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Reviews
The Simpsons: Marge on the Lam (1993)
Hilarious and close to greatness
This episode is practically great. I love a Marge-centric episode, and the re-introduction of Ms. Powers was surprising. The focus on her lack of friends/life is less hopeless than in previous episodes, and the convention of friendship amongst Marge and Homer makes for funny and interesting moments. This also has perhaps the most in-depth look at Lionel Hutz to date, a surprising character at every turn. The aforementioned use of the Simpsons' other next door neighbor, as well as fast cameos from the supporting cast, makes for a well-rounded Springfield cast. Though it feels dated because of the Thelma and Louise bits, it seems intentional. The original music and soundtrack is also invigorating and a nice change of pace. This is likely one of the funniest episodes I've watched, up there with my favorite, "Homer At Bat". Jokes on jokes on jokes in this one. The ending seems a little bit rushed, maybe forced, but it fits with the overarching parody of the third act well enough. Overall, this is an episode well worth a watch, definitely one of the funniest episodes yet!
Daughters of the Dust (1991)
A perfect, difficult, complicated, richly-detailed film
Hard to get everything that it aims for without focusing completely on it. Beautifully shot, brilliantly acted, with a phenomenal, well-rounded script. Certainly dense in detail and dialogue, but not mentally "dense". Watch this movie.
The Simpsons: Homer's Triple Bypass (1992)
A nearly perfect episode
What more can I say? All the trappings of a great Simpsons episode: funny, sentimental, unpredictable, great side character moments and Nick Riveria is ridiculous! So many jokes but still emotional, especially from Lisa. Nick is just a little too dense, but it's a great one.
The Simpsons: Lisa's First Word (1992)
One of the sweetest episodes yet with one of the best endings
Another deep dive into the Simpson's past, this episode focuses heavily on Bart, Lisa, and the '84 Olympics. It's a funny one for sure, but the emotion of the episode comes to the forefront in a way that doesn't feel gushy (even if I laughed out loud at Homer placing his beer on Bart's flat head). Baby Lisa is adorable, and Homer's knack for building somehow returns for the first time since Homer At Bat with a glorious clown bed. Maggie's ending is one of my favorites so far in any episode. Another great episode, particularly after one of the best, " Mr. Plow".
The Simpsons: Bart the Bad Guy (2020)
6.7/10. Pretty good!
The sole existence of this episode seems to promote the synergy of Fox and Disney, and definitely doesn't go as far as it could have to criticise it's parent company. Still, it's a funny, entertaining enough critique of fandoms and spoiler culture, though this too could have been expanded upon greatly. The Aussie who plays the Hawkeye knockoff is horrible, and is by far the most dated bit of the episode. Even the launching point for Bart discovering the plot of Vindicators 4, used through a YouTube blogger parody and a small joke with "Skinner's Screen Saver", is handled without too much heavy-handedness or poor internet lingo. Still, it's a pretty good episode, but could've been better.
The Simpsons: A Streetcar Named Marge (1992)
Marge and Maggie's Time to Shine
Leading up to this episode, I was equally perplexed and intrigued. Being a long time Simpsons fan, but never having seen the original seasons 1-10, I just finished this episode on a chronological rewatch. It's interesting to see that Marge and Maggie, characters that often have ample gags or small arcs in modern episodes, aren't tapped into much in the early days of the program. This episode finally focuses on the two women of the Simpsons clan that are woefully underused, but thankfully, live up to their potential in "A Streetcar Named Marge". Marge's non-commitment to the part of Blanche is honestly very sad to watch as Homer exhibits his most careless attitude since Season 2's "The War of the Simpsons". This isn't done in vain, however, as these respective episodes focus on the tricky balance Marge and Homer must retain to succeed as couple. This episode was often more melancholy and introspective than many of the episodes have been so far, which is thankfully offset by Maggie's inventive and incredibly entertaining aside at daycare.
