Latest news with #Splinter
UPI
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- UPI
Movie review: 'Ninja Turtles' re-release showcases ideal adaptation
1 of 5 | The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Splinter return to theaters Friday. Photo courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures LOS ANGELES, Aug. 14 (UPI) -- The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles have appeared on movie screens seven times in the franchise's history. The original 1990 live-action film, returning to theaters Friday, remains the most impressive. Inspired by the '80s comic books by Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird, TMNT included a popular weekday afternoon animated show and toy line by 1990, making a movie a foregone conclusion. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Movie became a phenomenon in the pre-summer movie season. The film, directed by Steve Barron, introduced anthropomorphic turtles Michelangelo, Leonardo, Donatello and Raphael in a realistic New York City. The brothers live in the sewers and fight crime in the shadows. The Foot Clan, led by Shredder (James Saito), recruits kids to commit theft on his behalf. The group kidnaps the Turtles' master, Splinter, leading the TMNT to team up with reporter April O'Neil (Judith Hoag) to rescue him. In 1990, the way to bring talking turtles to life was to make turtle suits actors could wear. The production went with the best in the business, the Jim Henson Creature Shop, which made the characters' animatronic heads with moving eyes and mouths. The most impressive aspect of 1990's Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is the martial arts choreography. The four turtles perform martial arts choreographed by Pat Johnson, who worked on the Karate Kid films, and martial artists from Golden Harvest, the Hong Kong studio that co-produced it. Martial artists are already impressive, but performing moves comparable to Jackie Chan and Jet Li while wearing bulky turtle suits and heavy heads they probably couldn't see out of, was a miracle. The 2014 and 2016 CGI turtles may be more flexible, but technology can animate a turtle doing anything. Human beings performing martial arts in the confines of the time is amazing. Some of them also skateboard in those suits and manage not to fall off, at least not in the takes they used. The Henson puppets are more expressive than the animated turtles anyway, because they are subtle, albeit not very comfortable for the people wearing the costume. The way the turtles are brought to life means each character is a combination of performers. Josh Pais is the credited performer and voice of Raphael, while Michelin Sisti is the performer for Michelangelo, who is voiced by Robbie Rist. Donatello is performed by Leif Tilden and voiced by Corey Feldman. For Leonardo, David Forman performed the character while Brian Tochi provided the voice, but an array of stuntmen also took turns in the suits. Saito didn't speak as Shredder, either; David McCharen is credited as his voice. Raphael even goes out into the city wearing a trench coat and a hat, his turtle head and feet still showing. The joke is that New York is so used to weirdos that he blends in well enough. Splinter is fully animatronic, and his flashback as a baby rat practicing ninja moves is a highlight. Kevin Clash, who was performing Elmo on Sesame Street at the time, performed his voice. The Turtles movie came under some fire for depicting real violence for a family audience, including by the late Jim Henson himself, who allegedly did not appreciate the Turtles using nunchucks, swords, sais and a staff in one of the last projects before his death that May. It seems like the violence could have been previously addressed in the '80s, however. The four turtles are primarily distinguished by their weapon of choice, although they also wear different colored headbands. Ninja is 25% of the entire brand. Perhaps kids might imitate their heroes, and indeed the weapons were minimized in the 1991 sequel. For viewers just admiring the choreography, with no interest in engaging in real-life combat, the 1990 film really captures what fighting turtles would look like in the real world. This film also followed 1989's Batman, a breakthrough for portraying comic book worlds on screen. Batman went with a gothic, heightened look for Gotham City, but the intent was to show what characters like the Joker and Batman would look like in real life. So Turtles had humanoid amphibians, but April wears a real yellow raincoat and vigilante Casey Jones (Elias Koteas) has his street hockey gear. Shredder got a suit that reproduced his metal armor but with mostly a flexible material in which Saito could fight. The sewers, alleys and Foot Clan hideout contributed to Turtles' noir-ish aesthetic. Sequels would become brighter, though still fun and impressive with the turtle suits, but the first film allowed the Turtles to exist in a gritty world. Their human allies contributed to that too; Hoag portrayed April as a hard-nosed reporter, while Koteas was formidable. The film also introduced Danny Pennington (Michael Tunney), a bit of a Hollywood version of a troubled youth but a sincere vehicle for Splinter connecting with a kid being indoctrinated by a gang. Tunney only acted in three movies before moving into directing. It would be a young Sam Rockwell as Danny's senior Foot thug who would go on to a storied acting career. Raphael emerged as the main character of the film. He's the one who desires connection with the outside world, and who goes through the greatest arc by putting himself in harm's way and recovering. It's Raphael who rescues April and brings her back to the Turtles' sewer hideout, which leads the Foot Clan to Splinter. With guilt over that, Raphael is too anxious to find Shredder and makes himself vulnerable to an overpowering Foot Clan. Raphael also goes through sibling rivalry with his brothers, particularly Leonardo. Michelangelo and Donatello are comic relief, but four individual personalities come through, with Raphael becoming the film's heart. Out of five live-action movies and two animated ones, with new animated series still streaming, the 1990 Turtles benefits most from leaning into its martial arts roots. They pulled off believable turtles in late '80s New York, thanks to the commitment of performers and filmmakers. Fred Topel, who attended film school at Ithaca College, is a UPI entertainment writer based in Los Angeles. He has been a professional film critic since 1999, a Rotten Tomatoes critic since 2001, and a member of the Television Critics Association since 2012 and the Critics Choice Association since 2023. Read more of his work in Entertainment.
