Pluto Gets The Paper: Bubble Gum/Mickey Tries To Cook/Donald And The Big Nut/Topsy Turvy Town

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.

The "Pluto Gets the Paper" cartoons are not exceptional, or among my favourite 'Mickey Mouse Works' cartoons. Nonetheless they are cute and amusing, providing nice if predictable scenarios for energetic Pluto. 'Bubble Gum' is no exception.

'Mickey Tries to Cook' really does make one want to start cooking, it has a lot of charm and it amuses a good deal. Jose is wonderfully suave and credit is due for not overdoing Mickey's jealousy and trying to get him doing something with good intentions.

'Donald and the Big Nut' is a fond reminder of how well Donald and Chip and Dale are such a good partnership, some of my favourite Disney cartoons from the golden age/classic Disney era are with them. This cartoon captures the spirit of them very well indeed.

'Topsy Turvey Town' is the best of the four. Loved the hilarious and unusual antics and the deliciously abnormal depiction of the town itself. The ending was a nice one.

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 balloon 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.

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