Team America: World Police (2004)

Sorry, I'm not a South Park fan. I was not interested in seeing Team America: World Police from the previews -- and I was still not interested after seeing the whole gosh-darn thing! I saw it on a whim in June 2007 as one of the first Instant Viewing selections on Netflix. The marionette control looks very sloppy since the characters generally seem to be taking two steps forward and one step back -- they just waggle and swim through the air. (This gets hilarious when two characters engage in hand-to-hand "combat" -- they basically look like two twits thwapping and slapping in each other's general direction, or else playing pattycake.) The dialog is dull and the acting is, uh -- wooden! (Snirk.) Seriously, the only funny part is Kim Jong Il singing "I'm So Wonewy" (except he sounds like Cartman from South Park). Oh, and not so funny, the team opens by blasting the place to shreds in the process of saving the people -- sort of like using a hammer to crack an egg -- while they cheer themselves as Team America. Just rent Hot Shots! instead. 2 stars.

Allosaurus: A Walking with Dinosaurs Special (2001)

Documentary. All allosaurs, all the time! An extremely well-done CGI-based educational program about Big Al the allosaurus (30 min plus a good making-of show that's also 30 min). Just don't let morsel-sized children watch it before bedtime -- or at all! 4.5 stars.

Nature: Koko (2004)

Documentary. If you love animals (esp. gorillas) or nature films, you will love this film. If you would like to expand your knowledge and understanding of humanity and our place among the creatures of our world, you will love this film too. In fact, you just may love Koko -- an unlikely and unparallelled ambassador between our hearts and minds and those of the great apes. Koko is clearly an intelligent, curious, and creative creature who can express herself with originality. You may empathize with her dating efforts -- she really did find nothing but big hairy apes who didn't know how to communicate. This program is eye-opening and heartwarming. What if Koko had never been discovered? Every schoolchild should see this documentary. 4 stars.

In the Realms of the Unreal (2004)

Documentary. I rented In the Realms of the Unreal in December 2006 though now Netflix offers it via Instant Viewing. It is the strange yet intriguing tale of a disturbed yet evocative artist. (Note: You really need to love art and the exploration of new meaning it invites to fully appreciate the subject of this well-done if unglamorous documentary.) Henry Darger was an antisocial nobody all his life, working as a janitor and living in a spare room provided by neighbors. He rarely spoke with anyone and lived like a virtual hermit, dedicating himself to working on a mass of illustrations depicting his 15,000-page neo-Edwardian fantasy ouevre. He died alone with no friends or relatives. Today he is considered the most influential "outside artist" who, like Grandma Moses, was discovered late in life or (in Darger's case) posthumously -- lacking any formal training or influence whatsoever yet producing artistic work of a chilling and inimitable vision. His work is that of an amateur but in the vein of Arthur Rackham or the Campbell's soup kids. Perhaps like Ted Kaczynski, he had apparently undergone a great deal of perceived or actual neglect or abuse as a child, but unlike the Unabomber, he spent his life in quiet and devoted artistic creativity. Darger poured out his soul into stories and murals depicting a band of cherubic blond girls, heroines in peace and in war while constantly under threat of brutal attack and slaughter by imperialistic hordes of adults. The documentary patiently and impartially portrays what little we know of Darger's life and what we might infer from his work, panning slowly over scenes of battle and peace treaties. Darger's is without doubt a unique and idiosyncratic artistic vision -- but if you truly love the mystery that is the artistic soul, the creative product of this tormented man's life may stay with you for a long time. 4 stars.

Mama's Boy (2007)

Poor Jon Heder. Either he won't or he can't get out of the Napoleon Dynamite rut -- playing the nerdy put-upon schlub who eventually finds a bit of his inner mensch. Mama's Boy flags in on either side of average: Same old schtick as School for Scoundrels with a few touches of Napoleon Dynamite (like the squint, the short-lived protest, and the swoop and scurry of shame), except this time, his mother (Diane Keaton at 61, as fluttery a thigh-slapper as in every one of her roles) is the love interest that a grown man (Jeff Daniels at 52, a schmaltzy caricature of a motivational speaker) intends to usurp. Halfway through, I was growling and ready to give Mama's Boy 2.5 stars, because the humor got more predictable than usual and the prevalence of bird-flipping, phallic imagery, and sexual double entendres in addition to pot smoking. The story became somewhat more authentic in the second half, however, and eventually reached a feel-good conclusion. Jon's facial and verbal histrionics are getting old but the soundtrack by Mark Mothersbaugh and others is an awesome collection of indie rock. I gave Napoleon Dynamite 4 stars for iconic affection and School for Scoundrels 4 stars for physical and negative humor but Mama's Boy seems lucky to have made it with 3 stars.

Regarding Henry (1991)

The world is a better place with Regarding Henry in it -- an underrated film with understated performances that stay with and grow on you. It is a story about an a--hole of an attorney who loses his mind, then becomes a better human being. After his trauma, Harrison Ford is such a puppy dog. His acting, as well as Annette Benning's, is memorable. The callousness of the workplace, esp. for his profession, is believable, and I like the twist at the end. This is not a date movie, since it is about a major marriage crisis, though it is for couples that are married or plan on getting married. (Expanded from my original review dated 12/31/05 since Netflix lost it after I submitted it three times.) 3.5 stars.

