It's Not Quite Pitch Perfect, But Still An Enjoyable Movie

My friend Libbie and I have watched GLEE together many times, so the 2012 movie Pitch Perfect seemed like a natural movie choice for a recent girls’ night in. This Jason Moore-directed comedy based on the book by Mickey Rapkin is set on the campus of a college where some of the students take music very seriously. The primary focus is on the Bellas, a girls’ a cappella group struggling to rebound from a disastrous national performance the year before.

While the movie zeroes in on various students at different points, the central character is rebellious freshman Beca (Anna Kendrick), who dreams of being a music producer. It takes a lot of persuasion to get her to join the group, but once she does, she becomes a major source of energy and innovation, much to the displeasure of controlling group leader Aubrey (Anna Camp), whose mishap necessitated a fresh approach this year.

Brittany Snow is quite charming as Aubrey’s best friend Chloe, the only other returning Bella and the one who quickly recognizes Beca’s skill as a vocalist. Easily the sweetest of the bunch, she is much easier to take than Aubrey, whose obnoxious attitude usually cancels out sympathy for her unfortunate tendency to throw up when nervous. This running gag is probably my least favorite aspect of the movie, since they go to great pains to make the barf as absurdly exaggerated as possible, a la Airplane. The result is too gross to be funny, at least to me.

While none of the other humor is that grotesque, I did find a lot of it too low-brow or catty to really make me laugh, but there are some genuinely funny moments, particularly involving Australian breakout star Rebel Wilson as self-assured vocalist Fat Amy and Hana Mae Lee as the quiet, creepy Lilly. The film also has some sweet moments of blossoming friendship among fellow outcasts, as well as the slow-building romance between Beca and movie enthusiast Jesse (Skylar Astin), whose uber-geeky roommate Benji (Ben Platt), avid magician and collector of Star Wars memorabilia, is probably my favorite character in the movie.

Of course, given the theme of the movie, there’s a lot of singing here, and most of it is quite good despite the fact that there are a couple of songs we hear ad nauseam. A rivalry between the Bellas and the all-male Treblemakers, of which Jesse is a part, adds drama to the movie, and it’s fun to hear the arrangements that they come up with. As a penner of filksong lyrics, I was also fascinated to hear Beca discuss the process of creating mash-ups, which similarly involves finding the common ground between two seemingly unrelated things and fusing them together. In the case of mash-ups, both song theme and chord progressions come into play, often with very creative and pleasing results.

A cappella music and choral groups in general have experienced increased popularity in recent years thanks to shows like GLEE and groups like Straight No Chaser, and those who get a kick out of those tight-knit harmonies might want to give this movie a try, though they should be warned that much of the comedy is crude, albeit only at a PG-13 level. Additionally, it definitely feels informed by GLEE, but it’s hard to say whether it spends more time celebrating or mocking the spirit of that show. There’s certainly a tongue-in-cheek tone to the movie, but at its most earnest, it demonstrates the power of music to unite even the most different of individuals.

A Naive Teen Becomes Schooled in Dance and Romance in Dirty Dancing

A couple months ago, I watched the remake of Footloose, which inspired in me the desire to see the original movie, along with Dirty Dancing. While I still have yet to witness Kevin Bacon tripping the light fantastic, I can now check Dirty Dancing off my list of must-see movies.

As I started to watch this the other day, I was surprised at the setting. Considering that this is a quintessential 80s movie, I assumed it took place in that decade, but it’s actually set in the 1963, which upped the appeal for me. The soundtrack is filled with familiar oldies, and the naivety of the main character reflects a more innocent time, though some of the circumstances she encounters remain prickly to this day.

That main character is Baby, portrayed by Jennifer Grey with timidity that blossoms into self-assurance. Baby is a sheltered rich girl who worships her father, a genteel doctor played by Jerry Orbach. Unlike her vapid sister Lisa (Jane Brucker), Baby is a globally-minded intellectual, and her dreams include getting an Ivy League education and joining the Peace Corps. However, when her family takes a long vacation at a picturesque resort in the Catskills, her focus shifts as she becomes entranced with a tough-talking dance instructor named Johnny (Patrick Swayze).

This is a coming-of-age story, and it’s hard to say who is more surprised at the metamorphosis Baby undergoes, her father or Baby herself. Far from a natural dancer, she initially stands in awe of Johnny and his dance partner, Penny (Cynthia Rhodes), whose skill on the dance floor masks an otherwise troubled life. While Penny is initially snide and dismissive toward this visitor, a grudging respect develops as Penny is forced to forgo her role and Johnny trains Baby as his replacement partner for a big upcoming performance. As in Karate Kid, Rocky and many other movies about novices training for an important event, we see Baby’s clumsiness gradually give way to grace, with plenty of amusing missteps.

As much as the story is about Baby gaining the ability to dance a complex routine, it’s equally about her walking the tightrope between childhood and adulthood and redefining her father’s role in her life. A terrible tension develops between them as she deceives him and he struggles with her romantic involvement with a man well into adulthood. Orbach does a masterful job of conveying the pain of this adjustment in a way that allows us to sympathize with father and daughter alike.

Of course, a lot of the movie’s popularity lies in the visual spectacle of dance in its various forms, the more intimate the better. Swayze and Grey have excellent chemistry, with him taking the lead but her confidence growing with each subsequent practice until they’re finally ready to strut their stuff before a slack-jawed audience. It’s a sweet but steamy tale of romance born of a shared passion. However, even if you take that out of the equation, it carries the encouraging message that no matter how hopeless you think you are, if you work at something hard enough, you’ll probably be surprised at how much you can accomplish.

The Muppets: "Life's a Happy Song When There's Someone By Your Side to Sing Along"

Just about every year, it seems that there is one movie that I anticipate above all others. While 2011 had many promising candidates – including my beloved Winnie the Pooh and Harry Potter facing off against each other in the middle of summer – there was one film that had me aquiver with excitement from the time I first heard rumors of its release. Of course, it helped that it had the cleverest, most persistent ad campaign of any movie I can recall, expertly spoofing multiple genres while demonstrating its ability to appeal to a broad audience. I’m speaking, naturally, of The Muppets, the James Bobin-directed movie that launches Kermit the Frog and all his felt friends onto the big screen for the first time in more than a decade. While television specials and viral videos have helped them maintain a presence in recent years, The Muppets feels like a joyous return to the glory days of those madcap mischief-makers whose merriment brought mirth to millions.

It takes a special kind of person to get the Muppets in such a visceral way as to be able to revive them for a cynical generation. When I heard that Jason Segel was not just starring but actually co-writing the screenplay, I thought, “You know, this could be a very good thing.” While some of his recent projects have had a decidedly off-color streak, I will always recall Segel first as sweetly goofy aspiring drummer Nick Andopolis on the sadly short-lived high school dramedy Freaks and Geeks, and the endearing idealism he brought to that character seems a perfect fit for Jim Henson’s relentlessly positive creations. Together with Nicholas Stoller, he crafted a screenplay as innocent as it is exuberant – a movie that dares to demonstrate that there is room in this world for hope, togetherness and splashy musical numbers… and maybe an ill-timed explosion or two.

Segel plays Gary, a lovable grown-up kid who still shares a house with his little brother, his best friend. The brotherly affection between Gary and Walter, earnestly voiced by Peter Linz, is so genuine that it never feels weird that one is a man and one is a Muppet. In fact, it hearkens back to the peculiar brotherhood between Kermit and Fozzie Bear in The Great Muppet Caper. These are characters who have always transcended the traditional boundaries of family. Still, living in a tiny town surrounded by humans, Walter feels out of place, even with the world’s most supportive big brother looking out for him. His discovery of the Muppets as a child quickly bloomed into an obsession, a dream of a different destiny. Now, years later, Walter is childlike as ever and about to achieve a lifelong dream. But what kind of growing up will be required for him to take that all-important step?

Walter is truly the heart of the movie, a representation of those devoted fans for whom the luster of the Muppets has never dimmed. Like Kermit in The Muppet Movie, he is a dreamer in search of a connection, but because The Muppet Show pointed the way for him, he knows just where to find it. It’s a story of self-discovery, of letting go and reconnecting, and all those who ever laughed until they cried over Gonzo’s cannon-shot chickens and Fozzie’s groan-worthy jokes will understand the euphoria emblazoned on Walter’s flexible face as his heroes gradually gather for a raucous reunion.

These are the viewers who will best appreciate all of the in-jokes and the cameos from lesser-known Muppets, to say nothing of the wistfully funny situations in which the main players find themselves. The newly initiated, meanwhile, can have fun pointing out all the human celebrities, from contemporary child stars Selena Gomez and Modern Family’s Rico Rodriguez to elder statesmen Mickey Rooney and Alan Arkin. Jack Black gets more screen time than most as Animal’s disgruntled anger management sponsor, and I’m sure I’m not the only one who geeked out over the revelation of who Walter would look like if he were human.

Then, of course, a menacing Chris Cooper is the oil baron darkly commiserating with his paltry band of sycophants as the fate of the Muppet Studio Theatre hangs in balance, while Amy Adams brings her usual brand of sunshine with a spritzer of vulnerability to Mary, a hands-on teacher so beloved by her students they dread spring break but unable to secure a commitment from the man she’s dated for a decade. Like Segel, she seems a perfect fit for the Muppets’ harmonious mayhem.

Speaking of harmonies, there are some great ones in this movie that features several original songs written by Bret McKenzie, one-half of the brilliantly batty New Zealand folk-comedy duo Flight of the Conchords. His style meshes marvelously with the Muppets’ fine fusion of silliness and warmth, with the two standouts the soul-searching duet between the brothers and the lavish group number we hear at both the beginning and end of the movie. Beyond that, we get classic Muppet fare like Rainbow Connection and Mahna Mahna with a new twist or two, along with a few regular radio hits. If I’d had any lingering doubt as to whether they were going to pull this off, I would have relinquished it in sheer delight over the opening montage set to the sprightly strains of a song Paul Simon once performed on Sesame Street.

