A Monster in Paris. Comparing the R1 and R2 Home Video Releases.

The songs featured in A Monster in Paris are timeless, evoking images of Édith Piaf gracing a nightclub stage, and its tough not to fall in love with a flea dressed up like he belongs to the Caribbean.

Monster_in_paris_theatricalDisney’s writers could learn a thing or two from A Monster In ParisA Monster in Paris, now available to North America courtesy of Shout! Factory. But viewers are advised to find the Alliance Films release since it carries bonus material. Not only that, but viewers get to meet the faces behind the two leading characters. They explain just how much of themselves is put into the role, and when there is a flea going by the name of Francœur (voiced by French singer-songwriter M) to be adored, this movie is one to watch.

This film engages audiences with an imaginative reworking of the Phantom of the Opera formula with the visual stylings of the Hunchback of Nortre Dame.

That said, yes this computer animated product has some Disney-esque elements to it—namely with Charles the monkey providing some comedic relief—but at least this simian proves to be smarter than the average man. He’s the maestro to which Florquer has sprung from. While spinning many a tune from his musical box, the flea which has been living on him grew to become the exceptional singer. The irony is that he has also been hit with an experimental fertilizer, a growth formula, which causes him to be the monster that all Parisians fear.

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So where’s the Justice League in Flashpoint Paradox?

When Flash is the protagonist, shouldn’t this movie simply be titled The Flash: Flashpoint Paradox instead?

dvd justice league the flashpoint paradoxSpoiler Alert

When Cartoon Network’s DC Nation is now comprised of Beware the Batman and Go Teen Titans Go, just where will comic fans get their Justice League fix? With Young Justice gone, fans of DC’s animated products do not have much left over to enjoy. This particular universe has a great diversity and great storytelling backing it. But with the new products showing a divergence than convergence, only the direct to video releases, namely Justice League: Flashpoint Paradox will prove that there can be only one.

And Barry Allen is stuck right smack dab in the middle of a coming apocalypse. Finally, some other heroes are getting the center-stage, and The Flash shows that one wrong mistake can mean one fractured time-line. Flashpoint is based on the 2011 comic of the same name, where the speedster awakens in a universe not quite his own.

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Duck Dodgers is Crazy! Season Two DVD Reviewed

If volume two included the sequel, Duck Dodgers and the Return of the 24½th Century, that would have put this release right on par with the first.

Duck Dodgers S2 DVD Cover ArtThe future is doomed if Duck Dodgers has anything to say about it. Abandoned into a cryogenic stasis for an unknown reason and later discovered in the 24½ Century by the meticulous Dr. Ignatius Q Hi, the only one to blame is but himself. All the tomfoolery that Dodgers engages in this future world could have resulted in seeing him permanently put in the freezer forever, but the people in this era must be extremely patient and forgiving. And fans of this series can finally watch the second season set, Duck Dodgers: Deep Space DuckA Monster in Paris, that’s set for July 23rd release.

A few people were fortunate to find this two-disc release defrosting a day early. And it is worth playing right away to recall all the idiocy that this duck represents. Eight years may seem long for those fans waiting for this video release (which began back in February) but the wait is certainly worth it. Hopefully the third season will not be too long in coming.

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The Great Ghost Rescue, A Movie Review

Despite the hiccups that The Great Ghost Rescue has for pace, this product can be an enjoyable light-hearted Halloween treat for the entire family.

The Great Ghost RescueHumphrey was once an ordinary boy with an ordinary life. Well, that is, until he died—quite by accident, really. But just do not tell his best friend, Barnabas, that. His death literally sets in motion The Great Ghost Rescue, a tongue-in-cheek horror comedy from the UK about dislocated spirits looking for a new home.

This movie made a quiet releaseA Monster in Paris on this side of the pond with very little fanfare during a Halloween season. Also, this film is by no means a faithful adaptation of Eva Ibbotson’s original novelA Monster in Paris of the same name, published 1975. And the message it makes about how one particular family can stay strong during a moment of crisis cannot go unnoticed.

While children may not get all of the jokes, older audiences can easily chuckle at the hilarious sight gags and crazy societal dysfunction going on. This production is a blend of the humour from Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy and the grisly silliness from The Addams Family. Even though the laughs are cheap and the acting over the top, this film can be enjoyed when everyone is sharing that same sugar rush after trick or treating.

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Superman Unbound DVD Review

With Superman Unbound, the characterizations are on par with what some people would expect before or after seeing the live action movie. The DVD release comes packaged with a good set of bonus material to get fans up to speed with what goes in Supes’ world.

Superman UnboundThe animated movies in the DC Animated Universe have often been consistently good. Some are better than others, namely the Batman films, and for Superman, some viewers may have to wonder why Tim Daly cannot reprise the role? For the people who grew up watching Superman: The Animated Series cartoon and Justice League (Unlimited), he was the seminal voice. But for every generation, this character gets reinvented anyways.

With Superman: Unbound, the characterizations are on par with what some people would expect before or after seeing the live action movie. The DVD release comes packaged with a good set of bonus material to get fans up to speed with what goes in Supes’ world. Without a doubt, Warner Bros Animation was hoping one product would ride the popularity wave of another, namely the release of Man of Steel. When a primer is needed to acquaint newcomers to who Superman is, both products do a good job to get newcomers acquainted to knowing who from Krypton survived.

While Supes’ home planet was destroyed quite literally from within, the city of Kandor was spared by being miniaturized by Brainiac, a cyborg not of Kryptonian origin. Unlike previous continuities which defined him as a product of Kryptonian science, this version is from another world. Just like Superman who protects Metropolis, Brainiac thinks he can do the same, but in more controlled if not sinister circumstances. But as Supes observes, he’s not in control of every single environmental variable–namely in what Mother Nature can toss at him.

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Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated Series Analysis and DVD Review

The plots were simple and the latest series, Scooby-Doo, Mystery Incorporated, takes the concept further. Nearly all the cases the Scooby gang investigates are linked in some way.

Scooby Doo Mystery IncorporatedThe concept of having a talking Great Dane as a mascot to a gang of paranormal mystery solving enthusiasts was introduced in September of 1969, and the cartoon Scooby-Doo Where Are You! became a resounding success. The television show underwent many incarnations throughout the years and many kids watched a version of the show before going to school or as part of the Saturday morning routine. The plots were simple and the latest series, Scooby-Doo, Mystery Inc, takes the concept further. Nearly all the cases the Scooby gang investigates are linked in some way. And now it can be enjoyed with the series fully available on DVD. The last set was released in June.

Part of season one dealt with the Scooby gang discovering that they are part of an exclusive club. Apparently there was another group before them who created Mystery Incorporated, and both fellowships shared similar goals. To have this series slowly reveal details about this older group is intriguing and when the current gang discovers a legend about cursed treasure akin to what existed in the movie Pirates of the Caribbean, the stage has been set. The gang slowly finds pieces of an astrolabe known as the Planispheric Disk, and they have to put it together before the coming of Nibiru, aka Planet X.

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