the Our Gang kids jealous. This is because aviation was a popular topic around this time due to the fame of Charles Lindbergh (briefly caricatured here) after his New York to Paris flight of 1927. Walt had already had his earlier star, Oswald the Lucky Rabbit in an aviation themed cartoon with The Ocean Hop (1927). This cartoon began production in March 1928. The production of this cartoon was done in secret due to the fact that Walt was still under contract to make Oswald cartoons for Universal. Animator Ub Iwerks (who animated the film by himself) was separated from the artists working on the Oswald shorts so that he could not be seen by them. Hugh Harman later described this saying, "They curtained off part of the studio with a great black drop, black skim of some kind, so that I and a few others who were leaving couldn't see the great secret that was going on." Ub Iwerks was one of the fastest animators of the time and finished this cartoon in only a matter of weeks. It has been said that he made as many as 700 drawings in one day. This cartoon was originally made as a silent film, yet you will notice the opening title card says, "Sound Cartoon." The reason for this is that after the success of Steamboat Willie (1928, which was a sound cartoon), a soundtrack was added to this cartoon. 

Now we join our old friend Dimwit in the Terry Toon short, How to Keep Cool (1953). Dimwit started life as a supporting player in other characters' cartoons, especially those of Heckle and Jeckle. Because of the popularity of Disney's hilarious Goofy cartoons of the 1950's, it was decided to put Dimwit in similar roles and similar films. How to Keep Cool could have easily been a Goofy cartoon with no story changes at all. This idea would only last for three films (this one, How to Relax (1954) and Daddy's Little Darling (1957)). 

Now it is time for a commercial break. 

As many of you know when Fleischer Studios was shut down, it was succeeded by Famous Studios who not only created new series, but continued the series started by the former studio. Many cartoon fans feel that this series went downhill after this, but the falling of quality was hardly something immediate. I especially am a fan of the early Famous Studios Popeye films. These cartoons may be different from the Fleischer output, but they are fast paced, energetic and a lot of fun. There were also a wide variety of storylines used during this time that were not the simple one of Popeye and Bluto fighting over Olive. One great example of how good these films are is Me Musical Nephews (1942). The following is a review from The Film Daily, "One of the best Popeye shorts to hit the screen in years. Popeye's young nephews keep their uncle awake by practicing on their musical instruments and the grief they cause him is the central theme for some hilarious fun. This one deserves prominent billing."

Next comes the silent Aesop's Film Fables cartoon, The Fable of the Alley Cat (1923). The short stars our old friend Farmer Alfalfa and features a wonderfully creative dream sequence. It is a pure delight. 

Next we join the one and only Donkey Kong in How Much Is That Gorilla in the Window (1983). This cartoon comes from a TV Show called Saturday Supercade. Each episode of this show was made up of multiple cartoons based on popular video game characters. Other video game characters featured in this show included Frogger, Donkey Kong Jr., Q*bert, Space Ace, Kangaroo and Pitfall Harry. In this cartoon, Donkey Kong is voiced by Soupy Sales, a comedian best known for his TV work in the 1950's and 60's. Mario is voiced by Peter Cullen, best known as the voice of Optimus Prime in Transformers. 

Now it is time for some real culture with Bullwinkle's Corner. 

Today's cartoon selection ends with a very educational short film.

Thanks for joining me. Come back next week for another selection of animated treasures. Until then may all your tunes be looney and your melodies merry. 

Resources Used

Hollywood Cartoons: American Animation in its Golden Age by Michael Barrier

Of Mice and Magic: A History of the American Animated Cartoon by Leonard Maltin

https://mediahistoryproject.org/

 

Movie Review: The Forge

 

Michael's Movie Grade: B-

A well-made but familiar faith-based film. 

 This movie about a young adult, learning to grow up and take responsibility as finding faith in God, offers nothing that anyone watching has never seen before, but it does its job well. The main thing that this film gets right is the main character. He is very likable and easy for anyone watching to relate to. Since this film is about him growing up, he changes a lot over the course of the story. However, this change seems to happen naturally and is completely believable. Also, no matter how much he has changed he still feels like the same character. The main character's relationships with his mom and his boss feel very well realized and this makes both him and those characters feel more real to us. Because of this even though the movie hits many familiar beats, some of the emotional scenes truly do pack a punch.   

As you must expect from a movie like this it does have a very prominent Christian message. It has a lot to say and says it well. This is done and a way that feels accessible to non-Christians, while still having something to say to Christians. However oftentimes it feels like the whole story stops so a character can give a sermon. These are very well written sermons, but they can also mess with the film's pacing and can take you out of the movie. 

This film also has problems with some awkwardly written dialogue, some bland side characters (some of whom aren't well acted) and weak humor. The familiarity of the story also makes it hard for this to stand out among many similar movies.  

This may not be a classic, but it does its job quite well. 

Movie Review: The Crow

 

Michael's Movie Grade: D-

An excruciatingly boring comic book film. 

Whether you choose to look at this as a remake of the 1994 movie, an adaption of the 1989 comic book series, or as a standalone film, it is still a complete disappointment. This is a movie about a man coming back from the dead to kill those who were responsible for the death of him and his girlfriend in order to save his girlfriend's soul from Hell. From this description the last thing you would expect this movie to be is boring. However, that is exactly what this film is. The Crow runs for less than two hours but feels like it will never end. The film starts with a lengthy love story before the premise even begins. The romance here is incredibly cliché and not that interesting. We never feel a connection to either of these characters and the romantic dialogue is often painfully corny. These early romantic scenes are also very slow paced, which doesn't help at all. Pacing is a problem throughout this whole movie. The early part of this film seems to move at a snail's pace, while the later scenes seem incredibly rushed. When this movie moves into pure action in its third act, the action scenes are just as disappointing. The action scenes are very gory and over the top. However, they completely lack any sense of suspense or danger. We never once worry that anything might happen to our "hero" and for most of these action scenes everything simply seems too easy for him that we don't feel any excitement. This movie also suffers from boring villains and equally boring protagonists. This makes it even harder to care about anything that happens on screen. 

