Hey Arnold! Has As Much Fun And Heart As Ever In Its Fourth Season

Courtesy: Shout! Factory/Nickelodeon

Hey Arnold! was and is one of the greatest shows that Nickelodeon has ever aired.  It was also one of the best of the best of the network’s “Nicktoons” programming block.  Now with only two real “Nicktoons” left—Spongebob Squarepants and Fairly Oddparents—the release of this classic Nicktoon’s previous three seasons is more welcome than ever.  Fans have been able to pick up the show’s previous trio of seasons thanks to both Nickelodeon and Shout! Factory.  Now next Tuesday, fans will be able to pick up the fourth season of Hey Arnold!  Whether one already owns the previously released seasons or not, Season Four is one more welcome addition to any classic Nicktoons Nostalgic’s home library.  This critic should probably copyright that term, huh?

Hey Arnold! lasted as long as it did in its original television run because its writers were so capable at balancing its family friendly comic elements with warmer, more heartfelt elements without getting too emotional.  Audiences get even more of that in what would eventually become the penultimate season of this standout cartoon.  This is exemplified early on in the episode, “Oskar Can’t Read?”  “Oskar Can’t Read?” stands out this season as it actually tackles the issue of adult illiteracy.  Mr. Kokoshka is typically seen as a lazy mooch who refuses to do anything to help himself.  But when it’s discovered that he can’t read, Oskar actually sets out to prove that he will do whatever it takes to be able to read because he is genuinely embarrassed about his inability to read.  Adult illiteracy is one of those topics that is rarely discussed, but crosses generations.  So even now years after this episode originally aired, it remains just as moving and entertaining today as it was in its original airing.  That the show’s writers would tackle the subject at all is one more part of what makes this series and Season Four so enjoyable.

For all the seriousness of “Oskar Can’t Read?”, Hey Arnold! Season Four offers its own share of more comical, easygoing stories, too.  Among the best of that crop is “Synchronized Swimming.”  This episode is centered on the classic battle of the sexes.  Coach Wittenberg (voiced by James Belushi—The World According To Jim) is at it again with his wife.  This time the couple is disagreeing on whether boys can participate in the artistic aquatic event.  This was not Belushi’s first appearance as Coach Wittenberg.  And he was just as funny as ever this time out.  Coach Wittenberg’s wife Tish is just as funny being that she is so much like him.  Just like Jack (Coach Wittenberg), she can’t properly pronounce Synchronized Swimming.  There’s just something funny about this and the couple’s constant competitiveness.  The process of Arnold and his friends training to be a synchronized swimming team is just as funny.  The end result turns the battle of the sexes on its ear in a way that will leave any viewer laughing and smiling. It’s just one more episode that makes Hey Arnold! Season Four so enjoyable. 

Hey Arnold! Season Four offers a solid balance of laughs and more serious matters over the course of its two discs, as one can tell through the episodes already noted here.  There is at least one more episode that exemplifies that balance in this season.  It’s an episode that pays tribute to America’s men and women in uniform.  The episode in question is simply titled, “Veterans Day.”  In “Veterans Day” Arnold and Gerald are taken to a big Veterans Day ceremony by Arnold’s grandpa, Phil.  Martin, Gerald’s father, comes along, having served in Vietnam.  Martin makes a statement that still rings true to this day, as sad as it is.  He notes that people see it less as a chance to honor those that served as more as just an excuse for another day off.  He adds how few people actually attend ceremonies honoring veterans.  Save for parades, there is a certain amount of truth to this statement even to this day.  Along the way to the veterans’ ceremony, both Phil and Martin share their stories with Arnold and Gerald, hoping to impart some knowledge to the boys.  That goal is achieved, as both young men learn some very valuable lessons about honoring those that served, especially as their numbers grow older and fewer.  Yet again, the writers behind Hey Arnold! have taken a very weighty topic and put it into a format that young audiences will understand and hopefully appreciate to this day, and that audiences that originally watched it as kids will appreciate even more as adults.  This and the previously mentioned episodes comprise just one more sample of what continues to make Hey Arnold! the timeless show that it is.  Of course, there are plenty of other episodes for audiences to enjoy over and over again.  Some of the best of the rest include: “Eugene’s Birthday”, the Halloween themed episode, “Headless Cabbie”, and the season finale, “Dino Checks Out.”  In all, audiences will have their own favorite of the season’s seventeen total episodes. And there is definitely plenty from which to choose.  Audiences will get to see their favorites over and over again when the double-disc set hits stores and online outlets Tuesday, May 14^th.  It can be ordered online direct via the Shout! Factory store at http://www.shoutfactory.com/?q=node/217311. 

