The Invincible Iron Man (2007)

 

The Invincible Iron Man marked the third in a series of direct to video animated Marvel movies (it was preceded by Ultimate Avengers: The Movie (2006) and Ultimate Avengers 2: Rise of the Panther (2006)). It also predates the first of the live action Iron Man movies by a little more than a year making this Iron Man's first solo feature film. 

In this film, despite resistance from Stark Industries Board of directors, Tony Stark uncovers an ancient Chinese city and accidently releases an ancient evil. To the villain Mandarin from being brought back to life, Tony creates an armor suit and becomes the superhero Iron Man. 

Though this movie does not reach the heights of the MCU Iron Man movies (especially the first and third one), it is an enjoyable film. Tony Stark here is exactly the character we all know and love. Like all the best versions of this character, he is very flawed here, but it is how he overcomes his flaws and does the right thing that makes him so appealing. The storyline is very basic and predictable. However, it does its job well enough and allows for some surprisingly good emotional moments as Tony deals with having let down his father. The scenes between Tony and his father are excellent. The action scenes are quite fantastic and often the highlight of the movie. These scenes are quite exciting, very well paced and have a great sense of scale. The animation in these scenes is also surprisingly quite good for a direct to video movie. Though the animation may not be quite as great in other parts of the movie, this is made up for by strong character design. The background art is also very strong creating a great sense of atmosphere to the scenes in China.  

What this movie lacks though is the presence of a strong villain. Most of the villains receive so little screen time that they are not properly developed. Some of these villains are so bland and forgettable that they simply run together in your mind. There is a twist villain at the end but frankly this comes off as too little too late. 

This film's directors are Patrick Archibald, Jay Oliva and Frank Paur. All three of these directors will have work that is immediately familiar to fans of superhero animation. Frank Paur had directed episodes of such popular superhero cartoon shows as Batman: The Animated Series, X-Men Evolution and The Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes. He would later be a director on the Marvel animated direct to video movies Doctor Strange (2007) and Planet Hulk (2010). As well as being a director Paur also worked as a character designer for this movie. Jay Oliva was a director on many direct to video superhero movies including Doctor Strange, Next Avengers: Heroes of Tomorrow (2008), Batman: The Dark Knight Returns Part 1 (2012), Batman: The Dark Knight Returns Part 2 (2013), Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox (2013) and many more. Oliva also worked as a storyboard artist on many of the live action theatrical movies for both DC and Marvel.  Patrick Archibald directed episodes of the animated TV shows Spider-Man Unlimited and Hulk and the Agents of S.M.A.S.H. He would again serve as director on the next direct to video animated Marvel movie, Doctor Strange. He also served as a storyboard artist on the animated TV shows, Static Shock, Wolverine and the X-Men, The Super Hero Squad Show and The Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes. 

Based on a story by himself, Avi Arad and Craig Kyle, the screenplay was written by Greg Johnson. Greg Johnson had written episodes of such animated superhero TV shows as X-Men Evolution, Wolverine and the X-Men and Spidey and His Amazing Friends. He also would write for such direct to video animated Marvel movies as Ultimate Avengers: The Movie, Ultimate Avengers 2: Rise of the Panther, Doctor Strange, Next Avengers: Heroes of Tomorrow, Planet Hulk and Thor: Tales of Asgard (2011).  
  

Video Link: Why Disney Remade This Mickey Mouse Cartoon Shot-for-Shot

Movie Review: Sketch

 

Michael's Movie Grade: A-

A wonderful family friendly fantasy movie. 

This film has a wonderfully creative premise. After losing her mom, a little girl is plagued with dark thoughts as she works out her grief. Following advice from the school therapist, she draws out these dark thoughts in her notebook to help let them out in a healthy way. She draws these dark thoughts in the form of killer monsters. However, when her drawings come to life she teams with her brother and a kid, she doesn't get along with to stop her own creations. 

Luckily this movie lives up to its very creative premise. Though this is a family movie, it is not afraid to dive into the darker aspects of the story. This film delves quite deeply into the grief the main character is feeling over the loss of her mom. As she is dealing with dark thoughts that mostly revolve around death, the filmmakers never tone down these dark thoughts. In fact, this film goes as far with these aspects as it can while still receiving a PG rating (when PG has essentiality become another G-rating, it is rare to find a PG movie that actually feels PG). Yet as dark as her drawings get, they always feel as if they came from a kid's imagination. Not toning down the darkness of her thoughts doesn't take away from her likability. Rather it makes her feel more real and nuanced than many other child characters in movies. The filmmakers also deal with this part of the story in a very mature and intelligent way, giving us a lesson about letting our feelings out in non-harmful ways rather than keeping them in her mind. It also has the nuance of letting us know that while we shouldn't be ashamed of our darker thoughts, we also shouldn't let them take the place of our happy thoughts. This is not only a needed lesson for kids but for adults as well. Though dealing with the loss of a parent is a typical story point for family movies, this is one of the most heartfelt and realistic examples I have seen.

The monsters are also a lot of fun. They are incredibly creative in a way that feels like they were created by an imaginative child. The designs and ideas behind these monsters are wonderful. Meanwhile, there is just the right amount of scariness to them. They are scary enough to feel threatening and give parts of the film a fun eerie vibe. Yet they are not too scary to make this inappropriate for kids or give kids nightmares. 

As well as the darker scenes and the monsters, this movie keeps a sense of humor throughout. While not every joke lands, the ones that do are actually really funny. 

It is amazing to think that this is director/writer Seth Worley's first feature film. I am looking forward to what he does in the future.  

Movie Review: Smurfs

 

Michael's Movie Grade: D-

A family movie that is simultaneously bland and annoying.

This is very clearly a case of a movie trying too hard, something that is evident from the very start. The film starts with a narrator explaining the lore in a way that seems like the movie trying too hard to be some kind of epic, which is immediately undercut by some immature and unfunny humor that is once again trying too hard. This is immediately followed by a hip-hop musical sequence that is the cinematic equivalent of an elderly grandparent trying to sound hip and modern. This over effort is apparent in every musical sequence and comedic moment, each which try too hard to be hip and modern, despite the fact that hip and modern is never what the Smurfs were intended to be. When the humor is not trying to be hip and modern, it is trying for some absurdist comedy. However, this comedy is done so poorly that it instead simply comes out as feeling simply random.

