This week finds just about the only new stuff in cMusicWeb.com world to be
DVDs. For example, we have the most entertaining VeggieTales video yet, Sumo
Of The Opera, available this week. Plus, The Passion of the Christ is
finally in stores for everyone to buy, as well as a new CD full of songs
inspired by the movie. Along with some new reviews on cMusicWeb.com, we've
got a lot for you this week.

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VEGGIETALES: SUMO OF THE OPERA (2004)
by Becca Tuttle

What do you get when you combine wrestling, opera singing and produce? The
answer, of course, is VeggieTales: Sumo of the Opera, the latest installment
in the cherished series of made-to-video VeggieTales tapes. Straying from
the typical VeggieTales format of using a vegetable cast to recount
simplified Bible stories, Sumo of the Opera offers original material infused
with Christian ideals, a testament to the creative prowess of the folks at
Big Idea. With its lively animation, vibrant characters and family-friendly
humor, there's little not to like about this DVD. If, as Bob sings in the
theme song, a "squash can make you smile," Sumo of the Opera can guarantee a
solid forty-five minutes of laughter.

In traditional VeggieTales fashion, Sumo of the Opera supplies several short
stories to cater to the brief attention span of its target audience.
Introducing these segments is Khalil (the caterpillar from Jonah: A
VeggieTales Movie) who poses as "teensy-weensy cucumber" Lutfi to co-host
the movie with Bob the Tomato. First up finds Larry the Cucumber and friends
as movers, challenged to hoist a piano up an enormously long staircase.
Presented in silent movie format, the story parodies classic film, borrowing
its plot from an old Laurel and Hardy short and outfitting its three
protagonists to resemble the Three Stooges. The resulting lesson in
perseverance is highly predictable, but enjoyable nonetheless. Moving
quickly along, Lutfi introduces a new feature, "Lutfi's Fanciful
Flannelgram," which uses shockingly vegetable-free, cutout style animation
to recount the legend of Saint Patrick. Although based on historical fact,
the story is enriched with humor, and highlights include jokes poking fun at
Patrick's original name (Maewyn Succat) and a simplistic but humorous
depiction of paganism ("Oh mighty pond scum! Ye are powerful and... um...
scummy?").

The infamous "Silly Songs with Larry" intermission offers "School House
Polka," a goofy look at parts of speech starring Larry in a toupee and
glasses. Although not quite on par with the legendary "Hairbrush Song,"
Larry's struggle to use multiple meanings of same-sounding words in his ode
to homophones is amazingly clever. Even the not-so grammatically inclined
will find it difficult to resist a smile when Larry "breaks it down"
mid-song, writhing on the floor as he passionately rocks out to his
accordion.

The final story, which lends its name to the movie's title, proves that the
directors saved the best for last. Slapstick stunts in the classic Veggie
vein keep kids entertained, from Jerry Gourd's antics as the out-of-sync
member of the carrot opera to Larry's astounding ability to juggle (despite
the slight handicap of having no hands). However, the veggie cast also
supplies a fair amount of material directed at an older audience—an almost
unprecedented feat for a VeggieTales movie. Rather than pulling from the
Bible, Sumo of the Opera draws from Japanese culture and the Rocky movies to
form a satire that will have children and their parents laughing out loud.

Larry stars in the role of "the Italian Scallion"—an aspiring sumo champion
hindered by his lack of resolve. Tempted by an alluring tiger bicycle prize,
Scallion/Larry vows to keep his "eyes on the tiger" and face "Apollo" Gourd
in the championship match. The training that follows is part Rocky, part
Karate Kid, as Pa Grape uses various unorthodox techniques to whip Scallion
into shape. Larry weaves between patrons, dodging blows from elderly ladies
as he determinedly ascends the down escalator that replaces Rocky's
Philadelphia steps. A recycling plant substitutes for a meat plant, with
bags of cans providing much friendlier punching bags than Rocky's bloody
sides of beef. Most hilarious is when Pa Grape passes Larry a glass of raw
egg, which, as Rocky fans will know, was the champ's equivalent of a
breakfast smoothie in the classic films. "Am I supposed to drink that?"
Larry asks in disgust, looking doubtfully at his grape mentor. "Of course
not, they're raw!" He exclaims. "Scramble 'em!"

Perhaps the movie's most admirable quality is that it parallels Rocky right
to its end, forgoing a superficial happy ending by allowing our hero to lose
the match. This surprising dose of reality drives home the movie's overall
moral: perseverance—not winning—is the real victory. Sumo of the Opera
fulfills the promise of the VeggieTales slogan, providing "Sunday morning
values and Saturday morning fun" in a film that is sure to become a family
favorite. With a richer story than ever before, it seems that veggies, like
most fine foods, only get better with age.

Find out more about Sumo Of The Opera (with pictures!) at cMusicWeb.com:
http://cMusicWeb.com/features/sumooftheopera


MORE NEW STUFF ON cMUSICWEB.COM

Review: Starfield - Starfield
http://cMusicWeb.com/modernrock/starfield/starfield.shtml

Review: Jami Smith - Wash Over Me
http://cMusicWeb.com/worship/jamismith/washoverme.shtml


AVAILABLE TUESDAY, AUGUST 31 (at cMusicWeb.com or your local music store)

PURCHASE THIS MUSIC AND MORE AT GRASSROOTSMUSIC.COM:
http://www.grassrootsmusic.com/?associateid=249

THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST DVD
If you missed this movie in theaters, I recommend renting it. If, like me,
you saw it once in theaters, I'd recommend renting it too. This movie is an
amazing spiritual reflection on the pain and suffering Jesus Christ went
through for our sins. While it is a long way from covering all of Jesus'
life, its message is good enough to be the PICK OF THE WEEK.

THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST: SONGS - VARIOUS
Christian music and mainstream music collide for this compilation of songs
inspired by the movie. Big Dismal provides two tracks while Third Day,
Steven Curtis Chapman, and MercyMe all join up for one song. Other
contributors include Scott Stapp (formerly of Creed), P.O.D., Lauryn Hill,
Kirk Franklin, and MxPx.

VEGGIETALES: SUMO OF THE OPERA DVD
Read above for our review of this new DVD, and also note that there are
bonus features on the DVD which are not mentioned in the review.


Thanks for reading this week's cMusicMail, and we'll be back next week with
even more great content. If you have any comments or questions, please reply
to this e-mail or send them to webmaster@.... We'd love to hear
from you!

Dan Ficker
http://cMusicWeb.com/
a different approach to music
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