Michael Hirsh Movies
- 2007
William Shatner provides the voice of Santa Claus in this Christmas cartoon featuring vibrantly colored animation and upbeat holiday tunes. The musical adventure follows kids Trevor and Veronica as they attempt to track down jolly old St. Nick (and prove that he exists!) before an ice monster named LeFreeze gets to him first and puts a permanent end to the holiday season. ~ All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- William Shatner
- 2007
The animated adventure series Magi-Nation got under way when 15-year-old earthling Tony Jones was suddenly transported to a parallel world called the Moonlands, where 3000 years of peace and tranquility on the world's Surface was being threatened by the re-awakening of the evil Agram. It so happened that Tony was a Magi, predestined to save the Moonlands from harm. Together with his fellow Magis--Strag, a shy Shadow Stalker who hailed from the Moonland's "Underneath", and Edyn, a feisty and highly literate spellcaster from the forest region of Naroom--Tony followed the clues provided by the hologramatic Book of Elders to locate the eleven magic Dreamstones that would enable the dogooders to thwart Avram's army of Dream Creatures. To expedite this mission, the three Magi were given personalized Dream Creatures of their own: Tony's Creature was Furok, who was able to change colors and emit energy blasts from his antlers; Strag's was Greep, a combination mushroom-turtle-dinosaur; and Edyn's was the wooden, horned Ugger. Also in the cast was Edyn's wise old mentor Orwin, the Elder of Vash Norrom, and Argram's scurrilous "Shadow Magi", including his bumbling stooges Korg and Zed. Inspired by the card-and-video game introduced by Game Boy Color in 2001 and coproduced by Canada's Cookie Jar Entertainment and Korea's DaiWon, Magi-Nation debuted over Canada's CBC on September 8, 2007 before joining CW's "Kid's WB" weekend lineup on September 22. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 2006
Based on the literary property by Mordecai Richler, the animated series Jacob Two Two revolved around a young boy named Jacob, who'd earned his double-digit nickname because he repeated everything twice. As the youngest member of a very large family, Jacob was compelled to speak in this "Two Two" fashion in order to get anyone to pay attention to him. Though teased and maligned by his older siblings Daniel (the music-crazy 16 year old), Marfa (the haughty eldest sister), and Emma and Noah (who'd formed their own highly exclusive "Kid Power" clubhouse and created their own alter egos of Shapiro and Fearless O'Toole), Jacob invariably emerged as the hero of the occasion by thwarting sinister secret agents, evil land despoilers and other such cartoony villains. This he did through the auspices of X. Barnaby Dinglebat, an international spy who posed as a gas-meter reader. Other characters included Jacob's dad Morty, an author of adventure novels; his mom Florence, an archetypal workaholic; his loquacious best friend Buford Orville Gaylord Purghe, who possessed the most embarrassing set of initials ever heard in mixed company; nasty, voracious school principal I.M. Greedyguts and his toadying henchman, Leo Louse the janitor; Renee Ratelle, French-born nemesis of everyone in Jacob's classroom; the Hooded Fang, a vicious-looking but golden-hearted pro wrestler who assisted Jake in his adventures; Miss Sweetie Darlingpie, who may have seemed to be nothing more than a nice little old lady but who was actually the ruthless leader of a vast enemy spy organization; and the standard-issue "dumb cops" Sgt. Law and Cpl. Order. Originating as a series of Canadian-produced home videos (some of which were seen on Canada's YTV network),Jacob Two Two was added to NBC's Saturday-morning children's lineup on September 9, 2006. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 2003
Though originally completed during the 2003-2004 season, the third year's worth of episode of the animated series Braceface were not picked up by cable's Disney Channeluntil early in 2006. Also, as in previous years, the series' third season showed up in a single 26-episode package on American TV, but was broken up into two separate 13-episode bundles for Canadian play. This is the season that actress Stacey DePass replaces film star Alicia Silverstone as the voice of high schooler Sharon Spitz, also known as "Braceface" because of her ill-fitting (and magnetized!) dental braces. Typical of Sharon's adventures during Season 03 are her brief foray into acting, and her efforts to "dumb down" so as not to embarrass her less academically adept friend Connor. Elsewhere: Sharon's ex-boyfriend Alden suffers a head injury and fantasizes that he and Sharon are still a couple, a notion she adamantly resists--at least at first; resuming ballet classes after several years, Sharon discovers she's better suited to slapstick than "Swan Lake"; our heroine suffers unintended consequences when she purchases a pumped-up bra in order to look more mature; Sharon's doltish older brother Adam surprises one and all