Dr. Seuss: The Grinch Grinches The Cat in the Hat (1957)

Delightful animation and writing -- as would be expected from vintage 1950s Seussian sources. The Grinch tries to steal all the joy of a beautiful day but the Cat in the Hat appeals to his good side. (You have to see it to learn the details.) Since this service does not currently stock this disc, I saw the show on videotape without the Hoober-Bloob episode. Later I acquired the disc, also from the public library, and similarly enjoyed the half-hour Hoober-Bloob tale. (It's a whimsical rococo prenatal preview of a child's life on Earth.) I give Grinch 3.5 stars and Hoober-Bloob 2.5 stars for an overall 3 stars. (12/30/07 updated 7/10/08)

VeggieTales: Gideon: Tuba Warrior (2006)

Animation as cute and tunes as catchy (and kitschy) as you would expect from the VeggieTales people. The first story is about George Mueller of Bristol, England, who founded many orphanages on the principle that he totally trusted God's providence for everything and never asked anyone for anything. Next, the Pirates Who Don't Do Anything decide to try doing something, followed by a silly song and the story of Gideon (as only VeggieTales can slice and dice a Bible story). Funny enough to be worth watching a second time if you are an adult and many times if you are a child. 4 stars.

Eloise: Little Miss Christmas (2006)

TV. This Emmy-winning program, based on the popular Eloise books written by Kay Thompson and illustrated by Hilary Knight, is a positive delight. Girls through age 9 should love it but so should anyone who enjoys a heartwarming holiday special. (The title mentions Christmas but Hanukkah and other family celebrations are included. I found this disc at my local library. [It is now available for instant viewing through Netflix. 5/4/08] Don't confuse it with Eloise at Christmastime, which Netflix does not list but Blockbuster does.) Eloise is as physically and mentally energetic as ever, with a whimsy and imagination that wins over the hearts of all who meet her. In this episode, she leads the children's preparations to stage a holiday program, facing major challenges both known and unknown. (Lynn Redgrave as Nanny requests a favor and Tim Curry as Mr. Salamone has an unrelated and providential change of heart. Matthew Lillard as Bill does his best but is upstaged by the real McCoy before he can arrive.) The animation in this series is wonderful, with facial expressions and scene framing and motion that are very creative. Watch the facial expressions of every hotel employee to learn more about their personalities -- and to be surprised -- throughout the show. Mary Matilyn Mouser as Eloise simply cawn't, cawn't, cawn't go wrong in this role. She's a heartstealer! 4.5 stars.

Elf Bowling: The Movie (2007)

If you think a movie based on a video game would have a tenuous raison d'etre and story line, Elf Bowling -- based on a series of popular Internet games from nstorm.com -- should be more lame than Transformers or either Lara Croft movie. And it is. However, it's not as bad as you'd expect. It's not great but it's not a stinker. In short, it pales slightly in comparison with any of the Christmas classics, but it's creative enough to ride in on their coattails. The computer graphics are acceptable (esp. the elves' toy workshop, which resembles a Kids Next Door headquarters stuck in the middle of a Willy Wonka theme park) and I was impressed by how much of a story line they were able to shoehorn into a virtually nonexistent premise. In essence, our story begins with the toy-thieving pirate Captain Santa Maria Klausawitz Kringle (Joe Alaskey) and his devious brother Dingle Kringle (Tom Kenny). It's The Road to Eldorado meets Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and the Island of Misfit Toys. The plot stretches credulity and is a little hard to follow -- I will admit to nodding off through parts of two viewings -- but Klaus and Dingle encounter a North Pole settlement of toy-making elves who make billions of toys with no takers. They scheme to become the takers under the guise of a business partnership but Klaus grows in altruism and sympathy for the world's children in contrast with Dingle's deviousness. Klaus marries the Teutonic streudel chef while Dingle takes up with a tall stacked harpy (possibly voiced by Jill Talley, who is Karen the Computer Wife in Spongebob Squarepants and Boob Woman in American Dad!). The music is nice and the dance numbers are passable. Either way you swing with Elf Bowling, it's a heck of a lot better than Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer and -- my ultimate weathervane of turdishness -- Doggie Poo. 3 stars.

King of the Hill: Season 1 (1997)

TV. King of the Hill began the year before I moved to Texas and it has been a droll hoot of a Texas-themed spoof ever since. Hank, Peggy, and Bobby Hill are so middle-of-the-road that it's a wonder they're not road kill in the highway of life, but of course it's their staunch values that get them through anything together. (I would say "staunch family values," but Hank and Peggy are sometimes so uptight and repressed that they're dysfunctional -- and wait till you see Hank's father Cotton! I would say "staunch American values," but they sometimes see Texas above America as their true republic. Still, they muddle through every challenge together and consistently demonstrate faithfulness and integrity.) The Hills live in the small-town enclave of Arlen, where Hank's dedication to his chosen profession as a propane (he speaks the word with reverence) salesman as well as to his lawn, his tools, his gun, and his huntin' dog Ladybird rival his devotion to his wife. Peggy, in turn, possesses self-esteem beyond her chosen profession as a substitute teacher; her Spanish mispronunciations border on the painful, though Hank thinks she is the smartest woman in the state and she manages to win the state Boggle championship. Bobby is a pudgy, underachieving comedic wannabe with a good heart. Hank's trailer-park niece Luanne, who lives with the Hills while her mama is in prison, struggles but earns her beauty certificate. The Hills' neighbors are lovable and pathetic blends of Texans we may know: Dale (amateur exterminator, cuckold, and conspiracy theorist), Bill (part-time Army Reserves barber, divorcee, and emotional wreck), and Boomhauer (ladies' man and speaker of a monotone Texas patter that is hilarious if incomprehensible to non-Texans). Catch these first season discs to see the pilot episode followed by the episodes Square Peg (the Hills begin a comic love/hate relationship with new Laotian neighbors Khan, Min, and daughter Khan Jr.), The Order of the Straight Arrow (Bobby's scout pack goes snipe hunting but kills a whooping crane), Luanne's Saga, Becoming King of the Hill, A Mowing Lesson with Charlie, Hank's Unmentionable Problem (constipation is the topic but family support is the theme), Hank's Got the Willies, Westie Side Story, Shins of the Father (introducing Hank's sexist, racist, obnoxious war-hero father), Peggy the Boggle Champ, Keeping Up with Our Joneses, Plastic White Female, and King of the Ant Hill (Hank chooses his lawn over his friend Dale because "I have lots of friends but only one lawn"). Every disc has deleted scenes, the second disc has a Meet the Hills portfolio in addition to the fascinating animators' 60-some rules of The Do's and Don'ts of King of the Hill (which will help you appreciate the artistry behind the show) and Dale's Conspiracies, and the third disc includes an audio commentary with a cool Barenaked Ladies music video. 4.5 stars.

