playstationonward Reviews

What We Do in the Shadows: The Night Market (2022) Season 4, Episode 4

This season sucks so far

[4/10 · 27 July 2022]

The storyline this season is very uneven and all over the place. Some subplots go on way too long and some don't even get proper conclusions within the episode. Characterization is being thrown out to do random events like a build a club or have familiar fights. Characters out of character, over the top plots, overabundance of violence, sex jokes, f-bombs. It's feeling desperate.

I hate typing this. This was my favorite show on TV. I hope it turns around but it's feeling less smart and more dumb since Colin died. Seasons 1-3 were so good. It's sad.

Ultra Violet & Black Scorpion (2022)

Surprisingly Good for a Live-Action Disney Show

[8/10 · 30 June 2022]

I watched this by leaving the channel on accidentally and I found it charming, funny and very sweet. Ultra Violet and Black Scorpion's banter was funny and the stories were very thought out and heartfelt. Some of the action was really well done also. It's probably the best show on Disney I've seen, and I'm not kidding, since Gravity Falls. Big City Greens is pretty good too, but this is definitely their best live action show in a long while. Especially in comparison to the new villains show, which is a very bland sitcom.

Men in Black³ (2012)

One of the smartest films I have ever seen

[10/10 · 6 February 2022]

This is the rare sequel that is better and improves the other films by just existing. The humor, the set design, the pacing, everything here works so well. There are multiple scenes that inspire a sense of wonder, especially one scene with Griffin (a side character who aids the agents of their quest) in particular.

The 1960s theme and time travel motif is brilliant and adds to the understanding of the lore. This film has a story reason to exist and doesn't waste time. It keeps moving at a brisk pace filled with plenty of laughs. There are occasional lulls but the creativity of each scene makes them worth it in my view.

It all builds up to a genius third act that literally shook me to my core and retroactively changed the first two films. I cried at the last 15 minutes. It wasn't expected from an action flick like this, but the story is beautiful in a way you just have to watch to truly understand. It just hits you and when it does it changes everything.

I'm not joking when I say that this is a smart script. It might be one of my favorite movies for just how well balanced it was. What a satisfying, emotional and daring movie. They don't build many blockbusters like this one, and by that I mean they actually bothered to write a good story. 10/10 stars. Best threequel next to Toy Story 3.

Amphibia (2019–2022)

Gets worse as it goes

[5/10 · 6 November 2021]

Season 1 was really good when itr started with just Anne and the plantars but as soon as it gets going in season 2 it loses it's identity and gets all over the place really quickly. When the show is good, it slaps. Hop Pop, Sprig, Polly, Anne, Sasha, Grime, etc are all awesome, hilarious characters but it feels like the writers never fully push them or their stories to their potential. Storylines are started and hinted to but never finished. The characters linger too much in one place for too long in places that aren't interesting. Side characters are extremely shafted for a main story that is very aimless and all over the place. This is even worse when a whole half season focuses on a bad idea like a road trip where we don't see any of the other characters or getting stuck back in Anne's home where we barely ever go back to Amphibia. I want to like it but as it goes on it gets worse and worse and the characters feel like caricatures now. Season 1 was good. Season 2A was okay, but season 2B and 3A have been utterly terrible. I'd advise everybody to just watch something else. Even Owl House and Big City Greens on the same network are better. The former has a better plot and the latter does this show's comedy better. It's a big meh from me. People are gonna say I'm wrong but I just don't see why people love this show so much. It's really not as good as it should be.

Inside Job (2021–2022)

Brilliant show

[10/10 · 23 October 2021]

I first was going to write this off as a bad Rick and Morty clone from posters and trailers I had seen. I'm glad I didn't. First 3 episodes were watched for my review and all of them were awesome.

This is a quality animated show and the first from Netflix I've truly fallen in love with. Absolutely fun, chaotic, hilarious, and the characters have real character and depth. Reagan and Brett are an awesome duo and the side characters like Glenn and Myc had me busting a gut laughing from their stupidity.

It roasts all political sides like South Park which makes it a blast. It also has the chaotic spirit of shows like Gravity Falls, Rick and Morty and Regular Show where things just go sci-fi insane. It gives the show a rush and high stakes you don't see in many other animated shows at the moment. The commentary, characters, and craziness together add up into a unique hell of a show.