The only thing this movie has going for it is its look. This film has a delightfully effective and atmospheric gothic look to it. There is also some very stylish filmmaking such as the scene at the opera house, which is very well shot and staged. Unfortunately, good visuals can't make up for a movie, where everything else is terrible.     

A major disappointment. 

Movie Review: Slingshot

 

Michael's Movie Grade: C+

An enjoyable but familiar sci-fi thriller.

This film follows a group of men that blast into space to find a new planet for mankind to inhabit. During their journey they are given certain drugs to hibernate for long parts of this trip. However, these drugs end up messing with their minds, until they can't tell reality from hallucinations. 

There is a lot to really like about this movie. The main character is quite likable and well played by Casey Affleck. This movie also does a great job of fully putting ourselves in his shoes. We feel so much of his anxiety as we like him question everything we see and hear. The fact that we follow this character and never see what happens when he isn't around, increases this connection we feel to the character. This leads to a truly suspenseful third act. This final act really puts you on the edge of your seat. The ending to this film is fantastic and the perfect way to end such a story. This movie is also a visual treat, and the spacecraft has a very atmospheric feel. 

The main problem with this film is that it is simply way too familiar. For a movie that tries hard to be something new and thought-provoking, it is hard to watch it and not think of many similar films. The problem is while this movie works, it falls short of those similar films, which simply did everything better. The movie also suffers from some very corny dialogue and a not very interesting romance. The movie also feels a little too long and can drag at times.

This may not be a great movie, but it certainly has enough that works to make me glad I watched it. 

Movie Review: Harold and the Purple Crayon

 

Michael's Movie Grade: C

This family film may not be the most memorable, but it provides a decent trip to the movies.

Though this may not be a great film, it does have a real charm to it. The movie's story is simple (another example of the fictional characters finding their way into the real world), but it is charming. Our main characters are very likable. They may be over the top and silly, but they have good hearts, and we do grow to care about them. This leads to a truly emotional scene later on in the film, that really works. In fact, this whole movie is filled with heart and sincerity. There is a real sweetness here that feels completely natural and not at all forced. The movie also benefits from a strong villain and fun climatic action scene.  

This movie is filled with many comedic moments from start to finish. As can be expected from this, the gags here are very hit and miss. Some of them are really funny while many others fall completely flat. 

Since the storyline is very familiar, the movie is all too predictable. You can always tell what is going to happen next. The film can also drag quite a bit in the middle. 

This marks the first live action movie directed by Carlos Saldanha. He had been the co-director on Ice Age (2002) and Robots (2005). He was the also the director of such animated films as Ice Age: The Meltdown (2006), Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs (2009), Rio (2011), Rio 2 (2014) and Ferdinand (2017).

This may not be a new family classic, but it is enjoyable enough.    

Some Cartoons for Saturday Morning #291

 Hello my friends and happy Saturday morning. Once again it is time for some classic cartoons. 

Today's cartoon selection begins with the first ever Coyote and Roadrunner cartoon, Fast and Furry-Ous (1949). Director Chuck Jones would later say in an interview, "Mike Maltese was the writer that worked with me, and he pretty much had the idea for this. We were talking about crazy chases, like aardvarks chasing wildebeests .... Actually, we were trying to do a takeoff on chases, because everybody was chasing everybody including in our stuff." They didn't view this cartoon as anything special and felt it would just be another one shot. This is shown by the fact that the next Roadrunner cartoon (Beep Beep) would not be released until 1952. Actually, before the second Roadrunner cartoon, the coyote would appear alongside Bugs Bunny in the short, Operation Rabbit (1952). In that film the coyote would speak and receive his full name, Wile E. Coyote (super genius). Jones would admit that a major influence on his coyote and roadrunner cartoons was the Frank Tashlin directed Columbia cartoon The Fox and the Grapes (1941), which was like these films made up of fast paced slapstick blackout gags. Fast and Furry-Ous was included in Jerry Beck's book, The 100 Greatest Looney Tunes. 

Now we join our old friend Dinky Duck in Life with Fido (1942). 

The following is from an issue of Paramount Around the World (dated April 1938), "BETTY BOOP IS DEAD! SALLY SWING IS SUCCESSOR!! It is with a sense of deep regret that we record the passing of Miss Betty Boop, the amiable, pulchritudinous, neckless young lady who has served Paramount so loyally for so many years. Miss Boop passed on suddenly but not before she was able to name her successor. Miss Sally Swing is the new Paramount cartoon eyeful. We present her above - front, side and reverse, as well as in the purely geometrical form that she is known to animators. Sally is presumed to be about 16 years of age. She is the epitome of modern youth, full of life, pep and the magic something which so sustains young people in the face of fearful odds. She is devoted to swing, is lithe and lissome, and, in parlance of Hollywood's scriptures is the ideal jitterbug. Her first cartoon appearance is scheduled for approximately two months from now." The following is from a 1938 issue of Motion Picture Daily, "Betty Boop, the Max Fleischer cartoon character which attained great popularity in its eight years of existence, will be missing from the Paramount short subject list next season. In Betty's place there will be a new cartoon character, Sally Swing, who is designed to be a modernized, stream-lined version of her predecessor, Paramount will distribute 12 of the cartoons featuring the new character."  This not true as Sally's cartoon career would end as soon as it began, and she would never have her own series. However, Betty's career was soon to end. 1939 would mark her last theatrical cartoon short. So here is Sally's attempt to break into the movies, Sally Swing (1938). 

Now for the Columbia Krazy Kat cartoon, Soda Poppa (1931). This short film is full of all the surreal fun that I love about cartoons from this time period. 

Now it is time for a commercial break. 

Now it is time for a silent Out of the Inkwell short, Koko Needles the Boss (1927). The live action "boss" that Koko is needling is producer Max Fleischer playing himself.

Next Donald Duck goes up against his nephews in Fire Chief (1940). This film was directed by Jack King, who directed many wonderful Donald cartoons around this era. This short film made its TV debut on an episode of the Disneyland TV show entitled A Day in the Life of Donald Duck (1956). 