when he's revealed to a be a talented poet; the "unique and original "Dion continues to set his friends a-wondering whether he's gay or straight; an attempt by the kids to be more "spontaneous" and less predictable backfires; the notoriously fickle Nina lands a new boyfriend, whereupon Sharon tries to break up the couple "for their own good" (yeh, right); Sharon is dismayed to learn that her rock-musician date has been reduced to singing minstrel ballads in a medieval-themed restaurant; in a parody of All About Eve, aspiring singer Sharon is taken advantage of by a false friend; and when nasty Nina decides to stop battling with Sharon and become pals again, Sharon begins yearning for the days when they were still enemies! In honor of the series' staunch pro-animal stance, the third season of Braceface was honored with two more Genesis Awards--even before they'd been telecast in the U.S. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Stacey Depass, Daniel Petronijevic, (more)
- 2003
The second TV cartoon series based on the children's books by Stan and Jan Berenstain, The Berenstain Bears was co-produced by PBS and the Canadian animation firm Nelvana. Once again, the setting was Beartown, a busy community in a most suburban-looking forest, where the Berenstain Bear family -- Papa, Mama, Brother, and Sister -- lived in a fashionable hollow tree. Based on the original stories, the 15-minute segments emphasized pro-social values in an entertaining, easy-to-take fashion. This version of The Berenstain Bears made its American public TV bow on January 6, 2003. From Nelvana. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 2002
Created by Naomi Iwata, the half-hour 3-D CGI animated series Pecola boasted a production design that Pablo Picasso might have envied. The title character was a lovable little penguin who lived in Cube City, where everything was on the square -- literally, since everyone had square heads and square bodies, living in square houses on square streets beneath a square sky. Despite this seeming conformity, Pecola waddled to a different beat from his animal friends, and therein lay the series' hilarity. A Cinar release, Pecola made its U.S. debut over the Cartoon Network on May 6, 2003. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Len Carlson, Jill Frappier, (more)
- 2002
Season Two of the animated "teen-com" Braceface begins as the title character, aka Sharon Spitz, turns fourteen years old and enters high school. Here she becomes good friends with her mentor, the "original and unique" Dion, whom she assumes is gay--mainly because he's got a remarkable talent for dressmaking (later on, Sharon will make one too many assumptions about Dion, and very nearly wreck their friendship). Our heroine also learns a whole new slew of responsibilities--and makes a whole bunch more blunders--when she gets her first regular job at "Life Cycles". In other episodes, Sharon and her best bud Maria succumb to peer pressure and pose as "bad girls"; Sharon and Alden break up their relationship, sort of; the kids become self-conscious about their weight; snooty Nina is nearly left friendless when her flunkey Alyson gets tired of being taken advantage of her, and later nearly patches up her once-strong friendship with Sharon when they search for a lost dog; Sharon and her brothers have a tough time getting adjusted to their divorced mom's new boyfriend; the dangers of irresponsible gossiping and the rigors of a high school "parenting" class are played for all they're worth; and a journey to Italy turns out to be a life-altering experience for Sharon and her buds. Because of the series' strong pro-ecological and pro-animal stance, the second season of Braceface was honored with both an Environmental Media Association Award and a Genesis Award. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Alicia Silverstone, Daniel Petronijevic, (more)
- 2001
In this video, children watch Franklin, beloved turtle and television star, as he learns about the true meaning of Christmas. While spending Christmas at Grandpa's farm, Grandpa takes a bad fall. Franklin and his younger sister must go enlist the help of Dr. Bear on a journey that finds them learning all about Christmas and each other as they race to get home in time for the holiday festivities. ~ Rob Ferrier, All Movie Guide
- 2001
