Blurry VISIONS

Star Wars: Visions is perhaps my all time favorite production to have come out of the 'Disney Era' of the franchise, even when not every entry is an absolute banger. This is because they experiment, take chances, do things differently, and don't worry about the $@^%ing canon. 

The newest iteration, Volume 3, is no different and yet it kind of is.

Having watched each of the episodes at least twice now, here are my thoughts...

WARNING: SPOILERS INCOMING

Switch all power to front deflector shields!

Star Wars: Visions Volume 3 returns to Japan for nine short form film/episodes that are not directly linked to each other, though all are set in the Star Wars universe of course. In fact, although adherence to canon isn't a major factor, this time out the series seems to feel the most traditionally 'Star Wars-y' so far. You've got familiar aliens, droids, X-Wings, and other bits and bobs that just say 'this is Star Wars' loud and clear.

One unique feature this time out is that we have several sequels to installments first seen in Volume 1. The Duel, The Ninth Jedi, and The Village Bridge all get continuations. This is great to see but it highlights one of the weaknesses of this Volume.

Volume 3 feels less fresh and new. With perhaps two exceptions, most of the entries this time around are not experimental, they're not taking chances, and they're really not doing things all that special or unique. This doesn't mean there aren't some really great pieces here but it feels safer, more packaged, and more what you might expect from 'Star Wars by Anime Artists'. 

I also feel that overall the music wasn't particularly great. Maybe it's my computer but on more than half of the episodes the music is too quiet, too low in volume (even after adjusting it), and generally comes off as something I either didn't notice at all or found just audible enough to be distracting at times. Your light years may very. I am not much of a music guy these days.

My final criticism is that while most of the entries are very good and I liked them, with none that I would consider truly bad in any way, it's equally true that none are so grand, so ground-breakingly amazing that I can say I've found my new favorite. They're all just really good, though some still better than others.

What follows are my opinions on each and what elements stand out to me for whatever reason. I am always looking at media through a Gamemaster's eye, so there may be some gamer talk but for the most part I'll save the RPG discussions for a separate post.

Title: The Duel: Payback (8.5/10)

Studio: Kamikaze Douga/ANIMA

Director: Takanobu Mizuno

Writer: Jumpei Mizusaki[

The first short film in the first volume of Visions was The Duel and I scored the original a 10 out of 10. It was incredible. It still is. It looked unlike anything we'd seen before, especially in the context of Star Wars - black and white with pops of strategically placed color, a rough, sketchy, almost unfinished illustration style, a familiar universe reinterperted as Feudal Era Japan, and a main character who was both the hero and a villain. 

Here we revisit that same world and as such, while possibly the best of the bunch this time out as well, it isn't something completely unexpected. It's more of the same, though the 'same' is really excellent. The new characters, the set pieces, and the fleshing out of the Ronin were welcome additions. Great imagery continues in the tradition of the first.

The music in this one was probably some of the best too, though at lot of it was derived from the films (particularly the Prequels I think). 

Title: The Song of Four Wings (8/10)

Studio: Project Studio Q

Director: Hiroyasu Kobayashi

Writer: Yoji Enokido

I'm just going to put this out there right up front; I really liked this one! I say it that way because I've looked about the internet and a lot of reviewers see this one as 'nothing special'. It seems a good number of Star Wars Youtubers didn't find The Song of Four Wings to be anything to write home to Coruscant about. 

I get that. At least I can see why some might feel that way but for me it was really fun. First, it was very Star Wars. It had a heroic Princess with a cool Astromech Droid riding a classic looking Speeder Bike across an Ice Planet to save a cute little alien from Snowtroopers and AT-ATs. C'mon! If you're a Star Wars fan, what is there not to love about that?

Simultaneously, it's VERY Japanese. Very Anime and Manga. It combines Star Wars with three major tropes of Japanese media culture; Mecha, Magical Girls, and Origami. No story with transforming Walkers, a plucky girl's droid becoming an X-Wing battle suit, a Force Sensitive, big-eyed furbunny, and traditinal Japanese paper cutting art could be anything less than awesome. 

