May The Odds Be Ever In Your Favor

Posted on January 31, 2012 by nicole

March is kind of a bummer, isn’t it? I mean, its great in a lot of ways, don’t get me wrong. Saint Patrick’s Day is nice (if you’re Irish and/or like drinking). Sometimes Easter is in March (and if not, April is by then fast approaching). The weather isn’t yet the wretched heat of summer and no longer the brutal chill of winter. But still, its not yet summer vacation (for you students) nor is it time for that much-needed string of holidays (Memorial Day, 4th of July, Labor Day) for those lucky enough to work in an office. Sometimes the box office can be a bit dull too, given the lull between the end of Oscar season and the start of the big summer blockbusters. For this reason and more, I present you with…

Five reasons why I seriously cannot wait for The Hunger Games (March 23)

1. The book is incredible.

If you haven’t read the book yet, I am not going to talk myself blue in the face trying to convince you why you should. I’ve done that to enough of my friends and really, they are the ones missing out, so I’ll just save myself the effort from now on. It’s sort of like trying to get someone to start watching Doctor Who. You can drive yourself crazy talking it up for months, knowing how much the other person would love it if they just took a break from watching garbage like Grey’s Anatomy to watch an episode or two, eventually just trying not to write them off completely for ignoring your well-intentioned harassment. Life is too short though, and you’re better off just letting people do their own (stupid) thing.

2. The trailer.

Guess what? The trailer looks awesome. If you don’t agree with me, you probably didn’t read the book yet. See above.

3. The soundtrack.

Although only a few artists/songs have been announced, this is already looking like a promising collection so far, boasting tracks from Arcade Fire, The Decemberists, and Taylor Swift (don’t hate).

4. Jennifer Lawrence.

So far, I have only seen her in X-Men: First Class, but her performance in that was pretty excellent. She certainly has the outside look of Katniss down, judging by the movie art and the trailers. Here’s hoping she gets at what’s beneath the surface as well.

5. WOODY HARRELSON <3 HAYMITCH.

The whole movie could be a complete wreck (which I doubt) but it would still be worth seeing for this alone. When I was reading the book, I had no knowledge of the casting choices, so I didn’t picture the characters as any actors in particular. Once I finished the book and began to look up everything I could about the upcoming film, learning that Woody Harrelson would be playing Haymitch Abernathy was like being hit with a ton of bricks (in a good way). Not only is he one of my favorite actors, but he is flat out perfect for the role.

Men or women? Women or men?

Posted on January 31, 2012 by alex the spaz

A movie came out that lead me to think about the complexity of gender identity and the reasons people choose to dress, act and present themselves a certain way. So today I wanted to explore some of these titles and the different things they say.

The movie that started me thinking about this is Albert Nobbs starring Glenn Close: a standout movie about a woman putting herself in the place of a man where many movies as a means to an end. Becoming a male, is a way to a new life.

Nobbs is a woman in 19th century Ireland who after a horrific event in her young years, decides that she’d be able to move in the world better if she acted and dressed as a man.Of course nothing is that easy, and trying to create a life as a man twists and alters the way Albert can see the world and the options she has reach his ultimate goal. There isn’t much to say without totally ruining the movie except it’s beautiful, sweet, touching and a little sad.

To carry on the dramatic theme there are titles like Boys Don’t Cry, where a woman feels deep down that she, should be a he and does everything in his power to make the body match the mind. It’s a tragic story based on the real story of Brandon Teena (The Brandon Teena Story), a male to female transsexual who was brutally murdered for being who he was.

Now, not all movies about the subject of being free to be who you are, are tales of sorrow. There are a number of comedies that deal with this idea and one of the most well known is The Birdcage the movie adaptation of the French play La Cage aux Folles (Which was turned into a Broadway musical in 1983). Starring Nathan Lane and Robin Williams as the delightful, very openly gay, couple who are the fathers of the handsome young Val, who has just become engaged. Unfortunately the woman he loves is the daughter of an ultra-conservative politician and he wants his flamboyant fathers to tone it down for a visit by his future in-laws. Hilarity follows and of course a change of heart by everyone involved and acceptance is the name of the game.

Another well known comedy is To Wong Foo, Thanks For Everything! – Julie Newmar starring Patrick Swayze, John Leguizamo and Wesley Snipes as three wild drag queens on the road to to the biggest Drag beauty pagent in the country. When their car breaks down in the middle of no-where they’re faced with small town ideas, small town people and the chance and style to change the lives of everyone they meet.