Easy (2003)

Easy is 40 Days and 40 Nights meets The Feast of Love. Marguerite Moreau (who looks and sounds like Laura San Giacomo of Just Shoot Me) is a vision and a joy in this movie, carrying it effortlessly, and the entire cast shines with her. Our story opens as her answering machine is disgorging a boatload (to put it nicely) of excuses from men who have dated, apparently had sex with, and then dumped her. She eventually describes herself as a "pathetic jerk magnet" to her pot-smoking accupuncturist. (Let's just call that a truism instead of a stereotype, much less a tautology.) She meets a sensitive poetry professor (Naveen Andrews of Lost) and almost succeeds in a smidgin of better self-control but falls hard for him -- only to bounce away when he briefly resembles a jerk before he falls hard for her (too late). She decides to take a 90-day vow of celibacy, and the love and support from her family and friends are palpable. This movie always feels true as it sensitively explores her character growth while she strives and learns to be true to her ethical as well as her emotional integrity. (I can only attribute the negative reviews on Netflix to romantic cynicism; as Chris Noth said in Sex and the City, Season 1: "Oh, I see. You've never been in love." For the morally sensitive, Easy has several scenes of nudity and extended, tender lovemaking.) Despite the moving targets that true love and commitment have become in this modern age, engendering hiccups that test her commitment, she explores a healthier relationship with Bryan O'Byrne. With plenty of other plot developments and twists, I can't wait to revisit this authentic and delightful story about the search for romance that has character and commitment! 4.5 stars.

Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium (2007)

This is a great movie for any child or for any adult still in touch with his or her inner child. If you have lost touch, please do not see this movie or rate it here, dragging down the magic for everyone else. I was instantly interested in seeing this movie the first time I saw its trailer, but I became wary after recent TV commercials began taking all the "magical" special-effects shots out of context and stacking them into 30 seconds, making the movie seem cheesy and vapid. On actually seeing it, regrettably as a skeptical viewer, I was won over and well pleased. It is a magical movie with a soft and tender feel to Mr. Magorium (Dustin Hoffman) and his special, loving relationship with employee Molly Mahoney (Natalie Portman) and store patron Eric Applebaum (Zach Mills). Dustin is almost flawless; Natalie was mostly fine but needed better direction; and Zach was like a gem. I would have liked more interaction and oomph from the accountant (Jason Bateman) and Bellini (Ted Ludzik), since they clearly had greater potential to the story. I particularly appreciated Mr. Magorium's attitude about living in the moment and finding the wonder in 37 seconds well-spent, not "waiting" but fully living. He also tells Mahoney (as she is known), "Your life is an occasion. Rise to it." For all the newness of its wonder, then, the story still felt a little light, and lacked a more satisfying ending. I will gladly see it again. One whimsical thing done with the closing credits (and IMDB listing) is to use common-sense language to list all the characters by their first name and activity (such as Andy, the Boy Who Likes to Color) and most of the crew by what they do. The toy company list was in small print and took a full screen! If you love toys, this is the movie to see. 4.5 stars.

It's a Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie (2002)

I had to get this one through Blockbuster since Netflix doesn't even list it. Swap Kermit the Frog and the Muppets for George Bailey and the townsfolk of Bedford Falls, throw in Whoopie Goldberg as God ("Daniel's boss" in the credits), then -- unfortunately, in the I-wish-I-had-never-been-born segment -- "update it" with an urban postmodern mentality until it desecrates all that is truly Muppetdom. That's how to bowdlerize a list of 5-star movies (The Muppet Movie, It's A Wonderful Life, The Muppets Take Manhattan, Back to The Future, Moulin Rouge) and some lesser ones (Oh God!, Bruce Almighty) to get this disappointment of a movie -- and that's putting it as nicely as possible. See it if you count as humorous a snoozer of a takeoff on Moulin Rouge with Miss Piggy as Saltine, if you would chortle (instead of choke) at Miss Piggy's "phone acting" gig ($2.99 a minute), if you think that her falling from the balcony onto a tuba is funnier than a mere pratfall. Even her throwdown karatefest with villain Joan Cusack was the worst martial-arts tussle of all Muppet movies. Quibbles abound but only thanks to the latent Muppet joi de vivre could I give this show 3 stars.

Cartoon Noir (2000)

Cartoon Noir is a quirky and original set of six animated shorts. I consider three of them worth my time and two of those memorable; the other three, well, that's life. Story of the Cat and the Moon (Spain) is a simple black-and-white nautical affair with undulating, dynamic nuances of animation that will play with your imagination. Club of the Discarded (Czechoslovakia) is a notably weird yet creative segment about decrepit manikins in a warehouse that become animated to live out a daily routine of sorts; their kinetics and timing are all spot-on and true. Ape -- about a steady diet of ape carcass and parts for dinner -- feels coarse and oafish. Gentle Spirit (Poland) is drawn in a dense and dark palette with winning elements but couldn't hold my interest. Abductees seemed childishly drawn and lame in subject and execution. Suzan Pitt's Joy Street was phenomenal in its evolution of drawing styles, color palettes, creativity, and emotional range of communication; I loved it. 3 stars.

Throg (2004)

Oh, man, this reeks. I mean, really, truly, honest to God reeks. I never give up early but with this one I made an exception. The first 13 minutes (that's as much as I could stand) is full of bad lighting, acting, and editing -- and only two marginally funny lines: "I used to be somebody! Armies used to soil themselves on hearing my name!" and "Take this [with you, son]. It's the rock we found you under." I would have found the opening credits funny in grade school. Imagine watching Mel Brooks' A History of the World meets Strangeheart -- then make it even tackier than Strangeheart. Nay, dear varlets! Flee! Flee! 1 star.