Now for an Orson's Farm short from TV's Garfield and Friends. 

Now for a bit of culture here is Bullwinkle's corner. 

Let us close with a classic episode of The Adventures of Ned Flanders. 

Thanks for joining me. Come back next week for more animated treasures. Until then may all your tunes be looney and your melodies merry. 

Resources Used

Of Mice and Magic: A History of American Animated Cartoons by Leonard Maltin

The 100 Greatest Looney Tunes edited by Jerry Beck

Hollywood Cartoons: American Animation in its Golden Age by Michael Barrier

https://mediahistoryproject.org/

https://disney.fandom.com/wiki/The_Disney_Wiki

 

Movie Review: Sing Sing

 

Michael's Movie Grade: A-

An absolutely beautiful movie.

This film is about an acting program in Sing Sing prison that helps give these prisoners something to look forward to and be happy about while they are there. This may sound like your typical feel-good movie, but it is so much more than that. This is a film that truly looks finding light in your darkest moments. The film does not sugarcoat anything and while this can provide them with a purpose, it cannot make the pain of being in prison go away or allow them to see their loved ones. There are scenes here that are downright heartbreaking. Yet these heartbreaking scenes are mixed with hope and love being found among the darkness around them. These men become a family to one another and created a bond that help fill a space prison had put in their hearts. The acting program also allows them to be real and vulnerable with both each other and themselves, allowing them to feel human again. This becomes all the more real due to great documentary style filmmaking during many of the scenes. It is also helped by performances from real former prisoners who had acted in these programs. The film also has a lot of comedy, some of which is very silly. I found myself laughing much more than I expected to during the comedic moments. However, this comedy never distracts from the drama and seriousness of the story. Rather it does for us what it does for the characters. It provides us with a little release. This helps us understand just why this is so important to them and why it should be important to us. 

What makes this film so special though is that all its elements come together perfectly. This is a movie that is extremely uplifting, very sad, laugh out loud funny and quite thought provoking. It manages to be all of these at the same time in a way that feels completely natural. 

Movie Review: 200% Wolf

 

Michael's Movie Grade: B

A delightful animated family movie from Australia. 

This film has a very fun premise. A kid from a pack of werewolves turns into a poodle instead of a wolf. Though he is the son of the leader of the pack, he feels like an outcast. To prove himself to the pack, he tries to contact the powerful and wise moon spirits. He accidently brings a baby moon spirit to Earth and must do what he can to bring the moon spirit home. Though parts of this story may feel familiar, it is very clever and a lot of fun. The movie also benefits from a strong lead character. It is easy to relate to this little werepoodle and we are on his side as soon as the film starts. Though he is immature and impulsive, he also has a very good heart and always means the best. His best friend a dog named Batty is also very likable and this movie has a very strong villain. Though the animation is not up to par with Disney or Pixar, it is of the quality that one expects from a theatrical animated feature despite its lower budget. 

The movie's biggest flaw though is that a lot of the humor falls flat. Though there were a lot of jokes here, I did not find myself laughing that much. Some of the supporting characters are also rather bland and not as fleshed out as they should have been. 

This film is a delight for kids and adults alike. 

Superman and the Mole-Men (1951)

 

Superman and the Mole-Men marked the very first feature length Superman movie (it was also the first feature film based on a DC Comics character and possibly the first feature length superhero movie ever). However, it was not the first time the superhero was seen on movie screens. He appeared in a series of animated cartoons produced by Max Fleisher (best known for the Popeye and Betty Boop cartoons) and in two movie serials (one in 1948 and another in 1950). For this movie it is planned to have Kirk Alyn (who played the character in the serials) to return to the role here. However, he wanted too much money and George Reeves was hired to play the character instead. This of course gives the film a greater historical importance to Superman fans, as George Reeves would play the character on the beloved TV show Adventures of Superman, and many consider him to be the definitive Superman. This feature film was actually a trial for the TV series and would later be edited into a two-part episode of the series called The Unknown People. As well as having George Reeves as Superman the film also featured Phyllis Coates as Lois Lane. She would also play this character the TV series. 

This movie was a quickly made cheap budgeted film that was shot in only 12 days and ran only 58 minutes. 

In this film a group of oil men dig into the center of the earth, which causes some strange looking mole-men to enter the surface world. When most people see these mole-men they get very scared and even try to harm the creatures. Because of this they feel that they must defend themselves from the surface world. However, since reporter Clark Kent is on town working on a story, he (and his alter ego Superman) does all he can to protect these misunderstood creatures.

This movie could not differ more from the superhero films of today. Not only was it made quickly and cheaply but it is a slower paced film, whose focus was not on super-heroics. In fact, we saw much more of our hero as Clark Kent than as Superman. This movie has much more in common with the sci-fi films of the 1950's than the superhero movies today. However, as 50's B-movies go this one was above average. There is a lot to love here. Of course, the acting is top notch. George Reeves is perfect as Superman/Clark Kent, even in his first appearance as the character. He completely disappears into the role, and he becomes the character from the comic books. For anyone who has read the Superman comics of the 1940's and 50's, this is that version of Superman come to life. Yet even the supporting players are truly excellent in their roles. This movie also boosts a surprisingly intelligent script that offers commentary on such issues as racism, gun control and oil drilling. Yet it handles these subjects in a way that feels clever and smart without ever feeling preachy. The way this movie blends this serious commentary with good old fashioned sci-fi fun is surprisingly very good. At times this even feels like it could have been an episode of The Twilight Zone. Though there aren't a lot of action sequences here, the ones that are here are pretty good. The scene with the mole-man running away from the hunting dogs was quite exciting and still holds a good sense of suspense to this day. 

However, this film's low-budget and quick shooting schedule are quite obvious. The effects don't only look dated today, but they weren't even good for 1951. The special effects and the costumes can be off-putting and can take you out of the movie at times. Though they are well acted most of the supporting characters are rather bland and one-note. 

However, even with its flaws this was a solid start to Superman's career in feature length movies and possibly even a strong start to feature length superhero movies as a whole. 