Now, to switch gears to documentaries, one of the most interesting is called Venus Boyz which focuses on a group of women who are exploring what it is like to dress like men and present themselves in that way. It delves into their reasons, their personal lives and their explorations in what some of the most subtle differences between men and women are when you’ve seen it from both sides.

A totally fun title is Pageant which follows a group of men who are trying to win the title of Miss Gay America an underground female impersonator (aka Drag queen) competition. It has interviews with the competitors, families and friends sharing what motivates these men to go against convention and shine as who they are.

And lastly I’ve got a documentary that is all about drag (both men and women) and it’s history in performances. They talk about everything from Norman Bates to Frank-n-Furter in Rocky Horror, Divine in Hairspray and even Gwyneth Paltrow in Shakespeare In Love. Ladies Or Gentlemen is a fun look at the history and the meaning behind some of the best gender-bending roles in modern movies.

Ladies and Gentlemen, Its The Muppet Show!

Posted on December 28, 2011 by alex the spaz

Okay, okay so I’m late on this, I’m sorry! I was distracted getting caught up on my Muppets, since the movie came out last month.

Starting of course with of course with the The Muppet Show.Which first aired on September 5, 1976 and aired it’s last episode in 1981 after 5 seasons. It was one of my favorite shows, even though I wasn’t born until 3 years after it went off the air. So to really do a proper post about the Muppets I should introduce some of the characters for those who don’t know them (Gasp)

Kermit the Frog, theater director and the shows host became an iconic figure of flailing, scrunched faces and a very gentle manner. His girlfriend (wife, whatever) Miss Piggy is the opposite of him, loud, rough and a total diva. (No wonder they’ve never managed to make it down the isle)

Then of course you’ve got Fozzie The Bear, Scooter, Gonzo (The Great) , The Swedish Chef, Rowlf The Dog, Dr. Honeydew and his assistant Beaker and so many more. There’s a wild cast of characters and it would be a long post to just list them all!

Over the 5 years that The Muppet Show was on the air the had guests stars that included Lena Horne, Phyllis Diller, Vincent Price, George Burns, John Cleese, Steve Martin, Gilda Radner, Raquel Welch, Alice Cooper (Yes really!) , John Denver, Mark Hammal, Diana Ross, Roger Moore, Johnny Cash, Carol Burnett and many more. Each episode had one sometimes two guest stars who did songs, participated in skits and much more.

In 1979 the Muppets left the small screen and made a movie the rather aptly titled The Muppet Movie about how the Muppets came together in the first place (approximately anyway). As with the t.v show the movie had a long list of stars, and guest cameos including Charles Durning, Milton Berle, Mel Brooks, Dom Deluise, Steve Martin, Orson Welles and many others.

In 1981 the Muppets reappeared on the big screen in The Great Mupp et Caper which has Kermit and Fozzie playing twin reporters sent to investigate the theft of some jewels in England. It stars Diana Rigg, Jack Warden and John Cleese and Joan Sanderson have cameos

In 1984 the Muppets are graduating from college (Don’t ask it’s Muppet time) in The Muppets Take Manhattan. They’re trying to take their show to Broadway but when that doesn’t work out the entire troupe has to take jobs all over the country spreading out from Ohio to Michigan and beyond. After a bunch of fumbles and foibles they manage to get their shot at Broadway. After Kermit realizes what the show is missing and brings on more “frog and dogs and chickens and whatever” including characters from Sesame Street.

Then there is a 12 year break of theater movies (There are several t.v specials) until 1996 and Muppet Treasure Island which is my personal favorite. It focuses on Jim Hawkins a young boy who wants to go to sea. With Gonzo and Rizzo at his side he joins Captain Abraham Smollet (Kermit the Frog) on the Hispaniola to find treasure! However Long John Silver (The utterly charming Tim Curry) has other plans. And after recently watching another version, and looking it up, it keeps the plot surprisingly close to the source, especially for a Muppet movie.

In 1999 came Muppets In Space which focuses on Gonzo trying to discover who he is, and finding out that he is in fact an Alien from outer-space. This was the first Muppet movie since the death of Jim Henson and it shows a little, and despite being considered a flop in the theaters, it is a pretty good Muppet showing.

In 2005 there was a telefilm called The Muppets’ Wizard Of Oz which takes the Muppets and puts them in the standard Oz rolls. It was well received by kids and young adults.

