My Little Pony - The Complete First Season

MelioraEric — Thu, 15 May 2008 16:28:52 +0000

This show did for Animation, what the Lumiere brothers did for film. This TV show defines the very foundation in which animation was built upon. The heavy use of pink signifies the love and warmth which all children should experience from their Saturday morning cartoons; a warm, caring, safe enviornment away from the rough, mean, scary world that is away from here. Out there is a place where Mommy can't protect you. But here, in this magical land of ponies, rainbows, fun frolicking in the meadows, "through the clouds and past the stars to where the river bends", we know that nothing can harm us.

I had to grow up in this scary world, without my mommy, but now I can relive that magical trip to something away from reality. I can be blissfully nieve about how the world really works, I can go join My Little Pony and all their friends, for whatever adventures we'll be going on. I don't have to worry about life, death or taxes ever again. I can escape, riding on the tail of the Hale Bop comet, waiting for my everlasting destiny to arrive.

This show will be that temporary acid trip until my true fate awaits, entering in through Heaven's Gate. I've got my applesauce and Nike shoes waiting for me. This show will show you how life is truly meant to be lived.

The Incredibles

FableForge — Fri, 22 Jun 2007 21:05:28 +0000

Not too long ago I wrote a post that talked about the stage called "mid life crisis". Its something that hits close to home in many ways, and you would never imagine Pixar of all studios to pick this as a theme to follow up on their hugely successful Toy Story and Finding Nemo string of hits. But they did, and they made it about superheroes too. And... having two kids myself, and having seen both Toy Stories and Finding Nemo approximately 12,673 times, I think I speak from experience when I say The Incredibles of the best of them all.

The setup is "deliciously" laid out in the form of old 1950's or 1960's TV clips, where the SuperHeroes speak to the camera, in their prime of youth, confidence and power. This triggers a wonderful sequence with Mr. Incredible fighting crime in the over-the-top way we love from the Saturday morning cartoons... all on the way to his wedding. But lest we get too confortable in this enviroment of happiness and fun, we soon see Pixar's bitter commentary on society, as citizens begin to -sue- the superheroes (a man who had jumped off a building didn't want to be rescued, a busload of passangers saved from certain death suffered injuries nevertheless, etc etc etc).

Fade to present days. All of the superheroes have been ordered by the goverment to blend in with society, stop using their superpowers, and lead -normal- lifes. Normal BORING, ordinary, soul-numbing lives. Elastigirl tries to make the best of it and embraces her role as mom of three beautiful and incredibly well developed characters of kids. Mr. Incredible not so much. He faces the apex of Mid-Life Crisis, languishing in cubicle hell as an insurance claims adjustor (brilliant!). And so the question is setup: can they be superheroes again? Is there merit in handicapping oneself to fit better within society? Or must we use our gifts, extraordinary as they may be, even if it means standing out and clashing with the world as we know it? You could never believe the road to the answer is so jam packed of laughs and moment thats are simply -delicious-. Two words: Edna Moe. Thats all I have to say.

Like I said, I've watched both Toy Stories and Finding Nemo 12,673 times, and they're not bad movies, in fact they're -very- good. But The Incredibles? I look forward for the 12,672 I have to go. You should too. Even if you dont have kids, trust me, you'll thank me later.