Cam Cosmically Hates Tom and Jerry, Michael is Close Enough - Renegade Animation #12

Tonight, on a very LATE… SUPER SUPER LATE episode of Renegade Animation, Cam gets ANGRY at Tom and Jerry, and our animation amigos praise some brand new shows from very familiar faces.

How’s it going fellow renegades? The Director is back in the swing of things again, bringing you the latest installment in the Renegade Animation podcast where we get to hear the latest inklings of news that get rendered out in the world of animation… okay, I’m not about to try that again.

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Listen to this episode from Renegade Pop Culture on Spotify. On a very LATE -- SUPER LATE episode Renegade Animation, Cam and Mike talk about Craig McCracken's newest series, Close Enough, and promptly RAGE about the new Tom and Jerry movie. No, they didn't see the Snyder Cut early, don't ask.

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Still, we’ve got an exciting show with a STACKED NEWS RUNDOWN! Among the news being announced is that there’s a Beavis and Butthead movie coming soon?!? I’m still processing the show coming back, but hey! I’m completely on board (Beavis and Butthead Do America is probably one of my biggest guilty pleasures.) Will the movie be good? I’ll be honest, I’m sure I don’t know, but it’s going to be a delight to see these characters again… something that I think wasn’t explored properly during their first revival almost a decade ago.

A candid photo of Cameron picking a fight with Tim Story and Warner Bros.

But it’s not all sunshine and lollipops… because our boys (in particular Cameron) give HBO Max’s Tom and Jerry film its day in court, and needless to say… they weren’t fans. NO, they didn’t see the Snyder Cut sadly, but they did see a very poor live action/animation hybrid trying to recapture the magic of Who Framed Roger Rabbit minus all of the adult charm… or even charm in general. Personally speaking, I don’t know what I would’ve done if given the opportunity to do a Tom and Jerry film, but I’d probably have it follow the duo get into a fight that ends up causing a lot of chaos around the country, something akin to It’s a Mad Mad Mad Mad World, featuring other cartoon characters, but what do I know? I’m not a big name (yet). Lord knows our FEARLESS LEADER has some thoughts on it too, but that’s a story for another time.

Still, our boys have some time to sing some praise, with glowing words about Close Enough’s second season, Netflix’s High-Rise Invasion, and Kid Cosmic. But don’t take my word for it! Let’s see what our Captain has to say about it!

TOM AND JERRY

“Look, for better or for worse, I believe Tim Story when he says he's a fan of these characters. My highest compliments go Framestore, the company that provided the stellar animation. I've always been impressed by the ways in which 3D animation can replicate 2D animation, and we've come a long way from Disney's Paperman short experimented with this back in 2012…. It's impossible to be "disappointed" by a Tim Story film, and on balance this is probably one of his better directorial efforts behind Barbershop, but I can't call this ‘good.’“ - CAPTAIN KAYE

“Before I get to the film, let me just say this about the two animated shorts by the team behind the Looney Tunes cartoons on HBO Max: More of this, please! I loved these two shorts, which perfectly captured the spirit and humor of the original T&J cartoons and definitely kept the spirit of the characters intact, which is more than I can say for the cinematic abomination that is the Tom & Jerry movie. Look, the only good thing I can say about this movie is that it may, possibly, introduce a younger audience to an iconic and legendary rivalry that has been part of the fabric of my life since my childhood. Apart from that one positive aspect, however, this movie is absolute trash. It is one of the least funny and most soul-deadening films I have ever seen. What a waste of the talented animation team’s hard work, and the comedic talents of actors like Ken Jeong and Michael Pena. And Chloe Grace-Moretz, who is one of my favorite young actresses, basically has to ham it up with forced humor and bad direction throughout the entire movie! Why do we need all these forced shenanigans and tomfoolery in a Tom & Jerry movie? Why do we have to subject ourselves to Colin Jost’s attempts at being funny outside of Saturday Night Live’s Weekend Update segments? Why is Tim Story still directing films? Didn’t we stop these weird hybrid live action/animated films back in the early ‘00s? I wish I had the answers to these questions, but alas. Now, I know I’m not at all the target audience for this movie. I understand this is directed at kids. But even so, when I was a lot younger, I didn’t care for the forced dialogue and “hilarious acting” from otherwise talented individuals that was often featured in a lot of so-called family films. There’s no self-awareness here, just a flimsy plot that takes way too much time away from what we really want to see: a cat and mouse, nearly destroying each other in overly complicated ways. It’s such a great concept in its simplicity. There’s no need to overthink it. Not at all recommended. In fact, burn it. But if you must see it, Tom & Jerry is currently in theaters and streaming on HBO Max until March 26.” - NEOPLASMIC

CLOSE ENOUGH (SEASON 2)

“To simply call it ‘Regular Show for adults’ would be underselling it, as I feel this has much more to offer than simply what's on the surface. J. G. Quintel and his team takes full advantage of animation as a storytelling medium, featuring a cast of relatable main characters. This season in particular feels more consistent in quality, and has some of the funniest gags I've seen in recent adult animated series. This show comes highly recommended!” - CAPTAIN KAYE