Eat the Rich (1987)

Eat the Rich blends disparate elements and runs a bit slow, with acting and editing that's a bit off, but it has a raw energy and power (not to mention the Motorhead soundtrack) that drives its satire. It would appeal better to the 1980s but terrorists and other riffraff still mingle with the rich. Alex (the transgender Alan/Lanah Pellay) is a put-upon waiter at Bastard's, where the obscenely rich hoot and boast over their wealth and power. He/She takes up with three other disenfranchised revolutionary wannabes, eventually opening a restaurant where they abuse and serve the rich (literally). Nosher (James Bond film stuntman Nosher Powell) plays a hands-on old coot of a Home Secretary of Defense who is such a good politician that he can schmooze his way out of a sex scandal after a gaggle of tabloid and TV reporters catch him in flagrante delicto. The ending is lame and, again, the acting is bad, but Alan/Lanah does all right, Nosher is a hoot, and a mysterious double agent channels Charlton Heston to good effect. 3 stars.

The Shape of Things (2003)

I was going to give this movie 3 stars for being an adequate story of collegiate relationships -- but the last 15 minutes literally blew me away. Rachel Weisz is amazing as always. Paul Rudd does fine as her nerdy-turned-hottie love interest; so does Gretchen Mol as a past Ms. Could-have-been. Her fiance and his best friend, Paul Weller, is OK but I just don't like the guy's looks or roles. (He's a sleazy player in The Business of Strangers too.) The dynamics of the relationship between Rudd and Weisz was sufficient to hold to hold my interest throughout the film but what Weisz did with the whole thing at the end knocked my socks off. For the morally squeamish (like Rudd at the start): This film contains pot smoking, bedroom canoodling, and offscreen oral sex. 4.5 stars.

Black Books: Series 1 (2000)

TV. Black Books is Fawlty Towers meets Seinfeld. An Irish sop of a bookstore owner (Dylan Moran) wants nothing to do with customers or finances, preferring verbal abuse, alcoholism, and bad hygiene. (Think of a shabbier Ewan McGregor with a John Cleese tongue doing nothing at all like Jerry Seinfeld, but add in smoking and drinking.) His newly hired sidekick/foil/assistant (Bill Bailey) is like Tim Allen's Richard Karn in Home Improvement. (He's earthier and funnier, with David Crosby hair.) Their retail neighbor (Tamsin Grieg) is a lot like Elayne Boosler, smokes, and has phone sex in one episode. This show is funny enough for Brit humor -- sometimes a miss for Americans, sometimes as dated and predictable as Monty Python, but wacky, affectionate, and fun. (To the show's critics: Yes, Bernard Black is a contemptible person -- but what's funny is how he proves to us by his example and reverse psychology just how contemptible such boorishness is. So maybe you just prefer to never witness anything objectionable, but one way to draw a lesson -- or to land a knockout punch -- is to come at it from left field.) Black Books is creative, though not particularly deep -- and I found that it begins to grow on and stays with you. The trio has great rapport together, esp. when abusing perfectly polite customers. 3.5 stars.

Aurora Encounter (1986)

Crazy-eyed character actor Jack Elam (from numerous Westerns but also Home Improvement's Stinky Mike) alone is worth the price of admission. Carol Bagdasarian is passable, as are the west Texas schoolgirls she mentors. George McFarland (in his only role in 42 years since playing Spanky in The Rascals) is the Texas governor. Unfortunately, this movie meanders -- as does the diminutive space alien -- real slowlike. It has a few bright spots but is far from riveting. The special effects suck. Aurora Encounter is no E.T. meets Open Trails. See it for the empathy between Jack Elam and Mickey Hays. Or between Jack and his moon dog. 2.5 stars.

Pinocchio's Christmas (1980)

I had to locate Pinocchio's Christmas via interlibrary loan since it only exists on videocassette. This Rankin & Bass production features stopmotion puppets as in the company's other Christmas specials. It's a bit of a Gift of the Magi tale blended into the Pinocchio story with characters and original music that are passably well done. It's not as memorable as the other Rankin & Bass programs but if you can catch this one each Christmas season, it could become part of your annual holiday viewing tradition. 3 stars.

Fido (2006)

Fido is Shaun of the Dead meets Pleasantville or Blast from the Past -- a delightfully quirky (okay, twisted) take on Lassie, with a sweet 1950s big band soundtrack. It even asks the big questions, like Do zombies have souls? Carrie-Anne Moss is a 1950s housewife, looking so domestically alluring that Eddie Haskell would have been a very bad boy. Dylan Baker is her clueless husband in a loveless marriage. K'Sun Ray is their son Timmy, a bright boy who asks the deeper questions that make complacent adults uncomfortable. Their decade is not the 1950s that we remember, however: People live in the fenced cities of a postapocalyptic society where anyone who dies, returns as a zombie. ("Help! Grandma fell -- and she's getting up!" cries one girl in a civil-alertness propaganda film.) The '50s duck-and-cover paranoia is aimed at the walking undead, outdoor education class for children means rifles and target practice, and the siege mentality sounds just a bit like our war-on-terror fearmongering. Be thankful, then, for the pervasive Zomcon corporation, whose technology permits the control of zombies (though with the occasional glitch, not to mention preemptive removal of aging relatives), turning them into inept but captive working-class servants. This is how Timmy gets his own pet, Fido (Billy Connolly), who increasingly displays more humanity in his interaction with his family than does Timmy's father or his zombie-war-hero neighbor (Henry Czemy). Of particular note is another neighbor (Tim Blake Nelson) with an even more unconventional relationship with his female zombie servant, not to mention the setup for a scene that begins with "Fido, where's Timmy? Is Timmy in trouble?" and ends with two snotty scouts getting their just deserts. Fido is a hoot of a movie that will almost make you love its namesake. Great script, acting, and soundtrack. 5 stars.