The Governess (1998)

The Governess is Artemisia or Miss Potter meets Girl With A Pearl Earring. When the Sephardic Jewish maiden Rosina's well-to-do fish-merchant father is murdered in the streets of London (by a Gentile, the Jewish community fears), her lifestyle choices are to marry a rival fish merchant as old as her father or to hire on as a governess on the Scottish Isle of Skye. (Single women in the 1840s are regarded as unable to do anything but live as the dependents of their fathers or husbands.) As a closet Jewess emerging into the larger world to live among Christians under the name Mary Blackchurch, Rosina (Minnie Driver) wins over her difficult young charge Clementina (Florence Hoath) and ultimately proves to be the intellectual and professional equal of her scientist employer, Charles Cavendish (Tom Wilkinson), who is laboring to devise a photographic fixative process that Mary herself (during a secret Passover celebration in her room) accidentally discovers. Working away together in his estate's laboratory, which is off-limits to his emotionally tenuous wife (Harriet Walter) and all others, Mary's adventurous streak emerges in an intellectual as well as a physical attraction to her employer. (The few who criticize this film mistakenly presume that women fall in love only for youth and not also for intellectual or professional companionship.) Mary seduces Charles, initiating an unrequited love. "We can be anything we want," she says, but as a Christian and a family man he resists and ultimately rejects the new ground she has broken. The cultural rift climaxes here because he is familiar with temptation and sin while she only thinks of happiness or unhappiness. Furthermore, as a scientist, Charles requires self-control to succeed in his work and to publish his process in advance of the daguerreotype; his refusals to continue the dalliance that she assumes will be a lifelong professional and intimate partnership cause her to become unhinged. We see full frontal nudity of the senior Cavendish and (twice) the junior, Henry Cavendish (Jonathan Rhys Meyers), plus (twice) Mary's aureoles and her full dorsal nudity. The Governess is redolent in Jewish culture and period costume and its character studies are intriguing. It is ultimately a movie about societal convention vs. self-actualization: In what ways do we limit, hinder, handicap -- or allow others to limit -- our own prospects for happiness? 4.5 stars.

Arthur's Music Medley (2004)

TV. Three episodes centered on Arthur's and his classmates' musical talents (or lack of them) present the usual amount of fun and mayhem: Arthur Plays the Blues (Arthur's beloved piano teacher is retiring, so she arranges for him to train under the brilliant if demanding Dr. Fugue), Brother Can You Spare A Clarinet (Binky vacillates between his tendencies as a big-kid bully and a sensitive and gifted clarinet player), and To Beat or Not To Beat (the boys consider whether to be candid about Francine's lack of musical talent). 4 stars.

Arthur's Family Vacation (2004)

TV. Arthur and D.W. have some unexpected adventures in these three episodes themed on vacation days off. They have a fun if far different family vacation than planned in Arthur's Family Vacation, help build a chicken coop in Grandpa Dave's Old Country Farm, and learn about their dad's bellbottoms and more in Arthur's Almost Boring Day. As always in Arthur's world, the family is the origin of support and resourcefulness. 3.5 stars.

Arthur: D.W. Thinks Big (2004)

TV. Three episodes themed around Arthur's assertive (and more interesting) younger sister D.W. teach children lessons in self esteem and working together. (What the initials D.W. stand for is an inside joke of the series and direct questions are often skirted, probably to maintain a sense of mystery. Once, when asked what her initials stand for, D.W. says, "I don't want to talk about it," and once, when a Secret Service agent asks, "Just initials? Couldn't you people give your daughter a real name?" her father just shrugs. Those who watch the show, however, know that D.W.'s full name is Dora Winifred Read.) In the episode D.W. Thinks Big, an excited D.W. wants a role to play in her aunt's wedding but is put off by her self-important flower-girl cousin and every busy adult until she discovers and volunteers for an emergency errand that is well-suited for her size. (In the Now A Word from Us Kids segment that typically follows the first of three episodes on each disc, children discuss their classroom exercise in exploring what each child can do by virtue of his or her individual size.) In the episode Arthur and D.W. Clean Up, the Read siblings learn the meaning of their father's admonition "Many hands make light work." In the episode For Whom the Bell Tolls, Arthur is delighted that D.W. has lost her voice for a few days -- until he realizes that it means waiting on her hand and foot and could last for a long time (unless he can prove that she's now faking). 4 stars.

Arthur: Arthur Goes Crosswire (2005)

TV. In three episodes about cliquishness vs. inclusiveness, Arthur and his friends learn to forgive and forget in order to get along: Arthur Goes Crosswire (after sailing in Muffy's yacht and rescuing the star of Bionic Bunny, Arthur takes on Muffy's airs of snootiness and exclusivity until his friends show him how he's changed), Buster's Growing Grudge (Buster learns to let go of his grudge against Binky and make peace), and Poor Muffy (Muffy stays at Francine's and learns to appreciate the hoi polloi despite leftovers, no cable TV, no servants, etc.). 4 stars.

Arthur: Cast Away (2002)

TV. This disc has four episodes, one of them (about socks) the most creative I've yet seen: Cast Away (Arthur longs to share one experience with his dad where his assertive kid sister D.W. doesn't intrude), The Great Sock Mystery (a vocal Baby Kate colludes with speaking dog Pal and other talking animals to find out what happens to missing socks), Francine's Split Decision (Francine divides her time between a nephew's bar mitzvah and her team's bowling tournament), and Muffy Goes Metropolitan (in a mild sendup of That Girl, rich girl Muffy finds Crown City to be less cosmopolitan than expected but more culturally rewarding). Pal the pooch almost sounds like Family Guy's Stewie in The Great Sock Mystery, which has allusions to Wind in the Willows and a caricature of Alan Greenspan. I got this disc through interlibrary loan since Netflix and Blockbuster don't carry it. 4.5 stars.

