nutz4n64 Reviews

Sonic X (2003–2006)

Update review for dubbed version

[27 September 2003]

I figured I'd wait until the series progressed a little more in dubbed form before I wrote a review for it. Now that I've seen the dub of episode 4, I think I can be fair.

Well, after a really horrible English version of the first episode, 4Kids managed to make a pretty good comeback. The music is a little more tolerable, though I don't like how they can't just leave maybe a few moments of silence in there while the characters a speaking. It's a pretty frequent problem and not just with this series.

The voice acting is ok. They did a fairly good job with the dialogue, though of course, we can't get the same comic effect from Sonic randomly throwing in some English phrase. ;-) I'm not very fond of Amy's voice (never have been in the Sonic Adventure games either) since it just doesn't make her the appealing character she is the original. Cream sounds way too old for a 5 year old character. Other than that, it's alright. Chuck Thorndyke especially, since he almost sounds like his Japanese counterpart.

Overall, 4Kids Entertainment, you managed to do something right. Congratulations. Don't slip up now.

Oh, and ([e-mail]), if you're reading this, Eggman was always his name in Japan, but for some reason, when Sonic the Hedgehog for the Genesis came out in the US, they named him Robotnik. It's kind of like the whole thing with the Mario series where the princess was originally named Peach, but then was named Toadstool in the US.

Sonic X (2003–2006)

Excellent return to animation for Sonic

[26 June 2003]

Truly wonderful series. It definitely starts out slow, but once the third episode comes around, it really picks up. The human characters aren't the best additions to the Sonic universe I've ever seen, but they're tolerable. Sonic and Co., however, are very well developed. I've only seen the series in Japanese so far, but I'm not sure if I'll watch it in English. I can't imagine what it'd be like with the English voice actors for the Sonic Adventure series (if that's who'll be used). Still, if you can catch it in the original language, I highly recommend it.

Pokémon the Movie 2000 (1999)

This is a sad time for Pokemon fans

[3/10 · 18 July 2001]

I figured that it's about time I let this one out. Pokémon fans are suffering in America these days. Why? Because we rely on Kids WB and 4Kids Entertainment to provide us with our beloved series and movies. As far as the series goes, they do a pretty good job in bringing the fun and magic of the Japanese versions to television. So what is their problem when it comes to the movies? Honestly now, I have seen all three Pokémon movies in Japanese and I will definitely be seeing the fourth one. They are excellent movies. They are all enjoyable and fun to watch. And, after seeing Pokémon 2000 in theaters, I can't help but wonder how these American producers read the Japanese scripts. The way it appears, it seems that they read and see something that says `Insert empty moral here' in big bold faced letters. It definitely appears that way as they used the same wonderful dubbing methods they used on MSB (extreme sarcasm there) and created this crap.

*possible spoilers from here on*

Well, I guess I should first talk about Pikachu's Rescue Adventure. My first gripe with this came with no narration. I guess they got enough bad comments on the Pokédex narration that plagued Pikachu's Vacation, and, instead of going with a caring, gentle woman's voice as appeared in Pikachu no Natsu Yasumi and Pikachu Tankentai, they just cut the narration all together. This wouldn't have been a problem, except for one thing. Did anyone really understand why the Exeggcute didn't let Togepi go until the end? Possibly the fans, but I'm sure not the parents. Then, there's the theme song. I couldn't help but roll my eyes at this one. The Japanese theme song was `Tankentai wo Tsukurou' and was sung by Japanese children. It was fun and enjoyable. This one: nauseating. Now, one of my favorite parts of the short was the dancing Kireihana. Nice music, fun to watch. That's changed with the Bellossom. The music sucked for one, but on top of that, they had all the Pokémon talk during the music, which turned out to be jumpy, annoying, and just unnecessary. Oh, and then there's the Poliwhirl who thinks he's a Poliwrath. You'd think that guys that work with these characters constantly would at least learn what they are. Basically, not much could save this little ill fated dub, which is very unfortunate considering its potential. But, I haven't touched on the worst of it yet.