Movie Review: My Penguin Friend

 

Michael's Movie Grade: B+

An excellent family film. 

This is a delightfully old-fashioned movie that reminds me very much of the live action Disney films from the 1960's and 70's. This is such a sweet, unpretentious and utterly charming film. It has no desire to be anything more than a heartwarming feel-good movie and it works very well as such. This is a wonderful example of how sometimes a simple story being simply told is exactly what many movie goers need. Without a single mean or cynical bone in its body, it is hard not to get completely swept up in the sincerity behind this movie's sweetness. The friendship between our main human character (played marvelously by Jean Reno (one of the best working character actors today)) and the penguin DinDim is truly heartwarming and completely believable. We grow to care about both of them so much over the course of this film and when they reunite it truly warms our heart. The small town that this movie takes place in is just as much a character as either of them. This is the type of small town that we all would love to live in and thanks to this film we get the chance to live there for a brief time. We are truly transported to this town, and this helps make this film so much more effective than the average feel-good movie. 

This is also a very technically well-made movie. This film was directed by David Schurmann, who has made various documentaries. He brings this experience to good use here, helping give the whole film a great sense of authenticity. There are also some clever filmmaking touches throughout. The best of which are when we get to see certain scenes from DinDim's point of view. Speaking of DinDim, this film uses multiple different real penguins, CGI and animatronics to portray this character at different times. However, even with this knowledge it is done so well, that you don't even notice. 

Unfortunately, the researchers, who study DinDim, are very bland one-note characters. The film tends to drag a little when the focus goes to them. This is not helped by some of the awkward dialogue. However, these are small flaws when considering just how charming much of this film is. 

This is a pure delight for the whole family.  

Movie Review: Khel Khel Mein

 

Michael's Movie Grade: C

A decent enough comedy-drama from India. 

This Indian film is a remake of the Italian movie, Perfect Strangers (2016) (which has already been remade plenty of times). While it can't quite live up to the original, this movie is good enough for a fun trip to the movies. The basic plot of a group of friends having a dinner party where they have to share every text, email and call they receive on their cell phones is still a very clever one. It highlights how everyone has another side to them that even their closest friends don't know about. Also important for a film like this is that the main characters (and the actors portraying them) all have great chemistry with each other. They truly seem like a group of best friends who have known each other their whole lives. Because of this we have an emotional connection to them throughout the whole film, even when things get very soap opera like towards the end. 

The humor in this movie is fine. There definitely moments that I smiled or even laughed out loud here. However, I felt that this movie as a whole was never as funny as it should have been and quite a few comedic moments fall flat. 

This movie also feels much longer than it needs to be, and this causes it to drag sometimes. The music in this movie (with the exception of the opening song) can be quite distracting at times as it often doesn't fit the action on screen. The dialogue in this film can often be too clumsy and preachy. I agree with much of what this movie is saying but sadly the way it chooses to convey these messages is through overly preachy and unnatural dialogue. 

Don't expect anything great from this film but it is reasonably entertaining for what it is.  

Movie Review: Rob Peace

 

Michael's Movie Grade: B

A well-made biopic.

This movie tells the true story of a young man, who is incredibly intelligent and who's intelligence gives him opportunities that few in his situation would get a chance for. However, he puts it all at risk by dealing drugs in order to raise money to help his father who is in jail. 

The film does a wonderful job of helping us fully understand the main character. One of the hardest type of characters for movies to get right is the good person who does bad things. Often times movies either make the character completely unlikable or play down their flaws. This movie gives us not only a very likable character but also one that we greatly admire. Yet at the same time, it doesn't downplay how wrong his actions are. This is also perfectly captured in a wonderful performance by Chiwetel Ejiofor (who also wrote and directed the film). As a director and writer Ejiofor is obviously very passionate about this story and that can be felt throughout the whole movie. Because of this the emotional moments in this film work extremely well. The film also gives a very intelligent social commentary without ever becoming preachy or didactic. 

However, this movie does have the same problem as most biopics. That is that it tries to do too much in one movie. Because of this some plot points can feel rushed, and the supporting characters are not very fleshed out. 

Even if this movie has the same flaws as many biopics, it still works very well due to being a good story that is well told. 

Cowboy Church #190

 Hello my friends and welcome back for another service of Cowboy Church. 

Today's musical selection starts with Roy Rogers and Dale Evans with Take My Hand Precious Lord. This song was written by Thomas A. Dorsey after the passing of his wife and newborn son in 1932. Though Dorsey had given his life to the Lord and was moving away from his career as a blues singer instead writing gospel songs and even pastoring churches. Still after the death of his beloved wife and child, he began to question his faith. Instead of giving up his faith he turned to prayer. He prayed that God would lead him through all the troubles of life. He put his prayer to music (George Allen's Maitland) and this turned out to be one of his most popular songs. 

This is followed by Melba Montgomery with King of Kings. This recording comes from her 1966 gospel album, Hallelujah Road. 

Then comes Kenny Roberts and Tommy Sosebee with their 1951 recording of Let Jesus Come into Your Heart. 

Next comes Johnny Cash with Oh Bury Me Not. This recording comes from John's 1994 album, American Recordings. This was his first album for the American Recordings record label. This record label was not known for country music, but rather heavy metal and rap. The Black Crows, The Beastie Boys, Sir Mix-A-Lot and Slayer were among those he had recorded there. What drew John to this unlikely label was the complete musical freedom he would have. For this album, producer Rick Ruben had John simply record whatever songs he felt like (from any genre and any time period), just him and his guitar. This was a success and revived John's musical career which had been on a downslide commercially, critically and creatively. Reviews said that this was not just one of John's best recent albums, but one of the best albums he had ever done. John now found himself with a new young audience whose musical taste consisted of heavy metal, hip hop, punk, alternative and rap. The reason, Bury Me Not is included in this week's Cowboy Church is that it has a spoken introduction that is a prayer from the point of view of a cowboy.

Next is The Frank Luther Trio with their 1934 recording of When the Saints Go Marching Home. 

