Anime and Manga : Spirited Away (2001)

Spirited Away

I've seen this movie twice and I don't usually do that kind of thing (the last time I did that was for "Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon" and in fact, there are some interesting similarities between the two movies). So here's the capsule: A truly excellent piece of art. Funny, moving, beautifully-rendered and thus PERHAPS a little more than slightly scary for younger kids. I think you have to use your judgment for this one, but if your kids can watch Buffy or the death of Bambi's mother, they'll be able to handle this for sure.

Miyazaki has been described as the greatest (or one of the greatest) anime directors ever and this stunningly well-textured movie is definitely his best visual work yet. In fact the only thing about this movie that was at all disappointing was the sickly music at the end over the credits but even this is part of the cultural experience of modern Asian pop culture so it has relevance even if it makes you leap for the exit as if you were pursued by a vomiting monster.

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Anime and Manga : Monsters vs. Aliens/B.O.B.'s Big Break in Monster 3D: Ginormous Double Pack

Monsters vs. Aliens/B.O.B.'s Big Break in Monster 3D: Ginormous Double Pack

I must warn you though, the actual 1hr 1/2 film is NOT in 3D.
But the 13 min short film IS, which is amazing.it doesn't work on old 2 ft wide tvs though. had to watch it on my flat screen computer in order to get the 3D effects,Which were AMAZING.

Saw this with my 11 year old son, five year old daughter, and my husband, who, like me, is 40. We all enjoyed it a lot. My son, who has a great sense of humor, thought it was one of the funniest movies he has seen, and the story was good. There aren't many kids' movies that I look forward to seeing again (besides most all of the Pixar films among a few others) but I'm planning to buy this asap.

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Animation : Barbie and the Three Musketeers (2009)

Barbie and the Three Musketeers

A girl can be anything she wants to be if she works hard, but in the days of the musketeers, certain professions were simply off-limits. Corinne (Barbie) is the daughter of a Musketeer and grew up wanting to become a musketeer and training hard to become an excellent swordsperson. When she sets off for Paris to join the musketeers, even her letter of introduction earns nothing but laughs from Captain Treville and the all-male musketeers. Forced to take a job as a castle housekeeper, Corinne soon discovers that her three fellow housekeepers have also dreamed and trained to become musketeers. Even more amazing is that the senior housekeeper had similar dreams as a child. This elder housekeeper provides further training for the three girls, encouraging them to strive to achieve what was an absolute impossibility for her generation. Just as the prince is about to become king, strange accidents begin to occur around the castle--accidents that the men musketeers seem unable to prevent. Could these unfortunate events provide an opportunity for Corinne and her friends to showcase their extraordinary swordsmanship? While the concept of Barbie as a sword-wielding musketeer may initially seem rather odd, the film is just as believable as other Barbie productions and it is refreshing to see Barbie in a somewhat less overtly-feminine role. Barbie's final quotation sums it all up nicely: "True courage is pursuing your dream, even when everyone else says it's impossible." (Ages 3 to 7) --Tami Horiuchi

It?s ?All for One and One for All? as Barbie? and her friends co-star in Barbie? and The Three Musketeers! Join Barbie? as Corinne?, a young country girl headed to Paris to pursue her big dream ? to become a female musketeer! Never could she imagine she would meet three other girls who secretly share the same dream! Using their special talents, the girls work together as a team to foil a plot and save the prince. Come along on an action-filled adventure that dares you to dream as never before.

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Animation : Wallace and Gromit: A Matter of Loaf or Death (2008)

Wallace and Gromit: A Matter of Loaf or Death

Studio: Lions Gate Home Ent. Release Date: 09/22/2009 Run time: 87 minutes Rating: Nr

Looking for a fast way to earn dough, Wallace decides to make it. Armed with a batch of ovens, an army of robotic kneading arms and an old-fashioned windmill, Wallace & Gromit? start "Top Bun,? their new bread-baking business. Sales rise quickly and Wallace falls head over buns in love with a seductive bread-industry icon, Piella Bakewell. But when bakers suddenly start disappearing, Gromit realizes that his master is in danger as he follows a twisting, turning trail of crumbs to solve a murder mystery that becomes? A Matter of Loaf and Death!

My daughters and I loved this movie. We were given a free screening on ATT U-Verse, which included the behind the scenes stop animation techniques. On the whole, a very enjoyable story, however, it was only 1/2 hour long. Perhaps other shorts will be included on the DVD as well.

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Animation : Monsters vs. Aliens [Blu-ray] (2009)

Monsters vs. Aliens [Blu-ray]

When Susan Murphy (Reese Witherspoon) is unexpectedly clobbered by a meteor full of outer space gunk, she mysteriously grows to 49-feet-11-inches tall and is instantly labeled a ?Monster? named Ginormica. The military jumps into action, and she is captured by General W.R. Monger (Kiefer Sutherland) and held in a secret government compound filled with other ?monsters? like herself. This ragtag group consists of the brilliant but insect-headed Dr. Cockroach P.H.D. (Hugh Laurie); the macho half-ape-half-fish The Missing Link (Will Arnett); the gelatinous and indestructible B.O.B. (Seth Rogen); and the 350-foot grub called Insectosaurus. Their confinement time is cut short however, when a mysterious alien robot lands on Earth and the motley crew of Monsters is called into action to save the world from imminent destruction.

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