Rugrats: "Chanukah"

Premiered December 6, 1996.

Chanukah has arrived and Tommy Pickles (Elizabeth Daily), his cousin Angelica (Cheryl Chase) and their friends are a bit confused about what's happening.  Tommy's family lights candles and he gets a present every night for several days and he wonders if every night is his birthday.  

Their grandfather Boris Kropotkin (Michael Bell) is appearing in the local synagogue's play, which is titled "The Meaning Of Chanukah."  Boris is playing Judah Maccabee, the hero of the Chanukah story.  King Antiochus, the villain of Chanukah, will be played by Boris's longtime rival Shlomo (Fyvush Finkel).  Boris and Shlomo have known each other since their childhood in Russia and Boris feels Shlomo lords his successful business over him.  
of the miracle of the oil associated with

Tommy and Angelica's grandparents eat latkes, which symbolize Chanukah's miracle of the oil.

When Tommy and friends see Shlomo's photo next to the phrase "Meaning Of Chanukah," they become confused and believe Shlomo is "the meanie of Chanukah!"  This makes them worry for Boris' safety.

Angelica doesn't want to attend the play, because it will cause her to miss A Very Cynthia Christmas, her favorite holiday special, which airs at the same time as the pageant.  Her Aunt Didi (Melanie Chartoff) insists she attend the play, but Angelica conspires to find a way to watch the Cynthia special.  

Didi's husband Stu (Jack Riley) is not Jewish, but he wants to show respect for the Kropotkin family's Chanukah traditions.  With this in mind, he builds a giant light-up Menorah and plans to show it off at the Chanukah play.  

When the family arrives at the synagogue, Boris and Shlomo immediately start arguing.  The play gets more complicated when another cast member named Lowell Armstein (Alan Rachins) arrives. 

Lowell thought he'd be playing King Antiochus, but the Rabbi (Ron Liebman) tells Lowell he will be playing "the Village Kvetch."  This frustrates Lowell, since he planned to perform a monologue and brought along music to accompany him. 

Angelica sneaks away to search for a TV, so she can the Christmas special.  She's thwarted when an adult finds her and deposits her in the synagogue's nursery with Tommy and the other kids. 

Will the Rugrats learn the Meaning Of Chanukah?  Will the feud between Shlomo and Boris ruin the Chanukah play?  

J.A. Morris says:

Let me state up front that I've been aware of Rugrats since their inception, but I haven't watched many episodes from beginning to end.  But I've always liked what I've seen of the show.  "Chanukah" is fun holiday episode that provides a nice introduction to Chanukah and the traditions related to the occasion.  

I appreciated the resolution to Boris and Shlomo's conflict.  Boris was jealous of Shlomo's successful business.  We learn that Shlomo was jealous of Boris' family, because he and his wife never had the time to be "blessed with children."  Since his wife is now deceased, Shlomo wonders if there's a point to traditions if your loved ones are no longer around.  I won't spoil the ending, but since this is an episode of a Nickelodeon series, it won't be shocking to learn that "a Chanukah miracle" occurs.  

Angelica would rather stay home and watch a Christmas special instead of going to the Chanukah play.  On a (possibly) related note, when Stu is driving to the synagogue (with the giant Menorah on top of his car!) he winds up getting stuck in a Christmas parade! 

I believe these are references to the fact that during the holiday season, many people forget that other traditions exist and that not everyone celebrates Christmas.  I would hope "Chanukah" taught younger viewers of Rugrats to understand this and to respect other peoples' beliefs.  

On a lighter note, Lowell Armstein adds some humor to the episode.

I'm glad this episode exists, if for no other reason than because the world could use for more episodes/specials/movies that focus on occasions that aren't Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas.  This episode also makes me want to watch more episodes of Rugrats, and not just their many holiday episodes!

"Chanukah" is funny, touching and educational.  It's a great introduction to Chanukah and it gets my highest rating.

J.A. Morris' rating:

4 dreidels!

RigbyMel says:

I've enjoyed watching assorted episodes of Rugrats over the years,  but the Chanukah episode was new to me. 

This episode does a good job of telling the story of Chanukah through the eyes of babes.  In point of fact,  it actually tells the basics of the Chanukah pretty well for adults too.  

I like the way we see the babies imagining themselves in the telling of the story -- including Tommy's great line "A maccababy's gotta do what a maccababy's gotta do" (which plays on the name of Judah Maccabee -- the hero of the original Chanukah story).    

I also like the pop up Old Testament stories we see when the babies imagine reading the Torah in secret while Grandma reads the story.  

One of the appeals of Rugrats for me has always been the wordplay based in childlike (mis)understanding of language.  For example, the babies decide that Shlomo is the "meanie of Chanukah" and determine that he should take a nap rather than bully Grandpa Boris.  The "meanie of Chanukah" bit is also great in that it plays on the whole "meaning of Christmas" schtick of many a holiday special.  

Speaking of holiday specials, bratty Angelica's plan to use the babies' mission to protect Grandpa Boris as a means to watching her Cynthia Christmas program is humorous.   

