Big Bird was Sesame Street’s first break-out character. Forty years spent masking his Prince Valiant haircomb beneath fleece and plumage has afforded Caroll Spinney — the "I" in I Am Big Bird — the unbelievable good fortune of playing one of the most recognizable characters on the planet while retaining complete off-camera anonymity. It wasn’t all fun and flighty: the enormity of the 8-foot suit prevented Spinney from placing the Bird in orbit, and his seat on the Space Shuttle Challenger eventually went to Sally Ride. And there is that one uncomfortable moment where Spinney likens the discovery of one of his unattended Big Bird suits – after it had been plucked and abandoned in a field by ROTC students – to rape. Aside from that, Dave LaMattina and Chad N. Walker’s charming feel-good doc paints a valuing portrait of a man driven by unconditional love both in and out of feathers. (It’s rated PG-13 for a reason. Leave the small ones at home.) (2015) — Scott Marks