Queen_of_Shadows Reviews

Kiki's Delivery Service (1989)

Another amazing masterpiece with a good message

[10/10 · 20 December 2005]

I remember everyday as a little girl that I'd put this movie in the VCR and watch it for as many times as I could remember.Finally,I get it on DVD (loosing the video) and see the Japanese version and like it twice as much.It is almost completely opposite from the English version and I see why people hate the Eng version so much.Personally,I prefer them both only because the Eng version has been apart of my childhood.

Imagine a world where World War 2 never happened and witches exist. That's Kiki's world.Kiki,a strong-willed,independent and optimistic young 13-year-old girl is finally ready to depart from home and live on her own for a whole year in a new town to begin her training. For a witch,it is a custom for a young witch to live on their own for a year in another town to begin their training and possibly find their special skill.It sounds scary right?Well,it isn't for the brave and carefree Kiki.She leaves with her father's radio,a traveling bag and her best friend Gigi,a cat who she has the unique ability to talk to as she would with any other human.With all of her stuff,she travels on her mother's broomstick,flying through the air and searching for a new home.She finally finds a huge yet beautiful city,the kind of place she's always dreamed of living in.Overjoyed by the fact that there are no witches currently living in the city,she at first feels awkward in this new environment.Things look up though when she finally settles in and starts her own Delivery Service. However,living in a new place is a lot of pressure on a young girl. Not only does she deal with the pressure of her business but she deals with the pressure of fitting in.Suddenly,Kiki becomes conscious about what she wears and feels like an outsider when she's surrounded by certain people.Not only that but her special flying abilities begin to weaken without any warning. Can Kiki find her own inner strength to overcome her problems? Watch this spellbinding movie.

Yes,there are witches in this movie but they are not the stereotypes of a witch.They do not have green-skin or warts,they don't crave power and aside from flying on broomsticks and communication with their cats,there is no special magic and such.It is just a simple story about a young girl fitting in.I said that there is a message in this movie and there is.It's that no matter how many terrible things happen,the key to surviving any problem is finding your inner strength and believing in yourself.Any young child dreams of flying like Kiki and at the beginning,she can fly just by thinking it like other kids can but later on,she goes through some kind of "witch puberty" when her flying weakens.She can no longer just escape from her problems with her flying,she sees that reality is tough and believing that you can do anything is the key to discover how to fly again and overcome her fears of living without her friends and family.I cried during this film out of a little sorrow but mostly out of joy.This is a film greatly recommended for the whole family.8/10.

Spirited Away (2001)

An amazing Miyazaki film.*May contain spoilers*

[9/10 · 13 November 2005]

Once I saw the trailer,I knew this movie had what it takes to be apart of the Miyazaki collection.I watched this movie with my family and explained what the movie was about.

Spirited Away is about a 10-year-old girl named Chihiro who is arriving in a town which is now her home.Like any other kid at Chihiro's age,she is very sullen and whiny about moving from her friends and her home.When her dad tries taking a shortcut to the house instead,they end up at a strange tunnel.Both her parents decide to take a look around and as reluctant as Chihiro is,she tags along.Beyond the tunnel lies an old theme park.It seems like a beautiful and peaceful place but when night falls,another world awakens from their sleep.Unfortunately,Chihiro and her parents are trapped in this world.Her parents are transformed into pigs after feasting on the delicious food originally cooked for the spirits.However,they are not completely doomed.Chihiro meets a boy around her age named Haku and is told that she must get a job to survive in this world of spirits,sorcery and self-discovery.Who is Haku? What will happen to Chihiro's parents? How will Chihiro escape back to the human world? I won't spoil any of you anymore,just watch the movie and be spellbound.

What doesn't this movie have? It has deep and hidden themes,great animation,music with different moods,a well-developed storyline and an innocent childhood romance.

Themes:There are so many themes but there was one which is expressed much more.Personally,I felt that this movie was based on people who are "two-faced".Chihiro begins as a spoiled,whiny and cowardly brat but later,the viewers see that she is compassionate,loyal and filled with great courage beyond belief.Although Haku appears to be sinister and cold,he is still a protective and trustworthy friend to Chihiro.No Face is normally a lone wanderer but when exposed to the bathhouse,he is literately a monster.There is Yubaba and Zeniba.In this movie,Zeniba is the good twin and Yubaba is the bad twin.However,Zeniba is just as selfish as Yubaba and Yubaba is just as trustworthy as Zeniba.They both just happen to show just one of those sides.What I'm trying to say is that now matter how people appear to be,they are neither good nor bad but they simply lie in the middle.

Animation:Like many of Miyazaki's films,each character is drawn with great care.Chihiro is drawn just like a typical 10-year-old.Her expressions also add an anime touch.Haku is the most beautifully drawn character in both dragon and human form.As a dragon,he was drawn so gracefully like the kind of dragon you see in your dreams and fantasies.Even as a human,his eyes were so beautifully.The animation brings each scene to life.You could just feel the rush of Haku and Chihiro running,you could just feel the sludge of the Stink Spirit and you could just feel the joy and serenity of Haku and Chihiro flying and falling through the sky.

Music:Some music was sad,some was happy and some were just plain freaky but no matter which music was playing in the movie,you would somehow feel the emotion in each scene.

Romance:If none of you have never seen a Miyazaki film,then you probably wouldn't known that in most of his films,the two main characters have some sort of romance.It is the same in this case.That may seem a bit predictable but you don't care because of what he makes out of the romance.In his type of romances,there is always depth, innocent love and a good beginning friendship.The romance is never forced upon them.I also don't know how but he makes the characters say the word "I love you" without actually using those exact words.

