Friday, July 17, 2020

Movie Review: The Jungle Book (1994)

Movie Review: The Jungle Book (1994)                                                                             5-14-20
The Jungle Book Poster
Long before Jon Favreau remade The Jungle Book into an engaging film that broke new grounds in computer technology, Disney decided to make another adaptation of The Jungle Book. This movie would be live-action, be more mature and intense than the original, and stick more faithful to its source material. This film would also borrow elements from Indiana Jones and the Tarzan books. The result is a film that while it did get good reviews and did well at the box-office, has been a film that time forgot. So, is this film worth watching? Let's find out!

After living in the jungle for many years, Mowgli (Jason Scott Lee), an Indian boy who has been raised by wolves, he discovers an all-new species of animal enter his turf: humans. Mowgli falls in love with a woman around his age named Katherine "Kitty" Brydon (Lena Heady), who is the girlfriend of Captain William Boone (Cary Elwes). Mowgli leaves the jungle behind and befriends Kitty, who teaches him how to be a gentleman. However, after hearing about the fabled ‘Monkey City’ located deep in the jungle, Captain Boone decides to get Mowgli to tell him the whereabouts of the city so he can steal its treasures.

The Jungle Book ‘94 has strengths in its jaw-dropping backgrounds, swashbuckling action, and a memorable score from Basil Poledouris.
Not to mention Jason Scott Lee does a good job as Mowgli.

Jason Scott Lee in The Jungle Book (1994)
Unfortunately, the film also has bad qualities. The animal characters don’t have real personality, nor do they talk, even though in both the books and the cartoon film, the animals actually could talk. Also, the movie feels more like Tarzan and Indiana Jones than The Jungle Book, and the movie has content that may not be appropriate for kids.

Mowgli in Monkey City.
In conclusion, give this movie a skip and watch Dora and the Lost City of Gold instead. Yes, it’s based on the most annoying cartoon of all time, but the film has impressive backgrounds and effects for its small 49 million dollar budget, a darker story that still stays true to its source material, and a strong performance from Isabela Merced as Dora Marquez. Here’s my review of that movie below.

https://asateriale.blogspot.com/2019/08/movie-review-dora-and-lost-city-of-gold_10.html
Rating: 3 stars out of 5.
Sorry that I haven't posted a new review in a while. I was going to post my review of Mulan 2020 next week, but it unfortunately got delayed yet again to August 21st. With that cleared up, I will tell you what movies I review in the next four months: Jim Henson's The Witches and Mulan 2020 in August, The Water Horse in September, The Road to El Dorado in October, and, if it doesn't end up getting delayed again, Soul in November.