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New Iron Man DVD A Solid Season Closer, Lead-In To Iron Man 3 Movie

Courtesy: Marvel Animation

Marvel Animation releases the latest in its “animated” series, Iron Man: Armored Adventures next Tuesday, April 23^rd.  Iron Man: Armored Adventures Season 2 Volume 4 follows the continuing journey of the teenage Tony Stark and his friends as they face the forces of evil.  This time out, Tony finally discovers that his father is actually alive only to have to save his life again.  Also in this finale to the show’s second season, Iron Man and his friends also have to face off against the evil Dr. Doom, and Pepper Potts even gets her own suit of armor.  And what action series would be complete without an alien invasion?  The season closes out with an epic battle against the Makluans.  All of this and more spans eight episodes in one more disc that finishes off the second season of Iron Man: Armored Adventures.  The show’s cg-based “animation” continues to stand out from the rest of the crop of CG-based kids’ shows, continuing to help maintain its identity.  This is especially the case considering that the recent Hot Wheels animated series and Stormhawks have gone by the wayside.  Both of those shows used very similar cg based animation.  Together with the packaging and the action packed episodes, audiences get another set of episodes that makes for a nice lead-in to the upcoming theatrical debut of Iron Man 3.

Iron Man Armored:  Adventures Season 2 Vol. 4 succeeds as a continuation of the season’s previous volumes and as a lead in to the upcoming theatrical release of Iron Man 3 thanks to its writing.  This final portion of Season Two leads up to an epic faceoff with the Makluans.  The faceoff in question is a result of actions by the teenage Mandarin in his search for the tenth ring.  Viewers get an origin story not of just The Mandarin, but also of the rings.  According to the legend presented here, the rings are actual alien in descent, and were used by an evil alien warlord to enslave other alien beings.  In the process of everything, Pepper plays a role and is introduced as “Rescue” having gotten her own armor in the buildup to the battle with the Makluan.  Keeping this in mind, the writing of the episodes included in this set, and the timing of its release will really help to build hype for the latest upcoming big screen feature.  All involved with the series and its release are definitely to be commended for all of this.

The writing and the timing of this set’s release make it a success.  This goes without saying.  Its form of CG-based “animation” adds to its success.  There have been few modern “animated shows” that have used and use the form of CG-based art that this show uses.  Two that come to mind immediately are: Stormhawks and Hot Wheels battle Force 5.  Both shows have gone by the wayside.  By comparison, the current success level of Marvel’s properties would seem to suggest that this program still has some life left in itself.  And if that truly is the case, then fans can expect even more adventures from Tony, Pepper and Roady set against this largely unique CG-based animation style art.  Until then, fans can check out all the adventures from this final quarter of the show’s second season when it hits stores next Tuesday alongside, Iron Man: Armored Adventures: The Complete Season 2.  And for all things Iron Man and Marvel, fans can get all the latest when they “Like” Marvel on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/Marvel or check in at the official Marvel website at http://www.marvel.com.

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Rocko’s Modern Life Series Box Set Is A Modern Hit

Courtesy: Shout! Factory/Nickelodeon

Shout! Factory and Nickelodeon have completed the course for one of the best of the network’s original Nicktoons.  On Tuesday, February 26^th, the two companies will release Rocko’s Modern Life: The Complete Series on DVD.  The set contains all four of the show’s seasons in their entirety on eight discs.  This set is a must for any true hardcore Nicktoons Nostalgic.  It is without a doubt one of the best box sets of 2013 all the way around.  From its packaging to its episodes and even the new original artwork by series creator Joe Murray, this brand new upcoming set is everything for which fans of Rocko’s Modern Life have waited for so long.

Rocko’s Modern Life: The Complete Series is a winner from the very moment that it’s picked up in store or ordered online.  Shout! Factory has shown once more why it continues to be the leader in releasing box sets with this set’s packaging.  Rather than place the series into a large, bulky box set, all eight discs are placed onto opposing sides of four separate inserts.  Placing the discs in such fashion gives each disc its own backing, thus helping to increase its longevity.  Adding to the longevity factor is a small “lip” placed at the top and bottom of each insert.  The “lip” allows for each disc to be smoothly removed and replaced safely.  And being on separate inserts, audiences can flip through each insert effortlessly to get to the disc that they want to watch.  Being that the set includes eight discs, the box overall is a little larger than the standard double disc.  But in comparison to the size of other multi-disc boxes still being released today, the overall packaging is still a space saver for any Nicktoons Nostalgic’s DVD rack.

The packaging of this new upcoming box set is a major positive. The episodes are just as much a positive.  As already noted, all four original seasons of this modern classic are contained in this box set in their entirety.  And the transfers to DVD are highly impressive.  The quality of each episode’s footage has been fully maintained.  What’s more, now that the show’s original audiences are all grown up, the show’s episodes will present even more enjoyment as they will get many of the jokes presented.  They’re like a fine wine, for lack of better comparison.  They’re that much more of a joy now that the original audiences can look back on them with a whole different take on them.  And making them even better, those same audiences can now share these laugh riot episodes with their own children, thus preserving the legacy of this outrageous cartoon for a whole new generation of fans. 

In relation to the jokes and the quality of the footage contained on these discs, the original hand drawn animation simply cannot be ignored here.  This has already been noted with the previously released first three seasons of Rocko’s Modern Life.  Having all four seasons together now, audiences can really see how the hand drawn animation served to give this cartoon its own original identity.  This was really a landmark of cartoons during the 1990s.  It’s something that has by and large been lost in the Twenty-first century.  Given, there are still hand drawn cartoons out there.  But for the most part, this generation’s cartoons are created via computer.  It makes them sterile and unoriginal.  In comparison, this show’s animation serves as a reminder of everything that once made cartoons great, and hopefully will again one day both for the show’s original viewers and today’s younger audiences.