This is one of the best episodes for me thus far. Not a single character feels wasted, Jon Lovitz is excellent as the exacerbated playwright and the visual and auditory gags in this entry stand out. "A Streetcar Named Marge" is a terrific example of the range "The Simpsons" showcases as a television show. The commitment to the musical and rugrats-esque B-plot are superb, and the heartfelt and understated ending between Marge and Homer made me tear up. Watch this one for sure!
The Simpsons: Homer at the Bat (1992)
Hilarious, fast-paced Baseball Episode
Similarly, like the last baseball-themed episode "Dancin Homer", this is a Homer-centric sports episode. While I undoubtedly love that episode, I am currently halfway through season 3 on a rewatch, and can say this is the funniest episode I've seen yet, and one of my personal favorites. All of the celebrity cameos are riotously funny, verbally and visually. Mr Burns' age is a frequent gag as well, acting as the team's over-confident manager with old-timey remedies and concepts. The plotline about Homer's bat is sweet, allowing the children to view him in an uplifting lens and showcasing his rather natural knack for creativity, even in spite of his spice rack. Homer pulls through in the end, which we all see coming, of course, but in typical Simpson's fashion, it's not in the way you anticipate. All in all, I love "Homer at Bat". I'm still laughing to myself as I'm writing this review! As someone who scantly watches baseball, check this one out for sure.
Mickey Mouse: Croissant de Triomphe (2013)
A great episode! Definitely not what I was expecting
The energy in this four minute short hooks you right away. The language barrier is quickly forgotten, and the viewer focuses on the rapid dash by Mickey to Minnie's cafe. Overlooking the (still humorous) French stereotypes, this short has a ton of classic madcap animation energy crossed with a thin, modern and lively animation style. "Croissant De Triomphe" is effortlessly paced, packed with fast jokes and a strong focus on a small plot. What more could you ask for in a short?
UglyDolls (2019)
A really cliche, but not entirely awful, experience
Off the bat, one of the film's immediately noticeable strengths is it's aesthetic. From time to time, it's colorful, fuzzy and exciting. Unfortunately, that color palette is far and few in between. During the (slightly excessive) musical sequences, the backgrounds are typically black, with frequent white flashes and repetitive assets. This makes UglyDolls look either cheap or uninspired for much of its runtime. The voice cast behind the Dolls really isn't all that bad; they're mostly passable, but Lizzo (as one of Lou's henchmen) Kelly Clarkson (Moxie) and Janelle Monae (Mandy) are actually quite good with what they're given, and actually make impressions on the viewer. Monae and Clarkson do very well during their songs, despite the lyrics recycling the same old "Be Yourself" motif from basically every animated effort this decade. This leads me to the story. Not much to be said here. It's as basic, rote, predictable and cliche as they come, not to mention they steal vague plot points from better films, like the Toy Story series, Monsters University or The Lego Movie. The themes are obviously good for young children, and there are one or two funny jokes, but it's simply not worth it for a frequently unfunny, bland experience. But hey, you could do worse. Maybe do better with some of the other titles I mentioned.
(P.S., Pitbull is in this, and his character of UglyDog is ridiculous and actually pretty fun, whether it's ironically or not. I'd like to see him in another self-aware kind of role like this. )
Deathstroke: Knights & Dragons: Knights & Dragons: Part One (2020)
A pretty typical pilot episode, with some good action and a great setup for the series
As soon as Deathstroke starts, you can feel the potential it has. From Michael Chiklis' grizzled voice, the involved action sequences, and a memorable animation style similar to Netflix's Voltron, the series will hopefully rise to the occasion. However, as most superhero media tends to do, this first episode is bogged down by a rote origin story tale, accompanied by an even more cliche story of a familial fallout, with painfully silly dialogue on top of it. Thankfully, it is punched up by good-to-great action sequences, exciting direction by Sung Jin Ahn, and all-around solid voicework from the cast, and one final sequence that sets up the crux of the story moving forward. I want to love Deathstroke: Knights and Dragons. DC has recently won me over with the surprising chemistry, excellent cast and silly, exuberant take on Gotham on DC Universe's Harley Quinn, so here's hoping this series experiences the usual uptick of figuring itself out after the first episode. I have faith in the cast and crew to do so.