The music here should have been better. It's OK but missing something. Crane's personal tune is kinda neat but since music is actually an element of the character, I would think Project Studio Q would've made it stand out a little more. The background music is likewise a bit lackluster. None of it sucks but none of it soars either.

It's probably a 7.5 episode but its an 8 to me. Perhaps not the best of the entries but definitely a personal favorite of mine.

Title: The Ninth Jedi: Child of Hope (7.5/10)

Studio: Production IG

Director/Writer: Naoyoshi Shiotani

This was a good episode of a typical Anime Action Show but a slightly weak entry in not only the Star Wars: Visions series but as an installment of The Ninth Jedi as well.

One of my favorites from the original Visions Volume 1, the first incarnation of 'The Ninth Jedi' had an interesting take on the Star Wars setting, charming characters, and a very cool story twist. This one...doesn't have those things. The droid Teto that they introduce is very cute and cool but there is no twist and very little that advances the world-building of this far future(?) version of the familiar galaxy far, far away. It was both well done and somewhat disappointing.

Also the starship designs were...strange. I think they were going for a more futuristic Star Wars aesthetic but instead it looked more like knock-off Star Trek. As an Anime fan I expected a little more from Production IG.

Title: The Bounty Hunters (7/10)

Studio: WIT Studio

Director: Junichi Yamamoto

Writer: Hiroshi Seko

This is a tough one. I liked The Bounty Hunters but it wasn't all that much to speak of. A predictable story. Pretty standard villain. Good art if a little simple and solid enough animation. Like The Song of Four Wings, this one isn't shaking anyone to their core but damn if it wasn't fun. I liked the main character but thought the split personality droid was a really cool and clever idea and his look was neat. Additionally, I thought this was one of the few episodes this volume to feature cool ship designs. 

Title: Yuko's Treasure (7.5/10)

Studio: Kinema Citrus Co. 

Director: Junichi Yamamoto

Writer: Hiroshi Seko

Another very fun entry with a strong 1970s to early 1980s Anime feel. There was an era in Japanese Manga and Anime that saw stories of this type all the time. Classics like Doraemon, Dr. Slump, Magical Princess Minky Momo, and others feature many of the tropes you see in this episode: really young protagonists, a cute looking but surprisingly tough 'Pet' Robot, over-the-top masked villains and their goofy minions, and running gags like the one where the monster and villains repeatedly fall down a hole. Like Pokemon's Team Rocket blasting off to become a twinkle in the sky at the end of each episode of that show. 

This one was not only fun but I could definitely see this being an easy entry point into the Star Wars universe for many elementry school age children. While a tad silly and having a very child friendly art style, even adults can get a chuckle from this one and feel the timeless charm fused into it.

The ship shown at the end is pretty adorable and quite Star Wars appropriate so it gets a thumbs up. 

Title: The Lost Ones (8/10)

Studio: Kinema Citrus Co.

Director: Hitoshi Haga

Writer: Hitoshi Haga and Takahito Oonish

In Star Wars: Visions Volume 1 we got The Village Bridge, a very pretty episode with an intriguing setting and a character I really wanted to see more of, the female Jedi known only as 'F'. The Lost Ones sees her return, facing off against a cataclysm that drove people off their world and the return of her former master now turned to the Dark Side of The Force.

I liked this one, quite a bit, but I felt it had some of the same flaws as its predecessor. There is a story about a planet and its people as their was in The Village Bride but just like in that previous episode, it doesn't connect directly to F or her facing off against her ex-mentor. I mean, the two stories cross over each other and there are characters that connect the two during the episode but it just feels like she could have been anywhere else and the story might have progressed the same way. 

The Jedi Master turned Sith (maybe an Inquisitor?) and their ship comes looking for F, not the planet, the people, or anything else. So why tell us all about the plight of these folks? Again, its not that the two plots are completely disconnected but they're not intrinsically related either. 