Arthur: Elwood City Turns 100! (2002)

TV. This three-episode compilation of the Arthur kids' show from PBS includes the double-length Elwood City Turns 100! (the schoolchildren stage a historical play about their town, including a hilarious appearance on the Larry King Show, with cameos by Yo Yo Ma, Fred Rogers, and Art Garfunkel) in addition to Pick A Car, Any Car (Arthur deals with the possible loss of the only family car he has ever known, featuring a lifeline call to the Car Talk guys) and Jenna's Bedtime Blues (Muffy's slumber party invitation worries Jenna, the only girl more athletic than Francine, because she still has a wee problem at night). The Arthur series consistently and imaginatively takes on real-life issues and presents them in a supportive familial and educational context that encourages kids to learn and grow. I got this disc through interlibrary loan since it is not available through Netflix or Blockbuster. 4 stars.

Arthur's Eyes (2004)

TV. Arthur's Eyes is another creative presentation of three Arthur episodes from PBS, this time centered on the theme of children's looks and social acceptance: Arthur's Eyes (how Arthur learned he needed eyeglasses and came to accept his change in appearance and his classmates' comments), Francine's Bad Hair Day (tomboy/athlete Francine is nearly persuaded by Muffy and a makeover to look and remain feminine for school picture day), and Draw! (Francine teases a "mousy" girl then blows off her hurt feelings with "She'll get over it" until all the kids turn the tables before learning their lesson too). Particular chuckles come from the teacher talent show preparations in Draw! as a perky guitar-playing folksinger pursues the school secretary to "put a smile on her face." 4 stars.

Arthur's Club Rules (2005)

TV. Arthur's Club Rules has three episodes about socialization through learning and making rules together with two episodes being computer-game-themed and more creative and humorous than average: My Club Rules (the children can't agree on clubhouse rules so each starts his or her own club, until loneliness reunites the gang), Sue Ellen Gets Her Goose Cooked (the children deal with obsessiveness over an Internet game), and Best of the Nest (the Internet game's upgrade tempts the children to avoid camping in the real woods). As a bonus bit, don't miss the mumbling wilderness expert in a faux documentary. 4.5 stars.

Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas (1966)

This is the greatest Christmas classic of them all! A must-see every year for sure. Poor put-upon Max the Grinch's lap dog -- he is a hoot! You simply can't beat Chuck Jones's animation, the great voice of Boris Karloff, or June Foray (also the voice of Rocky the Squirrel and Natasha). The Whos in Whoville know the real spirit of Christmas -- a generous heart, no presents required. 4.5 stars.

Zoom In (2007)

Documentary. A refreshing examination of the work and dedication of the producers and actors in the independent films of 2007 that were submitted for NYC's pivotal Gotham Awards: I'm Not There, The Savages, Into the Wild, Juno, Great World of Sound, The Namesake, No Country for Old Men, The Darjeeling Ltd., Before the Devil Knows You're Dead, Jimmy Carter: Man from Plains, Taxi to the Dark Side, Sisters Are Doin' It for Themselves, Sicko, and Frownland. Including a live tribute to Roger Ebert and a discussion of women as directors. 3.5 stars.

Vermilion Pleasure Night: Vol. 2: Vox Stimuli (2006)

TV. You have never seen anything as edgy as this. Sometimes nightmarish, sometimes vapidly cheerful but always postmodern, most of the sketches and vignettes involve ornately or scantily clad women -- or zombies. I only watched Episode 3. First is Zombie Family ("You dropped your eyeball, sis" and in every segment the mother sinks a hatchet into her daughter's heads one or more times. Think of Vicki Lawrence in Mama's Family on crack.) Then is Mannikin Family (Mikey wants to stay home sick from school, Mikey gets possessed, Mikey's parents move and leave him behind). Lucy's House presents four women as dolls dancing and singing about being married and becoming human. In Midnight Kitchen, a blindfolded and manacled woman attempts to cook wontons, gets high on paint thinner and worse. Fitting Room shows a naked woman posing and dancing behind cutout outfits. Provocative video eye candy of women serves as fillips between the segments. It's all PG and geared to men as much as women but if you are familiar with Japanese culture (or at least MXC and Iron Chef), you can understand how this appeals to their edgier-than-Adult Swim mindset. 3 stars.

Fairly Oddparents: School's Out! The Musical (2005)

TV. I can never tire of the adventures of poor put-upon Timmy Turner, his evil babysitter Vicky, and his loving fairy godparents Wanda and Cosmo. The writing, voice talent, and artwork are a constant stitch! 4.5 stars.

Eloise: Eloise Goes to School (2007)

A great animated story, based on the popular books, about a free-spirited six-year-old girl who introduces herself as "Me, Eloise!" and how a snooty school didn't quench her spirit but helped her draw a valuable lesson. This is my first exposure to Eloise and I found her to be a true delight! I'm going to see everything Eloise. Watch her pirouette! 3.5 stars.

Arthur: Arthur Gets Along (2004)

TV. Three great Arthur episodes showcase the characters in alternative timelines -- imaginative what-if situations that play with the narrative before reaching the moral of the story. First we have D.W.'s Time Trouble: D.W. takes a Jimmy Stewart-like trip back in time with her imaginary friend as companion to envision what life might be like if she were the older sibling. (This episode is about as complex as the writing gets.) Then we have To Tibble the Truth: The perpetual motion and excuse-invention machines known as the Tibble Twins gradually learn that telling the truth might not be so bad. Finally there is Waiting to Go: Buster breaks Brain's watch on the soccer field so they learn how elastic time can feel while waiting for a ride. 4 stars.

Arthur: Binky Goes Nuts (2004)

TV. Binky Goes Nuts is a slightly less interesting compilation of four episodes than the usual 4-star fare that is Arthur from PBS. For episodes we have Binky Goes Nuts (Binky learns he has a peanut allergy and self-education is the best prevention), Breezy Listening Blues (Brain gets a B- and, thinking the easy-listening music in his family's ice-cream parlor is numbing his edge, he learns a lesson in customer service), Arthur Weighs In (Arthur briefly reaches "husky" size and learns to stretch himself through exercise), and The Law of the Jungle Gym (rich kid Muffy expels the tough kids from the jungle gym until a reconciliation occurs). Most of the episodes seem to be spreading a story premise that feels a bit thin, however, the funniest bit is Binky's dream about an evil Mr. Legume (a giant peanut in a bowler hat) who threatens to sandwich Binky in peanut butter. Call this disc 3.5 stars.

