Cuculi presents Live Beats music of the 90s & 00s.
Friday, January 31, 2025
Wednesday, January 29, 2025
The DC Animated Universe Weekly Review - Batman: The Animated Series
Batman: The Animated Series
Episode 50
Off Balance
The first appearance of Ra’s al Ghul and his daughter Talia al Ghul. A nice subtle introduction to a person who would become one Batman’s most epic villains. Someone steals a sonic device from Wayne Enterprises. Batman investigates and traces it to Count Vertigo, a former member of the Society of Shadows. Talia is a member of the society and was sent to get the device from Vertigo. They agree to work together. They stop Count Vertigo and get the device. Talia double crosses Batman and steals the device but Batman sabotages it before it can be turned over to the wrong hands.
Written by
Joseph Ammendolea
Owner/President
“I Like To Play With Toys” Productions®
ILikeToPlayWithToysProductions@Yahoo.com
Wednesday, January 22, 2025
The DC Animated Universe Weekly Review - Batman: The Animated Series
Batman: The Animated Series
Episode 49
I Am the Night
Batman questions if he’s doing any good in the world, Commissioner Gordon get’s hurt during a police raid, ends up on a coma. Batman feels guilty and considers quitting. The Jazzman wants revenge on Gordon for putting him in jail so he escapes prison and goes to the hospital but Batman is there to save him. Gordon comes out of his coma and inspires Batman to keep fighting. He tells him he wishes he was younger so get could be just like Batman and how much he admires him. A nice message.
The weirdest part of the episode is when Batman and Jazzman are fighting on a rope outside Gordon’s hospital window, they crash through and the fight continues inside. Barbara Gordon moves a screen in front of the window as if that will protect them from anything. The reason for the weird animation action is Fox Kids had some weird rule about no breaking through glass. It went beyond the typical network TV standards and practices rules the FCC had. So to comply with Fox’s request the creators had to make a work around to get Batman and Jazzman from outside the window to inside. Opening the window and climbing through didn’t make much sense during a fight scene.
Written by
Joseph Ammendolea
Owner/President
“I Like To Play With Toys” Productions®
ILikeToPlayWithToysProductions@Yahoo.com
Wednesday, January 15, 2025
The DC Animated Universe Weekly Review - Batman: The Animated Series
Batman: The Animated Series
Episode 48
What is Reality
The Riddler’s second episode while not as iconic as his first appearance still has some layers. It does fall into the 90s trope of being trapped in a virtual reality (VR) machine that can kill you. Commissioner Gordon get’s stuck in one run by the Riddler and Batman has to go in to save him. Robin is coaching Batman via a headset in the real world. Batman uses his wits to destroy the VR world by having Riddler split his thoughts a bunch of times causing the hardware to crash.
It’s not clear how a computer system can be intricately connected to a person’s brain but the entire thing completely skips any semblance of reality even for a cartoon. Once you accept there is no logic to how the computer or VR works than the episode is very enjoyable. The emotion is spot on. The ending with Riddler being trapped in a catatonic state after failing to escape his collapsing program is a fate worse than death.
Written by
Joseph Ammendolea
Owner/President
“I Like To Play With Toys” Productions®
ILikeToPlayWithToysProductions@Yahoo.com
Wednesday, January 8, 2025
The DC Animated Universe Weekly Review - Batman: The Animated Series
Batman: The Animated Series
Episode 47
Birds of a Feather
The best Penguin episode ever made. BtAS never really got the Penguin right until The New Adventures of Batman. His episodes seemed like chores to the writing staff. They didn’t really know what do with one of Batman’s most famous rogues. The other rogues were all certified crazy but Penguin was considered sane. It didn’t help his character design resembled Danny Devito’s from Batman Returns but he acted more like a Bostonian Aristocrat.
Birds of a Feather truly captured the heart of the villain. He’s been paroled because the justice system in DC’s Gotham NJ is poorly enforced. During his stint at going straight he befriends Bruce Wayne’s spoiled rich friend Veronica Vreeland. She’s using him for laughs among her rich friend but Penguin is head over heels into her. Vreeland starts to see the softer side of the Penguin and is gradually falling for him. But Penguin discovers it’s part of a gag and unlike 1990s teen films where it sorts itself in a love connection, he goes nuts and commits a series of horrible crimes. He kidnaps her, holds her hostage, tries to kill a bunch of people, ends of in jail again after Batman steps in and saves the day.
It’s a tragic ending to what might have blossomed into a pretty love story and has you feeling bad for Penguin. We get to see a good-natured persona, which could have shined given the right support. It’s those sad endings which make BtAS so brilliant. Batman may have saved the day but Penguin loses his friend, Vreeland is guilt ridden about her behavior. A solid lesson for kids about judging people based on reputation and looks as well as betrayal.
Written by
Joseph Ammendolea
Owner/President
“I Like To Play With Toys” Productions®
ILikeToPlayWithToysProductions@Yahoo.com
Wednesday, January 1, 2025
The DC Animated Universe Weekly Review - Batman: The Animated Series
Batman: The Animated Series
Episode 46
Almost Got ‘Im
Probably the most beloved Batman episode of the entire series. Batman’s main rogues gathered together telling stories about how they almost killed Batman. Each tells their story. Killer Croc (really Batman in disguise) is hilarious.
Pulling off such a vast vignette of stories in 20 minutes is truly amazing. There isn’t much to say but this is a must watch episode for any BtAS fan and any DCAU fan.
Written by
Joseph Ammendolea
Owner/President
“I Like To Play With Toys” Productions®
ILikeToPlayWithToysProductions@Yahoo.com
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