(Twentieth Century Fox Home Video; $17.98; 90 minutes; rated PG)

This film finds a clever way to bring a cartoon character into the real world. Fat Albert (Kenan Thompson) and his friends are playing in the neighborhood junkyard. F.A. sees a lonely girl crying on the other side of the TV screen. He pops through the screen (followed by his gang) to help her.

The idea of being "rescued" by a hero on a TV show will resonate with children who feel isolated and misunderstood by parents and others. After the gang leaves the innocence of the cartoon world for real life, the logic sometimes falters—but the singing, dancing and camaraderie compensate for these lapses.

The costumes of the "Fat Albert" gang are vivid and colorful, ranging from lime green to sunlight yellow to fuchsia and lavender, which is not only pleasing to the eye, but helps a viewer remember who's who. The movie's simple message, delivered with sweetness and earnestness: Accept who you are and love that person. In the DVD "extras," humorist Bill Cosby makes a cameo appearance, talking about the origins of the characters he created.

Because of the simplistic storyline, this film isn't recommended for children as old as 12. It's rated PG for "momentary language," but I didn't hear anything objectionable.

—Katie-Murphy O'Brien,
Westminster Presbyterian Church, Tiburon, Calif.

The power of forgiveness
Beyond Gates of Splendor

By director/writer Jim Hanon (Fox Home Entertainment DVD, 96 minutes)

The daughter's account of her baptism in the river near her father's grave might bring tears to your eyes—she chose two of the men who murdered her father, now trusted friends, to participate. The DVD, which includes interviews with Aucas and the missionaries' survivors, home movies and photos, is available through video and Christian bookstores. The DVD also includes a shorter version, laced with Scriptures, that might be especially well suited to a church-school class.

Look for the theatrical version of the story, The End of the Spear, to be released in January. To obtain a copy of the earlier film, Through Gates of Splendor , visit the Vision Video Web site.

—Edward McNulty

Windfall
Millions

Directed by Danny Boyle. Fox Searchlight Films. Rated PG. 98 min.

The brothers have recently moved with their father into a new housing development at the edge of Liverpool. Their mother has died. Damien is an imaginative boy who memorizes the life statistics of saints, as an American boy might commit baseball or football stats to memory. He "sees" and converses with such saints as Francis and Claire of Assisi. Thus his first impulse is to give the money away to help the poor. The brothers go to the local Pizza Hut and buy food for homeless men.

Anthony, however, sees the pile of cash (265,000 British pounds) as a chance to acquire all the gadgets and gimmicks any 9-year-old covets. He's smart enough to know that they can't just go on a spending spree that would attract suspicion. They don't have much time to think about it, because "Euro Day" is coming up. That's the deadline for turning in all old currency. After that, their pile of money will be worthless.

Neither boy thinks of telling their father Ronnie, but he finds out when Damien, impressed by a school presentation about a charity that digs wells for African villagers, drops 10,000 pounds into the alms box. The boys' father agrees that they shouldn't turn the money over to the police, which leads to a lot of complications—especially when a dangerous criminal starts skulking around the neighborhood.

Thanks to the young actors playing the brothers, this film is right on the money. It's that rare "family film" that the young and old can enjoy together. Although it's a fantasy film, it is also a realistic exploration of the bright and dark corners of the human heart. Aside from being funny in an offbeat way, Danny Boyle's film provides a wonderful opportunity for church leaders to explore our relationship to money, perhaps in connection with stewardship campaigns. Is money a means of doing good unto others—or the power to get what we desire?

—Edward McNulty