Monday, July 6, 2020

Top 10 Best Animated Movies of the 2010s

In memory of Kelly Asburry, director of Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron, Shrek 2, and Smurfs: The Lost Village. Boy, the 2010s have been a strong decade for animation, both on the big screen and the small screen. Disney abandoned hand-drawn animation, but in return, released groundbreaking CGI movies like Tangled, Wreck-it Ralph, Frozen, Big Hero 6, and Zootopia. DreamWorks released some surprise flicks like How to Train Your Dragon, Kung Fu Panda 2, Mr. Peabody and Sherman, and Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie. Cartoon Network went through a renaissance with hit shows like Adventure Time, Regular Show, The Amazing World of Gumball, and Steven Universe. There have also been two new competitors in the animated feature race: Illumination Entertainment and Warner Animation Group (WAG for short), as well as several foreign films that received recognition, such as Your Name, Ernest and Celestine, The Wind Rises, and Song of the Sea. Today, I will list my Top 10 Best Animated Movies of the 2010s! However, as usual, there will be rules.
  1. The movie had to be released in theaters, with one surprise exception.
  2. The movie cannot be rated higher than PG-13.
  3. It has to be a movie that was released between 2010 and 2019. US releases of foreign films like The Secret of Kells and Summer Wars don’t count, since they were technically from 2009.
  4. The movie has to be at least 70 minutes long.
With all that said, here are the Top 10 Best Animated Movies of the 2010s!
10. The Tale of the Princess Kaguya (2013)
The Tale of The Princess Kaguya Poster
Based on the Japanese folktale ‘The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter’, this movie tells the story of a tiny girl nicknamed Takenoko, who was found in a stalk of shining bamboo. She grows faster than the other kids and is soon a delightful, curious girl out enjoying the forest with the local boys. One day, the bamboo cutter, her adoptive father, finds that the bamboo she came from is shining again, this time with treasure. With his newfound fortune, the bamboo cutter moves to the city to give his princess a proper "young lady's" education, complete with an uptight royal governess. Despondent about moving away from her beloved country home, Kaguya's only joy is an outdoor garden she tends for herself. When she comes of age, tales of her beauty reach the highest levels of Japanese society, and five titled men vie for her hand in marriage. But Kaguya still misses her first crush, Sutemaru, from her childhood home. ‘Kaguya’ is a diamond in the rough with an animation style that deters away from the typical anime style, an emotional story, a wonderful score from Joe Hisashi, and a strong female lead different from your typical Western Princess. 
9. Kubo and the Two Strings (2016)
Kubo and the Two Strings Poster
Kubo and the Two Strings, the fourth feature film from Oregon-based stop-motion studio Laika, is about a Japanese boy named Kubo, who wields a magic guitar that can control paper. When the ghosts of his aunts attack a local village, Kubo gets rescued by a stubborn snow monkey and finds himself in a cave on top of a snowy mountain. Now Kubo must embark on a quest with the monkey, along with a humanoid samurai beetle, to find magic gear to defeat his evil grandfather the Moon King. ‘Kubo’ is an underrated film that deserves more recognition with groundbreaking animation that brings stop-motion to new heights, an emotional and heart-felt story, and likable characters. It’s a true shame that Kubo and the Two Strings, along with Laika’s next feature film Missing Link, were box-office flops, and if Laika doesn’t release another hit like Coraline, the studio will cease to exist.
8. Spider Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018)
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse Poster
