This is stupid funny, you'll be laughing throughout the entire thing, but the downfall of most Ben Stiller films is the ever-present corporate sponsors popping up in refrigerators and counter-tops, MTV, and the fact that this is a pure fairy tale. People don't exist like this in real life.

A warm, heart-touching comedy starring the ever cute, yet breastfully developing Christina Ricci as a ho, Lisa Kudrow as an old teacher who ain't getting any, and Lyle Lovett as a freak. It's quite enjoyable, actually and you do develop a mild fondness for all the sick characters. -

This is the next film in a long line of movies based in the '70s that show the bleak and sick realities in a lighter atmosphere. The main character, Vivian, a teenager faced with breasts, bigger than anyone her own age, and the object of fixation by many men around her. The family leads a nomadic existence, dependent on the fortune of others to survive. The whole adventure is charming, touching, with a breast theme - enjoyable scenes include vibrators, sticky situations, and the drugged out cousin, played by Marisa Tomei. Bonus points if you can recognize the main character from her role on Pee-Wee's playhouse, or the rich widow from that Three's Company spinoff, "Three's a Crowd".

This weekend at the Brattle Theater in Cambridge, they were showing the two French surrealist films by the same people, Delicatessen and City of Lost Children. Delicatessen, while I've seen it before, was definately something different to see on the large screen. A dark, bleak and surreal view of a French urban wasteland, Delicatessen is one of those stories where the distinction between good and evil is a grey area. Cannibalism, an underground society, a circus performer, mischievous kids, the butcher, the mailman and many others make this an enjoyable spectacle. City of Lost Children, also by Caro & Jeunet, also takes place in a surreal, dark and bleak world. This one, however is more of a fantasy adventure and takes our main characters through the dark underground worlds of criminals and evil scientists (who kidnap children to steal their dreams) to rescue their orphan friends. Quite a wonderful film with a fairy-tale theme. Highly recommendable on a larger screen, however.