Staying on the same vein of hand drawn animation, fans that pick up this new set will even be presented with brand new hand drawn animation both inside and outside the set.  The new box art was drawn by series creator Joe Murray.  It adds that much more vintage feel to the set, thus making it that much more special and a must have for the show’s original viewers.  This new eight-disc set will be available in stores and online Tuesday, February 26^th.  To sweeten the deal for fans, the first 200 who order their copies of this new box set at Shout! Factory’s online store at http://www.shoutfactory.com will receive an 18” x 24” autographed lithograph of an all new original illustration from Joe Murray himself.  Fans can pre-order the set online at http://www.shoutfactory.com/?q=node/216544.

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Hey Arnold! At The Top Of Its game In Season Three

Courtesy: Shout! Factory/Nickelodeon

The third season of Nickelodeon’s classic Nicktoon, Hey Arnold! Was and is the hit classic cartoon’s finest hour.  Out of the show’s five seasons on the air, this season showed the writing staff behind the show at the top of its game.  To add to the enjoyment this time out, both Nickelodeon and Shout! Factory have gotten back to the basics and put the show’s entire season into one triple-disc set instead of splitting it up into separate volumes.  And who can overlook the show’s continued standout hand drawn animation?  As with all of the classic 90s Nicktoons, the hand drawn animation of Hey Arnold! helped to establish the show’s identity as well as provide its own form of entertainment for audiences.  Assembled together, it all worked together to make for some of the show’s best episodes ever.  And it all worked together to exemplify why Hey Arnold! was then and is still now, a modern classic cartoon.

 Hey Arnold! Season Three shows the writing staff of this classic cartoon at the top its game.  The episodes contained in Season Three are enjoyable first and foremost for their laughs and life lessons that are peppered throughout.  Also making Season Three so enjoyable is that the show’s writers manage to flesh out the show even more, balancing episodes centered on Arnold with those centered on his friends, too.  The episodes centered on Arnold’s friends are just as enjoyable as those centered on Arnold.  One of the prime examples of this comes right off that bat in the episode, “Harold The Butcher.”  Audiences get from this episode a solid story that focuses on Arnold’s friend Harold.  It entertains and teaches the very valuable lesson of the value of hard, honest work.  Harold learns this lesson after being made to work in Mr. Green’s butcher shop as punishment for shoplifting one of the hams from the shop.  The irony of the episode is that what starts as a punishment turns out to be something that Harold thinks could be his calling as he enjoys being a butcher so much.

Harold isn’t the only one of Arnold’s friends that gets his own episode in Season Three.  Side, another of his friends, gets two of his own episodes this Season.  Both are enjoyable in their own right.  But it’s the episode titled, “Sid’s Revenge” that audiences will really enjoy.  Sid learns the valuable lesson to be careful what you wish for because you just might get it in this episode.  He learns this lesson after having been wrongly accused of using fake vomit for a prank at school.  When Principal Wartz doesn’t believe him, he wishes some very bad things against Principal Wartz.  Ironically enough, circumstances arise that lead Sid to believe that Principal Wartz has indeed died.  His reaction to these circumstances makes for some of the season’s funniest moments.  That’s thanks in large part to voice actor Sam Gifaldi.  Gifaldi’s comic timing is perfect from start to finish as always.  His work is so solid that both the show’s original audiences and their own kids will still find it funny to this day.  It’s just one more example of what makes Hey Arnold! Season Three such a joy.

Audiences will get a kick out of seeing the episodes centered on Arnold’s friends in Season Three.  Of course Arnold still gets his time in the limelight.  Those who have picked up the already released first two seasons know that they already get to enjoy both the entertainment and the important lesson taught in “Arnold’s Christmas.”  Now audiences also get to enjoy just as much enjoyment from “Arnold’s Thanksgiving.”  And as in “Arnold’s Christmas”, both Arnold and his secret admirer, Helga G. Pataki, learn a very valuable lesson.  They learn in this half hour holiday special, to appreciate having the families that they have, as dysfunctional as they may seem.  In seeing how dysfunctional the teacher’s family is, they realize that maybe what they have isn’t so bad after all.  The lesson taught in this special episode makes it another excellent example of what makes Season Three so enjoyable.  It isn’t without its entertaining factors, though.  Audiences will laugh seeing just how dysfunctional Helga and Arnold’s families are.  In the case of Arnold’s grandparents, his grandmother thinks Thanksgiving is July 4^th.  So everyone in the board house is forced to celebrate in kind.  In Helga’s case, she’s treated like a complete outsider since her older sister Olga is home for the holidays.  The way her parents react is so outrageous.  Yet there’s a certain amount of truth to their reaction.  Anyone with more than one child will agree with the portrayal at least to a point.