Peter Parker (Jake Johnson) always thought he was the only Spider-Man, but when he gets sucked into a vortex, he ends up in an alternate dimension in which a different Peter Parker dies at the age of 26 during an intense fight with the Green Goblin. Peter meets a teenage Afro-Latino trainee named  Miles Morales (Shamiek Moore), and when more portals open up, they encounter Gwen Stacy/Spider-Gwen (Hailee Steinfeld), Spider-Man Noir (Nicolas Cage), the anime-influenced Peni Parker (Kimiko Glenn) and her robot boyfriend, and Peter Porker/Spider-Ham (John Mulaney). Together, they have to stop the broad-shouldered Kingpin (Liev Schreiber) from building a device that will destroy all the Spider-Men/Women's worlds. Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse is the best animated movie of 2018 with a paper-thick story, groundbreaking animation, and likable characters. What surprises me the most is that this movie was released just a little over a year after the fiasco that was The Emoji Movie, which came from the same production company as Spider-Verse.
7. Song of the Sea (2014)
Amazon.com: Watch Song of the Sea | Prime Video
Song of the Sea takes place in Ireland during the 80s. Ben, whose mother passed away shortly after giving birth to his sister, Saoirse, discovers that his sister is part Selkie, a mythical seal-like creature whose race is in danger. Together, they embark on an adventure to go back home to find Ben's dog CĂș (pronounced Coo), and to save the Selkies. Song of the Sea is a gem of a movie with beautiful animation, three-dimensional characters, a story and musical score that bring you right into Irish culture, and a strong message about sibling cooperation and love. As much as I enjoyed Big Hero 6, I feel Song of the Sea deserved the Oscar for Best Animated Feature that year.
6. Klaus (2019)
Klaus Poster
All mailman Jesper Johansson (Jason Schwartzman) wants is to be respected, but after failing postman training academy, his father sends him to the violent and gloomy town of Smeerensburg. If Jesper delivers 6,000 letters, he can return home. With the help of a woodcarver named Klaus (JK Simmons), they decide to bring joy to the children of Smeerensburg by delivering toys. Klaus is not only a near-perfect Christmas movie, but also a perfect way to end the decade with fluid animation, a heartfelt story, an all-star cast, and perhaps the best interpretation of the Sami tribe through the adorable Margu.
Neda Margrethe Labba in Klaus (2019)
5. How To Train Your Dragon (2010)
How to Train Your Dragon Poster
How To Train Your Dragon is about a teenage boy named Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III (Jay Baruchel) who lives in a small Viking village called Berk. The only problem is the pests. While other places may have mosquitoes or mice, Berk has dragons that steal their livestock and fish. After capturing a legendary Night Fury, instead of killing it, Hiccup releases the dragon, names it Toothless, and becomes its friend. How To Train Your Dragon is an enjoyable entry into the DreamWorks library with a timeless story, brilliant animation, and a music score from John Powell that ranks among his best.
4. Coco (2017)
Coco Poster
Pixar’s 19th feature film is about a 12-year-old boy named Miguel Rivera (Anthony Gonzales), who wants to be a musician. However, his family hates music because his great-grandfather Ernesto de La Cruz (Benjamin Bratt) abandoned his family to pursue his career. When Miguel breaks into La Cruz’s mausoleum to take his guitar, he gets bewitched into the Land of the Remembered, on Dia de los Muertos, to boot! Now, with the help of a bum named Hector (Gael Garcia Bernal),Miguel has to find a way back to the Land of the Living before sunrise, or else he will remain in the Land of the Remembered forever and become a skeleton. Coco is another Pixar gem with vibrant and gorgeous animation, likeable characters, excellent music, and a story that not only embraces Mexican culture, but also has a strong message about family and forgiveness.
3A. Zootopia/Zootropolis (2016)
Zootopia Poster
Disney's 55th animated feature takes place in a world inhabited by anthropomorphic mammals. Judy Hopps (Ginnifer Goodwin), a rabbit, wants to be a police officer, despite all the other officers being elephants, rhinos, hippos, wildcats, and wolves. When a river otter goes missing, Hopps has no choice but to team up with a sly fox named Nick Wilde (Jason Bateman) to find the missing otter within 48 hours. Zootopia is arguably the best animated Disney movie in decades with eye-popping animation, a colorful cast of characters, one of the best scores from Michael Giacchino, and a story with a strong message about overcoming differences.