I have watched this movie about seven times and to my surprise,I have not been bored yet.My favorite scenes had to be when Chihiro and Haku fall down together and when Haku comforts Chihiro near the flower area. I'll be honest,there are some scenes which may be scary but there are only about two scenes which may frighten the younger audience.I still recommend this movie for the whole family but maybe not for kids younger than five.Trust me,my five-year-old cousin did not find all of it scary. I'll give this a 9.5/10.

Sky High (2005)

Awesome

[7/10 · 5 August 2005]

I'm a huge fan of superhero stuff however,I did not think that I'd enjoy this movie all that much.I was proved wrong.

Sky High is about a young boy named Will Stronghold who's the son of the best superheros on the planet.Will is finally old enough to attend Sky High,the only known school for teens with powers only one problem,Will has no powers.Because of that,he's rated as a sidekick. Sidekicks also have powers but are trained to support heros.A little while later,he discovers while defending himself from the son of his dad's arch enemy,Warren Peace also known as the school bully,Will discovers that he has super strength.Suddenly,will is ranked up to superhero and gains sudden popularity.Just because these teens all have superpowers,doesn't mean that they don't go through real high school life.While dealing with controlling their powers and being able to play hero sports,there's popularity,friendship and teen romance.Welcome to Sky High.

I thought this was going to be a complete waste of time seeing but I was wrong.I saw the previews and figured I knew what was going to happen like Will hooking up with Gwen,Will getting super strength,Warren being the main villain of this movie and many other things.It ended up being almost the complete opposite.I won't spoil the surprise but the twists of the plot and every important event connecting was well thought of.The characters were all three dimensional.Other than seeing Warren Peace as the school bully who just likes to throw fire at other kids,we also got to see what he did outside of school and that he has good advice to give.I loved how the writers gave most characters worthless powers (glowing,melting, shapshifting) and showed how they could all be used heroically.The action scenes were all awesome and cool-looking.I used to think having powers and going to a superhero school would make school life fun but after seeing this movie,I've seen that it isn't so easy.The school is even organized by popularity status based on your powers.There are even school bullies who are twice as scary with powers.However,it's still high school which means there's friends to make and rivals to stand up to.This movie showed growing friendships and ways of having courage.7/10

The Fairly OddParents (2001–2017)

cool toon.

[31 July 2005]

Fairly Odd Parents has grown to be one of my favorite cartoons.Yes,I'm 14 but no one ever said I was too old for cartoons.

This show is about a 10-year-old kid who wears a silly pink hat named Timmy,an out-going kid with no common sense and a short attention span.He deals with being a loser at school,not being able to spend as much quality time with his parents and his worst enemy and fear of all (duh,duh,duh)Vicky,his evil 16-year-old babysitter.For poor Timmy Turner,he has no control over his life until one day two magical creatures come into his life and explain to Timmy that they're his new fairy godparents who can grant him unlimited wishes.Oh wait,there's a catch,along with his fairy godparents come a rule book known as "Da Rules" which limit him to most wishes.From that day on,Timmy makes bigger wishes which lead to bigger adventures that often lead him into trouble.However,while his fairy godparents have to grant the wishes,they love him like their own child and act as his mentors,well one of them at least.There's Wanda,the smart and bossy pink-haired godparent who often gives Timmy guidance.There's also her husband Cosmo,the dim-witted yet hilarious godparent who unlike his wife,leads Timmy into awesome but often dangerous adventures and while Wanda is the common sense of the trio,he's the comic relief.With just a spin of their wands,Timmy takes another step to great adventures as well as good lessons.

Recently,I don't think most of the new episodes have been doing so well but I absolutely love the classic episodes such as "A Wish Too Far","Boys in Band and many more.Even though I love every character on this show,Timmy is most likely my favorite character because even if he can be selfish,he's sympathetic and considerate of others.He's also your typical 10-year-old who wishes for what any kid would want.What I love about this show is the humor,the eventual spoofs,some running gags,the characters and the fact that everyone on this show is a complete idiot.However,what I love more are the relationships in this show.I love what Timmy has between his parents as well as his fairy godparents.I saw AbraCatrasphe (sp) and I thought it was cute how Timmy said he loved Wanda as much as Cosmo.I also liked how Timmy confessed about his godparents and Wanda and Cosmo wouldn't go because they loved Timmy.So despite most goofs and the recent downhill episodes,I love this show and I want to rate it a 7/10.

Kim Possible: So the Drama (2005 TV Movie)

Awesome

[7/10 · 28 July 2005]

This was probably the best Kim Possible movie I've seen.*may contain spoilers* Draken is threw with failing to defeat Kim Possible so he begins to make a more cunning plan to take over the world.Meanwhile,things haven't been going well for Kim.It's almost prom night and she's the only cheerleader without a date or boyfriend.Bonnie claims that she'll end up with the captain of the chess team or even *gasp* Ron!This complicates her world as well as her relationship with Ron.It all begins to change more when a good-looking boy named Eric transfers to Kim's school and ends up falling for her and Kim falls for him.Ron begins to feel weird and think about what he and Kim have.

I'm not a Kim Possible fan but that doesn't mean I hate the show.This movie had comedy,cool action scenes,slight character development and romance.

Comedy:As usual,Ron brings hilarity and childish charm in this movie as he does in the show.Draken is funny for his obsession for world domination and the other usual stuff and Shego's sarcastic comments had me chuckling.

Action Scenes:The new battle suit was too cool for words and it looked awesome on Kim.The suit just lightened every action scene.

Character Development:This might only be my opinion but I did see some of this.Draken is usually the comic relief villain who always fails at his plot to take over the world.Yet in this movie,he has the most well thought out plan I've seen compared to his other plans.Everything weird and out-of-place had a suspenseful connection.Although I knew Eric would turn out bad but that's because I've seen something similar to this.Though I had no idea until Kim came to save him.