Paycheck (2003)

In Paycheck, a high-tech mercenary (Ben Affleck) performs "reverse engineering" to disassemble and duplicate (or even improve on) laser-display products from competitors of Alltech -- though as we see, Alltech pretty much considers the whole world to be its competitors when it comes to high-tech supremacy. To protect itself legally (as well as illegally), Alltech "wipes the memory" of our protagonist for the duration of his contract (usually two weeks). Never mind how they can do this -- they show his nerdy wallflower friend (Paul Giamatti) literally zapping individual synaptic memories like he's playing a video game! Then the schmoozy CEO (Aaron Eckhart) ups the ante with a tantalizing contract (three years, $98 million) but by the end of the project, he becomes a domineering "chief execute-if (anyone crosses him)." Never have you seen so many Blackwater-style corporate guards and agents shooting up the public streets and corporate halls of Seattle willy-nilly. Ben and his love interest (Uma Thurman, a botanical doctorate in Alltech's employ, this time as Poison Ivy's good twin with a bit of kickass Beatrice Kiddo thrown in) dodge and run through hailstorms of bullets and perform enough martial arts to thrown down all the bad guys by the end. The mystery plotline of Ben's alternate set of personal effects is what makes the movie most interesting. While John Woo's best is other directors' worst, Paycheck steadily shoulders its way through gaping plot holes and weak acting to deliver a handful of fun or memorable scenes -- plus plenty of chase scenes and pyrotechnic explosions. The science is as sloppy as in Ang Lee's The Hulk, but at least they tried. (Paycheck could have been The Minority Report for science, and nearly as disciplined as Mission: Impossible II for everything else. Live Free or Die is as wild with pyrotechnics but it's a smartass franchise -- it has an excuse!) The making-of featurette, mistitled "Designing the Future," prattles about Ben Affleck as the new Cary Grant (in looks, maybe, but never in charisma or screen presence). Even so, like Chain Reaction I did (mostly) enjoy catching Paycheck a second time. 3.5 stars.

Why Dogs Smile and Chimpanzees Cry (1999)

Documentary. This is an interesting topic and documentary that most people would be well-served to consider. It could have been more verbally and visually interesting but the production presents the subject adequately. It's not some godless PETA agenda to anthropomorphize animals (compare them and make them equal with people), it simply presents the facts of how animals devotedly care for their young (nurturing), how young animals learn from their mothers (emotional and intellectual socialization), and so on. Chimps like Washoe and gorillas like Koko have learned American Sign Language and communicated their feelings -- and Washoe has taught another chimp ASL! I think our world will be better served as we humans get off our high horse (as it were) and see animals as our companions. Let's see them not as we would prefer them to be but as they really are. For that, we can thank Diane Fossey, Steve Irwin, and all the other conservation-minded people who love and respect life -- not just human life but all life. I had to acquire this disc through interlibrary loan since Netflix has not stocked it in some time. 3.5 stars.

Ansel Adams: American Experience (2002)

Documentary. Ansel Adams was a seminal force in American photography and nature conservation. PBS ably tells his life story -- how he found and exercised his gift for showing us our world in pictures that are luminous. I had to request this through interlibrary loan since Netflix has not stocked it in some time. 4.5 stars.

Meet the Robinsons (2007)

I saw Meet the Robinsons in the theaters and really enjoyed it, giving it an immediate 5-star rating. I saw it again on DVD during the weekend before Thanksgiving and for me it remains a spirited and fascinating tale of intelligence, creativity, drive, and self-determination (accomplishing one's dreams). It's really a superb story of hope, love, and faith, as child prodigy Lewis finds the family that will adopt and love him and lead him to the future he (learns through time travel that he) will create as a hugely successful inventor. The color palette and architectural design of our pint-sized hero's future world is a wildly inventive Art Deco gone Technicolor and based on the wonderfully illustrated book by James Joyce, A Day with Wilbur Robinson. Almost every character is as idiosyncratic and manically original as Caffeine Patch Lady, who is just a stitch (for laughs and, for Lewis, in time). Don't miss Coach either. The voice talent is all excellent, esp. Lewis, his childhood roommate Goob, and Bowler Hat Guy, though I did not recognize any of the talent names beyond Angela Bassett as the nurturing foster mother Mildred, Adam West as Uncle Art, Nicole Sullivan as Franny, and Tom Selleck as Cornelius. Some have commented that the movie seems to get confused in the middle after introducing all the family members, but I was able to follow all the hyperkinetic action and I was impressed with how well-delineated so many characters were presented. The scenes with the T-Rex and the Cuisinart bowler hat are exceptional. The music is memorably awesome and performed by three of my all-time favorite artists (the genius Danny Elfman himself, the ineluctable Rufus Wainwright, and the soulful Rob Thomas) in addition to the All-American Rejects' driving and unforgettable performance of "The Future is Alive Today." The DVD's bonus features include a making-of production that actually shows how the movie was made using conventional and CGI animation and, more importantly, discusses the creative inspiration behind the story's themes of adoption and Lewis's mantra of hope and faith: "Keep moving forward." Disney has a real winner here in a story I look forward to watching over and over again. 5 stars.

Noël Noël (2003)

Here is an impressively original Christmas story from an unknown team in Canada, narrated lovingly by Leslie Nielsen. I had to locate it through Blockbuster since Netflix doesn't list it. The story is a bit like A Christmas Carol meets The Lorax. Noel Noel is a gifted toymaker who falls in love with a wood fairy (who levitates and makes librarian glasses look luscious) then disappoints her. He misguidedly thinks he can win her back by becoming the richest and most powerful man on earth, which he accomplishes through stealing her Christmas magic, though in the process he becomes an ugly gnome with a dark gerkinish nose. There is a happy ending. The artwork is quirky and pencil-plain but as captivating as a Russian folk tale set to animation. The voice talent is gifted, although they only make emotive vocalizations -- no dialog. (Think Mr. Bean but with class.) The narration is in a fetching iambic pentameter with inventive vocabulary and rhyme pairs, and Leslie Nielsen is just the man for the job. Noel Noel is as close to Dr. Seuss as I have seen. I'd love to own this disc, as it's a Christmas treasure that should have a chance to become a classic. 3.5 stars.