However, even before the movie started I was grinning over the Toy Story short Small Fry, which pokes fun at poorly conceived kids’ meal toys at fast food restaurants. On a trip to a medieval-themed chicken joint, Buzz Lightyear falls prey to a nefarious plot by a miniature Buzz who has languished too long in the display case. After a romp in the ball pit, Little Buzz makes his way into Bonnie’s backpack to hobnob with Woody and the gang while the real Buzz wanders into a group therapy session for discarded toys led by a militant mermaid voiced by Jane Lynch. Askew versions of beloved characters and a bunch of oddballs finding solace in each other appropriately foreshadows what’s to come in the movie proper.

More than 15 years ago, Pixar established itself as a studio capable of bringing that rare blend of sly wit and wholesome fun that, coupled with a compelling story, makes an ideal family film. The Jim Henson Company has always offered that type of entertainment, so The Muppets is truly a joy from pre-start to finish. While reflecting upon the wonders of the rainbow, a famous frog has postulated, “We know that it’s probably magic.” If we’re talking about the rainbow of marvelous misfits that make up the Muppets, there’s no “probably” about it.

Disney Princesses Celebrate Inner Beauty

One of the most popular sub-groups within the world of Disney characters is the Disney princesses. This is a group that includes Snow White, Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, Ariel, Belle, Jasmine, Pocahontas, Mulan (despite not technically being a princess), Tiana and the brand-new tenth member, Rapunzel, who joins the last three in being a late addition to the group. The Princesses have an extensive line of merchandise, including toys, clothes, calendars, books and videos. I recently watched one of these, Princess Stories Volume Three: Beauty Shines From Within.

Given the title, I was surprised to see that Belle, the protagonist of Beauty and the Beast, does not appear on this DVD. Instead, it focuses upon Ariel, Cinderella and Jasmine. Meanwhile, a game in the bonus features involves Ariel, Jasmine and Mulan. The DVD includes three shorts, each of which can be accessed separately, though I watched them straight through. Each includes an introduction by the starring princess in which she directly addresses the audience while speaking from inside of a magic mirror. These segments veer toward condescending and moralizing, and the quality of animation isn’t quite as good. However, I found two of the three main stories quite enjoyable.

Giggles - In this episode of the Little Mermaid television show, Ariel’s tendency to get the giggles annoys an ornery blowfish who speaks in rhyme and uses his magical powers to cast curses. Consequently, he puts a spell on her that causes avalanches to occur whenever she laughs. What’s more, if she tells anyone of her affliction, the effect will be heightened. This is a fun story, and I especially like the way stodgy Sebastian, who initially also is irritated with Ariel for giggling during class, tries to get the princess to lighten up after he notices her somber demeanor. He even sings a fun song about the joy of laughter. The story builds to a satisfying climax that leads to deeper understanding between Ariel and her antagonist.

Cinderella Story - Cinderella is perhaps the most famous of all fairy tales, so even children who have not seen the Disney movie will probably be familiar with the story in one form or another. Hence, this segment, which is simply a recap of the movie, is likely to bore many kids, especially since it has a stilted quality to it. Cinderella narrates a bit, then a page turns and we see a few seconds of a scene, then she narrates some more. The effect is jarring, and I can see a lot of kids wanting to skip past this one.

Eye of the Beholder - This is an episode of the Aladdin television series featuring recurring villain Mirage, an extraterrestrial sorceress with the power to change other people’s appearances. Somewhat reminiscent of the musical Once On This Island, this is the story that best fits the theme of the video as Mirage makes a wager with Phasir, a blind, benevolent magician, that Aladdin will stop loving Jasmine if she ceases to become beautiful. After Mirage tricks her into using some magical skin cream, Jasmine begins transforming into a snake-like creature. Aladdin joins her, Genie, Abu, Iago and Carpet on a quest to find the mystical antidote that grows on a faraway tree, demonstrating at every turn how wrong Mirage is about the frailties of love.

More tales can be found in the Princess Story Builder Game in the special features. Viewers have the opportunity to pick one of three stories, one set in Agrabah, one in Atlantica and one in Ancient China. At several points in the story, kids can use the remote to indicate which of three choices they would like to have the character make. This then directs the course of the tale, though I’m not sure just how much actually changes as I tried each story only once. The stories also incorporate games that require answering three questions correctly in order to progress to the conclusion. These are fun but also rather tedious because there is so much lag time, and it’s easy to lose patience with it.

While I think that an original story in the place of the Cinderella recap would have made for a more interesting video, the Ariel and Jasmine stories are engaging, and apart from the lag time involved at decision points and game segments, the story builder is a fun game. This DVD could be better, but I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend it to young Disney Princess enthusiasts.

Celtic Thunder Steps Into Yesteryear With the "Musical" Storm

This fall, I learned that Phil Coulter, the songwriter behind so many terrific Celtic Thunder songs, has ceased his association with the group. I was sad to hear that but happy to get one last big dose of their collaboration with Storm, a long-awaited special featuring only music that Coulter composed.

Storm was filmed two years ago in Toronto. Interestingly, three specials – one filmed at the same time but two filmed a year later – came out before it did. I remember reading about the filming back when it happened and have been looking forward to it ever since, but I was frankly starting to wonder a little if it was ever going to be released. Hence, it was a very welcome sight.

Storm is unique among Celtic Thunder projects because it is a musical. I’m not sure I would call it a fully-formed musical; it’s really more a series of archetypes interacting with each other, and there’s no dialogue or narration to connect the songs. Still, there’s enough plot there to make the “musical” designation reasonable and to make watching the DVD particularly fun.

I love the set and costumes, which take us back to an earlier Irish era. My favorite set piece is a sprawling tree in which a couple of the characters perch as they oversee the surrounding land. The basic storyline involves two groups of people in conflict with each other. We have the “civilized” folks who have put down roots in the area and the gypsies who claim this part of the country for their own. As is typical for Celtic Thunder, some choreography is involved, but most of the dancing this time is done by the band of gypsies. Though my mom was greatly annoyed when I referred to their distinct, stylized motions as the “Gypsy Macarena,” I have to admit that it made me a little giggly. It also made me want to study the moves so I can (at least threaten to) show them off at the next wedding reception I attend.

Naturally, the dark, dashing Ryan Kelly is king of the gypsies, and black-haired beauty Caroline Torti plays his sister (though Charley Bird provides the vocals). Paul Byrom is a moony young gentleman seeking true love, and Keith Harkin lies between the two extremes as a highwayman who looks like an elegant man about town but can be just as dangerous as Ryan’s character. George Donaldson plays the chief of the settlement, while Damian McGinty is the “young buck.” Also singled out is Deirdre Shannon as the chief’s daughter. Other musicians, including musical director David Cooke, piper Brendan Monaghan and the multi-talented Neil Byrne, who had not yet begun to be highlighted as a full member of the group, help provide a fuller look and sound.

Because this is a different type of special, we are more immersed in the action on stage than usual. Most Celtic Thunder DVDs include frequent cuts to the audience for reactions, but there are so few of them here that I almost forgot this was filmed in front of a live audience, especially since they are generally so quiet. I’m guessing they were instructed to be so; while all but one of these were new songs, which may have cut down on the participatory aspect of it, I was surprised not to hear more clapping and cheering. The only song to get much of an audible response was Look at Me, the duet between over-confident Damian and Keith, who is trying to offer some romantic advice, which sent many audience members into gales of laughter.

I think it might be a little more accurate to say that Storm is a concept show rather than a musical. These are character-driven songs, but there isn’t a lot of plot to tie it all together. That said, each of the characters undergoes some type of change, and the broader idea is that these disparate groups are going to live among and respect each other rather than being antagonists. Group numbers New Day Dawning and Hail the Hero bookend the show with a sense of satisfaction, but the latter song shows a more nuanced perspective as well as incorporating a very entertaining dance-off.

Ryan and Caroline/Charley team up for Outside Looking In, a dangerous-sounding song about the benefits and drawbacks to living the vagabond life, and Ryan returns for the Midnight Well, which was included on Take Me Home and so feels strangely familiar in the midst of all this new material. This tango-flavored song about a gypsy charming a young maiden away from her village is immediately followed by Caroline/Charley’s seductive Shadows Dancing.

Keith, too, comes across as an outsider in Stand and Deliver, in which he justifies his lifestyle by describing himself in Robin Hood-esque terms. Damian’s When You Are 18 conveys a sense of eager yearning resolve somewhat by the end, when he has decided to actively embrace the opportunities of adulthood. Bringing the two of them together for Look at Me allows Keith’s character to come across as more of a good guy by attempting to mentor Damian’s – though we’re already inclined to be sympathetic because of Deirdre’s The Highwayman, in which she pines for the mysterious fellow who held up her carriage.

Paul is a melancholy dreamer desperately seeking true love in Not the One, and he finds it in Tender Is the Night, a duet with Deirdre, who precedes it with the haunting Harry’s Game. Robustly gruff George sings the zesty Life in the Old Dog Yet toward the beginning and This Was My Life, a mellow reflection of tender gratitude, toward the end. Lagan Love, about dead center in the set, brings the lads together for a moment of thematic unity and gorgeous harmony.

While I like when Celtic Thunder takes on pop standards, I generally prefer songs that feel more connected to traditional roots. This makes a fine companion to Heritage and should certainly satisfy fans concerned that It’s Entertainment and A Celtic Thunder Christmas marked too much of a departure from folk sounds. I wish that Coulter wasn’t cutting ties with Celtic Thunder, but with Storm, we’re treated to the heftiest helping yet of his genius.

Wishing Stars and Pygmy Piglets Make The Wishing Bear a Memorable Pooh Video

Over the years since it was on the air, Disney has released several compilation videos featuring episodes from The New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh. The earliest are from the ten-volume Walt Disney Home Video series of which The Wishing Bear is volume two. This video includes just two stories from the series, both of them full-length episodes for a total of about 45 minutes. Both also happen to be among my favorite episodes in the series, so I’m very glad I happened upon this particular volume at the library sale over the summer.

