Carlos Alazraqui Movies
- 2005
The brainchild of Rocko's Modern Life creator Joe Murray, the half-hour animated series Camp Lazlo was set at a summer camp populated by goofy-looking anthropomorphic animals. Most of the "Bean Scouts" at Camp Kidney were willing to follow orders and toe the line, which was just the way that Scoutmaster Lumpus, a egocentric, control-freak moose, preferred to have things. Unfortunately for Lumpus, he had to contend with the rule-bending shenanigans that went on in the camp's "Jelly Cabin". Ringleader for the troublemakers was Bean Scout Lazlo, a mischievous monkey; his best friends and co-conspirators were Raj, an adolescent elephant, and Clam, a pygmy rhino. To counteract the hijinks of Lazlo and his buddies, Lumpus kept a pair of obnoxious snitches at his beck and call: Slinkman, a nerdish banana slug; Edward, a snotty, anal-retentive Platypus; and Edward's own flunkeys, the dung beetles (Chip and Skip). Some of the episodes focused on the great rivalry between Camp Kindey and the all-girl Squirrel Scouts in the camp on the other side of Leakey Lake. Foremost among the Squirrel Scouts were Gretchen the alligator, Nina the giraffe, and Patsy the mongoose, who had a crush on Lazlo (and frequently crushed him in her enthusiasm!) A good, old-fashioned exercise in harmless cartoon nihilism, Camp Lazlo premiered July 8, 2005, on the Cartoon Network. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Carlos Alazraqui, Jeff Bennett, (more)
- 2001
It's Opening Day for the Boston Red Sox, so Peter (voice of Seth MacFarlane) decides to keep the kids out of school and take them to Fenway. He calls in sick to work, telling Mr. Weed (voice of Carlos Alazraqui), "I was in a terrible plane crash. My entire family was killed and I am a vegetable. See you tomorrow." Later, he runs into Mr. Weed at the ballpark, and expects to be fired, but the next day, the El Dorado Cigarette Company buys out the toy company, and Weed loses his job. The cigarette guys turn out to be poodle-shooting evil madmen who are using toys to get children addicted to their cigarettes. When Peter brings home a "Baby Smokes-A-Lot," Lois (voice of Alex Borstein) expresses her disapproval. When Peter confronts his new bosses, they make him president of the company to keep him quiet. Peter gets an executive parking space and his own personal yes man. The company hires an ugly girl to hang out with Meg (voice of Mila Kunis) at school, so she'll look prettier by comparison. They even hire Martha Stewart to help Lois out around the house. Lois is so enamored of all the perks that she forgets about her moral qualms. When an anti-smoking bill comes before Congress, a tobacco exec suggests, "They're all idiots in Washington. Instead of a smart guy, we should send a moron they can relate to." Thus, Peter becomes a tobacco industry lobbyist. Alyssa Milano makes an appearance in this episode, with the episode's writer, Ricky Blitt, playing her attorney. There's also a parody of the theme from That Girl, and Jack Sheldon, who worked on the original Schoolhouse Rock shorts, plays the bill. ~ Josh Ralske, All Movie Guide
- 2001
After a Career Day visit to Chris' (voice of Seth Green) junior high school class, Peter (voice of Seth MacFarlane) feels that his job at the toy factory is going nowhere. Lois (voice of Alex Borstein) suggests he invite his boss, Mr. Weed (voice of Carlos Alazraqui), over to dinner to impress him. Peter goes along, despite unpleasant memories of Margot Kidder's (voice of Rachael MacFarlane) dinner visit. That night, the kids do a number from The Sound of Music and dance off to bed. Peter has trouble with small talk. "I don't care what the guys at work say," he tells his boss. "I don't think you're an effeminate weirdo." But Mr. Weed is so impressed with Lois that he offers Peter a promotion before choking to death on a dinner roll. During his eulogy, Peter mistakes Jesus for The Incredible Hulk. After the funeral, Mr. Weed's video will is played, and it turns out he's arranged to have the toy factory demolished. After Peter unsuccessfully tries working as a washroom attendant, a deaf guy who hands out cards asking for donations, and a transvestite streetwalker, Lois tells him she has some money saved, so he can pursue his dream job. So Peter sets out to become a Renaissance Fair jouster, just like the Black Knight (voice of Will Ferrell) who saved his life when he was an acid-tripping teen. Peter trains with a tough drill sergeant-type coach (voice of R. Lee Ermey) but is disenchanted when he learns that the Black Knight is actually a jerk who drives a yellow Hyundai. Things get more ugly when the Black Knight catches his girlfriend flirting with Peter. This episode also features the voice talents of Jimmy Kimmel, Adam Carolla, and Charles Durning. ~ Josh Ralske, All Movie Guide
- 2001