And finally there is The Muppets the 2011, this was a great way to reintroduce the Muppets to a generation of kids that maybe don’t know about them with some shout outs to the older movies, so visit The Muppets at the Muppet Theater and on all their adventures!

They’ve Sunk Battleship

Posted on December 12, 2011 by alex the spaz

Do you remember this game from when you were a kid?

Everyone at some point in their lives was drawn into this classic game of strategy and yells of ” You sunk my battleship!” that often lead to the two players throwing the little pegs at each other. Somehow, this simple, basic bored game has been turned into this.

Whatever this is.

Now,allow me explain why this makes no sense what so ever. There was nothing even remotely like this in the original game to start off with. Now, of course basing any movie on nothing more than a board game is going to run into the problem of a plot, themes and characters since most board games don’t have any of those things.

The only one I can think of that was based exclusively on a board game using it’s characters and basic game concept is Clue. Others mention some kind of a game, have people falling into games, but are otherwise are more about about people who play games, like chess, checkers, cards and so on and not the games themselves.

To top of what is sure to be an utter catastrophe of cinema, they managed to get Liam Neeson and Alexander Skarsgard! Real honest actors, that I can only assume were stuck due to some sort of contract, suffering sleep deprivation at the time they agreed, or were in short on a mortgage payment. As for the rest, we have Taylor Kitsch, Brooklyn Decker, Reila Aphrodite and Rihanna. Real class acts to be sure.

Honestly though, I think the trailer speaks for itself.

You can also check out some other trailers at the official Battleship Youtube Page, but remember you have been warned.

Edward Is Not The Only Vampire

Posted on December 7, 2011 by alex the spaz

I will start this post by stating for the record that I have not read the books that the Twilight movies are based on, nor have I seen the movies. So this post will not mention them, however, with all the attention that they’ve been getting I figured it might be nice to be reminded of some of the vampire characters that came along before it all became about “Team Edward”.

The idea of vampires has been around through most of human history and the word “vampire” started appearing in the 18th century, and while Bram Stokers Dracula set the tone for the vampire legends we know today vampires in cinema started with the still creepy Nosferatu.

Released in 1922 this silent film essentially follows the plot of Dracula, eliminating a lot of the secondary characters and focusing primarily on Thomas and Ellen Hutter (the Jonathan and Mina Harker characters) and their dealings with Count Orlok, the vampire.

Now, to jump ahead…. about 60 years. The 1983 strange night kin tale The Hunger which stars Catherine Deneuve, David Bowie and Susan Sarandon.

This movie is based on a book, with the same title, that was published in 1981. It is unique because it is not the typical story people have come to recognize as “the vampire story”. Miriam (Deneuve) can only create vampire/human hybrids with extended lives, but who do eventually begin to decay. John (Bowie) her lover of around 200 years is starting to succumb and aging rapidly. When he seeks help from Dr. Sarah Roberts, who might be able to cure him, becomes the object of Miriams attentions.

In 1992, Bram Stoker’s Dracula, was brought to the screen. Starring Gary Oldman as Count Dracula, Winona Ryder and Keanu Reeves as Jonathan and Mina Harker and Anthony Hopkis as Van Helsing.

This is a love it or hate it movie. It stays truthful to the book in many ways, which some people like and others don’t. The costumes are amazing, the film won Academy Award for the costumes and make up. On top of that Gary Oldman gives a stunning performance as the tormented Count Dracula. It is a wonderful return to the story that started it all.

Aside from defining may of the attributes we associate with vampires, Dracula also set in place the tormented-tormentor character psychology, the vampire who hates vampires and hates himself but on the other hand loves the power that comes with being undead.

Blade is a great example of the tormented-tormentor, and eve takes it one step further. In his half vampire state Blade uses all his abilities to destroy every vampire he can find. He revels in his ability to fight toe-to-toe with other undead but his rage at the vampires is unyielding.

However with every personality there is an opposite, in this case that is the vampire who loves being a vampire, and believes he is happier as a vampire than he ever was a mortal. Killing to feed, never seeing daylight and trusting no one is where he thrives.

Lestat De Lioncourt is probably the best example of this, from the start he loves everything there is about being a vampire and uses it to his constant advantage. People are playthings and the desires and wishes of other vampires are of no matter to him. Bringing vampires out into the light of day (so to speak) wasn’t enough, he needed them to see him and recognize him for the great vampire he was. Don’t worry though! He learns his lesson.