I really like F. I'm not even sure why. There is just something about her. Cool design, a real survivor, and a good person at heart. I hope we see another outing of hers that deals more directly with what she does to survive in the Rebellion Era and how true she stays to herself.

Music good. Nothing especially stand out-ish but good. 

Title: The Smuggler (8/10)

Studio: Studio Trigger

Director/Writer: Masahiko Otsuka

A big fan of Studio Trigger I was hoping I'd like this one and I very much did. This one felt like a group of Player Characters doing the initial mission that forms their party. A smooth mix of classic Star Wars and modern Anime/Manga ideas the results in just the kind of short I imagine would result from a Star Wars Visions project.

The Smuggler appeals to me for the same reason The Bounty Hunters and The Song of Four Wings does. Nothing groundbreaking but a fine example of what you can do when you cross pollenate Japanese Anime tropes with those of Star Wars. 

The ships here are very Anime but they do reveal some Star Wars DNA in them, especially the bounty hunter fighters that show shades of TIE fighter on what is otherwise a 1990s Japanese Animation design. On the flipside, the Landspeeder in the episode is spot on Star Wars. 

Title: The Bird of Paradise (7.5/10)

Studio: Polygon Pictures

Director: Tadahiro Yoshihira

Writer: Tadahiro Yoshihira and Makoto Uezu

This one. Hmm. This one is tough to review.

Absolutely beautiful looking art, excellent animation, and a story that is quite intriguing thanks to the blending of Japanese spiritual beliefs with the Force. It makes for an atypical approach to the traditional Jedi vs Sith stories we're accustomed to. 

I can't emphasize enough that the visuals are just stunning. I was particularly fond of the Sith characters' design and the look of the Dark Side version of the main character. Unfortunately...

The drawbacks to this entry that prevent me from fully enjoying it are two fold: First, the female protagonist is quite pathetic and whiny for a good portion of the episode. The change toward a stronger and more positive attitude is very subtle at first, which could be a testament to good storytelling, but because I'd already grown to dislike her it was hard to me to notice or appreciate it. Second, we don't get to spend much time on each of the days of her journey of self-reflection and discovery. As a result and as noted before, the change from her being weak and bratty to being more centered seems abrupt, though it wasn't meant to. 

The episode also has a less than satisfying ending in my opinion. We never return to the battle that starts the story rolling and have not idea what became of the main character's Master, the Sith adversary, or her really cool droid, Daruma. We never get to see our heroine face the enemy after her 'rebirth' so we are told what she learned but don't see it in action. 

The music here, it works. It fits and does what it needs to do.

Title: BLACK (6.5/10)

Studio: David Production

Director/Writer: Shinya Ohira

If any of the shorts could be legitimately called disappointing it would be BLACK. 

Hailed as a masterpiece when it was shown at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival in France back in June, the buzz around this one was intense. A very different take on not only Star Wars but what could be done in animation, supposedly paired with a righteous jazz score reminiscent of Cowboy Beboy made it one of the most anticipated pieces in Vision Volume 3.

Problem is...it just doesn't work. At least not for me.

The imagery is chaotic, designed to show the madness of an Imperial Stormtrooper going through some sort of psychotic PSD episode. A very intriguing idea but one that becomes tiresome to watch as it runs on too long without any sort of narrative. I watched it twice but the second time I was more often listening to it than watching it. My eyes got tired of the random visual noise. 

The music, which I expected to really like as a fan of this kind of Jazz and of Cowboy Beboy, was sorely lacking. The vast majority of the episode's run you can barely hear it. The rest of the time it doesn't quite match with what is going on in the animation. The visuals and the score seem almost at odds instead of complimenting each other. 

It was cool that they went for it with this one, that they tried to do something really different but in the end it is definitely the short I enjoyed the least.

As you can see, not a single one of these was rated a 9 out of 10, let alone a 10/10. The guy who is a huge Star Wars and Anime fan didn't gush about how awesome any one of the entries were. Cool? Sure. Well done? Mostly yes. Amazing! Well, that's going a little far. 

