GnomeZome's movie Reviews on Newgrounds

[Somewhere Other: Kindly Sky]

I know this is a continuing series, but this happens to be the first one of the series I have seen.
Without context, without a set narrative, you still got me to weep.

I lost a few people in my life, and I grew up on a farm where we ate animals we raised by hand.
I am familiar with death in ways I wish I was not, but this reminded me of how sudden and funny it can be.
Of how it feels to have this part of your life taken, and how what might have been a simple skirmish, a mistake, can change everything.

I imagine as this seem to be deep within the series that you have been building to this as a creator, and to kill a character must hurt in it's own way, but a way you had been expecting.
Maybe that's why this feels more like my own experience of watching someone you have know for years, and always knew would die someday, leave very quickly.

You made something beautiful here, thank you.

cecameron responds:

Thank you for sharing this, I appreciate it.

[Watch your step]

So, I think you very much so worked effectively in the constraints of Necrodancer's story.
The way you panned through shots, the eye catching and on cue hard cuts, and the may you conveyed motion was very dynamic.
I was also was impressed by your use of color, staying true to the pallet of the game, but still feeling fresh.
I loved how those skeletons moved, as it's so typical to have their motions seem more mechanical/methodical, but you really captured fluidity, and I think it's because you had the two synchronize where as one bone alone would look more silly.
Like people make fun of the dancing street gangs in West Side Story, but if a large group of people moved at you in perfect uniformity it would would be terrifying.
A better example might be a Polynesian Haka.
It's a good trick on your part.
The only reason I I can't give this a full 5 is it feels like builds so effectively to a call to adventure, and I don't feel like there is a payoff.
I know in the game you would just start playing but in this case it feels like it cut's short,
For people unfamiliar the yawning portal to the next floor down doesn't have meaning, and it visually looks like she just staring at a wall.
Maybe a few more frames of the portal flaring or surging in some way, and a look of determination on her face would close the chapter for me.
You did incredible work, and thank you for making this.

4thNoah responds:

spend alot of time on these skeletons.
i will talk about the undying adventure in the future.
i did wanted to make the stone coffin moves and slowly reveal a passage way with purple light coming out of it but well lack of video editing skill and technical difficulty happens. not excusable but i am still happy i manage to make it look ok.
thank you very much for the detailed comment.

[Dream Wizard]

It felt very quite, but overall I like it, and it reminded me of the old phrase
"who knows what lurks in the hearts of man?"
I enjoyed the dream wizard's design, and his blithe attitude, but when he was talking about how the system was poorly designed he seemed to enthusiastic to really be delivering that line.
The solution being "Throw his in water." is pretty funny, but I'm surprised you didn't go with a "sleeping with the fishes" joke considering the context.
Thanks for making this

KloudKat responds:

Thanks for the review! Yes, not getting the sound done within the time frame killed me and I'm always toying with the idea of making some time to fix it in the future, or, failing that, just bring this guy back. I had a great time voicing him!
Also AAAAGGGHHHH! That joke would have worked really well!

[The New Star]

Kronenburger with a side of fried eyeballs.
It's interesting to see how people express what they feel engaging with an eldritch abomination would go.
Part of the problem is that the slow tension build of horror and especially Psychological Horror in the Style of Poe and Lovecraft is that they where being paid by the word, and that meant there was a natural incentive to draw out the tension overtime.
Animation is at constant war with time, as every moment is expected to perform, either in sound, or motion of visual engagement, and while this is a pretty good jump scare, it's not that startling, nor memorable.
If you made the audience wait a little more, or just used audio to to give dramatic context to a scene of horrendous repetition then maybe it would mean more.
I get the fact you where working within constraints, but it's ok to ask the audience to put some work in if the pay off is worth it, and in this case it's a chuckle, but body horror can only get you so far.
Maybe push your sound design chops a little further, as that can be very rewarding use of time when your not sure what to visually.
Thank you for making this.

KloudKat responds:

and thank YOU for such well worded constructive feedback! I appreciate comments like this so much!
Yeah I pretty much agree with all of this. It definitely lacked some stuff that would have pushed it over the edge. I never even really considered the jumpscare mega important while I was working and I think that was, retroactively a mistake. Ideally, were the circumstance around this cartoon a bit different I would have rewritten it and boarded it to be a bit tighter and more impactful. Definitely expect better sound design in the future, as it's something I'm definitely working to improve.

[Happy New Year folks]

So I see this is a simple thank you style of animation, and think that's really nice.
I was wondering if dynamite stick was going to pick him up and light him on fire, but that might have been too much work for your purpose.
Maybe just his has lit suddenly lighting up, and him say "fair's fair" and exploding?
I take it a lot of folks are messing around with fire works near you right now, and having lived in the college area of a city, I know that be frustrating.
A happy new year to you, and thank you for making this.

Koray98 responds:

Thanks 😊 no it wouldnt be too much work to animate your idea. I just realy like this idea 😂and yes i was frustated about those kind of people

[GWYNEVERE, QUEEN OF SUNLIGHT]

I respect dedication to shower thoughts.
The effort you put in for a foot fetish joke is pretty funny, but also iluustrates with everything one could find attractive, why feet?
It's a question that will suitably haunt me now.
It's hard to critique this, as the effort you put in is almost part of the humor, and anything I could say about the animation has to be obvious to you.
So, I guess what I will say is she is very attractive, and you managed to stick to the dark souls style effectively enought to stay out of "parody", and more aesthetically enter "homage".
It's almost more of commentary on the ammount of effort people put into games, and how we focus on the most inane parts of them.
Anyways, much respect, and thank you for making this.

BrokenMOJO responds:

Thank You mate.

[Errand run]

So, having wrasseled a few Karen's in my time in the Customer Facing trenchs, I feel this on a spiritual level, but there is no emotional pay off at the end.
Like as joke, that person just walking away is very accurate, but chathartically as animation/art it would feel better if it felt like there was some consequence.
You did well making her offsetting and disturbing, but again that just emphasizes the horrors of retail without pay off.
Another 2 wanted poster winding up on the door with her and her child on it might be more enjoyable, and not add that much more work to the animation as a whole.
I liked the kid's squeegee drag at the end, and the internal monologue captions.
Thank you for making and sharing this.

Pogunks responds:

Haha that's a good idea! I'll keep revenge in mind next episode.

[Paige and Bea Sketch]

I really like how you got the characterization across so effectively in the first few moments.
Being of great power, but lacking control despite their best intent, paired with a person who can accept the limitations of such power, but still be reasonable emotional, leads well into them being a fusion dynamic.
Also the pitch black eyes are awesome, and you where able to put an reasonable ending as you and the characters where self aware enough to know that going further was not 100% necessary, and while I would have like to see more of your dynamic animation, I really enjoyed this.
Thank you for making it.

Camuri responds:

NO THANK YOU.
The action was fun to make, but I really wanted to establish the context behind it, so it really means a lot to have that recognized.
I appreciate that more than you could imagine.

[Chu moving]

A few more transition frames would make this go from smooth to very smooth.
The bounciness, or bounce and stretch, gave the character a light and playful air.
Color and shadowing made the minimalist choices seem like a style choice opposed to a lack of skill.
You definitely have been learning from some very traditional animation styles, or have at least watched enough animation to pick up the gist.
Good Work!

MAESTROCELESTE responds:

Thanks for your comment and thanks for your observation, it is very useful!

[Ninja Fight!]

It ruff but has potential.

Keep at it i like how this looks

GreatPowerfulTrixie responds:

Thank yo!