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.
Am not a fan of 'Daisy's Road Trip'. Mickey, Minnie and their chemistry is very charming, and parts are amusing and cute. What spoils it is Daisy at her most insufferably annoying, turning into an overkill version of every driver's nightmare passengers. It's hard not to feel sorry for Mickey and Minnie and their feelings shown at the end are not hard to relate to at all.
'Goofy's Big Kitty' is good fun. Goofy as ever is hilariously and endearingly incompetent and clumsy, and the lion is both formidable and entertaining. The two work well together and it is a classic Goofy mistake and scenario, though for my tastes the lion gels better with Donald (judging from their pairings in the classic Disney cartoons.
'Relaxing with Von Drake' is the best of the three. Get a lot of enjoyment out of the "House of Genius" series, and 'Relaxing with Von Drake' is one of the best for me. The scenario, humour and Von Drake himself are deliciously eccentric, and the cartoon benefits from featuring Donald (a perfect guinea pig) and a cameo from Willie the Operatic Whale, even if Paul Sabella is no Nelson Eddy.
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 umbrella 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. Corey Burton's Von Drake is entertainingly eccentric.
Overall, very enjoyable once again. 8/10 Bethany Cox
