Month: June 2022

Lightyear review

Posted on by jacobsonbblog

For anyone who’s seen the Fairly Odd Parents, does anyone remember that episode that showed the origin of Crash Nebula? It was also a pilot for a failed spinoff and for good reason, it kind of sucked thanks to the high school cliches, weird animation, and bland characters. Pixar’s Lightyear is not like that fortunately. Come to think of it, did Butch Hartman predict the future or did Pixar took inspiration from him?

Lightyear is Pixar’s first spinoff movie and the first theatrical released film since Onward. Honestly, it was such a relief to see it on the big screen instead on only Disney+. Some of the stuff that’s usually good in Pixar are good here such as the animation which looks very realistic. The voice talent in this film is also really good. Chris Evans does a good job as Buzz Lightyear though he did seem very similar to Captain America. The stand out to me was Peter Sohn as the robot cat Sox. Peter Sohn brings a lot of humor and heart to this character and considering I’m a cat person this was a huge plus for me.

This film does have problems though. The film only takes place on this generic alien planet that honestly doesn’t look interesting to me. That kind of ties to my other problem that is the film’s scale feels small. I feel like Lightyear should’ve have had more planets, more different aliens, and a more 60’s retro sci fi feel like from Star Wars or Star Trek. Heck the Buzz Lightyear animated series from 2000 had a larger sci fi scale compared to this. Spoiler Warning: I’m sort of mixed with how they did Zurg who’s actually a future Buzz. I did like how he’d tied into Buzz’s arc however he seemed too similar to Rex Dangervest from Lego Movie 2.

Between the two Pixar movies that came out this year I’d have to say Turning Red was the better. Mostly because it has a unique animation style and an appropriate smaller scale. That doesn’t mean Lightyear is bad though. Lightyear isn’t the most groundbreaking film in Pixar but it still has a lot of the charm that made Buzz Lightyear one of the most beloved characters not just in Toy Story or Pixar but in all of Disney. Anyone who’s loves the character will enjoy this for infinity and beyond.

Verdict:

+ Realistic animation

+ Sox

+ Voice talent

+/- Zurg

-Bland planet

-Small scale

Score: A-

My Top 10 Favorite Gravity Falls Characters (10th Anniversary Special)

Posted on by jacobsonbblog

On this day 10 years ago Disney Channel premiere not just one of the best Disney animated shows but one of the best animated shows of all time, Gravity Falls. Gravity Falls is a show that has inspired me and many people, heck some people who worked on the show went on to do other great shows like Amphibia and The Owl House which has a lot of the show’s influence. I’ve already done a few episode ranking lists in the past and my opinions haven’t really changed since then. So instead, I want to share my top 10 favorite Gravity Falls characters list in honor of the show’s 10th anniversary. Also character number 5 is a SPOILER so be warned and this list is my personal opinion.

Honorable Mentions: Shmebulock, Toby Determined, Pacifica Northwest, Abuelita, Big Henry

10. Gideon Gleeful: Gideon is a good starter villain that’s both threatening and funny. There’s something so threatening about a villain with a southern accent that I like. It’s kind of funny hearing the voice of Flapjack come out of this antagonistic character.

9. GiFFany: This creepy girl is probably my favorite one-shot character and monster. She has the perfect balance between being cute, creepy, and hilarious. I honestly wouldn’t be surprised if the creator of Doki Doki Literature Club! took a lot of inspiration from her.

8. Old Man McGucket: I love characters that that seem like just crazy comic reliefs but then turn out to actually be extremely important and Fiddleford is a great example of that. Also, Alex Hirsh making a fake leak of him being the author was genius.

7. Mabel Pines: Mabel is basically a human version of Pinkie Pie from My Little Pony Friendship is Magic. I will admit I think her selfishness is what puts her low on the list. She’s still funny thanks to the perfect casting of Kristen Schaal.

6. Dipper Pines: I don’t dislike the twins; I just like my top 5 favorite characters more. Dipper is a good, and relatable protagonist while also being an excellent foil to his sister Mabel. I kind of see myself as Mabel and my brother as Dipper.

5. Ford Pines: 31 episodes of buildup to who the author is and it wonderfully paid off with the new addition of Stan’s brother played by the always amazing J.K. Simmons. I really like the dynamic between him and Dipper and his troubled relationship with Stanford.

4. Wendy Corduroy: Wendy is one of the most underused and underrated characters ever which is a shame because I thought she was very likable, badass, and had a really cool design. Why couldn’t we get the episode where she and Stan become partners in crime?!

