The Boxtrolls

The Boxtrolls – Dirs. Graham Annable & Anthony Stacchi (2014)

Nothing against computer animation, but it is a shame that it has supplanted hand-drawn and stop-motion as the predominant art form. What a strange sight it is to see CGI versions of Mickey Mouse, Bugs Bunny, and Charlie Brown. Thank goodness there are still hard working animators dedicated to keeping traditional methods alive.

The Portland-based Laika continues to make strides in stop-motion animation with films like Coraline and ParaNorman, both of which were nominated for Best Animated Feature at the Academy Awards. The Boxtrolls continues that streak, but it's the slightest entry in their oeuvre and if I had my druthers I would have slotted The LEGO Movie in its stead.

The Boxtrolls is set in the Victorian-era village of Cheesebridge, a charming little burg built on top of a mountain. Cheesebridge does have one major drawback. They are plagued by subterranean creatures known as Boxtrolls, who earned their name for their penchant of wearing cardboard boxes like turtle shells. When parents want to scare their kids straight, they tell them the Boxtrolls will snatch them out of their beds and gobble them up.

However, none of those tales are true. Just ask Eggs (Isaac Hempstead-Wright), an orphaned boy who has been raised by the little critters and actually believes himself to be a Boxtroll. It seems these lies have been spread by one Archibald Snatcher (Ben Kingsley), who has fashioned himself a premiere pest exterminator. Make no mistake, he has no altruistic bent. Snatcher wishes to use the Boxtrolls in a scheme to climb the social ladder and join the exclusive White Hats. Led by the Mayor of Cheesebridge, Lord Portley-Rind (Jared Harris), the White Hats gather together to taste some of the world's finest gourmet cheeses.

If I've discussed Snatcher more than I have the protagonists, it's because the villains are the most interesting characters in the film. With his stringy hair and hook nose, Snatcher takes obvious inspiration from the Child Catcher in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. He goes to such great lengths in demonizing the Boxtrolls that he dresses in drag and performs a stage show as Madame Frou-Frou. Snatcher has three henchmen under his employ, the first being Mr. Gristle (Tracy Morgan), a diminutive lunatic who simply repeats the last word he heard. There's also Mr. Trout (Nick Frost) and Mr. Pickles (Richard Ayoade), who try very hard to convince themselves that they are the good guys of the story.

The Boxtrolls themselves don't play much of a factor. The Boxtrolls opens with a terrific introduction to their underground lair filled with knick knacks that have been transformed into Rube Goldberg-ian gadgets. After that, they're simply creatures who must be rescued by their human friends. Eggs is a surprisingly bland hero while his companion Winnie (Elle Fanning), the daughter of Lord Portley-Rind, is defined only by her morbid fascination with assorted grotesqueries ("I was promised rivers of blood!").

That's not to say that The Boxtrolls isn't without its charms. The details in the production design are exquisite with elements of Gothic horror, German expressionism, and Roald Dahl. The animators' passion can be seen in Snatcher's ragged, red jacket and every cobblestone that paves the street of Cheesebridge.

Laika's track record proves they make pictures that appeal to audiences of all ages while never condescending to their youngest viewers. The studio hasn't shied away from giving the kids a good scare, from an otherworldly creature sewing buttons into your eyes or a town plagued by puritan zombies. It's all in good fun and never in a manner that would rack up therapist bills. The Boxtrolls follows suit with a plot drawing parallels to Nazi Germany with the title characters serving as scapegoats for a power hungry madman. The city's leaders are portrayed as ineffectual twits and the townspeople are a few pitchforks shy of becoming a rabid mob. Although Snatcher wants nothing more than a seat at the White Hat table, he is violently allergic to cheese and his face swells to gruesome extremes.

There's a mid-credits scene in which Trout and Pickles ponder the notion that an invisible puppetmaster is behind their every move. This shifts into a time-lapsed video of Laika CEO Travis Knight animating the henchmen's movements. It's a clever button to a movie that could have used that same inventiveness in the screenplay loosely based on the novel, Here Be Mosnters! by Alan Snow. The Boxtrolls doesn't measure up to Coraline or ParaNorman, but the animation and off-kilter sensibilities can still be admired.

Rating: ** (*****)

The Nut Job

The Nut Job - Dir. Peter Lepeniotis (2014)

The first few months of the year are considered a dumping ground for studios who generally release subpar titles with very little fanfare. The winter can also be slim pickings when it comes to family friendly entertainment. In 2013, Dreamworks capitalized on the slow market with The Croods, a gorgeously animated picture that went on to do over $587 million at the box office. There's no such luck this year as parents would have to settle for taking their kids to see The Nut Job.

Set during the 1950's, The Nut Job follows one Surly (Will Arnett), a misanthropic squirrel who only looks out for himself. Surly's only friend is Buddy (Robert Tinkler), a rat who looks like a grungy and emaciated version of Remy from Ratatouille. None of the other animals in picturesque Liberty Park like him though Andie (Katherine Heigl) seems to be slightly sympathetic. Autumn is nearly over, but the food supply is short for the coming winter. Andie and the exceedingly heroic Grayson (Brendan Fraser) clash with Surly over the nuts from a vendor cart. Their argument accidentally ignites the propane tank and burns down the tree that everyone calls home. Under the stern leadership of Raccoon (Liam Neeson), the animals vote to banish Surly from the park.

Surly and Buddy are left to fend for themselves in the big city against pigeons and sewer rats. As luck would have it, they stumble upon a nut store with a bountiful supply to feed them for ages to come. The store happens to be the staging ground for a quartet of gangsters led by King (Stephen Lang). Their plan is to tunnel into the nearby bank and replace all the bags of money with sacks full of nuts so no one will notice the cash is missing. Surly and the other park animals forge an uneasy alliance to gather the nuts and avoid detection by the humans.

The Nut Job has a clever premise with a bank heist concurrent to the cute critters pulling off one of their own in the background. The filmmakers certainly aimed high by attempting to imbue the manic energy of the classic Looney Tunes shorts with an allegory straight out of Animal Farm. However, the movie never lives up to those lofty goals. The script suffers from the same lazy pitfalls of other second-rate animated flicks, riddled with fart jokes and contrived pop culture references. Angry Birds? Seriously? Despite being a period piece, The Nut Job prominently features the novelty hit "Gangnam Style." Its familiar techno beats play over a celebratory sequence during the film and an animated version of PSY pops up during the end credits for the requisite dance party. Perhaps, it was included because Nut Job was co-produced by a South Korean studio. In any event, the song's popularity died out long before "Nut Job" saw the light of day and was buried alongside other one-hit wonders like the Macarena and "Whoomp! (There It Is)."

It also seems like the writers couldn't be bothered with creating names for every character. Well, this squirrel is surly, so let's call him Surly. What about his buddy? Buddy. And the raccoon and mole? Raccoon and Mole. Job well done.

The Nut Job was budgeted at $42.8 million, which is a fraction of what Pixar works with, but other studios have done much better animation with not much more. Disney's knockoff Planes looks worlds better than Nut Job on a budget of $50, despite a screenplay that was just as uninspired. The movie is certainly colorful, but the designs and the movements appear to have been animated a decade ago.

If anyone was expecting the celebrity cast to bring some sparkle to the proceedings, you will be disappointed. Aside from the baritone voices of Will Arnett and Liam Neeson, none of them are recognizable and only Maya Rudolph as an affectionate pug has any charm.

The concept of The Nut Job is a bit similar to 2006's Over the Hedge, which shared a co-writer in Lorne Cameron. None of the furry fauna in either movie were all that memorable. Even the zany interludes of Scrat from the Ice Age series were more fun. As Pixar has done again and again, you can create an animated film with enough intelligence and heart to appeal to adults and children alike. The Nut Job might win over the youngest of age, but it will make others fall into an early hibernation.