The Wishing Bear - One quiet wintry night, Christopher Robin (Tim Hoskins) takes Pooh (Jim Cummings) up to his favorite spot in the woods and shows him his very own wishing star. After teaching Pooh the “special wishing rhyme,” he tells the bear to close his eyes and make a wish. Of course, Christopher Robin knew he would wish for honey and came prepared. When a delighted Pooh tries to make more wishes on the spot, Christopher Robin warns that too many wishes could wear the star out but promises he can come back tomorrow. The next day, Pooh lets the secret slip to Piglet, Tigger and Rabbit, and after a valiant struggle to remember the rhyme, he leads them to the star, which goes behind a cloud as soon as they leave. When Pooh sees a shooting star immediately afterward, he is convinced that he wore out the star and sets about to grant his friends’ wishes himself.

This is a great episode for several reasons. It shows the powerful bond that exists between Christopher Robin and Pooh. It’s very funny, with Piglet (John Fiedler), Tigger (Paul Winchell) and Rabbit (Ken Sansom) each struggling with specific issues that lead to many complications for Pooh, whose attempts to remember the rhyme earlier in the episode are also quite amusing. He comes up with some very strange lines, my favorite of which is “Flap like an armadillo.” My biggest laugh-aloud moment comes later in the episode when Piglet asks Pooh, who has just been working on a plan to keep the bugs out of Rabbit’s house, about his strange headgear. Scrambling for an explanation that won’t blow his cover, Pooh tells him that its purpose is to keep sharks away, which of course sends Piglet into a panic. Classic!

However, the best thing about this episode is the determination and ingenuity Pooh shows in seeing to it that his friends get their wishes, or at least an approximation of them. It’s an idea that also turned up on the show during a Christmas episode that found Pooh filling in for Santa Claus after failing to get his letter out in time, but the episodes are distinct enough to keep either one from feeling redundant. It just goes to show what a kind and generous bear Pooh is. Even though so much of what he does is driven by the demands of his rumbly tumbly, ultimately his heart takes precedence.

The Piglet Who Would Be King - Like The Wishing Bear, this is a story about being generous to a friend. However, the circumstances are quite different. In this case, after Pooh gives Piglet a spring he finds on the ground as a “friendship gift,” Rabbit and Tigger tell Piglet that he must reciprocate by giving Pooh the grandest gift of honey imaginable. A small pot will not do; he needs something truly extravagant. After their first honey-collecting attempts go awry, Tigger proposes an audacious idea: undertake a quest to the Land of Milk and Honey, where they will find all the honey they could ever want. As before, Piglet uncomfortably goes along with the plan, and once they get there and find it populated by the Pigglies, who look just like Piglet but are half his size, he becomes more and more distressed. They regard him as their rightful king, a job he is reluctant to accept, but Tigger and Rabbit insist he take the job so they can enjoy its perks. As their selfishness escalates, Piglet must find the courage to truly step into his role as ruler.

Now, this is a very strange episode positing that deep in the Hundred-Acre Wood, or just beyond it, lies a secret civilization of pygmy Piglets resting in the shadow of a volcano. Between Piglet’s house and the Land of Milk and Honey, they come across a hysterical hyena, a monkey marching band led by a burly primate in a sharp red suit and a thick Scandinavian accent, and a herd of stampeding pint-sized elephants. It’s weird, all right. But it’s an excellent episode full of adventure. Tigger and Rabbit even sing an original song, Nothing’s Too Good for a Friend, as they drag Piglet through treacherous paths toward the Land of Milk and Honey.

The question is, what are the true qualities of a friend? Tigger and Rabbit spend this entire episode as Piglet’s dueling advisors, united in their desire to force Piglet into procuring an unusually complicated gift but bickering over every detail along the way. Both of them are extremely bossy, and even when their intentions are good, their way of doing things isn’t the best way for Piglet. Hence, this episode is about Piglet learning how to do like Neville Longbottom in the first Harry Potter book and assert himself when he believes they are in the wrong instead of being a pushover. Two excellent quotes come out of this process: “People should do things for friends not because they have to but because they want to” and “Even very small animals must stand up for what’s right.” As Piglet’s timidity is a characteristic to which I can relate far too easily, I find this an inspiring episode.

As always, I wish that it was possible to buy a DVD boxed set of the entire series, but if you’re going to get them piecemeal, I highly recommend this second volume. If you’re wishing for a pair of great Pooh stories, your wish will certainly be granted.

Lemonade Mouth Encourages Friendship and Self-Expression

My familiarity with tween Disney phenomena is fairly limited, so before this week I had never heard of the made-for-TV movie Lemonade Mouth, but when Netflix directed me to it, I decided to take a chance on this movie that’s a bit like a mash-up of High School Musical and The Breakfast Club.

Adapted from the Mark Peter Hughes book by April Blair, this movie, directed by Patricia Riggen, could probably be instantly pegged as a tween Disney musical. It just has that look and feel to it. It’s contemporary and earnest, walking the line between hip and corny without fully landing in either territory. For the most part, it’s not as cheesy as I thought it might be, though it definitely has its moments.

Lemonade Mouth takes its name from the band that five Mesa High School students form after an impromptu musical moment in detention, which they serve in the dilapidated music room. Only one of the five is a rabble-rouser; one is there for attempting to cut class under coercion from her boyfriend, and the others are there almost by accident. The beginning of the movie introduces each of them, swiftly establishing their personalities and family issues.

Blond pianist Wen (Adam Hicks) is bitter because his dad (Bob Jesser) is head over heels in love with a 28-year-old bombshell named Sydney (Ariana Smythe) and doesn’t seem to give two hoots about how Wen feels about their quickly-progressing relationship. Half-Japanese anarchic guitarist Stella (Hayley Kiyoko) hates the world because she is living in the shadow of her super-genius parents (Aimee Dale and Scott Takeda), who just moved her across the country a month into the school year.

Floppy-haired drummer Charlie (Blake Michael) is living under his mother’s (Lora Cunningham) expectation that he will be just like his soccer star brother, and Indian-American bassist Mo (Naomi Scott) gets exceptional grades but still feels she can’t live up to her father’s (Shishir Kurup) ideal of a perfect Indian woman. Our narrator, introverted blond singer-songwriter Olivia (Bridgit Mendler), is the only one whose family dynamics come out more gradually; in the beginning, all we know is that she lives with her grandmother (Judith Rane) and sickly cat.

The movie really does an excellent job of distinguishing these characters from one another and making us care about their situations. I found myself invested in every one of them, particularly Wen, whose dad is astonishingly insensitive but whose sweet soon-to-be-stepmom is truly making an effort to reach out to him. My favorite, though, is Olivia, whose quiet disposition and writerly impulses remind me of myself. While aggressive Stella is the driving force behind the band’s formation, gentle Olivia is the most essential as the lead singer and primary songwriter.

Lemonade Mouth starts at the end, with Olivia relating the band’s story at a point at which they have become enormously successful. We see the almost instantaneous rise to fame, and while the hearing-their-song-on-the-radio-for-the-first-time moment pales in intensity to That Thing You Do! or LOST’s Greatest Hits, their joy is still infectious. More striking, however, are communal displays of favor – the Lemonade Mouth signs that start popping up around school, the moment late in the film when fans touchingly demonstrate their absorption of the band’s lyrics.

Those lyrics are generally messages of affirmation, individuality and friendship. A couple of the songs have a rebellious streak, as the band is largely a reactionary effort against Principal Brenigan (Christopher McDonald), who rules over the school with Shatneresque authoritarian cheese. His office wall is covered in surveillance feeds from around the school; his face greets students multiple times a day via video announcements; he makes the rounds of the hallway on his Segway, gleefully distributing detentions.

Brenigan’s the Big Bad, but not really; he’s too silly to be truly intimidating, and every once in a while it’s evident that he truly does care about all his students. However, his chief concern at the moment is the athletics program, which is under the thumb of a sports drink company. The lemonade from the soon-to-be-ousted machine outside the music room becomes a symbol for freedom of expression and the idea that all extracurricular activities should be given adequate attention. The only other adult in the school who we get to know is music teacher Miss Reznick (Tisha Campbell-Martin), an enthusiastic educator frustrated by the principal’s policies and eager to help the kids make their voices of dissent heard.

McDonald and Campbell-Martin give the campiest performances in the movie, but they rarely made me wince and often caused me to chuckle. The songs fall firmly into the teen pop category, so I’m not all that into the style of most of them, but I like the message of most of Lemonade Mouth’s, and their chief rivals, punk rockers Mudslide Crush, offer an amusing juxtaposition with their hostile, self-aggrandizing lyrics. I would never buy the soundtrack to the movie, but the music is enjoyable enough in context.

I expected to find Lemonade Mouth pretty silly, and at times I did, but I was surprised at how invested I got in the main quintet. By the time each of them finds some resolution to the problems pressing on them at the beginning, I actually caught myself misting up a little. I certainly recommend this to the tween crowd, but if you’re older than that, you might consider giving it a shot anyway. It sure didn’t leave a sour taste in my mouth.

Classic Disney Love Songs Get the Instrumental Treatment in Disney's Fairy Tale Weddings

Weddings have been a part of many classic Disney animated features, and the phrase “fairy tale wedding” often conjures up images of these gauzy, gilded events. I’ve received wedding invitations embossed with iconic Disney characters, and I know of several people who have gone to Disney theme parks on their honeymoons. Hence, I wasn’t too surprised when a library search for Disney music turned up Disney’s Fairy Tale Weddings: Classic Instrumental Love Songs for Your Happily-Ever After, a 2005 album produced and performed by Jack Jezzro and conducted and arranged by Chris McDonald with executive producer Harold J. Kleiner.

Unfortunately, the liner notes don’t provide much in the way of context. All we get is a track list with writer credits, a list of participating musicians, a short acknowledgment from Jezzro and a couple of advertisements for Disney wedding planning services. Hence, it’s not clear in precisely what capacity these songs are intended to be used, but I suppose that’s up to the discretion of the listener. My cousin walked down the aisle to an instrumental version of Storybook Love from The Princess Bride, so I wouldn’t find it inconceivable to imagine one of the tracks being used in place of Here Comes the Bride. However, most of them would probably work better as ambient music prior to the ceremony or slow dance music during the reception.