The first 26-episode season of the animated Braceface follows gawky teenager Sharon Spitz as she makes the transition from junior high to high school, supported by her loyal pals, opposed by her school rivals, virtually ignored by her family (her parents are divorced), and forever finding herself in embarrassing situations thanks to her magnetized teeth braces, which not only attract "foreign" objects at the most inopportune times, but also can pick up private cell-phone conversations! Many of the episodes deal with such vital teen issues as friendship, loyalty, trust, sharing and responsibility. Less generally, the episodes are strongly character-driven, not only by Sharon -- aka "Braceface" -- but also by her friends Maria and Connor, her "enemies" Nina and Alyson, her erstwhile sweetheart Alden, her self-involved divorced parents, and her often-cloddish brothers Adam (the older one) and Josh (the younger one). Sample plotlines: The vegetarian Sharon almost dumps Alden when he gets a job in a meatpacking plant; a mixed-up Adam asks sister Sharon some advice on romance; our heroine gets her first period just as she is going on her first real date (Alden thinks she's got appendicitis!); the Spitz kids agonize when their mom and dad re-enter the dating scene; Sharon starts drinking heavily to be "one of the guys" and suffers the consequences; after a near-death experience, Sharon and Nina try to figure out why their once-strong friendship has gone to the dogs; Maria goes into full envy mode when Sharon is made a summer-camp counselor; and in an episode that must have really hit home with Alicia Silverstone, the voice of Sharon, our heroine meets a singing superstar and learns the hard way that being a celebrity is no bed of roses! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Alicia Silverstone, Daniel Petronijevic, (more)
- 2000
Pelswick is an animated comedy series for children with a very unusual lead character -- Pelswick Eggert (voice of Robert Tinkler), a 13-year-old boy who is confined to a wheelchair. Despite being paralyzed from the waist down, Pelswick still has his sense of humor (he describes his condition as "permanently seated") and an adventurous streak. As Pelswick and his pals Goon (voice of Peter Oldring) and Ace (voice of Phil Guerrero) deal with the typical trials and tribulations of being a kid, Pelswick is often daunted by the fact that he lives in San Francisco, whose hills make life tricky when you have to roll from place to place. Fortunately, Pelswick has a guardian angel, Mr. Jimmy (voice of David Arquette), who happens to look a bit like the late lead guitarist of a certain popular San Francisco-based rock band. Pelswick was created by John Callahan, a cartoonist whose work often casts a darkly satiric eye at the issues of the handicapped (Callahan himself is paralyzed from the shoulders down). The series debuted on the Nickelodeon cable network on October 24, 2000. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- David Arquette, Robert Tinkler, (more)
In this comedy, as American astronauts prepare to make one giant leap for mankind, a small Australian town stumbles through its own small steps to help. In the summer of 1969, Cliff Buxton (Sam Neill) leads a team of scientists overseeing the operations of one of the world's largest radio telescope dishes, nestled in a New South Wales community of sheep farmers. As NASA prepares for Apollo 11, the first manned voyage to the moon, Buxton and his crew are asked if they will allow their telescope's dish to be used as a backup receiver for the television transmission from the moon, should the main receiver in California fail. Buxton and his men are more than happy to help, and the village is agog as they gear up for their own small part in one of the world's greatest adventures. Mayor McIntyre (Roy Billing) and his wife May (Genevieve Mooy) are thrilled to be greeting a small but steady stream of important visitors, though many of the locals are not especially good with etiquette, and several members of Buxton's team, most notably high-strung Mitch (Kevin Harrington), are less than enthusiastic about Al Burnett (Patrick Warburton), the know-it-all NASA technician brought in to oversee the Australian operations. When a change in Apollo 11's schedule means the Australian dish will have to pick up the vital broadcast from the moon, Cliff, Mitch, and Al must put aside their differences to pull the show together. Though played for laughs, The Dish was inspired by actual events. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Sam Neill, Kevin Harrington, (more)
This sequel to 1989's Babar: The Movie tells more animated tales in the life of the famous elephant from the popular children's books of Jean deBrunhoff and Laurent deBrunhoff. Babar is a young elephant living happily in the jungle until his mother is murdered by hunters. Distraught, Babar wanders aimlessly until he finds himself in the city, where his unfamiliarity with human lifestyles causes no small number of problems. But an older woman who's grown fond of Babar offers to show him the ropes, helping him learn to live among people until his friends arrive to take him back home. This production from Canada's Nelvana cartoon studio is highlighted by excellent animation and a fine musical score. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Dan Lett, Janet-Laine Green, (more)