Rating: * (*****)

Despicable Me 2

Despicable Me 2 - Dirs. Pierre Coffin & Chris Renaud (2013)

Despicable Me was a delightful surprise from Universal's fledgling Illumination Entertainment. Although it ended on a satisfying conclusion, its box office take of over $543 million ensured that a sequel was forthcoming. Despicable Me 2 certainly didn't disappoint, at least in terms of ticket sales, it pulled in over $918 million and stands as the fifth highest grossing animated film of all time.

For those who missed it, Despicable Me followed eccentric super-villain Gru (Steve Carell) on his diabolical quest to steal the moon. As part of his scheme, Gru was forced to adopt three little girls: Margo (Miranda Cosgrove), Edith (Dana Gaier), and Agnes (Elsie Fisher). Gru was the proverbial Grinch whose heart grew two sizes bigger once those adorable moppets wormed their way into his life.

The sequel finds Gru more than comfortable in his new life as a single father. Things are going great though a little dull as Gru attempts to turn his elaborate laboratory into a factory for jams and jellies. Luckily, Gru is recruited by Silas Ramsbottom (Steve Coogan), the erudite leader of the Anti-Villain League. A mysterious mastermind has stolen an experimental serum that could be used to create an army of monsters and only Gru has the experience needed to find him. Gru is reluctantly paired up with agent Lucy Wilder (Kristen Wiig, who previously voiced Miss Hattie) to go undercover at a glossy shopping mall where the bad guy might be hiding out. Gru has his eye on Eduardo Perez (Benjamin Bratt), a boisterous restaurateur who may secretly be the infamous El Macho, a villain who supposedly died while riding a shark strapped with explosives into a flaming volcano. However, Gru's most fearsome foe may be young love when Margo falls head over heels for Eduardo's suave son Antonio (Moises Arias).

The biggest criticism lobbied against Despicable Me 2 is that the lead protagonist has lost his edge. An opening sequence where Gru dresses as a fairy princess for Agnes's birthday party might attest to that. Screenwriters Cinco Paul and Ken Daurio may have dulled Gru's fangs a bit; they've still captured the madcap pace and unique sensibilities of the first film. We see Edith running around in a ninja outfit and a bizarre subplot in which Gru goes on a blind date. Despicable Me was like a candy colored Bond adventure and its successor continues those threads with the AVL's underwater base and other high-tech gadgets. There's a submarine car, lipstick taser, Gru's trademark freeze ray, fart guns, and an opening sequence in which a giant magnet snatches up an Arctic research station. The sequel builds to a thrilling conclusion with Gru going into full John Woo mode with guns that shoot his foul-tasting jelly.

Steve Carell gives it his all with a slick Slavic accent, but its Benjamin Bratt who gives the best vocal performance as Eduardo. His over-the-top energy perfectly matches the zany tone of the movie. Oddly enough, Al Pacino was originally cast in the role before Bratt stepped in at the last minute. It's hard to imagine anyone else playing that character.

The real scene stealers though happen to be the Minions, Gru's not-so-helpful helpers that look like a bred Oompa Loompas with Twinkies. They speak in their own unique language and their kooky antics are a constant source of Three Stooges-esque slapstick. The Minions might sidetrack the main plot from time to time, but the cute factor is undeniable. Unsurprisingly, their presence is beefed up here and they're set to star in their own picture in 2015.

With Pixar and Dreamworks having a virtual stranglehold on the animation genre, its nice seeing another player emerge in the field. Despicable Me 2 is a delightful sequel with plenty of heart that will please young and old alike.

Rating: *** (*****)

Epic

Epic - Dir. Chris Wedge (2013)

Epic is the latest CG feature from Blue Sky Studios, the animation studio behind the Ice Age series and Rio. Epic is better than any of their previous efforts, save for the first Ice Age, but it doesn't hold a candle to even the most modest Pixar production.

Mary Katherine (Amanda Seyfried), who prefers to be called 'M.K.,' reluctantly moves back in with her father, Professor Bomba (Jason Sudeikis), following the death of her mother. Dad lives in the middle of nowhere and believes a civilization of miniature people dwell in the forest. His crackpot theories have cost him his credibility in the scientific community as well as his marriage. Any chance of repairing his familial bonds is dashed as the Professor ignores his daughter in favor of chasing down evidence. But, Bomba has been right along because deep within the forest is a peaceful population of plant-like beings protected by an army known as the Leaf Men. They are at war with the Boggans and their leader Mandrake (Christoph Waltz), who is vowed to bring about death and decay. Whatever they destroy is easily brought back to life by the magical powers of Queen Tara (Beyoncé Knowles).

The two worlds collide following a Boggan ambush that mortally wounds the Queen just as M.K. wanders into the forest. She is shrunk down and thrust with the responsibility to protect a bulb that will select a new queen under the moon of the summer solstice. Joining M.K. on her quest are Ronin (Colin Farrell), the commander of the Leaf Men; Nod (Josh Hutcherson), a brash youngster who quit the service; and Mub & Grub (Aziz Ansari & Chris O'Dowd), a slug and snail tending the Queen's gardens.

Epic was loosely based on the children's book, The Leaf Men and the Brave Good Bugs, by William Joyce, author of Rise of the Guardians. Joyce was one of five credited screenwriters on Epic, which is never a good sign. The film holds no real surprises and borrows a number of recognizable elements from movies like FernGully, Lord of the Rings, Star Wars, and Avatar. The spine of the story follows the traditional hero's journey with Nod learning the importance of teamwork and responsibility. Other standard elements include the stoic mentor figure, the comic relief sidekicks, and the celebrity voiceover talent. Christoph Waltz as the villain isn't anything new, but even in animated form Waltz stands out as a fresh voice while other actors (Beyoncé and Steven Tyler) feel like stunt casting. Equally charming is a one-eyed, three-legged pug by the name of Ozzie.

The animation is beautifully rendered and the film shines during its many grand action sequences that include a climatic aerial battle with characters astride hummingbirds and bats as well as the ambush with Boggans camouflaged as tree bark.

When you title your film, Epic, you are setting high standards for yourself. The title is simultaneously grand and generic, which sufficiently describes the movie to a tee. It may be lacking in inventiveness, but kids will more than enjoy the wonderful animation and lighthearted humor.

Rating: ** ½ (*****)

The Croods

The Croods - Dirs. Chris Sanders & Kirk De Micco (2013)

Faster than you can say, "The Flintstones," Dreamworks offers their own take on the modern Stone Age family with The Croods. The Croods opened to boffo box office worldwide as moviegoers, thirsting for family friendly entertainment, flocked to theaters for a grand total of over $122 million.

The Croods live in a highly stylized version of prehistoric times where all of their friends have been killed off by animals or disease. The patriarch, Grug (Nicolas Cage), subscribes to the motto, "Never not be afraid." In order to keep his family alive, Grug moves them into a dark cave and spins cautionary tales about how curiosity will kill the caveman. Obviously this irks his teenage daughter, Eep (Emma Stone), whose adventurous streak is a constant concern for her overly protective father. One night, Eep notices a strange, orange glow that leads her into an encounter with Guy (Ryan Reynolds), a more evolved drifter who warns Eep about the end of the world, what we know now as continental drift. Guy disappears and the next morning, the Croods' cave is destroyed by a rockslide. They discover an incredible new world that had existed behind their backs. It's a beautiful, yet dangerous land with strange creatures like land whales, furry saber tooth tigers, and Piranhakeets, ravenous birds with razor sharp teeth. Guy saves the Crood family from a flock and leads them on a journey to a safe haven he calls, "Tomorrow." The Croods are awestruck by Guy and his newfangled inventions like fire, shoes, umbrellas, and snare traps. But, Grug is less than impressed and grows jealous of all the adoration heaped on Guy.

