Merolliv
I really wanted to like this movie. I feel terribly cynical trashing it, and that's why I'm giving it a middling 5. Actually, I'm giving it a 5 because there were some superb performances.
thud-5
I'm not certain why, but the Brits seem to give their kids some pretty good programming where US broadcasters just shove any old poorly-animated junk out and call it "educational". This British kids sitcom features your fairly standard dad/mom/older sister/young son family, but adds a trio of live-action monsters. Okay… they're giant puppets and people inside costumes, but they are handled pretty well. And, they are interesting to look at.The humor is aimed at, I would guess, five through fifteen-year-olds but is actually kind of funny, even for this 55-year-old. The nice thing is that this show doesn't talk down to kids like a lot of US programming does. I suppose that there is some educational content—such as learning to get along with those who are different from you, and living with a sibling that likes to make things hard on you— but it doesn't preach these concepts.It is available on the CBBC channel weekday mornings (in late 2010). With luck, other world- wide BBC channels will get this soon.