West Australian
04-08-2025
- General
- West Australian
Yorkshire: Disgust as giant rat the size of a dog found in Normanby home
A pest controller was stunned to discover a rat the size of a dog lurking in a country home. The sewer rat was anything but common, measuring a staggering 55 cm long when it was discovered inside a family home in Normanby, North Yorkshire, Metro reported. Photos of the giant dead rat have made the rounds on social media, with users horrified - and left questioning how the creature managed to grow so large. 'Looks like a dog,' one Facebook user wrote. 'Is that Splinter from Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, look at the size of it,' another wrote. Two local councillors have raised calls for action. They say this rat is just an example of the area's 'overflowing' rodent population. In a Facebook post, Tory councillors David Taylor and Stephen Martin, called on the local Redcar and Cleveland Council to carry out a full vermin study. 'As many of you have seen, the rat infestation we raised has now made national headlines,' the statement said. 'It's clear this needs a joined-up response — from government, local councils, housing providers, landlords, the NHS, commercial developers, and the water board. We need a proper vermin control strategy and fast.' 'This situation should never have been allowed to get this bad. There's no doubt plenty of blame to go around, but what matters now is what we do next to stop it getting worse. They called for a 'borough-wide vermin survey' to identify hotspots, and a 'proper treatment plan'. Calling the rat problem an 'outbreak', they also seek an 'immediate, intensive response in Eston, Normanby, and the wider area'. The pair went on to critique the Labour administration of the local council, claiming no one had 'been in touch'. Councillors Paul McInnes, Paul Salvin and Curt Pugh also posted a statement to Facebook calling for the same actions. 'This hasn't happened overnight. Two years ago, Councillor Salvin worked with then-MP Jacob Young to pressure Northumbrian Water into taking action on the issue,' the post said. 'Their intervention made a difference and reduced the number of rats at the time, but notably, the Council declined to get involved. 'Now, the rats are back, and in even greater numbers.' Social media users could not believe the size of the rat, but some say they have also been shocked by rats in their local area. 'You should see the size of some of them up bankfields allotments, they are the size of cats,' a Facebook user wrote. 'They are everywhere we had them in our attic last year, Eston baths area we still have them in the gardens now even though we all put poison down,' another wrote. 'That rat is bigger than my grown cat,' another wrote.
Perth Now
04-08-2025
- General
- Perth Now
Disgust as rat the size of dog found in country home
A pest controller was stunned to discover a rat the size of a dog lurking in a country home. The sewer rat was anything but common, measuring a staggering 55 cm long when it was discovered inside a family home in Normanby, North Yorkshire, Metro reported. Photos of the giant dead rat have made the rounds on social media, with users horrified - and left questioning how the creature managed to grow so large. 'Looks like a dog,' one Facebook user wrote. 'Is that Splinter from Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, look at the size of it,' another wrote. Two local councillors have raised calls for action. They say this rat is just an example of the area's 'overflowing' rodent population. In a Facebook post, Tory councillors David Taylor and Stephen Martin, called on the local Redcar and Cleveland Council to carry out a full vermin study. 'As many of you have seen, the rat infestation we raised has now made national headlines,' the statement said. 'It's clear this needs a joined-up response — from government, local councils, housing providers, landlords, the NHS, commercial developers, and the water board. We need a proper vermin control strategy and fast.' 'This situation should never have been allowed to get this bad. There's no doubt plenty of blame to go around, but what matters now is what we do next to stop it getting worse. They called for a 'borough-wide vermin survey' to identify hotspots, and a 'proper treatment plan'. Calling the rat problem an 'outbreak', they also seek an 'immediate, intensive response in Eston, Normanby, and the wider area'. The pair went on to critique the Labour administration of the local council, claiming no one had 'been in touch'. Councillors Paul McInnes, Paul Salvin and Curt Pugh also posted a statement to Facebook calling for the same actions. 'This hasn't happened overnight. Two years ago, Councillor Salvin worked with then-MP Jacob Young to pressure Northumbrian Water into taking action on the issue,' the post said. 'Their intervention made a difference and reduced the number of rats at the time, but notably, the Council declined to get involved. 'Now, the rats are back, and in even greater numbers.' Social media users could not believe the size of the rat, but some say they have also been shocked by rats in their local area. 'You should see the size of some of them up bankfields allotments, they are the size of cats,' a Facebook user wrote. 'They are everywhere we had them in our attic last year, Eston baths area we still have them in the gardens now even though we all put poison down,' another wrote. 'That rat is bigger than my grown cat,' another wrote.
