Archive for the 'Toons' Category
June 28th, 2009, 8:41 pm by Jayson Peters
 So The Simpsons on Sunday night got into the act of honoring Michael Jackson — who, you might have heard, died on Thursday.
The venerable primetime cartoon didn’t air the 1991 episode in which Jackson — uncredited — provided the voice of an obese white man who was institutionalized because he thought he was Michael Jackson. Instead, it aired the planned encore episode “Wedding for Disaster,” but replaced the opening couch gag segment with the 1990 rap music video “Do the Bartman” – which references Jackson several times. This was followed by a dedication to Jackson, with an image of the character he voiced in the aforementioned episode.
Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in: Television • Toons • Michael Jackson • the simpsons | Post a Comment »
June 24th, 2009, 9:48 pm by Jayson Peters
 First there were the allegations that Jar Jar Binks in Star Wars: Episode I — The Phantom Menace was a racial caricature in the vein of Stepin Fetchit. Now a pair of jive-talking, illiterate, bling-toothed Autobots are launching even more negative stereotypes into the sci-fi universe with the release of Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen.
I haven’t seen the movie yet, but an Associated Press story goes into a lot of detail exploring the issue. The characters are called Skids and Mudflap. One is voiced by a black man, the other voiced by a white man. Kids interviewed seem to like the characters. Academic types who haven’t even seen the movie pretty much condemn them as inappropriate.
I seem to remember the robots in the original Transformers cartoon in the ’80s having speech patterns that seemed out of place for alien beings that looked like tractor trailers. Then again, they learned everything they knew about Earth from a scan of our media.
Then again, it was just a cartoon.
Posted in: Movies • Toons • Transformers • Jar Jar Binks • Media • racism | Post a Comment »
June 22nd, 2009, 11:22 am by Jayson Peters
They’re not really teenage anymore, right? But they’re still young at heart.
The Arizona Science Center will come out of its shell on Saturday to welcome the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and their Party Bus full of video game stations and ice cream bars. The raucus reptiles are shell-ebrating their 25th birthday 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday in downtown Phoenix. The event is free and open to the public. Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in: Comics • Events • Free stuff • Gaming • LEGO • Manga • Nintendo • Toons • Arizona Science Center • martial arts • Mesa • Phoenix • TMNT | Post a Comment »
June 21st, 2009, 12:01 am by Jayson Peters
Parents — and I am one of them — are more aware today than ever of the power Hollywood has over our habits, our time and our money. They say movie studios are heartless corporations only looking to make a buck.
 Colby Curtin For once “they” are wrong — and so am I.
On Thursday, The Orange County Register, the flagship publication of my employer, Freedom Communications, published a story about a 10-year-old Huntington Beach, Calif., girl named Colby Curtin. Like many people of many different ages, Colby was enchanted with the Disney-Pixar film Up ever since she saw it advertised.
But Colby was dying of vascular cancer. She would not make it to a movie theater. A family friend contacted Pixar, and the CGI animation company actually sent a representative to the Curtin home with a DVD of the movie for a private viewing. He even brought gifts: Up merchandise such as plush toys and a poster, and an “adventure book” like the one seen in the movie.
By the time of the special screening, Colby was in so much pain she could no longer open her eyes — but the miracle would not be denied. Colby’s mother described the action for her, as if it were a bedtime story.
Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in: Deaths • Disney • Movies • Pixar • Toons • Advertising • Colby Curtin • Media • Up | Post a Comment »
June 11th, 2009, 12:55 am by Jayson Peters
 Back from the Wild Green Yonder?
Entertainment Weekly’s Michael Ausiello reports that Comedy Central has ordered 26 new episodes of Futurama for 2010. This follow’s the series’ success on DVD, including four feature-length discs culminating in the recently released finale Into the Wild Green Yonder.
That’s right — Futurama — The Simpsons’ younger, geekier cousin – has pulled a Family Guy, as we always knew it eventually would. Futurama aired on Fox from 1999 to 2003 before going on to rerun success on Comedy Central, which led to the direct-to-DVD movies.