Hey Arnold! is a solid show for the whole family.  Anyone that grew up with this modern classic cartoon knows that.  Whether in its third season or its other four, its writers developed stories that are timeless.  They are timeless because of the balance of their general entertainment value and for the equally important life lessons taught through so many of the show’s episodes.  This season’s episodes are no different.  That has already been noted.  The show’s animation style also helps to make it enjoyable.  The animation used for Hey Arnold! is unlike the animation for any other show from Nickelodeon’s golden era.  It really served to help establish the show’s identity in coordination with the equally solid writing for each episode.  One example of how different this show’s animation was from any of the other Nicktoons of its time is the background art.  While Arnold and his friends were so finely drawn, the backgrounds look like they were drawn with color pencils.  In all reality, the backgrounds could even be argued to look like they were drawn with a certain style chalk.  It’s a rough style.  But that roughness set against the smoother style used for the characters makes for a wholly original style.  And it’s that original animation style mixed with the equally impressive writing throughout that makes Hey Arnold! Season Three well worth picking up for any classic cartoon fan.  It will be available in stores and online next Tuesday, January 29^th.  It can be ordered online direct via Shout! Factory’s online store at http://www.shoutfactory.com/?q=node/216624. 

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Nicktoon’s Latest DVD Release More “Wild” Fun For The Whole Family

Courtesy: Nickelodeon/Shout! Factory

Shout! Factory and Nickelodeon have kicked off the New Year in fine fashion.  The two companies already have a somewhat busy slate of releases set in this still very young year.  Next month sees the release of Rocko’s Modern Life: The Complete Series.  Before that though, audiences of the fellow classic Nicktoon, The Wild Thornberrys finally get to see the final piece to the show’s second season.  The Wild Thornberrys: Season 2 Part 3 is available in stores and online now.  The Thornberrys’ “wild” globe hopping, adventures have only just begun with this last portion of Season 2, as there are still three more seasons left to be released.  This time out, viewers finally get to see Eliza’s “origin” story so to speak, as it is finally revealed how she got her secret powers.  Also Debbie inadvertently becomes mother to a baby Panda, only to find herself having become emotionally attached to it just like a real mother.  And also Nigel’s life is in Eliza’s hands after he is stung by a poisonous fish during a search for an Angler Fish. 

The adventures included in the final portion of The Wild Thornberrys Season 2 Part 3 continue to show just how strong the writing was for this classic Nicktoon in its infancy.  As with so many other Nicktoons of its era, the episodes included in this double disc set continue to show just how much heart the show had (and still has today by comparison to other shows out there).  Each episode in its own way continued to highlight the importance of family while balancing that with the show’s educational and even ecological aspects.  Every episode included in this new set emphasizes educational aspects without even trying, by teaching about different animals of different regions of the world.  That’s even the case in the set’s “origin” episode, “Gift of Gab.”  It teaches not only geography but also biology. That lesson on biology is also echoed in the episode, “Black and White and Mom All Over.”  Eliza’s sister Debbie learns a lesson of how wild animals connect to the first thing they see when they’re young after a baby panda mistakes her for its mother.  That biology lesson is directly tied in to the show’s emphasis on another aspect that still makes it so enjoyable to this day.  That aspect is its emphasis on family.

The educational role of The Wild Thornberrys is only part of what continues to make this such a fan favorite to this day.  The show’s emphasis on family plays a role in its heart, too.  As already noted, one of the episodes that shows that emphasis is “Black and White and Mom All Over.”  That theme is also evident in “Bogged Down” in which it’s up to Eliza to save Nigel’s life.  As excited as she is to be out with her father, one little error on her part nearly costs him his life.  So Eliza has to put her squabbles with Debbie on the backburner in order to save her dad’s life.    And in “Gift of Gab”, the family aspect is offered when Eliza tells the story of how she and Darwin first met and he essentially became part of the Thornberry family. 

As much enjoyment as The Wild Thornberrys brings from its writing and its educational emphasis, the show’s animation also plays a role in its enjoyment.  In a time when it would seem that the very art of creating hand drawn art is dying, this latest installment of the classic Nicktoon serves as yet another reminder of how much better hand drawn art is in comparison to the CG crafted material that currently permeates television stations across the spectrum.  Just as with even older cartoons (on both television and in theaters), the animation of The Wild Thornberrys boasts a very specific style.  While the show itself was one more creation from Arlene Klasky and Gabor Csupo (who also created the ultimate Nicktoon, Rugrats), the animation of this show was entirely different from that of Rugrats and the other cartoons which were created by the pair.  The animation style really served as the most basic identifier of the cartoon.  There was a certain roughness and definition all at once about it.  Set against the likes of Rugrats, Aaahh!!! Real Monsters, and Rocket Power, perhaps the closest that any of these comes to The Wild Thornberrys in terms of its animation style would be Aaahh!!! Real Monsters.  Though, even that similarity is slight at best.  That defining mark, added in to the equally impressive writing and work by a star cast of voice actors has made The Wild Thornberrys one of Nickelodeon’s elite Nicktoons.  And thanks to the latest of the show’s DVD releases, it still holds that title to this day.  The Wild Thornberrys Season 2 Part 3 is available now in stores and online.  It can be ordered direct online via the Shout! Factory store at http://www.shoutfactory.com/?q=node/216648.

