Strange Invaders

Not to be confused with the 1983 Hollywood B-movie of the same name, the latest animated effort from National Film Board of Canada veteran Cordell Barker (Get a Job, The Cat Came Back) offers up a humorous cautionary tale for expectant parents. Childless couple Roger and Doris receive an (initially) pleasant surprise when they're awakened one night by the mysterious arrival of…a BABY! Overjoyed, the pair eagerly embark on the time-honored tradition of childrearing only to gradually lose sleep and sanity when their new bundle from down under (and I don't mean Australia, mate) turns out to be the domestic equivalent of the Terminator, leaving absolute havoc in its wake. While love may be blind, the audience knows from the get go that this "strange invader" can't quote the Elephant Man ("I am a human being!") with a straight face. Reminiscent of Barker's The Cat Came Back (like the cat, the kid rips up everything--and often eats the parts), Strange Invaders' escalating mayhem is presented with a characteristically Canadian droll humor sure to bring smiles to the faces of audiences all over the world. Recently nominated for an Oscar, and selected for the ALA Video Round Table's Notable Videos for Adults list, this is recommended. [Note: mild sexual suggestiveness may make this rather twisted tale unsuitable for younger viewers.] Aud: P. (R. Pitman)