3B. Moana (2016)
Moana Poster
Set about 2,000 years ago, Moana tells the story of a Polynesian girl named Moana (Auli'i Cravalho), who sails on a dangerous mission to save her people. Moana meets a demigod named Maui (Dwayne Johnson), who guides her in her journey to become a master way-finder. Together, they sail across the open ocean on an action-packed voyage, encountering numerous monsters and impossible odds, while also discovering Moana's identity. Moana is an instant Disney classic that sits comfortably on the same shelf as The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, and Aladdin with jaw-dropping animation, three-dimensional characters, a story that embraces Polynesian culture, and the best songs in a Disney movie since The Lion King. While Moana didn’t win the Oscars for Best Animated Feature or Best Original Song, it did win the Heartland Award for Truly Moving Picture, the Alliance of Women Film Journalist Award for Best Animated Female, and the Annie Awards for Outstanding Achievement in Animated Effects in an Animated Production and Outstanding Achievement in Voice Acting in an Animated Feature Production.
2. Inside Out (2015)
Inside Out Poster
Inside Out tells the story of what goes on inside the head of an 11-year-old girl named Riley Anderson. Riley's emotions, Joy (Amy Pohler), Sadness (Phyllis Smith), Fear (Bill Hader), Disgust (Mindy Kaling), and Anger (Lewis Black), help Riley out through her lifetime. When her family moves from Minnesota to San Francisco, California, Riley spirals into depression and cries in front of her new classmates. Things get worse when Joy and Sadness get sucked into the labyrinth of long-term memory, and without Joy, Riley can't be happy. Inside Out is Pixar's most original movie since Up and their best since Toy Story 3 with breathtaking animation, an emotional (no pun intended) story, likable characters, and a strong message about how it’s okay to be sad sometimes. And the #1 Best Animated Movie of the 2010s is...
1. Your Name. (2016)
Your Name. Poster
Mitsuha is the daughter of the mayor of a small mountain town. She's a straightforward high school girl who lives with her sister and her grandmother and has no qualms about letting it be known that she's uninterested in Shinto rituals or helping her father's electoral campaign. Instead, she dreams of leaving the boring town and trying her luck in Tokyo. Taki is a high school boy in Tokyo who works part-time in an Italian restaurant and aspires to become an architect or an artist. Every night he has a strange dream where he becomes...a high school girl in a small mountain town. When a meteor threatens to destroy Mitsuha’s town, she and Taki have to find a way to save everyone. Your Name is an anime masterpiece with a deep emotional story, three-dimensional characters, Ghibli-quality animation, and excellent music from the band Radwimps. Honorable mentions go to Toy Story 3, Tangled, Shaun the Sheep: The Movie, Isle of Dogs, and Wolf Children. I am sorry that I haven't posted this sooner; I didn't have enough information about two of the movies on the list at the time. Just like how I did it with Top 10 Best Animated Christmas Specials, I will give links to where you can buy these movies on DVD and/or Blu-Ray. Kubo and the Two Strings (DVD) https://www.amazon.com/Kubo-Two-Strings-Charlize-Theron/dp/B01KMKM5NW/ref=sr_1_3?dchild=1&keywords=kubo+and+the+two+strings&qid=1593791689&s=movies-tv&sr=1-3 Kubo and the Two Strings (Blu-Ray) https://www.amazon.com/Kubo-Strings-Blu-ray-Charlize-Theron/dp/B01KMKM5V4/ref=sr_1_6_sspa?dchild=1&keywords=kubo+and+the+two+strings&qid=1593791533&s=movies-tv&sr=1-6-spons&psc=1&smid=AIRZ6WQ6RO4BW&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUE3V DhaRzBSMkVDMFgmZW5jcnlwdGVkSWQ9QTA5ODg1NzEzSVFZSTlMVTRPSlk3JmVu Y3J5cHRlZEFkSWQ9QTAxMzM5MTZFSjhaUjdIT1VWRlMmd2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9tdGY mYWN0aW9uPWNsaWNrUmVkaXJlY3QmZG9Ob3RMb2dDbGljaz10cnVl The Tale of the Princess Kaguya (DVD) https://www.amazon.com/Princess-Kaguya-ChloĂ«-Grace-Moretz/dp/B00PHSCEFO/ref=sr_1_2?crid=1AID8FTPLVQFV&dchild=1&keywords=the+tale+of+the+princess+kaguya+dvd&qid=1593791831&s=movies-tv&sprefix=the+tale+of+the+%2Cmovies-tv%2C190&sr=1-2 The Tale of the Princess Kaguya (Blu-Ray) https://www.amazon.com/Tale-Princess-Kaguya-Blu-ray-DVD/dp/B00PHSDS0E/ref=sr_1_2?dchild=1&keywords=the+tale+of+the+princess+kaguya&qid=1593792025&s=movies-tv&sr=1-2 Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (DVD) https://www.amazon.com/Spider-Man-Into-Spider-Verse-Shameik-Moore/dp/6317632456/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=spider-verse+dvd&qid=1593792201&s=movies-tv&sr=1-1 Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (Blu-Ray) https://www.amazon.com/Spider-Man-Spider-Verse-Blu-ray-Shameik-Moore/dp/6317632464/ref=sr_1_2?crid=OMCO7QXIWNRA&dchild=1&keywords=spider-man+into+the+spider-verse+blu+ray&qid=1593792443&s=movies-tv&sprefix=spider+man+into+the+spider-verse+blu-ray%2Cmovies-tv%2C240&sr=1-2 Song of the Sea (DVD) https://www.amazon.com/Song-of-the-Sea/dp/B01M7X20GT/ref=sr_1_5?crid=206YQSQ52E0OF&dchild=1&keywords=song+of+the+sea&qid=1593793005&s=movies-tv&sprefix=song+of+the+sea%2Cmovies-tv%2C226&sr=1-5 Song of the Sea (Blu-Ray) https://www.amazon.com/Song-Sea-Blu-ray-David-Rawle/dp/B00RVDRPI4/ref=sr_1_2?crid=206YQSQ52E0OF&dchild=1&keywords=song+of+the+sea&qid=1593792895&s=movies-tv&sprefix=song+of+the+sea%2Cmovies-tv%2C226&sr=1-2 How To Train Your Dragon (DVD) https://www.amazon.com/Jay-Baruchel/dp/B07CDVQTG2/ref=sr_1_6?dchild=1&keywords=how+to+train+your+dragon+dvd&qid=1593793191&s=movies-tv&sr=1-6 How To Train Your Dragon (Blu-Ray) https://www.amazon.com/How-Train-Your-Dragon-Blu-ray/dp/B07BX3KJ7S/ref=sr_1_11?dchild=1&keywords=how+to+train+your+dragon&qid=1593793099&s=movies-tv&sr=1-11 Coco (DVD) https://www.amazon.com/COCO-Anthony-Gonzalez/dp/B07886HD17/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2C1GQLWG64ZOZ&dchild=1&keywords=coco+dvd&qid=1593793389&s=movies-tv&sprefix=coco+dvd%2Cmovies-tv%2C600&sr=1-1 Coco (Blu-Ray) https://www.amazon.com/COCO-Blu-ray-Anthony-Gonzalez/dp/B07885CY3T/ref=sr_1_3?crid=1TBVTGCQ27YNT&dchild=1&keywords=coco+blu+ray&qid=1593793423&s=movies-tv&sprefix=coco+blu%2Cmovies-tv%2C187&sr=1-3 Zootopia (DVD) https://www.amazon.com/Zootopia-DVD-Ginnifer-Goodwin/dp/B01B2CX0I8/ref=sr_1_1?crid=23NTF7VB1NZWF&dchild=1&keywords=zootopia+dvd&qid=1593793469&s=movies-tv&sprefix=zoot%2Cmovies-tv%2C177&sr=1-1 Zootopia (Blu-Ray) https://www.amazon.com/Zootopia-Blu-ray-Ginnifer-Goodwin/dp/B01B2CX0LU/ref=sr_1_1?crid=23NTF7VB1NZWF&keywords=zootopia+dvd&qid=1593793469&s=movies-tv&sprefix=zoot%2Cmovies-tv%2C177&sr=1-1 Moana (DVD) https://www.amazon.com/gp/slredirect/picassoRedirect.html/ref=pa_sp_atf_movies-tv_sr_pg1_1?ie=UTF8&adId=A07714393EENF302OIW6J&url=%2FVertiGo-Moana-DVD%2Fdp%2FB08B17C24R%2Fref%3Dsr_1_1_sspa%3Fcrid%3D1LWHGABFERBAS%26dchild%3D1%26keywords%3Dmoana%2Bdvd%26qid%3D1593793701%26s%3Dmovies-tv%26sprefix%3Dmoana%2Bdvd%252Cmovies-tv%252C184%26sr%3D1-1-spons%26psc%3D1&qualifier=1593793701&id=8402942449318169&widgetName=sp_atf Moana (Blu-Ray) https://www.amazon.com/MOANA-AKA-Blu-ray-Aulii-Cravalho/dp/B01MAZGLMP/ref=sr_1_2?dchild=1&keywords=moana+blu-ray&qid=1593793872&s=movies-tv&sr=1-2 Inside Out (DVD) https://www.amazon.com/Inside-Out-1-Disc-DVD-Poehler/dp/B013FAF96G/ref=sr_1_2?crid=K3CI15M8MJ4X&dchild=1&keywords=inside+out+dvd&qid=1593794017&s=movies-tv&sprefix=inside+out%2Cmovies-tv%2C209&sr=1-2 Inside Out (Blu-Ray) https://www.amazon.com/INSIDE-OUT-Blu-ray-Amy-Poehler/dp/B07TPRS2Y8/ref=tmm_blu_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1593794017&sr=1-2 Your Name (DVD) https://www.amazon.com/Your-Name-Michael-Sinterniklaas/dp/B074QVZJFZ/ref=sr_1_2?crid=1DBHA434SMZ20&dchild=1&keywords=your+name+dvd&qid=1593794131&s=movies-tv&sprefix=your+name%2Cmovies-tv%2C421&sr=1-2 Your Name (Blu-Ray) https://www.amazon.com/Your-Name-Blu-ray-Michael-Sinterniklaas/dp/B074R4KSTM/ref=tmm_blu_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1593794131&sr=1-2 Unfortunately, as I am typing this, Klaus is not available on DVD or Blu-Ray. However, it is still available on Netflix, and I will review it on my blog in December.