Now to bring this little vampire lesson to a close, I know I have not covered nearly all, or even most kinds of vampires and vampire movies. So below are some more vampire titles that you might want to check out, if Cullen isn’t enough.Some are better than others, but they’re all entertaining

To Sing And Dance

Posted on November 28, 2011 by alex the spaz

I must admit, I don’t have a television in my house. So I miss most things until they end up online where I run into it. One of my recent unexpected finds was this:

Daniel Radcliffe, singing and dancing! This has become one of my favorite things to watch and listen to, and (funny thing) it got me to thinking about musicals. So I figured I’d share some of my favorite movie musicals. Some of these will be well known to readers, being big modern productions, others are classics that unless you’re into musicals you may not know.

I’ll start with the ones you’ll probably know the story, and maybe some of the songs even if you’ve never watched them.

Annie: Do I really need to go over story? Doubt it. “Hard Knock Life” says it all. This is the 1999 version staring Kathy Bates, Alan Cumming and Kristin Chenoweth. I personally love Alan Cumming as Miss Hannigan’s no-good loser brother Rooster.

Chicagois the story of Roxie Heart and Velma Kelly – 1920s darlings who commit murder and through amazing song and dance numbers try to out-do each other for the chance of a vaudeville career after their respective trials.

Grease: The original High school musical! This is a you love it or hate it musical. Tough guy John Travolta tries to win the goodie-good Olivia Newton-John by becoming a good guy and she tries to win him by becoming a bit of a tramp.

Sweeney Todd:The Demon Barber of Fleet Street : Johnny Depp brings a subtle sort of creep to the devlish killer who is killing anyone who sits in his barber, chair in his attempt to get revenge on the man who took his family and sent him to prison.

Rent: A social statement set to music! Drag queens, lesbians, AIDS and the lives of struggling artists – all rolled up into one jumping dramatic story of love, loss and of course music.

Moulin Rouge: Beautiful period piece, taking place in 1899 Paris and the Moulin Rouge nightclub where Nicole Kidman stars as the girl of every man’s dreams (for a price) with dreams of her own of a future as an actress. Of course, it’s a tragedy in the end but beautiful and the songs will stick with you.

Next up I’ve got some of my absolute favorite musicals of all time. This is an eclectic list to say the least but these are titles that are absolutely worth checking out.

De-Lovely: De-Lovely is the dramatized account of the life of Cole and Linda Porter from their meeting in Paris, their eventual marriage, the trials and tribulations of their lives and the ups and downs of his career. It includes the music from some of his best shows and has great cameos from Alanis Morissette, John Barrowman, Robbie Williams, Sheryl Crow, Elvis Costello and many more.

Joseph And The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat: Unlikely addition to the list, this musical is based on the Biblical story of Joseph from The Book Of Genesis. Starring Donny Osmond, it’s a lot of fun for the religious and non-religious alike.

Rocky Horror Picture Show: An “erotic nightmare beyond any measure” this musical has science fiction, rock’n'roll music, dancing, and a sweet transvestite from Transexual, Transylvania.

Victor/Victoria: Julie Andrews stars as Victoria a songstress in 1934 Paris who can’t find a job until a chance meeting and a little help from a clever gay performer Toddy. Who decides that with a bit of a haircut and a suit Victoria can become Victor – a woman pretending to be a man who is pretending to be a woman.

White Christmas: World War II vets, Bing Crosby and Danny Kaye leave the military and become song and dance men, eventually hooking up with a beautiful sister act. The group winds up at an inn owned by their former commanding officer. Finding he’s in trouble they use all their connections to make sure it’s a very merry White Christmas.

The Producers: Nathan Lane and Mathew Broderick bring their stage hit to film in this movie remake of their broadway smash, which in turn was a musicalization of the 1968 movie about Leo Bloom and Max Bialystock, an accountant and Broadway producer who try to make a fortune by putting on the worst Broadway musical ever.

Every one of these musicals is worth watching, even if you don’t like musicals, there is something in all of these that can catch your attention and keep you watching.

Giving Thanks.. Or Something

Posted on November 23, 2011 by alex the spaz

So, might be a little late to the party on this one, but figured it was worth a post anyway. Tomorrow is the day we American’s celebrate coming together and giving thanks by eating too much food, watching parades, t.v specials and football. No, not Christmas (not yet anyway) but Thanksgiving. So in honor of the great Turkey Day, I’ve pulled together a list of some Thanksgiving movies for the family to enjoy. (And hey, maybe they’ll learn something too!)

