"I'm Going Ghost!"

A lot of cartoons get flack nowadays for their lack of concept and...well, cartooning. (Let's be honest. I'm one of the people giving flack.) But I bite my tongue when it comes to Danny Phantom.

David Kaufman voices Danny Fenton, the awkwardly pubescent son of ghost-hunting inventors Maddy and Jake. After a completely avoidable run-in with his parents' gadgets, Danny gains super powers which enable him to become invisible, fly and walk through walls. (Sure those are lame powers to start off with, but the kid does all right.)

Joined by his friends Tucker (Rickey D'Shon Collins) and Sam (Grey Delisle), Danny battles the ghostly forces of evil for an impressive 53 episodes. Director Butch Hartman shows admirable vision, cutting the show off the air before it became boring or annoyingly redundant. The show has a definite (and surprising) conclusion. Check it out for yourself on Netflix.

The characterization of adolescence is in line with American stereotypes. The cast oscillates between engaging and annoying throughout the series. If you skip a few episodes in the 3rd season you'll be fine.

The animation favors the popular Japanese style, but skips the face plants and sweat drops, taking advantage of simple lines and angular construction. The coloration and heavy shadowing makes for a palpable atmosphere that will have you jumping at shadows.

I rate it a POPCORN COMBO!

Danny Phantom Episode List on Wikipedia
David Kaufman: Danny Phantom
Nick Toons: Danny Phantom Games

Heartbeeps

In the mood for some mechanical mush? Then check out Heartbeeps. This early 80s film squeezes in next to other AI classics such as DARYL and Short Circuit with one exception-Andy Kaufman as an android.

If you're never seen the comedian at work then brace yourself for an hour and a half of painful awkwardness as Val (Kaufman), the lumber-savvy companionship bot, falls in love. Add to the mix, Bernadette Peters as Aqua the pool-side party droid and you've got yourself a movie.

The plot is simple if unusual: Two out-of-order androids embark on a mission to find out about trees. Their impromptu hike turns disastrous when two factory workers discover their disappearance and set out to reclaim the runaway merchandise. Meanwhile, a dysfunctional policing robot, the CrimeBuster Deluxe, joins the fray, determined to return Val and Aqua to their warehouse prison.


Heartbeeps has the right people. Kaufman and Peters work well together and still manage to add their signature traits to each role.

The film is dated, making it very difficult to take seriously. Despite the rampant silliness, there are several  moments (beautiful and philosophical) that should not be missed.

It's an excellent choice for your next 80s party or family movie night. I rate it a Popcorn Combo!

City of Ember

Jeanne DuPrau blends fantasy and mystery to create City of Ember, the first book in the Books of Ember series.

Built by the Founders, Ember was meant to be a temporary home. A place where their descendants could live until the surface world was safe. Leaving behind instructions to guide their children home, the Founders disappeared.

For 200 years the people of Ember have lived underground with no knowledge of their origins. The city survives by living off vast warehouses of food and supplies. Workers struggle to maintain the technology of the Founders, their only source of light. But with frequent blackouts and shortages of supplies the people of Ember are beginning to succumb to the darkness.

Explore the city through the eyes of Lina Mayfleet, a 12-year old laborer, struggling to find a better place for her grandmother and sister. A place beyond the chaos of Ember. With nowhere to turn and time running out, Lina accepts the help of former-friend and classmate, Doon Harrow. Together they race to decode a message from the past and save the city from itself.

The City of Ember is an easy-to-read chapter book best-suited for readers 10-17. While the vocabulary is not particularly challenging, younger readers may have some difficulty with the social and political concepts central to the plot. The slow pace of the story may cause some children to outright lose interest.

Despite their age both the main characters are complex. Their roundness makes them occasionally inaccessible and opaque. Similarly, their relationship with each other can be isolating for the reader. Due to this depth, the book will easily hold the attention of preteens and adolescents.

Although written for a young audience, City of Ember has a dark tone throughout. The first pages of the novel create tension and concern for a world that is falling apart. The physical darkness of the city streets is carried into the characters, particularly the Mayor and his attendants. DuPrau openly writes about starvation, social turmoil, death, political corruption and romance. Mature themes may be inappropriate for children reading alone. However, City of Ember provides an excellent companion book for class discussions of world hunger, overpopulation and social responsibility. The morality of the story, though evident, is not forced. And the final chapters leave much room for interpretation and discussion.