Winsor McCay: The Master Edition (2003)

It's a pleasure to see these restored original prints of the birth of motion-picture character animation in 1911. If you like Walt Disney's Steamboat Willie, Winsor McCay's Little Nemo and Flip preceded Mickey Mouse by 17 years. (If this sounds new to you, Maurice Sendak's In the Night Kitchen is reminiscent of McCay's Little Nemo in Slumberland and George McManus' Bringing Up Father starred Jiggs, who could be McCay's Flip if the hobo/scamp joined high society.) The film shorts on this disc are black-and-white and silent -- with placards for narrative and dialog with musical accompaniment. Don't rent this disc looking for Family Guy yuks or Samurai Champloo action. Yes, it's a history lesson -- an actual documentary of the birth of character animation -- but you also need to be able to appreciate the nuances of the art esp. in its birth. McCay was a master caricaturist and quite intuitive about expressing character and telling a story -- but in this earlier, less adrenaline-soaked age, there's a relaxed rapidity and a pioneering as well as an exploratory quality to the pace of his animation. Seeing Flip flip, vamp, and scamp about is amazing (historically speaking). Seeing Gertie the Dinosaur prance coquettishly is an order of magnitude cooler than Steamboat Willie's mechanical bumping up and down. (No one knew what dinosaurs looked like or how they might have moved yet.) McCay's reenactment of the German torpedoing of the luxury liner Lusitania, with 1,960 civilians aboard and the loss of 1,200, in 1915 commemorated that generation's version of the attacks on the World Trade Center. McCay's ouevre is so realistic that it often resembles a film documentary and must have been quite moving in that era. Lighthearted moments abound too esp. in How A Mosquito Operates. McCay made 4,000 drawings in one month to animate Little Nemo and 25,000 drawings to animate the sinking of the Lusitania. He gave up animation in 1921 but continued with newspaper and comic-book cartooning. His genius lives on so long as we have paper and Web sites -- and the light to read by. 3.5 stars.

Arthur: The World of Tomorrow (2006)

TV. The Arthur series from PBS is always a pleasure to watch. This disc contains four episodes: The World of Tomorrow (repeating third grade, Binky thinks the class science museum sleepover can offer nothing new), Is There a Doctor in the House? (when Arthur and D.W.'s parents get sick, they learn a lesson about self-reliance), D.W.'s Time Trouble (wishing she could be the older child, D.W. learns her lesson a la Jimmy Stewart), and Buster's Amish Mismatch (Buster briefly adopts the Amish lifestyle). This program always shows children in a loving family context but allows them the independence to make vital self-discoveries. The music is fun and the story lines are inventive. I acquired this disc through interlibrary loan since Netflix, Blockbuster, and IMDB do not list it. 4 stars.

Arthur Rides the Bandwagon (2005)

TV. From PBS, Arthur is a delightful series that continues to resonate with children and the child in all of us. This DVD contains three episodes with a peer-pressure theme: Arthur Rides the Bandwagon (Arthur resists, then considers capitulating to, the latest toy fad), Attack of the Turbo Tibbles (the hyperactive Tibble twins go overboard with play-acting a Power Rangers-like show), and Prunella's Special Edition (superfan Prunella has a problem with her special edition of a Harry Potter-like book everyone else is consumed with reading). Arthur always contains a creative presentation and kidworthy lessons. In the segment of each program where second graders present a creative project, kids showcase the toys they invented and built from common objects such as tennis balls, paper plates, clay, and so on. 4 stars.

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (1964)

For stopmotion artistry and nostalgic pleasure combined, this is probably most people's favorite Christmas classic of all time -- not to be missed! Rankin-Bass really outdid themselves with this little number. 5 stars.

Arthur's Celebration (2001)

TV. Arthur is a super kid's television series from PBS. The family dynamics and creativity seen in this show are well above average. Arthur is 8 and his bossy kid sister D.W. is turning 5 in these episodes. Notice all the creative versions of what is supposed to really happen on New Year's Eve. This series wins a steady 4 stars.

Martin! God Loves You (1997)

A simply yet attractively illustrated, well-narrated and inspiring account of the life and message of Martin Luther, suitable for all children through age 14. The narrator intones clearly as he sympathetically recounts Luther's life from birth to death, even quoting from a deathbed letter to his wife. Luther's message and influence are not overstated, only presented in their simplest form with integrity and populism as their mainstays, with a mildly inspirational finish. 4 stars.

Cherub Wings: Vol. 8: Oops! Sorry (2002)

Cherub Wings is syrupy sweet and perky but Christian tykes will love the cherubs' creative evangelical encouragement about forgiveness. As I said in my review for Vol. 6, Cherub Wings will be scary to some adults. (Take grownups' natural aversion to Barney the Dinosaur and then imagine turning Barney into two angelically sweet if preachy babies. Saccharine in stereo -- on wings!) Young children do respond to such outright emotional ingenuousness, however. Cherub Wings is not for the uninitiated: Children of evangelical parents are the target demographic here -- esp. those who attend congregations that sing praise and worship songs. Parents who do not attend church or who attend a mainline denomination where saying "Praise the Lord!" does not feel second nature will, of course, feel like fish out of water and fail to be parentally supportive of the message presented here. It's truly child-centric and should be refreshing to children under age 7. 3 stars.

Cherub Wings: Vol. 6: Never Outta Sight (2000)

Cherub Wings is the Teletubbies talking like Barney and singing Care Bears songs about praising Jesus -- scary to most adults but, like the previously mentioned shows, it seems to be just what kids enjoy and need. It's very child-centered, speaking to children at their level about how near they are to God and his goodness and help. There is an animated Bible story in the middle (with childlike art styles) and a beautiful song at the end (comparing each child to the sparrow God loves) set to scenes of children playing, smiling, and hugging. It sure beats Spongebob and the other manic fare kids find nowadays! Two cherubs bookend the program and the show's artists give them creative perspectives, sound effects, and accoutrements (like a cloud skimmer car). It's for ages 3-5 but my ten-year-old son watched it a bit and said "This is pretty cool." 3 stars.