Romance:Has the romance with Kim and Ron been used already?Well yeah but somehow,their relationship fascinated me.The dept and complication kept me from changing the channel.It came as a surprise when he said he wasn't happy with Josh dating Kim but he didn't care as long as she was happy.That shows how much he cares for Kim.The writers did show how much more Kim's missions affected her love life.

I adore this movie and the soundtrack is cool.If the rumor is true that the series is still continuing,I hope to see the battle suit again. 7/10

Sabrina the Teenage Witch (1996–2003)

My favorite

[28 July 2005]

Sabrina the Teenage Witch is on of my favorite sitcoms.

This begins with a teenage girl named Sabrina who comes to live with her aunts.Her life changes forever.For her birthday,she discovers that she has magical powers.With her newly discovered powers,Sabrina balances her friends,school life and family with her magical side and learns important lessons along the way and often from getting out of random situations.

I think Sabrina the Teenage Witch is a sweet,teen sitcom enjoyable for the whole family,even for guys.Melissa Joan Hart is one of my favorite actresses of all time.The lines are as pure as the characters who say them.The relationship developed between Harvey and Sabrina is the best.Other than the last episode when they end up together,my favorite has to be the one when Sabrina can tell any mortal that she's a witch and it will all be forgotten after the day is done.It showed the friendship she had between Valarie and Harvey and it also showed that Valarie wouldn't even trade popularity over her friendship with Sabrina.What I love more than the characters,comedy and character development are the episodes.The episodes are all about morals and lectures often given by parents.The show delivers the messages with carisma and brings back old and slightly forgotten sayings such as "the green-eyed monster" or "caught in a web of lies".I absolutely love this show and wish it would still show more episodes.For me,seven seasons isn't enough.8/10

Battle B-Daman (2002–2005)

okay

[10 July 2005]

I thought it was going to be terrible because the commercials said Yamato wants to be the best b-daman player in the world.I was surprised.

This show is about a boy named Yamato who was raised by cats until he was four so he sorta has the abilities of a cat (he likes fish,he can land on four paws,etc.) When he was four,(forget her name) a woman took him in and helped him act like a human.Yamato has always dreamed of battling with b-daman and finally gets a b-daman of his own called Cobalt Blade.Together with his friends Gray,a tough guy who wants to free his sister,Bull,a sweet kid with an evil side and Terry,a cool ninga with a Scottish accent,Yamato might have a chance of becoming the best b-daman player.

Well I really don't like the plot of b-daman all that much.It's just a show where a kid tries to collect some items and want to be the best of mastering the items.Been there done that.There are already shows that have items that are collectible and main characters who want to be the best at using them.Ash wants to be the pokemon master,that boy wants to be the best duel master and that one kid wants to be a beyblade master.The reason I watch the show is because of the awesome characters on the show.Gray is probably my favorite because he has a bad side but shows his good side to Yamato.I really hope that Gray comes back from the bad side.If you have absolutely no idea what I'm talking about,you should see an episode for yourself.I guarantee a few good laughs. 6/10.

Phil of the Future (2004–2006)

okay show

[9 July 2005]

This show can be okay but can get annoying at times.

Phil of the Future is about a boy named Phil (ironic isn't it?)and his family who go on vacation through time and while trying to go home,they get stuck in the 21st Century.While Phil's dad tries to fix the time machine,Phil and his family must try to fit in with the 21st Century and keep their secret that they come from the future.Very often Phil and Pim misuse their futuristic gadgets they brought along their vacation in troubling situations.

I don't hate this show at all.I believe that Phil of the Future is one of Disney's best.Although the sound effects and some dialouge are obviously made by the people who made Lizzie Mcguire,I can get past that.I like how they make Keely a popular girl who finds true friendship with Phil and promises to keep his secret.I actually think that everyone does a great job with their acting.I like the girl who plays Debbie.Think about it:Who else can keep a smile going on for so long in so many scenes?Pim is my favorite character though.Her punkish,I-don't-care attitude makes the show great.Unlike in all Disney shows where the younger sibling is a brat,Pim is also a brat with style though.One thing bothers me though.The fact that this show is completely illogical.The writers seem to want Phil and Keely to get together but there's one problem:They can't get together.Keely could possibly be his great great great and so on grandmother so she'd probably have to get together with someone else.Why did they bring all those gadgets if they were going on vacation.Did they prepare for being stuck in time?I'd really love to see more episodes about Phil's home and one with a logical explanation for what has happened while Phil and his family were gone.

Winx Club (2004–2023)

Is good,has it's flaws

[7 July 2005]

I was curious about Winx Club when I first heard about it.It didn't show where I am so I did a little research.I didn't know what I was expecting so I decided to wait for it to premiere on tele.I was surprised in a good way.

Winx Club is about a girl named Bloom who discovers her magical powers while saving Stella,a fairy who has magic of the sun and moon.Stella suggests to bring Bloom to a school called Alfea where fairies learn to control their magic.There Bloom meets Flora,a fairy who's power is based on flowers,Musa,a fairy who's magic is based on music and Tecna,a fairy who's power is based on technology.Together they join to form the Winx Club to fight against Icy,Darcy and Stormy,three senior witches who go the Cloud school(forget name).Bloom also meets Brandon,the nicest warrior of them all who she falls for.At the school,Bloom's goal as a fairy is to discover her past and the origin of her powers.