You'd think that the warning signs would've been apparent to me when I received my issue of Nintendo Power. For some unfathomable reason, I had been placing some faith in 4Kids and the WB. My thoughts were `well, they screwed up on the first movie, but the second is different as far as the theme goes, so they should do well.' That in mind, I just didn't pay attention to the warning signs I encountered in the theaters when the trailers said, `You will believe that one person can make all the difference.' With the way they said that at every turn, I was hoping that this would not turn into a moral fest like MSB did at the end of the English version. Then comes Nintendo Power, in which I see all my fears realized in the words `the main feature 'The Power of One.' At that point, I became a bit more uneasy. `The Power of One?!' Not a good sign. However, I still kept some of my false faith. Big mistake.

Sitting in the theater, I was literally getting stomach cramps watching another movie which I loved in Japanese being turned into complete and utter junk. I hear comments that say it was better because the moral was more subtle. I can see a point in that since they didn't pander this thing, repeating it over and over like in MSB. However, it did more damage than anything else in this movie. First of all, the legend that was read throughout was changed a bit to read `the world turns to Ash.' Ah hah. So, Ash is the chosen one? Whatever. In the Japanese version, the inhabitants of Arshia needed a Pokémon trainer to carry out their traditional ceremony. This time, he's the chosen one. A greater way that this did damage was to Lugia. Lugia was one of the coolest characters in a Pokémon movie.... when the movie was ABOUT Lugia. In this one, Lugia is forced to take a back seat to Ash. In the scene where they're flying back to the main island, Lugia and Ash are discussing the conditions of Lugia's existence, not that Ash is going to make all the difference. Overall in this category, Ash wasn't really the `one person' that would make the difference, since he was helped by many along the way.

A lot of the other stuff is kind of nit picking. Furura's flute song wasn't nearly as sweet and enjoyable as the Japanese one. Jirarudan's speech to them saying his collection `started with a Mew card?' Ugh. Even worse, Misty's outrage originally concerned the way Moltres and Zapdos were being held. `Why didn't you put them in Pokéballs when you caught them? This is like caging them to be displayed.' Much different from whining about him thinking Pokémon are things to be collected like stamps. If there were any real redeeming values in this, they came from Team Rocket. Some pretty funny lines. Not really to make me laugh out loud, but more to make me giggle and slightly ease the pains in my stomach. Well, that was officially the last American Pokémon movie I'm going to see. I've imported the third one and find it very enjoyable. I would rather not see another Japanese movie be ruined in the same fashion as the first two. I'll be importing the fourth one as well. Forget you, Kids WB and 4Kids. You have forsaken me for the last time.

Me, Myself & Irene (2000)

Definitely reeks of Farrelly style

[9/10 · 24 June 2000]

To put it simply, I loved `Dumb and Dumber' and `There's Something About Mary.' The Farrelly brothers are fast becoming my favorite directors (ahead of Mel Brooks). Their latest film, `Me, Myself, and Irene,' was not of the quality of these films, but makes me laugh nonetheless. At the start, I was disappointed to hear the voice of a narrator, Hank's first scene was not all that I hoped it would be, and I thought that this movie was sitting squarely on a rating of about 6. However, as the story began to pick up, particularly with Irene finding Charlie in his hotel room (great embarrassment scene), I found myself enjoying it more and more. Also, the scene where Charlie confronts his other personality reminded me of `The Nutty Professor,' which was another great take. By the end, I found it to be a terrific comedy. For those that like low brow humor, specifically of the Farrelly type, this one is for you. 9 of 10

Pokémon: Red Version (1996 Video Game)

The game that started it all

[10/10 · 29 April 2000]

The cards, the show, the countless numbers of toys. Who could've expected so much to come from one simple Game Boy game? It drew me with its strange theme and my own curiosity, and I must say that never before have I been so taken in by a video game in my life. The premise is very simple: become the greatest pokemon trainer by catching as many as you can. The level of gameplay, on the other hand, is unmatched. There are 15 different elements that the Pokemon base their powers on. Each has a strength and weakness. The key is to teach the Pokemon a good variety of attacks and make good use of various advantages that one ability can have. For a guy that has memorized the first 151 creatures by number, I must warn that this game is dangerously addictive. If you haven't gotten involved by now, there's little chance that you will. Yet, it is definitely worth checking out. The best game for the Game Boy at this time so far. 10/10

Pokémon the Movie 2000 (1999)

Incredible

[3/10 · 4 March 2000]

