Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius

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Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius ★★½ 2001 (G)

Hugebrained and grease-haired Jimmy Neutron is a retro geek hero for the new millennium in this bright and flashy computer animated feature. The child-inventor is young enough to think a sugar rush is the ultimate taboo but smart enough to have created a toaster-satellite that makes contact with an alien race. When said alien race respond by stealing all the parents in Retroville, Jimmy and his band of nerds endeavor to rescue them. Though mildly targeted at adults, it prefers gas gags to pop culture reference; even the new-wave songs are covered by kiddie bands. Frenetic pacing and onslaught of images may tire older (than teenage) viewers, although the animation is pleasant enough and there are some inventive lines that will go over the younguns' heads. Short and Stewart are amusing as a pair of egg-shaped space invaders. 90m/C VHS, DVD . USD: John A. Davis; W: David N. Weiss, J. David Stem, Steve Oedekerk, John A. Davis; M: John Debney; V: Debi Derryberry, Carolyn Lawrence, Rob Paulsen, Martin Short, Patrick Stewart, Megan Cavanagh, Mark DeCarlo, Jeff Garcia, Candi Milo, Andrea Martin.