bunny or bank robber?

Think you know the Easter Bunny? Think you know Jay Ward? Well put those two together and you have today's Easter Cartoon: An episode of Super Chicken! Is it really the Easter Bunny robbing the banks? Stick around and find out...





Back with the roundup tomorrow! Stay tuned...


Just call for Super Chicken!

it's that time again...

Yes, spring has sprung and that means one of my favorite holidays is around the corner. And you know what that means at The Shelf: Holiday Cartoons and Candy Reviews!!! So to kick off Easter in style we present to you today's offering:

It's the Easter Beagle Charlie Brown.

Enjoy!

Link Hat tip to Dailymotion

Some Easter Beagle! He gave me my own egg!

views and reviews on 300

Wolf and I have both seen 300 and have been knocked out by such a great piece of film making. However, I have been gathering my thoughts on the film, and yet have been reluctant to comment on it; especially with so much back forth going on out in the ether. From television, to radio and newspapers, and especially on the web- it seems everyone has something to say about the film. In such cases, I often hesitate to add something, just because I feel someone out there has said it better than I could have.
That being said I do want to add a couple of words- and direct you to a couple of excellent articles which I believe really tackle and discuss the merits of the film, and in a way discuss why it is being accepted by audiences and rejected by critics and cultural elitists. (and yes, sometimes they are one and the same, but I make the distinction here to include the non-critic talking heads that pop up on TV). This is sort of a roundup on the views and reviews I've seen on 300 that I believe really "get it".

First off:
Christian Johnson over at Cinerati, has written two of the best articles on the whys and why nots 300 has been recieved or rejected, and understanding it in terms of both it's origin from the greek ideals and the graphic novel storytelling aspect . They are worth reading. An excerpt:

"One of the classical virtues is that of thumos a kind of spritedness which combines patriotism and courage. It is the virtue that is central to the Spartan society. In fact, Spartan society might be said to value thumos over almost any other part of virtue as we understand it. Spiritedness is a powerful force in people, we like to take pride in our society and we value those who fight to defend it. That is thumos in a nutshell and that is what 300 is about. The film doesn't spend time showing us the ways that Sparta was unjust, and they were in many ways, because then the film -- and comic -- would be about Sparta. This film isn't about Sparta, it is about thumos."
Read the whole article here and a previous excellent article here.

Then the gang over at Libertas have offered a review and several articles that you can read: here, here, and here.

Of course, Victor Davis Hanson offered some excellent thoughs on history and 300 here and here. An excerpt:
Many of the most famous lines in the film come directly either from Herodotus or Plutarch's Moralia, and they capture well, in the historical sense, the collective Spartan martial ethic, honor, glory, and ancestor reverence (I say that as an admirer of democratic Thebes and its destruction of Sparta's system of Messenian helotage in 369 BC). Why—beside the blood-spattering violence and often one-dimensional characterizations—will some critics not like this, despite the above caveats?
Ultimately the film takes a moral stance, Herodotean in nature: there is a difference, an unapologetic difference between free citizens who fight for eleutheria and imperial subjects who give obeisance. We are not left with the usual postmodern quandary 'who are the good guys' in a battle in which the lust for violence plagues both sides. In the end, the defending Spartans are better, not perfect, just better than the invading Persians, and that proves good enough in the end. And to suggest that ambiguously these days has perhaps become a revolutionary thing in itself.


I would only add my following comment to the above: The cultural elitists own worldview tends to make them look askew at one of the most artistic films I have seen in recent memory. There is no coincidence that academia has seen a decline in the offering of classical liberal arts education and degrees. As one professor once told me, "It's called ancient for a reason. Their ideas are dusty- we are more interested in the modern and post modern. The hold more for us." Undoubtabley so. The post modern holds so many tiny nooks and crannies within which one can claim expertise and obscure wisdom , and yet at the same time pass judgement and claim moral relativistism. Ancient and classical history and literature is so often disdained in academia that now it has started to go full circle, and there is an effort to bring it back, much to the chagrin of some history professors who look at political and military history in general as passe and dangerous.

