DVD/TV Series Review: ALF: The Complete Series (Deluxe Edition)

 

ALF: The Complete Seris is a DVD box set containing the live-action sitcom Alf, which aired for four seasons on NBC from 1986 to 1990, and the two animated Saturday morning cartoons that were spun off of the main series: Alf: The Animated Series and Alf Tales. The live-action series was created by Tom Patchett and Paul Fusco about an alien from the planet Melmac named Gordon Shumway (but always called ALF, short for alien life form), whose ship drifted in space for a year after his planet blew up and then crashed into the garage of a family in Los Angeles. Fusco created the character of ALF, voiced him in the series, and acted as the puppeteer. The series also starred Max Wright, Anne Schedeen, Andrea Elson, and Benji Gregory in the leading roles as the Tanner family members with whom ALF lives. John Lamatta and Liz Sheridan play the most prominent supporting characters in the series, Tanner's neighbors, Trevor and Raquel Ochmonek. The Animated Series aired from 1987 to 1989 and was a story-of-the-week cartoon about ALF's life on Melmac. Alf Tales aired from 1988 to 1990 and spoofed Fairy Tales such as Snow White, Hansel and Gretel, etc., often infusing them with pop-culture references such as movie references like The Godfather or 80s personalities like Sigfried and Roy and Johnny Carson. 

The DVD set is a 24-disc set. The final disc is a bonus disc that contains a series retrospective featuring interviews with Fusco and Patchett, the 1996 TV movie Project ALF, which resolved the cliffhanger that the parent series ended on, and a handful of episodes from the series with Patchett and Fusco (mostly in character as ALF) commentating on the episodes as bubbles with facts about the series or jokes pop up on the screen. Overall, this is a nice box set, especially for people who were kids in the 1980s watching the show when it aired. The live-action series is the best of everything included in this set. It was mainly wholesome and family-friendly, but occasionally, it would sneak a more adult joke in. The series had quite a few recognizable character actors from the 1980s who appeared, along with a couple of well-known guest stars like Ed McMahon and David Odgen Stiers. The only drawback is that the series ended on a massive cliffhanger. If you watch the bonus material, you will discover that NBC had not decided on the series' fate as the fourth season ended. The producers agreed with NBC that they would end the season on a cliffhanger, and if the series was not renewed for a fifth season, they would make a TV movie to wrap up the story. Unfortunately, NBC backed out of that agreement, so the ending went unresolved until 1996 when ABC agreed to do the TV movie Project ALF.

While it was a decent ending to the story, it did not include any of the cast members from the main series, so it was not a proper series finale. The two animated series were fine but were definitely geared 100% for kids, so they are not as enjoyable for adults. Ultimately, ALF was a fun show. If you lived through the 1980s, it will be a nostalgic blast from the past. One thing some may enjoy is that there are a couple of shots taken at donald t***p, proving that the orange genital wart was just as big a joke back then as he is now. Of course, Americans would be stupid enough to elect an idiot who was a punchline for 80s sitcoms and cartoons as President. The show is dated and a bit cheesy but holds up well and is worth the time to watch.

Blu-Ray/TV Series Review: Justice League Unlimited The Complete Series

 

Justice League Unlimited is an animated series in the DC animated universe that aired for three seasons from 2004 to 2006. It continues the original Justice League animated series but includes many more characters, such as Supergirl, Doctor Fate, Black Canary, and the like. The main voice actors were George Newbern, Kevin Conroy, Phil LaMarr, Carl Lumby, Susan Eisenberg, Michael Rosenbaum, Clancy Brown, Micahel Ironside, and Mark Hamill. Because so many characters were used, there were several actors such as Nicholle Tom, Amy Acker, Morena Baccarin, Dana Delany, and Michael Dorn, just to name a few, who were part of the cast. 