Next comes Bob Dylan with Gospel Plow. Though Bob Dylan is praised today hugely for songwriting at the beginning of his career, he was often an interpreter of old folk songs. His 1962 debut album only contained two original songs, and all the rest were covers. He would return to the role of an interrupter of folk songs for his 1992 album, Good As I Been To You and his 1993 album, World Gone Wrong. Gospel Plow comes from Bob's self-titled debut album. It is unknown who actually wrote this song, but it is believed to be an African American spiritual. It was most likely inspired by Luke 9:62, "No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God."

Then comes Roy Drusky with God Planned It That Way. 

Today's musical selection ends with The Sons of the Pioneers with their 1948 recording of The Old Rugged Cross. 

Next comes an episode of Hopalong Cassidy radio show. 

Now for a message from the Rev. Billy Graham. 

The Lord is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation; this is my God, and I will praise him, my father's God, and I will exalt him. Exodus 15:2

Seek the Lord and His strength; seek His presence continually! 1 Chronicles 16:11

The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. Psalm 18:2

 For the LORD your God is the one who goes with you to fight for you against your enemies to give you victory. Deuteronomy 20:4

Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. Romans 12:12

For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience. Romans 8:24-25

Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. Hebrews 11:1

Thanks for joining me come back in a few weeks  for another service of Cowboy Church. Happy trails to you until we meet again. 

 

Some Cartoons for Saturday Morning #290

 Hello my friends and happy Saturday morning. Once again it is time for some classic cartoons. 

Today's cartoon selection begins one of the best Sylvester and Tweety cartoons, Bad Ol' Putty Tat (1949).  Voice actor Mel Blanc would later write, "Sylvester has always been a favorite of mine. He's always been the easiest character for me to play. When I was show the first model sheet for Sylvester with his floppy jaws and generally disheveled appearance, I said to Friz Freleng, 'A big sloppy cat should have a big shthloppy voice. He should spray even more than Daffy.' While recording Sylvester cartoons my scripts would get so covered in sylvia I'd repeatedly have to wipe them clean. I used to suggest to actress June Foray, who voiced Tweety's vigilant owner Granny, that she wear a raincoat to the sessions." 

Next is Mighty Mouse in The Two Barbers (1944). This short film was directed by Eddie Donnely. 

Now for a classic early black and white Silly Symphony, The Clock Store (1931). Like many of the early Silly Symphonies, this movie doesn't have much in the way of plot but instead focuses mainly as a mood piece. This allows the Disney studio to do what they did best, with wonderful animation, beautiful artwork and an incredible sense of atmosphere. No other Hollywood cartoon studio of the time could have done a cartoon like this and make it turn out so well. This film is heavily helped by a truly wonderful group of artists. Johnny Cannon animates the lamplighter. Our first peek inside the clock store is animated by Cecil Surrey. Chuck Couch, an underrated Disney animator and also a cartoon writer for Disney, Walter Lantz and Hanna-Barbera, animates the cockoo clocks. Harry Reeves, who would work as a Disney animator and story writer into the 1950's, animates the four alarm clocks. Hardie Gramatky animates the timepieces. Frenchy de Trémaudan animates the wristwatches and the dancing alarm clocks. Dan Tattenham animates the Swiss clock with the chimes. Albert Hunter, animates the wonderful scene with the minuet figures. Ben Sharpsteen, who would later be supervising director on the Disney features Pinocchio (1940), Fantasia (1940) and Dumbo (1941), animates the grandfather and grandmother clocks. Charles Byrne animates the Dutch windmill clock. Jack King, later director for both Warner Brothers and Disney (at Disney he directed some of the finest Donald Duck cartoons), animates the Dutch dance. Rudy Zamora, who had previously been a major animator at the Fleischer Studios and would later animate on the Charlie Brown TV specials as well directing various TV cartoons for Hanna-Barbera, animates the alarm clocks fighting and the clock on the wall. Joe D'Igalo animates the crowd cheering for the fight. This film made its TV debut on an episode of The Mickey Mouse Club that aired on December 1, 1955. 

Now for the Columbia Color Rhapsody cartoon, The Foxy Pup (1937). This short was directed by UB Iwerks, best remembered for being the co-creator of Mickey Mouse (with Walt Disney). His work on the early Disney shorts, really defined the early Disney style. He would later return to Disney, doing much special effects work and technical innovation on Disney films. both animated and live action. 
  

Now it is time for a commercial break. 

Now for the silent Out of the Inkwell cartoon, Koko's Field Daze (1928). 

Next comes the Woody Woodpecker film, Banquet Busters (1948). This cartoon is a rare time in which two of Walter Lantz's most popular characters, Woody Woodpecker and Andy Panda, appeared in a theatrical short. However, it was not the only time they worked together. Woody made his debut in the Andy Panda short, Knock Knock (1940). Probably the most popular pairing of the two was in the Musical Miniature cartoon, Musical Moments from Chopin (1946). Banquet Busters was the only time Andy Panda appeared in the Woody Woodpecker series as their other appearances together were in other series. 

Next comes the Terry Toons short, Police Dogged (1956).

Now let us close by singing a song we all know. 

Resources Used

I Tawt I Taw a Puddy Tat: Fifty Years of Sylvester and Tweety by Jerry Beck.

Walt Disney's Silly Symphonies: A Companion to the Classic Cartoon Series by Russell Merritt and J.B. Kaufman 

Movie Review: Skincare

 

Michael's Movie Grade: B+

An excellent thriller. 

This movie has a delightful premise. A woman who runs a skin care business feels threatened when a new skin care business moves next door to her. When it seems like someone is trying to sabotage her entire life (just her line of skin products is going to hit the shelves for the first time), she suspects that her new neighbor is behind this. What starts as some lewd emails, after her account was hacked turns much darker and more violent as the film goes on. 