The Croods is fairly straightforward stuff with obvious themes about family and that trying new things is good. There are plenty of references to parents being overprotective, especially when it comes to boyfriends, and kids being embarrassed by mom and dad. What sets it apart is the presence of co-writer and co-director Chris Sanders, who previously brought us Lilo & Stitch and How to Train Your Dragon. The similarities are obvious right down to the character designs, including an albino hyena and an adorable sloth named Belt, both of whom bare a resemblance to Experiment 626. Sanders brings real warmth and heart to the story along with his irreverent sense of humor and a steady stream of slapstick. The opening sequence with the Croods hunting for breakfast while fending off other wildlife sets the tone for the energetic pace to come. The animation is breathtaking with the world the Croods explore baring strong similarities to Avatar.

There is a small, but strong voice cast at work here with Nicolas Cage employing his own brand of off-kilter charm to the role of Grug. He gets in a toned down variation of the trademark Cage meltdown as Grug undergoes history's first ever mid-life crisis. Emma Stone is terrific in the lead and even looks a little like her character, who appears to be the freckle faced offspring of Pebbles and Bam Bam. Rounding out the cast are an underused Catherine Keener as mom Ugga, Clark Duke as dim-witted brother Thunk, and Cloris Leachman as the crotchety grandma.

It's a safe bet that the best animated films of 2013 will be Pixar's Monsters University, Universal's Despicable Me 2, and The Croods. The zany energy and colorful presentation will be more than enough to entertain youngsters as well as older audiences.

Rating: *** (*****)

Superman: Unbound

Superman: Unbound - Dir. James Tucker (2013)

Since 2007, Warner Premiere has been producing a line of direct-to-video animated films based on DC Comics' extensive library of characters. They've actually have a better track record at bringing to life superheroes like Green Lantern and Wonder Woman than WB's live-action division. Lately, they have released some of their best pictures yet with Justice League: Doom and the much-anticipated 2-part adaptation of Frank Miller's The Dark Knight Returns. Their latest effort is Superman: Unbound, which is scheduled to be released in May and was recently screened at WonderCon.

Unbound is based on a five-issue story arc by Geoff Johns with art by Gary Frank and taking place in Action Comics #866 through #870. The film opens with Superman (Matt Bomer) and Supergirl (Molly Quinn) flying through Metropolis in an attempt to rescue Lois Lane (Stana Katic) from a group of armed men. From there, the Man of Steel has a heart-to-heart talk with his cousin about her difficulties in adapting to life on Earth. Superman is also having relationship problems with Lois. Before those can be ironed out, Kal-El speeds off to the desert to investigate a robot that crash landed from space. He takes the remains back to the Fortress of Solitude where Supergirl recognizes it as a drone belonging to Brainiac (John Noble). A fusion of flesh and machine, Brainiac collects all the knowledge of a world, shrinks one of its cities to keep as a specimen, and then destroys the entire planet. Long ago, he came to Krypton and took the city of Kandor. Supergirl and her parents barely escaped. Rather than wait for Brainiac's arrival, Superman decides to take the fight to him.

Warner Premiere has struggled working within the limitation of their budget. This has resulted in many movies being released with truncated run times. In some cases, the films barely break the hour mark (Superman/Batman: Public Enemies, Batman: Year One). Although, Superman: Unbound runs 76 minutes, it never plays like huge chunks are missing. In fact, the film feels a lot longer than it is. The script by Bob Goodman (who also adapted Dark Knight Returns) goes deeper in exploring Superman's relationships with Supergirl and Lois Lane. The main characters are fully realized in spite of their relatively short screen time. For all his powers, Superman still has trouble figuring out Lois. Meanwhile, Lois is depicted as quick-witted and fiercely independent, hardly the typical damsel in distress though she regularly gets into trouble. Unbound also earns a PG-13 because of a rude gesture Lois flashes at Brainiac. Supergirl has all the complexities of a teenage girl topped off with super-strength and heat vision.

The animation doesn't look cheap at all and the art style doesn't resemble one used in previous pictures or of Gary Frank's artwork from the original comics. The style has a slight anime influence. Unbound is action-packed as the title refers to a rare instance where Superman faces an enemy formidable enough that he doesn't have to hold back. Brainiac is a creepy foe that is Superman's match both physically and mentally.

The cast is one of the finest assembled by voice director Andrea Romano. Matt Bomer and Castle stars Molly Quinn and Stana Katic are perfect in their roles and it helps that they could portray them in a live-action version. John Noble of Fringe fame is excellent as Brainiac with a booming voice full of menace and arrogance. Rounding out the ensemble are Frances Conroy as Martha Kent, Wade Williams as Perry White, Stephen Root as Supergirl's father Zor-El, and Diedrich Bader as the Daily Planet's resident meathead Steve Lombard.

Superman: Unbound definitely ranks as the best Superman release from DC and Warner as well as one of the best releases in the line.

Rating: *** (*****)

Rise of the Guardians

Rise of the Guardians - Dir. Peter Ramsay (2012)

Rise of the Guardians is the Avengers of holiday icons. Based on a series of novels by William Joyce, the film sees Santa Claus (Alec Baldwin), the Easter Bunny (Hugh Jackman), the Tooth Fairy (Isla Fisher), and the silent Sandman join forces as protectors of children all over the world. They are needed once more with the return of their nemesis, Pitch Black (Jude Law), colloquially known as the Bogeyman. Pitch has become more powerful than ever after gaining the ability to turn dreams into nightmares.

To defeat Pitch, the Guardians must recruit a new member into the fold, Jack Frost (Chris Pine), a free-spirited prankster whose interests lie solely in snowball fights than crusading for the forces of good. The Guardians derive their powers from the belief of children and they weaken when that belief unravels. Almost nobody believes in Jack, thus making him a disembodied spirit to the world.

Dreamworks Animation has really stepped up their game in the last couple years to close in on the gap between them and Pixar. Part of their efforts includes hiring Guillermo Del Toro as executive producer and Roger Deakins as a visual consultant. The animation is a colorful feast for the eyes although the 3D effects don't amount to much aside from snowflakes floating out of frame. First-time director Peter Ramsey crafts several thrilling action sequences beginning with a wild sled ride through the streets and a raucous scene in which the Guardians assist Tooth in collecting teeth. Sandman and Pitch inventively use sand particles to create various objects, a power akin to Green Lantern.

The script by playwright David Lindsay-Abaire (Rabbit Hole) is rather formulaic with Jack's character arc following the basic hero's journey. The film tries hard to rekindle those dying embers of childhood wonder before kids were glued to iPhones and Playstations. However, discovering Santa wasn't real always seemed like a rite of passage, a first step into adulthood, instead of a traumatic experience. Plus, the Sandman and the Tooth Fairy have usually been placed on the low end of the pantheon. Are there kids still desperately clinging to the idea that a giant rabbit hands out eggs every Easter? Had they been as cool as they are depicted in Guardians, children would be ready to believe.

Joyce has creatively re-imagined familiar characters in unfamiliar ways. Santa is now a boisterous Russian Cossack with 'Naughty' and 'Nice' tattooed on his forearms. He has an army of Yetis building the toys in his workshop while lame-brained elves scurry about ala the Minions in Despicable Me. The Easter Bunny is now E. Aster Bunnymund, a rough and tumble Aussie voiced by a pitch perfect Hugh Jackman. Despite wielding a pair of boomerangs, he still has the skittish side of a fluffy rabbit. Tooth is a hyper energetic hummingbird-type fairy with an armada of cute little fairies to do her bidding.

Rise of the Guardians won't go down as a classic, but it's handsomely animated and set to a beautiful score by Alexandre Desplat.

Rating: *** (*****)

Wreck-It Ralph

Wreck-It Ralph - Dir. Rich Moore (2012)

If Brave was Pixar's most Disney-like movie, then Wreck-It Ralph might be Disney's most Pixar-esque film to date. The comparison is easy to see since the concept could succinctly be described as Toy Story for video games.

Wreck-It Ralph (John C. Reilly) is the villain of an old school arcade game modeled after Donkey Kong. He's a burly brute who is forced to live in the city dump while his nemesis, Fix-It Felix Jr. (Jack McBrayer), lives in luxury in a high-rise apartment with his fellow Nicelanders. Ralph trashes the building, but Felix always manages to fix the damage before Ralph is tossed acrimoniously into the mud. Poor Ralph is tired of playing the antagonist, especially when he constantly sees the other Nicelanders lavish accolades for Felix. To paraphrase Who Framed Roger Rabbit, Ralph's not a bad guy, he's just programmed that way.

