Love animation to bits. It was a big part of my life as a child, especially Disney, Looney Tunes, Hanna Barbera and Tom and Jerry, and still love it as a young adult, whether it's film, television or cartoons. Actually appreciate it even more now, having more knowledge of the different animation styles and directors and what work went into them.
Am most familiar with the 'Mickey Mouse Works' cartoons from them featuring on 'House of Mouse', a show still held a fondness for by me. With the colours and sound effects, that 'Mickey Mouse Works' makes a real effort to retain the spirit of the old/classic/golden age Disney cartoons is to be lauded. The characters' original personalities are admirably stuck true to as well, particularly Goofy and Donald, while also expanding those for a few, Mickey being more interesting here than before. The hyperactive energy present here is one of few things that is different.
Get a lot of enjoyment out of the "Maestro Minnie" series, being a fan of animation and classical music and they go so well together as proven many times. The music here is wonderful, the scenario entertains and the instrumental gags are just as fun. Liked Minnie's resourcefulness too.
'How to be a Spy' does a fine job entertaining and teaching. Goofy's ineptitude and clumsiness is both immense fun to watch and endearing and the narration and the whole feel of the cartoon are fond reminders of what made the classic Goofy "How to" cartoons from the 40s-50s work so well.
'Donald's Valentine Dollar' is on the slight side in terms of story, but it does charm, Donald reacts very amusingly to what he goes through (though one relates to him too), the visuals have some invention and the inspired use of Beethoven enhances what is going on.
'Pluto's Kittens' is amusing but also very cute. Those kittens are just adorable and it is an ideal situation for energetic Pluto to be in and react to. Mickey is a bit underused and not as interesting and one may be put off by his cold treatment of Pluto. The angel and devil consciences add a lot too.
While not surprising in outcome, the stories are lively and engaging, kept afloat by the character interaction, characters and the atmosphere. The writing is clever and very funny, even with the deliberately corny moment and pun which made me grin rather than groan.
Really enjoy the spontaneous flow of the episode and Donald's spotlight stealing/accident with the umbrella is very funny indeed.
Furthermore, the animation is very colourful, smooth in movement and with some meticulous detail. The music is suitably groovy, jaunty and cleverly used.
Voice acting is very good with some of the best voice actors in the business involved. Wayne Allwine, Bill Farmer and Tony Anselmo are more than worthy successors to Walt Disney/James MacDonald, Pinto Colvig and Clarence "Ducky" Nash. Corey Burton is dead on as the narrator, and Eric Idle and Penn Jillette are an inspired double act as Pluto's angel and devil consciences (though the latter overdoes it a bit).
In conclusion, once again very good. 8/10 Bethany Cox
Am most familiar with the 'Mickey Mouse Works' cartoons from them featuring on 'House of Mouse', a show still held a fondness for by me. With the colours and sound effects, that 'Mickey Mouse Works' makes a real effort to retain the spirit of the old/classic/golden age Disney cartoons is to be lauded. The characters' original personalities are admirably stuck true to as well, particularly Goofy and Donald, while also expanding those for a few, Mickey being more interesting here than before. The hyperactive energy present here is one of few things that is different.
Get a lot of enjoyment out of the "Maestro Minnie" series, being a fan of animation and classical music and they go so well together as proven many times. The music here is wonderful, the scenario entertains and the instrumental gags are just as fun. Liked Minnie's resourcefulness too.
'How to be a Spy' does a fine job entertaining and teaching. Goofy's ineptitude and clumsiness is both immense fun to watch and endearing and the narration and the whole feel of the cartoon are fond reminders of what made the classic Goofy "How to" cartoons from the 40s-50s work so well.
'Donald's Valentine Dollar' is on the slight side in terms of story, but it does charm, Donald reacts very amusingly to what he goes through (though one relates to him too), the visuals have some invention and the inspired use of Beethoven enhances what is going on.
'Pluto's Kittens' is amusing but also very cute. Those kittens are just adorable and it is an ideal situation for energetic Pluto to be in and react to. Mickey is a bit underused and not as interesting and one may be put off by his cold treatment of Pluto. The angel and devil consciences add a lot too.
While not surprising in outcome, the stories are lively and engaging, kept afloat by the character interaction, characters and the atmosphere. The writing is clever and very funny, even with the deliberately corny moment and pun which made me grin rather than groan.
Really enjoy the spontaneous flow of the episode and Donald's spotlight stealing/accident with the umbrella is very funny indeed.
Furthermore, the animation is very colourful, smooth in movement and with some meticulous detail. The music is suitably groovy, jaunty and cleverly used.
Voice acting is very good with some of the best voice actors in the business involved. Wayne Allwine, Bill Farmer and Tony Anselmo are more than worthy successors to Walt Disney/James MacDonald, Pinto Colvig and Clarence "Ducky" Nash. Corey Burton is dead on as the narrator, and Eric Idle and Penn Jillette are an inspired double act as Pluto's angel and devil consciences (though the latter overdoes it a bit).
In conclusion, once again very good. 8/10 Bethany Cox
