Coop's movie Reviews on Newgrounds

[The Sugar Claws: III-VII]

Nice mood

Well, this piece, despite the pink shades that you've used for the entirety of it, is very dark, as are most of your works.

A couple of issues that I had with the writing were the line about "The Sugar Claws had been in wait" - I'd have suggested that you used "lying in wait". The second one was when you cleaved the rabbit into two halves. I'm not sure it's spelled right, being "halfs", though that might be an Americanism.

The portrayal is dark as usual and I'd dearly love you to diversify a little, because you'll end up getting typecast. My teachers always used to say that about me with how I incessantly read Discworld. Now I've branched out, I can see their points.

Still, keep wroking on this tale, it's another one of your excellent works.

What was with the API connection? Were there medals lurking in this piece?

[Review Request Club]

Celx-Requin responds:

Hi,

There aren't any medals, the api is there because there is a ad on the very last page.

As for my stories, I don't think I'm gonna pigeon hole myself because I fund all my projects out of my pocket, even "The Sugar Claws" in comparison to "Shark", or "Cooljaw" is fairly different, in terms of the way it's written, and drawn.

If you're referring to the darker content, I guess that's just the kind of subject matter that I have interest in telling in my stories. I have done comedy, and more mainstream submissions like the "tank half full" music video, and the "dirty squirrels" cartoon.

At some point I'll work on "Cancer", which isn't really all that dark, but again not really mainstream.

Thanks for your review!
- Celx

[LL - The Bell Tolls]

A good joke

Well, the buildup was brilliant - sublime, simple and hard hitting, as it starts to get going with a video for a track of epic proportions. Then you hit us with the joke, which was pretty funny, but it's been done before, so points off for lack of originality, I'm afraid.

When you said that it was based on a Novel by Charles Dickens, you should have said Ernest Hemmingway, as he wrote a novel called "For Whom The Bell Tolls", so you'd have gotten a very nice little joke in there, which only a small handful of people (those that can be bothered to use Google) would have got.

The musical credit for Jessica was missing, but that should be taken care of, to give more complete information to the viewers. WineLock riding around on a Llama does break from your traditional animation style, but only for humour purposes, which is good, but I think I still prefer your original tweening methods.

Will you ever release the proper video for this track? I'd hope so, because you're one of the better animators on Newgrounds.

[Review Request Club]

LeafLock responds:

Ahhh, damn. I forgot about Hemingway. In fact, i think im going to go fix that right now. Lol, I am planning to release a full length FBF video sometime in the near(ish) future, though probably not to this song. As always, thanks for the review and the support.

-Leaflock.

[LL - Leave This World]

Very interesting

There is a good deal of poignancy in this piece,m because of the attitude of the music and the emotions conveyed by the various locks, despite some of them lambasting it as gay. Mind you, that's a pretty accurate social barometer you've got going, so it's not a problem.

I think that with the varying animation styles, it does give you a bit of range, though most of the pieces are tidily drawn and well animated -a couple of them have "wobbles" with the drawing / animation aspects, but it's not that big a deal, in all honesty.

Yes, I know, I'm going to have to download some Flogging Molly.

I just want to know what happens to Coffee Lock in the end - I can imagine an outtake, where someone yells "CUT!" and suddenly the tractor beam is turned off, dropping Coffee on the tarmac and reducing him to instant coffee :P

Someone should do a Lock Legion outtake reel at some point, that would be classy.

[Review Request Club]

LeafLock responds:

The end piece was originally going to be used with our Journey Collab, and right around that time Coffee was leaving us "forever", though he has since returned to us. Once again, thank you for your thoughtful reviews, and for your support!

-Leaf

[anon_partyhard_2.O]

Hardly a "music video"

It seems to be a rather basic animation loop, set to a decent piece of music. If it's your own piece of music, perhaps you'd like to submit it to the Audio Portal? There you can gain credit for your own music and not for the short-cut version of the animation.

Seriously, I have read your comments and if that's the best you can do, you need to think more carefully about it - the end product of the drawing looks great and it moves smoothly, though it could be so much more - that's my point, not just "it's a loop, it shouldn't be here!" You've got potential and it irks me to see people with talent not apply it to the best of their abilities.

The quirk that was applied here was how you got out of the facial imagery, by putting the "stock image" of "no photo submitted", which works really well. Other series on Newgrounds have done that to good effect, with Madness, Clocks, Locks and the like all having their own quirks.

I'm not sure how I would take this forward, as the piece in itself can't really be developed, without changing the music and that could end up compormising the artistic sound of the music. Catch-22, I feel.

[Review Request Club]

Synonymous responds:

I'm not sure why you reviewed this as though it were meant to be taken 'that' seriously, though I doubt you understand the origins. I apologize for the in-joke.

For more information google "anon partyhard" the foremost result may shed some light on it as that is the source of a staggering number of variants based upon the original on which this flash also is based.

[LL - Becoming a Lock!]

Nice recruitment infomercial

Well, it's basic for your work and I think that it really does all that you require - you're advertising Locks to the wider internet and as a result, you might actually get some proper recruits, for a change.

I loved the part where you threw in the various popping sounds and the change of "grey-newb" to another lock of some sort, plus the practicality issues that might be experienced with something like "Darkness-Lock", for example.

Okay, there was a decent musical track for this and while you've got a good base there, you may wish to consider adding a subtitles bar, since this would assist you greatly.

[Review Request Club]

LeafLock responds:

Thanks again for your review!

[Ogre & The Witch]

Hmm... I'm not sure

Really and truly, this one has me stumped. It might be the child-like quality of the drawing that you've animated and the cross-overs with the rest of the piece, where there is actual animation and some basic techniques (the liquid from the bottle, the product of the brew morphing, that sort of thing), but I feel that you've been let down in a way by this.