To keep up with the latest entertainment reviews and news, go online to http://www.facebook.com/philspicks and “Like” it or its companion page, http://www.facebook.com/pages/Reel-Reviews/381028148587141.  Fans can always keep up with the latest entertainment reviews and news in the Phil’s Picks blog at http://philspicks.wordpress.com.

Shout! Factory, Nickelodeon Keep The Fun Coming With New Nicktoons Release

Courtesy: Shout! Factory/Nickelodeon

Nickelodeon and Shout! Factory are at it again.  The two companies are releasing the second half of Nick’s classic Nicktoon, CatDog.  In the second half of Season Two, CatDog learns yet again, the value of the other after they have a fight.  Also during a visit to an art museum, it turns out that Dog might just have some royal roots.  And in the season finale, Cat learns the true meaning of Christmas in a special half hour long episode after Cat sells out to Mayor Rancid.  These episodes and all the others included in this double disc feature make for even more furry fun from Nickelodeon and Shout! Factory.  And as has become tradition with Shout! Factory’s Nickelodeon releases, the company continues to lead the way in proper packaging, too, adding yet another bonus in itself to this double disc set.

CatDog has had a number of fights throughout the first season of this classic Nicktoon.  That’s also been the case in the first half of Season Two.  Now, another fight has led to another episode in which the pair learns to value the other in the second half of Season Two.  Cat and Dog learn to appreciate the other after a fight between them leads to a pair of dream sequences that eventually intersect in “It’s A Wonderful Half Life.”  Dog is dreaming of a happy simple life, while Cat is dreaming of living in the lap of luxury.  In his dream, CatDog’s friend Winslow is his personal butler.  There’s even a reference to the Orson Welles classic, Citizen Kane in his dream.  While both Cat and Dog’s dreams start out happy, both turn bad quickly, leading to their intersection.  When their dreams intersect, they wake the boys up and make them realize how silly their fight was.  They end up making up, making for a happy and funny end.

Cat showed in his dream during “It’s A Wonderful Half Life” yet again, his greedy nature.  Apparently he got his greed naturally.  That’s shown in “Royal Dog.”  CatDog take a trip to the art museum in this episode.  During their visit, they discover a painting depicting what could very well have been their ancestors.  The tour guide tells them the story of the painting.  The guide tells of how the CatDog in the picture started out poor, but thanks to Cat’s greed and desire for the good life, he trains Dog to be a Royal Dog.  The training works.  But there’s just one catch.  The position of Royal Dog turns out not to be everything that Cat and Dog thought it would be.  In the end, things turn out not so well for CatDog’s ancestor.  But the end result does make for a good laugh.

CatDog has offered lots of laughs in the show’s first two seasons.  And while it does offer more laughs, the season finale of Season Two also offers a warm feeling in “A Very CatDog Christmas.”  In the season finale of Season Two, CatDog is celebrating Christmas.  Dog drags Cat to the mall to see Santa.  Mayor Rancid brings his niece to the mall, too.  She is, of course, a total brat.  She tells Santa and Rancid that she wants CatDog.  But CatDog says they’re not for sale.  That’s not the pair’s only trouble.  After having to deal with Rancid, CatDog also has to deal with the Greaser Dogs again.  Once they escape the Greaser Dogs, Cat’s greed get the better of him.  He goes back to Rancid and agrees to sell himself and Dog to Rancid’s niece.  This depresses Santa, who turns out to be the real Santa.  Santa’s so saddened by seeing CatDog sell out that he cancels Christmas.  Meanwhile, even though Cat and Dog don’t know the effect of what’s happened, they start to realize that they may have made a bad choice.  So, they escape from Rancid and his niece and head home in an effort to set things right.  But they discover when they get back home that things are even worse than they originally though.  Right when everyone is about to punish them, Dog stops everyone and tells everybody there that they can still celebrate Christmas.  This single moment leads to a happy ending for all, including Santa’s return.

To find out exactly how each of these episodes play out, along with all of the other fun adventures not mentioned here, fans of this classic Nicktoon can pick up the double disc set themselves next Tuesday, September 25^th.  It will also be available online at http://www.shoutfactorystore.com. 

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Iron Man Season 2.5 Offers Even More Action For Fans

Courtesy: Gaiam/Vivendi/Marvel

Iron Man is one of the biggest stars of the comic book world right now thanks to his two most recent solo movies and the brand new Avengers ensemble movie from Marvel.  He’s just as big on the small screen as he is on the small screen, too, thanks to Marvel’s “Iron Man:  Armored Adventures.”  This series, which currently airs on Nicktoons, is a big hit with teen audiences.  That’s because the series focuses on a teen-aged Tony Stark.  He and his fellow young co-stars have to face off against an equally aged Justin Hammer among so many other foes.  Next week, audiences and fans of this CG-based series will be able to watch the second half of the show’s second season any time they want as “Iron Man:  Armored Adventures Season Two Part Two” will be available in stores and online.