IF you think I'm just flapping my gums about the vapid, self-absorbed post modernists, then read Dr. Sanity's excellent article here on why the post-modernists (in a nutshell, cultural elitists) are in an uproar about this film. An excerpt:

Once upon a time intellectuals who sought to understand the modern world looked to the giants of intellectual thought from humanity's past. In the wisdom of their writings we would be able to find the words and meanings relevant to analyzing the events of today. But now, it is as if history has been turned upside down. We no longer look to the past to understand ourselves and our journey--instead we use our present feelings and our modern understandings and prejudices to reinterpret and deconstruct the past.
...That this rather perversely condescending and ultimately nihilistic tendency is a direct result of the essential narcissism of our times there is no doubt. Only a narcissist of the most pathological sort could or would haughtily dismiss Plato or Aristotle as merely primitive Greeks; or reject the writings of a Thomas Jefferson or John Adams because they were white male slaveholders. Only a self-absorbed postmodernist who believes he has all the answers to not only current problems, but that his superior and perfect intellect has nothing to gain by considering the admittedly imperfect thinkers and ideas of the past.
Read the whole article.

If you haven't seen 300, I would recommend it. But be warned, you may just come out of the film wanting the bad guys to lose and the good guys to win. And the cultural elitists can't have that.



A new age has come, an age of freedom. And all will know that 300 Spartans gave their last breath to defend it.

roundup, literary edition

What ho, Shelfers! It's the return of the roundup. And if we are looking a little classy today, it's because we are, in a literary way. Perhaps the smoking jacket is a tad too much, but nonetheless, it makes us look - erudite. That's upiddty to youse guys. That's alright though, clothes makes the critic. We have some great films, of the literary classic adaptation variety, so put on the kettle, ma- these films are your cup of tea.

DVD
Top Shelf Pick of the Week!
Literary Classics Collection:
This is an excellent set of a variety films all connected with one theme- they were adapted from famous novels. But it's more than that. These are great films that many have been looking forward to seeing released on DVD. Included in the set (which are available for purchase as "standalone" releases as well) are:
The 1949 film version of Gustave Flaubert's Madame Bovary starring Jennifer Jones in the title role and James Mason as Flaubert, recounting his own story.
The 1962 film of Herman Melville's short novel, Billy Budd, starring Terence Stamp as Billy Budd, impressed into service on a British ship during a war between France and England in the late 1790s. Although Budd is forced to serve, he adapts to his new life and quickly proves to be an able sailor and fighter and becomes popular with his crewmates. Robert Ryan and Peter Ustinov co-star.
Captain Horatio Hornblower is the 1951 film based on C.S. Forester's swashbuckling novel. The film stars Gregory Peck as Hornblower in this tale of war and duty to country on the high seas.
The Three Musketeers is just one of many film versions of Alexander Dumas' famous novel. This is the 1948 MGM Technicolor version featuring a stellar cast including Gene Kelly. June Allyson, Lana Turner, Gig Young, Vincent Price and Angela Lansbury.
Finally- a film that many have been waiting to be released on DVD: The Prisoner of Zenda. This disc includes both the 1937 film of Anthony Hope's novel, starring Ronald Coleman; and the 1952 version starring Stewart Granger.
Extras include several radio adaptations, cartoons, several Traveltalk and Pete Smith shorts, and lots of commentaries. This set has a little something for everyone: drama, comedy, action and historical adventure. Pick it up today- you won't be disappointed.

Ernest Hemingway Film Collection
This is another set of literary adaptations of film, but featuring one author: Ernest Hemingway. The films included in this set are: Adventures of a Young Man, A Farewell to Arms, The Snows of Kilimanjaro, The Sun Also Rises, and Under My Skin. Most are worthwhile efforts, but The Sun Also Rises is the standout of the set. An excellent film starring Tyrone Power, Ava Gardner, and Errol Flynn; it's a fairly faithful adaptation of Hemingway's story about the American expatriate "lost generation" in post World War I Paris. Several titles are available as stand alone DVDs as well.


Jesse James Films
Several Jesse James films hit the shelves from 20th Century Fox this week. The first is the 1939 film, Jesse James starring Tyrone Power and Henry Fonda. The James boys of history were fairly bad fellows, but the James boys of legend are more Robin Hood type figures. This is the Hollywood version of the legend. The Return of Frank James is Fritz Lang's follow-up, again starring Henry Fonda as Frank James, determined to get to the bottom of his brother's death. The film costars Gene Tierney is her first costarring role. Lastly, The True Story of Jesse James is a remake of the first film starring Robert Wagner. Sort of a psychological remake. Sort of. Yeah... Anyway, The Return of Frank James is the real winner of the bunch, and you don't need to see the first one to understand the story.