I can tell they are setting up lore and plot too which is interesting. Reagan and her dad's story is also interesting and I'm looking forward to that being explored more. Cognito, Inc is also so cool and all the stuff inside is so well drawn. There are funny jokes and easter eggs everywhere. 7 elevens are called 9 elevens in this universe and it absolutely sent me laughing, same with the references to conspiracies about American presidents, lizard people, etc.

Really funny and enough depth for it to stand out. If you like Rick and Morty and Gravity Falls this is for you. It has the heart and insanity of both. Check it out if you have the time. I don't regret it.

Fear the Walking Dead: Six Hours (2021) Season 7, Episode 2

I'm just tired

[4/10 · 19 October 2021]

After season 6 built up a new interesting story, all Andrew Chambliss and Ian Goldberg could do was piss it away. Direction, acting, set design, whatever, it's great. The writing wastes it all. It's so bad. Season 5 level bad. I'm tired of Morgan saying the same stuff, Strand being a jerk, etc. It's all the same stuff over and over and it goes nowhere. Same story every year, even though the potential and characters are fantastic. Anthology eps were okay last year, not so much this year, which is going to make the whole thing even more frustrating. Everyone is sure to be split up for another season, with no reuniting in sight until at least episode 6 or so, probably not until 8.

I'm so done with this. Why is this the TWD show to get more seasons as the other ones end? It makes no sense. There is barely a story here. Nothing Morgan does or says makes any sense. Might be my last year with this show.

Trolls: The Beat Goes On! (2018–2019)

I love this cartoon

[9/10 · 20 September 2021]

This show is the definition of wholesome. It's laugh out loud funny, has great songs, is super cute and overall a fun watch. The characters are wonderful and they work well off each other. DreamWorks always seems to put out great stuff for TV shows and this is no exception. Such a cute show.

Uncle Grandpa (2010–2017)

One of the best cartoons of the 2010s

[10/10 · 4 September 2021]

Yes that is a controversial headline. This show is one of the most charming and delightful shows CN has ever put out, and I fully mean that. It's lively, naive, and so full of joy that, for me, it was impossible not be enthralled by Uncle Grandpa, Mr. Gus, and Pizza Steve's adventures. Not only are the gags totally creative, but the structure of the show brings back that of variety cartoons from the 80s and 90s where the characters are putting on a show for you, similar to Animanaics or VeggieTales. The shorts at the end of each episode are often bizarre and hysterical, allowing for maximum creativity from the writers to test out funny ideas.

This show is a CARTOON. A real old style cartoon. It's all meant to make you feel happy and laugh, and this show did many times for me. In an age where every cartoon is trying to be someone's magnum opus, Uncle Grandpa just lets you sit back and enjoy it's absolutely bonkers ride. No shade to cartoons like Adventure Time, Regular Show, Steven Universe, Gravity Falls, Owl House, Rick and Morty etc with deep ideas and plots, those kinds of shows are great as well, but having variety with weird stuff like UG makes the landscape much more refreshing.

Uncle Grandpa as a protagonist is just an awesome concept as he can really do anything. He's like an unstoppable god with the heart of a child and it sells the show's madness as well as heart. I also love Mr. Gus' particular brand of cyncism. Pizza Steve and Giant Realistic Flying Tiger are also really fun and add a fun dynamic to the RV-driven episodes, which were the best ones imo.

Some of the best episodes of the series include the one where they save GRFT from zombies and the one where UG and Pizza Steve get stuck in Mr. Gus' ballroom. Both had great timing and utterly fantastic gags and atmosphere. The scene where UG and the gang track down GRFT in Tiger Trails is when I knew that i loved the show, because it was simply full of joy and wonder. The show has an odd, unique sense of childish fun that no other show does.

I'm sure many will disagree with me but I still love it. There was lots of fun in this show. It's one of those deals where I just say "screw you, I liked it." It was a joy to watch and every time I tuned into it I had a big smile on my face. As Uncle Grandpa says, embrace the weird.

Middlemost Post (2021–2022)

Best comedy cartoon in several years

[10/10 · 17 August 2021]

I was expecting nothing but came out in love with this show. The characters are so sweet and oddly fleshed out and the interactions between them makes for fantasic comedy. Parker's optimism makes the show so light and lovely and the comedy of him taking situations to comedic heights due to his naivety is high. Angus and Lily are hilarious characters as well who are surprisingly layered and unlike most Nickelodeon cartoons feel like actual people rather than cardboard cutout sidekicks like every Nick show produced in the last 15 years. Angus is very unique as a mentor character to Parker and their bond is one I've never seen before in animation at all. Lily is sarcastic but never feels disgenuine, and her interests span more than just being the smart one. Russell is also not only a great plot device but probably one of the better non speaking animal buddies I've seen in a cartoon. The town too is full of funny extras, and everyone is complimented by some funny voice acting and animation which elevates the timing and pacing of the humor and the entire show in general.