This is what ends up being the final show in the DC animated universe (in terms of the original run of television series), which started in the early 1990s with Batman: The Animated Series and continued with Superman: The Animated Series, Batman Beyond, and Justice League. It ran for three seasons on Cartoon Network, each of them being 13 episodes long. Justice League was always a show that the showrunners were not sure would continue, so they were always writing the seasons as if there would be no more episodes. This version of the series not only tied up storylines from prior shows, but it also expanded the number of characters where just about every DC comic hero made an appearance (however brief) over the course of the series.As is the case with the other series by the same showrunners, they pay homage to but do not always fall in lock-step with the comics. Over the course of the series, they adapted the Cadmus storyline (which was itself adapted in the live-action Supergirl series) as well as the Legion of Doom storyline. They basically pack as much as they can into the show and manage to make it a coherent flowing story.

The Blu-Ray set is a three-disc set. The A/V quality is okay, and the show looks about as good as a mid-2000s cartoon that still needs to get a comprehensive HD upgrade can. The extras include commentary tracks on a couple of episodes as well as a couple making-of features where the producers go through the various storylines and how they came up with ideas for the series. One of them was conducted as a sit-down round-table chat conducted by Mark Hamill. A good amount, but far from the level of bonus material on the newly released blu-ray set for Batman: The Animated Series. It also has the plus of being able to stop and pick back up where you leave off, even if that is in the middle of an episode, which was not available in the Season 2 of the original Justice League series. Definitely worth picking up for fans of the show.

Blu-Ray/TV Series Review: Justice League: Season 1

 

The animated Justice League series aired for two seasons on the cartoon network from 2001 to 2004. The 26-episode first season aired during the 2001/2002 TV season. The series is, in part, a follow-up series to the animated Batman and Superman series (it was done by the same showrunners as those shows) from the 1990s. Some of the actors, like Kevin Conroy and Mark Hamill, reprise their roles, but others (like Tim Daily) do not. The season is basically a bunch of mini-movie stories broken into two and sometimes three episodes. Some of them are focused on one or two characters in the Justice League (Flash, Martian Manhunter, Wonder Woman, Batman, Superman, Hawkgirl, and Green Lantern). Not every character appears in every episode, which makes the "big" team-up episodes feel even bigger. The three episodes that end the season have an Earth-X kind of feel, involving a scenario where the Nazis win WWII and the heroes have to find a way to undo it.

The Blu-Ray set is a four-disc set. All 26 of the first season episodes are included. There is no main menu, and the episodes start playing as soon as the disc loads. There is a disc menu that you can access if you want to. Thankfully, you have the option to start where you left off, so if you stop before you get through all the episodes on the disc you do not have to try and find your place again. The extras consist of commentary tracks on select episodes and then a few making-of featurettes with the showrunners explaining how the series came about.

Overall, I would say the series is not quite as good as either the original Batman and Superman animated series, but it is close. I do think it misses having some of the ancillary Batman and Superman characters missing, but given that there are so many main characters in the show it is hard to add other characters (other than villains) in. If you are a fan of the other animated series it is definitely worth checking out.

DVD/TV Series Review: Superman: The Complete Animated Series

 

This is the complete series of the Animated Superman series, which played on the Kids WB in the late 1990s. Specifically, it aired for three seasons from 1996 to 2000. It was in part a spin-off from Batman the Animated series, which was developed by the same showrunners. It also served to reintroduce the newer version (which is essentially season 3) of Batman the Animated series with a few episodes where Batman crossed over into Metropolis and one where Superman went to Gotham City. It also served as a prequel to the animated Justice League series. The series starred Tim Daly, Dana Delany, Clancy Brown, Michael Ironside, Mike Farell, Lisa Edelstein, Shelly Fabares, and Joely Fisher.

The DVD set is a three-volume set with the 54 episodes spread across six discs (two discs per season).  There are 7 discs in all that include the three volumes of the show, and then one disc with a feature on the Darkseid character and more trailers. Aside from the extras on the 7th disc, the other extras are spread throughout the first six discs. Those extras are primarily in the form of commentary tracks on select episodes with the showrunners, but there are a few more general making-of features, as well as trailers for some of the other animated series. The only drawback is the fact that each disc 2 in the three volumes are double-sided discs with episodes on each side. They are very easy to get scratched up (thankfully, none of mine were) because they can fall off the notches, keeping the discs in place.

