Night at the Museum (2006)

Larry Daley (Ben Stiller) is a divorced father who can't seem to win. Without a steady job and home, Larry's ex is threatening to take their young son away is he can't provide a stable home for the boy. Larry needs a job. The Museum of Natural History is looking for a night watchman and Larry seems to fit the bill. After a quick run though with Cecil (Dick Van Dyke) and Gus (Mickey Rooney), Larry's ready to go. Warned not to let anyone or thing in or out, Larry soon discovers the museum comes to life at night thanks to the tablet of Ahkmenrah.

Night at the Museum is a cheeky romp through natural history. As Larry, Stiller is the running joke throughout the film. Frenzied and chaotic, Stiller's performance is nearly overshadowed by the cavalcade of cameos. Steve Coogan as Octavius and Owen Wilson as cowboy Jedidiah have an ongoing feud for supremacy in the dioramas. Robin Williams pops up as an altogether nonsensical Teddy Roosevelt. Neanderthals, Huns, Vikings, Lewis & Clark, Sacajawea, Easter Island Heads, Christopher Columbus--they all pop in and out of the movie to provide comic relief and assist our protagonist to find the 'real bad guys'.

The film is chaotic and contains plot holes you could fly the Kitty Hawk through. Still, it's a riot with fun characters and rapid fire corny jokes. As I see it, Night at the Museum is entertaining thanks to the frenzied pace and despite its predictable twists and turns. It's an adventure for young and old.