jeremycrimsonfox

The Autobots (not to be confused with the heroic team seen in the Transformers film), is a Chinese movie that is basically meant to be a mockbuster of Disney/Pixar's Cars movies (mainly the first two), but was so blatant, it actually led to the studio that made the film to be successfully sued by Disney.

In this movie, three cars with sentient AI, known as K1, K2, and K3, all decide to go on an adventure or something. I dunno, I don't speak Chinese, but it's another cliche plot about discovering friendship that most movies have done better than this.

One of the main issues of this movie is the animation. It is not that good, as the animation looks like it was made on a low budget, and the characters do not have many details. Speaking of characters, this would be the main reason Disney sued the company behind this, as K1 is way too similar to Lightning McQueen and K2 is way too similar to Francesco Bernoulli, with the only differences being replacing the two character's markings. Also, the movie's minor cast of vehicles are also too close to Cars' cast of characters (one is a jeep too similar to Sarge, and there is actually a character not from the Cars films that is basically ripping off the Batmobile from Batman 1989). Also, some of the music is said to be stolen from other movies, which makes me wish other companies joined Disney in suing.

In any event, The Autobots is a disgraceful rip-off, and it basically killed creativity in Chinese animation until Ne Zha and The Legend of Hei saved it in 2019. This movie is best left in the bottom of the cinematic scrap heap.

Lego Disney Princess: Villains Unite is a Disney+-exclusive special that is the sequel to 2023's The Castle Quest.

Snow White goes into town to make care packages for the villagers, only to find the marketplace abandoned, as stores and places are locked down because of a bog monster. However, she overhears Gaston, who has formed a team with Ursula, Jafar, The Evil Queen, and Sir Hiss (the latter being a wildcard, as he is from Robin Hood, a Disney movie not part of the Disney Princess brand), and plans to recruit the bog monster so he can take back the castle from her and the other princesses. She and her friends, Ariel, Tiana, Rapunzel, and Moana, decide to stop these villains, and to help, they are joined by Belle, Aurora, and Cinderella.

This is a good sequel. Joining the returning cast and their voice actors, we see more returning voice actors who voiced the princesses in the past (Jennifer Hale reprises her role as Cinderella, Julie Nathanson continues to voice Belle after voicing her in video games like Disney Speedstorm, which she has done since 2000, and Johnathan Freeman is back as the voice of Jafar). Like the last film, this one also goes to recast characters whose VAs are either unavailable, retired, or deceased, with the main one being Ursula, as after Pat Carrol's passing, she is now voiced by Debra Wilson (who has taken over the role in Disney Speedstorm, and let me tell you, for someone I remembered from Mad TV, she nails the voice for the sea witch).

This is a neat sequel, as it has some good moments, but like its predecessor, it has some flaws (like the length not allowing for the villains to shine). But this is a good special for kids.

ABC Saturday Sneek Peek and Fun Fit Test is a special that aired on ABC in 1985 as a preview of its 1985 kids' programming. Here, Tony Danza of Who's the Boss? Fame is ready to take on the Fun Fit Test, and is aided by Star Wars's droid duo, C-3PO and R2-D2 to lead a Fun Fit Quiz where the kids and audience at home actually learn.

This is a neat concept. Mixing entertainment and education, the preview special does a good job. Featuring Olympic gold medalist Mary Lou Retton, the special has previews for cartoons airing on the network for the 1985 fall season, which includes The Bugs Bunny/Looney Tunes Comedy Hour, Ewoks, Droids (the reason Threepio and Artoo guest star in this), The Super Powers Team, The 13 Ghosts of Scooby-Doo, The Littles, and even American Bandstand, the ABC Weekend Special, and ANC Fun Fit. It is good as Artoo is great comic relief, and the Fun Fit Test adds some educational value.