Brian (voice of Seth MacFarlane) tells his shrink that nothing thrills him anymore. He's watched the Behind the Music with Leif Garrett so many times that he's memorized it. It's suggested that Brian needs to think about the needs of others for a change; his shrink recommends volunteer work. He takes a blind man to a movie and describes it to him (clearly, the film is The Blair Witch Project -- "Nothing's happening...something about a map...nothing's happening...it's over.") and plays checkers with an old woman. The volunteer work doesn't go too well. But things take a happier turn when Joe (voice of Patrick Warburton) suggests Brian put his talented nose to work for the police. Brian can smell cocaine a mile away, and is soon touring schools as "McGriffin, the Drug Dog." But he soon discovers he has more than a professional interest in the substance. Meanwhile, at the company picnic, Peter (MacFarlane) wins a week's paid vacation. But the Griffins put off their trip to the Bahamas to support Brian as he goes into rehab. Peter is so impressed with the well-appointed Providence Rehab Center ("This is where God would come if he had to stop doing blow!") that he decides to spend his vacation there, posing as a heroin addict. He's a bad influence, luring Brian out of group therapy so they can spy on the pregnant teens across the lake. Brian's therapist at the center tells him that he'll never recover unless he gets away from Peter's negative influence. Brian decides he does need some time away, and takes off for parts unknown. This episode was the first of two parts, concluding with "Brian Does Hollywood." ~ Josh Ralske, All Movie Guide
In the world of the emperor penguin, a simple song can mean the difference between a lifetime of happiness and an eternity of loneliness. When a penguin named Mumble is born without the ability to sing the romantic song that will attract his soul mate, he'll have to resort to some fancy footwork by tap dancing his way into the heart of the one he loves. Directed by Babe mastermind George Miller, Happy Feet tells the tale of one penguin's quest for love, and features an all-star cast of vocal talent that includes Robin Williams, Hugh Jackman, Elijah Wood, Nicole Kidman, and Brittany Murphy. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Elijah Wood, Robin Williams, (more)
Kelly Sandefur's comedy I Downloaded a Ghost concerns a girl who inadvertently becomes haunted by a pesky ghost after visiting the "ghost.com" website too often. She and her friends must help the ghost make amends for things he did when on Earth in order for the ghost's spirit to be released to the afterworld. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Carlos Alazraqui, Ellen Page, (more)
- 2004
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A presentation of the daily PBS Kids programming block, Maya & Miguel was a Latino-flavored educational cartoon series geared for children aged 5 through 11. Maya Santos was a lively 10-year-old Hispanic girl who was insatiably curious about the world around her, and who also came up with a million and one ideas to help those around her--in short, a well-meaning busybody, who invariably learned an important Life Lesson, or a new aspect of Latino culture and history, the end of each half-hour episode. Maya was accompanied in her exploits by her twin brother Miguel, her 7-year-old Mexican cousion Tito, and her ethnically diverse friends, among them Chrissy, Maggie, Theo and Andy. The adult characters included Maya and Miguel's incredibly supportive parents Miguel and Rosa, the kids' warm-hearted grandmother Abuela Elena, and friendly neighborhood mailman Senor Felipe. The Hispanic characters all spoke bilingually, switching from English to Spanish and back again with exhilarating abandon. Produced by Scholastic Productions and funded in part by a cooperative agreement between PBS, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and the US Department of Education, Maya & Miguel debuted October 1, 2004. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Candi Milo, Nika Frost, (more)
- 2001
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This home video release finds an interesting way to repackage older Disney cartoons. Mickey's Magical Christmas: Snowed in at the House of Mouse, finds Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, Pluto, and all of the other beloved Disney animated characters unable to leave a holiday party. In order to pass the time, the gang watches a compilation of holiday-themed short films. There is something for every member of the family on this look at Disney older efforts. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide
Peter Farrelly and Bobby Farrelly, the impish impresarios of gross-out comedy, take their body function-inspired humor to new extremes in this mixture of live action and animation. Bill Murray stars as Frank, a zoo worker suffering from the effects of an unknown malady he contracted after eating an egg contaminated with simian saliva. Unknown to Frank, the inside of his body is actually a city (the City of Frank) teeming with cellular life, where the mysterious illness he's fighting is an invading enemy that must be defeated at all costs. It's up to Osmosis Jones (voice of Chris Rock), a white blood cell cop, and Drix (voice of David Hyde Pierce), a rookie over-the-counter medication, to hunt down and stop a lethal virus (Laurence Fishburne) who's got an inferiority complex. Along the way, the partners visit Frank's runny nostrils (Booger Dam) and a bar called, appropriately enough, the Zit. Osmosis Jones costars Molly Shannon and Chris Elliott, and features the vocal talents of William Shatner, producer Joel Silver, and singer Brandy Norwood. ~ Karl Williams, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Bill Murray, Molly Shannon, (more)
The bumbling cops of Comedy Central's hit television series take a trip to Miami Beach for a national police convention. After the trip there turns out to be much more difficult than anticipated, the bumbling crew must leap into action when the convention center becomes the target of a biological terrorist attack. Lieutenant Jim Dangle (Thomas Lennon) must keep together his motley and inept crew in order to save everyone from the disaster, and keep peace on the streets of the popular Florida city. The film features the same cast from the popular Comedy Central series of the same name. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Lennie Loftin, Danny DeVito, (more)
The cinema vérité police documentary parody Reno 911! dispenses law and disorder during its first season on Comedy Central. The season's unscripted, totally improvised episodes follow various members of the Washoe County Sheriff's Department going about their duties, under the guidance of Lt. Jim Dangle (Tom Lennon). It doesn't take long before the shorts-wearing Dangle is revealed as a closeted homosexual, nor to discover that former magician's assistant Deputy Clementine Johnson (Wendi Mclendon-Covey) may still not be totally weaned from her exhibitionist tendencies. In the series opener, Lt. Dangle's new "zero-tolerance" policy backfires when he becomes the first person to be arrested in a fender bender. Later on, Detective Garcia (Carlos Alazraqui) wins a scavenger hunt by bringing in an inordinately tall, tattooed Jewish crack addict; Deputy Jones (Cedric Yarbrough) learns, to his surprise, that there are consequences to being racially oversensitive; conversely, Deputy Trudi Wiegel (Kerri Kenney) discovers the advantages of attempting suicide; the department falls over itself trying to impress the FBI, who've come to Reno to investigate a homicide; and an impending terrorist attack makes everyone paranoid, but not for the usual reasons. Season one ends with a cliffhanger, sparked by the Halloween eve death of Deputy Jones and his bizarre videotaped legacy. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Thomas Lennon, Robert Ben Garant, (more)
The whole police reality show genre is savagely raked over the coals as Reno 911! enters its second season. The men and women of the Washoe County Sheriff's Department continue to allow cameras to follow them everywhere, though why they do it is anybody's guess, since the resulting videotapes succeed only in showing everyone off in the worst possible light. (Come to think of it, would there be any laughs if they were seen in the best possible light?) The season begins as department leader Lt. Dangle (Tom Lennon) announces his retirement and schedules his own testimonial dinner -- which may be very sparsely attended thanks to a sold-out sports event. Later on, the deputies ponder the possibility that Deputy Trudy Weigel's new boyfriend may be a serial killer (she never has had much luck in affairs of the heart). In other episodes, a British inspector (Tom Bolster) shows up to compare the department's methods with those of Scotland Yard (gee, no contest there); a jailed televangelist uses his cell as a studio for his weekly "Half Hour of Power" telecast; a bitter turf war develops when the policeman's ball and the fireman's pancake dinner are scheduled on the same night; and for some obscure reason, Kenny Rogers makes not one but two guest appearances -- along with his real-life assistant Patton Oswalt. Season two comes to a riotous conclusion as Deputy Jones (Cedric Yarbrough) -- who apparently didn't die at the end of Season one -- and Deputy Garcia (Carlos Alazraqui) are accused of murdering the infamous Milkshake Man, whereupon the series' cast is replaced by a veritable battalion of celebrities (if it makes sense in context, we'll be very surprised). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Thomas Lennon, Robert Ben Garant, (more)
Buckle up for another ride with the officers of Reno Nevadaâs Sheriffâs Department in this third season DVD of the hit Comedy Central Series. From a stint in prison to an accidental cat killing to close encounters of the S.A.R.S. kind, you can expect nothing but foolish choices and utter mediocrity from these hapless law enforcers!