These are mellow, easily recognizable instrumental renditions of Disney classics with a romantic bent. The only track I tend not to think of as having romantic associations is When You Wish Upon a Star, but it certainly could, and given that I recently listened to another album of “love songs” incorporating it, I wouldn’t say it feels out of place, especially since Cinderella’s A Dream Is a Wish Your Heart Makes is also included. After all, the two songs say practically the same thing; the only difference is that Cinderella is a love story, while Pinocchio is not.

Artfully played acoustic guitar is very prominent on these tracks, and swelling violins are common as well. The general sound is lavish and lush, occasionally veering into over-the-top. To tell the truth, if I heard this independent of the title, my first thought would probably be “muzak.” I could easily see this being played in a family-friendly store like Hobby Lobby or Hallmark. Played at a low volume, the instrumental presentation of its familiar tunes could have a very mellowing effect on customers.

The album incorporates songs from across the spectrum of years, spanning about six decades. The earliest song is Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs’ Some Day My Prince Will Come, which includes a lovely violin solo, while the latest is the African-tinged Endless Night, the only song unfamiliar to me, as I have yet to see the stage version of The Lion King. Cinderella and Beauty and the Beast have two songs each, as does The Lion King if you count the Broadway song. The remaining eight are from an assortment of Disney movies, with Lavender Blue (Dilly Dilly) from So Dear to My Heart being perhaps the most obscure.

Among the tracks, I particularly like Lady and the Tramp’s Bella Notte, which incorporates mandolin and accordion, and Aladdin’s A Whole New World, which captures the sense of exhilaration and wonder inherent in a magic carpet ride. I’m not so crazy about the overblown production on the Pocahontas end-credits song If I Never Knew You, especially once the saxophone solo kicks in, but then that song always did feel a bit over-the-top. Still, generally speaking, the schlockiest tracks are the ones that include a sax.

Given the choice, I would prefer to listen to the original versions of these songs rather than these instrumental renditions, but the production is generally tasteful, and it makes a nice album to fall asleep to, with the added benefit that the Disney magic of Fairy Tale Weddings may just seep into your slumber and enchant your dreams.

Mark Twain and Hannah Montana Merge in Princess and the Pop Star

More than a decade ago, the Christian computer-animated video series VeggieTales introduced LarryBoy, a cucumber superhero who has since gotten three full-blown videos, along with several lower-quality videos and a number of tie-in books and toys. With action-packed storylines appealing especially to boys, the LarryBoy videos have found an honored place in Veggie lore and helped pave the way for more cinematic side-trips like the expeditions of Minnesota Cuke, an adventurer whose exploits offer a tip of the fedora to Indiana Jones.

With last year’s Sweetpea Beauty, VeggieTales began branching off into videos specifically aimed at girls. While previous installments have featured female protagonists, never before had the packaging and merchandising so thoroughly indicated that particular focus. This summer, we have Princess and the Pop Star: A Story of Trading Places. When LarryBoy first appeared, we were merely getting Larry dressing up in a costume. He didn’t want to be plain old Larry; he wanted to be special. He wanted to be a superhero. There are some echoes of that in this video, in which Princess (a name, not a title) Poppyseed (Laura Carrot) dreams of meeting her lookalike idol, Vanna Banana, and of becoming a pop star like her.

Princess lives on a humble farm with her inventor father, practical mother and chaotic siblings, and she resents her chores and her lack of glamour. Mostly, though, it drives her crazy that she can never get any privacy. The biggest offender when it comes to infringing on her space is her adoring little brother Pepper. When his exuberance causes Princess to miss out on the chance of a lifetime, she reaches a breaking point. Meanwhile, Vanna is unhappy too. Shuttled here and there by her manager mother (Madame Blueberry) and a gaggle of personal assistants, she yearns for the life of a regular kid. She wants some time away from the spotlight. Most of all, she craves the warmth of a loving family. When the two girls bump into each other on the playground, they compare sob stories and notice their striking physical similarities. If each wants exactly what the other one has, why not trade places?

This is an upbeat video that marks the first time that the main storyline stars a character who is a female child. For the third time in the past year or so, childlike Larry the Cucumber is cast in the role of parent; it seems like they are trying to mature him a bit, or at least the characters he portrays; he’s still pretty silly in the countertop scenes, though at least he is attempting to proactively answer a youngster’s question. Aside from Larry and the double Lauras – one of whom is played by a different actress with much more of a pop star sound – the only other major Veggie characters to make an appearance in this story are Madame Blueberry and Jimmy Gourd, who plays a television personality, though Pa Grape has a cameo on a charming Little House on the Prairie parody that I especially appreciated since I recently watched the first season of that classic 70s show on DVD.

I think the theme is generally well done. Both girls are likable but not entirely contented. Of the two, Vanna seems more serene and wise, while Princess is a bundle of angst and ambition. While Vanna is the one who comes up with the switcheroo to begin with, Princess is the one who is unwilling to let go of the ruse when the jig is up. Presumably the intention was for this to be a short-term thing, just a couple of days that would allow Vanna a break and Princess a shot at her dream, but the corn-fed youngster seems to think that filling Vanna’s shoes permanently is an actual option. As much as anything else, this is a video about contentment with one’s circumstances, which makes it a tad repetitive since we got that same theme only two videos ago with It’s a Meaningful Life. Princess needs to realize how blessed she is to have such a large, loving family and appreciate her unique place in it. Vanna, on the other hand, could use a reminder of what a privilege it is to have her life and of the capacity she has to touch people’s lives as a result.

On the other hand, especially after watching the special feature in which Mike Nawrocki talks about how they were trying to convey an idea that God has a special plan for each person, I wonder if the message is a bit mixed. The lesson as stated on the cover is “being yourself,” and both girls have legitimate complaints about their lifestyle. Vanna wants to feel like a beloved daughter instead of a commodity; Princess wants a little space to dream her big dreams. I think part of being yourself is realizing where changes might be made and acting on them. That’s not to say the video discourages this; it does encourage clearer communication with one’s parents, especially on Vanna’s end. But I do think there’s a danger of confusing contentment with complacence. It seems to me that following God’s will often requires stepping outside of one’s comfort zone. For the target audience, it’s appropriate to urge them to simply count their blessings and try to be the best they can be right where they are, but I don’t think kids should feel pigeonholed either. With enough practice, Princess could grow up to become a singer, and Vanna could hang up her microphone and raise a family out in the country. However, that would be years down the line, and it would have to be the result of conscious decisions rather than insertion into another person’s life.

I love the cozy Poppyseed farm, which has a rambling, lived-in appearance. This is not a rich family, but neither would I call them poor. They have enough, and their land looks like a marvelous playground. I’m less enamored with the flashy Vanna segments. Obviously, this video takes its inspiration from two major sources: Mark Twain’s The Prince and the Pauper and the mega-popular Disney Channel series Hannah Montana. Twain’s tale is a classic that has been adapted time and again, but I have my doubts that Hannah Montana, the saga of a pop star trying to live like both Vanna and Princess without mixing up her very different identities, has that kind of staying power. With that show having concluded in January, it’s already moving into the realm of yesterday’s news, since its trendiness was its main draw. Because of that, this video feels just a bit dated right out of the gate, which is not a complaint I have had about any previous VeggieTales videos. I just wonder if they were trying to be a little too topical.

Like most of the videos in the series, this one has a Silly Song. Entitled Astonishing Wigs, it allows uppity Archibald Asparagus the opportunity to expound upon the history of wigs as fashionable items. Archibald is one of my favorite characters, and given his absence in the story, I’m especially glad to see him here, and his extravagant style cracks me up as always. As a song, it’s decent but not that melodious. My main complaint, though, is that at one point, a trio of bewigged pigs gets up and sings. Aside from Barbara Manatee, a television character within the world of VeggieTales who we hear but never actually see, and a couple of invertebrates, I can’t recall any instance of talking animals in this series, and the pigs just feel out of place. Dozens of children’s stories involve talking pigs; including them here just feels old hat and not really VeggieTales’ style. I doubt I would have objected to their presence if they had just acted like regular pigs wandering around in mild confusion over the heavy objects on their heads; it’s the singing and dancing that annoys me. Otherwise, though, the song is enjoyable.

Naturally, with two main characters who love to sing, this video is heavy on the music, and while we maybe hear one of the songs a couple more times than necessary, Vanna’s hits are very catchy and definitely have the Hannah Montana sound to them. At the same time, they don’t feel out of place in a Veggie video. The girls’ individual songs asserting their longings both establish the characters well, and Vanna’s is quite poignant. Meanwhile, the final song ties the video together and expresses the main theme well. With as many times as it gets repeated in the video, I suspect that Vanna’s most popular song will get firmly lodged into the minds of many young viewers. I know I can’t get it out of my head.

I bought my DVD at Walmart, where it came packaged with a bonus DVD entitled Girl Power! This DVD includes the contents of three older videos with female leads: Madame Blueberry, Duke and the Great Pie War and Esther: The Girl Who Became Queen. While the latter two feature heroic characters, Madame Blueberry is petty and greedy at the beginning of her tale, not to mention too easily manipulated. She does eventually come to her senses, but I’m not sure the video is really an example of “girl power.” However, the only other video that would really fit is Sweetpea Beauty, which presumably is too new for them to want to put in a package DVD.  Besides, Madame Blueberry also includes Annie, the soft-spoken, bespectacled young leek who is the one Veggie who reminds me most of myself, and her role, while small, does fit the theme better than the title character’s. Incidentally, if these female-focused videos continue, I hope Annie gets a starring role soon.

For longtime Veggie fans, this bonus DVD will most likely be superfluous, though even if you weren’t getting a bonus, you’d probably still pay less at WalMart than just about anywhere else. For those new to the series, however, this is a great way to get acquainted, as you’re basically getting four videos for the price of one. While VeggieTales has a number of female side characters, Madame Blueberry and Petunia, from Duke and the Great Pie War, are really the only fairly major characters aside from Laura and perhaps Mom Asparagus. While an oddball female character from Esther has made appearances in subsequent videos, Esther herself hasn’t, and I wonder why that is. I would think she could be a valuable addition to the ensemble.