TV on DVD
Moonlighting: Season 5
Fans were demanding that this series hit DVD for a long time. When it finally did, it didn't take long for them to release all five seasons- within about a year. I like that when it comes to TV on DVD. Why wait so long between seasons. Most serious fans who are going to buy them are going to burn through the episodes in a quick manner anyway.
This was the last season of the funny, quirky, and groundbreaking show; and it was perhaps the least of all. The show famously jumped the shark at the end of season 3, limped along through a Maddie/David relationship in season 4, and then went back to the detective plots for season 5. It was too late. The well known backstage squabbles with the costars and directors and producers pretty much ended the season, and the series, at 12 episodes. It was a great show while it lasted.

Music:
Patti Austin: Avant Gershwin
Smooth, sultry Patti Austin. Pure, genuine Gershwin. The combination results in a great album that is so elegant and simple, yet so beautiful. Jazzy and soulful. This is a no-brainer. You've never heard Gershwin like this before. You'll bless your ears and you'll thank ol' Uncle Loophole. Aww, Shucks. T'wernt nothing.


300: The Soundtrack:
I am looking forward to seeing this movie, especially after these reviews from classicist Victor Davis Hanson. It will be interesting to see how the film meets up to all the buzz. In the meantime you can enjoy the soundtrack to the film. It's a throwback in some ways to the epic soundtracks of old, but it delivers a twist with some new age, kind of Mediterranean vibe. You can check it out this week on AOL Music. By the by, you can read this interview with 300 author and artist, Frank Miller, and 300 director Zack Snyder here.


Television:
Turner Classic Movies:
You would think after a straight month long marathon of blogging our Oscar picks in celebration of TCM's 31 Days of Oscar, that we would lay off. But we can't, we must go on. It's our favorite channel after all. So while a lot of shows are in reruns, we'll gladly turn the dial (or press the button on the remote) to our favorite station and give you our picks for the week! (All times are EST dontcha know? Check local listings for all times.)

Shelf Picks for this week on TCM:

March 8: The Westerner (1940), The Princess and the Pirate (1944), My Favorite Brunette (1947) and Zorba the Greek (1964)

March 9: Two Girls On Broadway (1940), Grand Central Murder (1942) and Last Train From Gun Hill (1959).

March 10: The Sea Hawk (1940) , The African Queen (1951) , and Breakfast At Tiffany's (1961)

March 11: Man Of The West (1958) Shane (1953), The Benny Goodman Story (1956) and The Glenn Miller Story(1954).

March 12: The Sons of Katie Elder (1965), Singin' In The Rain (1952), On the Town (1949) and Take Me Out to the Ball Game (1949)

March 13: Private Screenings: Stanley Donen (2006), The Treasure of the Sierra Madre (1948), Naked City (1948) and He Walked By Night (1948).


It's a great week for great flicks- old and new. Check out some classics this week, then check out 300 this weekend to see if it's a modern classic. In the meantime, stay tuned for more Shelf madness...




Fate doesn't always make the right men kings.

31 days of Oscar: day 31

For 31 days, Turner Classic Movies celebrates movies and the Academy Awards by presenting 31 Days of Oscar. Each Day from Feb.1 through March 3, a different category of the awards will be the theme of the day; featuring films that were nominated or won in that category. The Shelf will be joining in the celebration by giving you our Oscar pick of the Day!

Today's category is Best Editing - Nominees and Winners . Here's today's schedule (all times are EST):

7:00 AM Theodora Goes Wild (’36)
9:00 AM Quo Vadis (’51)
12:00 PM The Manchurian Candidate (’62)
2:15 PM The Odd Couple (’68)
4:15 PM Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner? (’67)
6:15 PM The Adventures of Robin Hood (’38)
8:00 PM North by Northwest (’59)
10:30 PM Objective, Burma! (’45)
1:00 AM Crimson Tide (’95)
3:30 AM The Russians are Coming, the Russians are Coming (’66)

And our Oscar pick goes to... North by Northwest ! This is probably my favorite Hitchcock film, which is saying quite a bit as I have many favorite Hitchcock films. Cary Grant was wonderful in this role... which is, by design, a Cary Grant role. And Kim Novak is also quite good. The dining car scene on the train is an example of great actors working with a great director and excellent script. If you haven't seen it, make sure you don't miss it.

North by Northwest was nominated for 3 Academy Awards, including Best Writing, but did not win. You can watch the film today on TCM, or you can order the DVD through the usual online retailers and the TCM shop. The film is available as a single disc release, and as part of the Alfred Hitchcock Signature Collection.