“Iron Man:  Armored Adventures Season Two Part Two” finishes off the second season of this hit teen-centric super powered show.  This time out, Tony meets what is almost his match in “Titanium vs. Iron.”  Also, the young Tony meets fellow future Avengers Hawkeye and Black Widow in “The Hawk and The Spider.”  And in one of the season’s most interesting episodes, Tony learns a valuable lesson about having to balance his responsibilities as Iron Man with those of Tony Stark, student, in “All The Best People Are Mad.”  These are just half of the six new episodes included in the new single disc compilation that the show’s fans will enjoy.

Season Two Part Two opens with Tony Stark’s foe, Justin Hammer getting ready to reveal his new armor suit to the military thanks to designs that he stole from Tony.  When Hammer opens the capsule that would have held the suit, he and the others are surprised to see nothing there, setting off Justin.  It’s revealed that the suit has disappeared (along with many of the stolen designs) thanks to Tony.  Just one problem, Tony is eventually discovered as he is trying to delete the design for Hammer’s Titanium Man suit.  That suit comes in to play later when Tony has to face it, not knowing it’s really Hammer in the suit.  Tony and War machine are nearly defeated by Titanium Man.  But thanks to a little help from Pepper, another suit is sent, allowing Tony to defeat Titanium Man.  What happens along the way in this episode is left for viewers to find out for themselves.

Hammer’s not the only problem that Tony has to face in the second half of Season Two.  Tony meets two of his future fellow Avengers in “The Hawk and The Spider.”  When Tony is trying to get his hands on a UI chip that Obadiah Stain has, it’s abruptly stolen from him by Hawkeye, with the help of Black Widow.  Even after they get the chip from Tony, things don’t go too well for them, either.  Hammer comes after them in his Titanium Man suit, and steals the chip from them, forcing Tony, Hawkeye, and Black Widow to team up in order to defeat Hammer.  The end result leaves the door wide open for another encounter later on with both characters.  But to find out what that result is, again, audiences will have to see for themselves.

Fans who have watched Iron Man:  Armored Adventures know that as a teenager, Tony Stark has to face the trials and tribulations not only of facing evil villains, but also of high school.  And in “All The Best People Are Mad”, Tony’s late nights catch up with him when an evil teenage genius (who just happens to be a former classmate of Tony) captures him and his friends in what can only be described as something of an homage to the Saw movie franchise.  Tony is forced to answer a series of questions related to his classes in order to save his friends.  On another angle, this is a good episode in that it also promotes the importance of education in a young person’s life.  Sure it may not be a life or death situation.  But education is still important in every person’s life.  This is just a creative way to sort of illustrate that.  All involved with this episode’s creation are to be commended for including that note without being preachy about it.

Tony faces a lot of challenges as Iron Man, as evidenced here.  Of course, there are even more adventures for audiences to check out for themselves.  This single disc collection of episodes will be available next Tuesday, September 25^th. 

To keep up with the latest entertainment reviews and news, go online to http://www.facebook.com/philspicks and “Like” it or its companion page, http://www.facebook.com/pages/Reel-Reviews/381028148587141.  Fans can always keep up with the latest entertainment reviews and news in the Phil’s Picks blog at http://philspicks.wordpress.com.

New Steve Martin Box Set Is One Wild And Crazy Retrospective

Courtesy: Shout! Factory

Shout! Factory has proven time and again throughout 2012 why it is one of the leaders in home entertainment.  With releases of so many classic Nicktoons and even the entire original G.I. Joe series alongside the release of the horror classic, They Live, and so many great music releases, one can only wonder what Shout! Factory will do next to top itself.  What to do?  What to do?  How about a triple disc DVD box set profiling the early career of entertainment legend Steve Martin?  Bingo!

“Steve Martin:  The TV Stuff” is the latest release from Shout! Factory’s stable of top notch releases.  Anyone who is a fan of this veteran comedian/actor/musician/author (heck, just call him a jack of all trades), will find this to be an invaluable addition to their own home library.  The triple-disc set follows Martin’s career from 1978 – 2005.  While audiences won’t find much in the way of his work on Saturday Night Live, they will love seeing his 1978 stand-up act taken from HBO archives.  This nearly hour-long performance is funny.  There’s no arguing that.  But audiences should also know that it isn’t meant for younger audiences due to language and other content.  That aside, it’s still a great piece of nostalgia for any comedy fan or fan of Martin himself.  Some of the best moments in this performance include his banjo playing and his magic (yes, magic) act.  On a similar note, audiences will really enjoy the commentary included on each disc. 

The commentary included on this first disc of the set includes some history from Martin himself.  He explains how he eventually came to work in front of the camera versus behind it.  He explains that he originally wanted to be a magician when he was growing up.  That would account for the addition of the little magic act in his original 1978 stand up set.  He also adds some interesting other tidbits such as how he started his early television career writing for very famous television shows including:  The Smothers Brothers, Sonny & Cher, and The Cher Show.  There’s even mention of where is now famed bit with the fake arrow through the head came from.  Each disc contains its own commentary from Martin.  This is just a tiny sample of what audiences can expect.  And as this reviewer has pointed out so many times before, factors such as this are more proof of the importance of bonus features on DVD’s and blu-rays.  This is one of those cases where the bonus commentary adds so much more to the entire viewing experience.  So kudos once more to Shout! Factory for this inclusion.