Ralph game jumps into a violent, high-tech first person shooter called Hero's Duty to win a medal and prove he can be a hero. From there, he winds up in Sugar Rush, a candy-themed racing game where he meets little Vanellope von Schweetz (Sarah Silverman), who is shunned by the other racers and their monarch King Candy (Alan Tudyk) for being a glitch. Meanwhile, Felix and Sgt. Calhoun (Jane Lynch), the lead in Hero's Duty, set off to find Ralph before the arcade permanently unplugs their game.

Wreck-It Ralph features a wealth of video game references, many of which will go over the heads of younger viewers and casual gamers. At one point, Ralph attends a support group named Bad Guys Anonymous with M. Bison, Zangief, Kano, Dr. Eggman, King Bowser, and one of the Pac-Man ghosts. Other cameos include other Street Fighter characters (Chun-Li, Ken, Ryu), Sonic the Hedgehog, Frogger, and the paddles from Pong. King Candy has a vault with a giant Nintendo controller as the door with the combination set as the Konami Code. Novelty duo Bruckner & Garcia, best known for their 1982 single "Pac-Man Fever," were plucked out of obscurity to write a Wreck-It Ralph theme song. There's even graffiti with internet memes like "Leroy Jenkins was here" and ”All your fortress are belong to us." The most heartbreaking moment in Wreck-It Ralph is the appearance of Q*bert and his supporting cast, who have been rendered homeless after their game was unplugged.

In lesser hands, Wreck-It Ralph could have rested on simply stringing together one pop culture reference after another. However, there is genuine heart and humor to the story thanks to director Rich Moore, who has helmed some of the best Simpsons episodes. He can count "Cape Feare," "Marge vs. the Monorail," and "Lisa's Substitute" on his resume. Moore worked on the script with another Simpsons alum Jim Reardon, Phil Johnston (Cedar Rapids), and newcomer Jennifer Lee. The results of their work impart tried and true themes of friendship and self-affirmation. The majority of the film is set within Sugar Rush, which may seem like the least interesting world that they could have explored. Yet, the animation is gorgeous and the writers find clever ways to work in renowned food products, such as a volcano of diet cola with Mentos stalactites.

It is here that the movie also explores the budding camaraderie between Ralph and Vanellope, both of whom are considered pariahs within their respective societies. Thanks to the voice actors there's a real tenderness to the characters. John C. Reilly is perfectly cast as the lovable lug while Sarah Silverman brings her trademark caustic (though sanitized) humor. Jack McBrayer is another spot-on casting choice as the "Aww, shucks" Fix-It Felix. Alan Tudyk steals the show as the loopy King Candy with a gusto impression of Ed Wynn.

It may be hyperbole on my part when I say Wreck-It Ralph comes exceedingly close to reaching the heights of Disney's renaissance era when they were pumping out The Little Mermaid, Aladdin, The Lion King, and Beauty and the Beast. Wreck-It Ralph is not just the best animated film of the year, but one of the best Disney productions in years.

Rating: **** (*****)

Brave

Brave - Dirs. Dirs. Mark Andrews, Brenda Chapman & Steve Purcell (2012)

Brave marks several firsts for Pixar. It's their first period piece and their first fairy tale. It was to be the first Pixar project directed by a woman in Brenda Chapman (inspired by her relationship with her daughter) until she was replaced by Mark Andrews and Steve Purcell though she still receives credit. Brave is also the first Pixar film to feature a female protagonist in the lead role.

Set in the Scottish Highlands long ago, Brave follows the strong-willed Princess Merida (Kelly Macdonald) and her equally stubborn mother, Queen Elinor (Emma Thompson). Merida prefers to roam free and practice archery while the Queen prefers Merida be molded into a proper lady. That includes lessons in refinement and diplomacy. Now that she's come of age, tradition calls for Merida to be married off to one of the sons of the neighboring clan leaders. Merida discovers a witch (Julie Walters) deep within the forest and asks her for a spell to change her fate. Of course, it all goes wrong with Elinor being turned into a bear. It's Mother Bear, instead of Brother Bear.

You can't help but be awestruck by the beauty of the animation. Pixar has outdone themselves once more in creating a vibrant world of misty mountains, dark forests, and evergreen hilltops. Even Merida's flowing red locks seem to have a life of their own. Animators actually created new software just to render her wild mane of hair, which symbolizes Merida's thirst for freedom. The contrast between mother and daughter is never more apparent than when Merida is forced to wear a restrictive Maid Marian outfit. She slips a tuft of hair from underneath her cap in a defiant expression of identity. There's a palpable tenderness to their relationship even when Elinor is in bear form. The animators do an impressive job in making her emote strictly through paw and facial movements. The creative minds of Pixar have been behind some of the most memorable father-son relationships depicted in cinema, from Nemo and Marlin in Finding Nemo to Russell and his crotchety surrogate Mr. Fredricksen in Up. No surprise that their first exploration of maternal bonds should be as equally heartfelt.

There's plenty of humor (and naked buttocks) to be found in Brave. Much of the humor derives from the "wee devils" that are Merida's younger brothers, the triplets Hamish, Hubert, and Harris. Kelly Macdonald (who replaced Reese Witherspoon) heads up a cast of talented Scottish thespians who end an aura of authenticity. The actors include Robbie Coltrane, Kevin McKidd, Craig Ferguson, and the great Billy Connolly as Merida's father King Fergus, who lost a leg in battle against the demonic bear Mor'du.

The critical response to Brave was surprisingly mixed. Perhaps, reviewers were expecting Pixar to completely deconstruct the Disney princess genre. However, Pixar didn't need to reinvent the wheel with Brave because it is so lusciously animated and well-crafted.

Rating: *** (*****)

ParaNorman

ParaNorman - Dirs. Chris Butler & Sam Fell (2012)

2012 has been a strong year for animated films. While computer animation rules the roost, it’s good to know that older forms like stop-motion are still being kept alive. Disney released Tim Burton’s Frankenweenie and Universal produced Paranorman from Laika Studios, the same animators that brought us Coraline. Despite being stronger pictures, neither of those pictures did as well as Sony’s Hotel Transylvania, which boasted garish CG-animation and a big-name voice cast with Adam Sandler and Selena Gomez. Out of all three horror themed films, ParaNorman, is undoubtedly the cream of the crop.

Norman Babcock (Kodi Smit-McPhee) lives in the sleepy New England burg of Blithe Hollow and suffers from the same problem as the boy from The Sixth Sense. He sees dead people, all the time. In fact, they’re his only friends, from his late grandmother sitting on the living room couch to the female aviator whose parachute is tangled up in a tree. The people who are still living either openly mock Norman or avoid him like a leper. His mother (Leslie Mann) tries to understand, but his exasperated father (Jeff Garlin) seems like he wants to put Norman in an institution.

Norman’s gifts are called upon when he is visited by the spirit of his crazy Uncle Prenderghast (John Goodman). 300 years ago an evil witch placed a curse on the Puritans who burned her at the stake.  For centuries, a chosen few have kept the witch at bay by reading from a book. With Prenderghast gone, the burden is placed on Norman. When he fails, the dead rise from the grave to plague Blithe Hollow.

Right away, you are struck by the incredible set designs and puppet work of ParaNorman. The hardworking folks of Laika painstakingly crafted the film over a two-year period. The animation alone would win it style points, but there’s substance thanks to a script by storyboard artist Chris Butler, who also made his directorial debut here alongside Sam Fell (Flushed Away, The Tales of Despereaux). They’ve boldly made a kid-friendly zombie movie imbued with a palpable sense of pathos. A second act twist turns ParaNorman right on its ear when we learn that intolerance and mob mentality are far more frightening and tangible than a horde of the ravenous undead. The plot thickens in the third act when Norman learns the heart-wrenching truth about the legend of the witch. The filmmakers never forget to bring the humor with the funniest gag involving a slow moving race between the zombies and a vending machine.