Ok, I know that I said in my review of Pokemon: The First Movie that I would wait until a week before the second one was released to order it in Japanese, but I just couldn't hold out any longer. I had to see it, and it's incredibly well done. So, which one do I like better? Truthfully, I don't know. Mewtwo Strikes Back had heart, and this one has a ton of adventure. Of course, since this one is still about five months from being released in the US, I won't summarize it, but I will say that Misty has a little competition. You'll see what I mean. Those of you that didn't like Mewtwo Strikes Back might like this one better. It has a great storyline, very likeable characters, and a beautiful music score. Hopefully this time, Kids WB will do better in the translation and keep the original music (except, of course, for the theme song). However, looking at their start on this movie (naming it Pokemon the Movie 2000), the future for this dub doesn't seem very promising. Hopefully, they know what they're doing this time.

Rock-A-Doodle (1991)

Animation at its worst

[1/10 · 25 February 2000]

Ah, I remember the days of my childhood. Animation was the biggest thing at the time. I remember the advertisements this movie got and how much I wanted to see it. Why? I was 8. Why else? It looked cool. I begged my parents to take me and finally, my wish came true. We found a theater showing Rock-A-Doodle. Well, after seeing it, Mom and Dad obviously had to ask what I thought. I mumbled, "Yeah, good." Did I mean it. Uh, no. I was in a stage of my life when I never wanted to call a movie bad, so if it was, I'd lie. I sat through the entire movie, waiting to actually become interested and excited by it. Well, whenever it looked like it would get good, it just sunk lower. I hated how they mixed the real life characters with this storybook cartoon. I hated the ending. I couldn't stand this movie. If you've read any of my reviews, you'd probably know that I don't like all this bad talk on the Pokemon movie. Everyone that said it was "the worst animated movie you've ever seen," just rent this movie. The characters were hardly likeable. The story was dumb. You will throw your VCR out the window in a split second. 1/10 Recommendable to no one.

Pokémon: The First Movie - Mewtwo Strikes Back (1998)

Updated Review

[4/10 · 8 February 2000]

Some of you may have read my past review of this movie, but I thought I should finally update. The first review I wrote was actually written one day before I got my video in the mail. Importing can be murder, but this one was worth it. So, unfortunately, I have to denounce the American version to a slight extent. I may not like it as much as I used to, but Mewtwo Strikes Back (Japanese) has now become my favorite animated movie (yes, better than Toy Story 2).

The dub made a very good effort, but now that I've seen both, I realize where the movie kinda falls apart in English. Would someone please tell me who the genius was that put that Brother, My Brother song into the fighting scene? The music in the English version, overall, is not that great, but that song was unforgivable. They want to make the fighting is wrong point, which is fine, but the song just pushes the moral on us prematurely. This really ruins the emotions in the ending part. The Japanese version, on the other hand, has a fast paced music score, then changes when things really take a turn for the worst.

This is the version I really consider to be a tear-jerker. It is, as I said, the best animated movie I've ever seen. The American one is fine and all, but let's face it, it's not the "real" Mewtwo Strikes Back. I still give the movie a 10 (after all, the Japanese version is still the same movie) and still like the dubbed version, but if you liked it in the slightest bit, or if you didn't like it, you MUST see the original.

Well, I can't wait till the sequel is released. My strategy for that one: Order the Japanese version about a week before the movie comes to theaters, see it opening day, then I should have the Japanese video a short while afterwards. Repeating to all people that said this was a bad movie: See the movie in Japanese! NOW!!!! Guaranteed that you'll like it better.

Romeo + Juliet (1996)

Leo does Shakespeare. Oh, goody.

[1/10 · 28 January 2000]

I was first introduced to Shakespeare freshman year at high school. Sure, it was a bit tough at first, but I got used to it. Romeo and Juliet was a terrific play. Then came the time in class when we would watch the video adaptations of this play. We spent half the period on the '68 version, then half on this one, which went on for a few days. The '68 version was very well done, and most of the class liked it. Then we watched the "new" one. I didn't know what to expect, but I thought it might be good. Then I see the Montagues cruising the expressway in an open top convertable. OK, so it's in modern times. It might be good. Then I heard them speak. Dear God, what were they thinking?!