Moreover, in terms of wordplay,  Angelica's explanation that Chhhhh-anukah (with extra phlegm) takes place between "Misgiving and Christmas" is delightful and a really good illustration of how this Jewish celebration tends to get lumped in with the other traditions floating around in the ether this time of year.  

Rugrats "Chanukah" may well be the very best pop culture explication of Chanukah aimed at children available.  It's sweet and gentle telling of the tale has heart and humor and manages to be educational without being didactic.   I'd heartily recommend it to anyone  --  young or old -- who enjoys holiday programming.  

RigbyMel's rating: 

4 dreidels!    

The Real Ghostbusters: "The Revenge Of Murray The Mantis"

                  

Premiered November 2, 1987.  

It's the day before Thanksgiving in New York City.  At their headquarters, the Ghostbusters are cleaning their Ecto-1 car so it'll look good when they drive it in in New York's Thanksgiving Day parade.  Peter Venkman (Lorenzo Music) is looking forward to the parade, since he thinks it'll be a great place for him to meet women.  

Later that evening, a work crew at a warehouse is rushing to finish a balloon in time for the parade.  They're being supervised by Anne Lawson (Amy Hill), one of the organizers of the parade.  It's a balloon of Murray The Mantis, star of a cartoon series where he protected a garden from bad guy bugs.  Anne is glad the balloon will be ready, but she gets a bit unnerved when she learns the warehouse used to be a morgue.  

At the parade, Egon (Maurice LaMarche) and Ray (Frank Welker) are excited to see the Murray balloon, since they're big fans of the cartoon.  Venkman, on the hand, has never heard of Murray or his show.  

The parade is going well until suddenly, the Murray balloon turns into an actual giant Praying Mantis!

It wrecks the parade and sends spectators fleeing in terror.  The Ghostbusters snap into action and attack the big bug.  Ann informs them the Murray balloon was made in a building that was once a morgue.  Ray figures that the balloon must have picked up "death force energy" from the old morgue, which made it come to life.  

After chasing the mantis to Central Park, the Ghostbusters realize they won't be able to defeat Murray by themselves.  Winston Zeddemore (Arsenio Hall) says if they want to take down Murray, they'll need help from "the Big Guy "- The Stay Puft Marshmallow Man!  The Ghostbusters stopped Stay Puft from destroying New York (as seen in the Ghostbusters movie) and he's been held captive in their containment unit ever since.  

If they release Stay Puft, he might be able to help them beat Murray.  However, there's also a possibility that he could destroy the city.  Is it worth the risk?  

Will Murray The Mantis ruin Thanksgiving?

J.A. Morris says:

This is a solid Thanksgiving episode of a good 1980s cartoon.  In earlier reviews, we/ve talked about how the Macy's Thanksgiving Parade is just a big as part of Thanksgiving Day as turkey, pumpkin pie and cranberries.  "The Revenge Of Murray The Mantis" puts its entire focus on the parade and we don't get the usual Thanksgiving tropes like culinary disasters or annoying relatives.  

The story here is pretty basic Ghostbusters stuff.  A parade balloon comes to life, animated by "death energy" and the Ghostbusters jump into action to stop it.  The addition of the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man makes the episode feel more connected with the original theatrical film, something you can't say about every episode.  Slimer, another ghost who appeared in the movie also helps them control Stay Puft.  

When I was a kid, there always seemed to be balloons that featured characters who had fallen into obscurity and my only point of reference for them was the Macy's parade.  Linus The Lion Hearted is a good example.  I believe Murray is meant to represent cartoon characters who have faded from public memory, since Peter Venkman has never heard of Murray or his old cartoon.  

The Real Ghostbusters featured a great voice cast and they all do fine work here, even if they don't sound much like their movie counterparts.  Frank Welker does double-duty as Ray Stantz and Slimer. 

If I had any problems with "The Revenge Of Murray The Mantis," it's that the series' low budget undermines the story, especially its action scenes.  The episode features a fight between Murray and Stay Puft, two giant monstrous characters.  However, we don't really ever see both characters in the same shot.   The closest we get to seeing Murray and Stay Puft onscreen simultaneously is when Ray watches them through his binoculars.  I understand it's a cheap cartoon from more than 30 years ago, but it's still disappointing.   

"The Revenge Of Murray The Mantis" is an enjoyable tribute to the Macy's parade that features likeable characters, fun action scenes and great voice-acting.  It's recommended to all fans of the parade and especially recommended to Ghostbusters fans.

J.A. Morris' rating:

3 pumpkin pies.

RigbyMel says:

I remember watching a fair bit of The Real Ghostbusters back in the mists of the 1980s, partly because my youngest brother was really into the show, but I have no memory at all of seeing this Thanksgiving themed episode until checking it out in recent years.  

The action essentially boils down to the Thanksgiving day parade being interrupted by a kaiju battle between the possessed Murray The Mantis balloon and the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man.  High concept!