Do not despair, perhaps a little touching up work can be done, before animating - keep the textured look to the drawing, that works well, but perhaps consider trying to re-draw some of the images, like one of the witches' faces had a smudge over the eyes and those sorts of things take away from the presentation of the piece as a whole.

I think that the writing is pretty good and the way you left it with the wizard character looking in a crystal ball could seem like a cliff hanger, though maybe have a line in there for him, as opposed to leaving it completely open ended, with part of the script that some people might miss.

Certainly worth developing and perhaps you'll be able to make more of a production of it, for future episodes. I look forward to it.

[Review Request Club]

ToonCastleTV responds:

Cool man good advice. Altho I definitely won't be touchingup the production or making future episodes. wouldn't of even of made this if i didnt have to (school project) But I will add a line by the Wizard, and play off the ending a bit :) Good advice. Ty! ^^

edited: tried it out and it just didnt seem right =(

[Pico's Penny Prank]

Quite good

An old joke, given an NG twist. Perhaps Pico could have actually run the kid over in the ice cream truck, using the wipers to get the gore off the front, showing the grinning visage of Pico in all of his malevolent glory. Of course, the hand should remain grasping the coin on the floor, as this is some sort of morbid comedy convention.

A good use of music and sound, as you've backed up a good concept well here, producing something that is funny, well animated and overall worthy of Pico day. I hope that Tom watched this, as it's the sort of thing that Pico Day thrives on - will you be making more flash like this for other Newgrounds Themed Days? I'd love to see your take on Madness Day or even the mighty Clock Day.

[Review Request Club]

ToonCastleTV responds:

I've made 2 madness flashes previously, a lockday one and 2 clock day ones previously bud. I'm going to be soon releasing a longer more explicit version of this flash and that idea is awesome XD thanks bro!

[The Sugar Claws: II-VII]

Nice writing

Hmm, the buildup is quite nice, but a little short, even for some sort of comic book, as you style them - I think that you could double the number of panels and not have it being too long. The size is not a problem, allowing for you to expand the piece, without adversely affecting it all.

The writing has never been a problem for all of your pieces and you're fully capable of taking this from strength to strength. I love the colour scheme that you've used and with the way that it's panned out, I can see myself getting into the tale. Perhaps a little bit more would be a nice way to take it, as opposed to her coming home, going almost straight to bed and not really engaging much, allowing us to get attached to the character.

I wouldn't have been swearing at her if I was a parent or guardian, but perhaps that's a dynamic there that needs to be explored in future episodes? You've certainly made him a sinister character though and I'm curious about him.

[Review Request Club]

Celx-Requin responds:

Yeah the story is significantly shorter/tighter than "Cooljaw", part of this is because the art takes longer to do, and the other part is because I feel the narrative is stronger.

Hopefully as the story unfolds people will be able to get a better feel for the characters, and the world they inhabit.

All I will say is by the end of the comic people will hate me, and I will be ostracized from my circle of friends should they ever read it...

Thanks,
- Celx

[Mario slayer the return]

I've seen better

Well, there were a few bits and pieces here that made me laugh, a few that made me cringe. A few tweaks here and there should solve most of these issues though:

When the preloader starts, don't have the music play - it's quite loud and while it helps to set the scene for the piece, it's best not to have it play until the menu.

With some of the sprite manipulations, I'd suggest that you spend a little more time in getting the sprites of the right size - blowing them up makes the piece look slightly ridiculous and for example when Mario slides through the turtles, why can't you have the shell lying on the floor, instead of just rotating them onto their backs?

When there is conversation, I've never been a fan of subtitles, as they can distract. Perhaps get a voice actor in and the subtitles can tie into what is being said at the time.

In the final fight with Zero, when Mario wins, he flips a block up and drops it onto Zero, who had ample time to move. Doing something there, perhaps making the death a little quicker would assist the flow?

It was good to see that you did three endings and that certainly helps to drag the piece out for a little longer and to anyone reading this review, I'd certainly recommend that they try all three endings, as they are all different and there is some fun thrown in there as well. This piece has definite potential and I'd like to see more of it, if you can smooth out some of the issues.

[Review Request Club]

Figter responds:

You bring up some good points coop.
About the preloader music, it was the first time i ever tried to do that kind of thing and wanted to see if it would work out.

About the sprites..well that is a good question actually, im not exactly sure what was going trought my mind back there..

I never really liked using voice acting, i tried it but never used it in anything that i published, mayby i should give it another shot.

The final fight with zero, yes i know it was kind of ridicoulous and not so effortable but it was the last parts of the flash and my mind wanderd away, making me wanting to get it done as fast as i could wich i regret.

Thanks coop you made good points that i most certanly will use in the case of another mario related flash submission.

[The Bat Cave]

Only natural

A short and sweet flash, showing exactly what you'd do if you had the resources at your disposal, like Bruce Wayne. I mean he gets all the girls, but being able to watch whatever porn you want when you want would be a nice perk as well.

Good drawing style and the buildup through the opening of the cartoon is fantastic. It sets a really nice scene and you're lead to believe something really epic is going to happen, then you see a brief spread of a few weird and wonderful images that makes the joke really happen.

I think that to make it slightly better, I'd have shown those images across his monitors, so that it gives the impression of Batman looking at 10+ screens of wall-to-wall porn. Possibly throw a Goatse in there as well, since we had some of the more disturbing images up there anyway.

[Review Request Club]

mungo-raginbrain responds:

thanks for the detailed review man! the only reason i didnt show the porn all across the monitors in the shot before was because i wanted it to be a surprise. maybe the last quick shot of porn could have been a full spread of all the monitors though