"The Croods" Serves as the Missing Link Between Good and Bad Animated Movies

Dreamworks' newest animated feature The Croods is a really mixed bag of a movie.  As of last week, it was the number one movie in the country, with sales numbers on par with How to Train Your Dragon and well above Rise of the Guardians, the studio's last effort.  I did not have high hopes going into this movie.   After seeing it though I can say that while far from perfect, it was not as awful as I was expecting.

Nothing about the premise seemed particularly gripping.  Caveman girl Eep dreams about a world outside of her cave until one day a natural disaster forces her, her family, and the sexy new guy (named Guy for ease of character understanding) to journey across a vibrant prehistoric land and discover the true meaning of life and family.  That is literally the entire story.  No spoilers, plot twists, or anything else.  The story goes from Point A to Point B with a boring amount of predictability and the cliche emotional trappings.  Saucy grandma for laughs.  Check.  Funny baby.  Check.  Mute but amusing animal companion.  Check, check, check, and check.  Emotional moment that taps into basic and unoriginal triggers like loving a parent.  Big old check.

There are jokes, but good ones are few and far between.  Most of the writing feels a lot like a sitcom, with mother-in-law jokes, funny noises and voices, and gags at the father's expense.  I will give Dreamworks credit for not relying on their usual trick of slapping in pop culture references to get a chuckle or two.  In a movie like this, jokes like that would easily turn it into a bad imitation of The Flintstones.  The most fun parts of the movie for me were the 2-D intro sequence and the subsequent family hunting trip that introduces the characters.  It was great design followed by fun action.  Too bad the story had to show up.  The funniest bits after that were the ones that highlighted the bestial nature of the Croods, such as wearing shoes for the first time, beating up on one another almost constantly, or learning what a "brain" and "ideas" are.

The characters are also really hit and miss.  I did find Gran and Baby Sandy to be funny, if a bit old hat.  I would not be surprised at all to see some shorts starring Sandy and Belt, Guy's sloth companion, in the future.  Eep takes the concept of "strong" female protagonist a bit literally, but even though she is the driving force of the story early on, she kind of disappears halfway through.  It is then that the focus shifts to the conflict between protective Cavedad Grug and the innovative Guy.  I actually really enjoyed the dynamic between these two.  As a proper Homo sapiens (with pants and everything), Guy is desperate to get away from the brutish Croods who have effectively taken him hostage so that his "ideas" can help them find a new home.  Watching him squirm under Eep's girlish infatuation and Grug's ham-fistedness makes for some fun and fresh emotion.  It's just a shame that it had to vanish in the second act once everyone started to like each other.

Early on, emphasis was placed on how gorgeous the film looked.  On that count I really can't disagree.  While I'm still not sure how I feel about the main character designs, the set pieces and background creatures are like something straight out of Avatar if it had been designed by someone with more imagination. The bizarre animal fusions and lush backgrounds are pure eye candy that might actually make seeing it in 3-D worth it.  The Croods is easily one of Dreamworks best looking films, although I still prefer the magical fantasy of Rise of the Guardians in terms of sheer awe-factor.

While The Croods doesn't reinvent the wheel, it is a fun watch despite a wandering plot and inconsistent writing.  You don't need to club your date on the head and drag them by the hair to go see it, but there's no need to just let it go extinct either.*

*Note: the writers and admins of Cartoons for Breakfast do not condone head clubbing or hair-dragging...unless that's what you're into, you sick little monkey.

"Fox ADHD" Hopes to Win Over Internet Crowd

Starting this July, Fox is launching a new late night animation block called Fox Animation Domination High-Def (ADHD).  Spearheaded by Nick Weidenfeld (formerly a developing executive at [adult swim] on Cartoon Network) the block will feature original programming that seems squarely aimed the young internet crowd.  The only confirmed series so far are an adaptation of 8-year old Malachai Nicolle's web comic Axe Cop, a series from  Dino Stamatopoulos (Moral Orel) called High School USA!, and an unnamed series based on twin comedians Kenny and Keith Lucas.  As part of a soft launch, ADHD has created a tumblr and a YouTube channel featuring some of the upcoming content as well as some original shorts to help drum up interest.  Go ahead and check them out, but be warned that most of it is pretty NSFW.  Also, if you are easily disturbed by bright colors and frantic movement, you should click with caution.