Going to start off with a classic: A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving. Since there is a Charlie Brown special for almost every holiday is it really any wonder I’m starting here? Charlie Brown gets stuck having to produce a Thanksgiving feast for all his friends, and make to his grandmother’s house in time for his family’s celebration. It’s the typical kindhearted Charlie Brown story that just make you feel good during the holidays.

Next up we’ve got Pieces Of April, starring a young Katie Holmes as April Burns the eldest daughter in a dysfunctional family, who decides to have the whole bunch come to her small tenement apartment in Manhattan for Thanksgiving. It’s funny, and probably a good way to see that your family isn’t really that bad…. unless of course it is.

Steve Martin can do (almost) no wrong and this is definitely one of his best comedies. Planes, Trains and Automobiles stars Steven Marin and John Candy as fellow travelers trying to make it to Chicago for Thanksgiving. Ending up paired together they overcome many obstacles (many brought on themselves), to get home and find that they may have little in common but they can still be friends. (Cue the “Awwwww”).

Home For The Holidays, is a classic but entertaining holiday film. Parents, siblings, spouses and kids are all sources of frustration for Holly Hunter, who stars as a recently fired single mom. This family will probably just barely make it through the Thanksgiving holiday, but then they’ll do it again the next year. Proving, that you can’t escape no matter how hard you might try.

And now last, and possibly least is ThanksKilling a comedy-horror movie about a killer turkey who has just had too much! So he decides it’s time to get revenge on mankind. A good post dinner treat.

48 years later: JFK on film

Posted on November 22, 2011 by journey

John F. Kennedy was assassinated 48 years ago today, bringing a tragic close to a life that was filled with as many cinematic twists and turns as anything you’ll find at the local multiplex. In memory of one of America’s most celebrated presidents, let’s take a look back at the top on-screen Kennedys, and which actors best captured both his unique appeal and dark flaws.

Greg Kinnear in The Kennedys

The thrilling title sequence portends a crackling retelling of a great American story, assembling all the most energized visuals of the series to a throbbing score from Sean Callery. Alas, the series can’t deliver on the high-tempo promise of its intro. It wants to be Oliver Stone‘s Nixon - a warts-and-all portrait that nevertheless maintains a sympathetic attitude towards its subject – but director Jon Cassar has nowhere near the skill set of Stone. With no interesting or new angle, the series atrophies very quickly into a big-budget game of dress-up, where even the Cuban missile crisis is treated with the yawn-inducing torpor of a bored adjunct professor. Even so, Greg Kinnear manages a very solid performance as Kennedy, suggesting the humanity of the character (particularly in his tender moments with Jackie) without relying too much on histrionics. Bonus points for Tom Wilkinson’s scene-stealing turn as Joe Kennedy Sr.!

William Petersen in The Rat Pack

Former CSI‘er Petersen probably doesn’t need to practice saying “I’d like to thank the Academy” any time soon, but he is an effective Kennedy in this breezy movie about the Kings of Cool. In fact, Frank Sinatra’s strained relationship with Kennedy dominates the movie to such a degree that it could easily be retitled Frank And Jack. Petersen and Ray Liotta (as Sinatra) play well off one another, maintaining a captivating sense of camaraderie even as they tease out the complex emotional valences of their friendship. Rob Cohen directs with polish and confidence, making both Petersen’s performance and this film one of the better Kennedy-related projects.

Himself in JFK

Okay, this is a bit of a cheat, but who better to play Kennedy than the man himself? Oliver Stone uses archive footage and speech excerpts to suggest the presence and power of the president, only occasionally resorting to stand-ins in long shots. When you add John Williams’s heartfelt score, the movie is able to conjure the Kennedy myth with more skill than any of the straight-forward biopics. The opening sequence alone, with its chilling transition from Kennedy’s famous speech at American University to Sally Kirkland’s desperate pleas about the impending assassination, contains more emotional punch than the entire 2011 miniseries. The film’s historical accuracy may be debated, but as nerve-jangling, heartrending cinema, JFK is one of the best.

Bruce Greenwood in Thirteen Days

Greenwood retroactively poisoned this performance slightly by appearing as the commander-in-chief in National Treasure 2, but taken on its own merits, this is the definitive on-screen take of the 35th president. Eschewing the Frank Caliendo-style impersonation that plagues most Kennedy performances, Greenwood plays the role straight. This is a risky decision with any figure as familiar as JFK, but it gives the audience a direct line to Kennedy’s emotional core without the mediation of a ham-fisted accent or impression. If you have doubts, just listen to Kevin Costner’s nauseating “have you seen this report caaahd?” Boston accent, which has all the appeal of a heaping spoonful of day-old New England clam chowder.