Meanwhile the story is completely bland and overly familiar. The story of a Smurf trying to find what his gift is, when all the other Smurfs have their gifts as well as the Smurfs stopping an evil wizard is typical Saturday morning fare. Unfortunately, the film just seems to be going through the motions with this storyline. The filmmakers just give us the familiar beats without any heart. 

Combining the humor and musical numbers with this bland story makes this a strange combination of a movie that both tries too hard and simply goes through the motions without any heart or passion.  

The best thing about seeing this movie is that it was preceded by a short SpongeBob cartoon. That short cartoon is delightful, funny and simply a treat for cartoon fans. 

All-New Super Friends Hour: The Tiny World of Terror (1977)

 

This is the third segment of the thirteenth episode of The All-New Super Friends Hour, unlike most other Super Friends formats, this one had hour long episodes that were made up of various shorter cartoons. The first segment would be an adventure staring two members (or three in some cases as Batman and Robin would often team with another Super Friend) of the Super Friends. The second would be a morality play staring the Wonder Twins. The third would be a typical half hour Super Friends adventure. The fourth and last segment would feature one of the main Super Friends (or two in the case of Batman and Robin) teaming up with a special DC Comics guest. 

In this cartoon, a group of scientists create a shrinking way. All but one of these scientists seek to use the shrinking ray to help better the world. The other scientist seeks to use it for personal gain. This evil scientist uses the ray to shrink his collogues, so that he can use it the way he pleases. The super friends stop him. 

This is a very fun episode. I have always had a fondness for these episodes with a typical person as the villain rather than some great supervillain. I especially love when these villains can actually feel like a threat to our super powered heroes. This is done very well here. There is especially a bit of suspense in the climax. The cartoon really gets good when the Super Friends must shrink themselves to save the other scientists. Seeing them deal with seemingly giant versions of smaller animals and insects is simply the type of corny superhero fun that I love. The design work on these creatures is wonderful and helps make the sci-fi feel even more fun. This episode also once again benefits from some strong background art that enhances the sci-fi feel. 

All-New Super Friends Hour: Prejudice (1977)

 This is the first segment of the thirteenth episode of The All-New Super Friends Hour, unlike most other Super Friends formats, this one had hour long episodes that were made up of various shorter cartoons. The first segment would be an adventure staring two members (or three in some cases as Batman and Robin would often team with another Super Friend) of the Super Friends. The second would be a morality play staring the Wonder Twins. The third would be a typical half hour Super Friends adventure. The fourth and last segment would feature one of the main Super Friends (or two in the case of Batman and Robin) teaming up with a special DC Comics guest. 

In this episode, two black teenagers have car trouble and harassed by two racist teenagers. The Wonder Twins go to help.

This is a pretty typically forgettable Wonder Twins cartoon. The message about the idiocy of racism is an important one to teach kids. Yet it is conveyed in a completely forgettable and didactic way. There is little entertainment value here as well with underwhelming action scenes and didactic dialogue.  

Video Link: Hollywood Failed Dwight Frye - Universally Me

Note: Sorry about no Cowboy Church post this week. Been very busy with both work and school. School work especially took much longer than expected. I promise there will be a Cowboy Church post next week. In the meantime, enjoy this video about actor Dwight Frye. 

Some Cartoons For Saturday Morning #241

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

Though many of us today associate Looney Tunes with characters like Bugs Bunny or Daffy Duck, the first staring Looney Tune character was Bosko, a little boy who shared much in common with Mickey Mouse. This character was created by Hugh Harman and Rudolf Ising, who were former Disney animators and later major directors for MGM's cartoon output. When they left in 1933, they would take the rights of this character with them, which led Warner Brothers to have to create new characters. Today's cartoon selection begins with very first Looney Tunes cartoon ever, Sinkin' in the Bathtub (1930). The credited animator of this film is Friz Freleng (credited as Isadore Freleng), who would later become one of series' main directors as well as the creator of Porky Pig, Yosemite Sam, Sylvester and (not for Looney Tunes) Pink Panther.  

Up next is the Fleischer Screen Song cartoon, You Came to My Rescue (1937). The title song was written by Leo Robin and Ralph Rainger for the feature length movie, The Big Broadcast of 1937 (1936), which had an all-star cast including Jack Benny, Burns and Allen, Ray Milland, Benny Goodman, Gene Krupa and Leopold Stokowski. Leo Robin and Ralph Rainger also wrote Bob Hope's signature song, Thanks for the Memory, which was introduced in the feature film, The Big Broadcast of 1938 (1938).

Now for the classic Terry Toons short, The Elephant Mouse (1951). In this cartoon a cat mistakes a baby elephant for a big mouse, similar to the way Slyvester would mistake a baby kangaroo for a big mouse. 

When Gene Dietch took over the Terry Toons studio in 1956, the studio's output changed drastically. One cartoon that really shows this is The Bone Ranger (1957). The idea of a dog chasing after a bone was one that could have easily been done by the old studio; however, they would have done it completely differently. They would have made a simple slapstick gag fest. However, this cartoon seems more concerned with the character and the animation of the lead character, than really making one laugh. The slapstick impact of even tried and true gags appears muted here and never calls attention to itself. There is even a surprising bit of sentimentality in this film. The background art is also completely different from anything the old Terry Toons would have done. Those cartoons would have used a standard cartoon background that would hardly call attention to itself. However, this film has a very stylized and very eye-catching background that plays a large role in the effectiveness of this cartoon. 

Now it is time for a commercial break. 

Now it is silent movie time with Koko Hops Off (1927). 

Next, we join Pluto in Wonder Dog (1950). This short film would not make its TV debut until episode of 60 of the 1981 show, Walt Disney's Mickey and Donald. The other cartoons in this episode were Lonesome Ghosts (1937) and Donald's Lucky Day (1939). The cartoon also aired on the Disney TV special From Disney, with Love (1984), which aired on Valentines Day and featured multiple romantic themed cartoons as well as clips from Disney features. 

