Home Movies – Season Three
Picture: B-
Sound: C+ Extras: C+ Episdoes: B
When the animated series Home Movies debuted years
ago on Cartoon Network, I only paid so much attention to it. When I did catch it, it was amusing, but I
had never considered if it could keep going and stay funny. The squiggly line look had been banished,
but Season Three is funnier and wittier throughout than anyone besides
fans would expect.
The writers know how to comment on the things people are
thinking about, complaining about or observing interesting things that the rest
of the media is missing. It is always
unexpected and funny, with the characters not knowing what to think about
anything sometimes, while others being passively focused on the self (very
healthy) and having half given up on life.
The center of this are the kids in the show who want to
shoot and edit their videotaped home movies, which is not overly focused on
throughout the series, but does lead to so many other funny and wacky
situations that it gives the writers all kinds of directions to take the series
in. No wonder they remain a favorite on
Cartoon Network’s “Adult Swim” broadcast block. The episodes are as follows:
1) Shore
Leave #*
2) Breaking
Up Is Hard To Do
3) Bad
Influences *
4) Improving
Your Life Through Improv
5) Four’s
Company
6) Renaissance
*
7) My
Cheatin’ Heart
8) Guitarmageddon
#*
9) Storm
Warning *
10) Time To Pay The Price *
11) Broken Dreams
12) Stowaway
13) Coffins & Cradles #*
The 1.33 x 1 image is often colorful and despite its
simple animation, is vivid and consistent throughout. There are few problems with the transfer and is a pleasure to
view throughout. The Dolby Digital 2.0
Stereo does not have any serious Pro Logic surrounds, but is very clean and
clear, which is good because so many of the jokes are so good and have such
good timing, but are also funny because of the way they are delivered by the
voice actors. Extras include animatics
for one episode per each of the three discs as marked above by an #, commentaries
on shows marked with an * above, an interactive game on DVD 1, a featurette on
DVD 2 for those who might not like the show and radio interview with the
creators on DVD 3. All offer lots of
laughs and the great thing about the series is that you can start with any of
the show’s seasons from Shout! Factory.
We look forward to more.
- Nicholas Sheffo