Princess and the Pop Star isn’t perfect, with its excessive trendiness and its mildly mixed message. Nonetheless, the video is fun and heartfelt, and the relationships between Vanna and her mother and Princess and Pepper are particularly touching. Having immersed myself in the Trixie Belden series this year, I found that Princess’s boisterous home life, complete with a plethora of chores and a tagalong little brother, made me think of Trixie, while Vanna’s longing for a deeper connection with her mother reminded me of Trixie’s best friend Honey. One hopes that after the events of the video, these girls will remain friends and share their worlds with each other, even as each becomes more satisfied with her own. There’s nothing wrong with a healthy curiosity about how other people live, but perhaps after watching this video, young viewers might be more inclined to look at their own lives from an outsider’s perspective and see the advantages familiarity has caused them to overlook.

Twas the Night Before Easter Retreads The Star of Christmas

It took VeggieTales, the popular Christian series of computer-animated videos, more than a decade to come out with a tale dealing with Easter. Seven years later, they tackle the all-important holiday again with ’Twas the Night Before Easter. I presume that the main reason they went with that title was because the first Easter video, An Easter Carol, is so clearly modeled after A Christmas Carol. But VeggieTales already has four Christmas videos, not to mention a couple of Christmas albums; bringing hints of Christmas into this second Easter story seems a little excessive.

An Easter Carol is a sequel to The Star of Christmas, the Victorian-era Christmas special that ushered in a new, more cinematic approach to Veggie videos. ’Twas the Night Before Easter includes counter-top scenes at the beginning and end and a silly song in the middle, elements missing from those videos, and the setting is modern-day, but what it mostly feels like to me is a retread of The Star of Christmas. It’s in many ways the same story plucked down in a different setting.

Our main character this time around is Marlee, played by Petunia, the rhubarb who has become quite the leading lady of late. As usual, her character enjoys a close friendship with a decent chap portrayed by Larry the Cucumber. Here, she’s a news reporter and he’s her cameraman, but she decides to abandon her job and make a fresh start as a theater producer in hopes of saving the derelict little theater nestled next to the town’s homeless shelter, and her right-hand man soon follows, offering his services as a songwriter. As in Star, then, Larry’s character spends much of the video puzzling over lyrics and trying to write a hit.

Marlee wants to put on a splashy musical because she believes in the power of theater to change lives. Well-to-do Prescott E. Huddlecoat, portrayed by uptight British asparagus Archibald, has plans to tear down the theater and build a playground in its place, but he agrees to offer a reprieve if Marlee can prove that the theater will be profitable. Her enthusiasm knows no bounds, but she’s not too thrilled with her crop of aspiring performers. What she needs is a real star. The good news is that her town has one. The bad news is that she’s booked. Can Marlee convince her to take part in her show the night before Easter when she has to be up early to sing at the sunrise service the next morning?

Like Star, this video involves a lavish and silly theatrical production competing with a humble church service expected to draw a big crowd because of an unusual component. It includes a wacky inventor whose crazy contraption gets the main characters to the church in time for said service. Even though it’s Easter, it’s snowing like crazy, so it looks more like Christmas (not that I haven’t experienced a white Easter or two in my time). Other recycled elements include a theater in flames and a scene of helping the disenfranchised – in prison in Star, in a homeless shelter in this. It’s still entertaining, but there definitely seems to be a certain lack of originality at play here.

The overall tone of the video is fun and chaotic, with lots of zany action and an extended spoof on American Idol and America’s Got Talent in the form of references to a show called America’s Got British Judges, as well as the largely disastrous auditions. The American Idol theme is a retread, too, from the album The Incredible Singing Christmas Tree, though Archibald is the only one of the three judges who participates in both, and my guess is that many people who watch the videos haven’t heard the CDs. I’ll admit I’m one of those folks who’s followed those shows, especially American Idol, fairly faithfully. Hence, these jokes did get a smile out of me, especially when I realized that the big star in question, Cassie Cassava, is voiced by Melinda Doolittle, my favorite contestant from American Idol’s sixth season. Still, it contributes to the general silliness of the episode that is so pervasive, the message almost gets lost in the shuffle.

The Silly Song – or, more accurately, the Latest Dance Craze – has a superficial Easter connection in that the French peas who lead the segment don bunny slippers and ears for the Hoparena. This is a rather frenzied number that reminds me I need to pull out my VeggieTales dance party videogame again, and it’s fun to see Archibald get a little goofy for a change. Still, I wouldn’t rank it very high on my list of favorite Silly Songs; it’s another one that is entertaining to watch but not very sing-along-able. And it’s another part of the episode in which bunnies predominate. They’re almost as omnipresent here as in Rack, Shack and Benny, which is set in a chocolate bunny factory – and we even hear a snippet of the notorious Bunny Song. We have lots of references to eggs and jelly beans, too.

While An Easter Carol is one of the most serious episodes in the Veggie line, this is one of the silliest, and while we do get to see part of an Easter service – and hear not only the big anthem with Cassie but a traditional hymn that has been part of most Easter services I’ve attended – the balance seems off. Additionally, while I applaud the call to serve others as Jesus served, I’m not sure an Easter video is the best occasion for that focus. It seems to be almost glossing over what Jesus did do to rush ahead into what Jesus would do.

I still enjoyed the video, and longtime fans will have fun picking up on allusions to past episodes as well as noting pop culture nods. But there’s a difference between dropping a reference and recycling your own plotline, and most longtime fans will probably pick up on that too, and they’ll also realize that this isn’t the best Easter special VeggieTales has to offer.

Unimpressed By Tangled's Music? Give the Soundtrack a Few Spins and See the Light...

When Tangled, Disney’s 50th animated feature, came out last year, I heard a lot of negative comments about the music. While not all of the songs had the instant stickiness of some of those from the glory days of the Disney Renaissance, I thoroughly enjoyed each one, and I See the Light replayed in my mind – and on my computer – countless times in the weeks that followed. I read that master composer Alan Menken hoped to achieve a blend of medieval music and 1960s folk rock, which happens to be my favorite genre, so I guess I was predisposed to like it. At first, I did find the poppishness of some of the numbers, particularly Rapunzel’s first big song, a little discombobulating, but in the end, I think it really works, and in addition to the excellent character songs with lyrics by Glenn Slater, we’ve got an absolutely enchanting score from Menken that I could listen to again and again.

Something That I Want - I’m starting at the end here because I want to get the end-credits number out of the way. As has generally been the case with Disney movies since they began to include these radio-ready closers, I find it less engaging than the rest of the songs but still enjoy it well enough. Written and performed by Grace Potter, it’s a very upbeat song with peppy percussion largely provided by clapping. The song has a tween pop feel to it and covers the same basic territory as the movie’s big love song as she describes two people searching for themselves and finding each other, though it’s less romantic in nature and more generic. Still, it sums up the basic gist of the movie well. “I want something that I want, something that I tell myself I need, something that I want and I need everything I see.”

When Will My Life Begin? - This song starts off the album, and it’s a lively number whose guitar-heavy pop sound makes it sound almost as fit for radio as the end-credits track. The guitar riff reminds me a lot of Peter Gabriel’s Solsbury Hill. I don’t know if the homage was intentional, but the songs seem to have a thematic connection as Gabriel wrote that song while embarking upon a solo career and Rapunzel, played by the honey-voiced Mandy Moore, longs to break out of her monotonous life in the tower and forge a new path. Plus, we have the comparable imagery of city lights and the glowing birthday lights that Rapunzel longs to see. The manic feel of this song is an indication of all the pent-up energy Rapunzel has built up in 18 years of never being allowed to go outside, though I must say that for a gal who doesn’t get out, she certainly accomplishes a lot during the day. “And so I’ll read a book or maybe two or three. I’ll add a few new paintings to my gallery. I’ll play guitar and knit and cook and basic’ly just wonder, when will my life begin?”

When Will My Life Begin? (Reprise 1) - This track, half as long as the first but much more sedate, isn’t in the movie but nicely captures Rapunzel’s inner turmoil. She doesn’t want to be ungrateful, but she really would like to get out of the house. Slight guitar and violin accompaniment is all that’s needed here to accentuate her yearning. “I’ve got so many things I should be thankful for. Yes, I have everything except, I guess, a door…”

Mother Knows Best - As soon as I heard this song from stage veteran Donna Murphy, I thought of Master of the House from Les Miserables. Along with a similar tempo and melody in places, it’s a comical villains’ song that revels in taking advantage of others. Mother Gothel, the ancient woman who raised Rapunzel and requires her enchanted hair to survive, doesn’t openly gloat that she is taking advantage of her, but her smug tone is evidence enough. Murphy pours all her dramatic flair into this one as Gothel puts on a show for Rapunzel, swinging wildly between condescension, dire concern and crippling guilt inducement. If Marie from Everybody Loves Raymond could express herself in song, the results might sound very much like this. Here we quickly establish the twisted psychological hold Gothel has on Rapunzel as she swiftly switches between insulting and coddling her. The most Broadway-sounding of the tracks, with an extra section excluded from the movie. “Go ahead, get trampled by a rhino. Go ahead, get mugged and left for dead. Me, I’m just your mother, what do I know? I only bathed and changed and nursed you…”

When Will My Life Begin? (Reprise 2) - Now we’re back to Rapunzel for the final repetition of her longing-for-adventure theme. About halfway between the first two in length and tempo. Much of the track is simply instrumental and a good chunk of the lyrics is just a list of all the stuff she can do now that she’s outside. The first half is quite hesitant, but exuberance takes over once she reaches the ground. “Just smell the grass! The dirt! Just like I dreamed they’d be! Just feel that summer breeze – the way it’s calling me. For like the first time ever, I’m completely free!”

I’ve Got a Dream - Disney has a curious tradition of raucous bar songs. This lively number is firmly in the tradition of such rowdy sequences as The Happiest Millionaire’s Let’s Have a Drink on It, Pete’s Dragon’s I Saw a Dragon and Beauty and the Beast’s Gaston. Instead of one person being the focal point, this song really gets everyone in on the act as all of the Snuggly Duckling’s intimidating-looking pub thugs reveal the deepest desires of their hearts. Funny, sweet and oddly inspiring, the accordion- and piano-heavy ditty has a bit of a ragtime feel to it. In addition to Moore and Zachary Levi, we’re treated to the spectacle of Brad Garrett and Jeffrey Tambor waxing melodic. This track is pure fun. “Can’tcha see me on the stage performin’ Mozart? Tickling the ivories ‘til they gleam? Yes, I’d rather be called deadly for my killer show-tune medley ‘cause way down deep inside, I’ve got a dream.”

