XjokerX's movie Reviews on Newgrounds

[War of the Worlds Trailer]

Speaking as a Wells reader

for the last three years I've worked HEAVILY on the works of H. G. Wells. While I can lay claim to no authority, I've got two lengthy essays up for publication on his St. Simonian socialist beliefs and his demarcation of Distopia. I remember my original ecstacy at the proposed project from your teaser. As I said then, the premise you're bringing to the small, small screen is a rather intrinisic once since you won't be able to accomodate the sociological message of the piece. Contrawise- if you're looking for modernity- you'll lose a major portion of the original novels-
Wells was in his words, "a psuedo-scientific interloper" (Things to Come in preface) who looked to explain the social ills of mankind through futurity and technoloy. The Time Machine, for example, would be something worthwhile to look at considering Wells helped to manage the score and songs for the musical. his use of rhetoric was incredibly indepth and focused towards his audience. Again drawing allusions to "The Time Machine" the time Traveller in actuality makes three theories on the world in decline he finds in the year 802,701 A.D.- but he begins his journey through a jest about socialism. "I realized that there were no small houses to be seen. Apparently the single house...had vanished. Here and there among the greenery were palace-like buildings, but the house and the cottage...had disappeared. 'Communism,' I said to myself" (Time Machine, 45). Likewise, Wells used "War of the Worlds" to dictate what he felt would be unltra-modern contrivances for war...ending simply by the aliens' inability to cope with the common cold. WotW reasoned the intervention of flight and atomic power- two factors which would undoubtly (in Wells's mind) elevate War to an anonymous figure behind a control panel pushing a button rather than the millions previously needed in foot wars. He predicted the use of atomic weapons as early as 1901 and flight by 1896. this is why I'm sure you'll be amused to know his gravestone epitaph reads, "goddamnit, I told you all so."

Et Al, I feel that this piece bears MORE MERIT than Spielberg o Tom Cruise could ever hope to capture in this latest film adaption. In the long run, like the expected "Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy," movie, I seriously doubt the integrity of the piece. As to the idiot Andy K who last reviewed this movie- american viewers are incredibly stupid as to the literacy of the piece. This is why shitty movies (like I, Robot, Battlefield Earth, and Starshit Troopers) who rip off great science fiction manage to do well at the box office, people don't know any better. They do not nor can they ever comprehend the misjustice "poetic license" by a self righteous bastard can inflict on a piece of literature.
Sci-fi in itself is a difficult genre to enact. Interpretation always leaves a lot to be desired when it comes to using special effects rather than trusting in good writing. I have the highest expectations for this movie when it arrives. As someone who's dedicated his life to studying H. G. Wells and his contemporaries, I eagerly anticipate this to be a film worth reckoning.

[The Squirrel of Life]

Hoping to lightening will strike twice-

I'm both amused and happy to see you submitting so son after your last success, "up skit creek." As before- your use of visual rhetoric mixed with a rye sense of humor has produced something quite unique for it's genre. As before- you stick with the classic random theme, however; unlike before you guide us with a merry "melody."
The lyrics were a bit tough to catch, but you followed through nicely. ending was a bit abrupt, but over all quite humorous. for a late night ride this tickled my funny bone in just the right way over coming the drug and fatigue hazed mind. well done- thanks for the lullaby.
~Ed
XjokerX

TmsT responds:

Dude, your review has more serious effort (and probably artistic merit) than my animation! And I wasn't even on drugs when I made it! Thanks! ^____^

[X-Men: Death Becomes Them]

Awesome- true fan art.

An awesome interpretation of the fallacies of the Marvel X-men universe. I stopped reading around the time Scott and Jean died for the third time each. I picked up the series around the second pheonix saga and it wasn't long after the Executioner's song that I put it down. I call this true fan art because you've quintessentially created the perfect parody of the characters. Any fool can make kitty pride look like a ditz, but to have Beast in a smoking jacket and Wolverin'es canadian accent being over done- awesome. This truly tickled me in ways in which michael Jackson would surely have been arrested for.
to critique the film, I found the style to be very original for a parody. something to contrast the number of Southpark style films submitted to the portal. furthermore the action and gestures were very well done- the animation was smooth and the timing just right with your actors.
Dialogue was a special treat. Instead of by playing catch phrases and mmocking the caricatures, it complimented the overall melancholy of the comic series. Wolverin'es, "Oh, I've lost count" was so blase! You could of hammed it up as a cheap gay joke- instead you palmed it off as a calm assurance. Very well written indeed. 5 outta 5.

[TmsT's "Up Skit Creek"]

True adult comedy at its best!

