VeggieTales: King George and the Ducky (2000)

King George and the Ducky is a disarmingly cute and harmless half-hour morsel of VeggieTales fun. I really liked its whimsy and innocent charm and I think your tykes will love it too. (Disclaimer: I say this only 3.5 years after I was dragged into watching VeggieTales for the first time so you can trust me when I say it's sweeter and less zany than most.) Sure, it has the same lumpen, cloying, schmaltzy polka intro -- "VeggieTales" (repeat many times to the accompaniment of accordion and tuba) -- but the story is a real chuckle-inducer. First, two squashes masquerade as Bob the Tomato and Larry the Cucumber in hopes of hosting a show. They finally are given a chance but it doesn't work out so the program proceeds normally. The story of King George is about sharing -- a frequent if understated VeggieTales theme where, as with all good art, the moral is subordinate to the entertainment. You really have to respect the production values and creativity behind VeggieTales, from each character voice to how vegetables without limbs are drawn holding swords and playing musical instruments. VeggieTales has a captivating magic as a series and the King George disc is an excellent example. (In retrospect, introducing me to VeggieTales through the Lord of the Beans, Sheerluck Holmes, and Autotainment discs was not the best way to win me over.) [Note: This disc has been a Save title here on our favorite service for years. I encourage the use of a Save-only queue as the sole method of eventually renting a given postrelease Save title since you will never receive a Save title so long as there is one Add title in your queue. However, when a Save disc can be obtained from the public library or through a competing service, I will do so in order to devote my Save-only queues to those titles that can only be acquired here.] Enjoy! 4.5 stars.