How's It Hold Up?

(Spoiler Section Length - 16min 5sec)

After around a decade of creating musicals, Disney started to branch out in the early 2000's, creating several films that weren't as financially successful as the 'Renaissance Era' movies, but many of which ended up being cult favorites over time. Atlantis is one such film - eschewing the musical format for a straight-up adventure film inspired by the like of Indiana Jones. Disney hoped the movie would be the next big thing, and planned to make theme park updates, a sequel and even a spin-off television series under the assumption it would be. But that's not how things worked out... the film disappointed financially, enough so that all the aforementioned tie-ins were cancelled. But financial success is far from a measure of true quality... was this movie actually any good? Listen to find out!

In 1937 Donald Duck broke out from the Mickey Mouse shorts into his own animated shorts series... but he wasn't the only one! Pluto also finally got his own series, though this would be the only entry in it for a few years. The character of Fifi and the concept of Pluto shepherding a group of rambunctious young animals returns in this first outing, as Pluto tries to take care of his kids while Fifi is out stealing food. He does a pretty lousy job, and things only get worse when Pluto and the pups end up in a nearby basement that has paint and alcohol in it. Does Pluto's first solo cartoon still hold up today, or is he best as a side-character? Listen to find out!

The Curtain Rises Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

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Kool Kats Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

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(Spoiler Section Length - 11min 3sec)

Rankin-Bass' Rudolph continues his adventures, and this time he's saving New Years! Along for the ride are a colorful cast of characters, in search of a baby with big ears. They hunt for the child across an archipelago with islands that represent years past. But the wicked giant bird Eon also searches for the kid, to prevent his own demise. Does this all sound like a lot? It is!! But the real question is... does this special still hold up? Listen to find out!

The Curtain Rises Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

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Kool Kats Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

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In this Popeye short, Swee'Pea gets into a dangerous factory and nearly dies many times! When people say things like 'you couldn't make this today' they usually seem to be referring to provocative content like Blazing Saddles, but the phrase could also be used for something like this: a cartoon where the central crux of most of the jokes is a baby in life-threatening danger. Modern audiences are not generally accustomed to seeing a baby almost get split in half by a buzz saw. But does that make this old cartoon bad? Not necessarily! Listen to find out our take on it!

The Curtain Rises Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

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Kool Kats Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

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(Spoiler Section Length - 9min 7sec)

While Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer might have a tough time being labelled anyone's 'favorite' Christmas song, it certainly is one of the most well-known, and that's in part because of this iconic holiday special that virtually every generation since its creation is at least aware of, even if they haven't actually seen it. It's Rankin-Bass' first Christmas special, and easily their most iconic. They went on to make many more specials, many Christmas-themed, but if you mention their name it's this particular one that people are likely to remember. But being ubiquitous doesn't mean being good, or holding up well... so IS it good? DOES it hold up well? Listen to find out!

The Curtain Rises Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

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Kool Kats Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

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When people consider all-time classic Christmas stories, Dr. Seuss' tale of the Grinch tends to be one of the most fondly remembered. While the original book has had multiple adaptations over the years, the first one had the biggest influence, if for no other reason than it cemented the idea that the Grinch should be colored green. But all these years later, does this Chuck Jones television special still prove to be worth a watch, or is it time to leave it in the past? Listen to find out!

The Curtain Rises Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

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Kool Kats Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

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This time we take a look at Gabby's final two (of three) appearances in the original Looney Tunes shorts, each one increasingly directed by Bob Clampett (with Chuck Jones as assistant director!). Does Gabby's character improve over his first appearance? Does Bob Clampett's direction win out against Ub Iwerks in quality? Are either of these cartoons worth watching today? Listen to find out!

The Curtain Rises Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

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Kool Kats Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

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(Spoiler Section Length - 12min 24sec)

Making the sequel to your cult classic anthology film NOT an anthology is a strange choice out the gate, but not inherently a bad one, if the story and characters prove worth the time investment. Taking a few notes from the original film's Tarna segment, this sequel focuses on a butt-kicking woman taking on a great evil in order to avenge slaughtered innocents and save the universe. Given this setup and another reference or two to Tarna throughout the film, it makes the most sense to compare it to that original segment. Does it compare favorably? Does it stand up on its own? And most importantly, does it hold up? Listen to find out!

The Curtain Rises Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

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Kool Kats Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

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Mickey's putting on a show - a magic show! Donald is also here, though unlike Orphan's Benefit he isn't part of the show - instead HE is the heckler! Though when Mickey easily puts him in his place, Donald is eager to charge onstage to fight about it. Throw in a little bit of Goofy, working behind the scenes, and you have an explosive mix with some wild results. But are they enjoyable results? Listen to find out!

The Curtain Rises Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

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Kool Kats Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

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(Spoiler Section Length - 18min 51sec)

We've got another Mamoru Hosoda film on our hands, and just like all his other movies, we definitely never cried while watching or discussing it. This one touches on some very modern concerns, such as identity and perception in the digital age, while also using trappings from an older tale, Beauty and the Beast. The film also uses multiple animation styles, most prominently traditional animation and CGI. Does it all work together to make another engrossing Hosoda classic? Or does this one end up less than the sum of its parts? Listen to find out!

The Curtain Rises Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

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Kool Kats Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

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