Saturday Night Live: The Best of Saturday TV Funhouse (2006)

TV. Saturday Night Live: TV Funhouse is as twisted and inventive as Family Guy but edgier -- as only Saturday Night Live and Robert Smigel can be -- and hosted by the Ambiguously Gay Duo cartoon characters (special thanks to Stephen Colbert). I confess AGD seems weak to me after the initial gag line "What is everyone looking at?" wears thin. Admittedly, it's a tenuous plot line at best, so it's only a fun picnic to those who brought their own potato salad. Putting AGD vignettes between the many cartoon episodes esp. interacting with the comedy crew was OK. This DVD is chock full of 24 zany episodes with transitions plus 20 or so additional sketches as extras. There's no room to list much less capsulize them all. My favorites include the Abu Dhabi Kids show Saddam and Osama (with a commercial for Rocks!); GE: Sexual Harassment and You (where the only determinant between what is and is not harassment is the confidence and attractiveness of the male); Bill Clinton's "that woman" national address (yuck!); Michael Jackson (nasty!); Inside the Disney Vault (ewww!); The Narrator That Ruined Christmas (Burl Ives's Snowman loses his cool after 9/11); Jesus Christ (tussles with televangelists but loves Linus reciting the Nativity); Divertor (combines forces with the President, Nancy Grace, and the fearmongering Fox News); Find the Black People in the Knicks Game (blip!); Christmastime for the Jews (great claymation and vocals); Sen. John McCain (introduces Pres. Bush after much self-torture); and Shazzang! (a genie with, um, father issues). Fun with Real Audio extras include the animated mashups Perot/King, State of the Union, Snyder/Parton, Casablanca, and more. Further cartoon extras include Titey (Titanic turned Disneyfied pap), Ray of Light (Disney remakes adding football's Ray Lewis), Heteroy (an antigay evangelist and his buds), Globetrotters Christmas (the boys shoot hoops with Joseph and Baby Jesus), Religetables (a VeggieTales spoof concerning religious strife and scandals), All-New Adventures of Mr. T, Passion of the Dumpty, Santa and the States (a Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer spoof where Santa sides with the "liberal elite"), Wheaty (the Lassie-dubbed wheaten terrier), Bees (unaired: Bush and posse call bees terrorists and "liberate" [decimate] a beehive ["not for the honey"]), and Conspiracy Theory Rock (a Schoolhouse Rock spoof). AGD gets 1.5 stars but the whole disc 4 stars.

How the Toys Saved Christmas (La freccia azzurra) (1996)

How the Toys Saved Christmas is drawn in the simple but attractive style of the characters Pepper Ann or Madeleine. The title of this Italian production (La freccia azzurra or The Blue Arrow) refers to a train that is one of the toys in the ensemble that ventures out of La Befana toy store to deliver themselves to their intended children after Granny Rose (Mary Tyler Moore) has been discomfited by the dastardly Mr. Grimm (Tony Randall). Granny Rose is explained as one of many local helpers of Santa Claus -- delivery subcontractors, as it were. She rides a magic broom. All this is drawn from the Italian (and other nations') Christmas folklore about La Befana, a good witch who delivers presents to children on January 6 (the 12th day of Christmas and traditionally the feast of the Christ Child). The story is attractively drawn and told, with creative touches such as panning and zooming, not to mention a scene where colored pencils draw and animate their artwork interactively. The story involves a number of minor characters in a small town, though some toys and characters speak and act cartoonishly or stereotypically. The show is mildly and pleasantly entertaining with a few original musical numbers about how the magic of Christmas is giving. I acquired a videocassette of this show through interlibrary loan since neither Netflix or Blockbuster list it. 3.5 stars.

The Rosary for Little Children (2005)

Ms. Naimo playfully, musically, and reverently presents the purpose of the rosary in a show more like a Miss Rogers Neighborhood for Catholic kids than Barney the Dinosaur for video-weaned munchkins (thank God). There's nothing wrong (esp. to children) with praying for healthy babies' birth: People have done it universally for thousands of years (until the last 35 years anyway). It is a bit distracting to pray while a scene focuses on a fetus in utero, however, if only because all other scenes are of children or infants or adults. The program feels a bit scripted (since it is) but it succeeds and I'm glad to see a disc like this for kids. 3 stars.

Mother Teresa: Seeing the Face of Jesus (1998)

A beautifully illustrated, well-narrated, detailed children's storybook biography of Mother Theresa of Calcutta, from birth to death. The pastel colors are very attractive and her story is told quite accessibly. 4.5 stars.

VeggieTales: Dance of the Cucumber (2006)

OK, I'll admit it: Cute...! I've stayed away from VeggieTales for years because of the schmaltz factor and only dipped my toe in the waters by viewing a few discs over the past year. I recognized from the start that VeggieTales (1) has fine production values (animation, musical composition, editing, voice talent) and (2) is never going to get less schmaltzy (campy, obnoxiously funny, you get the idea). Oh well, I'll deal with it. Several of Larry's "silly songs" on this disc are cute enough to pass schmaltz, esp. Pizza Angel and Sport Utility Vehicle (an SUV-centered love song that parodies SUV drivers' motivations and trills "we'll slam into 4-wheel drive and pick up a dozen eggs"). The best song of all is the final one, My Day. 3 stars.

Ants in Arthur's Pants (2002)

TV. The Arthur series from PBS presents four episodes on this DVD: Ants in Arthur's Pants (Arthur's ant farm project tests his understanding of the scientific method the hard way), Don't Ask Muffy (Muffy writes an advice column and the episode spoofs Oprah and Dr. Phil), To Tibble the Truth (the Tibble twins learn telling the truth "works" better than lying), and Waiting to Go (Brain and Binky explore the nature of time as they wait for their after-soccer rides home). Arthur is a lighthearted show with real creativity and lessons for kids. In addition, every program and disc includes a segment from "us kids" where real children in real classrooms address a creative or scientific question and present their explorations and discoveries in their own words. This is a great program to showcase normal and healthy human interaction and maturity for children age 8 and younger. Netflix does not stock this title. 4.5 stars.