I personally believe that Winx Club is a decent show.Most of it is unoriginal yet there are some plots that have magic of their own.Brandon and Prince Sky switching identities for security reasons and to see the world in different shoes was original.I believe the powers are also well thought of.There is one thing that disturbs me though.They make some of the girls too perfect.They're all super skinny and their fashions and battle outfits make them look like sluts.The fairies all make it seem like fashion,boys and good-looks are the most important thing all girls should worry about.Stella has the most powerful ring in the Magical Realm and it's a target of the witches to steal and she doesn't want to wear it because it doesn't match her outfit.In most hero/heroine shows,the writers would never do that.I really don't like Brandon,Prince Sky,Bloom and Stella.They just seem like the way all girls should act.The romantic pairings also fail to have any depth.Brandon is just made to be this macho,handsome prince charming and Bloom is made to be this little-miss-perfect supposed role model for young girls and they're both just paired off.The only pairing that interests me is Riven and Musa.Riven isn't Mr.Perfect and is distant around everyone yet Musa the deep and understanding girl seems to be drawn to him.I believe that the animation is superb and the characters all have good personalities but the episodes are usually about Bloom and her past,the witches trying to steal Stella's ring or cause havoc or about fashion and beauty.In total,I rate Winx Club a 5.5/10

The Emperor's New Groove (2000)

Great Disney Movie

[7/10 · 27 June 2005]

Disney movies are known for being highly recommended movies for all ages and the original movies(such as Cinderella,The Little Mermaid, Snow White,Aladdin,etc)are enjoyable classics.Unfortunately,Disney has been running out of ideas and fail to recreate the old Disney magic. This movie however,proved me wrong.

This movie is about a self-centered,spoiled and seemingly heartless young Emperor named Kuzco.With the snap of his fingers,he can get anything he wants even if it's a summer home.He only worries about himself and his needs and no one's whatsoever.That all might change with Pacha,a generous,thoughtful,and intelligent everyday peasant.He seems like your average peasant with a middle-class family and some farm animals of his own.He and Kuzco have nothing in common and have a bad start(Kuzco demands that Kuzcotopia,his new summerhouse to be built on top of the hill where Pacha and his family live)but they overcome that throughout the story.Yzma,Kuzco's cunning,stubborn and pessimistic adviser was recently fired and she wants revenge.In return,she decides to poison him with a potion with the help of Kronk,her lovable,dim-witted and humorous right-hand man. Unfortunately,he transforms Kuzco into a llama instead and when he tries to get rid of him,Kronk accidentally drops him on Pacha's cart which Pacha brings all the way to his village without knowing that the emperor is actually in a bag on his cart.With Kuzco far from the palace,leaving Yzma to rule the empire and leaving Kuzco and Pacha to triumph over the obstacles to travel to the palace,what will become of the story?Watch it and view good quality comedy with a pinch of drama and be amazed.

I believe this movie is a Disney classic.The magic of Disney returned in this enjoyable story.The characters are well-developed and all three dimensional.Kuzco begins as the spoiled brat who can literally get anything that he wants and throughout the story,he learns the value of friendship and generosity.At first when he turns into a llama,the teenage audience want Kuzco to stay as a llama because of his bad attitude yet later in the story,they're rooting for him to transform back into a human.Pacha may not be the best character but there's no one who can hate him.Pacha already has compassion and generosity from his family life and may seem speechless in some scenes but most of that changes when he meets Kuzco.Pacha is also the one who gets him and Kuzco out of sticky situations in the jungle.In most Disney movies,the villains are serious and seemingly boring but this movie changed that Disney law.Yzma was hilarious as an old and ugly woman who is almost as spoiled as Kuzco.She has clever lines and has impatience which is what makes her humorous.However,Kronk deserves most of the credit for the humor.Kronk is the most lovable character in the whole movie.He delivered his humor with enthusiasm.The squirrel scene cracked me up.I'll rate this movie a 7.9/10 for memorable quotes and a deep friendship built.

Lizzie McGuire (2001–2004)

okay.

[14 June 2005]

Lizze Mcguire is a classic of the Disney Channel and is well-loved by girls about 6-10 or so and although many people dislike this show because Lizze and her life is too perfect,it's good for young girls to watch because Lizze Mcguire is a good TV role model.

Lizzie Mcguire is about a girl (13-14 years of age) named well...Lizzie Mcguire.In her world,she isn't considered perfect.She's klutzy,ditsy and completely high-strung.She has to deal with everyday teenage girl problems such as her overly-controlling yet loving parents,her trouble-making little brother Matt and of course,her school rival/ex.best friend Kate.When she can't handle these problems,her two best friends Miranda,Lizzie's calm and out-going girlfriend and Gordo,Lizzie's intelligent and carefree guyfriend who doesn't care what everyone thinks of him.Other than all this,she has an alter ego,an animated character of herself who expresses her mind without actually letting it out in public.It's really difficult to understand this if you haven't actually seen one episode of the ever-popular Lizzie Mcguire.

This show isn't exactly my favorite but it's not the worst show. Although this show is made to relate to real-life teenage problems however,if you think about it,none of the episodes relate to real life.Every episode is random and always ends in a happy ending.Well as a 14-year-old I must honestly say that this is not middle school life.Sure it's great for younger girls to view but this isn't recommended to teenagers.Every episode ends with happiness and joy but that's not what real life is like.The parents are too easy on Lizzie and Matt and let them get away with anything.Although Matt,Lanny and Malaina have hilarious adventures when Lizzie's having her own problems,those aren't real.The characters are all one-dimensional except maybe Gordo.There's also Ethan Craft,the supposed school hottie with no brains at all.This is a harsh stereotype because not all supposed school hotties are incredibly stupid.There's also Kate.She's a cheerleader and sends the message to viewers that all cheerleaders are cruel and harsh and apparently stupid.All in all,there are way too many stereotypes in this show.Just because the episodes end in happy endings,it doesn't mean that life will be the same.In that one episode when the school laughed at Lizze and Miranda for liking Clover and Daisy or whatever,Lizzie told the whole school that she didn't care and the episode ended with her and everyone else singing the theme song.If this kind of thing happened in real life,the best solution would be to ignore every fool laughing and if you sang the theme song or anything like that to the school,they wouldn't sing along no matter how much you told them that they really wanted to.In truth,no one is that invulnerable and open with their thoughts and they'd probably just snicker about you behind your back.School is much more harsher in reality and most students and teachers are unmerciful about school.What I may be saying might be harsh but I'm just being realistic.I'll rate Lizzie Mcguire a 5.5/10

Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends (2004–2009)

One of the best cartoons!

