Garfield: A Tale of Two Kitties

This sequel based on the comic-strip feline—another combination of live action and heavy CGI effects—marks an improvement over its predecessor (which isn't saying much considering that Garfield: The Movie was terrible). But perhaps because of the English setting—and the fact that the redoubtable Billy Connolly plays the villain, joined by voiceover talent that includes the likes of Tim Curry and Bob Hoskins—it's more tolerable. Despite the subtitle, the obvious inspiration isn't so much Dickens as Twain's The Prince and the Pauper. Fat-cat Garfield (again voiced grumpily by Bill Murray) has followed his owner Jon (the all-too-fatuous Breckin Meyer) to London to prevent his planned proposal to veterinarian Liz (nondescript Jennifer Love Hewitt). Once there, the big orange fur ball is mistaken for an identical-looking feline named Prince (Curry), who has just inherited Carlisle Castle but been cat-napped by the evil lord (Connolly) to whom the property reverts if Prince disappears. Hijinks ensue. Even at just under 80 minutes, this plays like a padded Looney Tunes short, and some of the stuffing is distinctly low-grade (there's still too much potty humor and repetitive slapstick), but Murray and Curry hit the right notes, making this a strong optional purchase. [Note: DVD extras include both widescreen and full screen versions on the same disc, a seven-minute “Drawing with Jim Davis” featurette on how-to-draw Garfield, Odie, and Pooky, the “Odie's Photo Album” and “Garfield's Maze” DVD games, an exclusive Garfield comic strip, the “Come and Get It” music video by Brian Anthony, and trailers. Bottom line: a rather small extras package for an uneven film.] (F. Swietek)