This movie does exactly what a suspense film should do. It kept me glued to the screen from start to finish. Part of the reason for this is that story is constantly growing darker. The buildup is fantastic and the fact that the stakes are constantly being raised keeps the story from ever becoming boring. The climax is very exciting and takes on a wonderful neo-noir feel. What also makes this film work so well is how real the main character feels. She has her likable qualities, and she is a character, we often find ourselves rooting for. Yet at the same time, she has a very dark side. This dichotomy to her makes her much more fascinating to us. Elizbeth Banks' performance here is fantastic, and she captures all the complexities of the character perfectly. This movie is also full of twists and turns, many of which are extremely clever. This is also a very visually handsome movie, that is always delightful to look at. This visual handsomeness also perfectly gives this film an atmosphere that fits the story to a tee. It expresses perfectly the picture of the beauty world that this film shows. This is that the world of beauty is on the outside extremely attractive, yet beneath the surface it is dark and unforgiving. That this theme is perfectly conveyed visually gives this whole movie a delightfully cinematic experience. 

This movie does have its flaws though. For instance, one of the biggest twists is way too easy to see coming. Also there are quite a few supporting characters that aren't as fleshed out as they should be. 

For anyone who loves a good suspense movie, this is a pure delight. 

Our Own Wonderlands

 

"Lastly, she pictured to herself how this same little sister of hers would, in the after-time, be herself a grown woman; and how she would keep, through all her riper years, the simple and loving heart of her childhood: and how she would gather about her other little children, and make their eyes bright and eager with many a strange tale, perhaps even with the dream of Wonderland of long ago: and how she would feel with all their simple sorrows, and find a pleasure in all their simple joys, remembering her own child-life, and the happy summer days." - Lewis Carroll, Alice in Wonderland

Suicide Squad Isekai: Episode 3 (2024)

 

Another great episode. 

In this episode the squad tries to break into the fortress to complete the mission, they have been given. 

There is so much to enjoy about this episode. Here we see them even more integrated into this anime fantasy world. The result is very well done. Though they are in many ways they are out of place in this strange environment, their quirky personalities fit perfectly. This leads to a lot of great humor that is truly laugh out loud funny and some delightfully over the top action scenes. This episode also gives us some truly great worldbuilding. This is especially true in the scenes where the squad is meeting with the queen and princess. The worldbuilding continues after that though as we learn how this world effects the characters' powers and abilities. At the same time, this episode also hints that there is much more to be reveled in the future, such as the princess' connection to Harley Quinn. Once again, the artwork is simply beautiful, especially all the shots of the outside of the fortress. 

This continues to be a delightful series that combines DC Comics and Isekai anime extremely well. 

Movie Review: Successor (Zhua wa wa)

 

Michael's Movie Grade: B

A delightful comedy-drama from China. 

This movie has a very far-fetched and somewhat ludicrous premise. Two wealthy parents decide to see if their son is worthy to be a successor to their vast wealth by putting him through an incredible elaborate test through his whole childhood. This involves him believing that his family is extremely poor and being placed in a fake world. He must work and study constantly as this whole project revolves around him getting into a very prestigious college on his own merits. 

This story is obviously completely ridiculous, but it is also very well told. Much of this is because of the characters themselves. Our young protagonist is incredibly likable and easy to connect to. Though he doesn't do everything right, his heart is usually in the right place, and he truly cares about those around him. The film also puts us into his position, and we often see the world through his eyes. Because of this the emotional moments are especially effective. I also loved the way this film portrayed the parents. The movie never plays down how cruel what they are doing to this boy is. In fact, there are many scenes that make us downright hate these characters. Yet there are also moments that humanize them and make us realize that they do truly care about their son and can feel bad about their actions. The humor in this movie may not be consistently hilarious but there are some laugh out loud funny moments here. 

With the far-fetched nature of the plot, there are naturally some big plot holes and moments that make you wonder, how such a smart kid can't catch on that his life is fake. 

All in all, this is a delightful movie, even if sometimes you have to leave logic at the door.

Movie Review: The Firing Squad

 

Michael's Movie Grade: C-

A good story that is unfortunately hampered by terrible acting and below average visual filmmaking. 

The basic storyline of this movie is a pretty good one. It is the true story of a man who finds Jesus while on Death Row. Naturally such a story is very emotional. It is both quite sad as well as being an uplifting tale of how people can change for the better. As such there are some truly emotional moments in this film, especially towards the end. The romance in this film also works surprisingly well and has some real touching moments. 

However this is not the great faith-based movie it should have been. Many people who don't watch a lot of Christian movies criticize them for being cheaply made and poorly acted. This is not true of most Christian films today, many of which are very well made. However, this film does fit those criticisms. The acting here is truly terrible. Not one actor is actually good in this movie. Sometimes the acting in this film can make what are supposed to be very serious scenes into something unintentionally funny. The scenes with the prison guard are some of the most unintentionally funny scenes I have seen in a long time. This is not helped by very clumsy dialogue at times. There is actually some good dialogue in this film (the lines about not crying are quite well written), but that doesn't make the clumsy dialogue any better. Much of the clumsy dialogue revolves around characters stating that they don't believe in God. Sometimes the dialogue in these scenes makes you wonder if anyone working on this movie has ever actually met an atheist and has any idea how they talk or think. Even the visual filmmaking isn't that great here. The cinematography is often quite bad and very distracting. The uses of montage are even worse and almost feel like we are just looking at stock footage that the filmmakers just happened to find. 

This movie tells a good story and has moments of good storytelling. However, the acting and visual filmmaking may make this a rough watch for some. 

Cowboy Church #189

 Hello my friends and welcome back for another service of Cowboy Church. 

Today's musical selection begins with Roy Rogers and Dale Evans with It is No Secret (What God Can Do). This song was written by cowboy singer and actor Stuart Hamblen. Before turning to God, this man's life could hardly be considered Godly. He often drank and fought, and this often landed him in jail. When in 1949 Hamblin went to a Billy Graham crusade, he turned his life over to God. The drinking and fighting were put behind him and his whole life changing. One day he was talking about this change to his good friend John Wayne (yes that John Wayne) and that it was no secret what God had done for him. John Wayne said that he should write a song with those lyrics. Stuart Hamblen had also had a brief movie career and appeared in the Roy Rogers film, The Arizona Kid (1939).

