Jeff Rowe directs Jackie Chan, Ice Cube and Seth Rogen in this animated reboot of the popular independent comic book sensation from my childhood.

A highpoint in the heroes in a half-shell’s various incarnations. I love the clunky, scribbly, icky animation that looks as much handrawn and stop-motion as digital. The voice cast is stacked with names I care about, but the kids voicing the turtles and April absolutely nail it. Whoever’s idea it was to have the ensemble share a recording booth deserves a medal. The plot and tone owes an obvious debt to the recent Spider-Verse flicks… and it would be fair to say this doesn’t go anywhere as deep or complex or multidimensional as those outliers. But Mutant Mayhem is a family flick with enough stuff to satisfying any open minded generation who buys a ticket. This is a fad franchise that I personally put to bed around 1992 so the fact this drew me in and kept me entertained (beyond nostalgia) over 30 years later is a testament to its cool qualities.

6

Perfect Double Bill: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1990)

I write regular features about live comedy for British Comedy Guide here https://www.comedy.co.uk/people/bobby_carroll/features/