It's a Meaningful Life

I caught the newest VeggieTale flick last night.  Here's my short review:

Part Wonderful life, part Mr. Destiny, a little Polar Express and all "here's a lesson to learn" fun.

Here's a little more:

• The Wonderful Life stuff is woven all the way through.  Best comic line connection:  "I thought every time a bell rings a customer gets his wings!"
• The Mr. Destiny stuff (does anyone remember that film?  It's much like the more recent The Family Man) connection replaces a baseball game with a football game.
• There's a magic train -- so it's got to remind you of Polar Express, right?
• There's definitely a lesson learned about being content, yet it doesn't feel completely forced.  Sure, there's a wrap up, but I like that VeggieTales still doesn't take itself too seriously. This episode isn't the best one yet, but it's pretty good.
• Try to hold on for an extra minute with "Bedtime Songs with Junior."  It gets better.

Coming Spring 2011 - The 27th Annual Crisper County Easter Pageant?  It sounds like a Mickey Rooney/Judy Garland homage.

VeggieTales - Saint Nicholas: A Story of Joyful Giving

I've now watched the newest Bob and Larry Christmas story a couple of times. Here's my short review:

A gentle and entertaining explanation of the beginning of Santa filled with a message of giving and several laugh out loud moments.

Here's a little more

• The VeggieFolk don't reveal anything that will makes kids cry -- but some older children will probably ask their parents a few questions after watching this video.
• Octavius' (Mr Lunt) costumes are hilarious! Robin? Wonder Woman? Robin Hood! Genius!
• Larry's attempts to make things more "Christmas-ey" in the story made me think of folks who want to boycott stores who don't use 'Christmas' in their advertising. Note to those folks: You've lost your compass.
• The dog and donut song? Silly and fun, but . . . meh
  
• This is a great video for teaching and showing the two rules: Love God -- Love everyone.

I'm looking forward to next year's "Pistachio" A veggie twist on the original 1883 Pinocchio story by Carlo Collodi.

Happy St. Paddy's Day!

The Big Idea folks describe this video as "(mostly) educational and (somewhat) historical"

Jelly Telly

Phil Vischer's opening a new web portal for children.
And here's Phil to tell you about it!

Tomato Sawyer & Huclkeberry Larry's Big River Rescue

I watched the newest VeggieTale adventure last night. (I know - it's for kids -- but there's so much in these adventures for adults to laugh at too!) Here's my short review:

Pretty standard VeggieTale fun.

Here's a bit more -- mostly little things that adults will notice more than children will.

I noticed quite a few intentional or unintentional references or homages to the following: (Can you find them too?)

• Cheers
• All My Children
• Monty Python
• Brokeback Mountain (I'm thinking unintentional on this one)
• VeggieTales – The Gourds Must Be Crazy
• Gunsmoke (maybe?)
• The Wizard of Oz (just a little)
• The Dukes of Hazzard
• The Dark Knight (the LarryBoy way)
• Keystone Cops/Melodrama

There's a train from Muscatine to Lombard?
Watch the end crowd scene to find some favorite Veggie characters from the past

The Silly song this time . . . It's OK -- but I don't think it'll be one I sing for no apparent reason.

Looking forward to the next one . . .

The Pirates Who Don't Do Anything

I've been following Big Idea since the spare-room production of the first VeggieTales video back in 1993 (I actually found it in early 1994 in the bargain bin) This morning I caught the newest VeggieTale movie. Here's my short review:

A fun, inspiring but a little slow moving children's film that really gets going near the end.

Here's a little more:

• Nice digital sets, vivid colors and characters. They don't of course, have the depth of "supposed to look real" cgi characters -- but they look wonderfully 'cartoony.'
• Though there is no overt religious content in this one, excellent Bible themes and even easy-to-recognize Christian symbolism is all over the place. If you're not looking for it you'd likely miss it, though.
• If this movie was shorter, I think it would have been better.
• Be sure to stay to the end -- before and after the credits -- for what I think is the best part of the movie.
• I think the Christian reviewers will love this movie and the secular reviewers will think it's cute, but not great.

I thought of several other movies or TV shows that may have been part of the inspiration for this one. See if you can find references or reminders of these films in TPWDDA:

• Pirates of the Caribbean (any of them)
• The Adventures of Baron Munchausen
• The Golden Compass
• Journey to the Center of the Earth
• Lost
• The Wizard of Oz
• Attack of the Killer Tomatoes
• Oh Brother, Where Art Thou?
• Shrek
• Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure
• Terminator 2 - Judgment Day
• Lord of the Rings (any of the films)
• Criss Angel Mindfreak

I think kids 3-8 will be the best audience for this movie.

Saturday Morning Veggies

VeggieTales is coming to NBC! (And Telemundo and Ion too) Phil Vischer, the former head tomato for Big Idea Productions, has made the announcement. Classic Media, the current owner of VeggieTales -- and all of Big Idea, inc (Notice the slight name change?) is going to be providing the Saturday morning kids programming beginning September 9. And VeggieTales (and 3-2-1 Penguins too) are scheduled to be part of the mix! Phil wrote an article yesterday explaining how his new company, Jellyfish, and others are involved. You can read about it on his website --
Here's the short gist from Phil:

. . . we've had a whole lot of fun creating a new hosting concept for the shows, including a new TV theme song and some wacky running jokes and gags. Instead of the kitchen counter top, we now go over to Bob's house. Larry joins in, and several of Bob's 'neighbors' (including Mr. Lunt, Archibald and Pa Grape), show up uninvited to bask in the glow of real TV exposure. Everyone knows their on TV, so they're all doing their best to get the attention of… well, whomever. Simon Cowell, I think. Of course, as is always the case, results are mixed, but rather silly.

I already found it and got a season pass for it on TIVO.