Mother Knows Best (Reprise) - Gothel returns with this reprise about half the length of the original. There’s a darker, more dangerous tone to the song this time around, and grandiose music surrounds Murphy’s scathingly sarcastic vocals, at one point echoing a key musical phrase in the score of Beauty and the Beast, which Menken also composed and nods to several times in the film. Gothel is beginning to feel truly threatened, so she ramps up the theatrics here as she plots a way to recover the source of her longevity. “Rapunzel knows best! So if he’s such a dreamboat, go and put him to the test! If he’s lying, don’t come crying. Mother knows best!”

I See the Light - Ah, my favorite track – and one of my favorite Disney songs ever. Even though you’re only getting half the effect here without the visual spectacle of the floating lights, this is an absolutely gorgeous song. The gentle acoustic guitar, occasional harp and magical woodwinds carry this duet of self-discovery and love to greater heights. I’ve heard comparisons between this and Aladdin’s A Whole New World, and they’re fitting, since both involve a young couple on an adventure, learning more about themselves and the world and falling for each other in the process. They also both rhyme “here” with “crystal clear.”

For me, though, the song that sprang to mind first was The Greatest Adventure, the Glenn Yarborough-sung theme to Rankin and Bass’s The Hobbit. “Who sits by the window will one day see rain,” that song cautions, spurring Bilbo Baggins out of the comfort of his home into the journey for which he is destined. When Rapunzel started in with “All those days watching from a window,” my mind snapped to attention. Moore breathes an air of innocence into Rapunzel’s words, while Levi infuses his with dazed regret. Both have experienced a revelation. It’s a powerful moment and a powerful song. I’m sad it didn’t win the Oscar. “And at last I see the light, and it’s like the fog has lifted. And at last I see the light, and it’s like the sky is new. And it’s warm and real and bright, and the world has somehow shifted. All at once, everything looks different now that I see you.”

Healing Incantation - This shortest track on the album is very pretty with minimal accompaniment providing a slightly mystical touch. Rapunzel is used to singing this song repeatedly for the benefit of her “mother,” but here she initiates the action, and there’s an earnest solemnity in her voice as she works her magic upon her traveling companion. “Flower, gleam and glow. Let your power shine. Make the clock reverse; bring back what once was mine.”

Flynn Wanted - Now we’re into the purely instrumental tracks. This one is filled with a sense of frantic pursuit, with the brass particularly standing out and making me think of proud palace horse Maximus tracking his thieving prey like a bloodhound.

Prologue - Eerie and fairy tale-like as we hear Gothel recite the flower rhyme, with her voice growing progressively younger, followed by an adorable tiny tyke version of Rapunzel’s recitation. Short but sweet.

Horse With No Rider - Another song of hot pursuit, this one incorporates a sense of wonder and mystery and leads naturally into Escape Route, which includes a fun instrumental tribute to Mission: Impossible about halfway through and a jazzy lounge sound toward the end.

Campfire - This contemplative track includes hints of a couple of the main songs as Rapunzel and Flynn enjoy a quiet moment together. The Celtic-flavored flute makes an especially lovely addition here, reminding me a bit of James Galway’s work on the Return of the King soundtrack. Later on, meanwhile, this one puts me in mind of the prologue to Fellowship of the Ring.

Kingdom Dance - This very Irish-sounding number is pure joy, with sprightly flutes, fiddle and tambourine making it hard to resist getting up and dancing yourself. It’s just so lively, especially once the hand-clapping begins and the pace quickens. Kinda makes you want to break this one out at a large gathering of people.

Waiting for the Lights - Another quiet moment between Flynn and Rapunzel as she waits for the fulfillment of her long-held dream. Gentle guitar, harp and piano come together for this mellow, reflective track that erupts into a burst of glory when the lights finally begin to appear.

Return to Mother - This mournful track reminds me of some of the music in the season six LOST episode Across the Sea, which seems fitting since Gothel reminds me so much of the central character in that episode. Threads of antiquity and despair mingle in this disquieting piece.

Realization and Escape - Starting out quiet, this one explodes into grandeur as Rapunzel remembers the past so long hidden from her. The track turns dire as she confronts Gothel about her new knowledge, with ominous percussion having a particularly harrowing effect. Comical moments, particularly a few seconds of what sounds like a Russian dance, mark the final part of the track as Flynn makes his unconventional escape from prison with some help from a motley crew of lovable thugs.

The Tear Heals - The longest track by more than a minute and a half, this one reminds me very much of Transformation from Menken’s Beauty and the Beast soundtrack, which makes sense since the contents of the two scenes have so much in common. At about the four-minute mark, it also reminds me powerfully of one of LOST’s most tender friendship themes. Immediately after this, Rapunzel returns for a final shaky recitation of the incantation, followed by a thrilling orchestral return to I See the Light and concluding with a slow acoustic guitar rendition of the flower theme. This is the track that feels like the finale.

Kingdom Celebration - About half a minute shorter than Kingdom Dance, this one feels more whimsical, with the instruments comically alluding to the various pub thugs now living out their dreams. The melodious burst of sound at the end concludes the instrumental portion on a high note.

The Tangled soundtrack is one that, for me, anyway, seems to get better with each successive spin in the CD player. The rich fantasy tradition from which the movie itself draws is just as evident in the music, and I truly think this is right up there with the best that Menken has done. And that is saying a lot.

Join Larry for a Ride on the What-If Express in It's a Meaningful Life

VeggieTales is a Christian video series that has been entertaining and enriching me for the past 15 years, and when I saw that their latest DVD had a tie-in with Frank Capra’s It’s a Wonderful Life, one of my favorite movies to watch this time of year, I was doubly interested. It’s a Meaningful Life is a 45-minute-long video containing one long story, which has been the norm for VeggieTales Christmas videos. The basic story is basically a mix of Wonderful Life, The Family Man and The Polar Express, with plenty of fun Veggie twists tossed in.

Larry the Cucumber plays the role of Stewart, the main character who is named for Jimmy Stewart and is married to Donna (Petunia), who is named after Donna Reed. Though VeggieTales has been pairing these two up ever since Duke and the Great Pie War several years ago, it was still a little weird for me to see Larry playing the part of a man who is married with kids, since he usually comes across as such a big kid himself. But his scenes with both Petunia and his children, especially little Emma, are very sweet.

Although Stewart has a good life as the owner of the toy train factory handed down to him by his father and a volunteer peewee football coach, he can’t stop thinking about that fateful day years ago when he almost won the team’s big game. Instead, his buddy Morty (Mr. Lunt) made the winning play and went on to superstardom. When Morty comes back for a visit, all those old feelings of bitterness threaten to overwhelm him. Who could blame him for feeling a little sorry for himself when his own son can’t stop going on about how great Morty is?

In the early days, VeggieTales videos tended to have fairly simple props and backdrops. One of the main reasons the characters were vegetables was because they were pretty easy to animate. But there have been major advances since then, and the setting for It’s a Meaningful Life is rich and complex, particularly the scenes that show us Stewart’s tiny town. The action shots of the What-If Express rambling through the countryside as the Northern Lights appear in the night sky are also pretty impressive.

With only 45 minutes, plus time taken out for framing scenes on the countertop and a silly song, this is a story that cuts right to the chase. Everything happens very quickly. We get Stewart’s youth, then we see him as a dad in the autumn, and then in the winter. After he gets on the train, which is a combination of the Polar Express and the mysterious journey that Clarence takes George on in Wonderful Life, with a dash of A Christmas Carol thrown in, he makes only two stops to see the “hypothetical” stemming from his “regrettable”. First, he sees what his own life would be like if he’d been the big football hero instead of Morty. Then he sees what things would be like for everyone else in his town. Unlike George, Stewart is merely an observer, and he is unable to interact with any of these figures, but seeing his hollow life as a cranky, self-absorbed celebrity and the ruin that has befallen his town and loved ones, he reconsiders his own lot In life.

My favorite element of the main story is probably Stewart’s relationship with his adorable young adopted daughter, which is very reminiscent of George’s relationship with Zuzu. The lullaby he sings for her is very tender, and it sets us up for the considerably less sedate Silly Song, which has Junior Asparagus extending his awake time for as long as possible by requesting that his increasingly exasperated mother bring him every stuffed animal he can think of. Some of the animals in his collection are funny in and of themselves, and Junior’s hyper antics are hilarious and will probably resonate with anyone who has ever attempted to get a young child to go to sleep. Stewart’s peppy song about giving 110 percent is pretty catchy too and reminds me of something that Fred MacMurray might have sung in The Happiest Millionaire or any number of old Disney movies in which he played an enthusiastic dad. Probably the song most firmly stuck in my head, though, despite barely understanding a word of the lyrics, is the trippy commercial that first Morty and then Alternate Stewart records. It’s sung incredibly quickly, with a comparable barrage of goofy 2-D images, and the point is to show us how these characters have sold out by recording these obnoxious ads for products they don’t believe in.

Of VeggieTales’ four Christmas releases, this is the one that feels the least Christmassy, as quite a bit of it doesn’t take place at Christmas. There’s nothing on the countertop or in the Silly Song indicative of Christmas either. With so much of it involving football, it might feel just as seasonal in September. I suppose that the climax didn’t actually need to take place at Christmas, but it allows for more fun parallels with the above-mentioned movies. This video will probably entertain you most if you’ve seen any or all of those, but It’s a Meaningful Life is meaningful even if you don’t get all the little references to Christmastime classics, and I can’t wait to see what VeggieTales will come up with next.

Bob and Larry Tell a Fascinating Tale of Saint Nicholas

I love the VeggieTales computer-animated video series, and usually when the latest video comes out, I’m right on top of getting it. But somehow, last year’s Saint Nicholas: A Story of Joyful Giving fell by the wayside last year, and it’s only now that I’ve finally seen the third VeggieTales Christmas release. I am now free to declare It incredibly entertaining, not to mention educational.