Casper the Friendly Ghost was created by Seymour Reit and Joe Oriolo. The character was created with the intention of staring him in a 1939 children's book. However there was little interest in this idea. During World War 2, Oriolo sold the rights to the book to Famous Studios, the animation studio which was making the Popeye cartoons at this time. The studio originally viewed this as a one shot cartoon, but Sam Buchwald liked the idea and by 1950, Casper cartoons would officially become a series. Animator Myron Waldman worked on the majority of the Casper films would later state, "The boys at the studio used to kid me when we were doing the Caspers; they'd call them the 'ooh-ahh' pictures, but I always felt those pictures would last much longer than a picture that was just based on gags, because nobody can remember the gags. When they go to see it again, or talk about it, I think they like a story - kids especially."  Up next is the first Casper cartoon and one that was also an adaption of the book. So, enjoy The Friendly Ghost (1945). 

Next is The Simpsons in Maggie in Peril (Chapter One) (1989). This short was made for The Tracey Ullman Show before the animated family got their own TV series. Be sure to toon in next week to see what happens next. I know you will be in suspense. 

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

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

Movie Review: Fantastic Four: First Steps

 

Michael's Movie Grade: A-

Marvel fans rejoice on the fourth try, the Fantastic Four finally receive a great movie. 

With a few exceptions, the best MCU movies can be watched as a stand-alone movie (for instance the first Iron Man and the first Guardians of the Galaxy). This movie can perfectly be viewed as just that. No knowledge about other MCU films or streaming shows is necessary here and the ending feels conclusive for this particular story (while still leaving the door open for more stories of course). Marvel geeks may be aware of ways that this might be leading to future events in the MCU, but being aware of such things is not essential to your enjoyment of the film. 

One way this film stands out from previous Fantastic Four movies is that the focus is completely on the family dynamic. This has always been what has made the Fantastic Four stand out from other superhero teams in the comics. The are not a strategic strike team like the Avengers nor the close friends or colleagues of the Justice League. They are very literally a family and function exactly like one. This is unfortunately what all the previous movies starring the superhero team missed. Helping out on this front is the humor is completely character based rather than the type of smart aleck humor that has been in a lot of recent comic movies (it worked in some of those films, but I don't think it would have for the Fantastic Four). Most of comedic moments aren't just there for comedy but also to help us have a greater grasp of these characters. The great chemistry between Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Ebon Moss-Bachrach and Joseph Quinn goes a long way as well (once again casting director Sarah Halley Finn proves herself to be the true hero of the MCU). Even the villain receives very little screen time because unlike in other superhero films, he is not the main focus here but rather how are heroes respond to his threat (which is just as well since even the best MCU movies can suffer from weak villains at times). 

 This movie is actually rather light on action with only a couple of real action scenes. These action scenes however are quite exciting and fun. The film also benefits from a great look that is completely new for the MCU. The look is a mixture of a 60's aesthetic and some futuristic sci-fi elements. This works so well it is hard to believe that this is the only the second feature film from director Matt Shakman, who has mostly worked in TV (it is not his first MCU project though as he directed the streaming mini-series WandaVision). 

This is exactly what I wanted from a Fantastic Four movie.

Movie Review: Sorry Baby

 

Michael's Movie Grade: A-

A very intelligent and powerful dramedy.

This movie starts off as a slower paced slice-of-life film about two friends from Gard School simply living their lives. Eventually though this film takes a very serious and disturbing turn. At this point the movie tackles a very serious and uncomfortable subject matter. Though it does this in a way that never once feels exploitive but instead completely honest. This movie deals with how trauma truly works and how it hard it can be that the world keeps turning while the trauma never fully leaves. Director/writer/actress Eva Victor is incredibly empathetic, intelligent and understanding in her treatment of this serious subject matter. This is both true of her script and her powerful performance as the movie's main character. She also does a very impressive job of balancing the humor with the more serious moments. This film never has a single joke that gets in the way of its more serious moments, nor does it ever make light of the main character's trauma. This is a movie that is never afraid to make one feel truly uncomfortable and to be hard to watch at a few times. However, the humor does keep this movie from becoming nothing but uncomfortable feelings. One reason the humor never distracts from the seriousness of the story is that it comes directly from the characters, rather than from silly action. The humorous moments as well as being funny, also help us understand and relate to these characters in a greater way. It doesn't hurt that a lot of the comedy is laugh out loud funny either. 

This is a truly great movie.    

Video Link Roy Rogers 'Under California Stars' (From 'Under California Stars' (1948))

Batman: A Celebration of 75 Years (2014)

 

This book marks a perfect introduction to the caped crusader, especially if you are a fan of the movies and/or TV shows and wish to explore the comic book adventures of the superhero. For those of us who have read more than a few Batman comics, it is still a very fun and engaging read. The book consists of some of the best and most historically important Batman comics ranging from 1939 to 2014. Many of these stories are a blast to read and give one a full understanding of who Batman is as a character. This book also contains text giving an historical overview of each different era of Batman's comic history. While many comic book buffs will find this information very basic, newcomers and causal fans will find it very informative. 

Here are my thoughts on each of the individual stories. 

The Case of the Chemical Syndicate (1939) A very impressive start for the Dark Knight. This first Batman story is still a gem today. Action packed and very atmospheric this is a pure delight. 

The Legend of the Batman - Who He Is and How He Came to Be (1940) This comic was the first time Batman's infamous origin story had been told. It is told very quickly, basically but effectively here. 

Accidentally on Purpose (1944) A fun golden age romp. This story features an early version of Alfred, when the character was still a comedy relief. He is delightful here and steals the show from our heroes. Despite this, the story has rather weak villains. 

The Scoop of the Century (1948) A fun little golden age story about Vicki Vale (girl photographer) believing she has found out Batman's true identity.  

The Jungle Cat-Queen (1954) A very silly but fun story with Batman and Robin fighting Cat Woman in the jungle. 

The Batman of Tomorrow (1955) An over-the-top story about Batman getting help from a Batman from the future. The story has little logic to it but the future Batman's gadgets are a lot of fun. 

