Big Time Movie/Rags

Originally broadcast on Nickelodeon to big time ratings, this double feature takes a page from the Disney musical playbook. Big Time Movie, a series spinoff, stars the members of boy band Big Time Rush (think: The Monkees) in a mildly amusing spy spoof (although the intended ‘tween audience has seen this sort of thing done better and naughtier in the Austin Powers films). Big Time Movie is also something of a Beatles tribute, with the quartet—Kendall, James, Carlos, and Logan—performing Fab Four covers. Not as clever or as funny as The Powerpuff Girls cartoon, “Meet the Beat Alls,” the film still boasts some clever bits of business, including a character called Maxwell with a silver hammer for a hand, and a teen spy named Penny Lane. The second feature, Rags—directed by Bille Woodruff—is a musical version of Cinderella with a gender switch (think: Jerry Lewis in Cinderfella). Here, put-upon orphan Charlie Prince (Max Schneider) is an aspiring singer-songwriter whose “Princess Charming” (Keke Palmer) is a rising singing sensation. A solid two-fer for ‘tweens, this is recommended. Aud: P. (D. Liebenson)