[6 June 2005]

I highly recommend this cartoon for children and as for teenagers and possibly adults,there is some humor most children might not understand.

Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends is about well...a home for unwanted imaginary friends.8-year-old Mac is an intelligent yet shy boy who's only friend in the world is his blue blob-like imaginary friend Bloo.Bloo is a cunning and mischievous friend who helps Mac through life such as dealing with his older and tougher 13-year-old brother Terrance.Unfortunately,Mac's mom demands Mac to get rid of Bloo because she believes Mac is too old for an imaginary friend.With no clue what to do,Bloo discovers foster's home for imaginary friends.However,once an imaginary friend is brought to foster's,they will be put up for adoption.However,Madam Foster,the owner of the home makes an exception for Bloo to stay without being adopted on one condition,Mac comes to visit Bloo everyday.Mac accepts the deal and from that day on while Bloo waits for Mac to visit,Bloo always manages to make new friends,discover new adventures and run into more trouble everyday.

Cartoons are mainly aimed for children however,teenagers and adults would enjoy this program.The characters are three dimensional,the lines are full of laughs,there are running gags throughout each episode and there are tons of spoofs.Somehow the characters can be considered role models.Wilt is the optimistic,cheerful and helpful imaginary friend in the house and doesn't care about his appearance(he has a dented eye and is missing one arm).Eduardo is the sweet,shy and caring imaginary Spanish bull who looks terrifying.Despite that,he can rip something to pieces if Mac or any of his friends are endangered. Bloo is the most three-dimensional character in the whole show but that's just my opinion.The writers somehow put Bloo in the middle.He can be selfish and power-hungry yet at times he's considerate of people or imaginary friends' feelings.The best part about the episodes other than the running gags and various spoofs is that the plot is highly unpredictable.While watching some episodes,you may know what's going to happen however,it may always be the opposite of what you imagined.The humor is rated for children and adults in every episode. There is not one character the viewers can't hate.This show is better than you could imagine.10/10.

My Wife and Kids (2000–2005)

Great show.

[4 May 2005]

This show happens to be my favorite comedy TV show.

My Wife and Kids is about Micheal Kyle and his family and how they each cope with everyday problems.Micheal Kyle and his wife Jay both became early parents in high school and after many years of balancing their jobs and family,they still have some adjusting to do.Micheal Kyle,a stubborn yet caring man with a great sense of humor deals with fatherhood and Jay,his sensitive and outgoing wife deals with motherhood.Even though they both love their three children,they have some trouble finding common ground with them.Micheal Kyle Jr. or Jr.,the rap-loving, carefree,creative and sometimes dumb 16-year-old is the oldest son.Clare,the slightly moody,sassy and clumsy 15-year-old daughter is the middle child.Cady,the cute,bubbly and lovable 5-year-old is the youngest daughter.These children often break the rules and fight amongst themselves and even with their parents but Micheal and Jay always do their best to teach their kids valuable lessons and to steer them in the right direction in life.Micheal Kyle style.

This show is the greatest but that's just me.This show shows true acting talents as well as good episode writing talents.Who comes up with these out-of-the-box ideas?The best part about each episode is when Micheal comes up with a plan to teach his kids lessons in fun ways.Damon Waynes has now become one of my favorite male actors of all time.This show is actually based on real teenage problems such as teenage pregnancy,relationships and sex.Each actor/actress puts life into their characters and makes their lines more enjoyable.I don't care what everyone says but I think Franklin makes a great addition to the show.He has the wittiest lines and the best personality.It's such a surprise seeing that the actor is actually pretty young.When I first saw this show,I thought Bill Cosby's next generation.This show is filled with realistic characters and important morals,I'll give this show an 8.5/10.

That's So Raven (2003–2007)

unique

[3 May 2005]

All I can say is that it's unique.

That's so Raven is about a girl named Raven Baxter who not only has a wacky yet creative fashion sense but the ability to see the future for a limited amount of time.Although she can see the future,she might not see it as it is and always gets into trouble and random situations to either prevent her visions or make them come true.Raven's basically your average high school teenager who's sassy,idealistic,fun and wants to be the center of attention.Although Raven manages to get in the funniest or weirdest situations,she doesn't get into these types of situations alone.Her best girlfriend Chelse Daniels,an animal-loving,caring,naive and optimistic teen is usually right next to Raven in her situations.Raven's best guy friend Eddie Thomas,an easy-going,serious,realistic and rap-loving teen is often trying to stop Raven from getting into her situations.Raven also has a flaky family in her life.Tanya Baxter is Raven's hip,fun-loving and caring mother who only wants to be Raven's friend.Victor Baxter is Raven's wise,carefree and sensitive father who works as a chef.Cory Baxter is Raven's greedy,cool and cunning brother who seems to want to make her life a nightmare but deeply cares for her inside.With Raven's ability to see into the future,she and her friends learn important lessons about friendship,surviving school life and basically to leave the future as it is and let it see where it will take them.