Goya in Bordeaux (2000)

Goya in Bordeaux is Amadeus meets Girl with a Pearl Earring -- in a dark alley. It's a textured art film about the life of Francisco Goya, who painted grotesques, massacres, and nightmares. (I've loved his work since high school. According to Andre Malroux, "After Goya modern painting begins.") The film opens in a bloody slaughterhouse then begins playing cinematic pattycake with time and space, passing between Goya in his death bed and in his prime. (At one point the two versions of Goya speak with each other.) Admittedly the narrative develops at half the speed of Lost in Translation and fails to focus fully on either his art or his personal life, so we get half as much as we'd like from each. The costuming and soundtrack are exceptional (think Dangerous Liaisons with flamenco) and the married Goya's love for the Duchess of Alba is noteworthy. (Maribel Verdu is a vision, esp. nude.) The battle scenes near the end feel plodding and posed, and we would have been better served with more than a few in-situ recreations of Goya's paintings of grotesque suffering in the political climate of his day (when he laments that literacy is resisted because the powers that be retain their position through calumny and manipulation). I sought this movie out on videocassette because Netflix has not stocked it in some time. 4.5 stars.

Little Nemo: Adventures in Slumberland (1992)

Little Nemo: Adventures in Slumberland is In the Night Kitchen meets Spirited Away. It's an animated delight with a belle-epoque to art-deco feel, a largely Japanese production of the most famous work of turn-of-the-century illustrator Winsor McCay, who influenced Maurice Sendak and others. Nemo is a child who loves trains and airships and is invited to visit and to rule Slumberland as heir prince. He is given two powerful tokens of his future reign and makes a promise of responsibility to the king. Trouble ensues and he bravely pursues making things right. The story itself is quite creative and the scenes convey a somnambulistic quality, particularly when Nemo is astride his flying bed -- that is, where the line between dream and reality is, neither Nemo knows nor do we. Mickey Rooney is excellent as Flip the scamp (who resembles a hobo version of Jiggs in the comic strip). Other voice, music, and writing talents involved include Rene Auberjonois, June Foray, Melissa Manchester, and Ray Bradbury. Nightmarish scenes and an intense train-chase scene at the beginning may be too much for children under age 8, but this show should captivate anyone with a lively imagination and a receptive mind. I acquired it through interlibrary loan on videocassette since a DVD is apparently not yet available. 4.5 stars.

Frosty's Winter Wonderland / 'Twas the Night Before Christmas (1974)

This third Frosty cartoon (narrated by Andy Griffith) isn't as good as the first two, Frosty the Snowman (narrated by Jimmy Durante) and Frosty Returns (narrated by Jonathan Winters). You'll like it but I realized this is mainly because of all the music and themes it lifts from the previous two shows. Basically, a jealous Jack Frost keeps trying to steal Frosty's magical hat and Frosty gets a snowwife (who needs a magical hat of her own). Lame programs typically pull plot devices out of their hat, but in this tale of musical hats, it's hats that are being pulled out from -- I don't know where. I give Frosty's Winter Wonderland 2.5 stars. On the other hand, 'Twas the Night Before Christmas is a season's classic that will never be forgotten, with Rankin-Bass animation and voice talent that's a delight. Added to the classic Clement Moore poem, it's the story of a clockmaker's human family and a sublet mouse family and how they help reconcile Santa with Junctiontown after the publication of a grinchlike anti-Santa letter in the town paper. 4 stars.

Enchanted (2007)

Enchanted is superb! It will not only please anyone who has ever enjoyed a Disney movie but it will please anyone who has ever hated a Disney movie (so long as you can stand the saccharine). Enchanted turns Snow White, Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty and every other chirpy-damsel-in-distress movie on its ear as it up-ends the animated world of the prince and his true love and dumps them into real-life New York City. Talk about fish out of water! Amy Adams as Giselle never lets up on the lilt and the song and the hope in her voice -- she's a gem of Disney princess-to-be perkiness. James Marsden is Prince Edward, noble and fey (not foppish and gay like Chris Sarandon as Prince Humperdinck in The Princess Bride). Susan Sarandon is killer as the evil Queen Narissa. The special effects and soundtrack are excellent too. One of my viewing companions said "This is the perfect movie for preteen girls!" -- and it is -- but any male or female of any age will enjoy this film -- provided you enjoy fairy tales, or else excellent parodies of them. 5 stars.

Motorama (1991)

Motorama is an ethereal story set in a landscape of earthly if solitary beauty, reminiscent of An Occurence at Owl Creek Bridge meets Thelma and Louise but also unlike anything you've ever seen. (The only thing I've run across that comes close is a Star Trek: Voyager episode ten years later where an immortal member of the Q continuum wants to leave by suicide and explains that alternate universe by depicting a cryptic scene very much like most of the desert-road, gas-station, and wayside-diner vignettes in Motorama.) Child star Jordan Christopher Michael precedes Joel Haley Osment by five years and sustains the entire quirky narrative quite well as the resourceful ten-year-old Gus, who leaves a dangerous family situation by driving a red Ford Mustang cross-country on a quest to play and win a retro gas-station game called Motorama. I enjoy how matter-of-factly most adults accept a small boy driving a car cross-country (while Gus tells a child who asks him to play "Get lost, kid"), and how Gus scams, escapes, or endures the many scrapes he encounters. I esp. like John Diehl (Gordon Liddy in Nixon) as Phil, the gas-station attendant who stands by the highway flying a kite towards God, and Robert Picardo as a policeman. Pay attention to the details of each state as Gus travels: Bergen (the Long State), Exeter (the Last State), etc. Last of all, think about the story, because it's a lot deeper than it looks on the surface. (By the way, I found this movie in a manner as quirky as the film itself: I grabbed a Blockbuster video case under the display of a sci-fi movie I had missed, got home to find it was a case for some slasher movie, opened it up and found Motorama. What a serendipitous pleasure!) Rated R for four-letter language and one quick back-seat tussling scene. [6/2/05 updated 8/17/05 and 12/9/07] 4.5 stars.

Cadfael: The Holy Thief (1998)

TV. Think of the Cadfael detective series as CSI: Shrewsbury, A.D. 1137-1145. Think of it as The Name of the Rose: Medieval Victims Unit. Think of it as 221B Baker Abbey. Think of it as the original Monk. I was greatly interested in viewing this series as soon as I discovered it through Netflix. After all, it has monks, abbeys, Latin, plainchant, compline, tonsures a modern hair stylist would censure -- it was after all the Middle Ages, where every day was a bad hair day, esp. if you had taken vows of celibacy. Did I mention monks and Latin? What's not to love? Cadfael (Derek Jacobi) is an herbalist with a penchant for chemistry and an ad hoc detective who essentially doesn't buy the powers-that-be's post hoc ergo propter hoc presumptions of criminal acts, so he figures out who really dunnit and helps negotiate a humanitarian, feel-good ending. The Holy Thief episode (set in A.D. 1143) sees Cadfael stick to the case and save the life of the presumed murderer, a young novice monk, and the beautiful servant woman to whom he has taken a shine. (If this case is any indication, I will make two predictions about the remaining episodes: First, the murderer is not one of the abbey's monks, or whoever is first accused, but will turn out to be some Machiavellian overlord or his henchman acting with guile and subterfuge. Second, young novices are going to conveniently forget their solemn vows and run off to start a happy new life with the first beautiful woman who falls in love with them.) This series has PBS written all over it -- literally and gestaltwise -- but it's charming and just might possibly do half as much for monks as Columbo and The Sopranos did for Italians. 3.5 stars.