The series is brighter (both in terms of story and animation style) than the animated Batman series. Although there are some episodes where the series went as dark or darker than the Batman series ever did. Those were mostly the episodes involving Darkseid. The showrunners made the choice to make Superman vulnerable to more than just Kryptonite. I think it turned some people off, but I do think made for some more interesting stories, especially when he was going against a villain who was not superpowered. The show is something that younger kids can watch and enjoy. There are also some more adult jokes that would go over the heads of most kids, so it is a series that adults can enjoy as well. If you are a fan of the Superman story, it is worth watching.

4k-UHD/Movie Review: Constantine: City of Demons

 

Constantine: City of Demons is an animated movie starring Matt Ryan, Damien O'Hare, Laura Bailey, Emily O'Brien, and Rachel Kimsey. The movie is part backstory and part stand-alone story separate from the live-action series that aired on NBC in 2014. It gives a backstory for Constantine and Chas, in which Constantine must save Chas' daughter from a demon. Matt Ryan reprises the role of Constantine again, but in this version, Chas is British instead of American, and none of the other characters from the series (that I can remember at any rate) make an appearance.

The 4k set is a two-disc set with a UHD disc and a regular Blu-Ray disc. The A/V quality is very good, especially for an animated show. There are no extras on the UHD disc, but on the regular blu-ray, there is a making-of feature and then a 20 min Wonder Con panel discussing the movie, the animated CW Seed series, and the future of the character in general.

Overall, I think it is a good story. It is a lot more violent than the series was (and it was pretty violent), and they definitely amp up the sex and swearing. Given that the character was brought into the Arrowverse, with appearances on Arrow and Legends of Tomorrow (the latter of which Ryan was added as a series regular), it is pretty easy to accept the character that what was in the series is different than what you get now. Had this come out shortly after the live-action series ended, I think it would feel more off. I would not call this a must-see, but if you are a fan of the character, it is worth checking out.

Blu-Ray/Movie Review: Inside Out

 

Inside Out is a great Pixar movie. Probably not as good as Toy Story, but definitely as good as some of the others that came after Toy Story. It is about a girl named Riley (voiced by Kaitlyn Dias) who is forced to move halfway across the country because of her father's new job. Her emotions, Joy (Amy Poehler), Sadness (Phyllis Smith), Fear (Bill Hader), Disgust (Mindy Kaling), and Anger (Lewis Black) control her actions, and her experiences become memories, stored as colored orbs, which are sent into long-term memory each night. The aspects of the five most important "core memories" within her personality incorporate the form of five floating islands. Joy acts as the leader, and she and the rest of the emotions try to limit Sadness's influence. On her first day of school, a sad core memory is created, which Joy tries to dispose of and inadvertently sucks Joy, Sadness, and the core memories out of Headquarters, leaving Anger, Fear, and Disgust to take control of Riley. Hence, on the outside, she becomes a moody teenager. Most of the movie takes place inside Riley's head as Joy and Sadness try to get the core memories back to Headquarters.

The story is one of those that can appeal to kids and adults alike. It will probably have the biggest emotional impact for adults who have children and experience their changing emotions as they grow up, but even if you are an adult without kids, it will definitely have something that reminds you of your childhood and teenage/young adult years. The acting is phenomenal with Poehler great as the lead, and all of the supporting characters doing a wonderful job in their roles. Lewis Black can melt down with the best of them, and having Anger fly off the handle provided some of the funniest moments, along with disgust hating everything. And, Richard Kind as Bing Bong steals pretty much every scene he is in.

For those who get the blu-ray, the A/V quality is great, and there are a lot of extras. Those include a commentary track on the movie, and several making-of and behind-the-scenes featurettes that range in length from just under five minutes to just under twenty minutes. Then there are three different trailers. So, a lot of good material if you like watching the extras.

Overall, the movie is very good. It goes from being a fun, funny kid's movie to a tear-jerker, sometimes within a single scene. It has a good message and is something people of all ages can enjoy for a long time. It is one of those timeless movies that will be just as good twenty or thirty years from now as it was when it was released. Definitely worth the pick-up.