The voice acting is superb with youngsters Kodi Smit-McPhee and Tucker Albrizzi portraying Norman and his overweight pal, Neil. They’ve bonded over their shared status as social outcasts. Anna Kendrick is terrific as Norman’s cheerleader sister, Courtney, and Casey Affleck is hilarious as Neil’s older lunkhead brother, Mitch. There’s also Christopher Mintz-Plasse as school bully Alvin, Tempestt Bledsoe as the sassy town sheriff, and Elaine Stritch as Norman’s granny.

ParaNorman draws inspiration from a variety of classic horror tales ranging from the works of George Romero to Washington Irving’s The Legend of Sleepy Hollow.  There’s an amusing gag with a hockey mask ala Jason Vorhees and an opening prologue parodying the type of scary movies shown on late-night TV. The score by Jon Brion is a mix melancholy and suspense with the retro-synth sounds of John Carpenter.

ParaNorman is a remarkable achievement in storytelling and stop-motion animation. It conveys a powerful message about acceptance and forgiveness without being preachy or pandering. Recommended without hesitation for movie fans young and old.

Rating: *** (*****)

Hotel Transylvania

Hotel Transylvania - Dir. Genndy Tartakovsky (2012)

This year saw the release of a trio of horror-themed animation films: ParaNorman, Frankenweenie, and Hotel Transylvania. Produced by Sony, Hotel Transylvania is the weakest of the bunch, but it was the most financially successful. Its strong box office run could certainly be attributed to the glossy computer animation whereas the other films were done stop-motion. While all three pictures dealt with themes of tolerance and death, Hotel Transylvania does so with a much gentler hand and doesn’t go to the darker places that Frankenweenie and ParaNorman did.

At the end of the 19^th century, Count Dracula (Adam Sandler) opens a luxurious hotel deep within the woods of Transylvania to serve as a sanctuary for his fellow monsters. More importantly, he sees it as a safe haven to raise his daughter Mavis (Selena Gomez) following the burning of his castle and the death of his wife at the hands of an angry mob. Over a hundred years later, Mavis is about to turn 118 and the Count is planning a gala birthday bash with all his best friends: Frankenstein (Kevin James), the Invisible Man (David Spade), The Mummy (Cee-Lo Green), and the Wayne the Wolf-Man (Steve Buscemi).

An American backpacker named Jonathan (Andy Samberg) inadvertently uncovers the secret location of Hotel Transylvania forcing Dracula to disguise him as a long-lost cousin of Frankenstein. However, Jonathan sparks a romance with Mavis as well as fueling her desires to finally leave the confines of her home.

Expectations were low for Hotel Transylvania considering Sandler has fallen further into self-parody as he slowly becomes the fictionalized version of himself in Funny People. Thoughts of That's My Boy floated in the air with the reuniting of Sandler and Andy Samberg. A script written by Peter Baynham (Borat) and TV Funhouse's Robert Smigel brings the distasteful fart jokes you'd come to expect from the Happy Madison camp. Somehow Hotel Transylvania manages to come together thanks to the direction of Genndy Tartakovsky of Dexter's Lab and Samurai Jack fame. Tartakovsky adopts the manic pacing of a Tex Avery cartoon and brings such energy to the picture you forget how flat a lot of the humor is. Steve Buscemi is a highlight as a sad sack werewolf worn down by his rambunctious litter of pups.

Hotel Transylvania may be too schmaltzy and saccharine for adults. The groan inducing song and dance number (complete with auto-tune) at the conclusion of the film will test your tolerance for cheese. However, the brightly colored animation and high energy are sure to entertain younger audiences.

Rating: ** (*****)

Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted

Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted – Dirs. Eric Darnell, Tom McGrath & Conrad Vernon (2012)

The Madagascar series could hardly be considered the crown jewel of Dreamworks Animation’s filmography. Shrek is its most renowned and financially successful franchise while How to Train Your Dragon is their finest achievement with Kung Fu Panda a close second.  There’s just nothing memorable about the first two Madagascar movies and the animation and art style could hardly be considered groundbreaking. It’s with great surprise that Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted is light years ahead of the previous installments and one of the better animated features of 2012.

For those unfamiliar with the series, Madagascar follows the misadventures of Alex the Lion (Ben Stiller), Marty the Zebra (Chris Rock), Gloria the Hippo (Jada Pinkett-Smith), and the nebbish Melman the Giraffe (David Schwimmer) as they escape from the Central Park Zoo. Along with a quartet of ingenuous penguins, the runaway animals find themselves on the titular island as well as the plains of Africa where Alex originated. As Europe’s Most Wanted begins, our protagonists grow home sick for their caged confines in the Big Apple and seek to return to NYC. However, their ticket home, the penguins, are enjoying the high life in Monte Carlo.

Owing to the absurdist humor of the film, Alex and the gang apparently swim all the way as they emerge in the harbor with snorkels and goggles. Upon arrival, the furry friends run afoul of a relentless animal control officer named Capt. Chantel DuBois (Frances McDormand), who appears to be a cross between Cruella de Vil and the Terminator. This leads into a manic chase through the streets and rooftops of Monte Carlo with the animals riding in a nuclear powered battle van. It all culminates with DuBois bursting through walls while a makeshift cargo plane manned by a crew of chimpanzees fires banana peels at her from a high-powered machine gun. Did I mention the absurdist humor?

From there, the plane crashes and everyone is forced to hop aboard a train of circus animals. Among the performers are the gruff tiger Vitaly (Bryan Cranston), lithe jaguar Gia (Jessica Chastain), and the dim-witted Italian seal Stefano (Martin Short). The penguins use their casino winnings to purchase the ailing circus through their proxy, two chimps disguised as the King of Versailles. Alex assumes the role of de factor ringleader as he remakes the show into the only circus owned and operated entirely by animals. But, Capt. DuBois is determined to mount a lion’s head in her ghoulish trophy room.

The off-the-wall gags and breakneck pacing are reminiscent of the classic Looney Tunes shorts. Youngsters probably won’t be cognizant of this fact; they will be too busy admiring all the shiny wackiness, especially the climax involving a flying neon circus. The soundtrack will also appeal to both young and old with hip tracks like Katy Perry’s “Firework” amidst Andrea Bocelli’s “Con Te Partiro” for a romantic montage between the lemur King Julien and a unicycle-riding, tutu-wearing bear. There’s also a scene in which DuBois fires up her troops from their debilitating injuries with a rousing rendition of “Non Je Ne Regrette Rien.”

Madagascar 3 isn't as emotionally riveting as the finer works of Pixar, but it is a colorful and highly entertaining experience.

Rating: *** (*****)

Frankenweenie

Frankenweenie - Dir. Tim Burton (2012)

Before he was Tim Burton, the director of Batman and Ed Wood, he was simply Tim Burton, a young animator trying to make a name for himself at Disney. He first gained notice in 1982 with a stop-motion animated short called Vincent. His follow-up was a half-hour live-action piece, Frankenweenie, about a boy who brings his beloved dog back to life. Unfortunately, Disney execs felt Burton had wasted company resources with a movie that wasn't kid friendly and fired him. On the positive side, Paul Reubens was a fan of Frankenweenie and got Burton the job of directing his first feature film, Pee-Wee's Big Adventure. The rest as they say is history, which has vindicated Burton. When he became a big name, Frankenweenie was released in edited format on VHS and later included, unedited, as an extra on the DVD and Blu-ray versions of The Nightmare Before Christmas. That holiday classic has raked in a ton of merchandising money for the House of Mouse, which went to the bank once again when Burton's Alice in Wonderland made over a billion at the box office. It's no wonder Disney allowed Burton to remake Frankenweenie, which was originally intended to be done in stop-motion.

