The Fantastic Mr. Fox

WORTH-IT: (Wes Anderson) Another take from this year's Oscar Animation Category, the stop-motion Fantastic Mr. Fox, based on the novel by Roald Dahl, is a worthy watch for Anderson-lovers. It's the story of a quirky fox family, on the run after Mr. Fox steals from the local farmers-3 of the biggest in the industry. All is well, and Fox's night of adventure seems harmless upon initial steal, that is until the farmers take revenge, threatening rodents of all species in the process of killing Fox. The film is fast-paced, heavy on Anderson-style dialogue and thought-provoking in very subtle ways. It's any Anderson movie. And as with all of those, for me, it was a bit disconnected, but in the end, left me with a strong suggestion of newly learned life lesson and a new perspective on survival. With the voices of George Clooney, Meryl Streep, Bill Murray and more this film has added personality and credibility, picking up what could have been vanilla animation with unknown actors. Each voice carried the quirks of its owner, helping add depth to the roles and chemistry between characters. It's opposite end of the spectrum from Dahl's earlier adapted novel, James and the Giant Peach - and even less for kids. In fact, I think most kids wouldn't notice if all the dialogue was left out. Bottom-line on this one, I love Wes Anderson, and saw this film for that reason only. If you're not a fan, and didn't like Rushmore, The Royal Tenenbaums, Darjeeling Limited, etc... you won't be on board with this either. On the other hand, if you do enjoy his eclectic story-telling, Fox is another great addition, right on par with what you'd come to expect from Anderson's films. I won't say its my favorite, but its worth seeing.

Up

MUST-SEE: (Pete Docter and Bob Peterson) I hope that by the time I am finally getting this post up, most--if not all--of you will have seen it. If not, stop everything and give yourself over to this feel-good flick. Up is the story of 78-year old Carl Fredricksen and his journey via balloons to Paradise Falls, South America. A life-long dream to visit, in his old-age it seems easiest to pick up his entire house and literally relocate. Unfortunately, plans don't stay easy. Russell, a young and curious boy scout (A Wilderness Explorer on the search for his "assisting the elderly" badge) was on his door step when the house took air, bringing unwanted company along for the ride. From here, its a hopeful tale of love, life lessons and self-discovery. It reminds us to stay in the moment, grabbing life by the horns when it lets us, making the most of every day. It also reiterates that love comes in many forms. It's not always about your favorite hobby, or your soul mate, but everything else as well--from friendships to accomplices to general company and unconditional loyalty. It's an escape from reality that brings your ego back down to earth. Anyone will appreciate the humor and everyone can relate to the life-love motif. And you don't have to take my word for it (quote borrowed from LeVar Burton), Up was nominated for several Oscars--not just the animation category. It lives up to its nods and is deserving of its win. Make sure to add this one to your list immediately!

Tinker Bell

WORTH-IT: (Bradley Raymond) For anyone that enjoys Disney classics (and this director has done 4 of them), you might as well keep the fairytale alive and see all of the sequels . Most are a fine justification to the original and actually exactly what the doctor ordered for a story that you just can't let go of. For me, that is Peter Pan (and it was also Aladdin). Tinker Bell is the story of Tink--how she came to be and what her fairyness really means. For instance, did you know she was born out of a dew drop? And that once she was born she was intrinsically meant to be one particular kind of fairy (including five played by Angelica Houston, Raven Symone, Lucy Liu, America Ferrera and-wah!-Jesse McCartney). I won't ruin J.M. Barrie's continuation for all of you about to put it on your queue, but she is good at tinkering! Watch her add her special talent to a world of fairy magic, all who claim responsibility for our changing of seasons. Clearly this film won't satisfy the lot. But if you enjoy Tinkerbell and have always wondered more about our silent glittery friend alongside Peter Pan, then catch this one. It's magical and warm and honestly, it's hard to say anything bad about a perfectly made for 5-8 year olds cartoon :) Enjoy!

Kung Fu Panda

WORTH-IT: (Mark Osbourne/John Stevenson) Nominated for one of 2008's best Animated Films by the Academy, Kung Fu Panda epitomizes a good cartoon. In fact, it's a pretty apt warning as Jack Black opens the film with a warning to "Prepare for awesomeness." Complete with subtle morale and role models, the story is of a noodle-selling Panda bear named Po who dreams of Kung Fu fame but remains stuck in a career through questionable genetic default. Nervous to disappoint his bloodline and ultimately fail otherwise, Po second guesses himself all the way to being shut out of the celebration ceremony when the city's mystical overseer chooses the official Dragon Warrior (one who would know the deepest secrets of Kung Fu combat and be able to save their town from its arch enemy, Tai Lung). It gets predictable from here on out (assuming it wasn't up until then), but despite that, a genuine originality emerges from a story of a Panda who just wants to make friends and fight Kung Fu. Reaching deep within himself he finds a constant urge to make people laugh (thank you Jack Black) and make people proud. Count on characters played by Seth Rogen, Lucy Liu, Angelina Jolie and David Cross to bring their own personality to the plot and a classic like Jackie Chan makes it credible (I guess?). All in all nothing really matters in this film except it is a cute story with perfect humor and enough action to deem it a success. Icing on the cake is the brilliant animation, mixing Chinese artwork and stop-speed fight scenes to replicate the finest of Asian filmography in a kid's flick. I loved it. Impossible not to.