This show is very enjoyable.Although the first season started out weak,it grew to be very entertaining.Raven is probably my favorite because of how she has her own sense of style and is true to her friends and family.Her friends are also funny.They actually put a personality to each character.Raven's family also has lively personalities.I just have two criticisms.The girl who plays Chealse is an amazing actress who deserves a better part.I understand the show makes Chelse naive sometimes to make her get laughs but the show can make her too dumb.I have nothing against Chelse but I would like to see more of her showing more intelligence.Raven-Symone is a fantastic actress who puts life into her TV ego Raven.The TV Raven however can be somewhat vain.She never would've noticed Devon if he hadn't had his braces removed and she never would have liked that Tyler guy if he hadn't gotten a complete makeover.I have nothing else against the other characters and think they're very entertaining.I'll rate this show a 6/10.

American Dragon: Jake Long (2005–2007)

um, Wow.

[3 May 2005]

This is probably one of the best Disney shows yet.

American Dragon:Jake Long is about a teenager about 13 or so who lives on the streets of New York who must find a balance between his life as a teenager and his life as the Dragon hero who protects mythical creatures and his home from the separate magical world.As a teenager,Jake deals with his bad grades,overly controlling teacher,Professor Rockwood and his crush on the popular,new girl Rose. Although Jake has these secret feelings for her,he doesn't know her dark secret of being with the Huntsclan,some of Jake's enemies as a dragon.Thankfully he can overcome these teenage issues with the help of his skater friends Trixie,a sassy and all-American tomboy and Spud,a dim-witted and hilarious guy.As the American Dragon,Jake has bigger issues to deal with like being tortured by his Grandfather's training and saving his city various times from his enemies and the magical world.However,Jake can get through those problems with Fu,a talkative and loyal 6,000-year-old dog and his Grandfather,a wise and brave man who both act as Jake's mentors.

Personally,I was looking forward to this and ended up getting more out of it.When I saw Rose,I thought she was just another useless character who was just Jake's crush and nothing more but I was wrong about that.It even surprised me that she's actually Jake's enemy as her other ego,Huntsgirl.No one can resist the chemistry and twists in their relationship.Jake has a riveting and fun-loving personality and is still learning about his dragon powers which is what I love.The grandfather actually has a decent background which is him being a dragon who was the only one who defeated the Dark Dragon:the worst of the enemies.Fu also has a background of being a former thief and bandit who changed after meeting Grandpa.I see a Harry Potter story in this show which I enjoy being a Harry Potter fan myself.I'd rate this a 5/10.

Shrek 2 (2004)

The first sequel done well.

[9/10 · 2 May 2005]

I loved Shrek 1 so much and had a neutral feeling about this movie.If they were going to do a sequel of the ever-popular Shrek 1,I was going to expect a lot out of this one.

We all know Shrek and Fiona married and love each other no matter what but what happens when Shrek meets her parents.Shrek return from their honeymoon and are invited to the kingdom of Far,Far,Away where Fiona's parents are known as the king and queen.They have heard of Fiona's marriage and want to meet her new husband.When they both arrive and make their entrance to the castle,half the kingdom including Fiona's parents have seen Fiona's husband is an ogre and Fiona's an ogre as well and are not too pleased.Apparently,they are not the only ones displeased.Fiona's fairy godmother sees her new husband and argues to the King about the deal they made.The fairy godmother arranged her son Prince Charming to be Fiona's husband and save her from the dragon but instead he finds The Big Bad Wolf disguised as Red Riding Hood's grandmother.She threatens that unless the king can kill Shrek and leave Fiona to marry Prince Charming,terrible things will happen.

I was very pleased and very entertained after this movie.I've seen many sequels and they either haven't been as good or just sucked and haven't had an connection with the first movies.However,I can make an acceptation for this movie.Again,this is filled with humor,parodies and good hidden morals.The FairyGodmother and Puss-in-Boots are now added on my list of favorite Shrek characters.There is also an excellent soundtrack in addition to the movie and a hilarious ending.The animation was again fantastic and the characters were very enjoyable.Although I equally like both the first and second Shrek,nothing will compare to the first movie.8/10

Shrek (2001)

Awesome Movie

[9/10 · 2 May 2005]

Kay,once again I thought this wasn't going to be a movie worth watching from seeing the previews but then my friend invited me to see it with her and actually seeing the movie proved me wrong.

Shrek,as the tag line states:The greatest fairy talk never told.Shrek is about an ogre named Shrek who's independent,intimate and a complete slob for an ogre.All Shrek wants to be is alone in his home which is located on the swamplands.He doesn't care what others think of him and will do anything and I mean ANYTHING to keep anyone off his property.One normal day,Lord Farqua,a vain and self-centered prince orders his guards to put the fairytale creatures(Pinnocio,Three Little Pigs,etc)in cages unless they are unique then they will award them money.A woman brings a donkey who she claims has the ability to speak and is rewarded tons of money if she can prove it.When the donkey doesn't speak,the guards begin to take her away until the donkey speaks and reveals to be quite a chatterbox.The donkey is on the run until he runs into Shrek who scares off the guards which is officially when the talking donkey became Donkey to the viewers.Shrek isn't exactly happy when Donkey begins to follow Shrek back home because he has no where else to go.Not soon after,all the fairytale creatures uncaptured have escaped to Shrek's land and won't leave unless Lord Farqua lets them all live in peace again.Shrek then journeys to Lord Farqua's kingdom to compromise a trade:Shrek does something for Lord Farqua and he brings harmony back to the lands.Farqua wants Shrek to journey to a castle guarded by a fearsome dragon where Princess Fiona,the woman Farqua wants to marry is trapped.Shrek does as he says and goes to the castle along with his new companion Donkey to save Fiona and have his swampland back.However,Shrek gets more out of his journey then just his life back.He finds new friendships,a great adventure and a deep romance with Fiona.