Comic Book Confidential (1988)

Documentary. Comic Book Confidential presents a panoply of great comic artists from the 1940s-1980s who read and discuss their work and how they created it. Pretty much anyone you could think of gets at least 5 minutes -- even Lynda Barry -- so the historical value is satisfactory to say the least. We also get hundreds of art panels in vignettes with sound effects. See the Dark Knight's vicious vengeance before Batman became TV schmaltz. See the origins of Captain America and Superman, the Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers, and Art Spiegelman's Maus. See mainstream and counterculture graphic art wedded with narrative text in the unique form that America created in the comic book (today known as the graphic novel). I had to acquire it on videotape through interlibrary loan since Netflix hasn't stocked it in some time. 3.5 stars.

Dinotopia: Season 1 (2002)

TV. Dinotopia is a Lost World series with virtually unknown actors who do quite well in their roles. The father (Michael Brandon) has had bit parts dating back to Love American Style and his sometimes bombastic style is a good foil to the other characters. His two teenage sons (Shiloh Strong and Erik von Detten) play opposites in temperament, loyalty to Dinotopia, and approval from their father. The incumbent mayor (Jonathan Hyde) is truculent but compassionate. I esp. like the three lead women: his wife the incumbent matriarch (Sophie Ward), his daughter and frequent emissary (Georgina Rylance), and a devious outlaw jezebel (Lisa Zane). Dinotopia is no Jurassic Park but I've grown fond of its characters and story arc. It's probably not for children 10 and under, since my youngest son was scared off by the first episode, which features a lot of chasing and chomping by T-Rexes -- not representative of other episodes but quite a disappointing start to the series. You may be bemused by the father pulling a Henry Ford on Waterfall City and by the citizens pulling A Christmas Carol on him in return. Either way, the dinosaur and architectural artwork is attractive and imaginative, and the society is well-conceived, with humans in couture dating from the Renaissance to the 1800s. Episodes deal with more adult societal dynamics than the books, which appeal to young children because the boys are younger and lack a parental foil. 3.5 stars.

Bella (2006)

I cannot speak highly enough of Bella. Bella is why we watch movies. Bella is why we award Oscars. Don't miss this one, you'll regret it. It has elements of Angel Eyes, Maria Full of Grace, and Tortilla Soup and is the polar opposite of Citizen Ruth. The story is tightly wound and develops organically so you don't know what is going to happen next, esp. while Nina (Tammy Blanchard) is visiting the family home of Jose (Eduardo Verástegui). These two actors are amazing together, and the rest of Jose's family is impeccable too; I couldn't take my eyes off their faces lest I miss a single nuance of their expressions. This is an emotionally gripping movie (if you care about such things at all) and a very authentic, human, interpersonal movie. It's about a relationship into which Jose realizes he must invest himself, from the moment he learns one thing -- and we get to see the petals of his story slowly unfold. What a beautiful flower he has nurtured in the end. 5 stars.

Lars and the Real Girl (2007)

Ryan Gosling is amazing! Here is a rare gem. It requires suspension of belief to complete the story arc -- but it's a tale told with great subtlety and emotion. Ryan plays Lars, a loner who lives in the garage beside the family home which his married brother and expectant wife occupy after the passing of the sons' parents. Lars will do almost anything to avoid social contact with his sister-in-law and everyone else in this this small river town (feels like Ohio). I caught a clue and figured out his problem early on but the magic of the movie is how artfully his illness is identified and how sensitively the townsfolk treat him. Lars and the Real Girl is The Shipping News meets Angel Eyes. This movie will really open your eyes to how loving and listening to someone is the key to unlocking their mental illness. Patricia Clarkson as the family doctor is a gem as she does just that -- allowing Lars to heal himself, as it were. The theater was full of laughter throughout the movie but of varying kinds -- nervous or unrestrained -- as appropriate. Don't miss this movie! Ryan should get another Oscar nomination for his role as Lars. 5 stars.

Emmet Otter's Jug-band Christmas (1977)

The Country Bears meet the Muppets in Frogtown Hollow. Otters are my favorite animals but all of the Muppet animals in this production look ratty or tatty. I'm not a big fan of characters whose every other word could be "Duh-ee" and Emmet's best friend fits that bill, as do a handful of rapscallions from Riverbottom who frequently come tearing through the town with devastating results. Crowd scenes such as the talent show are positively chaotic; the best scenes are when Emmet is alone, stepping out on a winter's morn, or when he's reminiscing with his impoverished mother about his late father. (The only redeeming scene, in my book, is their heartwarming duet, singing "When the River Meets the Sea," although the jug-band's rehearsal of "Barbecue" is rollicking fun too.) After 30 minutes of countrified bumpkins interacting and singing otherwise forgettable tunes, we get a tepid "Gift of the Magi" story involving the town talent show, but the conclusion is obnoxious and counterdramatic. I had to get the disc through Blockbuster since Netflix doesn't even list it, but I missed the last few minutes because of disc damage. 2 stars.

Ratatouille (2007)

Ratatouille is a cinematic and gustatory delight! It's an extremely well-done movie that, more than kids, will appeal to adults, foodies, and Francophiles. Toy Story and The Incredibles were my favorite Pixar films until Ratatouille, but this latest movie is extremely faithful to the nuances and joys of the culinary life and the culture of Paris. Patton Oswalt is perfect as Remy the culinary rat, as is Lou Romano as Linguini, his insecure protege. Janeane Garafolo is super as Colette and the rest of the kitchen staff is full of personalities with their own shady past and present quirks. Peter O'Toole is wickedly menacing as Anton Ego, the supercilious restaurant critic. Every detail of the culinary profession has been studied and reproduced faithfully on screen. Remy -- he cares because he can cook! 5 stars.