I like the balloon/kaiju mayhem idea very much but, as J.A. Morris points out above, I do feel that the low-rent animation makes the overall impact a bit...underwhelming.  

Still, "The Revenge of Murray The Mantis" is enjoyable enough to appeal to Thanksgiving day parade and Ghostbusters fans alike, even if it's not a "classic."

RigbyMel's rating:

2 and a half pumpkin pies.

The Book of Life

Premiered October 17, 2014.

In the small Mexican town of San Angel, three childhood best friends musically inclined Manolo, free spirited Maria and aspiring hero Joaquin have adventures and get into mischief on the Day of the Dead.  There are also the stirrings of a love triangle as Joaquin and Manolo compete for Maria's attention. 

They are observed by two gods La Muerte (Kate del Castillo), who rules the Land of the Remembered and Xibalba (Ron Perlman), ruler of the Land of the Forgotten.  

The two supernatural beings decide to make a wager over which of the two young men will eventually marry Maria.  La Muerte backs the kind-hearted Manolo, while Xibalba prefers the bold Joaquin.  If Manolo wins Maria's hand,  Xibalba agrees to stop interfering in the lives of mortals, but if she marries Joaquin, La Muerte will have to swap realms with Xibalba.    Xibalba decides to cheat a bit and secretly provides Joaquin the Medal of Everlasting Life which grants invincibility to its owner. 

After an incident where the children cause mayhem by freeing animals destined for slaughter,  Maria's father General Posada (Carlos Alazraqui) decides to send her to Spain to be educated.   

Several years pass and Joaquin (Channing Tatum) has grown up to become a military hero (with aid from Xibalba's gift).  

Meanwhile Manolo (Diego Luna) has trained to follow in his family tradition and become a bullfighter.  He would much rather follow his musical aspirations, but his father Carlos (Hector Elizondo) disapproves.  

Maria (Zoe Saldana) has returned from Spain a well educated and accomplished young woman. She arrives back in San Angel just in time to see Manolo's first bullfight.  Manolo defeats the bull, but refuses to kill it, infuriating his father and impressing Maria.    

However, Maria's father pressures her to marry Joaquin in order to ensure that San Angel is protected from the bandit Chakal (Dan Navarro).   

Both Manolo and Joaquin compete for Maria's affections, but it seems that she and Manolo are destined to be together.  

As the young couple profess their love (on the Day of the Dead),  Xibalba - not wanting to lose his bet - sends a  two headed snake to bite Maria, apparently killing her!  

Manolo is devastated by Maria's apparent death and allows Xibalba's snake to bite him twice, in the belief that he will be reunited with his love in death.   

Manolo finds himself in the Land of the Remembered where he is reunited with his deceased mother and many other relatives but Maria is nowhere to be found!    

They travel to La Muerte's palace, but encounter Xibalba - who smugly explains that he won the bet with La Muerte and reveals that Maria did NOT die from the snake bite (she was only bitten once, but Manolo was bitten twice).      

Manolo must journey through multiple realms where he encounters the Candle Maker (Ice Cube) and La Muerte.  In order to have a chance at being restored to life, he will have to face Xibalba's trickery as well as his greatest fears.  

Back in the mortal world, Maria and Joaquin are about to be married when the ceremony is interrupted by the Bandit Chakal and his thugs.  Chakal is seeking the Medal of Everlasting Life for himself and is willing to destroy the whole town to get it. 

Will Manolo succeed in his quest through the afterlife?  Will the citizens of San Angel save their town from destruction?   Will La Muerte learn of Xibalba's interference with their bet?   

RigbyMel says: 

Being a big fan of animation and of movies having to do with holidays,  I went to see The Book of Life in first run with my esteemed co-blogger.   We enjoyed it then and continue to enjoy it. 

The movie serves as a lovely way to teach children -- and adults -- about the Mexican Day of the Dead celebration.   

The idea of teaching and learning also manifests in the film's framing device which involves a museum docent (voiced by Christina Applegate) telling the story to some mildly delinquent kids who are on a field trip. 

The movie also happens to be quite visually stunning with a saturated color palate and nods to Mexican folk art and Dia de los Muertos imagery. 

The characters are stylized to look like wooden puppets and a few even bear a resemblance to Picasso's cubist paintings.  

I also quite like that the female characters are strong and capable and there to push the action along rather than just needing to be rescued all the time.   Maria is fiercely independent, an animal rights activist, and skilled at both word and sword play.   La Muerte is a badass anthropomorphic personification of death and her wager is most definitely an inciting incident. 

My only real complaint involves the interpolation of pop songs into the early 20th century setting of the main story, which I found a bit irritating.    That being said,  yay for Diego Luna doing his own singing in the film.   

Overall, The Book of Life tells an engaging story and works well as a gateway to learning more about the Day of the Dead as well as aspects of Mexican culture in general.   It's worth watching if you are a fan of holiday films and gorgeous animation. 

RigbyMel's rating: 

.5

3.5 sugar skulls