Because I don’t have all the time in the world to spend on blogging, here are some thoughts on a couple of animated features I recently watched, instead of my usual review efforts. Sorry about that, but priorities, priorities! :P
Justice League Unlimited Season 2 (2005)
Now widening the net to include all manner of DC heroes, both primary and secondary, the second season of the fantastic Justice League Unlimited franchise moves on from Project Cadmus, which dominated much of the first season, and instead provides a overarching plot that sees Gorilla Grodd and his sinister Secrety Society now tangling with the various members of the Justice League as the standalone episode format eventually dovetails into a brilliant extended finale.
If you are a long term follower of the DC comic book universe then you’ll definitely get a kick out of this season, meeting a lot of fringe characters not normally afforded screen time, and as a whole, season 2 of Justice League Unlimited really does make for an enjoyable, animated super hero watch.
It comes with the perfect mix of drama, action and comedy, looks great with its slick, simple but stylized animation, and is voiced by an incredible collection of talented people, all mixed in with a great soundtrack.
If you are a comic book fan then there is simply no way that you won’t enjoy seeing this.
Related Link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Justice_League_Unlimited
Justice League (Secret Origins) (2002)
This DVD collects the first three episodes of the stellar original Justice League run, stitching them up into a single movie experience. It’s a great League origin story with compelling drama, likeable characters, a touch of humor, and of course great super hero action.
The simple but effective (and stylish) DCAU animation style works well for this show and combined with some fantastic voice talent and musical scoring, this really is a fun outing if you enjoy your animated super hero fare!
Certainly a classic and well worth the watch.
Related Link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Justice_League_%28TV_series%29
Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008)
I’m not a Star Wars fan, so luckily for me, I can walk into this animated movie experience without expecting too much. Frankly, it is an enjoyable tale of how Anakin gets saddled with an unwanted, brash student and who are then thrust into a difficult situation as they seek to rescue the kidnapped child of their foe – before time runs out.
If you can ignore the stupid (childish) lines that the poor droids often get saddled with and the sometimes stilted dialog between the Jedi, Star Wars: The Clone Wars is an enjoyable watch with plenty of action, a decent amount of drama, and the occasional giggle or two (though not from the forced humor which is driven through the droids. Didn’t really understand the need for that).
Visually the stylized CG is a treat, and of course aurally the movie is just as strong, with some great performances from the various voice actors involved. As you can expect, the musical score is also as strong as ever for something involved in the Star Wars universe, and so in summary, Star Wars: The Clone Wars is an enjoyable movie lead-in to animated series shown on Cartoon Network.
But like I said, I can walk into this movie without expectations, and thus ended up enjoying it. Real Star Wars fans apparently pan it. I can only guess that they’re sore from having their beloved franchise stretched even further from its original roots!
Related Link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Star_Wars:_Clone_Wars_%28film%29