The crew of Planet Express were last seen in Wild Green Yonder boldly going into a wormhole to escape the lecherous Captain Zapp Brannigan as 20th Century refugee Fry and one-eyed-beauty Leela finally professed their love for one another. What new adventures await them on the other side?
See also:
Posted in: Sci-Fi & Fantasy • Television • Toons | Post a Comment »
May 20th, 2009, 12:01 am by Jayson Peters
The Phoenix Convention Center is about to get overrun by strange little creatures you won’t find in any Pokédex.
 Saturday, May 23, will see video gamers from across the country — including the Valley — gathering to vie for a slot in the Pokémon Video Game National Championships June 27-28 in St. Louis, with the goal of earning a trip and invitation to compete in the world championships Aug. 14-15 in San Diego. Two world champions will win a trip for four to either Tokyo, New York, or Hawaii. Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in: Anime • Conventions • Events • Gaming • Nintendo • Toons | Post a Comment »
May 13th, 2009, 12:01 am by Jayson Peters
The mastermind behind some of Japan’s greatest animated stories is at it again.
Hayao Miyazaki’s Ponyo, based on the Hans Christian Andersen fairytale The Little Mermaid, tells the story of a goldfish’s quest to become human. The movie opens Aug. 14. Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in: Anime • Disney • Movies • Toons | Post a Comment »
May 1st, 2009, 12:58 pm by Jayson Peters
The first season of Star Wars: The Clone Wars may have ended, but you can relive the animation sensation all over again from the beginning starting tonight with the episode “Ambush.”
Star Wars: The Clone Wars: Decoded will add trivia and background information to all 22 Season One episodes. Think of it as “Pop-Up Video” with droids.
The content appears in text windows written by the Lucasfilm Animation talent responsible for the show itself. This full season of enhanced episodes will continue each Friday in the regular time slot for The Clone Wars, leading up to the fall premiere of Season Two.
Meanwhile, you can celebrate Cinco de Mayo the Jedi way by visiting StarWars.com to stream Spanish-language episodes of the series for the first time ever.
(Image courtesy of Turner/Lucasfilm Ltd.)
Posted in: Star Wars • Television • Toons | Post a Comment »
April 21st, 2009, 12:01 am by Jayson Peters
 If, like me, and you are less than thrilled with the idea of Joseph Gordon-Levitt playing Cobra Commander in the upcoming summer blockbuster G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra, you might want to point your browser or DVR toward Adult Swim this week. That’s because they’ll be airing an animated special called G.I. Joe: Resolute that is closer to old-school Joe, with more of a PG-13 spin on the action.
Adult Swim’s description:
“Cobra embarks on a series of devastating attacks that shocks the world and changes the status quo of the Joe team forever.”
The hourlong story is broken into 10 five-minute webisodes and one 10-minute finale, and they’ll air together at midnight Saturday (April 25, ending early Sunday, April 26) on Cartoon Network’s Adult Swim programming block. Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in: Internet • Television • Toons | 1 Comment »
April 17th, 2009, 8:52 pm by Chris "KeL" Adams
To help tide us over until Green Lantern hits the big-screen, we’ve got the animated version, Green Lantern: First Flight. It’s scheduled to hit stores this summer and DC Universe has recently released a trailer for it.
There’s even some news on the live-action GL front. The Hollywood Reporter announced the movie is headed to Sydney, Australia to shoot in November. Filmmakers are hoping to take advantage of a weakening Australian dollar and a 15% government subsidy provided by the Aussies. Pre-production on the 150 million dollar film is scheduled to begin this summer, with a planned release date of December 2010.
Casino Royale director Martin Campbell will be directing the film. Casting still remains a mystery; though Chris Pine, Captain James Kirk in the upcoming Star Trek movie, is rumored to be in the running for the lead Lantern position.
Posted in: Movies • Star Trek • Toons | 1 Comment »
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