The film is set in New Holland, an idyllic suburbia where Victor Frankenstein (Charlie Tahan) is seen as a bit of an oddball by his parents Edward (Martin Short) and Susan (Catherine O'Hara). Victor's only friend is his bull terrier, Sparky, who is tragically hit by a car. Inspired by a classroom experiment, Victor builds an elaborate array of equipment to harness the town's frequent lightning storms and brings Sparky back to life. The little fella may be stitched together and have two bolts in his neck, but he's his usual frisky self. Victor tries to keep the resurrected Sparky a secret, but is discovered by a hunchbacked classmate named Edgar Gore (Atticus Shaffer). E. Gore, get it?

Edgar blabs about the process to the other school kids, who proceed to bring their own deceased pets back to life. Soon, New Holland is under siege by a vampire cat, a mummified hamster, a horde of ravenous sea monkeys, and a giant Gamera-esque turtle cleverly named Shelley.

The last few years have seen Burton direct slick and garish blockbusters like Alice, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, and Dark Shadows. So it is a relief to see Burton return to his roots with Frankenweenie, which resembles a greatest hits reel. The screenplay was adapted by long-time collaborator John August and once again scored by the great Danny Elfman. The pre-fabricated suburbs of New Holland appear to be lifted right out of Edward Scissorhands, which was the last movie Winona Ryder did with Burton. She returns as the voice of Elsa van Helsing, the sullen girl next door, who looks and acts a lot like Lydia Deets from Beetlejuice.

Frankenweenie could certainly be considered one of Burton's more personal films, which gives it more heart and soul than any of his recent efforts. Burton has projected a lot of himself into the character of Victor. The picture opens with Victor screening a home movie he shot using toys and Sparky as his star monster. Burton's influences are on full display with the third act that pays homage to the classic Universal horror flicks. His hero, Vincent Price, is represented by a lookalike science teacher named Mr. Rzykruski played by Martin Landau, who dips into his Bela Lugosi voice. The nominal antagonist is Mayor Burgemeister (also voiced by Short), whose name and permanent scowl are a reference to Burgemeister Meisterburger from Rankin/Bass's classic Santa Claus is Comin' to Town. Christopher Lee even pops in for a cameo as Mr. & Mrs. Frankenstein watch Horror of Dracula in their living room.

While the story isn't particularly inventive, the visuals more than make up for it. The puppets are lovingly crafted and exquisitely photographed in stark black and white. Unfortunately, kids may not be impressed by a movie that isn't CG animated or done in color. Frankenweenie is one of three horror-themed animated movies alongside ParaNorman and Hotel Transylvania, which was the most financially successful and garish of the bunch. It would be a shame for Frankenweenie to be ignored. It's a well-made movie and at less than 90 minutes doesn't overstay its welcome.

Rating; *** (*****)

The Dark Knight Returns, Part 1

The Dark Knight Returns, Part 1 - Dir. Jay Oliva (2012)

"You don't get it, boy. This isn't a mudhole, it's an operating table…and I'm the surgeon."

The 80's were the "grim 'n' gritty" era of comic book superheroes with readers favoring mature content over brightly colored spandex. Watchmen was one of the most heralded works of the time along with Frank Miller's The Dark Knight Returns and Batman: Year One, which bookended the Caped Crusader's crime fighting career. Warner Premiere previously adapted Year One into an animated feature with a scant runtime of 64 minutes. Fans were justifiably worried that Dark Knight Returns might receive similar treatment with the majority of Miller's epic left on the cutting room floor. Warner has wisely split Dark Knight Returns into two parts with the first installment comprising of the first two issues.

It has been years since Bruce Wayne (Peter Weller) has worn the cape and cowl. The elderly millionaire is still a bachelor and estranged from his former ward Dick Grayson. His loyal butler Alfred is still by his side and Bruce has regular dinners with Commissioner Gordon, who is now aware of his dual identities. There are times when Bruce searches for a new thrill to replace the adrenaline rush of nocturnal vigilantism. The film opens with Gotham's favorite son wrecking a Formula-1 racer.

The city itself hasn't changed much. Crime is still rampant though Batman's rogues gallery has nearly vanished. Citizens live in fear of a violent street gang known as the Mutants. Bruce can hardly stand watching the news with daily reports about murders, robberies, and kidnappings. Meanwhile, Harvey Dent (Wade Williams), once known as Two-Face, has undergone facial reconstructive surgery. However, when the fallen district attorney returns to his former identity, Bruce once again dons the tights. The return of Batman inspires streetwise Carrie Kelly (Ariel Winter) to dress up as Robin and become the Dark Knight's new sidekick.

Inspired by Dirty Harry, Frank Miller's Batman is hardly the genial Adam West version. This Batman is built like a brick house with a voice like grinding gravel. Many fans envisioned Clint Eastwood playing the older Bruce Wayne, but the filmmakers went with Robocop himself, Peter Weller. Weller has a deep, authoritarian voice though Michael Ironside, who played the character on an episode of Batman: The Animated Series, was closely to the way I imagined the older Batman would sound. Ariel Winter from Modern Family provides just the right amount of spunk to play the first female Robin. Other voice actors include: Michael McKean as Harvey Dent's psychiatrist, Paget Brewster as Lana Lang, and Maria Canals (who played Hawkgirl on Justice League) as Gordon's successor Ellen Yindel.

The animators have done a splendid job in melding Miller's angular art style with their sleeker look. Many of the iconic images from the comics are present in the movie. There's the silhouette of Batman against the night sky as lightning strikes the background, an image that adorned the debut issue. The majority of Miller's pulpy dialogue has been lifted almost verbatim such as, "He was a good soldier. He honored me," in reference to the late-Jason Todd, Batman's second Robin. Ironically, Dark Knight Returns was published two years before Todd would actually die in Batman #428.

Batman: Year One provided inspiration for Christopher Nolan as he developed Batman Begins and The Dark Knight Returns served a similar capacity for The Dark Knight Rises. Bruce Wayne coming out of retirement and dealing with a broken down body are the most obvious elements. The scene where a veteran cop tells his rookie partner he is, "…in for a show," is taken straight from the source material. Inspiration goes both ways as Returns composer Christopher Drake attempts to approximate Hans Zimmer's score to less than successful results.

The Dark Knight Returns, Part 1 is an exhilarating adaptation of Frank Miller's seminal mini-series. WB made the wise choice of splitting the film into two volumes. On the plus side, this allowed screenwriter Bob Goodman to craft something faithful and action-packed. On the other hand, it's hard to judge Part 1 on its own since it is only half the story.

Rating: *** (*****)

Batman: Year One

Batman: Year One - Dirs. Sam Liu & Lauren Montgomery (2011)

The 1980's saw major changes within the comic book industry. Creators like Alan Moore were approaching the superhero genre with radical new ideas through DC titles such as Watchmen and Swamp Thing. Meanwhile, Frank Miller injected his own unique sensibilities into Marvel's Daredevil and took the series into dark and gritty territory. He seemed the perfect fit for Batman. Miller would make history with a one-two punch with two stories about the beginning and the end of the Caped Crusader's career.

In 1986, DC released the four-issue mini-series, The Dark Knight Returns, focusing on an aging Bruce Wayne forced to come out of retirement to defend a Gotham City overrun by violent street gangs and corrupt officials. Batman goes toe-to-toe once more with the Joker and Two-Face and even exchanges fisticuffs with Superman. A year later, Miller would write, Batman: Year One featuring art by David Mazzucchelli, which has been adapted into an animated film by Warner Premiere and producer Bruce Timm.

Batman: Year One opens with the arrival of Jim Gordon (Bryan Cranston) to Gotham City along with his pregnant wife Barbara (Grey DeLisle). Gordon wonders how he can possibly raise a child in a city where the police are rotten to the core. He witnesses the department's corruption firsthand through the brutality of his partner Detective Flass (Fred Tatasciore) and a trigger-happy SWAT commander (Stephen Root). Gordon has no one to turn to as Commissioner Loeb (Jon Polito) is in bed with mob boss Carmine Falcone (Alex Rocco).