The Origin of the Superman-Batman Team (1958) Through a flash back in another story, we get told how Batman and Superman first teamed up. The surrounding story is a bit rushed, and the ending seems a bit forced. However, the actual story of how Superman and Batman teamed up is a lot of fun. 

The Mystery of the Menacing Mask (1964) A well done story featuring quite a good one-shot villain with a mind control gimmick. 

Beware of Poison Ivy (1966) The introduction of Poison Ivy is a bit underwhelming (as the villainess is underdeveloped), but it still has its silver age charms.

 The Million Dollar Debut of Batgirl (1967) A fun introduction to Batgirl with great artwork.

The Secret of the Waiting Graves (1970) A dark and atmospheric horror-adject story that still works very well. 

Death Flies the Haunted Skies (1974) A airborne Batman story involving a ghostly World War One plane. There is a lot to enjoy about this very atmospheric story, even if it can feel a bit rushed. 

The Deadshot Ricochet (1977) A well-made and action-packed reinvention of the villain, Deadshot.

Wanted: Santa Claus -- Dead or Alive (1980) A not wholly successful Christmas story that has its moments but is an uneasy mix of dark and corny. 

...The Player on the Other Side (1984) I find the evil mirror version of Batman, kind of boring honestly, but the drama about Batman facing his past is very well done. 

My Beginning ... And My Probable End (1987) A top notch Batman story in every respect. Batman facing what he has become when Robin has been shot by the Mad Hatter is an incredibly heartfelt and thought-provoking. Probably my favorite comic in this book.  

Identity Crisis (1991) A very well-made page turner about Bruce Wayne waking up to find out that he is no longer Batman but someone else is. The ending is a bit of a cop-out, but everything else is so good you may not care. 

The Broken Bat (1993) This comic was a part of one of the greatest and most important Batman stories of all time, with Batman finally meeting his better in Bane. Unfortunately, reading this comic without reading the rest of the story can feel like reading a single chapter of a great novel. 

Knight Out (1997) After the darker stories that precede it, this is a welcome change of a pace. Just a humorous and fun story about a woman trying to get a date with Bruce Wayne. 

Air Time (2001) A simple story of Batman saving a family in a car that has went into the ocean, proves to be a great examination of what the character is all about. 

The Beautiful People (2006) A very well written story about Batman fighting a new and dangerous villain, who gives him not clue what to expect. 

Trust Fall (2011) A overly bloody story of Batman fighting someone who has a vendetta against the Wayne family. A well told story but the gore seems excessive and unnecessary.

The Case of the Chemical Syndicate (2014) A retelling of the first Batman story with new vintage style artwork. The new artwork is great, and the story is still a delight.  

 

 

Laurel and Hardy (1975)

 

This 1975 book by Laurel and Hardy biographer, cartoonist Al Kilgore and Hal Roach Studio historian Richard W. Bann is a very fun read. Much of the book consists of stills from most of their films (with the exception of the lost films, the movies where they have cameos and the Fox movies) and text explaining what is happening in each of the scenes and giving a recounting of many of the gags. The result is almost a hybrid of a picture book and a comic book. Luckily many of these films are still quite funny and enjoyable in this format, making this book a blast to read. For the films that don't receive this full treatment, there usually one picture from the film and a story summary.

 Though this is a light and fun read, it is not devoid of information either. Each film receives a list of credits as well as working titles and release dates. There are short but informative bios of both members of the comedy team and brief summaries of each major change in their movie careers. However, when it comes to how informative it is, it has obviously been eclipsed by Randy Skretvedt's Laurel and Hardy: The Magic Behind the Movies. Though the same can be said for every Laurel and Hardy book and still for what it is this is surprisingly informative. 

If I had any complaint about this book, it is that there is a rating system for each film (a certain number of derbies out of four) but no explanation for why this rating is given. Because of this, if you happen to disagree with the authors' opinions on certain films, no reason is given is to why they felt differently than you. This honestly annoyed me as I became very curious as to why they liked a film less than or I did or more than I did. 

All in all, though this is a really fun book.  

Cowboy Church #227

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

Today's musical selection begins with Roy Rogers and Dale Evans with their 1950 recording of May the Good Lord Take a Likin' to Ya. This song was written by Peter Tinturn, who wrote songs for the Roy Rogers movie, Days of Jesse James (1939).

This is followed by Ray Stevens with Love Lifted Me. This hymn was written in 1912 by James Rowe and Howard E. Smith. Rowe's daughter would later state,  “ I can see them now, my father striding up and down humming a bar or two, and Howard E. playing it and jotting it down…The two huddled together, working line by line, bar by bar, composing this hymn in tandem.”

Afterwards is The Louvin Brothers with their 1953 recording of Nearer My God to Thee. This hymn was written by stage actress Sarah Flower Adams. She had had great success on the stage and was especially praised for her role in a 1837 production of Macbeth. However, her failing health made her have to leave the stage. During this time, she took comfort in writing hymns and poems. In 1841, her pastor was having trouble coming up with a hymn to fit a sermon about Jacob's Ladder . Sarah decided to write a hymn for this sermon and to get it done in time for the church service she wrote it in just a week's time. 

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.

Next up is Carl Smith with a classic country tearjerker, Air Mail to Heaven.

This is followed by The Sons of the Pioneers with their 1937 recording of Lord You Made This Cowboy Happy. This song shows what The Sons were able to do better than any other band, they could create lyrics and melodies that brought such beautiful romantic visions of the west to mind that you truly felt you were transported there. The song was written by one of group's founding members, Bob Nolan, who in my mind is one of the all time great American songwriters, creating pure poetry with each of his songs. At this time the group was made up of Leonard Slye, Bob Nolan, Tim Spencer, Hugh Farr, Karl Farr and Lloyd Perryman. This would be the last year for Leonard Syle to be a member of this group as he would change his name to Roy Rogers and start a movie career, however he and the band would remain close and appear in many movies together and record many songs together. 

Then comes The Sons of the San Joaquin with God Gave the Cowboy Montana.