Bringing Out the Dead (1999)

Bringing Out the Dead is a wild ride along the edge of a nervous breakdown. Frank (Nicolas Cage) is an ambulance driver who can't sleep because the persons he hasn't been able to save come back to haunt him and talk to him. John Goodman and Ving Rhames are two jaded shift partners but Tom Sizemore is an amped-up wack job eager for blood -- he's even willing to pick a fight and cause some of it himself. The photography and psychological torsion of this film are amazing; kudos to Martin Scorsese! The real drama is in the line between Frank's haggard grip on life and how he's losing it but he develops a platonic love interest with Patricia Arquette that forms a haven of comfort for both. This movie is reminiscent of City of Angels, Angel Eyes, The Sixth Sense, and (probably, since I haven't seen it yet) Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. It's a keeper! 5 stars.

The Squid and the Whale (2005)

The Squid and the Whale is The Misadventures of Margaret meets Ordinary People (sort of). Everyone's acting is very good (esp. Jeff Daniels channeling John Hurt as a bushy-faced, pedantic English professor) but I wish the moral of the story (squid and whale locked in mortal combat) had been less subtle; the ending is kind of weak. (I blinked and almost missed it.) This is basically the riveting and painful chronicle of a couple's divorce and how to do it all wrong -- parents promoting their priggish and selfish agendas and conflicting their two sons by involving them in everything they should not even know about. Particularly ironic is how the clueless, self-important father advises his oldest son to "play the field" sexually because he wished he had done so at that age. Last but not least, the youngest son clearly has emotional problems (swearing and drinking and acting out sexually in public -- eww!) that are never addressed. This movie makes me even more squeamish than In the Company of Men because adults who should know better do nothing and allow their sons to begin their careen down the same ill-begotten path. It's a movie that will stick with you and make you think. Maybe if we had more movies that so authentically showed the psychological destruction of divorce, we'd have less of it and more couples working harder at their marriage than pretending they did so they can seek their lost adolescence. I'd award 4 stars for the acting but I mark it down for the eww! factor. 3.5 stars.

Il natale che quasi non fu (The Christmas That Almost Wasn't) (1966)

The Christmas That Almost Wasn't is pretty much Miracle on 34th Street meets Nestor the Long-Eared Christmas Donkey. This movie did not jump start the spaghetti Christmas special (in the way Sergio Leone launched the spaghetti Western). This Italian-made Christmas classic (mouthed and dubbed in English) tries very hard and has its moments but nostalgia is about all it has going for it. Most of its players never worked again. Paul Tripp wrote and stars as a wonderfully twinkle-eyed, Bing Crosby-like Christmas lover who steps in to help Santa Claus in a pinch. Director Rossano Brazzi leads as the beetle-browed villain, Phineas T. Prune, and his wife Lydia Brazzi plays phlegmatic Mrs. Claus. Italian veteran Alberto Rabagliati, who began his career in 1928 and ended it with this film, plays the Bearded One himself. A crew of little people play elves, Mischa Auer mawkishly plays the elves' foreman, and John Karlsen deliciously plays Prune's Skeksis-like butler Blossom. It's just that the story, acting, editing, musical score, and musical performances all struggle to show life and mostly limp instead. It's like a coarse woolen shawl interwoven with occasional bits of glitter. (Netflix doesn't list it so I got it through Blockbuster.) It's a sweet story though so I give it 2.5 stars.

Gattaca (1997)

Wow! I had heard high praise for Gattaca. Now that I've finally seen it, I'd say it's a muscular marvel of science-fiction prescience, clairvoyance, and poignancy. Gattaca is The Minority Report meets Code 46 -- except Gattaca predated those films by 6-7 years. Gattaca is named for the human genome -- our DNA contains the amino acids guanine, adenine, thymine, and cytosine -- and for the genetic engineering and space exploration corporation that industrialized the human gene pool, institutionalizing a scientifically justified and pervasive form of discrimination against those who were not born through genetic design. (They become janitors, not astronauts.) It is a society based completely on genetic control -- the most ultimate form of control, among the many evident in this taut and austere film. (Forget the ID badge, EZ-TAG, FICO credit score, and surveillance camera; your proof of identity -- and access to all societal amenities -- is *you*, as tiny bits of your DNA are sampled and tracked everywhere you turn.) Some have complained that Gattaca is too rigid or formulaic but I see it as a perfectly crafted minuet of totalitarian angst. In short, when every skin flake or eyelash fallen from your body can be and is freely collected and analyzed by employers and crime-scene investigators alike, you have to be very bright and disciplined to get around the system. Ethan Hawke's character is that man -- and more. Jude Law is his similarly determined though less mobile accomplice. Uma Thurman is an eventual love interest who discovers his secret. We also have some nice appearances from Ernest Borgnine, Tony Shalhoub, and Alan Arkin. Gattaca is as good as Contact. If you're not concerned about the future -- as in, this very thing actually happening within a decade or so -- then don't see Gattaca. If you care about the pitfalls of life in a technological society and have a social conscience, see it; buy it; own it. I sure will. 5 stars.