Sunday, June 21, 2020

The Retro Nicktoons Talent Show Chapter 12

It has been a week since the Retro Nicktoons Talent Show played in New York. After going on a date with Kimi at the Estela Restaurant in New York City, Tommy started planning the Retro Nicktoons Talent Show Cross-Country Tour, which was scheduled to start in another week. Suddenly, Tommy heard faint knocking on his door. When he opened the door, he saw SpongeBob SquarePants on the welcome mat.
"Can I be in your talent show?" He asked. "I promise to not be as annoying as on my show."
"Sorry, kid." Replied Tommy. "We're not accepting acts from sea creatures."
"But you returned sea monkeys to the sea!" Said SpongeBob. "Please? It's gonna be a tribute to Stephen Hillenburg."
"You can put on your own talent show." Said Tommy.
"But didn't someone who worked on the Rugrats die a couple years ago?" Asked SpongeBob. Tommy then remembered that veteran Rugrats director, Jim Duffy, died in 2012. He also attended Duffy's funeral along with characters from Aaahh!!! Real Monsters and Rocket Power. After his flashback, Tommy decided to allow SpongeBob in the talent show.
"Alright." Said Tommy. "You can sing one song in the show."
"Yay!" Said SpongeBob, and he took off on his unicycle.
------------------------------------
A week later, Tommy and his team of misfit Toons were loading onto a large orange van. Squidward wasn't there because he went back to the New York Aquarium in Brooklyn. Instead, the conductor would be toon composer Drew Neuman. Gerald also didn't return as host, and Tommy would instead hire a live-action celebrity. As well as the show having returning acts, such as CatDog's song, Sokka's jokes, and Helga's poems, there would also be new acts, such as Gir singing the Do Song, Arnold showing off his karate skills, and Gordon Quid (from Catscratch) playing the bagpipes. After Heffer got into the van, they were about to leave, but Tommy told them to wait.
"Don't start the van, yet!" Said Tommy. "We have one more talent on our show."
"Is it Aang?" Asked Sokka.
"Is it Doug Funnie?" Asked Dog.
"Maybe it's Rocko!" Said Heffer.
"Nope." Said Tommy. "He's smaller, but much more popular and successful. He's someone who we originally had a grudge against." As Tommy finished talking, a certain anthropomorphic sea sponge could be seen riding a unicycle.
"I'm ready!" He cheered, though the other characters were disgusted.
"Who invited the piece of cheese who killed off every Nicktoon in the last 20 years?" Asked Helga.
"I did, but he wants to sing a song as a tribute to Stephen Hillenburg." Explained Tommy. "His creator Stephen Hillenburg died back in November from ALS, and it only feels right for him to perform his song in person. Remember when Jim Duffy died?"
"Yeah." Said Dog. "It made me want to howl when Jim died, even though he didn't work on CatDog."
"So, are you willing to let SpongeBob perform on the show?" Asked Tommy.
"Alright." Said the crew in unison.
"He better not annoy the heck out of us." Said Helga.
"I won't." Said SpongeBob, as Jenny extended her arm so SpongeBob could get on, and the door closed. Suddenly, SpongeBob started dehydrating.
"Water!" Screamed SpongeBob. Soon, Arnold ran over and poured water on him.
"Thanks." Said SpongeBob.
"You're welcome." Replied Arnold. "But don't you have to rehearse for your act?"
"Me and my friends have been practicing for three months, now." Said SpongeBob. "They're on another truck to wherever we're going. Anyway, where is our first stop?"
"Manhattan, New York." Said Jimmy, and the van started moving. "We're going to perform in 300 cities within four months, and perform for three nights in each city."
"Four months?!" Said Heffer. "But I'm going to miss the premiere of Static Cling!"
"It's okay, Heffer." Said Tommy. "When the time comes, Tucker Foley could be my gofer."
"WHAT?!" Said Tucker. "But I'm technically older than you."
----------------------------------------------------------
The next day, the Nicktoons Cross-Country Tour had its premiere in Manhattan. After everyone else did their acts, it was SpongeBob's turn, and guest host Jimmy Kimmel was introducing him.
