How to Be a Baseball Fan/Locksmiths/Minnie Takes Care of Pluto

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.

'How to be a Baseball Fan' does a great job entertaining and teaching, even if you don't see enough baseball action. Corey Burton's narration is done beautifully as always and remarkably close in feel to the narration of the classic "How to" series. Goofy is fun to watch, though a few of his later antics start to grate somewhat, but it is the audience in the cartoon that one feels sorry for more.

'Locksmiths' demonstrates why the service cartoons with Mickey, Goofy and Donald are so enjoyable to me. Love all three's distinct personalities and their interactions. 'Locksmiths' is very funny, with the funniest moments coming from Goofy though Donald's exasperation is just as fun.

'Minnie Takes Care of Pluto' does have Minnie underused and Penn Jillette overdoing the abrasiveness, but it is entertaining at times but above all devilishly disturbing. One can see why it was one of two cartoons ('Vending Machine' from the "Pluto Gets the Paper" series) to not feature on 'House of Mouse', it does have frightening content and that would have felt out of place on such a light-hearted show.

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 hot air balloon is very funny indeed, one of the funniest of his stealing the spotlight gags.

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's narrator is entertaining and educational. Did, as said, have reservations have Penn Jillette as Pluto's devil conscience, the abrasiveness being overdone.

Overall, very enjoyable once again. 8/10 Bethany Cox