Tress MacNeille Movies
- 2008
- Add Futurama: The Beast with a Billion Backs to QueueAdd Futurama: The Beast with a Billion Backs to top of Queue
The story that began in Bender's Big Score concludes as a massive rift in space and time unleashes a cosmic terror of epic proportions and the citizens of planet Earth discover a strange new religion. A revolting, planet-sized alien has taken control of Fry, transforming our time-sleeping hero into the Pope of a new religion that encourages mankind to abandon planet Earth. With no more humans to get in the way, robots the robots will finally be free to take over. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Billy West, Katey Sagal, (more)
Matt Groening's cult hit series Futurama takes its killer wit to DVD with this full length movie consisting of a brand new story with all new animation and the complete, original voice cast. As the crew of Planet Express prepares for Xmas 3007, a race of evil, nudist, internet scammers launches an attack on Earth, discovering the secret of time travel tattooed on Fry's butt. Using their sinister hacking skills to control Bender, the aliens seize control of the robot and send him back in time to loot ancient Earth of its treasures. The crew encounter true love, a hostile takeover, and Al Gore before their race against time to save the world as they know it is over. Futurama: Bender's Big Score also features guest voice-appearances by actors and comedians like Sarah Silverman, Mark Hamill, and Coolio. ~ Cammila Albertson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Billy West, Katey Sagal, (more)
Born as a series of three-minute chucklers on Icebox.com (and aired later on the Showtime pay-cable network), veteran Simpsons-producer Mike Reiss' giddily irreverent tale of a homosexual duck (voiced by Jim J. Bullock) determined to re-define his sexual orientation comes flaming to life on the big screen courtesy of director/animator Xeth Feinberg. With special appearances by Conan O' Brien, Mark Hammill, David Duchovny, Tim Curry, Bruce Vilanch, and Billy West, this lightning fast collection of gags, pop-culture riffs, and catchy tunes follows the web-footed, unlucky-in-love fowl as he navigates the sometimes perilous gay scene. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jim J. Bullock, Jackie Hoffman, (more)
- 2006
Produced for the Disney Channel, this half-hour educational series marked two "firsts" in the Disney canon: the first time that studio icon Mickey Mouse headlined a show designed specifically for preschoolers, and the first time (outside of a few commercials) in which Mickey, Minnie, Donald Duck, Daisy, Pluto, Goofy, Chip & Dale, and the rest of the studio menagerie was animated via CGI rather than traditional "cel" cartoonwork. The program utilized the familiar Disney characters to help the kids at home with their cognitive skills, to learn how to help others, and to develop strong moral and ethical values. Each time a new word or phrase was introduced, a mouse-shaped "toolbox" appeared onscreen, through which the kids at home could interact with the characters onscreen as part of the basic learning process. Trademarks of Mickey Mouse Clubhouse included the magic words "Meeska, Mooska, Mickey Mouse" (a variation on a familiar incantation introduced on the original Mickey Mouse Club way back when) and a sort of signature tune, "The Hot Dog Song," performed by They Might Be Giants. Mickey Mouse Clubhouse debuted worldwide over the many Disney cable- and digital-TV outlets on May 5, 2006. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Tony Anselmo, Wayne Allwine, (more)
Based very loosely on the classic novel by Alexandre Dumas, this direct-to-video Disney version of The Three Musketeers features Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, and Goofy as janitors who become pawns in a scheme by Peg-leg Pete to take the throne away from Princess Minnie. The threesome works together in order to save the princess and the kingdom. The film features a half-dozen new songs, some of which are based on classical works by famous composers like Tchaikovsky and Beethoven. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Wayne Allwine, Tony Anselmo, (more)
- 2004
This Disney Channel animated series was set in the mythical land of Udragoth. Title character Dave was the oldest son of a mother-father team of barbarian warriors, who spent most of their time away from home on an odyssey of conquest and domination (all the while sending their kids "Wish you were here" cards and souvenirs from each of the foreign lands they had vanquished). Naturally, Dave was expected to uphold family tradition and become a warrior himself, but he would much sooner have stayed at home with his sister Candy and little brother Fang and spend his time making elaborate gourmet meals. While mom and dad were away, Dave and his siblings were cared for by Uncle Oswidge, a bumbling sorcerer who did his best to protect the household from various and sundry invaders, both human and supernatural. Also sharing space with Dave, Oswidge, and the kids were the sarcastic talking sword Lula, the lazy pet dragon Faffy, and Twinkle the Marvel Horse, who moved, sounded, and acted like Christopher Walken! Created by Douglas Lansdale (Earthworm Jim, The Weekenders), Dave the Barbarian was delightfully reminiscent of the old Rocky and Bullwinkle cartoons, replete with over-the-kid's-head jokes, deliberately sloppy animation, and the frequently snide and intrusive interpolations from the series' narrator (aka "The Storyteller"). Offering two stories per half-hour episode, Dave the Barbarian premiered January 23, 2004. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Danny Cooksey, Jeff Bennett, (more)