"Ladies and gentlemen!" He said. "He's one of the most popular cartoon characters in the last 20 years, SpongeBob SquarePants! Tonight, he will sing his hit song 'Best Day Ever', available on The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie Original Soundtrack! Accompanying him will be the Bikini Bottom Dancers!" The curtain rose, and it revealed a 30-foot-long fish tank full of cartoon fish. Upbeat music started playing, and the energetic sea sponge started singing.
SpongeBob: Mr. Sun came up and he smiled at me!
Patrick Star (dressed as the Sun): Said 'It's gonna be a good one, just wait and see!'
SpongeBob: (Running out of a fake pineapple) Jumped out of bed, and I ran outside, feeling so extra-exactified!
It's the best day ever!
Fish ensemble: The best day ever!
SpongeBob: It's the best day ever!
Fish ensemble: The best day ever!
SpongeBob: I'm so busy, got nothing to do!
Spent the last two hours just tying my shoe! (looks at his shoes, and they were tied together by accident, then throws them off)
Every flower, every grain of sand, is reaching out to shake my hand!
It's the best day ever!
Sea lilies: The best day ever!
SpongeBob: It's the best day ever!
Rock Bottom soil: The best day ever!
SpongeBob: Sometimes, the little things start closing in on me. (Rocks crush him, but SpongeBob pops out from between the cracks)
When I'm feeling down, I want to lose that frown!
I stick my head out the window, and I look around!
Oh, the clouds don't scare me, they can't disguise! (looks at the clouds that look like flowers)
There's magic that's happening right before my eyes! (Patrick buries himself in the sand while a fish dressed up as the Moon starts rising on a fishhook)
Soon, Mr. Moon will be shining bright, so the best day ever can last all night!
SpongeBob and fish ensemble: Yeah, the best day ever's gonna last all night now!
SpongeBob: It's the best day ever!
Fish ensemble: The best day ever!
SpongeBob: It's the best day ever!
Patrick (popping out of the sand): The best day ever!
SpongeBob: It's the best day ever!
Mr. Krabs (counting money from the concert): The best day ever! (laughs)
SpongeBob: It's the best day ever!
Fish ensemble: The best day ever!
When SpongeBob finished his song, everyone cheered, despite the fact that his face was everywhere.
"I am so glad that you enjoyed my singing." Said SpongeBob. "This is what Mr. Hillenburg would've wanted." Soon, Tommy walked onto the stage.
"And that's our show!" Said Tommy. "Thank you so much for attending our show, and we'll be here again tomorrow night and the night after that before we continue our tour in Brooklyn! Good night, Manhattan!"
"But didn't you want to pursue your career in filmmaking?" Asked SpongeBob.
"It can wait a little longer." Said Tommy. "I think it's more fun doing a roadshow!"
THE END
Author's Notes: In early episodes of SpongeBob, since the titular character didn't have a driver's license, SpongeBob would get around on his unicycle.
SpongeBob's unicycle | Encyclopedia SpongeBobia | Fandom
Jim Duffy (1937-2012) was a producer and director on the cartoons Captain Planet and the Planeteers, The Rugrats, Aaahhh!!!! Real Monsters, Rocket Power, and As Told By Ginger. He directed beloved Rugrats episodes such as 'Party Animals', 'Angelica Breaks a Leg', 'Stu Gets a Job', 'Sour Pickles', 'Passover', and 'The Turkey Who Came To Dinner'. He died in 2012 from cancer, though I don't know what kind.
Hijfitt duffy pic LG.jpg
The song SpongeBob sings in this chapter was a song that played in not the SpongeBob episode 'Best Day Ever', but during the end credits of The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie. Here's a link to the song below.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hZE1Fh1AgWQ
Sea lilies, or crinoids, are relatives of the starfish found in the Caribbean Sea, South Pacific Oceans, and even Antarctic waters. Crinoids have been around for over 450 million years, and are a favorite food of sea urchins. The Pokémon Lileep and Cradily are inspired by these strange animals.
Crinoid on the reef of Batu Moncho Island.JPG
Tommy attending Jim Duffy's funeral is inspired by a deleted scene in Who Framed Roger Rabbit (presented through storyboards) in which Eddie Valiant notices several toons attending Marvin Acme's funeral. Toons that would've appeared in this scene included Tom and Jerry, Popeye the Sailor, Foghorn Leghorn, Felix the Cat, and Casper the Friendly Ghost.

