Captain Planet and the Planeteers
Season One
DVD
Starring Levar Burton, Whoopie Goldberg, Meg Ryan, Martin Sheen, Ed Asner, and Jeff Goldblum
Shout! Factory
Release Date: April 19, 2011

The eco-conscious ’90s are revisited in this collection of Season One of Captain Planet and the Planeteers. In this collection, viewers are introduced to the Planeteers, a group of teens chosen by Gaia, the Spirit of the Earth, to defend the Earth from environmental villains. The Planeteers are a multicultural bunch that includes Kwame from Africa, Wheeler from America, Linka from Eastern Europe, Gi from Asia, and Ma-Ti from Brazil.

As a Reading Rainbow and Roots fan, I remember being happy that Levar Burton was included in the cast as the voice of Kwame. I was also a fan of the original voice of Gaia, Whoopi Goldberg. Sadly, Goldberg and several of the original voice actors for the eco villains would be replaced in later seasons. In Season One, however, we have the voice talents of Meg Ryan (Dr. Blight), Jeff Goldblum (Verminous Skumm), Martin Sheen (Sly Sludge), John Ratzenberger (Rigger), and Ed Asner (Hoggish Greedly). This all-star gathering gave the show legitimacy and made watching the series more exciting. After I read the credits, I began playing a guessing game and trying to match the celebrity voice with the eco-villain.

By Frank Ramblings

All-Star Superman
Limited Edition Blu-ray | Blu-ray/DVD Combo Pack | 2-Disc DVD | DVD
Directed by Sam Liu
Starring James Denton, Christina Hendricks, Anthony LaPaglia, Ed Asner, Alexis Denisof
Warner Home Video
Release date: February 22, 2011

Perhaps the most beloved Superman story of all time, Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely‘s All-Star Superman amazed fans as it hit comic racks from 2005 to 2008. Many readers who never considered themselves fans of the character agree that Morrison’s tale of the most powerful hero who ever lived completely changed their view of the Man of Steel. So when it was announced that this instant classic would be the basis for the tenth entry in Warner Premiere and DC Comics’ collection of animated films, many were understandably nervous. The result, however, was something pretty amazing.

The screenplay written by the legendary Dwayne McDuffie stays quite faithful to Morrison’s original story. After a series of events set into motion by Lex Luthor, Superman finds himself more powerful than ever — but there’s a catch. His body is slowly breaking down and his death is imminent. With this in mind, he wastes no time making his remaining time on Earth count for something. His adventures include a romantic birthday celebration for Lois Lane, a special visit to his hometown of Smallville, and run-ins with classic and original villains both on Earth and in space.