- 2003
Part of the Animatrix series of animated shorts set in the universe of the Wachowski brothers' The Matrix, director Koji Morimoto's Beyond tells the story of a young woman who goes on a search for her lost cat only to discover an abandoned building with strange and mysterious qualities. She finds her cat floating in mid-air and neighborhood kids jump head-first from ten feet up only to stop before touching the ground. As she investigates, she comes close to uncovering the truth but is met with resistance by a group from the government. Beyond features the voice talents of Hedy Burress and Kath Soucie. ~ Matthew Tobey, All Movie Guide
- 2003
The second movie-length spin-off of the Nickelodeon cartoon series As Told by Ginger, Far From Home went into production under the title Foutley's on Ice. Both titles refer to the main plot line, in which youthful Ginger Foutley is accepted to the prestigious Avalanche Arts Academy, somewhere in the frigid mountains. Alas, complications ensue wherein Ginger may be permanently separated from her friends and family back in Sheltered Shrubs. A subplot concerns the relationship between Ginger's brother Carl and an attractive telekinetic girl (whose voice, like that of "regular" character Noelle Sussman, is provided by series creator Emily Kapnek). As Told by Ginger: Far From Home originally aired over Nickelodeon on August 9, 2003. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Melissa Disney, Aspen Miller, (more)
- 2002
- Add Cinderella II: Dreams Come True to QueueAdd Cinderella II: Dreams Come True to top of Queue
Fifty years after releasing their opulent adaptation of the classic fairy tale Cinderella, Walt Disney Productions revisits the characters in this direct-to-video sequel. Cinderella 2: Dreams Come True encompasses three short stories; first, after Cinderella (voice of Jennifer Hale) marries Prince Charming (voice of Christopher Daniel Barnes), she finds it difficult to reconcile her new station in life with the simple ways she's known in the past. Secondly, the friendly mouse Jacques (voice of Rob Paulsen) wishes he could be a human being -- but after the Fairy Godmother (voice of Russi Taylor) makes it so, he discovers it's a lot tougher than he imagined. And finally, Cinderella takes pity on her stepsister, Anastasia (voice of Tress MacNeille), and teaches her how to smile in the hopes she can find a love of her own. Cinderella 2: Dreams Come True also includes a new song by Brooke Allison, "Put It Together." ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- 2001
- Add Mickey's Magical Christmas: Snowed in at the House of Mouse to QueueAdd Mickey's Magical Christmas: Snowed in at the House of Mouse to top of Queue
This home video release finds an interesting way to repackage older Disney cartoons. Mickey's Magical Christmas: Snowed in at the House of Mouse, finds Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, Pluto, and all of the other beloved Disney animated characters unable to leave a holiday party. In order to pass the time, the gang watches a compilation of holiday-themed short films. There is something for every member of the family on this look at Disney older efforts. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide
- 1999
- Add Scooby-Doo and the Witch's Ghost to QueueAdd Scooby-Doo and the Witch's Ghost to top of Queue
Scooby, Shaggy, Velma, Fred, and Daphne once again pile into the Mystery Machine and stumble onto danger. This time they happen upon some ghoulies in a small New England town. ~ All Movie Guide
- 1999
Animaniacs race to the wishing star to try and make all their dreams come true. ~ All Movie Guide
- 1999
With 46 episodes to its credit in Season One, the zany animated educational series Warner Bros. Histeria was supposed to have offered 19 more episodes for its second season. However, the series' disappointing ratings prompted the WB network to cut down its episode manifest, and thus only seven more episodes were churned out by the animators. However, these installments are every bit as funny as the first batch, with Father Time, Mr. Smartypants, Aka Pella, Miss Information et. al. guiding viewers on a skewered, slapsticky jaunt through history. In the season opener, the Histeria! gang accompanies Neil Armstrong to the moon (Bang! Zoom!) Then it's off for a slightly more serious visit to Martin Luther King and a drop-in at the trial of Socrates. A stopover in the court of Charlemagne results in a "scrapple at the chapel", followed by random historical glimpse as viewed by the flatulent Big Fat Baby. Napoleon is subjected to jokes about his height during a visit to France, which also includes the solemn "Tennis Court Oath." And finally, a journey through North America takes us all the way from Alaska to...Mayberry? ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Frank Welker, Cree Summer, (more)
- 1998