Generally what I'm saying is this is a show that has great characters, which allows for everything else to be pretty stellar. The greatest thing is this show's restraint and pacing, making it genuinely surprising in how stories turn out and how jokes land, which in turn helps flesh out it's characters. Most Nick shows just throw everything at the wall with no regard to pacing or characterization, this one actually tries. It's a shockingly great show, one that is being heavily overlooked at the moment, probably due to being aired next to a mediocre Spongebob spin-off. If Nick was smart, this is what they should renew because it has only started and it's potential just keeps going up with each episode. Episode 6 in particular had me rolling laughing in both segments, and genuinely caring for the day to day antics of the characters. I'm sure the next episodes will be just as or more entertaining and I'm waiting to see them.

Then I learned the show is now on hiatus for no reason and it makes me wonder whether Nickelodeon will do what it usually does and kill it after 20-30 half hours and burn it off stupidly on Nicktoons. The fact I said this cartoon was good and it was on Nick in the year 2021 is some kind of miracle within of itself. It's the first cartoon on Nick since God knows how long to actually be a real, entertaining show. Please watch it and keep it on air. It's a funny show getting better with each ep that deserves more.

Invincible (2021– )

Strangely non-engaging

[4/10 · 16 April 2021]

I was kind of interested in this show considering it had Robert Kirkman of The Walking Dead fame as it's creator and some other big actors and animation crew working on thr episodes. That changed quickly. It is nowhere near as clever or engaging as The Walking Dead is and or was.

It is the most "fine" animated show I've seen. There are no storytelling risks instead of the hyper gore sequence, which just feels like a lazy way to make this boring story interesting. The dad, Omni-Man, is very unlikable, and so is the son. The story provides no reason for me to care about these characters. Things just happen to them without any proper build up or development. Son is a random kid who just randomly gets his powers. Dad is just superman but dark and edgy. Mom is just a mom. The heroes are all very bland and don't stand out, and all the cool ones die in the first episode. It's all shockingly bland for a show in 2021, I've seen kids superhero/anime cartoons that are better than this. Young Justice and Last Airbender do action and characterization way better. So this has been done before and better, by shows that aren't even for adults.

The gore is whatever, I don't really care about that stuff as much as others (when you watch a decade worth of Walking Dead and Game of Thrones you stop caring), so it really just seemed like glorified shock value to me. And unlike the two previous shows, is just pure shock value and doesn't add much to the show in my opinion.

The animation is also awful for modern standards. Characters just kinda sit there and mumble during dialogue, barely opening their lips and they rarely move or blink. Fight scenes look cool occasionally but it feels a lot like moving layers around to create motion rather than straight action, like a cheap 1980s saturday morning cartoon.

I don't get why this show is praised. It's boring, by the books, and ugly. And any chances at humor are ruined by the lifeless, stilted animation. It's gonna be a pass from me. Lazy effort.

Chad (2021–2024)

Wowwwww

[1/10 · 13 April 2021]

Easily worst show of the year. I get the point, he's cringe, but he's so cringe. It's hard to watch, physically. Goes for every physically cringy experience and drags you through it. Chad isn't likable either, he's a complete whiny jerk. There's no reason to even root for this cringe, and the personality of every other character is so basic they could be walking character tropes. Lazy as hell, ugly, badly written. Ugh. Still cringing. Bad, bad POS show.

Resident Alien (2021– )

Best one hour drama in many years.

[10/10 · 6 February 2021]

What a unique and Interesting opener. The show is very well plotted, is full of character and just plain good. It's very engrossing. You get pulled in real easy. Not only did they figure out how to make an evil alien relatable and lovable, but everyone in the town. There's a damn good mystery, and hint at a deeper lore to come later in the series. It's also hilarious. Alan Tudyk is amazing and fits the role perfectly. He feels like an alien, and his quirks sell the comedy. Great acting, and great emotional sequences that swept me away unto the show, especially at the end of episode 1. Everything just gels here so well. I feel like I want to stay in this town for a long time.