This movie was fantastic.Shrek and Donkey make the perfect comic duo in the whole movie.Fiona provided laughs as well.The parts when she fought Robin Hood's crew was hilarious and well animated.I never did expect Fiona to actually be an ogre too.The ending was cool with Donkey singing I'm a Believer along with the other characters playing the instruments.The karaoke at the very end was hilarious and enjoyable for audiences of all age.The lines were cleverly written and the animation was superb.I rate this movie a 9/10.

W.I.T.C.H. (2004–2006)

um, not what I was expecting.

[20 April 2005]

WITCH was originally a book series from Italy which has grown very popular in Eurpoe.Meridian is a separate world from Earth ruled by the evils of Prince Phobos and unfortunately,Phobos is breaking the line that separates Meridian from Earth.Now that Earth is threatened once again,the five guardians are needed to seal the one veil protecting Earth but now the next generation of guardians are called.Meanwhile Will,a timid yet honest new girl in town has made new friends with Irma,a feisty and funny girl,Tarane,a quiet and shy girl,Cornelia,a high-strung and independent girl and Hay Lin,a friendly and creative girl.After school,Hay Lin invites them all to her parent's Chinese restaurant and that's where the story begins.Her grandmother tells the story of Meridan close to invading Earth and that they're the next generation of guardians blessed with special powers.Will holds a necklace with the ability to transform her and the others into their battle costumes and open and close portals called the Heart of Kandrakar.Will also has the power of energy allowing her to communicate with household objects with her energy powers.Irma has the power of water allowing her to manipulate seas and stop flowing water in it's tracks.Taranee has the power of fire allowing her to summon fire and control existing fire.Cornelia has the power of Earth allowing her to rapidly make plants grow and bore holes in walls.Hay Lin has the power of Air allowing her to create a gust of wind and fly unlike the others.Together,the five call themselves WITCH because of their initials and casually save the world day after day while having to deal with their own teenage problems. When I heard the WITCH series were being made into a TV series,I decided to do a little research on WITCH.It really caught my attention when I found out about the characters and their witch costumes were pretty cool.The storyline shows true talents of a writer.Unfortunately the WITCH series was different from the books which is a huge disappointment to me.Disney did a little makeover on the costumes and made them look sort of ugly.In the series,I liked how Will's hair looked in the books but in the series,they make her hair look more shaggy than it did in the books.Disney also made Cornelia more of a cold-hearted dumb-blond when in the books she stood up for Will when some guys were teasing her.Instead,she doesn't want to be friends with Will just because she's new.Disney doesn't even make episodes of the books which was what I was looking forward to the most.Other than that,it can be okay.The lines are cleverly written and it's really great to have something like this on TV and very good for a girl to watch especially younger girls.I give this series a 5/10.

Unfabulous (2004–2007)

okay.

[12 April 2005]

I think Unfabulous is okay.It's certainly a good start for Emma Roberts' acting career.Her singing is somewhat annoying but I admit,I like her voice.Her friends are also great actors.The bad part about this show is it's unrealistic.It's not like people can just think of songs automatically in their heads although I'm not exactly a guitarist or a singer.Also most episodes can be predictable like when the principle was saying all the things Addie and her friends were looking forward to were canceled.When Gina asked about Spring Fling and the Ski Trip and the principle said the were all canceled right after was really predictable.Besides, it's not like the principle would cancel all their events just because of last year.There are also those girls Maris and Cranberry.I hate them so much!Seriously,they need to get their own lives and not spend it everyday on making one girl's life miserable.But each episode has a good moral at the end and a happy ending.My overall rating 6/10.

Ned's Declassified School Survival Guide (2004–2007)

okay, a bit weird.

[12 April 2005]

I think this show is okay.At first I thought it was just gonna be another pathetic show about teens getting through life. But I actually find this show very amusing.The characters are very realistic and can relate to many teens.Ned's just your average student who's in between being popular and unpopular.There are probably thousands of teens who are exactly where he is on the social ladder.I like the situation with Mozely being friends with two guys and looking for a best girlfriend to talk about other things the guys can't understand. Cookie's just plain funny although he can be annoying at times.I thought it was funny when he wanted to try out for cheer leading.The episodes are good as well.The episodes all have a middle school problem and helpful tips to get through it.I'd like one episode to be based on Parent/Teacher conferences.That would be hilarious.The characters I dislike are the two cool kids who Mozely and Ned have a crush on.Seth is just plain stupid and overly obsessed with his basketball and Susie's shallow like in that episode when they were at the dance and she kept dumping Seth for small problems like how he brought her least favorite drink.The teachers can be weird at times but hey,in school almost every teacher can be weird.I rate this show a 7/10.

Lilo & Stitch (2002)

Great Movie

[8/10 · 3 April 2005]

This was one of Disney's best classics.Stich was the alien experiment created to cause destruction by a mad scientist named Jumba.Stitch later escapes using a ship to get to Earth and lands on the island of Honolulu,Hawaii.Lilo is a young Hawaiian girl who doesn't exactly fit in with the other girls in her Hula dancing class.Lilo lives in a house with her sister Nani because their parents died in a car crash.Lilo just wants a friend who will accept her for who she is and Stitch just wants to fit in and find a family.

This was one of the cutest movies I've seen since The Lion King.Lilo and Stitch are the cutest animated duo in Disney history.I rate this movie an 8/10 for humor,touching moments and a new discovery of friendship.