I've yet to see a film in any medium be it silver, small, CGI or flash that has ever come so near perfection in humor. This is truly a submission worthy of the moniker, "film." It speaks on so many levels of not just the artist, but the human dialogue as a whole.
Let's break this down-
first, animation.
While you showcase your styles in the political bit, you've already shown us of of atleast a half different schools of art under your belt. Animation was clear-crisp and well defined. Use of subdued coloring made the scene picturesque and staged the action well.
Timing/genre/theme-
Excellently composed! Jokes were delivered with precise punctuation and proper build up. In the mummy pun- you allow just enough drag for the audience the percieve the intended joke right before the delivery.
Above all else are the two spot light moments: micropope and the political parody. I've never seen a film come so close to Woody allen's "A Mid-Summer's Sex Comedy." In the classified spectrum of "randoms" I felt that the material was well compiled and in increasing incremements of humor. Many times such ieces conclude with a longer, heavy toned piece. This finished nicely with the right amount of interplay to keep the audience interested. Drumstick would do well to learn abou timing punchlines from you. Excellent work.

TmsT responds:

Thanks for the in-depth review! I put a lot of thought into the range of material in this, and the order in which they were shown was changed several times for several reasons. Micropope is my favourite... but I've always had a thing for Thus Spake Zarathustra (see more than one of my other movies on my website). The 9/11 skit was the first one that I started making, and would have been released on its own had I not decided to throw a few other shorts in there too.

[Freerunner]

An interesting take.

More than anything this film, despite whether or not other viewers will find it as worthy as I is besides the point. you've done very well for the genre as a whole. The animation, though slow at points still revolved around a good frame rate and a MOST amusing sense of humor. If you decide to expand on this I'd be very happy for it- most pople use stick slayings as a means of complimenting the Xiao-Xiao series as well as incorporating the lesser bits of DBZ...the elevator bit being in perfect time with what Krinkels has done with Madness in the past. You bring a unique style to the genre- your sense of humor makes it through this piece intact and is quite frankly the most redeeming part of this film. I sincerely hope to see it survive judgement.

[Lambi 4]

Good to see another Lambi

Ah our affiable friend Lambi is back with another winner. As always your soft edged "nerf" caricatures and subdued "lullaby music" makes for a peaceful, yet innovative story.
Speaking of, however, you stepped away from your original theme. The chance encounter resulting in a blessing by the Alien king for some new upgrade. While I'll admit the "upgrading" has always kept in tune with the Megaman type feel for this series, it's good to see you step away from it and try and give your characters some depth. A truly interesting note is that something seems to be missing from the equation- if nothing more than a slight bit of exageration to an otherwise enjoyable fable.
I will admit though my favorite piece to this latest episode were the books Pinky and Penguin were reading. Oddly (as opposed to irnoy, no such thing exists in the artist's imagination) Part Two was my favorite in the series and a smash hit on NG in it's own right. Kudos on another excellent addition to the series.

Lambi responds:

Thaks. I took away the alien King (Kingii) because he might of confused people as to who he was (for people who havent seen the others. If you pause the movie and zoom in on the books, you can see little reviews written on the backs.
Oh, and the girls name is Vicki

[The Abyss : Komjo]

A thought-

Antithinker's commentary usually is in tone with my own. In this instance I could not agree more. It's obvious influence by Firth's Salad Finger's series is more than self evident. However, I'm willing to add that it's a unique voice that you're giving us. This is a postmodern tribute if anything to Salad Fingers and Firth- a "fan-fic" of the universe he's created. This is just yet one more piece in the growing films inspired by that original series and I dare say it sparks a new genre for NG.
Use of of sound was excellent, though the arm on a meat hook I felt was a tad cheesy as was the "octopi" in the parrots cage.
A recalcitrant note would be the irony in having an exit sign in Komjo's den. Sartre's No Exit is about people refusing to look into how other people see them much less break their internal, idealized view. Thus the line, "Hell is other people." In this instance, you've created a plausible counter view- the terrible beast which hides it's true nature beneath imagined camo- the equivalent ot the modern sociopathic serial killer...idealized in literature by Hannible Lecter and Q_P (see: Joyce Carol Oates, Zombie).
Et Al, congrats on a successful film, well done. The animation was clear, solid and smooth- pacing was perfect. Excellent use of subdued tones and sharp contrasting lines- a greater definition to the animation style, a note worthy difference between your work and that of Firth. Komjo Kudus.

DNR responds:

U my fellow animator saw it like it was...
dave firth surely inspired me and will inspire a new wave of movies here, i experimented and i liked it, but gave it my view, and what about the Hannibal Lecter, it was also inspired on that and its great to know that someone could point it out, thanks for the comment.
sincerely Hortals

[He's a nazi!]

stolen

I've seen this same flash video submitted to NG twice before under different authors. The load screen Icon denotes the true author- what's more is you didn't even try to change it. Shame.