In a world where every show is a spinoff or sequel or some crappy rehash of cop shows or soap operas or reality TV or something else, this show is a breath of fresh air. There's something so utterly charming about it. It's a show the entire family can watch. It's just weird and inappropriate enough. And thank God it's not some grimdark Walking Dead/Game of Thrones thing, I think everyone is tired of the gloom and doom. It's just fun, entertaining, and uniquely deranged. Which is what TV needs right now.

SMG4 (2011– )

The Best Mario Cartoon That Never Was

[10/10 · 8 December 2020]

One of the funniest animation/gaming related shows on YouTube. Has all the good writing and charm of eleven minute cartoon episodes, mixed in with memes and well developed stories. Mario is the protagonist, and the whole thing is like an AU of Super Mario. He hangs out in Peach's castle with his best friend SMG4 and all the people he's friends with.

There's no limit on where they'll go, leaving some room for hilarious stories. A random search for some spaghetti and meatballs can become a quest to save the universe. Running out of milk leads to a gunfight with cows on a farm. Mario's stupidity knows no bounds. And all his friends are hilarious. SMG4's quest for meme gold, Bob's selfishness and his rap career, Boopkin's obsession with anime, Meggy's quest to overcome the difficulties put on her life by things out of her control, all great stories and arcs that range from funny to actually wholesome and touching.

Best dang Mario cartoon I've ever seen. It should be noted that these guys have mastered the eleven minute cartoon format, the pacing is always so good and there's a guaranteed laugh or two a minute. Good editing, timing, etc. Just a good time for anyone looking for some laughter and some brain cells to kill. Good show.

B Positive (2020–2022)

Oof

[3/10 · 20 November 2020]

Yeah, this is just a weird show. Tonally very inconsistent* and just not very funny, especially if Chuck Lorre is involved. Main characters are good people and the concept is great but the execution just isn't there. I dont see this lasting beyond 13 episodes unless it does a complete 180 in some capacity. Wasted potential.

*Also the intro doesn't make any sense with the show and feels like the opening for an Adult Swim show, but this isn't that at all.

Fear the Walking Dead: The End Is the Beginning (2020) Season 6, Episode 1

One of the best episodes of TV I have seen in a long time

[10/10 · 12 October 2020]

Holy wow. They took everything wrong with the last two seasons and crushed them instantly. Morgan Jones is at his best here, and the new characters are incredibly interesting. The plot is tight, the mood is intense, and the hype feels justified. This feels epic, high scale. Something The Walking Dead hasn't hit in years, and World Beyond probably won't ever hit. When Fear is good it is quite possibly the best show (or one of the best) on all of television. I can't wait to see where this goes next. Top tier.

The Owl House (2020–2023)

Along with Amphibia, a great plot driven animated epic

[9/10 · 22 September 2020]

The Owl House, created by Gravity Falls storyboarder Dana Terrace, is a great piece of work from Disney. In what seems to be a trend on televison animation, Disney continues to dominate by telling new, interesting stories and delivering gut busting laughs from the absurd nature of their new and strange worlds.

The series follows Luz, a 13 year old girl with a big imagination who lives her life through her fantasy novels. When she accidentally stumbles into another world, her greatest dreams of becoming a witch come true. The Boiling Isles, this crazy fantasy world she stumbles into, includes witches, demons, curses, and her newest best friends. She finds shelter in the titular Owl House, home to Eda the Owl Lady and the King of demons (at least he thinks he is). Agreeing to be Eda's apprentice, Luz tries to be a witch, but soon will learn it's not all that easy. It's also a bit easy to be distracted when you're as out there as Luz.

The show itself, much like it's contemporaries Amphibia and Big City Greens, is just hilarious. Luz, Eda, and King are such funny characters and play off well with one another. Hooty will make me crack up just about every time he shows up. The show makes use of its weird characters and monsters very well, leading to dynamic stories and hilarious villains for the gang to face.

On top of this, the show is just cute and wholesome, which is ironic considering it takes place in a hellscape. Gus and Willow are great, sweet friends to Luz and have very dynamic arcs. Amity is such an interesting character as well and finally delivers a dynamic and well written LGBT+ personality. She's so flawed and lovable, and makes a great foil for Luz, Gus, and Willow.

The plot that's developing is also fascinating. Who is Emperor Belos really? What are his intentions? Why is he building a portal? Who was the fallen titan? This show is sitting on a landmine of lore and interesting story. Will Luz, Eda, King, Gus, Willow, Amity, and Hooty stop him? Will Luz finally become a witch? I'm hooked.

