Angels_Review
Well, I never thought for once that they would make a show about the little white bat from Anastasia but they did it and I have to say, it was a little bit annoying but overall OK. The story seems to take place many years before Anastasia happens which makes me wonder how old Bartok really is. He seemed the same age as when he was in Anastasia but yet we see Ivan Romanov as a little boy. This boy pretty much has a knack for having bad advisors. Both advisors he had were trying to overtake the thrown. I know that it's a simple thing to want to fall on advisors overthrowing the thrown as the bad guy but they could have done something else. Ludmilla just seems like she is over charismatic and has no real potential as a enemy. It's only near middle of the movie that she seems to have something going for her. The bear Zozi pretty much has no real character but to push Bartok into doing what he's doing and spout play quotes. He had nothing more then to be a layed back side character with no real meaning.The artwork was rather disappointing. I would have thought that it would be better coming from Don Bluth and how nice Anastasia was compared. It just felt like it was rushed to get out the studio with its sort of odd scenery. Sometimes it was well done with lots of detail but other times, it felt like they used the wrong colors for some things and took way little time with them. The world outside the city of Moscow was very disappointing because it looked like a fantasy land rather then the landscape of Russia.The voices were pretty well done though seem to be rather downcast next to the artwork. Each character was what I would imagine them to sound like. Sadly, Bartok, the very center of the movie, was really annoying. He was good as a sidekick for a villain but when he gets his own show, the whole movie suffers from his raspy voice. I don't have anything against the voice actor but just like Iago from Aladdin, this was one of those characters that shouldn't be singing. The songs and music were sub standard and not really memorable so it doesn't even feel like I should bring them up.
TheLittleSongbird
Anastasia is my personal favourite Don Bluth movie, but this film actually does it justice if not as good.The animation is mostly good, bright and colourful, that falls a tad flat in the scarier bits. The story is a bit noisy, but well told, considering that the film itself is too short. The dialogue is good, the best coming from Zozi, and the morals are admirable.The songs are quite good, but not as beautiful as Anastasia. All of them are lively, and atmospheric, but could have been better timed. The voice talents are impeccable, Bartok is a little annoying but Hank Azaria voices him well, but Kelsey Grammar is perfect as Zozi. Andrea Martin is convincing as Baba Yaga, and Catherine O'Hara is a suitably over the top villain, a bit too OTT perhaps. Tim Curry is also very good as the skull who was brilliantly animated, and Jennifer Tilly is great as Pilaf .An entertaining movie! Look out for it! 7/10. Bethany Cox
Buffy Summers
Bartok the Magnificent, contrary to previous report, was not an actual sequel. If you watched Anastasia, and know anything about history, you already know that the the Czar has not only abdicated, but has also been killed, with the exception of Anya. While companies are not fully true to history, at the time Anastasia was made, it was believed that the infamous Romanoff was still alive, and going by the name Anya, later disproved. Bartok the Magnificent is the sequel prequel, lol. Make sense? It was made after Anastasia, but judging from the palace(The palace was destroyed in Anastasia), and the fact that the Romanoff line is still alive, it is most likely a prequel. However, this doesn't destroy the beautiful animation and storyline it has. I honestly was not thinking highly of this movie at first glance, however, after watching it, I LOVED it. This movie is adorable and the animation of Baba's Skull Guardian thing, is well, magnificent. This is definitely a cute movie for the whole family to watch, and is undoubtedly worth your while, despite the lack of hubbub about it.
orlandolover
the skull dude (played by tim curry) is really cool.... the songs r awesome! and who says cartoons can't be good??? The witch is awesome.. first off~ zozie is an AWESOME name... second bartok has the COOLEST accent EVER!! (all of the characters do... ) but i gotta say.... the best character is piloff.... she's.... 'a.... thing... after my own heart' *sigh* ok, well... see it. And there's my review.
AD
