What's on Screen? The Real Ghostbusters

Alright so today we're going to be looking at something old. Thanks to the wonderful internet and Netflix, we're able to watch a lot of shows and things that were on TV when we were younger. This past weekend we had the pleasure of watching a handful of episodes of The REAL Ghostbusters.

This is a show that I vaguely remember, in the best ways from when I was younger. I'm sure a number of us remember everything that came with the The Real Ghostbusters. Awesome weird toys, and of course the Ecto Cooler!

The Real Ghostbusters played with the ideas that were made when the movies came out. It extended the realm of the stories. There were more ghosts and ideas explored. They mentioned ghosts and things that people might try to look up. Voodoo, european folklore and all kinds of interesting things even genies!

It might lack continuity, but it has a lot of creative spooks and it makes tons of pop culture references that may escape younger kids, but as a chance to remember and enjoy something more or less mindless was nice.

What's on Screen? : Moana

I haven't been up to date when it comes to seeing a large number of films of late. But I do have a very soft spot when it comes to animation. No one has done animation as reliably as the Disney studio. It was very interesting when I heard they were going to do a movie based in Polynesia I was excited. Now I know there was a lot of arguments and controversy about the character designs. But I really have to say it was worth the wait.

Now Moana is  a great story. You have a strong female character, general conflict with a small number of characters as the focus. Maui is a charming self centered character, who through Moana's intervention relearns to be a  more positive character. You also have a variety of new looks that have been lacking in most movies.

There are no direct villains in this film, which seems a bit odd. Meaning there is no direct bad guy. There are some characters that are used to move along conflict, and offer action. There's the coconut pirates, and a giant crab.

I give it a huge high amount of stars. And eventually I'll add it to my own film collection, I think.  I hope it's not a spoiler for most of you, but below you'll see my favorite scene in the movie.

What's On Screen?: TMNT

Alright, let's be honest here, we all have a tendency to watch a cartoon now and then. Well this past week I've watched more tv and movies in one go than I have in a very long time. I've been helping kid sit, which means cartoons are a household staple. They help keep the peace. I was actually shocked though, to find out this particular cartoon film came out without much fanfare, in fact I don't think I ever heard about it coming out.

This particular Ninja Turtle film was released in 2007. Which is why it feels even more bizarre to me that I hadn't heard anything about it. Unlike the pure cartoon versions, or the live action type films, this particular movie was computer animation. AT first it seemed like a strange option, but given the date when it was released, the digital animation is done well and is convincing.

The storyline itself seemed a bit farfetched, but when your main characters are gigantic turtles, what else can you expect? It included and 'immortal' general, monsters, random foot warriors, Casey Jones, and April. I was honestly surprised that they included Casey, But I guess over time he's more or less become a fifth turtle.

The character designs were fairly creative stylistically. But they did keep key elements that many fans would associate with various characters. April wore yellow, Casey was still crazy. But  all in all it was a pleasant change from some of the other things I've been watching.

I don't recommend it as something to go out of your way to watch, unless you're really into the turtles. But if you're watching netflix with kids, don't hesitate to put it on as an option they might not have watched yet. Well that's all for today! Have fun and stay magical!

What's on screen? The Pagemaster

Movie night can be a lot of fun, but sometimes it's nice to go back to things you may not have seen for years. That's what we did this past saturday. We were out and about and one of my best friends saw The Pagemaster in a bin of movies and picked it up. It was surprising to see it out and available, since it's been a long time since I've seen or even thought about it. (Though not to long ago I did see an audio book on cassette for it....)

Image from fanart.tv

The Pagemaster is one of those movies with layered details. There's things I noticed in our most recent viewing I hadn't noticed before. And the music! As the movie started I got serious chills. It's stupid I guess to say that, but it was wonderful.

Why?

Because as a movie that I watched as a kid, to see it again as an adult and review the content, I had a chance to think about it again. The lessons taught by the film, and the way that they're shown is rather direct. It's not trying to trick you. It's very straightforward.

