Thumb Wars: The Phantom Cuticle

"Do not underestimate the power of the thumb" warns this intermittently entertaining spoof (which, despite the title, satirizes the plotline of the original Star Wars, not Star Wars: The Phantom Menace), cooked up by Steve Oedekerk and presented in Thumbation (consisting of eyes and mouths superimposed on thumbs). Vacillating between puerile (Loke Groundrunner trying to look up Princess Bunhead's holographic skirt) and just plain dumb (Darth Vader is unimaginatively christened Black Helmet Man by Oedekerk, who also wrote Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls), this half-hour one-off is nevertheless technically impressive and will surely appeal to fans of the Empire (George Lucas' that is). The identically priced DVD includes an inspired interview with "Gabba the Butt," a commentary track, and previews for Thumbtanic and The Blair Thumb. Given the popularity and the price, consider this a strong optional purchase. Aud: P. (R. Pitman)