Sadly Over-hyped

Really Surprised!

one of my absolute favorites!

The movie's neither hopeful in contrived ways, nor hopeless in different contrived ways. Somehow it manages to be wonderful

Growing up, Tom and Jerry would be on TV right when I got home from school and I loved it. I Looked forward to the zany humour. Then this iteration started playing instead. And it was truly awful. I don't know what that says about me, as I grew up to be a non-violent person, but the disappointment I felt when I came home and discovered this "friends" version was airing, caused urges inside of me that could almost be described as violent. Throughout elementary school, Tom and Jerry would continue to play in the same time slot, rotating between the great pre-70's shorts, the not so great 80's version and the absolutely terrible 70's version. Whether I was in grade 2 or grade 6, I found this 70's version unwatchable. So really young me and pre-teen me felt the same way about this dreck. Without the violence, it relied on the lamest of plot situations. The same message over and over again - they had to work as friends to resolve a problem. And it was about as funny as Christian after school specials dealing with teenage pregnancy or parental alcoholism. I know because I would get exposed to them when I had to channel surf in the vain hope of finding something else to watch. Half star for forcing me to go outside and play, and another half star for influencing the episode of the Simpsons when Marge tries to make Itchy and Scratchy cartoons non-violent.

Tom and Jerry are now friends. That is right you heard it! After decades going way back to the 1930s upwards to the 1960s, they were always trying to outdo one another with Tom getting the short end of the stick almost most of the time.But now both are friends as they also tone down the violence. Back in the days where violence on TV was getting complaints over being too gruesome and violent. Both are now best friends and instead of working against each other in the old days, they work with one another.To achieve their goals with often humorous results. Really a funny show. Must love Tom and Jerry no matter what decade or incarnation that you are in!

While Scooby-Doo is still the crown jewel of the properties of Hanna-Barbera, the one creation that they're probably most proud of is Tom & Jerry. This influential and revolutionary cartoon about the classic "cat chasing the mouse" won several Oscars for Hanna-Barbera and MGM. Without them, there might not be a "Sylvester vs. Tweety", "Wile E. Coyote vs. The Road Runner or Bugs Bunny" and yes, no "Itchy And Scratchy". Yes, all these cartoons are pretty violent, with the use of anvils, rocks, TNT, guns, and even Iron Maidens, but they weren't overblown gory like Matt Groening's twisted parody of Tom And Jerry. When Teletoon in Canada started showing Tom & Jerry, I thought we'd see the theatrical cartoons, but instead we got this made-for-T.V. series. This time, Tom & Jerry are friends, and they are the ones who have to face a common enemy or do a chore for someone. If they have to go head-to-head, it's in sports competitions. Most of the "slapstick violence" is gone, leaving a sterile version of the duo.Still, it's not bad, and I watch it on occasion, but I'd rather see the theatrical versions of this cartoon first. It's better than Tiny Toons at least.

Okay, so some of the edge of Tom & Jerry playing literal Cat and Mouse games has been lost, but that's not altogether that bad a thing! Most of the old Tom and Jerry cartoons were hilarious, but let's not forget the instances when Tom was blown up or beaten with mallets by white mice or even other cats!As a child I loved both incarnations of the duo, but somehow this later version was more likeable with Tom and Jerry as best friends. This was handled in such a way that the characters' mannerisms were still intact and recognisable, but the one-gag stories of "I'm gonna get you because you're a mouse and I'm a cat, and that's the way it is!" were eliminated, along with much of the violence! Luckily it was handled so well, that this series opened the door to some really funny adventures with wacky sports episodes ("What a disastah!"), and the rescue of dying, but still witty desert drifters ("Please give me a drink! Anything! Oh, Cherry Lime? I'm not so crazy about Cherry Lime! You got Grape?")All in all this is a better series and definitely not a kinder-gentler sellout! Spike's still there! The action's still there, but you can let your kids watch without worrying about them spanking your cat with a hammer when you're not looking! In short, a Tom & Jerry without the Itchy and Scratchy in them!