This animated musical is the newest incarnation of Astrid Lindgren's mischievous, magical Pippi Longstocking, the nine-year-old daughter of a sea captain whose adventures have delighted young readers, moviegoers and television fans for generations. The tale begins as Pippi sails the seas with her father. A storm tosses him overboard, but just before he disappears he promises his daughter that he will return to their home at Villa Villekulla. Pippi returns home to raise herself amongst a menagerie of interesting animals. She supports herself with a cache of gold coins given to her by her father. Pippi's friends include her neighbors Tommy and Annika, who find her a refreshing change from the boredom of their suburban lives. Together the trio get into good-natured trouble with the townsfolk. Real trouble comes in the form of two idiotic thieves who try to steal Pippi's money. Songs include"Pluttifikation" and "A Bowler and a New Gold Tooth." ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Melissa Altro, Catherine O'Hara, (more)
In this small Australian comedy, Michael Caton stars as Darryl Kerrigan, a contented, mildly eccentric family man with an easy laugh and a quick compliment for his wife's cooking. Darryl, his wife, and his four children live in domestic bliss in a ramshackle yet proud domicile neighboring the airport. But that serenity is threatened when the government issues a compulsory acquisition order, which means the Kerrigans must vacate their home to make way for an airport expansion project. And even though he makes a hobby of buying useless junk as long as he gets it for bargain price, no amount of compensation money will convince Darryl to relinquish his "castle," which stores the family's collective memories and symbolizes their unique character. Darryl organizes the other affected neighbors, hires a bumbling attorney/family friend, and pursues his battle in court. However, he soon discovers he needs more than gumption and spitfire earnestness to support a case in front of the magistrates of Australia's high courts. The Castle was the first feature for director Rob Sitch (The Dish), who rose to prominence directing episodes of the satirical Australian television series Frontline. ~ Derek Armstrong, All Movie Guide
- 1996
Caesar's Writers captures the joke-cracking reunion between comedian Sid Caesar and nine writers from his television programs Your Show of Shows and Caesar's Hour. On January 24th, 1996, Caesar and some of his former cohorts met at the Writer's Guild function. The tape, recorded by WGA member Michael Hirsh, features Gary Belkin, Mel Brooks, Larry Gelbart, Sheldon Keller, Carl Reiner, Aaron Ruben, Danny Simon, Neil Simon, and Caesar. Billy Crystal hosts the session. ~ Betsy Boyd, All Movie Guide
- 1995
From the same team responsible for the Australian magazine show spoof Frontline, Funky Squad was a screamingly funny send-up of such 1960s and 1970s youth-oriented cop shows as The Mod Squad and Starsky and Hutch. The series' seven half-hour episodes chronicled the adventures of a group of hip young police officers, all of whom were decked out with garish outfits, big hair and oh-so-cool dialogue. In keeping with the satirical spirit of the series, the actor/writers playing Funky Squad members Grant, Cassie, Stix, and Poncho were billed under fictional real names rather than their own names. Thus, Tim Ferguson was credited onscreen as Blair Steele, Jane Kennedy, was known as Verity Svenson-Hart, Santo Cilauro was identified as Joey Alvarez, and so on. Funky Squad was seen over Australia's ABC network from April 24 to June 5, 1995. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1994
Also known as Behind the Frontline and Breaking News, this satirical series offered behind-the-scenes glimpses of a typical Australian TV current-affairs show. The point of the series was to skewer media-journalist claims of objectivity, demonstrating how opinions could easily be swayed by any number of political and commercial considerations. In the same vein, the journalists depicted in the series were not above exploiting human suffering and misery for an extra ratings point or two. A team of talented Australian sketch comedians, led by Santo Cilauro, Tom Gleisner, Jane Kennedy, and Rob Sitch, wrote the scripts and enacted the main roles. The 39 episodes of Frontline were broadcast by Australia's ABC network from May 9, 1994, to May 19, 1997. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Alec Baldwin stars in this thriller as Dr. Jed Hill, a brilliant young trauma specialist who begins to believe he can do no wrong after he saves the life of a patient given up for dead by another doctor. Jed runs into an old classmate, Andy Safian (Bill Pullman), who is now a college dean. Andy invites Jed to stay with him in the attic bedroom of a house he is renovating with his wife Tracy (Nicole Kidman). Tracy takes a dislike to Jed, whom she thinks is a psychotic egomaniac. In the mean time, Andy has to deal with a serial killer on the loose among the campus dorms. While Andy is helping belligerent law enforcement officials with the murder investigation and Jed is drinking straight shots at the local saloon, Tracy begins to have abdominal pains and is rushed to the emergency room. Jed comes directly from the bar and slices her open, removing more from her body cavity than he should. The allegations fly fast and furious between Tracy, Andy, and Jed. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Alec Baldwin, Nicole Kidman, (more)
