Addams Family Values
Addams Family Values is one of those rare sequels that is better than the original movie. The first movie had a simple, but deranged, plot to steal all the gold that the Addams family had. That one didn't have many laughs except for a fight scene on stage involving fake blood. Addams Family Values, however, has so many more laughs and a better plot. Again, it's about someone trying to get the wealth of the Addams family.
This time, the person after it is Debbie Jelinsky (played by the always funny Joan Cusack), and she is only after Fester's fortune. She comes to apply for a nanny job and gets it. The movie is full of funny one-liners, most given by Wednesday (played superbly by Christina Ricci), like one where Debbie first shows up: "Isn't he a lady killer!" she says when she first meets Gomez. He replies, "Acquitted!"
The first movie, as I said, had a simple plot. Addams Family Values contains three different sub-plots, all of them are funny. One is a setup for many sight gags (the baby), the first of which is the birth scene. Morticia (Angelica Houston) looks at Gomez and says, "I'm going to have a baby... right now!" The birth scene is hilarious and puts a new twist on it as she enjoys every minute of the pain.
My favorite sub-plot, however, is the kids being sent to camp. Wednesday has many one-liners that are funny and witty. One of my favorites is where one of the snobby camp-kids asks Wednesday why she's dressed like she's going to a funeral. Wednsday replies, with no emotion, "Wait." Christina Ricci is perfect for the part because she has a certain look that no other child actor has today. In fact, she has more talent than most of the child actors out.
What I felt that was left out of the first movie was the relationship between Gomez and Morticia. Gomez (played by the late Raul Julia) and Morticia have a wonderfully sadistic relationship in which they dance seductively (I guess?) and speak in foreign languages. They are both given a lot of sight gags and one liners, but what is most funny is what comes between them.
Addams Family Values is rated PG-13. I guess it got that rating because of the visual style of the film. The sight gags (one where the kids try to behead Pubert, the baby) are funny but scary as well. Little kids might be disturbed by the cruel treatment of the baby by the jealous Wednesday and Pugsley. However, older kids will love the hilarious camp scene and parents might enjoy the relationship between Gomez and Morticia and the take-over scheme of Debbie.