His 1978 HBO stand-up act and the commentary are just a couple elements that make this box set enjoyable for any Steve Martin fan.  Also included in the set are his NBC television specials.  Those specials include many of the skits from throughout the years that he’s done.  Fans will love the likes of “Turtle Boy.”  And hearing country legend Johnny cash discussing astrophysics with Steve in his Steve Martin Variety Show skit is hilarious.  There are even appearances by Martin’s SNL cast mates in one of his later TV specials. 

“Steve Martin:  The TV Stuff” may only be comprised of three discs.  But in those three discs, Shout! Factory has managed to compile so much footage from Martin’s career.  Whether it be the skits, the interviews, the standup material, or even the bonus commentary by Martin, this triple-disc set is a wonderful retrospective on his career on the small screen.  The new set will be available in stores and online tomorrow.  It can be ordered direct via Shout! Factory’s website at http://www.shoutfactorystore.com.

To keep up with the latest entertainment reviews and news, go online to http://www.facebook.com/philspicks and “Like” it or its companion page, http://www.facebook.com/pages/Reel-Reviews/381028148587141.  Fans can always keep up with the latest entertainment reviews and news in the Phil’s Picks blog at http://philspicks.wordpress.com.

Aaahh!!! Real Monstrers Season Three Offers More Monstrous Fun Just In Time For Halloween

Courtesy: Shout! Factory/Nickelodeon

Halloween’s almost here.  And just in time to count down the days, Shout! Factory and Nickelodeon have released the penultimate season of Aaahh!!! Real Monsters.  Krumm, Ickis, Oblina, The Grumble and all the other monsters at the Monster Academy are back for thirteen more episodes of scares and screams.  In this second to last season, all the monsters learn about the Festival of the Festering Moon.  And monster hunter Simon is back again, trying his best to capture proof that monsters really exist.  Also in Season Three, Oblina has to face her overbearing mother and make her realize that scaring is her life, whether she likes it or not.  These episodes and more make Season three another fun one for all the Nicktoons Nostalgics out there.

Season Three opens with the episode, “Festival of the Festering Moon.”  In this episode, all the students at the monster academy are undergoing a new stage in their lives.  They’re all quivering.  The only one who knows why is The Gromble.  He explains that the quivering is part of the annual shedding that all young monsters go through.  He also explains that the last monster to shed leaves the academy, never to return.  What he doesn’t explain at first is that the last to shed also is the first to grow up.  So being the only one not quivering, Ickis is scared that he’ll be cast out of the academy.  He goes to every length possible to kick start his shedding process.  It isn’t until the Festival of the Festering Moon that he finally sheds.  And when he finally does, the Gromble finally explains the why the last to shed leaves the academy.  It turns out to actually be a good thing.  So while Ickis isn’t the last to shed, he realizes he was making a big deal over nothing.

After they face the hurdle of a new stage in growing up, Ickis, Krumm, and Oblina also have to face an old foe in Simon The Monster Hunter.  Simon (voiced by James Belushi) returns in “Simon’s Big Score.”  When the trio gets into Simon’s apartment to scare him, Krumm eats some roaches off of a pizza in his kitchen.  What none of the trio knows is that Simon had planted a fake cockroach on the pizza that is actually a microphone/homing device.  So having taken the bait, Krumm inadvertently leads Simon to every one of the trio’s scares.  Suddenly everyone at the monster academy is suspected of intentionally leading Simon to the monsters.  That is until Krumm almost gets into a fight with Ickis.  As he’s getting ready to fight, he’s holding his eyes in his mouth.  Oblina hits Krumm on the back, trying to calm him down.  That causes him to accidentally swallow his eyes (again).  But thanks to her doing that, Krumm discovers the homing device.  Having discovered it, Krumm and the others set up a trap for Simon.  They lead him to a wrestling match and cause him to get involved in the match, in which he is soundly beaten by the wrestler.

Simon The Monster Hunter isn’t the only trouble that the monsters face in Season Three.  In “Lifestyles of the Rich and Scary”, Oblina gets a letter from her mother asking her to come visit.  Her mother’s secret intention is to get her to leave the scare school.  At first, Krumm and Ickis think it’s a great idea for Oblina to visit her mother.  So she obliges and visits her.  Things go south real fast, as Oblina’s mother turns out to be anything but supportive of her.  Things reach a head when Oblina’s mother basically forces her to stay there, rather than return to the monster academy. Luckily for her, the family’s butler steps in and along with Krumm and Ickis, they convince her that her mother is wrong.  When they scare off two robbers from the pedicure shop above their home, Oblina comes to her senses and realizes scaring is her life.  She stands up to her mother at this point.  And with her father’s help, Oblina convinces her mother that she needs to return to the academy.  Her mother agrees, and all ends happily.