7NEWS
04-08-2025
- General
- 7NEWS
Yorkshire: Disgust as giant rat the size of a dog found in Normanby home
A pest controller was stunned to discover a rat the size of a dog lurking in a country home. The sewer rat was anything but common, measuring a staggering 55 cm long when it was discovered inside a family home in Normanby, North Yorkshire, Metro reported. Photos of the giant dead rat have made the rounds on social media, with users horrified - and left questioning how the creature managed to grow so large. 'Looks like a dog,' one Facebook user wrote. 'Is that Splinter from Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, look at the size of it,' another wrote. Two local councillors have raised calls for action. They say this rat is just an example of the area's 'overflowing' rodent population. In a Facebook post, Tory councillors David Taylor and Stephen Martin, called on the local Redcar and Cleveland Council to carry out a full vermin study. 'As many of you have seen, the rat infestation we raised has now made national headlines,' the statement said. 'It's clear this needs a joined-up response — from government, local councils, housing providers, landlords, the NHS, commercial developers, and the water board. We need a proper vermin control strategy and fast.' 'This situation should never have been allowed to get this bad. There's no doubt plenty of blame to go around, but what matters now is what we do next to stop it getting worse. They called for a 'borough-wide vermin survey' to identify hotspots, and a 'proper treatment plan'. Calling the rat problem an 'outbreak', they also seek an 'immediate, intensive response in Eston, Normanby, and the wider area'. The pair went on to critique the Labour administration of the local council, claiming no one had 'been in touch'. Councillors Paul McInnes, Paul Salvin and Curt Pugh also posted a statement to Facebook calling for the same actions. 'This hasn't happened overnight. Two years ago, Councillor Salvin worked with then-MP Jacob Young to pressure Northumbrian Water into taking action on the issue,' the post said. 'Their intervention made a difference and reduced the number of rats at the time, but notably, the Council declined to get involved. 'Now, the rats are back, and in even greater numbers.' Social media users could not believe the size of the rat, but some say they have also been shocked by rats in their local area. 'You should see the size of some of them up bankfields allotments, they are the size of cats,' a Facebook user wrote. 'They are everywhere we had them in our attic last year, Eston baths area we still have them in the gardens now even though we all put poison down,' another wrote. 'That rat is bigger than my grown cat,' another wrote.
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Splintered Fate (PS5) Review: Great Roguelike
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles fans have had no shortage of video game offerings recently. The latest to come to PlayStation is Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Splintered Fate, which is a Hades-like action game that has you going on repeated runs to try to rescue Splinter and defeat some familiar TMNT baddies. It winds up being a highly satisfying grind thanks to its polished gameplay and familiar setting. A roguelike lives and dies by its core gameplay, as it has to be compelling for you to want to play similar stages repeatedly. Thankfully, TMNT: Splintered Fate features some really satisfying combat. You'll be dashing away from attacks, upgrading ninja skills to deal elemental damage, and also using special tools and your special attack to gain an edge. What's interesting is that you can hold the attack button to deliver a combo attack, allowing you to focus more on dodging enemy attacks and finding a balance between offensive and defensive play. Each of the different turtles (and Casey Jones) plays differently, so it's worth experimenting and finding the one that best fits your playstyle. The highlight of each run is the game's boss battles, which see you facing off against Karai, Shredder, and other iconic TMNT baddies. These are very tricky at first, but as you eventually get more permanent upgrades unlocked, it's fun to see these fights go from progression blockers to a breeze. The fights rely on a lot of pattern recognition, so you'll need to avoid the highly damaging attacks to make sure your run will be a lengthy one. As the game continues on, you'll be presented with optional challenge rooms that make runs more difficult while providing extra rewards. I was impressed with how it never feels overly repetitive (and I have a generally low tolerance for repetition), and even when I had a frustrating run that ended early, I wanted to jump back in for another chance. I always felt like I was just one run away from putting it all together and finding the right upgrade path through the different stages, which is the sign of a good roguelike. One of the coolest parts of TMNT: Splintered Fate is that it offers co-op gameplay. Both online and local play are supported, so you can try to get through the challenging game with a friend. This makes coming up with a game plan even more fun as you can try to make sure your abilities play off one another during combat. It's a great addition that's relatively rare for the genre and is balanced well, so it still feels like an accomplishment when you get through a run successfully. TMNT: Splintered Fate is a wonderful roguelike that is one of the PS5's most replayable games. Thanks to the familiar characters and foes, there's an instant charm and solid story that will immediately grab your interest. With co-op and difficult options, this is both a great entry point for those new to the genre and a fresh challenge. Satisfying combat Fun boss fights Co-op and difficulty options Locations do feel a bit same-y after a while 9 Disclosure: The publisher provided a digital copy for our TMNT: Splintered Fate PS5 review. Reviewed on version 1.000.000. The post Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Splintered Fate (PS5) Review: Great Roguelike appeared first on PlayStation LifeStyle.