Consider reading the book as a family. The chapter breaks are evenly-paced making it easy to keep a regular reading time, however the cliffhanger sequences may keep you all up past bedtime.

Be sure to look for the movie adaptation, City of Ember (2008). The cinematic adaptation has a much faster pace, but remains true to the dark atmosphere and characterizations of the book.

Old Dogs

Dear Viewer,

Dan (Robin Williams) and Charles (John Travolta) have been life-long friends and business partners. With a big business deal around the corner their lives couldn't be further from perfect. They have the bachelor pads, the women and the cars. Only Dan seems  to think there might be more to life...

Throw in a long-lost love and a couple of kids and you've got yourself an adventure, my friends!

Old Dogs is a cookie-cutter family flick. The surprise plot is predictable. The problems are expected and the solutions seem too easy. If you were expecting a deep and moving dramatic piece...What were you smoking? This is simply not that kind of movie.

Safe, warm and simple as a blanket, Old Dogs will entertain for sure. There's nothing like watching a grown man being cradled by a gorilla or Robin Williams tripping on drugs to give you a fit of the giggles. Your kids are sure to love the slapstick and potty humor - even if you don't. And the ending, as satisfying as it is corny, reminds us that even if old dogs can't learn new tricks...people certainly can.

Besides with fewer options for the crowd stuck between watching the Lion King and Twilight, Old Dogs should be top of the list for any family movie night.

-Sylvia

P.S. This movie is a popcorn combo!

Revisiting The Last Airbender

Dear Viewer,

It seems Mr. Ebert had all of the words I did not. (The Last Airbender Review)


-Sylvia

P. S. This movie is awful! Check Nickelodeon.com for some great clips and episodes of Avatar: The Last Airbender.

Netflix pick: Sanctuary

Viewer,

It would be nice to say the Syfy show Sanctuary is something that could become a guilty pleasure.

It does star Amanda Tapping of Stargate SG-1 fame, she's easy on the eyes. It also stars Emilie Ullerup, who has the makings of a TV hottie of the highest order. But that's about it.

Guilty pleasures tend to have some dark humor, or social commentary or something. Sanctuary, to me, falls short.

Don't get me wrong the concept is a good one. Have a place where monsters of myth and legend can have a place to call home. Every episode means you can see anything from a mermaid to a lizard monster. Any fan of B-movies would love it.

In theory it's a great idea. It's the application that seems a bit off.

Now I can understand bad special effects on a TV show; budgets aren't high and time frames are short. But I get the feeling the producers didn't give the audience credit for knowing what a fake fire elemental would look like. Each set seemed to be a 3-D work in progress, with the actors working in front of a green screen every 3 minutes.

The acting is wooden, which can be attributed to a new cast working together for the first time. That should improve over the course of a season. But after watching the first three episodes, I wonder how many fans should have the patience to keep watching.

Apparently enough people kept watching for Syfy to renew the show for a third season, which means the initial headaches the show gave me would disappear over time.

Or people just need an excuse to look at women in tight plastic suits.

Whichever.

-Paul


P. S. This series is a box of candy.

Scott Pilgrim vs. The World

Dear Viewer,

If you waited in line for tickets to Watchmen or kicked your rear catching the midnight showing of Kick Ass, then whip out your plastic and head to Fandango.com you are going to want tickets to see SCOTT PILGRIM VS. THE WORLD.

Michael Cera stars as Scott, the underachieving Canadian bassist, whose life gets turned upside down when he meets Ramona Flowers (Mary Elizabeth Winstead).

As if struggling to dump his underage Asian girlfriend isn't hard enough, Scott soon finds himself in the midst of an epic battle against the League of Evil Ex-Boyfriends. The prize--Ramona. 

The best video game/comic book movie since The Dark Knight (2008), Scott Pilgrim has it all. With plenty of romance, rock and action this movie is sure to be a hit. Gamers, look forward to the references to 8-bit classics. Parents, watch out--some of the jokes are gosh-darn racy. This is definitely a mature PG-13 flik.

-Sylvia


P. S. This movie is a Hot Dog Combo! Yum.

Be sure to check out:

• The Complete Scott Pilgrim Series by Bryan Lee O'Malley
• I Love You, Man (2009)
• Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist (2009)
• Pineapple Express (2008)
• The Incredible Hulk (2008)
• 8-Bit Theater on Nuklear Power.com--A sure laugh for any Scott Pilgrim fan.