A demented movie that’s a fairly outrageous hoot (1991). Two inventor brothers (Joshua Miller and Edan Gross) build a robot named Newman out of spare parts only to find it speaks in the voice of their dead father (Alan Thicke), a former inventor himself. This reincarnation is made apparent only gradually to the widow (Marcia Strassman) and three slimy patent-swiping villains from central casting (John Quade, Eric Walker, and Gustav Vintas). In the meantime there’s lots of dreamy speculation, and much more New Age fun than in more serious camp like The Rapture. Written and directed by Tony Cookson; with Sam Behrens, A.J. Langer, Susan Gibney, and the soul of Albert Einstein (making two uncredited cameo appearances via a Ouija board). (JR)