After pouring through everything, I have to say that I'm not a fan.  The animation itself looks like MAD and Robert Smigel's TV Funhouse had a baby that didn't get any of either parent's good genes.  More disconcerting however is that everything about the content smacks of shameless pandering to the internet-going audience.  The YouTube videos are full of 90's references, songs by (presumably) cute girls with ukuleles, and references to Reddit and Slender Man.  Anyone who does not spend at least half of their waking hours online is probably going to be baffled by much of what is being offered here.  Nick Weidenfeld even hosted an AMA ("Ask Me Anything") on Reddit to go right to the source of his audience.

Weidenfeld claims that Fox has given them a long-term deal to allow for growth, but I can't help but question how much faith the network actually has.  They don't exactly have a stellar track record for keeping programs on the air for very long.  Outside of the past-its-prime The Simpsons and the hit-and-miss animation empire of Seth MacFarlane, there aren't any options except for the surprisingly funny Bob's Burgers sandwiched in between.  Plus, with an airtime of  Saturday nights at 11 P.M. it isn't exactly prime TV viewing.  The only real competition ADHD will have is Saturday Night Live and the revived Toonami block on [adult swim] that just runs anime; not exactly ratings contenders.  Plus, unless they're too stoned to drive or operate a computer, is anyone in this demographic actually home on Saturday nights watching TV?

I'm glad to see a network trying to branch out in terms of animated programming, but the whole thing just feels half-baked to me.  ADHD is the MAD TV to [adult swim]'s SNL. It's cruder, employs less skill or wit, is geared towards an immature male audience, and will ultimately end up being compared to the reigning champion to its own detriment.

"Croissant de Triomphe" Gives Hope to Disney Shorts

This past week Disney released Croissant de Triomphe, the first in a new series of animated shorts featuring Mickey and Minnie Mouse.  You can watch the short HERE on Disney's website.  This is part of a series of 19 shorts that are going to be produced and aired on TV and online starting this summer.

I love the short.  First off, it looks great.  It blends design elements from classic thirties Disney cartoons (the "sliced pie" eyes being the most obvious one), modern design and backgrounds, and fun cartoon action. The dialogue is in French, but that's alright because the action speaks for itself. Sometimes things get a little too hectic, but the character movement is loose, fun, and looks fantastic.

Secondly, it's entertaining; something that I wasn't sure that I'd ever say about a Disney short.  Walt and his band of merry men were early pioneers of many aspects of animation as we know it. Sound, color, feature length animated films, and using different planes to create the illusion of depth were all techniques that, if not started by the studio, were definitely perfected there. Unfortunately, many shorts and longer films produced by Disney were more about showing off this technology or the quality of the art itself rather than to be entertaining.  

Most people who claim to be "Disney fans" are really just fans of the animated feature films that have become the studio's hallmark, not the animated shorts that preceded them.  In fact, once Walt Disney saw the possibility of animated features, he started devoting less and less studio time and resources to shorts until they were eventually phased out entirely.  It's a shame that these shorts don't get more airplay.  They hearken back to an era when Mickey was much more impish (lecherous even!), Goofy went full retard, and Donald Duck was a straight-up (albeit hilarious) asshole.