Drew Neuman is a composer who worked on the cartoons Aaahhh!!!! Real Monsters, The Wild Thornberrys, and The Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy.
Drew Neumann
The soil that appears in this chapter is a reference to the SpongeBob episode 'Rock Bottom'. In that episode, after a trip to Glove World, SpongeBob and Patrick get on the wrong bus and end up in Rock Bottom, inspired by the scary deep-sea abyss. SpongeBob said that it looked so different compared to Bikini Bottom, even the soil, which could somehow talk.
TV series
Well, that concludes my fanfic 'The Retro Nicktoons Talent Show'! As for what I'll do next, I will review The Jungle Book 1994, Mulan 2020, The Water Horse, and Jim Henson's The Witches within the next three months, so stay tuned!

Saturday, June 20, 2020

The Retro Nicktoons Talent Show Chapter 11

In the backstage right, Kimi was talking to Helga about being worried about singing in front of a large crowd.
"I don't know if I can do this, Helga." Kimi confessed.
"Of course you can, Kimi!" Said Helga. "If I can read one of my poems in public, then you should be able to express your feelings about Thomas, I mean Tommy. Plus, you have a good singing voice."
"Thanks, Helga." Said Kimi, blushing. "I'm going to go on stage and sing my heart out!" Kimi walked on the stage, and 90s style romantic music started playing. After 36 seconds, Kimi started singing in both English and Japanese. Luckily, English translations appeared on the same screen that showed the animals that Eliza talked to.
(To avoid copyright infringement, here's a link to the song below)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xuut-F4Wjzc
After her song ended, everyone cheered, and Tommy ran up to the stage.
"Do you really mean what you said?" He asked. "About you missing me?"
"Yes." Said Kimi blushing. "Ever since the All Grown Up writers wrote a sub-plot about us possibly getting into a relationship, I started developing feelings for you. Do you want to go on a date with me some time this month?"
"That would be great." Said Tommy. Suddenly, two live-action men dressed in black burst through the door.
"Attention, ladies and gentlemen." Said the first man. "Everyone involved in the production of this talent show is under arrest for using licensed characters without their company’s permission, mistreating cartoon characters, singing a song owned by another company, and rebuilding a theater without a permit."
"Who are you?" Asked Tommy.
"I represent DreamWorks Animation." Said the second man.
"And I represent Warner Bros." Said the first man. "May I see everyone who has been involved with the talent show?"
"Okay, everybody." Said Tommy. "Do what the man says." Soon, many Nicktoons characters walked onto the stage, including Sokka, Eliza Thornberry, Arnold Shortman, Helga Pataki, Gerald Johansson, Jimmy Neutron, Carl Wheezer, Heffer Wolfe, Cat and Dog, Randolph Grant, Squidward Tentacles, Mervis, Dunglap, Mr. Sunshine, Chuck and Leon, and XJs 1-9, as well as Spirit and Buttons.
"Where are the overhated Nicktoons characters?" Asked the second man.
"We sent them back to their creators." Replied Tommy. "Does that subtract years of jail time?"
"Sorry, but no." Said the first man. "Each of you will be in either jail or a zoo, depending on your species." Suddenly, Jenny's arm turned into a cannon.
"Not on my watch." Said Jenny, ready to fire a ball of plasma, but nothing came out. "What the?"
"Sorry." Said Jimmy. "I had to deactivate your weapons. Who knows what havoc you would've caused!"
"As for the robots," Said the second man. "Because of their destructive capabilities, we have no choice but to dip them in turpentine acetone benzene. Alright, Thomas. Extend your arms. We are going to cuff you." Just before Tommy was about to be hand-cuffed, Aang flew through the window on his hang-glider and skillfully landed in front of the two live-action men.
"Hold on!" He said. "If you're going to arrest my friends, you're going to have to arrest me, as well! But be warned: If you arrest me, you'll get tons of fans angry. I am the most respected Toon of all time, after all."
"All right, all right." Said the first man. "We'll let you off the hook for now. However, next time you do a talent show, no making fun of hated characters, and only use characters owned by the same company." Aang then handed the men small but valuable diamonds.
"Here's some money for your troubles." Said Aang. "Just in case you filed a lawsuit."
"I'll be taking Buttons, then." Said the first man.
"And I'll be taking Spirit." Said the second man, and they walked off with the horse and dog. As soon as they left, the audience cheered.
"They love us, Cat!" Said Dog. "We're stars!"
"Jimmy!" Said Tommy. "How much money did the talent show make?"
"I'm calculating it right now!" Said Jimmy. "Let's see. An individual ticket costed 30 dollars, and there are 20,000 live-action humans in the audience. So that would equal.... $600,000! However, our goal was 800,000. To sum it all up, we didn't meet our quota."
"We should've had a bigger theater." Said Heffer.
"Hold your horses!" Said Tucker, getting out his cellphone. "The whole show was uploaded live on YouTube! With every thousand views, we earned 5 dollars. Our video attracted 50 million people, so that would make... $250,000! How much does that equal, Jimmy?"
"Simple!" Said Jimmy. "$850,000! That means we did meet our quota!" The audience cheered in delight to see their childhood heroes achieve their dream and goal.
"Can I say something?" Asked Eliza.
"Yes, you may." Said Tommy.
"I'm going to quit show business to pursue a career in conservation." She declared.
"Then go do it." Said Tommy. "I can always look for new talent." Suddenly, his cellphone rang. "Hello? This is Nick? You want to do what?! Okay, I'll tell them. We're going to go on tour, gang!" Once again, both the toons and audience cheered.
Author's Notes: In Who Framed Roger Rabbit, you can't kill a cartoon character. However, Judge Doom (Christopher Lloyd) found a way: By mixing turpentine, acetone, and benzene, he created a substance, known as the Dip, that can dissolve cartoon characters.
The ingredients for dip, turpentine, acetone, and benzene, were also used to removed paint from celluloids, which toons would be painted onto.