WALL-E

WORTH-IT: (Andrew Stanton) Hard not to expect great things from the man who brought us Finding Nemo and A Bug's Life, and he does nothing but meet those expectations with more impossibly adorable, environmentally aware animated creatures. WALL-E is the story of a trash compacting robot, left on earth long after life has ceased to exist on the planet. For over 700 years, he has gone about his business alone, uninterrupted until the arrival of a suspicious new fangled robot named Eve, a robot sent from the "new" Earth to test the old planet's ability to support life. With the cutest animatronic voices, you find yourself rooting for this pair from the beginning, ignorant to the lack of "real" people and anxious to see more. Their journey takes us to the new Earth where they fight for the return of human life to a forgotten planet. It's a gentle way to encourage green living, and mildly reputing people for not taking responsibility for playing their part to protect the planet. With extreme solutions illustrating the potential detriment our lack of concern may lead to, this story inspires garden planting, enjoying the outdoors and of course, picking up your trash. A catchy song helps drive the point home, Down to Earth, by asking "do you feel tricked by the future you picked?" It calls out the human negligence and in turn celebrates the earth for what it is and can aspire to be. A truly heartwarming fable, WALL-E deserves nothing less than its Oscar nod. Perfect for everyone in your family, or all of your friends. Enjoy!

Enchanted: A Happy Ending

MUST-SEE: Right off the bat, I know some of you are rolling your eyes or scoffing at the rating I give Enchanted. But heed my words and slow your tendencies to disregard, because this hilarious and perfectly over-the-top SPOOF on some of everyone's favorite Disney fairy tales is beyond any expectation I could have had. The story is the journey of an animated fair maiden (Amy Adams) destined to marry her sing-song prince (on the morning after they met), but instead is pushed into a well that lands her in the real New York City, by the evil stepmother (a sultry Susan Sarandon). Landing under the care of Robert (McDreamy) and his daughter, she barely misses a beat of Cinderella as she transitions into a world not meant for happy endings. Above all, the humor prevails. McDreamy faces Adams's constant urge to break out into song, her instinct to make a new dress out of his curtains each day, and her ability to summon all walks of life through the window of his apartment to help cook and clean. The screen is filled with laughter, ruffles and a spunky chipmunk that please the eyes of children, but the wit and satirical take on Disney makes this one a happy ending for adults too. Expect to finally be given a reason to laugh out loud at Cinderella's naivete, scoff at Snow White's furry following, and appreciate the outlandish plot for being a stretch beyond reality's boundary. It's funny, it's pretty, and might even make you want to sing your way out of the theater.

Ratatouille: Rat-tastic!

WORTH-IT: Everyone should know by now (now being post-Walt Disney and mid-Pixar Disney) that cartoons should never be ignored. Not only do they carry significant amounts of raw graphic talent, but the scripts get better and better with every draw. Ratatouille holds up the continuing rep with a happy film set in Paris about a young boy struggling for a job, and a young rat struggling for the chance to cook. Led to each other by twists of their bumpy fates, the two develop a friendship and a knack for cooking. The story evolves into the revamping of a once-popular restaurant and features foods that looks so real, I could smell them. The voices are questionable, as I wasn't exactly sure who was French, Italian, American, or Spanish... or why that melting pot would have accumulated into this diner... BUT despite that downfall, and the fact that the main characters are RATS (realistic-looking vermin), the attitude of the movie, cute and heart warming, carries the film into the future of animation. Adults will appreciate the innuendo, and children will adore the catastrophic possibility of rats in the kitchen. Definitely see this movie, and don't feel like you have to take a kid to get in.

Shrek the Third: Third Time's a Charmer

WORTH-IT: This third installment was a complete joy to watch. I loved the storyline, but despite the plot, the script is hilarious. The story doesn't even have to be good, because the humor overrides anything sub-par. And the humor is complex and diverse. It covers several senses of humor (dry, tongue-in-cheek, satirical...) and requires an appreciation for every one. I laughed out loud for the majority of the movie. The introduction of every fairy tale character ever creates a nostalgic trip back for viewers of all ages, and, as every good family-friendly comedy should, it appeals on two levels:one for kids and one for adults. I loved it. It keeps the stage open for a Shrek 4 and entices audiences to keep coming. I'll see the fourth. And the fifth. And so on.