It's refreshing to see the Disney characters go back to their roots rather than stay in the bizarre mixed roles of marketing icons and preschool kiddie fodder.  At around three and a half minutes in length, Croissant doesn't overstay its welcome, has some good gags and action, and should hopefully just be the beginning of things to come.  The shorts have some strong talent behind them with directors that have worked on Dexter's Laboratory, Syn-Bionic Titan, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Chowder!, and SpongeBob SquarePants.  I'm hoping to see some of these shorts feature Donald and Goofy as well as some more of the other characters' personalities, but this is a fabulous inaugural effort and I can't wait for more.

Merry Christmas from Cartoons for Breakfast

Here's hoping this guy visits you and your loved ones today (this guy being an old man dressed up as Santa Claus).

Merry Christmas from everyone's favorite cartoon blog!

Peace on Earth and Good Will to Men

Every once in a while, independent forces come together to create a perfect storm of meaning.  That's why this week I'm featuring two classic shorts from the MGM cartoon studio.  The first is "Peace on Earth" from 1939, directed by Hugh Harman.  The themes of the end of mankind, anti-violence, and the joy of Christmas feel all too relevant right now in the wake of the tragic events in Connecticut and supposedly imminent Mayan apocalypse.  

You won't see me sing the praises of Hugh Harman or his partner Rudolph Ising very often.  Even though their careers spanned the length of the Golden Age of Animation, the majority of their work is little more than a pale imitation of what Disney was producing at the same time.  It was all cutesy stuff with little humor unless you count the over-the-top innocence of it all.  In 1939 however, Harman created "Peace on Earth," an inspired short recounting the self-destruction of mankind told against the backdrop of the Christmas season.  While some of the scenes come off as silly and typically Harman-esque, others are nothing short of chilling.  The deaths of the last two men on Earth was shocking in 1939 and still sends a chill up my spine to watch. 

In 1955, Bill Hanna and Joe Barbera (creators of Tom & Jerry, The Flintstones, and countless other classic characters) remade "Peace on Earth" and tilted it "Good Will to Men."  The new version featured modernized violence that incorporated Cold War fears and the increased arsenal of World War II.  The grander scope creates a much stronger short than the original for modern audiences, even if the ending is a little religious by today's standards.  The climax of nuclear annihilation however does not impact me as much as seeing the last man drown in a mixture of mud and his own blood.  

Both shorts were widely praised and were nominated for Academy Awards in their respective years.  The bittersweet message of both shorts reminds us to be mindful of ourselves and each other, especially in times when the almost comical juxtaposition of seasonal joy and unimaginable cruelty make us question who we are and what we are to become.

The Perils of Fandom: A Case Study of "Adventure Time" Part Deux

In case you missed it last week, I began my two-part examination of some trends developing in the hit Cartoon Network show Adventure Time that, if left unchecked, may lead to an untimely demise.  I've already looked at the shows attempts to establish continuity, and now it's time to look at an even more insidious force at work:  the fandom.

The fact that "fan" derives from the word "fanatic" is not lost on me, and with the uniting efforts of the internet, fandom has reached an unparalleled level in popular culture.  This is not a bad thing unto itself; what other people choose to be enthusiastic about is their own business. This is not to say that they are a perfect bunch.  Fans are never completely satisfied with the thing they love and always crave more of it.  It's less about appreciating the product that is being produced, and getting the next hit of their popular life-blood.

Adventure Time's immense popularity has naturally spawned legions of fans that celebrate the show through fanart, fanfic, and fan-everything-else.  They love the show and the show loves them.  The best expression of this is the creation of characters Fiona and Cake, gender-swapped versions of Finn and Jake that feature in a fanfic written by the Ice King.  The single episode that stars these two has made them as popular as the two actual stars of the series.  Now, there is a second one in the coming weeks that feels like nothing less than fanservice with it coming out so soon after the first one.