Despite the greatness, there are flaws that keep it back a bit from a 10/10 score. The episodes can sometimes focus too much on the school setting, when it should be spending time with Eda and Luz's mentorship. Some episodes also can have a weak second or third act (episodes 2, 9, 11) and can deflate the confidence of the show's tone. These problems are typical first season stuff, but they occur so frequently I felt it should be acknowledged. Additionally, some of the show's messages can get heavy handed, and are not subtle enough. These rougher episodes tend to have weaker dialogue, sometimes having the characters spell out to you the moral. Not ideal, but doesn't ruin the good stuff on display here.

And speaking of display, the animation is GORGEOUS. Holy moly. Spencer Wan delivers stellar action sequences and the overall frame rate and cleanliness of the line work is superb for an animated children's show on television, even not on his sequences. The backgrounds are lush, the lighting beautiful in a very nostalgic way. Will give you goosebumps from time to time. The characters designs are also the right amount of complex. Not too cute and bug eyed like something on Cartoon Network and not too realistic and weird looking like some anime. A nice balance.

Overall, The Owl House rocks. If you or your child enjoys action, comedy, and fantasy, it's a good pick. For those looking to hate on it due to its contents of witchcraft and LGBT+ themes, I suggest you give it a second look. It's a lot more wholesome than you might think. Is it dark and kind of freaky? Yes! But it's also really cute and kids will love the characters. And what cartoon has ever not been weird in one way or another? Remember SpongeBob? PokeMon? Remember those controversies? Those kids turned out fine. It's not going to poison your children, It's just a show. As for the gay side, Amity is one of the best written gay characters I've seen so far on these shows, she'll be great for kids who identify like that.

Check it out, Disney's been on a roll lately. It's just quality, and I can't say that about every network's animated stuff lately.

Hoot Hoot!

Ratatouille (2007)

One of the Finest Animated Films to Ever Grace the Silver Screen

[10/10 · 29 March 2020]

Ratatouille is Pixar's magnum opus. Written and directed by the mighty talented Brad Bird (The Incredibles I and II, The Iron Giant) this 2007 animated film is both a satisfying comedy adventure and a deep piece on creating and the critique that comes with it.

Remy, an aspiring chef with big dreams, gets the chance of a lifetime when separated from his family during a thunderstorm. He soon finds himself on the streets of Paris, home of some of the finest chefs and food in the world. The only thing standing in his way to becoming the finest chef in Paris? He's a rat. Rats don't belong in the kitchen.

Or do they? As Remy's cookbook idol Gusteau would say, anyone can cook. Remy sure can cook. But is he right? Food critic Anton Ego will be the judge of that.

With the help of a young nerdy chef named Linguini, Remy sets out to change Gusteau's into a five star restaurant. Proving to his dad and Anton Ego that anyone can cook, all while avoiding the aggressive, hilarious (and small) Chef Skinner.

Ratatouille fires on all cylinders. This is a top shelf animated production from Pixar. It's full of hilarious moments, from Remy's relaxed brother Emile to the various chefs that populate Gusteau's restaurant. The adventure is incredible, showing life in Paris from both a rat's and human's perspective. There is never a moment wasted in Ratatouille. The script is clean, tight, and focused. It's overall not just a great animated film but a good piece of film in general.

The film is elevated by the touching relationship between Remy and Linguini, and their journey to becoming chefs. The characterization is phenomenal and no one character feels unneeded or the same. Everybody is here to enhance Remy's journey, friend or foe.

But what makes this particular film so fantastic is the delicious, saucy filling that lies just underneath. Ratatouille raises deep questions of what it means to critique, and those who make the work to be critiqued. The ideological battle between Gusteau's and Anton Ego's thoughts on cooking give the film something to chew on.

This inner layer enhances Remy's journey, and gives the narrative a flow that brings everything together in a nice little bow. All of the film's characters are furthered through this deeper narrative, making the film feel seamless. Even old cranky Anton Ego has a change in heart. That scene with him eating the Ratatouille is perfection and one of Pixar's (and cinema's) greatest moments.

The pacing is slick, the characters rich, the themes above and beyond that of an animated family film. And don't even get me started on the beautiful animation and rendering, that food had me hungry as hell. Those rats move like real damn rats.

All of these things make Ratatouille one of the finest animated films to ever grace the big screen. Brad Bird and the Pixar story team are geniuses who understand what makes a strong script. A masterpiece of animation and Pixar's best.

10/10