If you haven't watched Star Wars: Visions Volume 3 yet and for some odd reason read this first, I would go with the advice of Major Partagaz from Andor and 'Calibrate your enthusiasm' before checking it out. 

That doesn't mean it was great to have another volume of VISIONS or that it didn't inspire some Star Wars TRPG ideas. I am still extremely excited for the upcoming The Ninth Jedi ongoing series and hopeful for a potential Volume 4. 

フォースとともにあらんことを

Fōsu to tomo ni aran koto wo

May The Force Be With You

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Barking Alien

Rock On!

They is, am, are, and be,

they who is and are known as

THE ELECTRIC MAYHEM!

Electric Mayhem - The Muppets Mayhem

Album Cover Art by Matt Taylor

I apologize for how long its taken me to cover the recent Disney+ Streaming Series The Muppets Mayhem, a ten episode series featuring the Muppets legendary rock band, The Electric Mayhem. 

Let me start by saying WOW! I absotively posilutely lovified this streamificated narrative of musical proportions. Heheh, channeling my inner Dr. Teeth there. Truthfully though, I am happy to say I really enjoyed it.

The Muppets Mayhem does a lot right. I would even go so far as to say it does what it sets out to do better than some of the previous attempts to 'modernize' the Muppets. How? Well, at the heart of what makes The Muppets Mayhem not just a great series but a great Muppets series is that this series embraces the fact that the Muppets are Muppets.

I...um...Say what now?

The laws of physics and other basic facts about our world change when the Muppets are around. They themselves can instantly change clothes, make items appear out of nowhere, get squashed, stretched, and of course, survive massive explosions. When Humans enter the presence of Muppets - and vice versa - the normal people become part of the Muppets' extraordinary reality. Forget that, ignore that, and you lose a great deal of the magic of the Muppets. The Muppets Mayhem doesn't shy away from this but rather embraces it. 

Well All Right!

On to a full-on Barking Alien-a-rific review...

SPOI-LERS! SPOI-LERS! SPOI-LERS!

Ha-Ha-Ha.

The GOOD

So much! The element that stands out the most to me is, as noted above, the Muppet-ness of the band and how the band interacts with the world they're in. It is both subtle and apparent and happens throughout the series. It isn't focused on but rather just happens as an aside to the scenes the Muppet characters are in. Clearly there are things that occur in the series solely because Dr. Teeth and The Electric Mayhem are Muppets.

Another thing about the series that I loved was the detail and depth given to the characters. Each and every member of the band, including 'new' member Lips, is given time to shine and has some great moments dedicated to them. While not every character gets heavy character development, all the characters get the chance to stand out, to be distinct, to be funny, and to make the viewers feel like we got to know them. A very impressive feat given an aspect of the show that I'll discuss below (The BAD). 

I liked the Human characters, although I feel that not aspects of them were as well thought out as the personalities and traits of the Muppet characters. The thing is, if I came to the Muppets Mayhem series for the Muppets, the real life Humans had better be highly entertaining to warrant their presence in the show. I personally think that the Humans were handled quiet well in that respect. I liked when they were on screen and I really liked how they interacted with the Electric Mayhem. 

I liked the new Muppet character of Penny Waxman a lot. Not only is she a classic character type, a trope of the heyday of the 60s and 70s Music Industry, but she was also given enough unique quirks to make her memorable. I also really liked her design. 

The overall story was quite good, with the subplots given to the individual Mayhem members even stronger in many cases. Getting new reveals and realizations about these characters, some of which are nearly 50 years old, was extremely fun for a long time, die hard Muppets fan like myself. 

Finally, it was funny - REALLY FUNNY! Oh man, I found myself laughing out loud so many times throughout the season. The best part about the humor is that it wasn't all from cameos  or nostalgia - it was from the context of the narrative and the characters. That is amazing to see in modern pop culture entertainment. Yes, it had Easter Eggs. The series definitely made references to past Muppet works. All of that was simply icing on the cake. The cake definitely had a great flavor all its own. 