Shaman King (2001–2005)

One of my favorite anime shows!

[3 April 2005]

I love anime.My favorite anime shows are Inuyasha,Rave Master and of course Shaman King.What I love about this anime is the storyline,the animation and the characters.

Storyline:Shaman King is about a 14-year-old shaman boy named Yoh who lives in a world where people and spirits can see and communicate with each other.He also makes friends with a boy named Morty who can see ghosts as well even if he's not a shaman.Yoh even finds a guardian ghost named Amidamaru,a great Japanease samurai who died at the age of 24.Being Yoh's new guardian ghost,Amidamaru travels with Yoh to fight other shamans and eventually,become the shaman king.Yoh even has help from his bossy,tough and rather terrifying fiancé and trainer,Ana who also happens to be a Spirit Medium who can summon and communicate with the dead with a necklace of beads no matter where in the world she is.As Yoh prepares for the shaman tournament (the biggest fight to determine the Shaman King),he makes some unexpected friends along the way and discovers the power he holds as a shaman.

Animation:The animation of this show is the best.The parts when the shamans use spirit unity or furioku are well sketched out which is why I love those parts.The expressions on the characters are priceless especially when the characters are depressed or angry and there's a shadow drawn over their eyes which viewers just can't help wondering about what will happen.The way the characters are drawn is also fantastic.Most of the wacky hair styles on the characters are good ways of remembering who's who because anyone who watches Shaman King could never forget such well drawn yet strange hair of each character.

Characters:Yoh just happens to be my favorite character on the show because of his easy-going,trusting and relaxed personality and how he can see the good in everyone even in most of his enemies.Ana's ways of torturing Yoh yet improving him are hilarious.It's really nice to see an anime girl with a whole lot of backbone and an appearance showing almost no fear.When she wasn't fighting with Yoh when he was up against a Dao-shi (someone who controls zombies with talisman),I was a bit disappointed in her but after she explained to Morty why she wasn't fighting was because she had faith in Yoh,it made me happy she was my favorite female on the show.Morty's interesting.I'd like to know and see more of his family but other than that,I like him because he's extremely loyal to his friends.Rio's awesome.At first,I thought he was going to be a freak but I saw he was funny and also helpful to Yoh.I also like how he defends Yoh's honor if someone insults Yoh.Len at first seemed like a psychopath who just wanted to destroy but after Yoh invited Len to his house,I saw Len was a decent character and liked how he became a friend of Yoh's.Trey's hilarious and I also like his dedication to nature.Lyserg at first was an okay character but after he joined the X-Laws (fighters for good but fight with no mercy)I hated him ever since and he left just because Yoh was defending someone who was evil from the X-Laws.The X-Laws are just annoying because they hide behind their fancy guns and whatnot and just blast people who they think are evil.All around,there really isn't a character I hate on this show.Altogether,I rate this show an 8/10.

Elf (2003)

Awesome Movie

[9/10 · 2 April 2005]

Okay,at first,this movie looked stupid. I thought it was a desperate attempt to make a good Christmas movie.Boy was I wrong. Elf is about a human named Buddy who was raised by elves after Buddy as a baby,crawled into Santa's sack while he was delivering presents to the adoption center.As Buddy grew up,he grew faster than the other elves but still grew up learning about having Christmas Spirit like the other elves.Then,still not knowing he was human,he overheard some elves discussing he was human and asked his adoptive father about his origin which lead Buddy on an adventure to the low-spirited city of New York to find his real father and possibly spread some Christmas Cheer.That's all I'm sharing with viewers who haven't seen this movie.

Elf was probably the best Christmas classic movie I've seen since well,any other Christmas movie.This movie had hilarious moments and some moments where you just wanted to take a moment and wish you met an elf or anyone like Buddy.Will Ferrell really shines in this movie and proves to be an excellent actor as the innocent,child-like and lovable elf new to a city with no Christmas Spirit.He along with the other cast members bring this movie to life.Zooey Deschanel was amazing as Jovie,the moody yet considerate department worker who later discovers her amazing singing voice thanks to Buddy.James Caan was great as Walter,the grumpy and busy father of Buddy.

I don't care what anyone else says,I loved this movie and really makes me laugh.I don't know about all or you but I'm rating this a 9/10

Teen Titans (2003–2006)

5 out of 5 stars

[10/10 · 13 March 2005]

As much as I like Justice League,I was disappointed when I saw the preview thinking it was going to be another Justice League.However,I did some research and found the characters backgrounds very interesting.What caught my attention was the next preview of Teen Titans which showed some anime style happening so I thought,why not.After watching Final Exam(premiere of TT)I was really happy I gave Teen Titans a chance because the premiere really captured the characters personalities and the voices for each character are very talented.

I like the fact that Marv Wolfman(creator of the series) made Robin the leader to show how strong of a leader and a friend he makes now that he's on his own without Batman.The other Teen Titans are also very enjoyable and easy for people especially teens and kids to relate to.This series is quite impressive because it not only appeals to younger audiences but also appeals to older audiences.

While most episodes are filled with high comedy,some episodes can be very dramatic.Personally,this series helps viewers see not even heroes/heroines are completely invincible but you don't have to have powers or be a certain age to be a hero/heroine.The writers of most episodes send a message to viewers saying even if these teenagers don't go to school,have parents and have total independence,this young team of heroes still has to go through the same problems regular teens have to face.Throughout the series,the writers create episodes based on the characters and their origins,the bonds between the teammates growing stronger or just random yet enjoyable hilarity.This must be one of Cartoon Networks' best series.Great storyboarding,great music and great plot.I'd like to rate this 5 out of 5 stars.