“Let’s discuss Close Enough season two, available to stream on HBO Max. From the creative minds behind The Regular Show (which I’ve actually never seen) comes more adventures of Josh, Emily, Candace, Bridgette, and Alex as they navigate their thirties (except for Candace, who’s still a kid) and face even more surreal challenges compared to season one of the show. When I first started watching this show, I was very put off by the character designs, as I’m not a huge fan of this particular style, but by the midway point of season 1, episode 2, I was hooked. Relatable characters are the name of the game in this series, and Josh and especially Emily are so endearing in their goofiness that I can’t help but cheer them on. Candace has one of the funniest episodes of the season, as she becomes entrenched in a Goodfellas spoof, and Josh’s Die Hard parody is a highlight, as well. Oh, and if anyone got offended by *that* dialogue exchange about comic book superheroes being equated with mythical tales of the gods while Alex was jacked into the Matrix, I only have this to say: read comic book scribe Grant Morrison’s awesome book, Supergods. Season two of Close Enough comes highly recommended for its wonderfully hilarious characters and some of the best non-sequitur jokes I’ve seen since Futurama.” - NEOPLASMIC

HIGH-RISE INVASION

“It can be tonally inconsistent, and has a few too many "sleazy" elements for pretty arbitrary reasons, but the high concept premise and a cast of mostly likeable characters have otherwise kept me invested. My favorite character is Sniper Mask, voiced by Jonah Scott. Because this is based on a fairly long running manga, I have no doubt we're getting a second season soon, and I very much look forward to where the story continues from here.” - CAPTAIN KAYE

“The mature-rated anime High-Rise Invasion has premiered on Netflix recently, and contains one of the wackiest concepts I’ve ever seen. A teenaged schoolgirl named Yuri Honjo finds herself mysteriously transported to an alternate reality populated by skyscrapers and creepy assassins whose faces are covered by masks. She discovers that her brother is also trapped inside this parallel world, and she decides to make her way to him so that they can help each other escape the strange world. On her journey, she meets several other allies and enemies like Sniper Mask, a mysterious (there’s that word again) sharpshooter who seems to be able to question the rules of this reality, and Mayuko Nise, a young woman who becomes Yuri’s ally and closest companion over the course of the 12-episode ONA (original net animation, which is the modern form of OVA, I guess). Personally, I found this anime to be pretty bizarre and a little inconsistent in terms of its tone, as it tends to undercut its darker moments of extreme violence with wacky anime humor and off-kilter fanservice shots (there’s quite a lot of T&A on display here). Yuri started off really annoying for me at first, too, but she’s grown into quite an impressive protagonist by the end of the season, and I’m invested in her story. Also, her relationship with Mayuko is adorable and I’m interested in seeing it evolve into something greater, which I think is where their story is headed. I also love the character designs and action, including the gore. It’s a little over the top, but I’m okay with that, since it reminds me of the anime series and films I grew up watching in the late ‘80s and early ‘90s. There’s a ton of really goofy and stilted expository dialogue that’s spewed on and on by the characters, as well, another retro element that I grew to appreciate over time. Animation quality is hit and miss, with some really cool action moments and some choppy sequences here and there. Thematically, the show is very strong, with an emphasis on characters attempting to remain connected to their humanity and empathy while also surviving extremely violent trauma, and the lengths people like Yuri and Mayuko will go to in order to save each other and themselves. I honestly didn’t think I would like this show as much as I did, and that’s saying something. Recommended for adults and older teens, or those who aren’t offended by gory violence and fanservice. High-Rise Invasion is streaming on Netflix.” - NEOPLASMIC

KID COSMIC

“I know I'm late to the party on this one, but I finally got through the first season of Kid Cosmic! This series, developed by Craig McCracken, Frank Angones and Lauren Faust, is a delightful superhero adventure series. I love the retro comic book aesthetic, the dynamic between each team member, and the positive message this sends to its audience. This is just another win for Netflix Animation!“ - CAPTAIN KAYE

“Let’s talk about Kid Cosmic, the latest from Powerpuff Girls and Foster’s Home for Imaginary Friends creator, Craig McCracken. Okay, let me be honest for a second. I don’t exactly have a lot of patience when it comes to really loud, obnoxious young children characters, so the main character of this show really did not endear himself to me over its ten-episode run. However, the supporting cast is so good and the overall story is so charming that I got over my disdain for the Kid himself. This is a very creative show with a unique art style that’s reminiscent of Silver Age comic books and Jack Kirby art (did I see some elements of the Kirby Krackle on this show? If so, that’s rad!). The soundtrack is really neat, too. McCracken and his team know their old school comic book storylines, as the homages to everything from Peter Parker literally dumping his Spider-Man suit in the trash (one of the most iconic Marvel Comics covers ever) to the central concept of the show and its similarities to the Infinity stones in Marvel comics and the MCU. The Kid basically discovers five cosmic stones of power, each of which have a specific ability they confer on to the person using them. Flight, portal creation, the ability to manifest copies of the user, precognition, and the capability to grow to monstrous size (with a relative strength increase) are the superpowers on display here, and each member of the supporting cast shines in their respective roles. Not a bad start to a show, and I hope we get to see more of it. Kid Cosmic is streaming on Netflix.“ - NEOPLASMIC

That’ll about do it for this week. Keep a weather eye to the channel for our boys’ review on Raya and the Last Dragon, and be sure to have a mallet ready at hand to blame Kawaii Kyle for this episode being so late. (Neoplasmic’s note: Nah, we love Kawaii Kyle! Glad to have him back, even though we never see him!)