For more information on TCM's 31 Days of Oscar, visit the Turner Classic Movies website.




Sixty-four thousand dollars for a question, I hope they are asking you the meaning of life.

31 days of Oscar: day 30

For 31 days, Turner Classic Movies celebrates movies and the Academy Awards by presenting 31 Days of Oscar. Each Day from Feb.1 through March 3, a different category of the awards will be the theme of the day; featuring films that were nominated or won in that category. The Shelf will be joining in the celebration by giving you our Oscar pick of the Day!

Today's category is Best Adapted Screenplay - Nominees and Winners . Here's today's schedule (all times are EST):

6:30 AM Lady for a Day (’33)
8:30 AM Sounder (’72)
10:30 AM Breaker Morant (’80)
12:30 PM Sayonara (’57)
3:00 PM Sense and Sensibility (’95)
5:30 PM In Cold Blood (’67)
8:00 PM The Elephant Man (’80)
10:15 PM Awakenings (’90)
12:30 AM Stand by Me (’86)
2:15 AM The Silence of the Lambs (’91)
4:30 AM Quiz Show (’94)

And our Oscar pick goes to... Quiz Show ! This is probably the only "modern classic" you'll see among our picks, and it is well deserved. This is perhaps my favorite Redford-directed movie. Based on the quiz show scandals of the 1950s, Ralph Finnes and Jon Turtutto star as opponents, Charles Van Doren and Herb Stempel (respectively) on a popular television quiz show, Twenty-One. Van Doren is educated, handsome and comes from a distinguished family. Stempel is the opposite- arrogant and paranoid, but he shares one trait - he is very intelligent. Producers of the show latch on to Van Doren as the star of the show and ensure that he wins against Stempel, who accuses the show of a fix. Congressional investigator Dick Goodwin (played by Rob Morrow) investigates the claim, and his findings will ebrupt in a national scandal. The performances and directing are solid, and the screenplay is exception, making it a truly enjoyable film: a real modern-day "classic", if you will. Morrow is exceptional good as Goodwin, and also co-produces the film. Goodwin is the author of the book Remembering America, on which the movie is based.

Quiz Show was nominated for 4 Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Director, but did not win. You can watch the film today on TCM, or you can order the DVD through the usual online retailers and the TCM shop. The film is available as a single disc release, and is long overdue for the 2 disc special edition treatment.

For more information on TCM's 31 Days of Oscar, visit the Turner Classic Movies website.




Sixty-four thousand dollars for a question, I hope they are asking you the meaning of life.

31 days of Oscar: day 29

For 31 days, Turner Classic Movies celebrates movies and the Academy Awards by presenting 31 Days of Oscar. Each Day from Feb.1 through March 3, a different category of the awards will be the theme of the day; featuring films that were nominated or won in that category. The Shelf will be joining in the celebration by giving you our Oscar pick of the Day!

Today's category is Best Original Screenplay - Nominees and Winners (part two). Here's today's schedule (all times are EST):

7:00 AM Paisan (’46)
9:00 AM The Producers (’68)
10:30 AM Divorce, Italian Style (’62)
12:15 PM I, Vitelloni (’53)
2:15 PM Wild Strawberries (’57)
4:00 PM Dead Poets’ Society (’89)
6:30 PM The Purple Rose of Cairo (’85)
8:00 PM Lover Come Back (’61)
10:00 PM Four Weddings and a Funeral (’94)
12:00 AM Rain Man (’88)
2:30 AM Diner (’82)
4:30 AM The Front (’76)

And our Oscar pick goes to... The Producers! I'm speaking of the original 1968 film of course- the orignial. Zero Mostel is one of films most underrated funny men, and Gene Wilder was embarking on a film career. Mel Brook's first big film is still one of his funniests. And it's a tribute to the original, in a way, that Mel Brooks rewrote it as a musical that was a hit on Broadway, and that musical was made into a film. Do yourself a favor- see the original.

The Producers was nominated for 2 Academy Awards, including Best Supporting Actor for Gene Wilder. It won the Oscar for Best Writing for Mel Brooks' original screenplay. You can watch the film today on TCM, or you can order the DVD through the usual online retailers and the TCM shop. The film is available as a two- disc Special Edition release, or as single disc release.

For more information on TCM's 31 Days of Oscar, visit the Turner Classic Movies website.




I'm condemned by a society that demands success when all I can offer is failure!