Like The Toy That Saved Christmas, the first Veggie Christmas video, Saint Nicholas lacks a countertop scene and takes place in a small town where all of our characters are simply themselves. It’s Christmas Eve, and this special opens much the same way as that one did – with hyperactive children eagerly anticipating the stuff they will get when the big day arrives. Chief among them is Junior Asparagus, who is extra excited because his grandparents have given him money to buy himself something. Oh, the decisions! Meanwhile, Laura Carrot is down because her dad, a deliveryman, has a busted truck, which means he can’t finish his route before Christmas and can’t get a Christmas tree either. The Christmas Eve service at the nearby church is about to begin, but before it does, Bob the Tomato decides that now would be a good time to tell Junior, Laura and all the other children with Christmas on the brain just what Santa Claus has to do with Jesus.

Bob and Larry the Cucumber are more involved narrators here than in most Veggie videos. We see them inside the story, even occasionally interacting with the characters, and what’s more, Larry has an endearingly annoying habit of constantly interrupting Bob in order to “move the story along” – even though he has no idea where the story is going – and make the setting more Christmassy. Bob is telling the story of Saint Nicholas, and if he had the narration to himself, Greece – to which we get a great introduction in my favorite of the video’s songs – would be appropriately balmy, but Larry can’t resist adding a little snow, and that’s just one of his amusing embellishments. While there are many elements to this story that stray far afield from Nicholas’s established history, the basics are there, and if Junior and his friends are any indication, that’s still a lot more than most kids would be familiar with.

A new character, a burly fellow with a thick accent who looks to be some type of squash, appears in both the modern portion of the story and the ancient one as an antagonistic figure. Nicholas is an entirely new character too, as is his father. The only major characters, aside from the narrating Bob and Larry, to be incorporated into the story are Petunia as a nun who teaches Nicholas about the joy of giving and Mr. Lunt – also the star of the Silly Song (or, rather, Helpful Humanitarian Song) – as Octavius, a close friend of Nicholas’s family who later helps Nicholas in his efforts to secretly distribute money to a needy family. Inventing a local bully intent on preventing such acts of generosity ups the action factor and the need for secrecy and allows for more intense and humorous moments. For instance, Nicholas feels the need to disguise himself, so he and Octavius go out in a series of amusing costumes. Later, as Nick is making an escape after his last big act of kindness, his sheep-drawn vehicle stretches across the sky so that they are silhouetted against the moon and look just like Santa and his reindeer.

Larry is the voice of all of Christmas’s contemporary trappings throughout the video. While the kids pipe up with their ideas of what Christmas is all about, Larry keeps trying to find ways of tying Nicholas more directly to Santa and of trying to make the setting of his story feel more festive. That’s how we end up with Christmas lights adorning several ancient Grecian residences, and it may also account for the parade of classic Christmas songs that turn up here with new lyrics. Some of Larry’s speculations are just plain hilarious, and I love the cozy reindeer sweater that he sports for a large portion of the video. I also love the way Bob sneaks in one of my favorite lines from The Toy That Saved Christmas.

This is a video that acknowledges that even devout Christian kids tend to get really worked up about Santa Claus. Saint Nicholas isn’t about trying to excise Santa from Christmas altogether, but it does make two major points: that Christmas is, first and foremost, about Christ, and that Saint Nicholas was a model of the sort of generosity that Christians should feel called to exhibit, and not just at Christmas. As the video’s loveliest song says, we should give not in an effort to feel good about ourselves but because we feel happy already and want to share our blessings with others. One thing I noticed is that Jesus comes up in this video far more than any other. I’m pretty sure that even includes An Easter Carol. Most of the Veggie videos talk about God a fair bit, but few of them mention Jesus. Hence, although in some ways this is one of the silliest Veggie videos I’ve seen, it’s also one of the most spiritually grounded.

Saint Nicholas is a great video that embraces both the serious and fun side of Christmas. It introduces some terrific new characters and incorporates several underused characters from videos past, including little Annie, a soft-spoken, bespectacled leek who, of all the VeggieTales characters, reminds me most of myself. I’m sure that this is one that I’ll be pulling out again in Christmasses to come. I’m only sorry it took me this long to watch it!

Tangled: "All At Once, Everything Looks Different Now That I See You"

There’s an iconic moment in Disney’s Beauty and the Beast in which Belle, frustrated by the constraints placed upon her in a tiny town whose residents don’t understand her, runs out under an expansive sky, flinging herself in the grass and sending a shower of dandelion seeds dancing on the breeze. “I want adventure in the great wide somewhere,” she confesses. In Tangled, Disney’s brand-new animated musical starring Mandy Moore and Zachary Levi as the confined Rapunzel and the golden-hearted bandit who rescues her, we see the innocent beauty with the magnificent tresses experience a precise echo of that moment. She has just touched actual ground for the first time since she can remember and is ready to embrace the world.

Tangled is the story of a sedentary girl who is kept in check by the woman she believes is her mother, a girl who has learned to squelch any adventurous stirrings, which can only lead to trouble. Like LOST’s ultimate bad mother, the ancient woman who kidnapped the infant Rapunzel insists that she is protecting her, as well as the miraculous gift of her gleaming, healing hair, which she would rather hoard than share. The sweet young woman with the enormous emerald eyes mostly complies uncomplainingly, but it hasn’t escaped her notice that every year on her birthday, a parade of lanterns dominates the night sky. Could they have a connection to her? Might they serve as a bridge that will lead her to that indefinable something whose absence has always gnawed away at her?

Enter Flynn Ryder, a rough-and-tumble rogue who really isn’t. Rapunzel shows off her skill with a skillet, and not in the cooking sense, when he comes calling; this unconventional weapon proves very handy throughout the course of the film, and poor Flynn becomes quite intimately acquainted with it. The “Flynn” seems to recall Errol, the definitive Robin Hood and ultimate dashing hero. But in the wake of their disastrous meeting that recalls Shannon and Joseph’s introduction to each other in Ron Howard’s Far and Away, we come to understand that he is actually rather bumbling and unassuming when he lets his guard down. Of all the characters, he is the most expressive - with the possible exception of tiny chirping chameleon Pascal, who has the advantage of shifting colors to better broadcast his mood.

After he agrees to free Rapunzel so she can go follow the lanterns to their source on the night of her birthday, both begin a process of self-discovery as she learns to let go of fear and embrace new experiences and he searches inside himself for an aspect of his personality long buried. All the while, they draw ever closer to each other, culminating in a gorgeous duet, the film’s most luminous segment, during which it seems that all of their dreams are coming true, even ones that they had no idea that they had in the first place. “And at last I see the light, and it's like the fog has lifted. And at last I see the light, and it's like the sky is new. And it's warm and real and bright, and the world has somehow shifted...” A stunning scene. And who knew Zach Levi was such a fantastic singer?

Alan Menken is the creative genius behind so many great Disney musicals, most notably Beauty and the Beast; here, along with lyricist Glenn Slater, he shows that he’s still got the magic songwriting touch. The aforementioned I See the Light has instantly taken its place near the top of my list of favorite romantic Disney songs. Others make a big impression as well. I love the poppy, guitar-heavy When Will My Life Begin, which shows us just how busy Rapunzel manages to stay during her perpetual house arrest but conveys her yearning for more, recalling Part of Your World from The Little Mermaid. Moore’s exuberant performance of the reprise is especially affecting. Donna Murphy sounds appropriately villainous in the saucy Mother Knows Best, which reminded me of the raucous Master of the House from Les Miserables.

Meanwhile, the zany but inspirational I’ve Got a Dream is a rousing group number which starts off with Everybody Loves Raymond’s Brad Garrett showing off his surprising singing talent. A bunch of misunderstood misfits confess their innermost desires, allowing Flynn and Rapunzel to chime in as well, and it’s nice to know that the classic rowdy extended barroom song-and-dance number is not a thing of the past. The accordion-heavy tune and quirky lyrics are right in line with such Disney classics as I Swear I Saw a Dragon, Gaston and the slightly less well-known Let’s Have a Drink On It.

The movie, written by Dan Fogelman and directed by Nathan Greno and Byron Howard, is adventurous and romantic and funny all at once, with humor coming from all angles. We’ve got the purely visual humor of tiny Pascal and proud horse Maximus, whose changing relationship with Flynn is one of my favorite aspects of the movie. We’ve got plenty of pratfalls and nifty tricks with Rapunzel’s fantastic hair. There’s witty banter to spare, and all of the voice cast does an outstanding job. I was especially tickled to realize that the gruff captain of the guard is played by M. C. Gainey, known by LOST fans as the scruffy Tom Friendly. Other familiar voices included Jeffrey Tambor as one of the other soft-hearted hooligans Rapunzel and Flynn meet and Ron Perlman as Flynn’s nefarious ex-partner.

I watched this in 3D, and while there weren’t too many moments when I felt like it made a major difference, the movie on the whole is so lush and gorgeous that I’d probably say it’s worth it to spring for the glasses that give you just that much more of an immersive experience. There were many moments in the movie that I found genuinely breathtaking on purely a visual basis, and I definitely think that the attempt to marry the classic fairy tale feeling with more modern graphic techniques worked. I was never distracted by the method of animation; it just made me marvel.

Tangled is an exhilarating movie that takes viewers along for an epic quest as two characters seek a deeper understanding of who they really are. Hints of several previous Disney movies, along with Don Bluth’s Anastasia, linger, but this is a wholly original work with a lot of resonance for anyone who’s ever felt torn between the familiar and the novel. Rapunzel can now proudly stand amongst the previous Disney princesses, and I can breathe a sigh of relief as Disney demonstrates how successfully it can continue to mine fairy tales for compelling material. Contemporary but timeless, Tangled has classic written all over it.

The Office - Andy's Play

Andy stars in a community theater production of Sweeney Todd; much laughter ensues.