Today's musical selection ends with Johnny Cash with Rock of Ages.  This version of Rock of Ages comes from Johnny Cash's 1975 album, Johnny Cash Sings Precious Memories. The album was dedicated to Johnny's brother Jack, who died at the age of 14 in a saw mill accident. Jack would always remain a major influence on John's life. Johnny often stated that he would have dreams where would talk to Jack and the Jack would always age in these dreams just like he was still alive. The notes on the back of the album say "This album is I was twelve years old. Some of these songs were the songs we sang at your funeral. When you were dying you gave us a description of heaven and singing angels. Could these be some of the songs the angels were singing? See you later. Your little brother, J.R." 

Now for a message from the Reverend Billy Graham.

Now for the first chapter of the Buck Jones movie serial, The Red Rider (1934). 

Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you. Deuteronomy 31:6

But they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint. Isaiah 40:31

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

So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. Isaiah 41:10

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

Some Cartoons for Saturday Morning #240

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

Today's cartoon selection starts with a true Disney classic, Mickey's Circus (1936). Though this movie features major stars like Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck, Walt Disney himself had a fondness for a supporting character in this cartoon. That character was the littlest of the seals. Walt loved this character and because of that he suggested gags for the seal and even wished to revive him in later cartoons. The character would appear in only one more film and that would be over a decade later. That cartoon was Mickey and the Seal (1948). Mickey and the Seal would also give the character a name, Salty. The following is from a review from the Film Daily, "There are serval barrelsful of laughs in this Technicolor Mickey Mouse cartoon from Walt Disney's workshop. The very ridiculousness of the antics of Donald Duck, Mickey and the trained seals bring laughs whether one wants to laugh or not." The following is an exhibitor's review from the Motion Picture Herald. "MICKEY'S CIRCUS: Mickey Mouse— Average Mickey Mouse, not as good as several previous ones but still good. - John A. Mulligan, Broadway Theatre, Schuylerville, N.Y. General Patronage." 

Now for one of the best Casper the friendly ghost cartoons, Ghost of Honor (1957). This short film tells the story of how Casper became a cartoon star.

Up next is the Fleischer Screen Songs cartoon, My Gal Sal (1930). The title song was written by Paul Dresser (born April 22, 1857, passed away January 30, 1906), brother of novelist Theodore Dreiser. Having performed in minstrel shows, medicine shows and vaudeville, he was a popular singer, composer and actor of his day. He had even been compared to Stephen Foster. His biggest hit was the 1897 song, On the Banks of the Wabash, Far Away. Unfortunately, around the turn of the century, his music fell out of style and in 1905 his music publishing company would declare bankruptcy. 

Next is Hoot Kloot in Gold Sturck (1974). 

Now it is time for a commercial break. 

Next comes the first Daffy Duck cartoon directed by Chuck Jones, Daffy Duck and the Dinosaur (1939). Today many cartoon fans associate Chuck with being one of the main people who changed Daffy from his early high energy crazy self into a more vain, jealous and greedy character. This film however features Daffy in his early crazy high energy mode. A review in The Motion Picture Herald even stated, "The gags and situations are appropriately matched to the zany personality of the duck." Another review in The Motion Picture Daily stated, "Leon Schlesinger delivers good color cartoon work in this "Merrie Melody," but the striving for whimsy hits only in spots." The following is an exhibitors' review also from The Motion Picture Herald, "Daffy Duck and the Dinosaur: Merrie Melodies—Very few laughs in this one. Not up to standard of most cartoons in this series. Running time seven minutes. - Don Bloxham, Place Theatre, Exira, Iowa, General and rural patronage."
 

Now for Felix the cat in The Cold Rush (1925). 

Up next is the Disney short, Goofy Gymnastics (1949). I have mentioned many times here that I am a massive fan of the Goofy cartoons that Jack Kinney had directed for Disney. Kinney remains one of my favorite cartoon directors and I view him as being on the same level as Tex Avery and Chuck Jones. This short film made its TV debut on an episode of the Disneyland TV show entitled The Goofy Sports Story (1956). It would later air on an episode of Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color entitled In Shape with Von Drake (1964). 

Today's cartoon selection ends with The Simpsons in Space Patrol (1987). This is one of the shorts made for The Tracey Ullman Show before the animated family got their own series. 

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

Resources Used

Walt Disney's Mickey Mouse: The Ultimate History by J.B. Kaufman and David Gerstein 

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

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

https://mediahistoryproject.org/

Video Link: Gene Autry - Yodeling Cowboy (from Red River Valley 1936)

The Happiest Place on Earth: The Incredible Story of Walt Disney's Disneyland (2025)

 

If you love going to Disneyland as much as I do, this book is simply a must have. Written by Disney legend Don Hahn and imagineer Christopher Merritt, this is a very absorbing history of Disneyland. Focusing on the period where Walt Disney was alive and overseeing production of this park, this book not only gives you a clear and concise history behind various attractions but also gives you a fascinating look into how Walt envisioned the park. This book is full of quotes from Walt and people who worked with him. Because of this as you read you begin to understand how in many ways Disneyland (especially the parts that still exist from the era Walt was alive) is a reflection of who the man is and how he saw the world. Yet this book makes sure to credit the many others who made the park happen. Not only does it tell us who helped create what in the park, but it also gives us some background information into their personal lives and their work elsewhere. This helps us understand why each of them was perfect for the job they were given in the park. 

This book is also brilliantly structured, with an opening that discusses the origins of the park and then chapters focusing on each individual land. The story of Disneyland is not only told through text but also through visuals. The book is full of various original sketches for various attractions and for the park itself. Also seen here is plenty of sketches for parts of the park that never came to be. There are also plenty of behind-the-scenes photos that are priceless and also give us who are not old enough to remember the original Disneyland, a great peak into a bygone era. Both the sketches and the photos will be new to both causal readers and hard-core Disney-philes.

The book also delves into the Disneyland TV series that help promote the park. While this information may not be new to long time Disney fans, putting within the context of the park's creation makes it still a great read. The book also highlight how the culture of the mid-1950's to the late-1960's helped shape much of the park, even parts that are still with us today.

A must own for Disney fans.    

