I hate to admit it: it's not all that bad.

Rating: Null/10 (18 November 1998)

The trailer for "The Phantom Menace" premiered last night at special showings of the *The Waterboy* and *Meet Joe Black,* and since I could never again refer to myself as a man if I went to see the latter, I swallowed my pride and opted for the former. Maybe it was the awesome trailer for what will surely be the finest movie since . . . well, since *Return of the Jedi*--that inclined me to be in a mood of pure excitement, but for some reason I actually enjoyed this harmless little movie. It's one of the few brainless comedies I've seen which doesn't rely on jokes about bodily functions to pull it through. Granted, Adam Sandler is awfully irritating, but there are enough other charming characters--especially the underrated Henry Winkler as the Coach--to carry the film along. Of course we all know what's coming at the end, but this film is, after all, a parody, and it pokes fun at feel-good sports movies with a much sharper focus than last summer's "Baseketball." There are also some sublimely hilarious moments, especially with the incomprehensible assistant coach, and Rob Schneider's full-down-funny cameo. Now my pride is completely digested!