Published: October 05, 2009 11:41 pm      

‘9’ reminiscent of ‘Edward Scissorhands’

Editor’s note: A Jacksonville resident has been reviewing movies for friends for several years and has offered to share his thoughts with Daily Progress readers. His reviews come in personal letters to his nicknamed friend, Spud Nut. Our reviewer is Tater Tot, so consequently, the movies get ratings based on potatoes.



Spud Nut,



The movie 9 (rated PG-13, 79 minutes) is an apocryphal, animated fable set in a world when mankind has been destroyed by automated technology. Nine hand-sewn, living burlap cloth dolls fight to survive against intelligent machines that control the world. The dolls have been numbered, and the ninth doll is the lead character drawn in brilliantly illustrated graphics. This tale reminds me of the fantasies in Edward Scissorhands, even though it has more in common with Terminator 3, War of the Machines. The director and writer, Shane Acker, uses themes and tones that have made Tim Burton famous (which is why Burton is one of the movie’s co-producers). Consequently, this film may not be for young children, although the scenes will entertain all ages. Maybe the show’s ending is a moral that needs to be said again, “This is our world now. We can make it our own.” This feature may only appeal to a select audience who appreciates aesthetics, but I give it a three potato rating just the same.



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Toy Story 1 & 2 in 3-D (rated G, 162 minutes) have been re-released as an advance promotion for the coming new Toy Story 3 in 2010. The first version came out in 1995 and a whole generation has missed out on seeing this delightful animated comedy. Who can forget the voice of the hero, Tom Hanks? These Disney films are minor classics and deserve to be shown again for those who have not seen them already. In their time these movies deserved a solid three-plus potato rating, and they still do.

Tater Tot