The Year Without a Santa Claus / Rudolph's Shiny New Year / Nestor the Long-Eared Christmas Donkey (1974)

These three Rankin-Bass stop-motion-puppet shows on one disc -- The Year Without a Santa Claus, Rudolph's Shiny New Year, and Nestor the Long-Eared Christmas Donkey -- are a nostalgic joy and they hold up well even today. I recommend them wholeheartedly to any family as a lasting Christmas tradition! In the first show, a weary Santa (Mickey Rooney) wants to take a holiday from his thankless job -- the North Pole has phone but no postal service yet, it seems -- so Mrs. Claus (Shirley Booth), two elves, and two reindeer pitch in to prove that people still believe in him. The Snowmiser and Heatmiser characters are hilarious and memorable and the townfolk are endearing. In the second show, Rudolph is called into service to locate Baby New Year before Old Man Time (Red Skelton) runs out of time. The story is full of quaint and inventive details as Rudolph gathers companions to help him in his journey: the million-year-old cave man, Sir Ten-Two-Three (a knight so named for 1023, reputed to be the year that all the Grimm's and Mother Goose fairy tales came true), Big Ben the whale, Ben Franklin, etc.; Baby Time is on the move since everyone laughs at his big ears, but Rudolph knows how to comfort a misfit to be loved for who he is. In the third show, Nestor the donkey's ears are so long he trips on them but he is selected as the beast of burden that Mary rides to Bethlehem. The Rudolph and Nestor shows were made back in the day when the story of the Christ Child was still communicated with prominence and inspiration in prime-time TV Christmas specials and, with the Muppet programs, they are among my favorite classic Christmas shows of all time. These three programs' production values are still impressive today. See them, if you haven't already, and if you have, see them again soon! 5 stars.

Heavy Metal (1981)

Heavy Metal is George Lucas meets Frank Frazzetta to a Sammy Hagar soundtrack. Amazing animation, script, and action across six linked storylines. Seminal stuff! I first saw it in the movie gallery at a sci-fi convention 25 years ago. From the opening scenes of an astronaut riding a car through reentry to the Earth's surface to the end, this is pure '70s animated sci-fi enjoyment. Voice talent includes John Candy and Eugene Levy. Only Titan AE and Animatrix are better. Advisory: Decapitation and other gruesome deaths, curvaceous female anatomy, nudity, and some sex. 4 stars.

The Muppet Christmas Carol (1992)

Assuming you are amenable to the Muppet mentality, The Muppet Christmas Carol is a beautiful rendition of the holiday classic, creating a fresh holiday classic itself. Michael Caine is well cast in the role of Ebeneezer Scrooge, even if he does repent and weep with completely dry eyes. The Muppets are infectiously disingenuous and sentimental in their roles, the musical numbers are musically and lyrically inspiring, and everything just feels spot-on right. That's what I love about the Muppets: They may be wacky (not a bad thing, actually) but they always feel true to themselves (Muppet Wizard of Oz excluded), the one-liners are fast and ribald, and the original music always lifts the spirit. Extra features include a mild set out outtakes (always esp. funny given the Muppet premise that nothing they do can be spontaneous anyway) and a Pepe interview with Gonzo. I had to locate this DVD through the public library system since Netflix still doesn't stock or even list it. 5 stars.

Everyone Says I Love You (1996)

Everyone Says I Love You is not one of Woody Allen's better works and mostly it proves which stars can't sing (John Cusack can't but Alan Alda can), however, everyone takes a risk and performs so well together that Woody's affection for the musical and the scenery in New York and Paris makes it succeed just well enough. You have Woody's usual clatter and patter of conversational multitasking and you have his nebbishness. (Nattering nabobs of nebbishness?) He sleeps with the most beautiful women (in the past or off camera) even though the words Woody Allen and sexy should never be used in the same sentence. The musical numbers are sweet, though you can barely hear Woody's solo and I couldn't believe Julia Roberts did one too. The best numbers are the spectral funeral-home visitees and Woody's duet with Goldie Hawn (whom you have to see in Groucho Marx getup). I also loved the liberal Democratic family clashing constantly with the son turned Republican -- until we find out what caused him to flip! I wouldn't buy this movie but I'd certainly watch it again, with the right companion. I had to locate this movie in videocassette through the library system since this service doesn't currently stock it. 3.5 stars.

Women on the Edge of a Nervous Breakdown (1988)

I love Pedro Almodovar -- and Madrid -- but Women on the Edge of a Nervous Breakdown feels like a telenovela masquerading as what Volver became in full fruition 20 years later. This movie's beginning reveals some resplendent camerawork and a pervasive clock/time theme but then devolves into what feels less like high art and more like lowbrow comedy. I understand and enjoy its planned wackiness and over-the-top hamminess; I was with it straight through the scene where the male and female leads (Fernando Guillen and Carmen Maura), stars of a popular TV soap opera, record their lines in studio -- separately, because he has already left her, as she is beginning to find out. Their soap opera dialog is as thick as oatmeal. (You know the kind I mean: "Let me look at you." "Here I am. There you are." "Don't tell me you don't love me." "All right then, I won't.") She has huge beautiful orbs a man could get lost in. (Her eyes!) He has begun to play an elusive rigamarole with her (sort of a Lovers' Whackamole), just missing her by phone or in person and leaving messages promising to see her there or then, when he's just avoiding her and planning a trip with another woman. She starts going crazy. Through impossibly improbable coincidences, she meets and has confrontations with his new lover and his former lover -- who has not been right in the head since he left her. Complications arise, involving a young dandy played by Antonio Banderas (who can do no wrong in my book) in his mid-20s, lots of spiked gazpacho, and a police gun or two. I love the mambo taxi driver! The chase scene had to be 25 mph tops (snooze or snicker). Carmen Maura does a wonderful job with her role, and all her sister victims of chauvinism do well enough in theirs, but the script and the pacing were too relaxed to succeed as a wacky action movie -- that is, too much like the telenovela format that this movie was trying to surpass. It works well enough as a 1980s foreign film from Spain but it's not as timeless as Almodovar's later work will prove to be. Watch it in Spanish to improve your vocabulary, since the English subtitles don't translate everything. I tracked down a copy on videocassette through the public library because Netflix hasn't stocked it in months. 3.5 stars.

