John Cleese on How to Irritate People (1968)

TV. Skip this disc (born in 1968) if it is older than you. Heck, skip it if you are older than this disc -- you have less time to spare! This very early John Cleese only hints at his later work esp. his corporate training material in the same vein. In a word, these sketches are, well, sketchy, though they clue us to his future promise. Several sketches are over-the-top and overlong (esp. John's fawning twit of a dinner date with Connie Booth). The Indian restaurant owner scene may strike modern viewers as offensive and the prankish airline pilot bit no longer seems funny either. Still there is a kernel of the best of British humor here, preferably sought out by Monty Python completists. The best bits are the daft elderly game show contestant ("I'm 94! ... I'm 743!") and the movie-theatre "pepperpots" ("Well, I never!"). 2 stars.

Muppets From Space (1999)

Wacky Muppet antics but far less than the usual authentic Muppet magic. After an entertaining beginning (where Gonzo has a recurring dream of being refused entry to Noah's Ark before a houseful of Muppets jockey for the bathroom and then breakfast), the plot meanders without much focus or humor. (Other than Gonzo's lexicokinetic Cap'n Alphabet cereal and Jeffrey Tambor's quasigovernmental alien-seeking agency, I began asking myself when the Muppets are going to have anything to do with space.) Gonzo's origin and the space connection are resolved in the final 20 minutes (a la Close Encounters) but his resulting decision is so just-read-the-script that it doesn't even rise to mawkishness much less sentimentalism much less real emotion. (Only Anakin Skywalker at any age could give a more wooden scriptreading.) This film's opening moments, costumes, and '70s soundtrack (Billy Preston, Kool and the Gang) are the only things that kept it from getting one less star. 3 stars.

Daria: The Movie: Is it Fall Yet? (2001)

TV. Daria is a female Dobie Gillis for the 1990s -- smart, self-aware, and acerbically funny as heck. You'd swear Will Farrell was the voice for her father but all the voice talent is awesome -- I could listen to any episode repeatedly to catch every nuance every character, esp. the Fashion Club airheads. (For those who don't "get" satire, the voices of the high school football player and his cheerleader girlfriend are supposed to be grating and insipid.) As an added bonus, every episode includes, with the closing credits, a cavalcade of characters masquerading in a panoply of creative costumes and time periods. 5 stars.

Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason (2004)

The same nattering, neurotic relationships rebound back and forth in this affectionately toned sequel until Bridget finally sorts through all the plot twists and turns and settles on her man (and he on her). 4 stars.

My Big Fat Greek Wedding (2002)

Here a hilarious portrayal of an in-your-face traditional-family setting (which the Greeks invented, no doubt)! Though John Corbett is quiet and sane (not boring) compared to the rest, everyone in this ensemble cast is phenomenal (tiptop and sometimes over the top). Nia Vardalos can book my airfare anyday and her parents are to die for! If I were a woman, I would have given this movie 5 stars, but Nia clearly bears the full brunt of her family's, um, communal bent so while it's a serious adjustment for her non-Greek (say it's not so!) husband it is not as bad as facing them alone. This movie did for Greeks what Moonstruck did for Italians and Bend It Like Beckham did for Indians. (Do we need similar movies for Catholics and Jews?) 4.5 stars.

Bridget Jones's Diary (2001)

A fine ensemble cast and a memorable performance by Rene Zellweger make this movie a charmer with staying power. Zellweger really does a smashing bit as a cagy British bird who longs to fly like an eagle but too often ends up thumping her wing on the doorpost. The film treats everyone affectionately, even the boorish Hugh Grant and the sullen Colin Firth. There isn't a dull spot in the show (save maybe the pudgy rump replays) and I love the quirky bits. Some men will class this as a chick flick to be avoided at all costs but if your guy does, girls, he's a Grant not a Firth, with a less empathetic soul than you deserve. 4 stars.

Baraka (1992)

Documentary. More visually creative and thematically stimulating than Powaqqatsi and Koyaanisqatsi put together, Baraka (meaning blessing) is from the other films' cinematographer and editor and is the finest example of this kind of movie yet. 5 stars.

Daria: Is It College Yet? (2002)

TV. Daria is the poster child for the too-cool-to-care MTV generation and star of the entertaining animated series. As such, Daria is an acquired taste -- either you get her smart, dry brand of sarcasm or you don't. I love this show, it really works for me. 5 stars.

Coral Reef Adventure IMAX (2003)

Documentary. The luscious piscine hues and kinetically flowing sculptures of the coral reefs of Australia's Great Barrier Reef and the Fiji Islands are captivating and the soundtrack is lyrically lush too. The CSNY and Fijian musical vignettes are delicious and delightfully blended (viz. a French Polynesian version of Teach Your Children). I've seen this movie at the IMAX and via streaming video and it stays fresh and viewable. You get a concept of the community of scientists who are monitoring our ecosystem and working to find ways to save our flora and fauna as well as humanity itself. I don't understand the troglodytes who deny the fact that the Fiji waters are 2 degrees warmer and that logging causes silting which kills the reefs that rely on photosynthesis. Man is killing these reefs, refuses to admit responsibility, and blames the bearers of facts and solutions as the dunderheads? This movie will teach our children and lend an appreciation for nature to those who are willing to listen. 5 stars.

Animals Are Beautiful People (1975)

Documentary. This has got to be the best (fairly picturesque, thoroughly affectionate, dryly humorous) animal documentary ever. It's no 1990s National Geographic because of its 1970s photography but its only dry parts are the Namib and Kalahari deserts and the humor. I can't picture any family or animal lover not loving this movie! It justly bears a G rating because the only thing that gets caught and eaten are a few eggs. (More eggs escape, by the way.) This film is endlessly captivating, heartwarming, and educational. It covers dozens of animal species and teaches you about their behavior with an economy of well-selected and perfectly choreographed vignettes. I loved this movie when it came out and I won't ever grow tired of seeing it again and again. Thanks for putting me onto it, Dad! 5 stars.

Undergrads: Freshman Season (2001)

TV. Undergrads is a warm and genuinely funny look at college life in the post-GenX era. There's talk of hookups and drinking but the storyline is tightly woven around the personalities and choices of four lifelong friends: slacker wallflower Nitz, macho jerk Rocko, airhead chick magnet Cal, and Star Wars computer nerd Gimpy (plus insecure student activist Kimmy and several others). 4.5 stars.