This is followed by The Statler Brothers with His Eye is on the Sparrow. This hymn was written in 1905 by lyricist Civilla Martin and composer Charles H. Gabriel. Martin would describe the writting of this song,  “Early in the spring of 1905, my husband and I were sojourning in Elmira, New York. We contracted a deep friendship for a couple by the name of Mr. and Mrs. Doolittle—true saints of God. Mrs. Doolittle had been bedridden for nigh twenty years. Her husband was an incurable cripple who had to propel himself to and from his business in a wheelchair. Despite their afflictions, they lived happy Christian lives, bringing inspiration and comfort to all who knew them. One day while we were visiting with the Doolittles, my husband commented on their bright hopefulness and asked them for the secret of it. Mrs. Doolittle’s response was simple: ‘His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.’ The beauty of this simple expression of boundless faith gripped the hearts and fired the imagination of Dr. Martin and me. The hymn ‘His Eye Is on the Sparrow’ was the outcome of that experience.” (source: https://www.umcdiscipleship.org/resources/history-of-hymns-his-eye-is-on-the-sparrow)

Afterwards is Vernon Dalhart, Carson Robison, and Adelyne Hood with their 1927 recording of Where We Never Grow Old. 

This is followed by Elvis Presley with his 1957 recording of Peace in the Valley. As much as Elvis is known as the King of Rock and Roll, perhaps no other type of music was nearer and dearer to his heart than gospel music. This was the music he grew up with and that continued to have a major influence on him through all the years. Elvis has been quoted as saying "I know practically every religious sing that's ever been written." There is no doubt that these songs moved him very deeply. After Elvis had made his first two appearances on TV's The Ed Sullivan Show, he was clearly a very controversial figure. These performances consisted of pure rock and roll music and Elvis shook his hips to them in a way that was considered much too suggestive for the 1950's. Many groups were quick to condemn this as a horrible influence on the kids and some even claimed it to be demonic. Yet Elvis' third appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show was quite different. This time Elvis did not perform rock and roll but instead did a gospel number in a slow and traditional manner. The song was Peace in the Valley and the performance was a huge success. Elvis had never done a studio recording of any gospel songs, but fans of the performance quite writing letters requesting a recording of Elvis singing Peace in the Valley. RCA quickly rushed Elvis to make a four-song gospel EP entitled Peace in the Valley. This EP of course included the title song, as well as Take My Hand Precious Lord, It is no Secret and I Believe. The EP was a huge success and gospel music would soon play a major role in Elvis' singing career.

 This is followed by Johnny Cash with When I Take My Vacation in Heaven. This song was written by Herbert Buffmun, a Pentecostal Evangelist who lived from 1879 to 1939. Writing gospel music was a passionate hobby for him and he is said to have written around 10,000 songs with around 1,000 of them being published. Ripley's Believe It or Not claimed that he once wrote 12 songs in one hour. However songwriting can hardly be said to have made a living for him. Most of his songs were sold for $5 or even less. This did not stop The Los Angles Time from calling him, “The King of Gospel Song Writers” upon his death. This recording of the song comes from John's 1962 gospel album, Hymns From the Heart. This album featured a number of gospel songs, John grew up with as a child including this one.

Up next is The Sons of the Pioneers with their 1937 recording of Leaning on The Everlasting Arms. This hymn began creation with a man named Anthony Showalter. As a fan of gospel music and an elder in a Presbyterian church, he held many "singing schools" at various churches in the south. One day he received two letters from former students who were struggling after their wives had passed. To respond to these letters, Showalter consulted scripture. He came across Deuteronomy 33:27, "The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms." After reading this verse lyrics for a song chorus went through his head and he wrote down, "“Leaning, leaning, safe and secure from all alarms; Leaning, leaning, leaning on the everlasting arms.” After using this in the letters to his former students he sent this chorus to his friend hymnist, Elisha Hoffman. In the letter he also wrote, “Here is the chorus for a good hymn from Deuteronomy 33:27, but I can’t come up with the verses.” Hoffman then wrote the rest of the lyrics to which Showalter put to music. The hymn was published in 1887.

Next comes Dailey and Vincent with My Savior Walks with Me Today.

Today's musical selection ends with Woody Guthrie with Old Time Religion. 

/

Now for a message from Billy Graham. 

Now for an episode of the Red Ryder radio show. 

Even though I walk through the darkest valley,I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. Psalms 23:4

Then the LORD said to Joshua, “Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Take the whole army with you, and go up and attack Ai. For I have delivered into your hands the king of Ai, his people, his city and his land." Joshua 8:1

Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Deuteronomy 31:6

Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. 1 Peter 5:7

Be strong and courageous, for the Lord your God will personally go ahead of you. Deuteronomy 31:6

The Lord is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation; this is my God, and I will praise him, my father's God, and I will exalt him. Exodus 15:2 

The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. Psalms 18:2

Ah, Sovereign LORD, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and outstretched arm. Nothing is too hard for you. Jeremiah 32:17

Thanks for joining me. Come back next week for another serv ice of Cowboy Church. Happy trails to you until we meet again. 

Some Cartoons for Saturday Morning #289

 Hello my friends and happy Saturday morning. Once again it is time for more classic cartoons. 

Today's cartoon selection begins with a true classic, Bugs Bunny in Little Red Riding Rabbit (1944). This short placed #39 in Jerry Beck's book, The 50 Greatest Cartoons and obviously appeared in his book The 100 Greatest Looney Tunes. 

Next comes the Terry Toons short, Park Avenue Pussycat (1956). This cartoon was directed by Connie Rasinski.