Bruce Wayne (Ben McKenzie) has also returned home after studying and training abroad for a dozen years. Inspired by a bat that crashed through his window, Bruce dons the bat costume to strike fear into the cowardly and superstitious criminal underworld. Inspired in turn by Batman, prostitute Selina Kyle (Eliza Dushku) becomes Catwoman.

Batman: Year One is a far cry from the colorful adventures that have become a stereotype of the superhero comics. This is a realistic, film noir take on the Batman mythos that humanizes the the Dark Knight and his long-time ally, Jim Gordon. Both men are fallible. Burdened by the job and surrounded by dirty cops, Gordon seeks solace in the arms of his new partner Sarah Essen (Katee Sackhoff). Bruce Wayne isn't the lean, mean fighting machine he would later become. Bruce's first attempt at fighting crime ends with him being shot in the shoulder by police officers. Another outing, this time in full Batman regalia, is equally disastrous as he is almost killed by a trio of burglars on a narrow fire escape.

The imagery of Batman: Year One will be easily recognizable because the story served as a blueprint for the Christopher Nolan films. Many of the characters such as Flass, Commissioner Loeb, and Carmine Falcone feature prominently in Batman Begins along with a sequence where Batman uses a sonic emitter to attract a swarm of bats to aid in his escape. Selina's young friend, Holly Robinson (voiced by Bill Mumy's daughter, Liliana) appears very briefly in The Dark Knight Rises.

Ben McKenzie from The O.C. has big shoes to fill as he follows in the footsteps of previous voice actors like Diedrich Bader, Bruce Greenwood, and the phenomenal Kevin Conroy. He does a fair job at times, but doesn't have the gravitas needed to pull off the noir dialogue. Luckily, the emotional weight of the picture is carried by Bryan Cranston who gives an excellent performance as the world weary Gordon. When the inevitable reboot goes into production, Cranston would be great choice to fill Oldman's shoes. Character actors like Jon Polito, Stephen Root, and Alex Rocco are welcome additions and Eliza Dushku provides the right amount of sexiness for Catwoman. Speaking of the Batman's famed femme fatale, the DVD and Blu-ray feature a short cartoon starring Catwoman and written by Paul Dini.

Batman: Year One is one of the best offerings from the DC animated line. It would be THE best if not for the brief runtime. At just over an hour, Batman: Year One could have used an extra ten or fifteen minutes to flesh out certain characters. Sarah Essen gets very little screen time while Catwoman feels shoehorned into the narrative. Still, the filmmakers have crafted a faithful adaptation of the original comics and the animation is beautiful.

Rating: *** (*****)

Dr. Seuss' The Lorax

Dr. Seuss' The Lorax - Dirs. Chris Renaud & Kyle Balda (2012)

"I am the Lorax, I speak for the trees. I speak for the trees, for the trees have no tongues."

The work of Dr. Seuss has captured the imaginations of countless children and will continue to do so for generations to come. The same cannot be said for the cinematic adaptations. Universal's live-action versions of The Grinch Who Stole Christmas and The Cat in the Hat are glaring blemishes to the legacy of the good doctor. The early cartoon versions had it right, keep things short and sweet. Seuss only needed ten or fifteen pages and a few sentences (in rhyme) to engage the reader. The filmmakers inject all the usual tropes like romantic subplots to pad the story out to feature length. This leads us to Dr. Seuss' The Lorax, the second of Seuss's creations to be adapted into a computer animated film. Fox's Blue Sky Studios previously released Horton Hears a Who! in 2008, but Universal and Illumination Entertainment are ones behind Lorax. Illumination debuted with Despicable Me, one of the best animated films of 2010. They stumbled with the live-action Hop, but don't get all the way back on track here.

The Lorax begins in Thneed-Ville, a walled community where the citizens live in the lap of luxury and prize their elaborate automobiles and parking lots. Everything is artificial in Thneed-Ville, the trees are battery operated and the flora is inflatable. The Mayor of Thneed-ville, Aloysius O'Hare (Rob Riggle) has become an extremely wealthy man by selling the townsfolk purified air delivered to their homes in bottles ala Arrowhead. Young Ted (Zac Efron) has a crush on the lovely Audrey (Taylor Swift), who yearns for the day when she might see a real, honest-to-goodness tree. Following the advice of his Grammy Norma (Betty White), Ted sneaks outside the walls of Thneed-ville and finds a barren and blackened wasteland. The only person living in the desolation is a strange hermit named the Once-Ler (Ed Helms), who relates his story to Ted.

Looking to make his fortune, the Once-Ler traveled to the lush valley that was teeming with swomee-swans, bar-ba-loots, and humming fish. What really catches the Once-Ler's eye are the truffula trees, topped with brightly colored tuffs of fur, which he needs to knit Thneeds, a multi-purpose sweater that everyone will need. Felling the first tree summons the Lorax (voiced perfectly by Danny DeVito), a diminutive orange creature with a bushy mustache. Serving as the protector of the forest, the Lorax pleads with the Once-Ler to leave the valley be. The Lorax's appeal for sanity falls on deaf ears as the Once-Ler builds an ominous factory to mass manufacture Thneeds and chops down every tree. Without trees, he can no longer produce Thneeds and his whole operation shuts down. Worse yet, the land has been rendered uninhabitable by the smog and pollution from the factory. The Once-Ler entrusts the last truffula seed to Ted in the hopes he can return the valley to its former glory. However, O'Hare will do anything to stop Ted from planting something that will give his customers air for free.

Conservative pundits have singled out The Lorax as part of a nebulous left-wing conspiracy to brainwash children into hating corporations and hugging trees. I'm speaking of pundits, specifically from Fox News, which is ironic considering Fox produced In Time, a movie with an overt pro-socialist message. Anyone capable of an iota of rational thought will see The Lorax as a film railing against unchecked excess. It's not subtle about it either. Not when the Once-Ler has a huge poster of himself emblazoned with the phrase, "Too big to fail." An opening musical number introduces life in Thneed-ville as the citizens laud their consumerist culture and blissful ignorance. Another number, "How Bad Can I Be?", sees the Once-Ler justifying his rampant greed and willful disdain of the environment as simple free market Darwinism. The songs themselves were composed by John Powell and co-writer Cinco Paul. They aren't memorable, but they are catchy and innocuous in a Disney Radio sort of way.

All this talk about liberal agendas overlooks the fact that The Lorax was produced by a major corporation in the most corporate of ways. The script rings hollow and feels like it was run through a wringer of focus groups right down to the casting of Teen Choice Award winners Zac Efron and Taylor Swift, plus Betty White as the sassy, snowboarding octogenarian. Also, I highly doubt Dr. Seuss ever envisioned the Lorax as a shill for General Electric, Mazda SUVs, and IHOP pancake combos.

"Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better…it's not."

Dr. Seuss' The Lorax doesn't come close to competing with Pixar. It's more diverting than thought provoking. The movie may not convince kids to plant a tree, but it will entertain them long enough with loud noises and bright shiny things.

Rating: ** (*****)

Superman vs. The Elite

Superman vs. The Elite - Dir. Michael Chang (2012)

Superman vs. The Elite is the latest in a line of original animated features from DC Comics and Warner Premiere. Unlike past releases that were based on a mini-series or longer storyarc, Superman vs. The Elite is based on a single issue, in this case "What's So Funny About Truth, Justice, & the American Way?" The story published in Action Comics #775, released in March 2001. It was the question writer Joe Kelly posed in regards to the values prescribed by Superman, the forefather of the costumed superhero. The Man of Steel has been around since 1938 and there are many who would consider him to be corny and old-fashioned. His red and blue costume is sometimes the subject of derision. Tim Burton attempted to replace Superman's iconic outfit for a suit of black leather in his aborted Superman film. The Last Kryptonian's ethical code may even be out of tune with modern society.