I see this fight at a gas station where everyone looks like they're on speed and they shout these Shakespearean lines like they're normal for the time. I should've seen it coming when, instead of a narrator, a news caster does the prologue. Great job. Tip to the writers: if you're going to put Shakespeare in modern times, don't include the original lines. "Draw the sword!" What "sword?" I saw no sword in the movie. I saw some guns. Is this what Shakepeare would call guns nowadays? And do I see news reports and beach parties where people actually speak in blank verse? And let's not forget Leonardo DeCaprio. How much more pathetic can his acting get? I hardly saw any good actors in this movie. I don't know why people would see this as "good" entertainment. Rarely do I ever give a 1 out of 10 to any movie, but this was just plain garbage. If you want to see the real Romeo and Juliet, watch the '68 adaptation. It is much more worthy to be called a work of Shakespeare's.

Sonic the Hedgehog (1993–1994)

Taken off the air?

[22 January 2000]

This show came out a short time after the other Sonic cartoon. That one was on at the same time as Animaniacs and seeing how I hated it so much, I had no reason at all to watch. Then I hear of this new one, and see that it looks a lot different. After one episode I was hooked. The theme song was great and it was a very cool look at Sonic's world. Man, I wish that the video games were based on the characters on this show. It would've been much more interesting. I liked most of them. Bunnie Rabbot, Princess Sally, Tails, Rotor, Dulcy, Arrie, Uncle Chuck, and (believe it or not) Antoine. I see a lot of people here didn't like him, but heck, he's the comic relief. A lot of shows need comic relief. This was, up to last year, my favorite show based on a video game (Pokemon has now taken its place), but I wish it would've succeeded. I hated the fact that it was off the air right when things were really getting interesting between Sonic and Sally. What cruel fate for such a worthy show.

Animaniacs (1993–1998)

In its early days, it was one of the best

[22 January 2000]

This show first aired when I was in the fifth grade, and I was crazy for it after the first episode. The parodies found in it were terrific and had a host of some of the best characters I've ever seen. Slappy Squirrel was my favorite out of them all. The Good Feathers were terrific (I've never seen Good Fellas, but I probably should now). Pinky and the Brain were very funny (they should've never gotten a separate series). The only objections I usually have to cartoons are when one of the episodes turns into an opera, most apparent with Rita and Runt. Why do the writers do this? To familiarize kids with more "cultural" rich ideals? However, most of the others didn't have annoying musicals. Unfortunately, the writing for this show got incredibly stupid in the later episodes. What happened to the good old off the wall Warner Bros. wit? Why is Slappy so much more sentimental? If you ever catch one of the old reruns on TV, watch them. They are easily recognizable by the theme song. If the theme song includes Bill Clinton, it's worth watching. If it doesn't, AVOID AT ALL COSTS.

Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope (1977)

What sort of bad thing can you say about a movie like this?

[10/10 · 19 January 2000]

The first time I ever heard anything about Star Wars was in the fifth grade. My uncle is definitely a crazed fan, so he bought it for me immediately when he heard I never saw it. I can easily say one of the best movies of all time. The story was incredibly good and the acting was terrific. Very believable (unlike a certain episode 1 that we all know about). This was a great start for the trilogy and shouldn't have been messed with in 1999. Oh, and I was equally impressed when I got the last ones too. A must see above all others.

Happy Gilmore (1996)

Best Sandler movie I've seen

[9/10 · 18 January 2000]

I have only seen two of Adam Sandler's movies, and this is definitely the better. The acting was terrific on just about everyone's part (are we seeing a big difference from Waterboy hear?). Anyway, Sandler is a complete loser that tries to become a hockey player. The movie opens with a Wonder Years type sequence, in which we see Happy's youth years. Flash forward to a hockey try out in which he kicks the coach's @$$. I don't know about other people, but I thought that was hilarious. That and the scenes where the people get hit by his first shots and the kid trying to take a baseball. The actors go about their routines so well that I just can't help but laugh. Happy's first victory wins him a spot on the pro tour, trying to get enough money to get back his grandmother's house from the IRS. Along the way, he meets his foe, Shooter McGavin. The attitude Shooter carries does make him very unlikable and really makes you proud to see his butt get kicked. Plus, Sandler's hotheadedness sets up many hilarious scenes, including one where Bob Barker kicks the crap out of him and where the censors have to work overtime whenever he misses a shot. We can be proud to know that Sandler makes better movies than The Waterboy.

