TV DVD Reviews
Reviews Archive
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| Mad Men: Season One   |
Californication: The First Season  |
Army Wives: The Complete First Season |
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| Absolutely Fabulous: Absolutely Everything |
Early Edition: The First Season |
Two and Half Men: The Complete Third Season |
Doctor Who: Beneath the Surface
Home Improvement: The Complete Eighth Season
The Hudson Brothers Razzle Dazzle Show
My Boys: The Complete First Season
DVD QuickTakes
QuickTakes Archive / QuickTakes Archive (pre-May 2008)
xxxHOLiC: Third Collection
In this third installment of the popular anime series licensed in the US by Funimation, episodes 9 through 12 are compiled. To make a long story short, this series revolves around Kimihiro Watanuki, a student who attracts spirits. Only Watanuki can see the spirits. After finding his way to a store that grants wishes and is run by a witch named Yuko Ichihara, Watanuki wishes for the spirits to go away. Yuko agrees, but only if Watanuki becomes an employee at the store. Of course, many dramatic shenanigans ensue and a lesson is learned in most episodes. “xxxHOLiC” is a good, if not always great anime that definitely has its share of hardcore devotees. More power to ‘em. This set includes the episodes “Pinky Promise,” “Lamplight,” “Confession,” and “Summer Shade.” Extras include a standard image gallery, “clean” opening and closings, and trailers for other groovy Funimation DVDs.
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Jason Thompson
6/22/2008
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Popeye & Friends Vol. 1
It’s hardly worth noting that this series of Popeye cartoons is hardly classic. The eight selections compiled on this disc are taken from the 1978 Saturday morning TV show “The All-New Popeye Hour.” As such, the cartoons reflect the whole sanitized less-violent hoo-ha that cartoon studios were being subjected to at the time. These ‘toons have nothing on the original Fleischer series, apart from the fact that Jack Mercer is providing Popeye’s voice. The prints for the cartoons haven’t aged well, either, looking as cheap and uninspired as they did originally. And if you want proof as to which Popeye series is funnier with the young set, my three-year-old clamored for more of the “Popeye the Sailor: 1938-1942” collection after only watching this disc once. Comparing the two side-by-side only proves how unfunny and sadly unnecessary Popeye had become by the late ‘70s. At least if the Hanna-Barbera team was going to be behind the wheel.
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Jason Thompson
6/21/2008
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Popeye the Sailor: 1938-1942 Vol. 2
Picking up where the first volume left off, this collection of classic Fleischer Popeye cartoons proves that the originals are indeed the best. Before being dumbed down in his 1960s color King Features Syndicate cartoons – and every version thereafter – the Popeye series was a hilarious and wonderful sight to behold. Listening to the mostly-improvised dialogue on each cartoon is nearly revelatory for anyone used to the tightly scripted cartoons of today. In this series we’re finally introduced to “The Jeep,” a magical dog that can turn invisible at will and perform other wondrous tricks as well as “Alice the Goon” in “Goonland.” There are 31 great cartoons in all across two discs, with plenty of great bonus features as well, such as audio commentaries, art galleries, and a documentary on the great Fleischer studios. And yes, the kids love this stuff as well, so don’t think that just because these are black and white features that they’ll go unwatched by the younger crowd. Excellent in every way.
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Jason Thompson
6/21/2008
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