In 1999, Wildstorm Productions, which had just been purchased by DC Comics, was burning up the sales charts and winning critical acclaim with a new series called The Authority. It was originally written by Warren Ellis (Red) and later by Mark Millar (Kick-Ass, Wanted). The comic book featured a team of super-powered beings that battled totalitarian governments, genocidal terrorists, and corrupt corporations. The Authority was politically charged and tinged with cynicism and violence on an epic scale. These heroes weren't out to arrest villains, but to mutilate and dismember them. So it was that Kelly and artist Doug Mahnke rebuked the Authority's philosophy by pitting Kal-El against a group of knockoffs known as The Elite. Ironic since two of the Authority's members, Apollo and The Midnighter, were loosely based on Supes and Batman.

The Elite are led by Manchester Black, a foul-mouthed Brit with telepathic powers. Clad in a trenchcoat and Union Jack t-shirt, he's more Johnny Rotten than he is Johnny Law. His teammates are Coldcast, a burly bruiser with the ability to absorb and channel energy; Menagerie, a winged woman bonded to a variety of alien beasts; and The Hat, who possesses a magical fedora that allows him to summon almost anything imaginable. The Elite make a splashy debut by intervening in the civil war between the countries of Bialya and Pokolistan. At first, they are in awe of meeting the Man of Steel. In turn, Superman is eager to act as the mentor for these new meta-humans. It quickly becomes clear that their differing methods will never mesh. The Elite have no qualms in causing widespread property damage or brutally executing their enemies. What's the point of throwing bad guys in jail when they will inevitably escape to cause more mayhem? The people of the world adore the Elite for their take-no-prisoners approach. Yes, the only foe more dangerous than the Legion of Doom proves to be the court of public opinion.

Superman vs. The Elite touches upon many socially relevant issues. The original comic came out months before 9/11 and readers were likely divided on whether they would side on diplomacy or swift retribution. But, Elite is certainly not a preachy message movie. The animated film is most definitely a slam-bang action affair. The biggest criticism towards Superman Returns was that Bryan Singer made the Man of Steel too weak and that he didn't have villains were a physical match. The Elite are more than enough to provide a challenge for the Big Blue Boy Scout. If they weren't enough, there's also the Atomic Skull and some giant robotic spiders. Although, the running time is less than eighty minutes, Elite doesn't feel shortchanged or incomplete.

The voice cast isn't as chock full of big names as previous releases, but the actors give solid performances. Long-time fans will recognize the voice of George Newbern, who previously provided the voice of Kal-El on Justice League and Superman/Shazam: The Return of Black Adam. Joining Newbern is Pauley Perrette, best known for playing the gothic Abby Sciuto on NCIS, as ace reporter Lois Lane. Perrette has the strong and spunky attitude to embody Lois. It's too bad the character doesn't get enough screen time. Other voiceover veterans making appearances are Robin Atkin Downes, Grey DeLisle, Dee Bradley Baker, Jennifer Hale, Fred Tatasciore, and Tara Strong.

Superman vs. The Elite is grittier than you'd expect and is rated PG-13. Characters are killed and some harsh language is used. Despite this, the art style of the animation is slightly cartoonish which works against the film's mature themes. Superman himself is drawn with an exaggerated jaw, the size of which seems to be inconsistent from scene to scene.

While Batman has always used fear in his crime-fighting crusade, Superman has always been a character meant to instill hope with his selfless attitude. But, have his ways become passé? That is one of the intriguing questions raised by Superman vs. The Elite. Although the look of the animation could have been more realistic, the film is more than satisfying thanks to an action-packed story built around a fascinating concept.

Rating: *** (*****)

Justice League: Doom

Justice League: Doom - Dir. Lauren Montgomery (2012)

Warner Brothers' line of animated films based on DC Universe has seen some highs and lows. Green Lantern: First Flight and Wonder Woman were great origin stories, despite their short running times, while Superman: Doomsday and Superman/Batman: Public Enemies were instantly forgettable. While most of their releases revolve around Batman and Superman, on rare occasions Warner will bankroll a Justice League movie. This should especially please the diehard fans saddened by the loss of Cartoon Network's Justice League Unlimited.

The first picture, Justice League: The New Frontier, was an adaptation of a mini-series by Darwyn Cooke while the second, Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths, was based on a script originally written by Dwayne McDuffie for the television series. McDuffie would also pen All-Star Superman, which was released, Feb. 22 in 2011, just a day after his untimely death due to complications from heart surgery. McDuffie had worked at Marvel and DC and was best known as one of the founders of Milestone, an imprint at the latter publisher that spotlighted minority heroes from minority creators. McDuffie was also a mainstay in animation having worked on JLU, Static Shock, and Ben 10 Warner's latest release, Justice League: Doom was the last script written by McDuffie and while it's not as good as Crisis, it is one of their finest efforts.

Doom is loosely based on the "Tower of Babel" storyline, which ran in JLA #43-46 back in 2000. In that series, Batman's nemesis Ra's al Ghul systematically assaults the Justice League using diabolical schemes that were stolen from the Dark Knight himself. It seems Batman has devised various methods to take out his teammates should they ever turn bad. Even if you have read the original comics, Doom still has plenty of surprises since it only borrows the basic concept and spins it in a different manner.

Instead of Ra's al Ghul, we get another immortal conqueror in Vandal Savage, a caveman who was imbued with great intelligence and longevity by a mysterious meteorite. Savage has assembled the arch-enemies of each Justice Leaguer in a new version of the Super Friends staple, the Legion of Doom. Savage's first recruit, the Mirror Master, manages to sneak into the Bat-Cave and hack the Bat-Computer to steal the Caped Crusader's files. Next, they gather Star Sapphire, Bane, Metallo, Cheetah, and Ma'alef'ak to attack the League one by one in nefarious and unexpected ways.

The Justice League line-up here consists of Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, the Flash, and the Martian Manhunter. Neither Aquaman nor Hawkgirl are present here. In their place is Cyborg, a former Teen Titan, who has graduated to the big time. It only makes sense for DC to push Cyborg into the forefront with technology becoming more and more integral in our everyday lives.

Justice League: Doom has no connection to any previous movie or series, but long-time devotees will be overjoyed that it assembles an all-star cast of familiar voices. Tim Daly and Kevin Conroy return to voice the Superman and Batman along with fellow stalwarts Susan Eisenberg as Wonder Woman, Carl Lumbly as Martian Manhunter, and Michael Rosenbaum as the Flash. Interestingly enough, this Flash is Barry Allen rather than his successor Wally West, who Rosenbaum played on Justice League. Nathan Fillion returns for a third time to voice Hal Jordan, the most popular wielder of the emerald power ring. Fillion brings his usual charm and snappy patter to the role and it's easy to see why he was the fans' choice over Ryan Reynolds to star in the live-action Green Lantern film. Phil Morris, Olivia d'Abo, and Alexis Denisof reprise their Justice League roles of Vandal Savage, Star Sapphire, and Mirror Master.

Doom starts right off with a big action sequence as the Justice League battles the Royal Flush Gang, a band of playing card themed supervillains. The brisk pace continues as the Legion of Doom attacks the heroes individually before everyone comes together for the big brawl at the end. It's not all punching and explosions. The unique character dynamics between the Leaguers are still here though they aren't as fully explored because of the short runtime. Doom mainly centers on how each team member relates to Batman, who is a bit of a jerk, but a jerk with a point. He's the only one in the League without powers. Thus, he sees the need for contingency plans should someone like Superman ever go insane or is mind controlled. When the League state they would never do the same to Batman, he responds quite curtly, "Then, you're damn fools."

Be forewarned that Justice League: Doom isn't aimed at the casual fan and presupposes you are already familiar with the characters and their relationships. Despite being a big DC fan, I admit I had to check Wikipedia because I had no idea who Ma'alef'ak was. Turns out, he's the Martian Manhunter's evil brother. In any event, Doom is an enjoyable, action-packed romp.

Rating: *** (*****)