The problem here is not that there are fans.  The show deserves fans because it is a great cartoon.  The problem is what happens when fans become the central focus and the core of the audience.  Too many in-jokes and other efforts to please fans is a surefire way to turn off the casual viewer, the most crucial demographic for keeping a show afloat.  Don't believe me?  Ask a fan of Doctor Who.  One of the reasons that the show's original run was cancelled back in the 80's is that it became more concerned with its own continuity and pleasing fans rather than staying in touch with contemporary issues and keeping a broad audience.  It's why the show's revival has only increased in popularity every year. Not every program gets that lucky though, and most simply fade away forever.

It seems though that the Adventure Time crew is aware of the perils of fandom.  A recent episode titled "All the Little People" is a deliberate jab at the obsessive and self-serving nature of many hardcore fans.  Finn discovers a bag of miniature sentient versions of himself and every other character from the show.  He then spends literally every waking moment manipulating each one into bizarre dramas featuring ridiculous and completely illogical pairings, ignorant of his own slow descent into madness.  "OTP" run amok much?

Pretty much sums it up.

My theory is that Pen Ward and the rest of the Adventure Time gang are acutely aware of what is going on, hence the making of "All the Little People."  We're starting to get a new generation of animators that are a part of the millennial generation.  They're just as into Twitter and internet memes as many of their fans, and it shows in their work.  YouTube is full of shorts that they make "just for the lulz." Need proof, check out this funny bit featuring Pokemon.  Maybe there's hope yet.  I just hope they don't overdo it.

The Perils of Fandom: A Case Study of "Adventure Time"

There are two trends that are increasing in popularity that have me worried about one of the best animated shows on TV right now. I'm talking about Adventure Time, the zany, incredibly original series from the mind of Pendleton Ward. If you haven't seen it yet, do yourself a favor and check out one of the funniest, most unique animated shows in a long time. You'll probably want to do so sooner rather than later, because I fear that the show may be approaching the dreaded shark that many an acclaimed series have jumped.

Season three kicked off not too long ago, and I've seen some worrying trends start to occur.  The show is starting to flirt with two of the deadliest trends in popular storytelling: story arcs and fan service. There is nothing wrong with either of these devices per se, but all too often they spell doom. The Land of Ooo has not yet been fully overrun by these menaces, so hopefully my observations may nip things in the bud, or at least spread the awareness. This week I'll be discussing continuity and next week I'll conclude with catering to the fandom.

My concern here is not simply me complaining that a show I love has changed in a way that I don't like. These sorts of behaviors can lead down a slippery slope that slowly but surely turns away the casual viewer, which is the key demograhic for keeping a program on the air. My goal is to try and keep Adventure Time  on the air as long as possible, because shows like this need to stick around for a while.

Perhaps the lesser of these two evils is establishing a story arc. It works for several shows and is a startlingly effective way to keep viewers tuning in.  It's kind of an all-or-nothing game; either establish the arc early and stick with it (occasionally allowing a standalone episode is fine), or keep each episode unique. Adventure Time started out as the latter. Finn and Jake would just have random adventures involving manly minotaurs, crying mountains, and princesses of every imaginable shape and demeanor. There would be occasional flashbacks, but they were usually just a means to make a poop joke and not be taken too seriously.  

More recently, plot elements are introduced, and sometimes even retconned, to contribute to a larger story. There are cliff-hangers that create a backstory to the Land of Ooo, referred to in whispers as "The War." The Ice King, previously a ridiculous and incompetent foil/villain has become a tragic hero and popular subject of fanart.  

This shot has inspired more internet artists than that angry-looking cat.

Cartoons that are largely comic in nature don't need to worry about continuity. You don't need to know the chicken's backstory and prior relationships, all you need to know is why he's crossing the road. The argument can be made that these types of plots are aimed more towards the adult viewers, but my rebuttal is why not just enjoy the funny action and jokes without worrying about complex character relationships and why the world is the way it is?  

These are all of the ingredients of canon, the dirty word of continuity, and leads directly to...

The topic of next week's post. I'm not trying to create a cliffhanger, I just don't have the time or space to focus on both topics this week.  Stay tuned and share your thoughts!