The Princess and the Frog Pays Tribute to New Orleans

I absolutely love the partnership between Disney and Pixar, which has yielded such masterpieces as the Toy Story series, Monsters, Inc., Cars and Up. Nonetheless, for somebody who grew up on Disney, I couldn’t help growing a bit wistful at the thought that traditionally animated - and musical - Disney features seem to be falling by the wayside. I was extremely pleased, then, to hear word of The Princess and the Frog, Disney’s take on the story of a princess whose kiss restores a prince to his rightful form after a wicked enchantment renders him amphibious. I awaited it with great anticipation for well over a year. But somehow, when it hit theaters, I missed it. Now, thanks to the magic of Netflix, I’ve seen it and am ready to weigh in on it.

Written and directed by Ron Clements and John Musker, The Princess and the Frog is set in New Orleans in the Jazz Age, a poignant choice in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. We see the city as a vibrant place teeming with music and ambitions. The Haves throw lavish parties, while the Have Nots work diligently and indulge in a dream or two, following that great Disney tradition of wishing on stars in hopes that they will eventually come true.

Beautiful, industrious Tiana (Anika Noni Rose) doesn’t have much use for such silliness as wishing on stars. Hard experience has taught her that life doesn’t always give you everything you want, and she spends every spare moment working to scrimp together enough money for a down payment on the restaurant that her beloved late father (Terrence Howard) dreamed of opening. Their scene together in her childhood is the cornerstone of the movie, driving her determination, which frustrates her mother (Oprah Winfrey), who fears that her daughter is missing out on the greater joys of life.

Tiana nearly has enough money saved up when the owners of the derelict building she intends to buy inform her that someone else has made them a better offer. So distraught is she at this point that she resorts to star-wishing, and the answer to her plea seems to arrive in the form of a seductive, heavily accented frog. Yes, he talks, for he is actually the visiting Prince Naveen (Bruno Campos), who has been hoodwinked into his unfortunate position by the malevolent Dr. Facilier (Keith David), a showy voodoo daddy who reminds me of both the blustering Doc Terminus from Pete’s Dragon and the repulsive Rasputin from Don Bluth‘s Anastasia. He’s a scheister, but a deeply unnerving one, and his scenes of communion with wicked spirits are terrifying and troubling. I know that some objected to the movie because of the voodoo element, and I can certainly see why, though it does seem to fit very well with the setting.

Naveen was a preening peacock of a man who never worked a day in his life, and his transformation into a frog does little to change his demeanor. The more significant change will come later, after Tiana, cringing, agrees to kiss him if he will see to it that she gets the money she needs to secure her restaurant. Instead of turning him back into a prince, she morphs into a frog, and in their effort to flee the dinner party where they have suddenly become very unwelcome guests, they find themselves lost in the middle of the bayou. The journey back to civilization - with a side trip to see the mystical shamaness Mama Odie (Jenifer Lewis), who reminds me a bit of the gruff Aughra in The Dark Crystal - forces Tiana and Naveen to work together despite their constantly clashing personalities. In the process, Naveen learns the value of honest labor and Tiana comes to appreciate the joys of indulging in a little fun.

I’m again reminded of Anastasia when I think of their relationship, since, like Dmitri and Anya, they spend so much of their time squabbling but gradually fall for each other. The dynamics of their relationship are very similar. By the same token, jovial Creole firefly Ray (Jim Cummings), a sage romantic, is a bit like Dmitri’s partner in swindling, the older Vladimir. Meanwhile, exuberant alligator Louie (Michael-Leon Wooley) reminds me of Tiger, the harmless cat who becomes the best friend of Fievel the mouse in Don Bluth’s An American Tale. All Louie, a talented musician presumably named after Louis Armstrong, wants is to play his brass and have it properly appreciated.

While the main thrust of the plot involves the journey that these characters take together, we occasionally return to town to keep tabs on Dr. Facilier and his henchman Lawrence (Peter Bartlett), a bumbling, pudgy gentleman in late middle age who has adopted the guise of Naveen. The vile Facilier’s plot involves Lawrence-as-Naveen marrying Charlotte LaBouff (Jennifer Cody), Tiana’s well-to-do best friend, and murdering her father, a respected local politician amusingly voiced by John Goodman. While her vapid enthusiasm is rather exhausting, her devotion to Tiana never wavers. Growing up pampered, Charlotte doesn’t understand the pressures at play in Tiana’s life, and usually she isn’t paying close enough attention to pick up on them. However, as she is drawn into this dark deception, her life changes as well.

The movie’s animation is just as glorious as I would have hoped, particularly in the bayou. One especially artistic scene has a community of fireflies illuminating the night as they lead the way to Mama Odie’s hut. The city, too, is wonderfully realized, and we see both its grit and glory. The movie truly becomes, in part, a tribute to a bustling city laid low by natural disaster compounded with human error. The characters, particularly Tiana, are lovely to behold; much was made of the fact that this would be Disney’s first black princess, and she fits into the ranks wonderfully. Indeed, I would rank her pretty high on my list of favorites - though I don’t foresee anyone coming along to topple Belle from Beauty and the Beast any time soon.

Another welcome element of the movie was the music. Randy Newman composed the songs for the film, wonderfully capturing the flavor of the era, particularly in Down in New Orleans. The voice actors who furnish the characters’ speaking voices also perform the songs, with Rose getting the biggest vocal workout. She sings all or part of four songs, with her spirited Almost There, in which she expresses her excitement at being close to the finish line with having the money to open her restaurant, probably my favorite song of the movie. David’s Friends on the Other Side is peppy but creepy, sort of mixing the flavor of Aladdin’s Friend Like Me with The Lion King’s Be Prepared, while Cummings gets two songs to himself, one tender and another raucously jubilant. It’s a wonderful return to a format that I was beginning to sorely miss.

I’m looking forward to Tangled, Disney’s upcoming film that is set in a more traditional fairy tale realm and tells the tale of Rapunzel. While the movie is CGI, it looks as though it will at least have the feel of an old-school traditionally animated movie, and I understand that it’s a musical as well. While I fear that The Princess and the Frog may not have quite sparked the 2D revival I was hoping for, it is a most excellent movie and hopefully a sign of great things to come from Disney.

Even Larry Can Learn From a Princess Story in Sweetpea Beauty

I’m always happy to see that a new VeggieTales video is about to be released. I got wind of Sweetpea Beauty early in the summer, so I knew that I would have another helping of computer-animated Veggie goodness to look forward to. This particular installment, like Esther of several years ago, specifically targets a female audience, though the kitchentop sequence largely concerns Larry the Cucumber’s self-image issues, which evens things out a bit. Nonetheless, both stories in Sweetpea Beauty are very much in the tradition of Disney’s princess tales, and most of the major characters are female.

Petunia and Annie, two of the series’ most sedate characters, take the lead in running the show after they find Larry bemoaning his silly appearance. Of all the Veggies, I probably relate most to Annie, a quiet youngster with glasses and short brown hair, and she is one of the most little-used characters in the series, so I was pleased to see her here. Petunia, meanwhile, has become increasingly prominent since her first appearance in Duke and the Great Pie War, usually appearing as a level-headed foil for goofball Larry. There also tends to be a hint of romance in their interaction with each other, though this is generally underplayed. At this point, she has probably become the main female character in the series, eclipsing even Laura Carrot, young Junior Asparagus’s best friend, and vain Madame Blueberry.

Snoodlerella, the first of two stories presented in this video, is a companion piece to A Snoodle’s Tale, which came out in 2004. Both are set in the same whimsical world populated by strange beings who look a bit like gourds with wings, and both are narrated by an unseen Bob the Tomato in a style strongly influenced by Dr. Seuss.

Snoodlerella is a pretty straightforward retelling of the story of Cinderella, but in this case, the young Snoodle for whom the tale is named does not escape the ball at the stroke of midnight. Instead, though the homely girl’s clothes are reduced to rags and her glasses and braces return, she receives a special audience with the wise King, who informs her that she is beautiful just the way she is. Although this story is populated with unfamiliar characters, most children watching will be able to connect them with the Cinderella tale, and longtime Veggie fans will enjoy this trip back into the world of Snoodles, complete with the voice of Tim Hodge, who brings a regal warmth to a character who was previously only heard.

The Silly Song is a rather dizzying ditty called Pants that calls for Larry, a salesman on the Veggie Shopping Network, to sing a song convincing home viewers to buy pants from him. This is an especially silly concept because Veggies, lacking legs, do not wear traditional two-legged pants. It goes with the theme of the video well because it has to do with society trying to push a certain brand of beauty upon people. It’s also the only part of the episode primarily featuring male characters. It’s a fun song, but it’s also rather annoying; while that emphasizes the point that such sales pitches probably are best ignored, it also makes for a Silly Song that probably isn’t going to attain Classic status.

The title segment, Sweetpea Beauty, is an homage to any number of fairy tales. While it borrows most heavily from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs and, to a lesser extent, Sleeping Beauty, fairy tale fans will also recognize references to such stories as The Princess and the Pea, Goldilocks and the Three Bears and Rapunzel, along with what I took to be a nod to the Danny Kaye comedy The Court Jester. Additionally, much of the story is narrated by a pair of singing minstrels played by Jerry Gourd and Mr. Lunt.

Petunia plays Sweetpea Beauty, the kind-hearted commoner whose best friend is Prince Larry. Little does she or the prince realize that the misguided queen (Madame Blueberry), under the advisement of a sinister magic mirror, plans to give her an everlasting sleeping potion so that she will never be a threat to her sovereignty in this kingdom where the crown can only be worn by the fairest woman in the land. While Sweetpea is as lovely as any fairy tale princess, it’s her inner beauty - and her ability to see the beauty in all things, from mud puddles to skunks - that is celebrated throughout the story, and that’s what the insecure queen must struggle to understand as she decides whether or not to take the mirror’s advice.

As with the rest of the Veggie videos, Sweetpea Beauty features excellent animation, upbeat music, zany humor, memorable characters and an important lesson. In this case, the message is that God made each person beautiful in his or her own way and that traits like kindness and faithfulness are more important than physical appearances. While I do think that this particular video might appeal less to boys than most, Larry’s antics throughout the video, along with Sweetpea’s tomboyish tendencies, make this a Veggie outing likely to entertain anyone who isn’t turned off by all the princess talk.