Filming Disney's True-Life Adventures

Even those who criticize Walt Disney's True-Life Adventure films have to admit that the actual nature photography is simply incredible. As a nature lover, I greatly enjoy these films because of how great they capture the beauty of nature. 

Here is an article from a 1954 issue of American Cinematographer about the people who shot these films. If you have trouble reading any of the following pages, click on them and use your touch screen to zoom in. If you don't have a touch screen, click here. Note that sometimes the article will resume in the middle of these pages. 

Now enjoy the first of Walt Disney's True-Life Adventure films, a short film called Seal Island (1948). This short would win the Oscar for Live Action Short Film. 

The following is a review of Seal Island from the Motion Picture Daily. 

"'Seal Island' introduces a new Walt Disney series, 'True-Life Adventures,' the subjects of will 'delve deep into the most vital concerns of man and the universe which affects his fate and fortunes.' Although this three-reel production does not do precisely that, it most certainly depicts in thrilling details the fascinating life of Alaskan fur seals herded on the Pribilof Reefs of Seal Island in the Bering Sea. 

"There are few who will not be moved by the sweep of color, beauty and abundance of the rare plants and birds on the island, the impressive musical background and interesting cavortings of 100,000 seals which annually emerge from the sea each May, like clockwork and depart in mid-fall. A Disney production crew stayed on the island through a whole season, so we are told, to photograph the cycle of the seals, and the results of their patience and skill have produced an astonishing record of wildlife, most deserving of the Academy documentary award accorded it last month. Plaudits aplenty to cinematographer Alfred G. Milote, to Winston Hibler's interesting and entertaining narration, to James Algar's direction and to the musical arrangements by Oliver Wallace. Running time, 28 minutes." 

Here is Film Historian and Critic Leonard Maltin talking about the True-Life Adventures films. 



    

Classic Cartoons and Silent Movies on Blu-Ray

 Call me old fashioned but I am still a fan of physical media. I do stream films sometimes, but to me nothing is better than physically owning a film you love. Another aspect of physical media that I love is that it offers me a wider variety of choices than streaming those. Streaming is perfect for if I want to watch a big budget blockbuster or a well-established classic. However, it is less helpful, if I want to watch an obscure silent movie, some old B-Western, a lesser appreciated work by a great old Hollywood filmmakers or old short subjects. When painstaking work goes into restoring classic films though, this is when I am most adamant about buying physical media, as it helps support the people whose hard work has made me able to watch these films in great condition. With this in mind I would like to highlight three recent Blu-Ray sets, that I think are essential to own. One of these contains silent movies, while the other two are collections of classic cartoons. 

Looney Tunes Collector's Vault Vol.1

I am sure most people reading this post have already heard of this Blu-Ray set and have heard nothing but praise for it. I must join in by agreeing with every word of this praise. This set is a must own for any Looney Tunes fan. It contains 50 cartoons including many truly wonderful shorts (and Good Night Elmer (1940)). Many of these shorts include films that somehow have never been on Blu-Ray or DVD before. These include such masterpieces as Wild About Hurry (1959), Of Fox and Hounds (1940), The Dixie Fryer (1960) and Let it Be Me (1936). Also included is a personal favorite cartoon of mine (though probably no one else), Beauty and the Beast (1934), also making its debut on Blu-Ray (it hasn't appeared on DVD either). This short was made before the Warner cartoons found their own identities and most of the cartoons were imitations of Disney. While few of these imitations reached the heights of Disney, this film has a great charm to me through its great use of color and its catchy title song. It also wonderful to see new restorations of such cartoons as Bars and Stripes Forever (1939) and A Day at the Zoo (1939). Both of those films, I have become very used to seeing in very faded and worn prints. While neither of them is among my favorite Warner Brothers shorts, I still greatly enjoyed seeing them look this good. Also included in this set are such beloved cartoons as Ain't She Tweet (1952) (probably my all-time favorite Tweety cartoon), Daffy Duck and Egghead (1938), Hare Triggered (1945), Porky's Duck Hunt (1937) and Rabbit Punch (1948). This is a must have for any Looney Tunes fan. 

Clara Bow Double Feature: "Kid Boots" and "Get Your Man"

Known as the "It Girl," Clara Bow was one of the most popular actresses of the 1920's. Watching her movies today it is easy to see why. She is still just as charming and captivating to a modern audience as she was to movie fans of her time (if you ever get to see her movies with an audience this quickly becomes abundantly clear. She has the ability to make a good movie great and a weaker movie better. Her talents are fully on display in this new Blu-Ray from the Film Preservation Society. This Blu-Ray set includes two of her silent movies, both of which show her at the top of her game. The set starts with a new restoration of Kid Boots (1926). This is a delightful and incredibly funny comedy in which she co-stars with Eddie Cantor (in his first movie role). The new restoration is simply incredible, and this is the best this movie has probably looked since 1926. It is restorations like this that make you truly appreciate the hard work of those behind it. Get Your Man (1927) might not be as incredible of a restoration, but it is a really fun romantic comedy. Also included in this set is a very well made D.W. Griffith Biograph short, Decree of Destiny (1911), which stars Mary Pickford. 

Tom and Jerry: The Complete Cinemascope Collection

In the 1950's, the MGM cartoons went into the wide screen Cinemascope format with movie audiences now able to see Tom and Jerry (and others) in adventures with much wider and larger pictures. Sadly, when most of these theatrically released cartoons made it to TV, the picture was cropped to where cartoon fans were not able to see the whole picture. Even more sadly, those are still the versions that are shown on TV today, even on otherwise great cartoon channels. Many of us have grown up with these films in this horrendous format. As such being able to own all the Tom and Jerry Cinemascope shorts in the correct format is true treat for cartoon fans everywhere. Seeing these films in their correct format, you can see how visually pleasing many of these cartoons truly are in a way you can't on the cropped versions. Also included in this set are the two Spike and Tyke spin-off theatrical cartoons and Good Will to Men (1955). The latter is directed by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera and is a remake of the Hugh Harmon directed short, Peace on Earth (1939).    