- Starring:
- Thomas Lennon, Robert Ben Garant, (more)
The officers of the Reno, Nevada Sheriff's department are back with a fourth season of Reno 911! that's full of murder intrigue, and a disturbingly (and mysteriously) pregnant Officer Wiegel. From committing election fraud to donning hot pink uniforms and blowing up various large items, the officers give their all in every episode after gloriously inept episode.
- Starring:
- Thomas Lennon, Robert Ben Garant, (more)
The officers of Reno 911! are back in their most ridiculous season yet, with 16 episodes that'll make you very glad these aren't your local cops. In this fifth season (which aired on Comedy Central in 2008), Wiegel (Kerri Kenney) meets her real daddy, the department hires a former sex slave, and the team takes on a badass bounty hunter. With their failed stings and constant drinking problems, they prove that they have exactly what it takes to be police officers: badges. Bonus material includes over 40 minutes of extended scenes, audio commentary from the cast on select episodes, and featurettes.
- Starring:
- Thomas Lennon, Robert Ben Garant, (more)
Jeff Daniels, Stanley Tucci, Cheryl Hines, and Andy Samberg lend their voices to this computer-animated comedy following the descendants of the first chimps in space as they blast off for fun and adventure on a far-away planet. Ham III (Samberg) is the grandson of Ham, the first-ever chimp astronaut. This ne'er-do-well chimp may not be the most qualified ape for the job, but a scheming senator (Tucci) has recruited him for a most dangerous mission. It seems that a powerful tyrant (Daniels) has overtaken an alien world, and now it's up to Ham III and his trusty simian crew (Hines and Patrick Warburton) to help overthrow the deep-space despot. Perhaps with some training from Ham III's mentor (Kenan Thompson) and the help of a friendly alien (Kristin Chenoweth) this fearless group of anthropoids can make the universe a safer place for aliens and humans alike. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Andy Samberg, Cheryl Hines, (more)
- 2001
Curiously, the "origins" episode of The Fairly OddParents, which shared its half-hour time slot with a brace of other short segments (including "Too Many Timmys" and "The Fairy Flu,") was not originally telecast as the series opener, but instead popped up when the show was eight weeks into its first season! The series' "official" premiere offering consisted of two brief stories: "The Big Problem," in which ten-year-old Timmy Turner prevails upon his zany fairy godparents, Wanda and Cosmo, to transform him into a grownup (with the expected disastrous results); and "Power Mad," wherein Timmy is given a harrowing up-close-and-personal view of his favorite virtual-reality game. Other season one segments include: "Spaced Out," in which Timmy is given a rather unhospitable space alien to play with; "TransParents," the first episode wherein Timmy's hostile teacher Mr. Crocker tumbles to the fairy godparents' existence; "Tiny Timmy," a Fantastic Voyage spoof with Timmy as the shrink-ee; and "Father Time," in which Timmy's foray into the past nearly messes up his chances of ever being born. Wanda and Cosmo are the focus of "Apartnership," which details a serious schism in their long marriage; and "The Zappy," a broad takeoff of glitzy TV awards ceremonies. Also: Timmy's favorite comic book superhero the Crimson Chin (voiced by Jay Leno) suffers a profound loss of self-confidence in "Chin Up!"; Timmy is converted into a canine in "Dog's Day Afternoon"; a world in which everyone looks, acts and thinks alike is conjured up by the godparents in "The Same Game"; and Cosmo strolls over to the Dark Side in "Really Bad Day." ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Tara Strong, Daran Norris, (more)