Season Three of Aaahh!!! Real Monsters has so many laughs, scares, and screams.  What’s mentioned here is just a tiny portion of that enjoyment.  The double disc set will have any Nicktoons Nostalgic happy from beginning to end, both from the stories and the wonderfully hand drawn animation.  In a time when real cartoons seem increasingly rare, this penultimate season to another classic Nicktoon is another welcome blast from the past.  Add in the continued pack leading packaging for this double disc set, and audiences get another great release from both Shout! Factory and Nickelodeon.  Aaahh!!! Real Monsters Season Three is available now on in stores and online.  It can be orderd online at http://www.shoutfactorystore.com

To keep up with the latest entertainment reviews and news, go online to http://www.facebook.com/philspicks and “Like” it or its companion page, http://www.facebook.com/pages/Reel-Reviews/381028148587141.  Fans can always keep up with the latest entertainment reviews and news in the Phil’s Picks blog at http://philspicks.wordpress.com.

Nickelodeon, Shout! Factory Offer More “Spirited” Fun In Danny Phantom Season 2.5

Courtesy: Nickelodeon/Shout! Factory

The end is near for another of Nickelodeon’s Nicktoons.  Nickelodeon and Shout! Factory have officially released Danny Phantom Season Two Part Two, which will henceforth be simply called Season 2.5.  Danny Phantom Season 2.5 completes the penultimate season to this short lived series from Butch Hartman.  While this show would be short lived, Hartman would go on to create what is one of Nickelodeon’s more popular of the new generation of Nicktoons in The Fairly Oddparents.  Audiences see Danny get shrunk thanks to his dad’s bad aim, all while learning the value of physical fitness, believe it or not.  Also, after learning Danny’s secret, his sister Jazz tries to offer her help, but only makes things worse until she goes to visit Vlad Masterson.  And Danny also learns a very valuable lesson in a special Christmas themed episode.   

Danny Fenton (A.K.A. Danny Phantom) has had to face a lot of challenges ever since accidentally gaining his ghost powers.  He has also learned a lot of valuable life lessons along the way.  One of those valuable lessons that he learns is on the importance of physical fitness.  That lesson is contained in the episode, “Micro Management.”  In this episode, Danny has to utilize his “natural abilities” after being accidentally shrunk by his dad while battling Skulker.  Skulker also gets shrunk along with Danny’s classmate, Dash.  Ironically, Danny had been doing everything that he could to avoid the phys. Ed. test for which he was supposed to have been training prior to getting shrunk.  After going through the adventure, he realizes the importance of being physically fit.  This episode was a smart way to discuss the importance of physical fitness without preaching to young audiences.  Hartman and company were very smart to attack the concept in this way.

The importance of physical fitness is just one lesson that Danny learns in the second half of Season Two.  He also learns lessons about the importance of family through a handful of episodes.  One of those episodes was “Secret Weapons.”  Danny has faced some tough challenges before.  But nothing could prepare him for a sister who is trying way too hard to help Danny hunt ghosts.  Danny’s sister, Jazz, means well in her efforts to help him.  But her help seems to keep causing Danny trouble.  So he ends up confronting her about it at school.  This leads Jazz to go to Vlad Masterson’s home, where she discovers one of his secrets.  In learning his secret, Jazz and Danny team up in the end to beat Vlad.  Thanks to their teamwork, Danny learns to appreciate Jazz’s efforts as his sister, and to appreciate her as a sister, too.  Again, it’s a smart way to tackle a subject to which any younger viewer could relate.

Danny also learns to appreciate the rest of his family, as well as others In the Christmas episode, “The Fright Before Christmas.”  In this episode Danny is no fan of the holiday season.  Viewers learn that the reason for that is his parents constantly fight every Christmas.  So one year, Danny’s in such a foul mood that when he goes into the ghost zone, he destroys a Christmas book written by the Ghost Writer (voiced by Arrested Development star, Will Arnett).  The Ghost Writer is so angry that he traps Danny in a holiday story to teach Danny about appreciating Christmas.  The ghosts from the ghost zone are there, too.  They tell Danny that while they may fight him and each other through the year, Christmas is the one time of the year when they all have a truce, kind of like in All Quiet on The Western Front.  Fans will also enjoy the Christmas music in the background helping to set the mood of each scene.  Eventually, Danny learns that no matter how people celebrate (even if it’s by arguing and fighting), he shouldn’t let that spoil his view of Christmas, and in turn ruin others’ holiday season.  It’s a very valuable lesson for parents and kids alike. 

The episodes noted here are just small samplings of what Danny Phantom Season 2.5 has to offer.  Fans will likely have their own favorite episodes after watching this half of Season Two for themselves.  The two-disc DVD set is available now in stores and online.  It can be ordered direct through Shout! Factory at http://www.shoutfactorystore.com. 

To keep up with the latest entertainment reviews and news, go online to http://www.facebook.com/philspicks and “Like” it or its companion page, http://www.facebook.com/pages/Reel-Reviews/381028148587141.  Fans can always keep up with the latest entertainment reviews and news in the Phil’s Picks blog at http://philspicks.wordpress.com.