Oh, fer sure. Like, totally.

The BAD

There really wasn't anything I would deem bad but there were a few things that seemed off and it largely revolved around the Human characters, specifically the lead.

Nora Singh (played by actress Lilly Singh and that's not confusing) is the main Human protagonist, the assistant to Penny Waxman, owner of Wax Town Records. Her major character trait and focus seems to be her love of music, imparted to her by her father. According to references made during the show, including a specific one made by her sister, music has been Nora's life since she was little. This is why she got a job in the Record/Music Industry and why she wants to make a name for herself and Wax Town Records by getting the Electric Mayhem to cut their first album. 

OK, cool, I'm on board. Except...the writers are very inconsistent about Nora's relationship with music. In an inverse version of 'Show don't tell', we are repeatedly told that Nora loves classic rock n' roll (especially her dad's favorite song by Joe Cocker) but then gets the words to a famous KISS song incorrect, doesn't seem overly familiar with the Electric Mayhem, their history, inside info about the industry she's in, and has few if any contacts within the music business. I get it, she's young, struggling, an underdog to be sure, but she either knows music or doesn't and it's unclear which of these defining things is true. It repeatedly threw me off and I found it distracting. 

Maybe that's just me.

Huh?

The GROOVY

The music! It's actually good and some of it is very good but you don't get to hear many of the songs in their entirety in the episodes. You need to check out The Electric Mayhem - Muppets Mayhem album, available on Spotify as well as for purchase ON VINYL! Vinyl baby! 

I am particularly fond of Rock On and Gotta Be. 

Man, I am so inspired by this series to do something to honor it with my RPG, The Googly Eyed Primetime Puppet Show. Not sure what yet. Any ideas?

Mahb du da rit up oul da band stas 'em pote dem ere?

Lips, that's it! You are a genius brother. Thanks.

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Barking Alien

Hey everybody, one more thing before I split...

Could really use some help and support to keep the creative works coming as well as just get through the Summer months, which can be very tough for me and my business. If you like what I do and can lend a hand, check out my Ko-Fi at https://ko-fi.com/barkingalien 

Thanks all. I really appreciate it. 

Force VISIONS

May the Fourth Be With You! Happy Star Wars Day everybody!

Except that...oops...it's already the 6th. I've running behind dang it! That makes me angry and anger leads to

Hey out there in a galaxy far, far away! Welcome back!

My favorite Star Wars production of the past few years - beloved more than The Mandalorian, Andor, and...well...what else was there to enjoy really? I guess Bad Batch was OK. Hmm. Where was I? Oh yes! - my favorite Star Wars thing has been the Japanese Anime Anthology series called Star Wars VISIONS.

Now we have a Volume 2 and it hits different!

This time out, we're going global! 

For VISIONS Volume 2 Lucasfilm has assembled a Jedi Order of animation studios from 9 separate countries. Nine individual episodes by studios from Chile, England, France, India, Ireland, Japan, South Africa, South Korea, and Spain.  

Check out this line-up:

This is a staggering collection of talent and the results speak for themselves. Be that as it may, I'm going to speak for them anyway! What follows is a mostly 'Spoiler Free' review of each of the episodes by yours truly, pointing out particular elements I found particularly worth noting for one reason or another.

I say mostly Spoiler Free because I will likely mention some basic plot elements of each. If that's too much of a Spoiler for you I totally understand. Go check out the series for yourself and take a look at this after you're done.

Cool? Great! Let's continue on then shall we?

I will be doing a follow up post that will DEFINITELY contain Spoilers in the form of key episode details and how they can be applied to Star Wars tabletop gaming. There was a lot of great world building material in these shorts as well as some other stuff that really has the turbines spinning. 

Like I did for the first Volume, I will post my personal rating next to the title of each episode. The rating goes from 1 to 10 where one is Very Bad and ten is Totally Awesome. A 5/10 means it's Meh; it was OK but particularly likeable or unlikeable. 

