I love movies that teach.

Too often, today's kids don't learn anything in school about history and stuff, and that's where movies can make such a big difference in their young lives.

Case in point: the current 20th Century Fox picture, Anastasia.

This is the completely true story of Anastasia, the last princess of Russia and the true heir to the throne of that large, cold land.

See, in about 1918 or so, the happy and loving ruling family of Russia was overthrown by a mass of wrong-doers driven mad by the magic curse of an evil sorcerer named Rasputin.

Although I'm not exactly sure what happened to the rest of the family, the grandmother ended up in Paris and the youngest grand-daughter, Anastasia, lost her memory and ended up in an orphanage. Apparently everyone else went skiing or something like that.

This is a major event in the history of the world, and especially of the forever snow-covered land of Russia, wherever that is. (I looked for it on my globe - a good and sturdy item I got for Christmas in 1982 - and couldn't find it.) Thank God Hollywood is here to teach us.

This movie, or rather, this documentary, stars the narrative voice talents of Meg Ryan, John Cusack, Kelsey Grammer, Christopher Lloyd and more. I mean wow, did they get some big names to do this baby! I'm glad to see so many stars take an interest in an educational feature such as this. Gives me hope for mankind.

The great thing about Anastasia is, not only does it teach, but it entertains as well. A number of wonderful musical numbers pepper the film, and there is a funny bat.

My hat is off to this fine film. Because of it, I feel that I am in touch with a part of history that I may otherwise have completely ignored. I mean it's not everyday that a young girl grows up through adversity to find herself. And with an evil sorcerer trying to kill her the entire time, no less!

I give Anastasia 3 2/3 Babylons. Which is the highest I have ever rated a documentary.

Editor's Note:

The fact that this movie is a cartoon seems to have passed the Self-Made Critic by completely. I was going to tell him, but then he would have rewritten the review, and it's hard enough getting one review a week out of him, let alone two.

Anastasia
Rated: G
Directed by: Don Bluth & Gary Goldman (The Secret of NIMH guys!)
Starring: Meg Ryan, John Cusack, Kelsey Grammer, Christopher Lloyd, Hank Azaria, Bernadette Peters, Kirsten Dunst, Angela Lansbury and Andrea Martin. Andrea Martin!!! From SCTV!!! She rocks!