Perfectly adorable

The film's masterful storytelling did its job. The message was clear. No need to overdo.

The tone of this movie is interesting -- the stakes are both dramatic and high, but it's balanced with a lot of fun, tongue and cheek dialogue.

Story: It's very simple but honestly that is fine.

Okay, this was an internet film that was filmed in 6 days flat and released on iTunes. The trivia on IMDb boasts that it was the #1 selling iTunes season for 5 weeks. Does it hold up? I'm not gonna lie, it really is going to hurt.So what is the plot? Dr. Horrible wants to get into the Evil League Of Evil and get the girl of his dreams but his nemesis, Captain Hammer, has taken an interest in said girl and the Doctor tries to win her back while also assassinating Captain Hammer to get into the Evil League of Evil.As you can imagine, I have a laundry list of complaints. Okay the humor is just too stupid. I know it was meant to be stupid humor but singing how someone "smells like poo" sounds like something I'd expect to find in a comedy aimed at 6 year old's. What is the best joke out of the whole thing? Captain Hammer's said Hammer is his penis (as revealed in a conversation with Dr. Horrible)...and its all downhill from there.The absolute worst thing about this film (and that says a lot) is Felicia Day. I know that she was probably trying but she had no chemistry with Billy and no chemistry with Captain Hammer and to top it all off, her singing voice is as weak as the jokes. I mean okay, Dr. Horrible comes off as creepy, even in his "Billy" secret identity and Captain Hammer comes off as "I'm 100% perfect" type assholes, don't get me wrong that was the intention but if someone had to choose between these two, I sincerely hope to God that they'd choose neither.There are only 2 things salvageable about this film - it has a few halfway decent songs (Well...the first and last of the second act) and Nathan Fillion as Captain Hammer but thats because he plays it so over the top and even though he couldn't save the movie, he does provide the film with a leg to stand on outside of "the songs". To be honest, he acts like he didn't care for the part but that just elevated how great he was...not caring actually made a performance better. Those two things are the only solitary moments of entertainment I found in this film. Anything else, the writing, Neil Patrick Harris, the visual effects, the rest of the songs, the direction...it either ranges from awful to they looked like they had none of this to they looked like they were trying but not even they could save this (This last one only applies to NPH).Overall if you like this film, GREAT, I wont judge you but for me...this was 40 minutes of not caring, not being entertained and not laughing at any joke it was throwing at me. If you want what I'd call a funny internet movie, look up Suburban Knights or To Boldly Flee. Sure they're over 2 hours long but they still have something resembling jokes and satire. This lazily written and directed film...nope.

Starting out in a dreary apartment, you see menacing looking fellow, dressed in a creepy landau long lab coat and a pair of welder's goggles. Similar to all of the generic comic book stories, there is the one main character that falls for the girl, a super hero and the evil villain. In this specific cinema, this well-known evil villain, Dr. Horrible, has fallen deeply in love with this girl. In his pursuit for Penny's love and for happiness, he succeeds at certain goals, but at a very dear cost. Billy, the hidden identity of Dr. Horrible, had forever fantasized and itched after becoming an official member of the Evil League of Evil, or E.L.E. He was performing renowned and adept heists and starting to finally make his call to the spotlight. His whole story is narrated through his animated and realistic adventures told by himself through both video and written post. Dr. Horrible is on the verge of a very enormous heist, stealing the final piece needed for his freeze-ray. With his freeze-ray successfully built, he will be able impress Bad Horse, the leader of the E.L.E., and impress the love of his life! Just after Dr. Horrible fails hard with his public attempt at use of the freeze-ray, he received another letter from Bad Horse saying that "assassination is just the only way" to gain entry into the E.L.E. Then the horrible mishap of events continues to continue, Dr. Horrible introduced the love of his life to his nemesis, the "super hero" that turns out to be a total jerk, Captain Hammer. Penny and Captain Hammer go out on dates and "French kiss and stuff" and the news of this devastated Billy and had turned his heart black with hatred. With Dr. Horrible's plan for revenge plotted, he was aiming for success: death to the Hammer. Dr. Horrible had engineered his freeze-ray into a death-ray. He designed the method in which he'd use to execute Captain. Hammer. He then just had to be patient and wait until the time was right. In the end, in the ultimate showdown, Dr. Horrible is mere seconds away from exterminating Captain Hammer when his death-ray wares off due too internal electrical faults. Captain Hammer winds up equipped with the faulty death-ray. When he tries to blast Dr. Horrible to smithereens, the gun recoils and splinters shoot all around. The scene was a city council meeting, and one of those spectators just happened to be Penny. Penny was also one of the casualties in this "explosion." This event was what got Dr. Horrible into the E.L.E. and a successful career, yet on the other side, it's also what killed the love of his life and completely broke his heart. Dr. Horrible's dream finally came true; becoming an official member of the E.L.E., yet he still felt so empty. With the loss of his love, he loses his drive in life. The thing that makes this movie unique is the point of view that it was shot from and how the story was told; through Dr. Horrible's posts. Through his video responses and text posts, the story of how he successfully got in to the E.L.E. and "inadvertently introduced his nemesis to the girl of his dreams." An online post is a frequently updated web page, typically consisting of fairly brief posts presented and archived in reverse-chronological order. Many people are able to express themselves, their thoughts and information, through posting online. Dr. Horrible's posts specifically are formatted to display "the natural progression of feelings" as his story progresses. Part of the success of online posting is due to the ease and accessibility of "superior editing and management tools" along with the aspect of posts being a compilation of all their posts, an online diary of sorts. Just like Dr. Horrible, "sharing the ongoing story of one's life with others is a primary use of many posts." There are four main divisions along two dimensions, as Krishnamurthy researched, "personal vs. topical, and individual vs. community." Dr. Horrible's posts would be defined as a personal and individual. In another study, McCrae and Costa came up with five dimensions. They're research helps to define Dr. Horrible as a person. Because he posts, it shows signs of insecurity and anxiety issues, an introvert, strict to routines and almost weak willed. Billy has always been too afraid to talk to Penny – an example of an introvert. Afraid of rejection from Penny, because of his anxiety and insecurity issues, he could barely muster up the courage to talk to her, "I'm just a few short weeks away from a reel audible connection." Dr. Horrible might be an evil villain, but he does have a good heart, caused by his weak will.There is one specific scene that demonstrates all of the proper uses and dimensions of posting by Dr. Horrible. He rants, in a sarcastic manner, about how awesome the new love interest between his nemesis and his dream girl is. You see Dr. Horrible clearly upset when he puts emphasis on specific words and stretches them out. With his facial expressions, you can also tell just how unsatisfied he is. He discusses his plans on how he will get into the E.L.E. by using his newly invented freeze-ray at the mayor's dedication for the super hero memorial bridge. Then the scene flashes black to show a skip in time between his two video posts and a text post. He refers to the text post to give background knowledge in a easier manner than to act out the scene. As Dr. Horrible receives a call from Bad Horse, the leader of the E.L.E., his face turns pale with fear as he is relayed the message of "assassination is just the only way" to make it into the league.