Title: “Sith” (8.5/10)

Studio: El Guiri (Madrid, Spain)

Writer/Director: Rodrigo Blaas

I loved this one and in some ways it is my favorite of Volume 2. Like 'The Duel', the first entry in Volume 1, this is a visually dazzling tale that centers around a Sith protagonist. I find it interesting, perhaps even odd, that both Volumes of VISIONS open with such distinct, artistic shorts. It is very cool don't get me wrong and gets your attention right away but it handicaps all the ones that follow. The rest of the series rarely meets or tops the pure aesthetic spectacle of these first installments. The remainder all get compared to the first ones and since they're so bold in style and color the others can pale in comparison. An odd choice of placement in my opinion.

That said, I found the character and her story very intriguing. I would love to see more of her and that is high praise indeed.

Title: “Screecher’s Reach” (9/10)

Studio: Cartoon Saloon (Kilkenny, Ireland)

Writer: Director: Paul Young

Another one I very much enjoyed was this homage to Irish folklore with a Star Wars twist that I did not see coming. Whereas 'Sith' scores more points for visuals, 'Screecher's Reach' gets brownie points for having an excellent story. Furthermore, it's an excellent story well told. Great voice acting and direction. The art is quite charming and the animation is good but this one is really about the narrative. 

The ending, which I will not discuss here (just go watch it) is definitely one of its great strengths and drummed up thoughts in me that I will go into in greater depth in a follow up post. Most profound. 

Title: “In the Stars” (8/10)

Studio: Punkrobot (Santiago, Chile)

Writer/Director: Gabriel Osorio

An intriguing aspect of Volume 2 is that many of the entries seem to take place around the time of the Galactic Civil War and battle of the Rebels against the Empire. This is definitely true of this episode and yet it seems to take place in a timeless period of desperation independent of the greater Rebellion. This story occurs in that eternal dark place of struggle between indigenous peoples and greedy foreign invaders.

The art style, a form of Stop Motion/Claymation is a cool choice and the designs are awesome but in the context of the overall series I found it peculiar how many of the episodes used this sort of art. It made the episode feel, at least to me, less unique and special than it could have, though still excellent. 

Title: “I Am Your Mother” (7/10)

Studio: Aardman (Bristol, England, U.K.)

Director: Magdalena Osinska

As a huge Wallace and Grommit fan I was ecstatic to learn that Aardman would be participating in this new season of VISIONS. The episode itself was charming, humorous, and even a bit irreverent. I liked it very much. At the same time, I can't help but feel it wasn't as great as it could have been. I hate to feel this way but there is just something missing from the episode that could have put it over the top. I can't put my finger on what. I almost feel like they should have leaned even harder into everything they did but shortened each sequence making each one punchier (and therefore funnier).

Some of the background alien and droid designs are really cool and I wish we'd gotten to see more of them up close. Overall a positive and hard-warming short worthy of a few chuckles.

Title: “Journey to the Dark Head” (7.5/10)

Studio: Studio Mir (Seoul, South Korea)

Director: Hyeong Geun Park

The entry that most resembles the first Volume in both its look and narrative is 'Journey to the Dark Head'. The art, animation, and narrative are cool but the dialogue, voice acting, and character development were a tad weak and as such the episode wasn't executed to its fullest. I wonder what the original Korean dub sounded like if indeed there was one. 

One thing I found intriguing about this short was its setting, which seems like it could take place in canon or perhaps a bit beyond it. It postulates an interesting 'era' of the Star Wars universe, possibly one akin to the Old or even near High Republic. It could also be taking place further into the past or far into Star Wars' future (like Volume 1's 'Ninth Jedi').

Title: “The Spy Dancer” (8.5/10)

Studio: Studio La Cachette (Paris, France)

Writer/Director: Julien Chheng

'Sith' may be my favorite episode but the one that impressed me most was actually 'The Spy Dancer'. A well crafted and suitably melodramatic work of espionage fiction (Spy Opera?) that I must say felt quintessentially French. 

