TESM's movie Reviews on Newgrounds

[The Philosophy of Liberty]

It's ok.

I have to state, for the record that TerntResner is a modernist in all the worst senses (below). The Emergence theory, I'll admit I'm not familiar with, but at the same time the diction and words employed are positivism which ultimately lead to relativism and skepticism itself--a self-defeating philosophy that neither accepts truth outside of analysis of phenomena or through subtracting human-ness from human affairs.

Most other people who review this movie are just lambs or the many who don't really follow the implications of this.

Now I will credit this movie for promoting FREE WILL though it never uses the term. However, it's WAYYYY too Lockean for me (that whole 'fruit of our labors' is straight out of Locke).

Also, this movie itself hardly captures the difficult concept "Liberty."

Everyone has their own values, yes, but this system, as it goes on leads to Utilitarianism...which has some serious problems of its own.

The each has his own values which must not be impeded sort of ruins the function of government in the proper sense, leads (strangely enough) also to relativism and a lack of truth or human consensus (in any meaningful way), and hardly bespeaks of what it means to live the "best" life.

I'm not Aristotelian...but MacIntyre (who writes on this, and on Aristotle) is worth a look if you take THIS seriously... to the total of 3 people this may reach.

[It's about time...]

Well...

Short... and way to abstract for me.

All in all, not really worth it.

[Bleach 166]

Fix your buttons

This'll be my "Angry Joe" disclaimer: this is a true 10 scale.

1) Fix your buttons, like an invisible box behind them so you don't have to carefully scroll over small text.

2) The animation is spots is very nice, with and art style that stays true to the series...but a lot of anime-esque corners cut... A LOT.

3) It's short...wayyy to short.

4) Plus, how can I rate you too high when nothing is particularly an original idea?

Keep using this for practice, but don't let the overall score fool you.

[Left 4 Speed 2]

Pretty funny.

As a L4D fan, it made me laugh.

Nice work, and surprisingly good voice work, which I wasn't expecting.

Anyone else think that "Coach" was inspired by the Doc Louis in Punch Out Wii?

[the Last of the Dashkin]

It's well animated, for sure:

Of course, I share the sentiments of pretty much everyone here that praise the graphical design, use of colors, lighting, etc.

In fact, even the voices and whatnot are professionally done.

However, this feature had always lacked a sense of 'caring' for the characters, and I suppose this is a good first step. However, I wouldn't be too flattered by comments of trueviking and the like, saying this is "up there with the classics" because it's not.

I imagine this whole series was brought out by some inspiration and is paying homage in some way too it. Nonetheless, it screams originality in a lot of the character design, so I applaud you for that.

On the other hand, not to do too much stargazing, I think Pixar really does it best when blending a story of dialog and silence. Here, contraily, having a narrator question if "Bitey" will find his identity or the advanced traits of friendship and pity is just a little to thrown on for my liking... this has always been a visual story...why have a weak combination of character presence and words (where he's standing in the river is a good example of good-looking visuals coupled with weak commentary and weak direction---by this I mean that he's just standing by himself in an open river (SYMBOLISM ALERT))?

Yet, I cannot deny that you keep your movies clean, the presentation is smooth and nearly flawless, but if it needs to get to great status, it needs a bit more direction coupled with actually telling a story (in my opinion).

So keep up the good work, even if you never read this review. You work hard for a free audience, so that's always commendable and shows you do it for art's sake.

[Eskimo Bob: Episode 52]

Now this is an old series.

But, it's obvious this hasn't aged well at all. I guess it's perhaps the time that has passed. But I sure remember watching this (as one of my first flashes) back on my buddy's Windows 98 (in probably 2000).

This is definitely an old series that many new newgrundlings won't understand, or appreciate. Then again, with almost no change to style or substance, maybe they shouldn't, either. The inukshuk (sp*), the FF like intro, and perhaps McKensie [like Blazing Saddles?] joke are nice asides, but the formula worked in a simpler, less commercial time as it is now.

I appreciate the nostalgia of this, but I can't laud it either.

Cool to see you guys back, even if most your fan-base isn't here anymore or in existence.

Most of your low reviews will probably come from newbies who are used to flash at a higher level than they can handle, and some of the high scores will come from sympathizing fans.

But, again, in all honesty, this is average as average can be. Some techniques are simple, but effective, but just not the right time period anymore.

Thanks for getting me into flash all those years ago, though. Hope to see you guys branch out.

[Phoenix Wrong 3]

It made me laugh.

Not the hardest thing in the world to make, though the rootbeer tapper and airplane...cameos?... were pretty funny, the best one thus far of the first three...

Again, not too difficult to make, but at least there were some good insights...plus I'm a huge PW/GS fan...even though the numerous P. Wrong sprouts get tiresome.

Good submission.

[iGrounds: the iPod collab]

Not impressive.

Good set-up, near good technique, although the entire project was at best simple in terms of art and animation, although 'negative space' is difficult, you recieve the same effect from 100% black tint of tweens. Over-used clips to fill in space, no real variety in presentation (save the different users) in my mind makes a poor showing.

The menu looks great, and some segments (some sonic parts and various other minor things) were alright, however that is by no means a saving grace for this.
This entire thing was completely average.
With no partcular culminated show of skill or work of any redeeming quality, yet synced averagly enough to be watchable, I'd give this a 3.25/5.00.

It's alright, I guess, just nothing special.