Next comes the classic Disney cartoon, Orphan's Benefit (1934). This film marks the second Donald Duck cartoon, and the first time Donald appeared alongside Mickey and friends. As many of you know, Donald first appeared in The Silly Symphony short, The Wise Little Hen (1934). However, some of those who worked on the Disney cartoons at this time (including Walt), misremembered this as the first Donald Duck cartoon. This may be because the short was the first one the studio started work on. Historian J.B. Kaufman has stated that the Disney story department began work on this cartoon (with an outline entitled The Surprise Party) in November 1933, before they started work on The Wise Little Hen.  However, this outline was quite different from the finished film. Donald was a small boy who was dragged to a party by his mother and made to recite Mary Had a Little Lamb. The recitation of Mary Had a Little Lamb has its origins in the origin of Donald's voice. Clarence Nash had created this voice as a child himself not to be the voice of a Duck but of a crying baby goat. He used to entertain his friends by reciting Mary Had a Little Lamb in this voice. He would later do this act professionally both live and on radio. Walt Disney, having heard Nash do this voice on radio, felt that it sounded more like a duck and pitched the idea of voicing a duck to Nash. In the early 1940's several older Disney cartoons were considered for some shot for shot remakes. However, only one of these were made and that was Orphan's Benefit (1941). The remake was almost exactly like the earlier picture except being that in color and using the 1941 designs of the characters. In fact, the remake even uses the exact soundtrack of the original. However, I personally prefer this 1934 black and white original and I hope you love it too. A review in The Film Daily stated, "It's all very clever, screamingly funny and with a dandy of a musical score." 

Now for the UPA short, The Oompahs (1952).

Now it is time for a commercial break. 

Now for a silent Aesop's Film Fables cartoon, Amateur Night at the Ark (1923). This short film features our old friend Farmer Alfalfa. 

We continue with Popeye in I'm in the Army Now (1936). This short film is a bit of a cheater and features clips from previous Popeye cartoons. The cartoons that clips are used from include Blow Me Down (1934), Shoein' Hosses (1934), Choose Your 'Weppins' (1935) and King of the Mardi Gras (1935). This is one of my favorite cheater cartoons, because the new scenes are just as entertaining as the clips. I especially love Bluto talking about what a big star he was in the movies. This serves as a good reminder for those of us who grew up watching these films on TV that they were originally made for movie theaters. 

Now for the Columbia Krazy Kat cartoon, Taken for a Ride (1931). 

Now to close with a song we all know by heart. 

Thanks for joining me. Come back next week for more animated treasures. Until then may all your tunes be looney and your melodies merry. 

Resources Used

https://cartoonresearch.com/index.php/orphans-benefit-revisited/

https://cartoonresearch.com/index.php/origins-of-the-duck/

Of Mice and Magic: A History of American Animated Cartoons by Leonard Maltin

The 50 Greatest Cartoons edited by Jerry Beck

The 100 Greatest Looney Tunes edited by Jerry Beck

Movie Review: Borderlands

 

Michael's Movie Grade: D-

A very generic and very bland sci-fi action movie.

This film is based on a series of video games. But don't worry you don't have to know anything about the games to truly hate this movie. I've never played the games (though I have read that they are much better than the film), so I can't judge this as an adaption. However, as a movie, it is really bad. This film really wants to be like so many other recent (and not so recent) sci-fi hits, most notably the Guardians of the Galaxy trilogy. But it fails to understand what made those movies work so well. Nearly everything about Borderlands simply falls flat. The characters are extremely one-note. Because of this it is hard to care about them at all. This leads almost every emotional scene to fall completely flat. To make matters worse the robot Claptrap is one of the most annoying characters in the history of sci-fi (and that includes Jar Jar Binks). I understand he was supposed to get on some of the characters' nerves, but he got on mine even more. When even Jack Black can't save a character, you know he is bad. This movie is also filled with wall-to-wall jokes. Yet none of them are even the slightest bit funny. Some of them are even quite irritating. There are times when you truly wonder if anyone working on this film thought any of these jokes were even the slightest bit funny. The sci-fi world this take place in is as bland and generic as it can be. The storyline is just as generic and every moment you feel like you have seen this all before many times. 

The only things saving this film from getting a "F" are that the action scenes are decent (nothing great but they do their job) and that a great cast does the best they can. Other than that this movie is a complete waste of time. 

Movie Review: Didi

 

Michael's Movie Grade: B+

An excellent coming of age story. 

For this film, director/writer/producer Sean Wang reaches back into his teenage years. The fact that this is a very personal film can be felt throughout the movie. He takes an unflinching and brutally honest look at this time period. He is not afraid to make this an uncomfortable watch at times. There are moments in this movie that simply feel painful to watch. Yet the painful moments are what make it feel so real. These painful moments are especially felt when we dig into the main character's deep seeded loneliness. Though many films take a look at teenagers who never feel they actually fit in; this movie truly explores the loneliness that can be felt when you feel alone in the world. For anyone who has ever felt loneliness on this deep of a level (something I certainly have felt), it is hard not to connect with these scenes on a deep personal level. The connection to this character is the film's most important asset. When he tries to pretend to be someone, he is not for a chance to fit it, we feel embarrassed for him. The reason for this is not any sense of pity, but rather the knowledge that at his age, we all did something similar. We have all lied about having seen a movie that we haven't, typed something on social media that we thought would make us seem cool and/or claimed to be an expert on something we weren't. Yet there are moments of warmth and tenderness here too. These scenes are completely necessary. Even the saddest movies need moments of relief because there is only so much an audience can take. However, the main reason these warm and touching moments are necessary is that they add to the authenticity of this movie. One beautiful thing about life is that even in our darkest moments, there are moments of brightness and warmth. This movie captures both the joyous and the sad moments very well. What this movie also does very well is to explore the relationship between our main character and his family. The relationships he has with his mom and his sister are very well realized. At first, they seem to be very simplistic relationships. However, over the course of the film the relationships grow to be something more complicated and very touching. 

This movie has a lot of comedic moments throughout. However they can be very hit and miss. There are some truly laugh out loud hilarious moments here, but also plenty of times where the comedy falls completely flat. 

This movie does however at times too closely resemble other recent coming of age movies. Because of this there are moments that can feel all too familiar. This film also doesn't seem to know how to end its story. The last part of this film has too many potential endings and none of them quite work. For how real most of this film feels, the ending doesn't quite have the same authenticity.