The History of the World and other business is reinterpreted through the skewered vision of the Warner Bros. Animation team in Season One of the aptly titled cartoon series Warner Bros! Histeria. Led by the decrepit Father Time, the Histeria! crew (including the likes of Mr. Smartypants, Miss Information and Big Fat Baby) get things rolling by introducing Alexander Graham Bell via the Serlingesque "Telephone Zone", then move on to make life miserable for $Thomas Edison and J. Robert Oppenheimer. In later episodes, the life of Abraham Lincoln is morphs into the Brady Bunch theme song; George Washington bids farewell to his troops in the manner of a Bob Hope monologue; Nostradamus and Descartes have a philosophical discussion over whether the chicken or the egg came first; Leonardo Da Vinci becomes a painter through the patronage of the Book Formerly Known as "Prince"; the royal family of Ancient Egypt performs its own version of "Cats"; the conquest of Montezuma is detoured by a perusal of the Inca Shopping Network; the history of the Tudors is reformatted as a bloody slasher flick; there's an informercial for "Super Amazing Constitution"; the Yalta Conference degenerates into a pie fight; and Khrushschev tries yet again to sneak into Disneyland. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Frank Welker, Cree Summer, (more)
- 1991
Profoundly affected by his babysitting stint at the home of the Doctors Crane, Sam (Ted Danson) decides that he'd like to have a child of his own. Since it usually takes two to tango, Sam needs to find a suitable mother for his child. Hmmmm...well, Rebecca (Kirstie Alley) doesn't seem to be terribly busy at the moment. This was the final episode of Cheers' ninth season. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1991
Tiny Toons Adventures: How I Spent My Vacation is a direct-to-video feature film based on the Steven Spielberg-produced animated television series. How I Spent My Vacation chronicles the adventures of the series' regular characters--Plucky Duck, Uncle Stinky, Dizzy Devil, and Buster and Babs Bunny, among many others--during their summer vacation. The film is arranged as a series of comic episodes instead of a coherent story, but that's a benefit, since each sequence gives a few cartoon characters a chance to shine. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Movie Guide
Opus n' Bill in: A Wish for Wings That Work, adapted from the comic strip Bloom County, concerns the plans of Bill the Cat to help his friend Opus the Penguin achieve his dream of flying. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide
- 1991
Based on a popular brace of children's books, the 30-minute cartoon Bad Cat was originally telecast as an episode of the ABC Weekend Special anthology. Recognized as the "King of Fulton Street," Bad Cat is not really all that terrible, despite his name and reputation. In fact, when his human family, the Harrisons, move to another city, Bad Cat wants nothing more than to be accepted by the local feline populace. Alas, our hero runs afoul of a genuine "bad cat" named Riff, who challenges B.C. to a down 'n' dirty mouse-catching contest. Produced by Ruby-Spears, Bad Cat made its initial appearance on April 14, 1984. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Bart Braverman, Hal Smith, (more)
- 1990
After an incident with a cherry bomb sends Bart (voice of Nancy Cartwright) to the office of Principal Skinner (voice of Harry Shearer) one time too many, Skinner suggests the answer to Bart's discipline problems might be not to kick him out of school, but to ship him out of the country. Bart is sent to France as an exchange student, while Homer (voice of Dan Castellaneta) and Marge (voice of Julie Kavner) are entrusted with the care of Adil (voice of Tress MacNeille), a well-mannered student from Albania. However, everyone involved is in for a few surprises; Bart discovers that his French sponsors are actually the mean-spirited proprietors of a winery who use him for slave labor when not fortifying their product with anti-freeze, while Adil is actually a spy who uses Homer's naïveté to obtain classified information about American nuclear power plants. "The Crepes of Wrath" was first aired on April 15, 1990. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
Veteran animator Hayao Miyazaki directs this buoyant children's adventure yarn about a young witch striking out on her own. At her mother's behest, 13-year-old Kiki sets out on a year-long apprenticeship with her black cat in tow. With a shaky command of her broom, she ends up in a charming little coastal town that looks like a cross between the French provincial and San Francisco. Unfortunately, the local hotels have a strict "no witches" policy and the police have taken a dim view of her recent aerial mischief making. She's saved from the street by a kindly baker's wife who offers her room and board in exchange for her delivering by broom the baker's wares. Soon she befriends a college-aged artist, an old women who fusses over her, and a boy her same age who is nursing a massive crush. All is well until she wakes up one day and realizes that she can't make her broom levitate nor can she talk to her cat. What will Kiki do? ~ Jonathan Crow, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Kirsten Dunst, Phil Hartman, (more)
They've kept television viewers laughing for nearly 20 years, and now the most popular animated family on the small screen makes the leap into theaters as Homer, Marge, Lisa, Bart, ad Maggie embark on their first-ever feature-length adventure. Directed by David Silverman and written by a whole host of Simpsons veterans including Matt Groening and James L. Brooks, The Simpsons Movie also features special guest appearances by Albert Brooks among others. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Dan Castellaneta, Julie Kavner, (more)