Video Link: Jeepers Creepers (From Going Places (1938)) - Louis Armstrong

Cowboy Church #226

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

Today's musical selection begins with Roy Rogers and Dale Evans with The Lord is Counting on You from one of the duo's little golden records for children. This was released as the B side of a 1954 record with Open Up Your Heart and Let the Sun Shine In on the A side. Both of those songs were Christian songs written for younger believers by Stuart Hamblen. This was appropriate as Stuart Hamblen had been a singing cowboy on radio since back in 1926. Probably his most famous compositions were It is No Secret (What God Can Do) and This Old House. The Lord is Counting on You reminds kids of the importance of Sunday School.

This is followed by Onie Wheeler with his 1961 recording of Mother Prays Loudly in Her Sleep. This song was written by Onnie himself. 

Afterwards is Anne Wilson with her recent recording of her original song, God Story.

Then comes The Sons of the Pioneers with their 1937 recording of Leaning on the Everlasting Arms. Lloyd Perryman sings lead on this recording and his softer voice fits this song perfectly. This recording was made on December 16, 1937, in Hollywood. This was towards the end of Roy Rogers (or Leonard Slye as his birth name was) being a member as he would leave the group to become a solo movie star. This recording features both Roy and Pat Brady on it. Pat Brady would be Roy's replacement as a member of the Sons of the Pioneers. In later years Pat Bradey would become Roy's sidekick on TV's The Roy Rogers Show. 

Next is Anita Carter with God Is.

Then comes Johnny Cash with Dark as a Dungeon. In the line notes for the Unearthed box set, John stated, "You say it sounds like a song I should have written? I always thought so too. Merle Travis wrote this song in the '40s and I recorded it over the years two or three different times, but I never really got it the way I wanted it. But I kept on trying. I really don't know how to explain what the ingredient is that makes it a keeper or a reject. It depends on the song, the performance, on a lot of things. Merle's been dead 10 or 12 years now, but I told him that I would keep trying until I get it right, and I did. Hence this version here."   

Afterwards is 19-year-old Jordana Bryant with her self-penned When God Closes Doors.

Today's musical selection ends with Gene Autry's recording of There's a Gold Mine in the Sky. Gene recorded this song on November 24, 1937, in Los Angeles. The song was written by composer Charles Kenny and his brother poet Nick Kenny, the same duo that wrote Love Letters in the Sand. This song would later be used in the Gene Autry movie, Gold Mine in the Sky (1938). 

Next comes an episode of Red Ryder radio show.

Now for a sermon from Charles Spurgeon.

Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, bless, for to this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing. 1 Peter 3:9

She opens her mouth with wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue. Proverbs 31:26 

Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience. Colossians 3:12

Like a city whose walls are broken through is a person who lacks self-control. Proverbs 25:28

For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline. 2 Timothy 1:7

For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. 2 Peter 1:5-7

But they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint. Isaiah 40:31 

 Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. Romans 5:3-4 

Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Romans 12:12

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

 

Some Cartoons for Saturday Morning #239

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

Today's cartoon selection begins with one of my favorite early Bugs Bunny films, The Wabbit Who Came to Supper (1942). One of the things you will notice first about this cartoon is how the characters are drawn. Bugs will often go off model in a way you would never see in a later short (around 1944 this would come to an end). Elmer is also in his heavier set design. Bob Clampett had redesigned the character for his cartoon Wabbit Twouble (1941) and that design would stick for four more cartoons (including this one). The design was based off of Elmer's voice artist, Arthur Q. Bryan. Yet there is so much to enjoy about this cartoon that you won't care how the characters look. Director Friz Freleng is known for how perfectly he could time a gag and this is incredibly evident. There are also plenty of incredibly clever gags from writer Michael Maltese (who would go on to form a writer/director partnership with director Chuck Jones that would result in some of the funniest and most famous cartoons of all time). Many of these gags would take cartoon logic to ridiculous and hilarious extremes. A review in The Film Daily called this short, "Tremendously hilarious." A review in The Exhibitor stated, "This has many humorous moments, even if not ranking with the best of the B.B. series. However with that title and his popularity, this offers an opportunity." The following is an exhibitor's review from the Motion Picture Herald, "Wabbit Who Came to Supper: Merrie Melodies Cartoons- Good. This series is taking off fast. They are asking when we are having our next 'carrot eating rabbit.' - A.H. Goldson, Plaza Theatre, Chicago, Ill." 

Up next is the Fleischer Screen Songs cartoon, La Paloma (1930).

Servants' Entrance (1934) is a delightful comedy starring Janet Gaynor (Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans (1927), A Star is Born (1937)). If you get a chance to see it, I highly recommend you do. It is a charming little movie that even has some real laugh out loud moments. One of the highlights of the film is the sequence when Janet Gaynor's character has a nightmare. She plays a spoiled rich girl who decides to disguise herself as a working girl. After making a mess of everything, she has a nightmare where various appliances and food come to life to taunt her. These appliances and food were brough to life via animation from the Disney studio. Like all Disney animation at the time, it was brought to you by a top-notch cast of animators. Art Babbitt animated Judge Egg. Ed Smith animated the characters entering from under the door and exiting back towards the door. Roy Williams animated the characters climbing up the foot of the bed and the dresser, the crowd scene at foot of bed and the crowd scene as characters start to exit foot of bed. Archie Robin animates the mustard pot. Cy Young animates the eggbeater. Jack Kinney animates the characters singing on top of the dresser. Don Townsley animated the singing knife and nutcracker. Leonard Sebring animates the fork quartet and the spoon trio. Earl Hurd and Nick George animate the characters running in a frenzy. Louie Schmitt animates Judge Egg falling, cracking and the little chick coming out. Milt Schaffer (under the supervision of Ben Sharpsteen animates the mustard pot climbing up the stand and turning on the light as well as the singing sugar tongs. Woolie Reitherman (under the supervision of Ben Sharpsteen) animates the broken fork singing.  The sequence also features a great cast of voice actors. Billy Bletcher voices Judge Egg. Pinto Colvig voices the mustard pot. Allan Watson voices the singing knife. Paul Taylor voices singing nutcracker. Betty Rome voices the sugar tongs. Sid Jarvis voices the broken fork. 

Now for Hoot Kloot in As the Tumble Weed Turns (1974). 

