Rain Man is the kind of touching drama that Oscars are made for--and, sure enough, the film took Academy honours for best picture, director, screenplay and actor (Dustin Hoffman) in 1988. Hoffman plays Raymond, an autistic savant whose late father has left him $3 million in a trust. This gets the attention of his materialistic younger brother, a hot-shot LA car dealer named Charlie (Tom Cruise) who wasn't even aware of Raymond's existence until he read his estranged father's will. Charlie picks up Raymond and takes him on a cross-country journey that becomes a voyage of discovery for Charlie, and, perhaps, for Raymond too. Rain Man will either captivate or irritate you (Raymond's sputtering of repetitious phrases is enough to drive anyone crazy), but it is obviously a labour of love for those involved. Hoffman had been attached to the film for many years, as various directors and writers came and went, but his persistence eventually paid off--kind of like Raymond in Las Vegas. Look for director Barry Levinson in a cameo as a psychiatrist near the end of the film. --Jim Emerson, Amazon.com

"Up above the streets and houses Rainbow climbing high... "--as the familiar theme music begins on Rainbow, Zip-up Zippy, the memories flood back: the tears, the laughter, Rod, Jane and Freddy. The characters have become pop-culture icons: Bungle, the kind, gentle bear; George, the nice-but-dim hippo; and Zippy, the self-centred and mischievous, err--Zippy; and then there was Geoffrey of course, the sensible, omniscient, father-figure, who guided the others through the highs and lows of each episode.

It's easy to forget how much they packed into each programme--Rainbow effortlessly holds its own against current pre-school favourites in both educational and entertainment terms. There are ideas for dressing-up and role-play, stories, music and plenty of laughs--the humour often appealing to the adults as well as the younger viewers. The action in the studio is interspersed with film footage and animation, and the occasional guests provide yet another dimension to the show, usually singing a song or reading a story.

Over 90 minutes long, Rainbow, Zip-up Zippy contains seven classic episodes, including the priceless "Same & Different" in which Zippy's hip cousin, Zippo, comes to stay. Zippo, complete with baseball cap and large gold earring, communicates only in rap verse, spoken with a terrible American accent, and his visit causes poor Zippy much anguish...

With the release of Zip-up Zippy on video and DVD, a whole new generation can experience the joy of Rainbow--and once they have, they'll never be able to forget the theme tune either.--Helen Baker