I'm just babbling I guess, but I want you to think about showing this movie to your children if you have any. Let them toy with the idea of what books mean to them. Let them think about how amazing a story can be if they envision it, not just watch it on tv.

Then take them to the library. Let them explore the many volumes of literature that they CAN touch, read, and enjoy free of charge. Magic can be found in the pages, if you take the time to see them.

What's on the Screen? Pom Poko

Movies are something that a lot of us take for granted. But I've had the pleasure to watch a variety of different films of late, and I'm going to share my thoughts about a few of them with you over time. Today I want to tell you about a film we watched called Pom Poko. Now I know not everyone has heard of it, and I'm sure some people consider it to be a classic. But I've only seen it for the first time recently.

This movie was absolutely adorable. It centers around a group of racoons and their homes. It also gives racoons the ability to transform. Throughout the movie this leads to some adorable images. It also helps them as they try to solve their problems.

The movie (spoilers here) focuses on the idea of urban sprawl and the problems it causes to nature. Human buildings invading the countryside reduce the space for animals to have their own habitats and homes. This is a fact that most people can understand, but to see it displayed and presented the way it is in the film leads to a number of questions.

But the biggest one is what can people do about it? While we cannot expect other folk to do the same things that we do, we should remember that our own choices change the things around us whether we can see these changes or not.

I do recommend this as a film to share with the family. While smaller children may not understand what the film is really saying, they will find humor in some of the situations. As with most Ghibli films the artwork is beautiful and the landscapes are as beautiful as paintings, so the film has points for everyone to enjoy.

^_~

Emma

I like this video because of the colors in the video. I'm not entirely sure what type of video it is. But it's interesting. It has a horror like aesthetic, and it has a sad story.

Dia De Los Muertos

This video is gorgeous. A bit sad and happy at the same time, and offers an interesting idea about the holiday it takes its title from.

Vampire's Crown

Dentists can be scary. But what happens when a Vampire goes to see the dentist? A few laughs that's for sure. I hope you're enjoying the celebrations so far this October.

Zombies That Ate the World

Just Delicious

This video amuses me in some ways. Not because it is funny, but because it animates a story I remember reading in a book when I was younger. Probably you know it as well. But I hope you enjoy the memory refresher as much as I did.

Reasons Die

This video is beautiful. A bit bizarre at points. But it is unique and has a lovely song. It might not be something I'd have watched usually, I kind of ran into it by accident.

The Subatomic Creative Director Ego Minimizer

Alright, I'm only sharing one of these cute steampunk invention commercials. Why? Well because they each made me laugh, but I think they might get to some of you quickly if I just posted the lot all together. Besides, You're smart folks If you like it you can figure it out. Hope you've been having a great week!

Envious Heart

This is an interesting animation with an operatic soundtrack. I hope that it makes some of you smile. I think it was a gem of a find.

Cupidon

How about a little bit of narcissism?

The Little Girl Who Was Forgotten

Katy Towell has some amazing art, as well as a few other wonderful story videos. This was one of the first ones that I saw... eons ago now it seems. But it is still one that I love watching and sharing with other people. I'm surprised I didn't share it with you earlier.

Crayon Dragon

Remember, art changes over time. We all see things differently. Sometimes our visions can   work together though.

The Butterfly Dragon

Every time I watch this animation it almost brings me to happy tears. Compared to some of the animations and videos we've looked at in the past,it is very simplistic. But the story and music combined are beautiful.

Cat + Rabbit = LOVE ?

This video is adorable and I always get a laugh when I watch it. I hope that it makes you all smile too.

Bertie The Bat

I thought this was absolutely adorable! I hope that you enjoy it as much as I did. It's always nice to see a cute bat especially an animated one.

Roggenmuhme

Dark, sinister, and surprisingly scary. Hope you have a great weekend!