The Waterboy (1998)

OK, but not too great

[2/10 · 17 January 2000]

I'll go on record by saying that this is the first Adam Sandler movie I've ever seen. I went to it on my birthday (16) with my mom and three of my friends. There was a choice between this and seeing "There's Something About Mary" for my fourth time(their first). Well, they said that I should see something different. They (friends) came out laughing with huge smiles on their faces, saying how totally hilarious the movie was. I, on the other hand, was a bit puzzled as to what they were laughing so hard about. I laughed at some of the scenes, and the movie does come off as entertaining, but was it really that good? Some of the great scenes were when Sandler held up traffic with his riding mower and when his mother tackled his father at the end. It's good, but Sandler has had better movies than this.

Trapped in Paradise (1994)

Underrated

[9/10 · 17 January 2000]

I just watched Trapped in Paradise for the first time today, and I laughed hysterically. People seem to complain about things like "too unlikely" or "bad performance." Now this, unlike The Waterboy, is something that you just have to not think about to like. The Waterboy didn't even work that way. Nicholas Cage is great, and I've seen Dana Carvey and John Lovitz perform on SNL before. I must say, they make excellent cons and are very funny. However unlikely it was for the townspeople to save them at the end doesn't really matter. It just shows good nature. And I also tend to like some comedies a bit better if the somewhat unjust don't change at the end, just teach us something. IE, at the end Dana Carvey takes the guy's hat and puts it on his brother's head. It just makes it that much more funny to say it's good from beginning to end. Think about There's Something About Mary. At the end, Ted is the only one that really learns anything while Woogie just tries to get an autograph from Brett Favre. This movie is something worth checking out, if you can just leave all common sense behind. Don't just go for the critically acclaimed. They are right sometimes, but other times, I get the sense that they need to take the rod out of their &^^.

A Fish Called Wanda (1988)

Give it a chance, it pays off

[10/10 · 17 January 2000]

The first time watching this movie, I was bored stiff. I sat through the first, perhaps, half-hour, upon which I turned it off to go somewhere. I am a very firm believer in giving movies a chance. Watch it all the way through. I'll admit that not everything I saw in the first part was boring. Some of it was pretty funny, and I liked the plot. I especially liked Michael Palin as K-K-K-Ken. Anyway, when I got back to it where I left off, I was overwhelmed. The sequence with Ken trying to kill the old lady was hilarious and Jamie Lee Curtis was very sexy. First impressions can be very wrong, and this one is proof of it. It is a great comedy, so please, do not overlook it.

Batman & Robin (1997)

So, we now actually have a Batman sequel that lives up to sequels' images, it's bad

[5/10 · 15 January 2000]

Let me start off by saying that I thought this movie was marginally entertaining. It wasn't the most horrible thing I've ever seen. However, as a continuance to the Batman movie series, this one was very poorly done. George is by far the worst Batman I've ever seen. Val Kilmer could've done better. Michael Keaton would've thrown out the script. The redeeming quality is the action, but the lines were lame. The villains were OK at best, but not as well done as the others. I hear they're making a fifth Batman. Please make it better than this.

Toy Story (1995)

Why the trailer, why?

[9/10 · 15 January 2000]

I remember seeing all the trailers for this movie and thinking, "Uggh, how stupid. Why do they make movies like this?" This was when I was in my macho mood. Ya know, I've outgrown all this animated c%^p. That was my attitude, so, of course, I avoided this movie for 4 years. Just last year, Pokemon kinda broke me out of my "macho mode" and brought me back to those simple pleasures. Taught me not to hide the child in me. So, my mom says we're taking care of my little cousin and wants to know if there's a movie out that we could see. I mentioned Toy Story 2 (he and I already saw Pokemon, the most underrated movie of '99), but hadn't seen the first one. So, I drove over to his house to watch Toy Story. Man, what I was missing. This is a terrific movie, but not because of the great animation. The animation is cool, but like I've said, don't be that superficial that you judge the movies completely on animation. It's the characters that matter, and this one had great characters. Something that everyone must see.