3. Bill Cipher: Bill Cipher is one of the best animated villains of all time and maybe in all of fiction. This is how you perfectly make a villain that’s both hilarious but also very threatening thanks to Alex Hirsh’s performance and Bill’s simple but unique design.

2. Grunkle Stan: Not only does a lot of the show’s great comedy come from him but also a lot of the show’s great drama as well. He’s probably the most complex character on the show. Alex Hirsh brings so much charm, humor and depth to this character. Much like Dipper and Mabel I see myself as Stan and my brother as Ford.

1. Soos Ramirez: Soos is probably the most likable character on the show which is probably why he’s my favorite character. He’s kind of like that likable co-worker you have. A lot of my favorite episodes such as Soos and the Real Girl and Blendin’s Game focus on him and having him inherent the Mystery Shack in the end is a great end to his arc.

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Amphibia Season 3 and Series Finale review

Posted on by jacobsonbblog

One month ago, Amphibia one of my favorite Disney cartoons aired its final episode. Since there’s so much to talk about the finale but I also want to talk about the rest of the season as well, for this review I’ve decided to split it two separate parts, the season in total and the final two episodes. Also SPOILER WARNING, so don’t read this unless you’ve seen the show.

I think having part 1 of season 3 take place on Earth was a clever change to the status quo. I find it funny that even in the regular world, the humans there are just as wacky and full of personality as the amphibians in Amphibia. I thought Anne’s parents were very likable, funny, and supportive. Having Matt Braly’s mother play Anne’s mother was also a sweet touch. Also, Domino might be the most accurate animated cat ever and considering I’m a cat person I absolutely love her. A lot of the episodes are the frogs adjusting to Earth until they find a way to return home and I think there a lot of fun. The 2nd half of season 3 starts with one of the best episodes Escape to Amphibia in which Anne and the Planters get home thanks to a bunch of characters they met. Most of the episodes here about Anne and Sasha creating an army to take down King Andrias and the Core.

The final episodes were emotional roller coasters and almost every character’s arc reached their climaxes in these episodes. The Penultimate episode “All In” is kind of the like the Battle of Minas Tirith from LOTR, not the last but it is the hugest battle in the show. The action scenes were awesome especially Anne going super sayan on Andrias and the fight between Sasha and Darcy. The final episode of The Hardest Thing has the Core use the moon as a final gambit to destroy everyone, kind of like Majora’s Mask but less than three days. All three girls going super sayan was wonderfully paid off.  The ending is one of the most bittersweet endings I’ve seen in an animated series with the girls leaving Amphibia forever but growing as better people. Anne’s speech at the end kind of sums up what we went through when the show ended how sometimes you have to let go but you’d be surprised what makes it way back to you.

Season 3 was Amphibia at its most funny, epic, and emotional and I love nearly every episode from it. Amphibia was a show that started good and got so much better throughout the show and I’m really happy that Matt Braly got to tell the story he really wanted to. Thank You Matt Braly, Brenda Wong, and to everyone who worked on this amazing show.  

The Bob’s Burgers Movie review

Posted on by jacobsonbblog

I’ve said this before but since most animated movies are CGI now it always feels like a special treat to see a 2d animated movie on the big screen. The Bob’s Burgers Movie is about. Spoilers: Grover Fischoeder(who appeared in a few episodes) murdered a carny in order to frame Calvin Fischoeder and take over the wharf. I will admit having a murder story like this seems a bit too dark and kind of off brand for this show. Still this film is a lot of fun.

This film has the same heart as the show and embodies everything that’s great about the show such as the likable characters, hilarious comedy, touching moments, and even catchy songs. Sunny Side Up Summer is a great opening song and the song Lucky Ducks reminds me a lot of “I’ve Got a Dream” from Tangled which ironically takes place The Snuggly Duckling. I will admit there are references to a bunch of episodes that newcomers are probably not going to get but since I’ve watched the show for years it doesn’t bother me that much.

Most theatrical animated movies based on cartoons would usually have better animation and Bob’s Burgers is no exception. The animation here is surprisingly smooth and fluid. One of the studios animating this was Mercury Filmworks who was known for the Netflix animated series Hilda so that’s a plus for me. This was also Dale Baer’s who was an animator at Disney since Robin Hood 1973 last film he worked on before he died and I think this was a good send off for him.

The Bob’s Burgers Movie is the best theatrical animated movies based on an animated series since The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie. I’d even say it’s just as good if not better than The Simpsons Movie. It has everything that makes the show one of the best Adult animated shows on Fox.

Verdict:

+ Fluid animation

+ The heart of the show

+ The songs

-A bit too dark

-References newcomers won’t understand

Score: A-