The Toys That Rescued Christmas (2004)

This is not How the Toys Saved Christmas with Mary Tyler Moore and Tony Randall as lead voice talent. Nor is it Veggie Tales: The Toy That Saved Christmas. In fact, The Toys That Rescued Christmas is not even listed in IMDB, much less Netflix. Blockbuster lists this 24-minute trifle though; its credits run for less than 5 seconds with a dozen or so names -- but the DVD has a making-of program and commentary track! It's a mildly cute CGI-drawn story of a manic sock puppet monkey, a toy train, and a toy car that solve a mystery involving stolen Christmas presents, the attic, and the rooftop. It's very cartoonish and over-the-top as far as voice talent and props -- a snowman uses a matchstick for a live sports-announcer microphone, one spray magically melts all the snow over a broad expanse, etc. The message, weakly presented, is that all presents have value. 2.5 stars.

Olive, the Other Reindeer (1999)

TV. I really like the inventive animation style, scriptwriting, and voice talent in this fresh Christmas special that's poised to become a new classic. It's full of creativity, though with a slight bent-ishness too. (The Simpsons' Matt Groening is an executive producer.) Drew Barrymore's voice lends emotion and spirit to the character of "Olive, the other reindeer" -- a brown-and-white dog who's always felt a little different than other dogs and doesn't readily do doggish things; she even has a pet flea named Fido. Olive hears on news radio that Santa's reindeer, Blitzen, was injured during preseason practice and won't return to the lineup in time for the Christmas Eve flight, so Christmas may have to be cancelled. Olive immediately feels as if Santa (Ed Asner) has personally called her to come and take Blitzen's place, so she sets out to reach his North Pole compound by any means possible. Martini the penguin (Joe Pantoliano), an escapee from the zoo who sells fake Rolex watches and stolen office supplies out of a suitcase, assists her on the way, esp. against a Grinchlike postal carrier (Dan Castellaneta) who is determined to ruin Christmas by any means necessary so that he can take a holiday too. The show is full of all kinds of improvisational touches, including a road sign for Frostbite Falls, cable TV news reporters, Blitzen's flightless cousin Schnitzel (Michael Stipe), Round John Virgin (Mitch Rouse), and a boatload of really catchy original songs (written by Christopher Tyng with a performance by Big Bad Voodoo Daddy) that you won't be able to get out of your head. The show includes nods to Ultraman and Godzilla, and the Pope receives the gift of a Philadelphia Phillies baseball cap. I love how Olive gets a present from Deus Ex Machina, then later explains "Just look it up"! Everyone does a great job but Drew Barrymore really carries the entire show as she conveys the character of Olive with a vulnerability paired with a can-do and generous spirit. It's about stepping up and having faith and doing your part to help make a dream come true. The only things that might make this show not completely suitable for young kids is some Indiana Jones-like road-jockeying and in-cabin tussling that sends two vehicles tumbling off the road (into the snow) plus one scene that takes place in an isolated northland bar, where Olive is treated roughly at first and a bar fight breaks out, though all as a backdrop to the rollicking musical number "We're Not So Bad." Except for the disgruntled postal carrier, who seems to have snapped, any bad attitudes we see are explained as disappointment over the possible loss of Christmas, which Olive helps make happen. I could watch this show several times every year, even in back-to-back viewings. I plan to own it! I had to locate a copy through interlibrary loan since Netflix still doesn't even list it. 5 stars.

The Santa Claus Brothers (2001)

TV. I had to get this one through Blockbuster since Netflix still doesn't carry it. The art design and computer illustration are a delight to me -- very Grant Wood-esque. The story, script, and voice talent are all interesting too. (Best line in the show: "Sorry. I've been listening to talk radio.") Santa is ready to retire and his three sons (who come in different sizes and predilections but have the same fashion designer in Mrs. Claus) apparently still need to learn a lesson about Christmas -- because of the duplicitous machinations of one of Santa's "helpers." Santa sends them to Santa Monica to find the real meaning of Christmas, which, despite further mishaps, they inadvertently discover and share with numerous children of the city. This show adds a bit of a back story about Santa's family life that is charming. Made in Canada but with a California vibe, it has the potential to become a modern holiday classic. 4.5 stars.

Tim Conway: Timeless Comedy (2006)

TV. This disc presents (only) 57 minutes of the inimitable Tim Conway in the early days of his career and, apparently, the television industry itself (must be 40 years ago). See him crack up his straight men even then (Bing Crosby, David Janssen, etc.)! The jokes are funny, even if they feel quite dated, because of his flawless sense of physical and verbal nuance and timing. All routines are live and uncut, which is a treat in itself, however, I could only watch half of this disc because I longed for the rapier wit of his Carol Burnett Show years. These routines feel more like a butter knife -- albeit an expertly wielded butter knife. 3 stars.