What have we learned? The best screen JFKs leave the accent at Harvard Yard, pull Kennedy off the half-dollar and focus on the elements that render him human . . . friendships, family, moments of vulnerability, or the softer elements in his famous public addresses. We all know the iconographic Kennedy, pronouncing his new vision of America, but it’s those unguarded moments, filled in by actors and screenwriters, that make the slain leader one of cinema’s most interesting presidents.

Also check out:

Martin Sheen in the 1983 miniseries Kennedy, William Devane in the docudrama The Missiles Of October and Patrick Dempsey as a young Kennedy in Reckless Youth

Even adults can be children.

Posted on November 9, 2011 by alex the spaz

I am a picky comedy watcher, I am not a fan of a lot of the supposedly funny movies that have been coming out lately. However Carnage, which will be released to select cities on December 16th, 2011, gives me hope that there is still a chance for the comedy genre.

What got my attention right away was that one of the stars is John C. Reilly, one of my favorite actors, whose recent work has kept me home rather than pushed me to the theater. So it’s exciting to see him in something that seems like it will be a little different. That’s not to say that the rest of the cast is not a draw in their own right. Carnage also stars the fabulous Jodie Foster, the stunning Kate Winslet and Christopher Waltz, who appears to be making a name for himself in American film after his role in Inglourious Basterds.

The plot of the movie is relatively simple one. Winslet and Waltz are Nancy and Alan Cowan, while Foster and Reilly are Michael and Penelope Longstreet. Both couples have young boys who are going to the same school, the boys get into a fight and in an effort to mend the fence and find out exactly what happened they agree to have dinner together at the home of the Longstreet’s. In comedic fashion, a simple dinner turns into a battleground over parenting techniques and personal habits as these couples start revealing more and more about themselves to the other couple, and even to their spouses. I really hope that my first impression is right and that it doesn’t turn out to be yet another gross-out “comedy”. I plan on giving this movie a chance when I get the opportunity, and I’ll come back and tell you what I thought!

While you wait for it to come out in your area, check out the official trailer!

Total Animation

Posted on November 3, 2011 by alex the spaz

Something about heading towards the end of another year got me thinking about cartoon shows of the past, so I thought I’d share some of my favorite animated shows from over the years.

I’m going to start off with my top 5 favorites, these one all have a special meaning for me, I watched them almost religiously when they were originally on and I will watch them again and again.

Animaniacs: There is really no way to really describe this show if you haven’t seen it. Yako, Wacko and Dot are the Warner siblings, though just what species they are is a mystery (Although dog and bunny are popular guesses.) The best way to describe this show is as a collection of animated shorts starring a cast of recurring characters, and was the starting place of “Pinky And The Brain”. I highly recommend it to everyone. Ever.

Daria: This was my favorite show when I was in high-school and I actually dressed as Daria for Halloween one year. (Wasn’t hard, I already wore boots everyday, and had glasses). What I love about this show are the quick one-liners and all the exaggerated high school stereotypes. It’s definitely worth checking out.

Foster’s Home For Imaginary Friends: What happens to imaginary friends when they’re no longer needed? Well they go to a foster home of course! They can live there, have fun and be cared for. The main character is Blooregard Q. Kazoo AKA Bloo who is the imaginary friend of Mac, who hangs out at Foster’s a lot because he didn’t really want to give Bloo up. It’s funny, it’s cute and something about imaginary friends brings me right back to being a kid.

The Real Ghostbusters: I couldn’t possibly do a post about my favorite cartoons without including this show. The Real Ghosbusters was created, no surprise, to capitalize on the movie. It started in 1986 and ran until 1991. It keeps pretty close to the movie with the same set of characters, although they added Slimer as a good guy who can sort of talk. I loved this show, had VHS tapes of episodes (only 3 per tape!), and watched it constantly. I can still clearly remember plots, and even some dialogue from episodes.

Gargoyles: Stone Gargoyles frozen in time for a thousand years in Scotland, wake to find themselves in the totally new world of New York City and have to fight old evil, as well as new plots to destroy them and the city. I watched this show before going to school every morning, the stories where great, the characters were people you’d actually cared about and it had some great voice actors over the years including Jonathan Frakes as the voice of the main villian, and Marina Sirtis as Demona. . It’s definitely worth a watch if you haven’t seen it, and a re-watch if you have.

Those are my top 5 favorites, but you should check out these totally awesome animated shows too!

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