In the Company of Men (1997)

In the Company of Men is The Good Father meets The Business of Strangers. It's a taut, aggravating psychological drama that showcases what some men as well as some women of small social conscience do in the real world to the opposite gender all the time: the dating and dumping game. (Watch any Sex and the City episode to see how a given man or woman will scurry to be the first to do the dumping -- because 'tis better to dump than to be dumped.) What's infuriating about the 30-ish fratboy lead character, Chad (Aaron Eckhart), is that he deliberately and maliciously chooses to date and dump an innocent and vulnerable woman -- just for spite -- and talks his nebbish college-chum co-worker (Matt Malloy) into playing along, turning his dirty trick into a competitive sport to boot. Just as Anthony Hopkins in The Good Father misogynistically growled at Jim Broadbent "You have to jerk their chain!" here Aaron Eckhart murmurs "You can't give up control!" Stacy Edwards is their attractive victim, channeling Marlee Matlin to play a deaf woman who can read lips and use her "deaf voice." (For those not familiar with deaf culture -- and Chad is bilious about her speech impediment -- she is not "deaf-mute," merely deaf. Stacy Edwards evinces a beautiful voice and personality, convincingly portraying a deaf woman and readily reflecting many of the compassionate qualities so commonly found in deaf persons who have raised themselves to parity in the hearing culture. As a comic treat that will resonate with the deaf, Matt Malloy's character clearly is pleased with himself for learning two three-word phrases in American Sign Language -- and no, one of them is not "I love you.") The movie's ending wields a double twist that will make it unmistakable that Chad is not just a cad, he is a sociopath and a very bad man. In the end, even a nice woman will pass over a nice guy because the Machiavellian guy simply does "whatever it takes" to "get the girl." Do women really want a "nice guy" -- or an "effective guy," a "manly man" (even if he is a jerk)? I am worried about the reviewers who think this movie is hilarious! If you have a heart, this movie will make you think as well as feel angry -- but that's better than feeding us pablum or sweetness and light. This movie draws a line in the sand and makes you glad you're on the right side of it. After all, there but for the grace of God goes anyone. 4.5 stars.

Arthur Cracks the Case (2003)

TV. Along with Wishbone and Reading Rainbow, I always loved the Arthur programs on PBS when my boys were young. I still love them all -- Arthur is just as pleasant and entertaining as ever! The theme song "Hey (What A Wonderful Kind of Day)!" sung by Ziggy Marley is a classic feel-good tune that I never want to get out of my head, and of course it has a great message for kids. This disc has three Arthur episodes: D.W.'s Snow Mystery (what happened to the snowball that Arthur's kid sister stored in the freezer for safekeeping?), Arthur's Mystery Envelope (Arthur worries about what's in the sealed envelope the principal gave him for his mother), and Finders Key-pers (Arthur, Brain, and Binky find a mysterious key and debate what it's for and how to share it). Besides its creative characters, each with their own personalities and stories, one particularly whimsical aspect of the Arthur programs is how its characters will often explain how they remember or imagine an incident (such as the seven reenacted versions of who opened the freezer before D.W.'s snowball was last seen) but with subtle differences inimical to their personalities and motivations. At 40 minutes per disc rental, Arthur episodes are like popcorn shrimp, though I'll borrow as many as possible from the library to save on mailbox turnaround time. Kids through ages 8-10 will love Arthur and so will you, if you have any kid left in you! 4.5 stars.

The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)

The Nightmare Before Christmas is a classic work of creative genius from the twisted mind of Tim Burton that's become a perennial holiday favorite for many. The script, the animation, and the music are near-perfect and will appeal to all who can perceive the humor and the positive message inimical to this danse macabre. Jack Skellington, the skeletal Pumpkin King, is the acknowledged scaremaster of Halloween Town but he begins to wonder if there's something more. He stumbles onto Christmas Town and discovers delight in the Christmas lights, preparations, and festive anticipation. He tries to analyze the trappings of Christmas in the laboratory -- but science alone can't isolate the meaning of Christmas. He decides to investigate for himself and to take direct action but his plans go awry. With help from the ghoulish but plucky Sally, Jack returns to make everything right. This show is a truly unique gem in the creative firmament. The stop-motion animation, choreography, musical score, and vocal performances are unmatched en ensemble. The child in each viewer should be able to look beyond the ghoulishness of Halloween Town's denizens to see the humor and whimsy that's evident in every word, song, and gesture. (The mayor has two faces, for example, and he uses them a lot with perfect timing.) One could even argue that the dead vs. living metaphor is an allegory for Jack's spiritual quest to find the joy that lies on the other side of the grave. Finally, here is a movie that is deep enough in visual and narrative texture to be more than puff and fluff. And Danny Elfman's musical genius certainly slathers the frosting on the cake. Enjoy! 5 stars.

A Wobot's Christmas (2003)

A Wobot's Christmas is Jimmy Neutron meets Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer for its misfits-save-Christmas theme (and a lot of borrowing from Jimmy Neutron and Star Wars). Despite its acceptable but sub-videogame-grade computer-graphics modeling and rendering, I promptly became a fan of this show for its choreography, characters, and musical composition. Even though the production has a leisurely feel (perhaps largely drawn on the protagonist Zak's ho-hum-for-Christmas gestalt -- he looks like he's on Prozac, even in chase scenes), every character has personality and speaks (or sings) and moves smartly, both independently and in conjunction with others. Even though Zak teams up with more than a half-dozen robot rejects to defeat the bad guy, each robot is distinctive enough in personality and heroic actions for viewers to keep them straight and enjoy their schtick. This show is full of much more than the usual amount of inventive, quotable, and funny dialog. The Christmas message is minimized but authentically presented, depicting the Baby Jesus in the manger and stating that he would "change the world." This show is not listed on Netflix or even on IMDB -- just Blockbuster -- but it can be found for purchase online. I'd suggest faith-based retail outlets too since at least two members of the Gaither family were involved in its production. I, for one, intend to get my own copy. 4 stars.

Black Books: Series 2 (2001)

TV. Hm, *not* as original or as funny as Monty Python or Seinfeld but definitely as funny as Will Ferrell on any given day. And Dylan Moran as Bernard Black does not *shine* exactly -- it's more of a scruffy, muzzy, *smear* really -- if you don't mind the smell. (Warning: Do not eat anything this man prepares in the grimy "kitchen" of his open-and-closed ptomaine tavern! And mind the growling critters underfoot and in the pots!) Dylan Moran as the shop owner is as surly as ever. Bill Bailey as his assistant shines even more brightly (esp. in his outright piano playing, however, his underhanded performances are clearly preposterous). Tamsin Greig has lost her shop next door so seems demoted in script attention but still holds her own. Black Books is an affectionately funny show that grows on you because of the chemistry the trio has together but I wouldn't call it hilarious when I can see many of the jokes coming a kilometer away. Have a laugh or two! 3.5 stars.