- 2001
Most of the 16 episodes seen in season two of The Fairly OddParents consist of two short segments per half hour. This year's exceptions include the Yuletide special "Christmas Every Day" (originally telecast a few months before the season proper began in March of 2002) and the Halloween outing "Scary Godparents." Among the misadventures experienced by ten-year-old Timmy Turner and his eccentric wish-granting fairy godparents Wanda and Cosmo are: "Boys in the Band," in which Timmy's terrifying babysitter Vicky kidnaps pop star Chip Skylark (voiced by *NSYNC's Chris Kirkpatrick); "Boy Toy," which finds Timmy collaborating with his "Crimson Chin" action figure to foil Vicky's equally odious kid sister Tootie; "Action Packed," the episode that asks the question, "What if real life were one long action movie?"; "Timvisible," in which Timmy is rendered invisible to avoid Francis the Bully -- and nearly loses out on a much-coveted school award as a result; and "That Old Black Magic," pitting Wanda and Cosmo against the dreaded Anti-Fairies who erect the Fountain of Bad Luck on Friday the 13th. Other second season highlights: Timmy is turned into a fairy and Cosmo and Wanda are rendered "normal" in "A Mile in My Shoes; Timmy's parents morph into superheroes in "Mighty Mom and Dyno Dad"; our hero stands in for an ailing John Hancock at the 1776 Declaration signing in "Twistory"; April Fool, Fairyworld's leading standup comic ("What's up with that??"), wreaks havoc in the real world in "Fool's Day Out"; vapid boy-band singer Chip Skylark meets his match in equally airheaded Skip Sparkypants in "Shiny Teeth"; Wanda goes the Ferris Bueller route in "Wanda's Day Out"; and the series' familiar characters assume new roles in the old frontier in "Odd, Odd West." ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Tara Strong, Daran Norris, (more)
- 2003
Of the 17 half-hour episodes produced for season three of The Fairly OddParents, most contain two short, self-contained segments per show. This year's exceptions include the season opener, "Information Stupor Highway"; the Valentine's day show "Love Struck"; and "The Secret Origin of Denzel Crocker," the life story of the nasty teacher who is obsessed with proving that ten-year-old Timmy Turner has a pair of winged fairy godparents named Wanda and Cosmo. (Which, of course, Timmy does!) Highlights of the third season include "Movie Magic," in which Timmy wishes to be transformed into an "auteur" to impress the haughty Trixie Tang; "Most Wanted Wish," illustrates the perils of wanting to be "wanted"; "This is Your Wish," with Cosmo's magical mom wreaking havoc; "Engine Blocked," wherein Timmy is transformed into his dad's sportscar; and "Beddy Bye," featuring the voice of Jackie Mason as the Sandman, who is so mad he could plotz when Timmy wishes for a world without sleep. Also: Timmy uses an enchanted microphone to expose the evil of his babysitter Vicky in "Microphony"; comic book superhero The Crimson Chin (voiced by Jay Leno) is pitted against his liquidy adversary H2Olga in "Crime Wave"; Timmy's wish for complete silence backfires when he can't warn Dimmsdale of an approaching meteor in "Pipe Down!"; a Darth Vader action figure is not only brought to life, but repulsively replicated by a magic copying machine in "Hard Copy"; and Timmy's neighbors face the dual threat of an avalanche and the Abominable Snowman in "Snow Bound." ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Tara Strong, Daran Norris, (more)