What all blogs should be like. Neil Patrick Harris is hit or miss for me. I think he's always at his best when his performances have certain musical aspects, so I'm quite satisfied with his efforts in this fine little miniseries.The first act starts strongly with Dr. Horrible being his non-famous self having a crush on a girl he sees at the laundromat, but being too shy to talk to her. No worries though, he's just a few weeks away from real audible connection. At the end of it, we get to know Horrible's opponent Captain Hammer, as testosterone-filled as unlikable, who puts in a nice duet with Penny, Horrible's crush. On a side-note, Simon Helberg plays the friend to a guy crushing on a girl named Penny. I've heard that one before.Second act was the highlight of the whole thing. It starts right away with a beautiful (non-)duet of Horrible and Penny and resembles a lot Whedon's spectacular Buffy episode "Once more with Feeling". Thumbs up also for "I ordered one frozen yogurt and they gave me 2" Penny grows closer to both guys and NPH ends the act with a powerful "Brand new day".Unfortunately the level sinks a bit in the last act. As goofy as the whole song was, the chorus from "Everyone's a Hero in their own way" really stays in your head. Also, this act is the first time where Dr. Horrible really seems like a villain. Admittedly the first two acts he seemed more like a comic-con nerd. With this change in character, also the ending was completely not what you expected.Nonetheless, I'd recommend it. I really hope Neil Patrick Harris can score a role à la Jackman's Valjean in the next years. He really has it all to give one of the most impressive musical performances of the 21st century.

Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog is comprised of three acts, lasting around 14 minutes each. In the first act Dr. Horrible is trying to become a super villain and get recognized into the Evil League of Evil, which is led by Bad Horse. He is also in love with Penny, who he met in the Laundromat. And being as shy as he is, he hasn't gotten the courage up to talk to her yet. In order to be a part of the Evil League of Evil, Dr. Horrible has to pull off a major evil act or he will not be voted in. With his luck, as he is trying to steal the Wonderflonium that is needed for his Freeze Ray, he runs into Penny as she is trying to solicit people on the street to open a homeless people shelter. Just when Dr. Horrible thinks the robbery is completed, his nemesis, Captain Hammer, shows up and begins taking credit because he thought he stopped him in the van with his bare hands. Shortly after this, Hammer and Penny start singing to each other.In the next act, Dr. Horrible is watching them while they are on their dates. The scene goes back to Horrible and Penny talking in the Laundromat and she tells him she is going to go out with Hammer again. This is completely upsetting Horrible. So, Horrible is now back to his blog telling how he is now going to be a part of the Evil League of Evil because he has the Freeze Ray and Wonderflonium. Then he finds out that the LAPD and Hammer are watching his blog and knew ahead of time he was going to do evil and stopped him from succeeding. Now, Bad Horse calls Dr. Horrible and says the only way he can become a part of the Evil League of Evil is to assassinate someone. The story goes on to show Penny and Horrible talking again int he Laundromat when Hammer comes in and tells him his plans with Penny to make him mad and jealous.In the final act, Captain Hammer speaks at the opening of a homeless shelter where they are going to reveal the statue of him. He is bragging about himself and Penny tries slipping out from embarrassment. While he is still singing, Dr. Horrible blasts Hammer with his Freeze Ray and freezes him as the audience sits in shock. Horrible then taunts the audience and announces that they can't recognize that Hammer's cover is being blown and then he exposes a more deadly gun, the Death Ray. Horrible then aims it at Hammer, but the machine died and at that moment Hammer became unfroze and knocked Dr. Horrible to the ground. Hammer shoots Horrible with the Death Ray and it knocks him back and some of the shrapnel flies into Penny and she ends up dying. In essence, Dr. Horrible has committed the assassination needed to be voted into the Evil League of Evil. The story ends with Horrible wearing his new red coat and going into the room to sit with the other Evil league members, who he is now a part of.