From Warner Bros. Animation comes another beautiful looking HD release. The most memorable element is the vibrant colors. Darkly lit sets often find their way to bright locations whether it be the glow orange ooze bubbling in vats or train stations. Flashbacks to happier times utilize a wider color palette, helped by the presence of Robin’s costume. I say this with every one of these DC Direct titles, but animation looks so good in 1080p and Warner Direct serves it up well. The picture is so crystal clear that it makes for increased engagement. The stormy title sequence looks amazing. Just seeing the episodes of BATMAN: THE ANIMATED SERIES on the disc one can see the difference high definition makes in picture quality. Now this isn’t a perfect release. There is some banding in backgrounds, but I never noticed artifacts, aliasing, pixelation or noise like I read in other reviews. But the problems are minor in the larger scope of the release.

It's the 90s all over again in Konami's newest downloadable title featuring Sparkster. Hit the jump for the review of Rocket Knight!

To get a sense of this actioner take an awesome Bond girl, say like Tatiana, have her train with Jason Bourne and let her loose against the CIA. And one of the main reasons it all works is that you have Angelina Jolie at the helm. She really is the first female action star.

An idea can change the world. In Christopher Nolan's mind-bending thriller, big ideas are vulnerable to be stolen within a person's dreams. Powerful businessmen spend millions on setting up projections in their minds to protect them from extractors who are hired by competitors to steal secrets. But what's infinitely more difficult is to put an idea they did not think of in their mind. This is inception.

I really wish I could’ve, I wanted to like The Sorcerer's Apprentice more, but the movie tries way too hard, hitting you over the head with its fantasy premise instead of slowly drawing you in.

The NATIONAL TREASURE trio of star Nicolas Cage, director Jon Turteltaub and producer Jerry Bruckheimer come together to try and strike magic again. But with a title SORCERER'S APPRENTICE, the film actually has little magic. There are a lot of pyrotechnics and visual effects, but none of it brings the whimsy or awe that the title suggests.

Special Guests: Signe Baumane & Isaac Short. On this episode of the Forum, Joel and Alan prognosticate the future of cinema and how podcasts are this century's booming artform. Then, independent animator and bunny-lover, Signe Baumane, presents her perspective on animation as art, art as animation, sex ed, the animated short vs. feature, how to finance your independent animation career, animation as a drug-habit, and how not to be a lonely rapist. All are then joined by 6-year old Isaac Short as he works through his unhealthy obsession with early pioneers of animation.

Many people battle for world dominance, but what about villains? Gru is the anti-hero with a long, pointy nose and a grey and black scarf that he wears all seasons, in Universal’s first animation feature premiered at the Los Angeles Film Festival. I rate this movie 4 starfish, it’s “Perrific.”

In this animated world, villainy is a corporate venture. Master criminals live among the average citizens, clearly out in the open. The gothic mansion of baddie Gru sticks out in the same row of suburban family homes. To fund criminal ventures, the villains apply for loans from the Bank of Evil (formerly known as Lehman Brothers).

Despicable Me is a neat and snazzy treat. This time Universal has a definite contender for a Best Animated Feature Oscar nomination.

Special Guest: J.J. Sedelmaier The future is now on this week's episode of the Frenzer Foreman Animation Forum as Computer plugs Joel and Alan into the 21st century with their first ever Skype interview! Skyperview! Special Guest J.J. Sedelmaier "phones it in" about such subjects as comic books, graphic novels, and how to build and maintain an independent animation production company. Then, in the first ever Frenzer Foreman Animation Forum sing-song-story-telling-open-microradiophonic-sound-experience, Joel shares his latest therapy ballad about some extra baggage that he's been carrying around. And make sure to stay tuned through the very end of the episode for a special FFAF out-take of Joel and Alan testing out their new technology with one of the biggest names in cinema history!

 

This was my first time at MIFA (Marche International du film d'animation) and I could not have been more pleasantly surprised by the experience. Taking in the splendor of Lake Annecy's turquoise waters while meeting friends for cocktails in an ancient village immersed in a steady flow of creative energy was invigorating.

M. Night Shyamalan can be a good filmmaker. For me, his last three films, including this one, have been disasters. Others would push that number higher. I'll defend THE VILLAGE and SIGNS — they had interesting characters and grand themes that drove their narratives. The same qualities that drove his most successful work, THE SIXTH SENSE. The director seems to have lost those skills. Even with quality source material to work with, he was unable to deliver a coherent, let alone a compelling, story.

The third in the TWILIGHT film series is the best. That said, it's nothing groundbreaking, but at least it doesn't take itself too seriously. The original TWILIGHT was made for teenagers who watch soaps. NEW MOON was made for teenagers who never smile. ECLIPSE was made for teenagers with a sense of humor.

An acclaimed director gains even more insight from a master, Barry Purves.

It's the Alan Foreman Show!!! Alan briefly takes over the Forum with his one-man off-off-off-off-off Broadway Production of the Bobby McFerrin story. And guess what folks? It's Summetime! And that can mean only one thing... time to talk about the big summer blockbusters and predictions for future summer movies. Then Daphne Knouse-Frenzer and Rex Knouse-Frenzer drop by to give the kids' perspective on Hayao Miyazaki, Monsters, Monsters vs. Miyazaki, Miyazaki vs. Michel Gondy, Avatar: The Last Airbender, Foot-Spokespersons, Avatar: The Last Airbender, and Avatar: The Last Airbender. And later, Joel and Alan get a special surprise from two globe-trotting pals of theirs.

This action comedy attempts to recreate the globetrotting thrillers like CHARADE and NORTH BY NORTHWEST. Innocent people are wrapped up in international espionage. The plot tries to keep us guessing. Romance grows as the leads run from a host of nefarious characters. Casting was a big part of those previous film's successes and this film gets that element right, but the others less so.

The exhilaration of youth. Nana get’s it right!

Toy Story 3 is the best of the series with few flaws. It is about the connection between toys, their owners, and each other. It is also about friendship, loyalty, betrayal, and moving on with one’s life. One lesson learned is that the past can affect the future in a major way. The film is rated G. I urge everyone to see this “Perrific” movie!