If any of you received a “big basket of kisses” from Lisa & Greg in a previous Christmas card, you will know that that snappy little catch phrase came from the movie, The Bad Seed (1956). That psychotic little mantra came from none other than pint-sized sociopath Rhoda played by Patty McCormack.

The movie centers around grade school girl, Rhoda Penmark, who immediately shows her anger & envy toward little Claude Dagle. A crime is committed and apartment handyman LeRoy smells a rat -- a rat with pigtails to be exact.

There are three components which make this film entertaining, engaging and amusing to watch. The first is Patty McCormack’s performance and acting ability. As as seasoned veteran having already performed this story as a stage play, McCormack can switch emotions in a chilling manner. From sugar sweet to satanically evil, this little she-devil can turn on a dime. McCormack’s temper tantrums are over the top and damn scary. The second would be the insistent, antagonistic taunting from handyman, LeRoy, played by Henry Jones. LeRoy presses every button and pulls every switch like a pilot in a cockpit of a 747. The harassing and taunting gradually creates and increasing stress and tension throughout the film. One must ask, is LeRoy barking up the wrong tree? The last component is the cluelessness of Rhoda’s mother, Christine Penmark (Nancy Kelly). “Oh, Rhoda, Rhoda,” is constantly wailed and moaned throughout the movie. Said in almost a whining fashion the point is loud and clear: Denial ain’t just a river in Egypt. What a mother doesn’t know won’t hurt her, right?

Catch this movie. It is an eerie vintage treat filmed in black and white. Reminiscent of a stage play, the surprise ending is wrapped up in a tidy fashion complete with curtain call by all the actors. A little girl in pigtails was never so frightening.

Some people prefer paintings. Some prefer sculpture. Others prefer the mockumentary. Christopher Guest, along with Eugene Levy, have definitely turned the mockumentary film genre into an art form. The formula has been perfected in this third offering from the Guffman/Best In Show trilogy.

Once again, with use of the 16 mm film style used to create the rough, documentary look, the audience gets a behind-the-scenes experience of a likable group of people putting together a reunion show. The reunion show is to honor the memory of folk icon, Irving Steinbloom. Performing together for one night only in New York City’s Town Hall are (almost) famed folk singers from the 60s, The Folksmen, The New Main Street Singers, and folk duo Mitch & Mickey.

As in This Is Spinal Tap, Waiting for Guffman and Best In Show, the audience will recognize many familiar faces. These comediennes are pros. Since there is no real script, only a vague outline, Guest calls on friends Catherine O’Hara, Fred Willard, Michael McKean, Harry Shearer, Bob Balaban, et. al., to improvise their way through the story.

The music, written especially for the film, successfully adds another layer allowing the co-writers to pull off a documentary-style film. All the folk tunes, composed primarily by McKean, Shearer, Guest and Levy, have a quality that is real. All were performed live during filming. The instrumentation, arrangements, subject matter and lyrics are earnestly the ’60s. One will receive a bonus track on the soundtrack album of the Rolling Stone’s “Start Me Up” (the goody two-shoes version) performed by the Folksmen. No one can “nerdify” and botch a song better. The Folksmen’s version renders the Stone’s classic virtually unrecognizable and it is side-splitting.

One will also become pleasantly too attached to the Eugene Levy character, Mitch Cohen (I smell Oscar buzz). Half of the folk duo, Mitch & Mickey, the darlings of the folk world, Mitch clearly is not faring well after the split from his collaborative and romantic partner Mickey (Catherine O’Hara). Mitch battles a prolonged depression and his participation in the folk group reunion concert becomes critical.

If you appreciate intensely ridiculous, painfully dry deadpan humor, this is a movie you will enjoy. This is all about the masters of improvisation at their best. Suspend your disbelief and enjoy the music. This film drips with subtle, absurd hilarity and takes you on a trip back to the Old Folk Place.