'Wayside' is way off track for grown-ups
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By G. Michael Dobbs
Managing Editor
A not very good animated production for kids and a very intriguing documentary for adults are in this week's DVD column.
Wayside: The Movie
For many years the folks at Nickelodeon have been industry leaders in producing animated series for children and that adults can watch as well. "Spongebob Squarepants" and "Fairly Odd Parents" are two recent examples of the Nick lineup which also includes shows such as "Ren and Stimpy," "Rugrats" and "Hey Arnold."
"Wayside" will not be remembered among the best of the Nick's offerings if this 49-minute "movie" is any indication. Based on a series of children's books, the film tells the story of Todd, a new student to the confused and confusing Wayside School. The contractor built the school incorrectly so that the 30 classrooms form 30 stories.
Todd (with a voice provided by Michael Cera from "Superbad") seems like a sensible kid who is completely unnerved by the randomness of his new school. The principal is in love with his microphone. The students use a window instead of a door. Cows are in the hallways partying the insulation out of the walls.
It's Todd's hope that he will make sense of all of the silliness.
The problem is the production simply isn't funny. While Todd is a sympathetic character, no else is and in fact they are shrill and annoying.
The look of the characters has no style and the animation attempts at times to reach the looniness of a "Ren and Stimpy" with some extreme poses and expressions, but it fails to reach those inspired heights. The use of gross-out humor, while all the norm these days, is very gratuitous.
Perhaps young kids would find this production entertaining, but be sure to excuse yourself from the room.
For more information, log onto www.paramount.com/ homeentertainment.
911 Mysteries Part One: Demolitions
In the past when this paper carried a story about a screening of the film "Loose Change" that challenged the conventional view of the 9/11 attacks, we had one reader so incensed that he cancel the delivery of this paper to his home.
He couldn't believe we would give critics of the official analysis of the 9/11 events a forum for discussion -- free press be damned.
So I guess I'm lucky that person isn't reading this review of "911 Mysteries Part One: Demolitions" because he would have a stroke that I'm recommending this 90-minute production that methodically questions the accepted events of that day.
Produced on credit cards and personal loans by a woman using the name "Smallstorm," "911 Mysteries Part One: Demolitions" is the kind of grass roots documentary that has emerged thanks to the digital revolution. Although the film contains copyrighted material that may or may not be used properly (I'm sure the networks would have sued by now), the film is a polished non-hysterical at the Pearl Harbor of the 21st Century.
This film was not made by crazy folks running around wearing aluminum foil hats, but people who clearly want to truly understand the event that plunged this country into a bloody and expensive war.
Now if you don't want to question the government's version of the attack on the World Trade Center then don't see this film. If you are suspicious of how the two towers built to withstand the impact of a jetliner could fall perfectly into their foundations after burning for mere minutes, then take the time to find this film.
For more information, log onto www.911mysteries.com.
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