Now it is time for a commercial break. 

Next is the Fleischer Brothers Superman cartoon, Billion Dollar Limited (1942). Paramount (the distributors of the Fleischer cartoons) brought the screen rights to the famous superhero in 1940 and gave it to the Fleischers to make a cartoon series out of. The studio was not quite sure about this venture after all animated cartoons had not yet done anything similar to a pure action film. They tried to dissuade Paramount by asking for four times the usual budget for one of the studio's cartoon shorts ($100,000) thinking Paramount would refuse. Shockingly they accepted and the series began production. Voicing Superman himself was Bud Collyer, who was already the character's voice on radio. The famous lines "Look up in the sky- it's a bird - no, it's a plane - no its superman" made their first appearance in Superman lore with these cartoons. The following are some exhibitor's reviews from the Motion Picture Herald, "Billion Dollar Limited: Okay. Too bad the animation is so jerky, however.  - Palace Theatre, Penacook, N.H." "BILLION DOLLAR LIMITED: Superman Color Cartoons — Poorest of this series so far. Even the kids didn't like this one. Too extreme to get by. The other two we have shown got by pretty well. - S.L. George, Mountain Home Theatre, Mountain Home, Idaho. Small town patronage." "SUPERMAN IN THE BILLION DOLLAR LIMITED: Superman Color Cartoons — We hardly know how to rate these cartoons. Played with a Gene Autry western and the program brought in a lot of kids. Maybe it was the cartoon. - Horn and Morgan Inc., Star Theatres, Hay Springs, Neb. Small Town Patronage." The following is a review from The Motion Picture Daily (that includes spoilers), "This version of The Great Train Robbery is quite a departure from the original. It involves a billion dollar train shipment. Bandits in an armored car attempt to take over with dynamite, machine guns and other implements of persuasion. Superman speeds to the scene. When the bridge is blown up and train goes toppling over, he dives down, gets a firm grip on it, and brings it back to the tracks. With bullets bouncing off his chest, he then tows it back into the station. The bandits retreat. Apart from the short's obvious value as children's fare, it is so fantastic that adults too should go for it. Running time, 8 mins. Release Jan. 9, 1942."

Now for a Mickey Mouse Works cartoon, Mickey's Airplane Kit (1999).

Now it is silent movie time with How Animated Cartoons Are Made (1919). Though the view of how these cartoons are made seems simplistic today, back when this film was made movie audiences knew much less about how animation was done. For them this would have been a fascinating look at a fairly new and emerging artform. 

Today's cartoon selection ends with The Simpsons in Family Portrait (1988). This is one of the shorts made for The Tracey Ullman show before the animated family got their own TV series. 

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 the American Animated Cartoon by Leonard Maltin

The 50 Greatest Cartoons edited by Jerry Beck

https://cartoonresearch.com/index.php/disneys-servants-entrance-sequence/

https://lantern.mediahist.org/

Movie Review: Superman

 

Michael's Movie Grade: B+

An excellent superhero movie, despite a few flaws. 

What makes this movie work so well is that it truly captures just what makes superhero comic books so wonderful. The best superhero comics mix elements that are corny and silly with a real sense of heart and some serious themes in a way that seems effortless and natural. That is the kind of feel that this movie goes for, and it works quite well. Many of the story elements are quite over the top and silly. Yet while the film makes jokes, it never becomes one. That is because underneath its often-sillier story elements it has a real sense of heart and takes its themes seriously. This movie understands that one of the most important aspects of Superman as a character and of stories revolving around him is the belief in humanities capacity for good and that regardless of how cynical the times may be there is always a place for basic human kindness. This optimism and felt throughout the film and it truly contagious. It also understands despite being born an alien, Superman was raised as a human and understands the world and feels emotions just like them. While I did feel that Superman's intelligence could fluctuate at times depending on where the story was to go (unfortunately a flaw that finds its way into even the best Superhero movies), other than this movie understands the character and what has made him appeal to so many. David Corenswet is actually quite great in the role, despite having big shoes to fill. Another great asset of this film is that it has the best live action movie version of Lex Luther. Not only is Nicholas Hoult simply wonderful in this role (perfect casting in my opinion), but the writing truly understands the essence of this character. No offense to Gene Hackman but this is the first live action movie Lex Luther that actually feels like the iconic comic book villain, we all love to hate. Great visuals and exciting fight scenes don't hurt this movie either. 

This film is full of the signature James Gunn (who directed and wrote this movie) humor. However, it does not hit as consistently as it did in the Guardians of the Galaxy movies or The Suicide Squad  (2021). There were quite a few moments that made me laugh out loud. However, there were also quite a few that simply feel flat. I also felt that this movie suffered from an excess of characters. Because of this some of the characters ended up feeling quite underdeveloped, especially the Daily Planet staff and unfortunately Ma and Pa Kent. 

This movie may not be perfect but the parts that work are simply fantastic. Because of this I whole heartedly give this a full recommendation.  

All-New Super Friends Hour: The Man-Beast of Xra (1977)

 

This is the first segment of the thirteenth episode of The All-New Super Friends Hour, unlike most other Super Friends formats, this one had hour long episodes that were made up of various shorter cartoons. The first segment would be an adventure staring two members (or three in some cases as Batman and Robin would often team with another Super Friend) of the Super Friends. The second would be a morality play staring the Wonder Twins. The third would be a typical half hour Super Friends adventure. The fourth and last segment would feature one of the main Super Friends (or two in the case of Batman and Robin) teaming up with a special DC Comics guest. 

In this cartoon, Superman, Batman and Robin must stop Dr. Xra, who has created half-animal, half-man beasts. 

This is a delightful cartoon. The whole episode has a wonderful halloween-y look to it. The nighttime lighting and the wonderful background art (especially the swamp leading to Dr. Xra's mansion) create a wonderful sense of atmosphere that can hold its own with the original Scooby-Doo series in this area. The designs of the creatures are also wonderful. They are delightfully creepy and imposing without being too scary to take away from the lighthearted fun. The action scenes are also quite well done and exciting. 

This is a wonderful cartoon that provides some great spooky superhero fun.