Batman Forever (1995)

Best of the series

[10/10 · 15 January 2000]

I don't know why people are bashing this movie, but I thought it was very good. Val Kilmer was good. Tommy Lee Jones played his part of Two Face very well, but Jim Carrey is the one that truly shines. His performance makes this one worth seeing as he adds a lot of humor. I see people complaining that this one isn't as dark as the first two. I in no way see that as a handicap. It seemed a bit more glorious, and Batman had a very good image, but still had the flashbacks of his parents' death.

Great movie.

Batman Returns (1992)

A very dark sequel

[7/10 · 15 January 2000]

I saw this for the first time after seeing Batman Forever. This one was still great. The action at the beginning was very cool, and the plot was pretty good. Michelle Pfeiffer, like all the Batman babes, was also hot. However, this one is a lot darker and more saddening. Cat woman's insanity really makes me feel sorry for her. Danny DeVito did good with his character as well. I still think that the thing they had in common wasn't "their contempt for Batman," as Michelle put it, but that they had a very disturbed psyche. A good movie, but expect a little sorrowful feel.

Batman (1989)

Nicholson and Keaton are great

[10/10 · 15 January 2000]

This movie was a great start for the Batman series. The screenplay was perfect. Jack Nicholson was terrific, and actually a bit humorous at times. Michael Keaton is great as Batman. And heck, Vicki Vale was hot. Favorite scene: Batman kicks the Joker's &** at the end. He can still be a bit humorous in the face of devastation (you wouldn't hit a guy with glasses, would ya?). Recommendable to anyone over the age of 10, since the first time I saw this one, I was 7 and was still in my Batman TV series mode (but what did I know back then). Some of the images can be a bit confusing and disturbing to kids.

There's Something About Mary (1998)

Funniest movie of... uh, how long has Earth existed?

[10/10 · 13 January 2000]

I love comedies. They are, without a doubt, the best genre of movies that exist. I just like to go to a theater and laugh out loud, but rarely do I go hysterical. That happened in my three visits to American Pie and when I just recently saw Porky's, but There's Something About Mary just stands above the rest. I went to it with my cousin with some reluctance, but that was completely changed when we left the theater laughing out loud all the way home repeating the lines, "Franks and Beans." "How'd you get the beans above the frank?" "Isn't that an awful lot of speed to give one pooch?" And we'd laugh even more uncontrollably afterward. Incredibly funny. 11/10

The Sandlot (1993)

Great "Wonder Years style" movie

[10/10 · 12 January 2000]

Of all the sports movies I've seen (well, at least the kid oriented ones), this one is the tops. Why make the comparison to The Wonder Years? Well, think about it. This one features a kid reliving important moments in his young life. It's about growing up, facing fears, and, of course, fantasizing about the pool life guard (heheh). This is one of those classics that never gets old. A definite 10.

South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut (1999)

Makes the show look obsolete

[10/10 · 11 January 2000]

I heard about this movie last spring, and didn't know if it could possibly be such a good thing. I pictured a cheap take on a great show and nothing more. The time came. I went to see it with my cousin, and laughed the whole way through. This movie was brilliant. They said that Trey and Matt broke free of their limitations from the censors in this one, and my dear God were they right. Some of the best parts of the movie: Terrance and Phillip's song, Cartman being fitted with the V-chip, Mr. Mackey's song, oh what the heck, the entire movie was great. South Park fan? See this one right away if you haven't already. And remember, marijuana is bad, mmkay.

South Park (1997– )

One of the best animated shows, PERIOD

[10 January 2000]

In the year of 1997, I wasn't such an avid viewer of Comedy Central, so I didn't even hear about this thing called South Park until someone at school put some waves on the computer. Line that most caught my attention: Ms. Crabtree: Sit down! Stan: Ah, whatever you fat b*^ch. Reply: What did you say!? Stan: I said I have a bad itch. Everyone in the room cracked up at that one, but all they said was "South Park." Basically, I'm left in the dark with it. Eventually, I asked one of my friends about it, who said "Comedy Central." But, I still didn't get to see it til July '98. I was home from summer school that day (summer school AAAHHHHHHHH) with really bad muscle cramps and was in bed all day. My friend said that South Park is on Wednesday at 9:00. First episode I saw, Chicken Lover, I had to suffer through. Why? My back hurt worse every time I laughed. It was hysterical. I watched it the next week too, and was then hooked on it. Incredibly funny, something that shouldn't be missed. If you don't like it, you can kiss my @$$, mmkay.