The look of it, the characters, the plot were all engaging, exciting, melancholy, and practically perfect. The pacing was spot on and the ending just magnificent. It also feels like you get a lot of it for its runtime. Another entry to Volume 2 that I would very much like to see continue. There is definitely room for more of this story. 

It doesn't hurt that the main protagonist reminded me of my friend Lynn's character, Kashpa. 

Title: “The Bandits of Golak” (6.5/10)

Studio: 88 Pictures (Mumbai, India)

Director: Ishan Shukla

It is a difficult to give a review of this one. I found myself wanting to like it more than I did and make no mistake, I thought it was interesting and quite well done. The look of it is beautiful, with a fascinating depiction of the culture of a far off planet inspired by Indian history, fashion, mythology, and architecture.

Unfortunately, the design and CGI animation are remarkably similar to the latter seasons of the Clone Wars, especially in the way they depicted some of the technology and alien species. Almost a little too much so. The villain of this one is one of the most menacing I've seen from a design standpoint but he didn't amount to being especially dangerous.

The biggest weakness of this episode for me is the young girl who serves as one of the two key protagonists. She is portrayed as either much younger and less mature than her image makes her out to be or she's simply very foolish, bratty, and even dumb. Her personality and attitude made the finale feel undeserved. It was as if the dim and self-concerned were rewarded with enlightenment while the steadfast and pure-hearted is left behind, which didn't feel quite right for an Indian folktale or a Star Wars tale. It just didn't work for me. 

Title: “The Pit” (6/10)

Studios: D’art Shtajio (Tokyo, Japan) and Lucasfilm Ltd. (San Francisco, California, USA)

Writer/Director/Executive Producer: LeAndre Thomas and Co-Director: Justin Ridge

My least favorite of Volume 2, this short simply didn't make a lot of sense to me. I mean I got what they were going for, what they wanted to say but too much of it is just 'Assume this all works the way we say it does, OK?'.

A lot of the episode shows how terrible the Empire is, how they don't value Human life, and how little they care about those who they used to achieve their ends. Then in one sequence a group of Stormtroopers with Blasters don't open fire on an incoming group of rich people attempting to free the mistreated because...unknown. No reason is given for this. The episode has a lot of that. You can't climb out of the titular Pit until...one guy can. Why? Because he can. 

The art and animation on this one was fine, a bit underwhelming actually, but the real issue is the writing and direction. Maybe it was rushed.

Title: “Aau’s Song” (8/10)

Studio: Triggerfish (Cape Town, South Africa)

Writer/Directors: Nadia Darries and Daniel Clarke

The final short is the extremely endearing 'Aau's Song', which I really liked a lot. It's just the kind of story that is very much in my wheelhouse. It doesn't have a villain, doesn't feature any battles, but it has wonderful world building, a breath-takingly beautiful setting, great character designs, and shows what can be done with the Star Wars universe without wars and stars. I mean, I love me some stellar battles but its nice to focus in on a distant world doing a neat thing every once in a while to say, "this too is Star Wars".

Another Stop Motion Animation project, this one distinguishes itself with its puppet-like figures, brilliant colors, and amazing backgrounds. I want to play a Korbian in a Star Wars game now. 

Korbian? Korban? Korbanian? Oh well.

Those are my reviews, such as they are. Excited to share further thoughts and ideas brought on my this series.

See you soon,

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Barking Alien

Sleepless Nights, Endless Laughter

Hi Ho and Welcome to the Afterlife!

It's October, the month of Halloween! You know, that one day at the end of October which dominates the tone and aesthetic of the entirety of the preceding thirty days plus itself. 

Don't get me wrong, I love Halloween...kinda sorta. OK, largely I do. I like the idea of it

A day that celebrates all things spooky and weird with candy and costumes definitely makes me smile. Unfortunately, as noted in the past, I am not exactly a Horror fan and I don't dress up any longer or go Trick or Treating so the practical applications of the holiday are a bit lost on me. 

