Ericho's movie Reviews on Newgrounds

[I'm a Bear, etc]

Except build team skills!

I have seen several submissions that featured animation drawn to comedy routines and this was the best of them all! The coolest thing was how goofy all the characters looked. You are known for having good animation. I remember hearing that same thing on TV that you should clap to keep a bear away. Maybe they're scared of the noise or something? It takes awhile for the title drop in come in and it's worth it when it finally does.

Everything just looks so goofy and cartoonish in this, especially at the end with the hay. It's interesting how you can work that into a fairly mundane story. The funniest part was probably when he talked about covering yourself in barbacue sauce. This was very light-hearted and funny and I had a big smile the whole time I watched it. Thank you for this very nice submission.

[Colour My Life]

That was effective

I thought I had played all the "Colour" games and it turns out I was right. This was not a game at all, but a full fledged cartoon and a wonderful one at that. What's really cool is how this sends out such a wonderful message of peace. I thought at first I was going to be just a cutscene at the beginning. As it got longer, I realized that was so good it was great as a stand-alone submission. This really didn't have that much to do with Valentine's Day.

Then again, I guess it did give out a message of love like Valentine's Day does. It makes me proud that the game series became so popular. It's always fun when you include a full cartoon to accompany a game. It shows that you can submit decent stories as well as games. I thought that when I clicked "Story" I was going to put the game in Story Mode!

[L'Amour de Rasputin]

Eh, I've seen better

This was interesting for a really short cartoon but there was not much else to recommend. I liked how you put it in the style of an old black and white thing. I think that was what movies were the time that Rasputin was alive himself. I could not quite understand the joke with the shaved beard. This seemed to be something Russian, but the words appeared to be done in French. Still, it was a bit unique.

I find it odd you would want this to be in the "Noir" section. Apart from the black and white usage, I didn't see how it was much of a noir. In fact, I don't even think there were many noirs that were also silent films. It was interesting how even the advertising in this was black and white! The animation was good, it just needed more action.

Battosai810 responds:

This was a surrealist piece, which is why it was in (Googled) French. The beard thing was just weird for the sake of weird; it was a long time ago so I don't know if there was any other reason.

I actually don't think most of Newgrounds' "sections" have been updated in years. I don't know if it's just something that got left by the wayside or what.

Sorry you didn't enjoy this cartoon too much; try watching some of my other, more conventional work. I'm better at making funny cartoons than surrealist ones!

[All Wound Up]

It is violent

When I first saw the title, I assumed it was going to be something dark. I really don't know why, but as I watched it I thought it was pretty light in tone. It runs out I was right the first time. What's really cool about this cartoon is the animation. You really seemed to be animating some of the classic Tex Avery cartoons in this. You just happened to combine the realistic gore of Itchy And Stratchy. I never would have thought this would end with a guy's severed arm popping out of his mouth.

He kind of reminds me of the character Egghead from "Looney Tunes". Another funny thing was how he did not notice at first that he lost his freaking arm! It's a wonderfully dark thing and you have no idea where it's going to turn. I like how it takes place in this featureless, vast landscape. The music is also good and suits it well.

[Strange Fruit]

Very strong

While not your best work, this was still very impressive because of how powerful you set yourself up. Everything seems rather mundane at first and it can be hard to tell what's going on. I have heard the song "Strange Fruit" but do not remember it well. I realize that the scene is that of a black man being lynched like they did in the old days. It kind of makes you realize how the old days were anything but good. The best part was the color effects.

There weren't that many colors used at first, so when you saw that flower at the end, you were really interested. I thought it was just going to be a song about crows or something. It makes you realize the horrors of what we have done as a nation and can still be proud of how far we have come since then. The brightness is just fine.

[Behind the Wall]

Quite unexpected

You would think I would know every musician out there listening to my brother all day. The best thing about this was how authentic it was. It didn't go for any crap at all, just right down to what really makes a cartoon emotional. Some of the music seemed a bit "off" but it's still great to listen to, as I at least manage to recognize it. It is interesting to be introduced to your style, as it's truly your own. I thought the wide screen might bother me at first, but it really didn't.

You know something is going to be good when you introduce a dripping faucet so well. In the second shot, it appeared to be talking in some way. We all know what it's like to have conflict in our lives. The animation is so good and it looks like watercolor. It has been forever since I have even seen anything done in watercolor. Aaah, brings back memories.

[Darwin Bug]

Not bad at all

I could not really understand this at first, but now I kind of get the message. I know that there was some message about evolution, given the title. What's funny is that it starts off by looking like it could be an infinite loop. When you inspect it closer, you notice the little differences and finally when it builds up to a climax. It's not the most actiony but the animation is good. I like how each of the bug's little arms seem to move around.

I guess it just goes to show that death is the fate that will bring us all together. We should try to be aware of our surroundings, yet still be thankful we were given the oppurtunity to live. It's really deep when you get down to it. Yeah, I agree on the sound effects being a little cheesy. It's still a fairly effective cartoon.