shade-v2's movie Reviews on Newgrounds

[Real American Zeros]

I don't often, but just this once...

I don't like to give good scores to flash that is nothing more than a funny mp3 with stills in the background, but in this case I saw fit to vote you a 3. Though there wasn't much effort put into this, at least you managed to throw a couple of your own punches in.

I especially liked the implication of the destruction of ballots. Actually, one of the local news stations in Florida found ballots and boxes washed up on shore. It was reported. The people of Florida gasped. Then big brother quickly put his hand over the Floridians mouths before the rest of the nation heard. Don't you just love bi-partison Ameritocracies?!

[Arrogancy: AS - Decision]

Get a stick and scrap that shit off your shoes.

I think Angela stepped on a couple birds there. ;)

[Storefront: Poodgie Noir]

Though unfinished...

I can't help but like it. Remniscent of the overly pretentious foreign films of my youth. I feel your trying to say something about the world and the very essence of existence and yet.... uh... nope. Nevermind. heh. That fucking duck.

Radam responds:

An apt pupil!

Unlike my other submissions, I was, in fact, trying to say something with this one, and it did, in fact, have to do with pretentious films overrated for having the proper artsy air.

It was really triggered by another Newgrounds submission: The Bard's Song -- the bane of my Flashmaking existance. That thing's been on and off in the top 50 since the dawn of time.

Well, I thought to myself, if that guy could climb to the top on a fruity music clip and a bunch of motion tweens, I can borrow the formula and outdo him ten times. I started work most of a year ago. My ambition slipped, but the reviews here are really bringing it back.

Time and motivation, guys, and you're giving me the motivation.

["Last Man Standing"]

Here's the thing...

WOW. You must be the first animator EVER to maintain a directional wind. Most would have cut to a different angle so they could show how kewl the main charector is with his jacket blowing away from his back. And in violating that rule you made your charecter even kewler.

I love the style here. Big bumpy somewhat child-like lines in the background, obviously drawn with the ink setting, yet contrasted by some damn fine shading which plays the toonishness against the realism generating a style unique to the author.

My suggestion, play the shit out of that style and that charecter. Tap that well until it's dry because personal style is one of the greatest and most rare qualities of life.

[Max Odyssey]

Since I'm sure you already know this rocks...

The style is pimp shit. I love the trace bitmap work you've got here - and the interplay of video, tweens, and fbf is excellent. The one big flaw is that this particular episode(haven't seen previous ones) is just not kewl enough for this style of animation you've got goin. What you have is a stellar concept and excellent execution but seemingly no direction. Build a story or a plot worthy of such a masterful style and you'll have a 4.+ total vote on every episode.

[A Pirate's Life]

Loved it.

Simple and innocent. Excellently animated and non-presumptuous -- says 'roy' of "The Melancholy Times."

[A Dragon's Destiny Ep3]

Tips and Suggestions

Let's get the suggestions out of the way: You need to start streaming at least SOME of the audio - almost everything was out of sinc and I was watching in Low Quality. Also, for all the talent you have at putting something this layered and detailed together I was surprised at the simplicity of most of the graphics. Some MC's were better than others but a lot of them were sub-par. There are a lot of tweens, layered scenes, and audio events here, and you really kept a hold of them well. Again, however, some of the tweening is excellent and some leaves much to be desired.

All in all it's a damn fine creation and despite all my criticism, I'm voting you a 4.

[Sketch Adventure #1]

Damn.

You've gotten some really bad reviews for some pretty nice work. Sure, I can see the shortcomings but they aren't so overwhelming that I can't see the excellence of this short too. Good artwork and graphics. Personally, I LIKE the style of black and white and not trying to hide where the drawings end. This is the kind of thing I could see being done on paper, then scanned and traced. I dig it. Don't let the bad reviews hold you down.

[Snowpimp #6: "Neander"]

Ahem,

Hey all you Newbies out there, with your stick figure - no background - no sound - gradient shaded - 3fps - BULLSHIT, asking me to give you a chance because this is only your second submission: Check out Snowpimp --> Simple shapes - nothing but tweening - minimal audio events.

This Snowpimp series is extremely simple animation AND it's fucking kewl. Anyone who has been using flash for a week or three could put something like this out if they took the time. But y'all would rather animate a 12k swf of a stick figure taking a shit.

I hope I'm not offending the author by saying that this work is simple. I simply wish that the neophytes releasing animations at NG would make the tiny bit of extra effort and put something like this out to replace their "Stick Raping a Goat While Being Shot in the Head" standard.

Oh yeah, nice short. I like the series.

Parat responds:

Your totally right, dude!
Yes, I am the animator of those guys
Yes, Those were my first movies with Flash 0.5 and...
Yes, they ARE fucking simple!

I see some people are looking forward to #7, but this could take some time. I'm working on a Game too, you know.

Thanks shade

[FANTASTIC shootout =)]

Well, since it's your first...

I gave you a 2. I can tell that it took a lot of time and effort and it's a damn fine first run. However, you broke quite a few rules of newgrounds etiquette with the film. First, no story just guns. Not always a bad thing but your graphics aren't at place !YET! where they can hold up an animation on their own. Next, the Matrix thing - personally, I think the whole slow motion thing is overplayed and used too much anyway, but then you pull out the old Matrix bullet dodge and my hand suddenly takes over and wants to click 0. I will say, that I'm sure this took quite a long time and I'm glad that you learned as much about motion tweening and sound events as you did before you threw in your first submission. All said, it was good. Not worth more than a 2, but it was good. A little more effort toward the graphics and the addition of a plot, you'll be there.

BazzMann responds:

Cheers mate, granted you gave me a '2' on the vote, and '3' on the review, but at least you THOUGHT before you wrote it! Thank god, there are some intelligable Newgrounds reviewers out there... and I appreciate the critisism... I will work on making a kickass brand new movie later this month... over my lonely xmas ;)