I also miss Halloween being more silly and fun and less frightful and gorey. That said, when a rare attempt to combine these two takes on All Hallow's Eve comes around I am totally down for it. It just so happens that Disney Plus has done just that with Muppets Haunted Mansion. 

First, a little background...

Muppets Haunted Mansion is a project with a considerable history.

The Henson Company has been trying to develop a Halloween special featuring the Muppets for about 50 years. The first was The Muppets Halloween Show. Developed in 1970, the proposed special had a very strange premise and one that wasn't particularly 'Halloween' themed. Eventually the project was cancelled in favor of other ideas that would become the pilots for The Muppet Show. 

A year after Jim Henson's passing in 1990, his son Brian sought to keep the Muppets in the public eye via a series of holiday specials beginning with a Halloween one. That concept was shelved and instead Henson Associates created the TV series Muppets Tonight. 

A third idea was proposed just after Walt Disney acquired the Muppet in 2009. This version met its end as focus changed to the production of a new film, The Muppets, which hit theatres in November of 2011. 

Now, in 2021, Disney has merged the Muppets franchise with their world famous Haunted Mansion theme park attraction for what I must say was an excellent outing.

Written and directed by Muppet production alumni Kirk Thatcher* (Kelly Younger and Bill Barretta also have Screenwriter credits) and featuring three new and original songs by Ed Mitchell and Steve Morrell, the streaming program features Gonzo the Great and Pepe the King Prawn being invited to spend the night at the famously haunted home of legendary stage magician The Great MacGuffin. This being the 100th Anniversary of MacGuffin's mysterious disappearance and him being something of a hero of Gonzo's, everyone's favorite blue-purple weirdo is just dying (get it?) to accept the challenge of staying over in the world's most spooky abode. 

I won't say more as not to spoil things but I will say, as I often do, what I liked and what could've been a bit better. I will avoid spoilers and discuss things more generally. May have to revisit this later. 

The Good

The special largely focuses on Gonzo and as he is my personal favorite of the Muppets, I was thrilled by the choice to make him [effectively] the star of the show. I also like Pepe and teaming them together is always a good idea.

The puppetry and effects were awesome if not ground breaking. Very impressive and well done to be sure. 

Numerous cameos by Muppets we haven't see in forever! I won't say who but if you are a fan of previous Muppet productions you will be pleasantly surprised to see old favorites and obscure notable revisited.

The integration of the Muppet with the Haunted Mansion lore, as well as the modifications to the latter to make it work better with the Muppets, really worked and I think it was excellent given the need to do so. 

It was funny. In some parts very funny, which is a big plus and something that was missing from much of the ABC TV series. The Muppet characters were also very much in character - more like in the Disney Plus Muppets Now episodes, although...see below.

The Bad

Not bad but there were things that could've been better. 

First and foremost, the special focuses so much on Gonzo (and to a lesser extent Pepe) that the other Muppets are really just there for elaborate to very minor cameos. We don't get to see the Muppets enough so it is a shame we only got to see them in brief glimpses in this show as the next time could be...who knows? Disney's track record with the Muppets is spotty at best. 

One character who doesn't get nearly enough screen time given this specific special is Uncle Deadly. The 'Phantom of the Muppet Show' and a break-out star of the Disney era of the Muppets gets waaay too little to do or say given the Haunted Mansion concept. 

The Creepy

I really liked the creepiness that was put in, elevating the special above the level of 'children's programming' while still keeping the Muppets the Muppets. With some very eerie effects and some mature through lines, this felt the closest to the Muppets of old we've seen in a long time. 

Well, that's it ghosts and ghouls! Muppets Haunted Mansion is on Disney+ now and I whole-heartedly recommend it. Why it's so good...it's scary! Muhuwahahaha!

Until next time,

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Barking Alien

For another take on the Muppets + Halloween + Another Disney Franchise, check out these posts on the second time I ran The Muppets RPG at RECESS:

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

*Kirk Thatcher is well remembered by Star Trek fans as well as Muppets ones. For a Barking Alien No-Prize can anyone point our Thatcher's contribution to Trek?