ThaScientist's movie Reviews on Newgrounds

[PALADIN episode 5 part 2]

I'd give it 12/10 if I could.

Paladin episode 5 culminates the most epic thing I have yet seen on newgrounds. The art is beautifully stylized, the characters well developed, and the scope of vison is incredible. It's archtypal and legendary in style, but brings with it a very visceral feeling that makes it real.

Greif, pain, and hope become almost tangible things when it is brought to life here, and the message rings true: There is always hope even for a world consumed by evil; battles are only won by extreme selflessnes and painful sacrifices; villains all eventually meet their downfall through arrogance, and the real heroes are people who go in to battle (be it metaphorically or litterally) conscious of their own fear and shortcomings and willing to give themselves and the things they love selflessly for the greater good.

It's perfect because when JAZZA pays homage to the trappings of sword and sorcery, they aren't cliches; they're archtypes. It has all the core characters of a story; the hero, the wise man, the friend, the villain.

It has forboding castles, swords animated so well you could cut yourself looking at them, cinematic camera angles, perfect composition, fantastic voice acting...I could go on for way too long.

Did I mention the musical score is f***ing amazing!? I think this guy deserves an oscar.

JAZZA is king. VOTE FIVE!

[Intruder Returns]

Cinematic.

It was good from start to finish, largely because you used a few devices that you rarely see in things like madness combat (although to Krinkels' credit, he gets more cinematic every time). Realistic smoke and blast damage, slow motion, point of view shots, and use of lighting and contrast in those silhouette shots elevate this above random violence and raise the bar for future animators. It's an exhilerating action sequence.

As just one criticism, the character's movements seemed kind of jerky sometimes, but it was all minor. I guess I was hoping to see more the kind of seamless motion you showcased in those silhouetted shots. I haven't yet acquired Flash, which I mention to admit I'm not in a position to judge. I know it's more difficult than it looks, and minor jerks are justified simply by the amount of movement you had going on at once. Taken as a whole, it was very smooth and realistic down to every crouch, fall, and lunge.

Oh, and I dig the extras. Fight on ; ]

mmankt responds:

Well some body parts get a little shaky in few frames like in "camper" scene. You don't see it while animating and it just pops up from nowhere. With 100-150 frame movements and avg 4 min for every frame to set it's a pain to go back. I did my best to plan every joint of characters. I'm almost sure that my next flash won't have such mini flaws. Anyway, thanks for this review, a very good read.

[Tribute To Elevators]

Not Good Enough

It's too long, boring, and simple. A movie should only be as long as it takes to deliver the subject, and unless it has some pretty excellent artwark there's no use porlonging it. You could have at least animated people coming in and out. It would not have been so much harder. I won't blam it just because it's clear you're trying to say something good, but take my advice and go back to the drawing board.

I would have enjoyed the experience more If I felt I was looking at something that had effort put into it. If that was the result of hard work, and not just a quickie for you, I suggest you take time off to hojne your efficiency to get more out of your time spent working.

[Random Short #1]

Make better plots.

Randomness does not automatically = laughs. I recommend a few hours of monty python to inspire you.

masterguy-1243 responds:

Ok. I love Monty Python

[.:FRIENDS - Civil War:.]

Fine.

It's simplistic, but you got your facts right. Just remember that it was NOT easy for the union to win. It was very bad and bloody for both sides, and more Americans died than in any war before or since.

[Salad Fingers Episode 8]

Ugliness is beauty.

You somehow manage to make the story of some poor lunatic deeply interesting and almost touching. This is among the wierdest flashes I've ever seen, but it's great. Funny, eerie, and a bit sad, it shows a real mastery of a kind of magical realism in creating a microcosm where everything is old, rusty, dank, and morbid. Strange and sinister as he sometimes is, Salad Fingers comes across as an endearing character who struggles to find some solace in a decrepid and rather depressing world. David Firth, you are a genius.