The Office: Series 1 (2001)

TV. The Office is an amazingly well-written and sharply produced programme (British spelling there). The documentary format makes it feel live, real, and accessible while simultaneously putting the glaring mishaps of mismanagement front and center. This is groundbreaking satire better than any other British humor I've seen. And talk about dry! If you don't have a problem with the vocabulary and accents of British English (wanker, etc.) then you ought to appreciate The Office greatly. Of course, if you love the culture across the pond, you'll love The Office. The characters are well-drawn and the expressions are often priceless. I did fall in love with the U.S. version of this series first, which I find to be fuller in character enunciation and plot development. (It has many more episodes and twice as many seasons at this writing.) You can pick out the equivalencies in nearly every character and even some of the same scenes and expressions -- though I respond much more warmly to the humor in the U.S. version. This is the genius that started it all! 4.5 stars.

The Humanoid (1991)

A strong 80s vibe with its manes, mops, and music -- OK as an anime, nothing exceptional, although the ending is slightly dramatic. 2.5 stars.

Rex the Runt (1998)

Wallace & Grommit meets Monty Python and Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. I caught on immediately that Rex the Runt is hilarious claymation full of surrealism and rapidfire silliness. It took a few episodes to realize it's not an odd family unit with a dog, it's four dogs in an odd family unit. Rex (the titular lead and narrator), Wendy (who is as frustrated as any woman living with three male slobs would be), Bad Bob (the oversized bloke who wears an eye patch and always carries an oversized gun), and Vince (who has gangly teeth, murmurs nonsequiturs, and suffers from Random Pavarotti Disease) apparently all sleep in the same bed, eat constantly, watch a lot of absurd programmes on the telly, and go on surreal "adventures" (deflating the Earth and riding it through space like a deflated balloon for three episodes, frequently using their shrink-ray gun or their time machine made from a can of beans, entering a star search contest, getting brainwashed by the celebrity head of the Church of Chemicalology, and the like). Most of their adventures involve getting ripped off for "10 quid" at a time by a creepy love camp headmistress, the unethical Dr. Dogg, and others. Vince falls in love with a vacuum cleaner he ordered from the telly and gets married. Hygiene is often a discussion topic. A lottery is won -- and immediately taken back due to damages caused by the quartet's shrinking, adoption, and abandonment of the city of Birmingham. Children under 10 may find much of the rapidfire verbal silliness and British slang over their heads but adults with a warped sense of humor should love this show. It could perhaps be rated PG since Wendy has obvious if nondescript boobs (though one telly spoof has girls with bigger fake ones), the language can be mild (crap, fat bastard), and one character gives the finger to the telly. Rex the Runt is an excellent British spoof of modern television programming and suburban ennui. 5 stars.

Beyond Justice (1992)

Beyond Justice came with a gift shipment as a freebie; Netflix doesn't have it. Rutger Hauer was hot in the 1980s but he's starting to look haggard in this mercenary-for-hire movie. He also moves very slowly when he's supposed to be arming up in a weapons stash, positively fumbling with an automatic rifle magazine. This is Lawrence of Arabia meets Not Without My Daughter (oops, son). Of course, all the bad guys get mown down like grass clippings while the good guys sustain nary a hit. (OK, two lackeys were clocked near the end.) I liked the music and the scenery is rife with beauty. The Arab and Muslim cultures are respectfully presented. Omar Sharif is excellent as the emir of the Moroccan desert; Kabir Bedi as his grown son did fine; goofy-grinned David Flossi as his son hasn't worked since. The boy's don't-tell-me-no executive mother, Carol Alt (a top model turned actress), looks like Valeria Golina but sounds like she's from Long Island (she is) and on Prozac (it's possible). In the end, Rutger gets the girl -- and presumably the boy and a family life -- after only two quick kisses! If only it were that easy, esp. for doughy-faced 48-year-old men. 3 stars.

Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939)

Mr. Smith Goes to Washington is one of AFI's Top 100 Films for a reason. Jimmy Stewart is in top form as Citizen Everyman and genuinely funny esp. during his filibuster. I love his scene on the phone with the D.C. debutante. Jean Arthur is excellent esp. in her drunk and "I quit" scenes. Yes, the film plays up Stewart's wide-eyed delight in Washington and his patriotism, but this was before we entered WWII. Besides, how many people from middle America got to see D.C. other than in the movies? Here is a morality play for every American to watch and to think about -- so that "government by the people and for the people may not perish from the earth." 4 stars.

Cricket on the Hearth (1967)

Cricket on the Hearth is a forgotten animated Christmas special from Rankin-Bass in the late 1960s. Starring Roddy McDowell, Danny Thomas, and Marlo Thomas (whose otherwise sweet voice does that squeaky weepy thing that was a precursor to Fran Drescher), it's a pleasant Christmas story that's mainly a nostalgic peek at 1960s animation and holiday spirit. Musical numbers range from sentimental to throwaway but the whole show is arguably a keeper. Granted it's not as popular as its immediate predecessor, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, but it's cute in a sappy sort of way. I had to get this disc through Blockbuster because Netflix doesn't even list it, so here is the story: Cricket (McDowell) narrates and stars in the tale of a "cricket on the hearth" who brings luck to the happy home -- and toy shop -- of a widowed toymaker and his beautiful young daughter. Bertha is engaged to be married to a Navy officer who is lost at sea, and in her sorrow she goes blind. She and her doting father are eventually put out on the street, though a miserly employer takes them in to take advantage of them. To protect his daughter, the father tells her glowing things about his scabby employer and their lodgings. The fat old cur proposes marriage, which Bertha (thinking the world of him) accepts. Cricket gets the runaround but returns to save Bertha just in time for Christmas Day. It's nice to see a Christmas special that not only depicts Christian symbols (church with cross, priest officiating over wedding) but where the script detracts from material gifts, affirming that the true spirit of Christmas is in the loving heart. Moreover, Danny Thomas frames the program with a narrative intro and close that further affirms the message. 3 stars.