Aardman Animation is best known for their stop-motion, claymation films and shorts, many of them involving the characters Wallace and Gromit, and most of them award-winning. On the big screen Aardman has given us 2000's "Chicken Run" and 2005's "Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit" and, more recently, the studio provided character development for two CGI animated films: 2006's "Flushed Away" and last year's instant holiday classic, "Arthur Christmas".

"The Pirates! Band of Misfits" is the studio's first stop-motion film since "Were-Rabbit", and it is so incredibly funny throughout I was exhausted from laughing when it was over.

Hugh Grant stars as the voice of The Pirate Captain. He's the leader of a wacky and diverse crew who storm the seven seas in search of gold. For his entire life The Pirate Captain has wanted to win the "Pirate of the Year" Award. Every year he enters and every year he loses, but that doesn't stop him from entering again, and since he's never won before he think he's got a really good chance this time. You gotta love his optimism.

But he needs to steal a lot of booty to have a chance to compete with the more successful pirates for the award. So he and his crew take to the high seas and eventually come upon a ship with a young scientist named Charles Darwin on board. Before being made to walk the plank, Charles notices that The Pirate Captain's parrot (named Polly) is actually a scientific wonder - a thought-to-be-extinct Dodo bird. Charles wants to enter Polly in a major Science competition in London. But London is not a safe place for pirates because England's Queen Victoria HATES pirates. If he goes The Pirate Captain could win enough riches to realize his dream of being "Pirate of the Year" or he and his crew could get caught and killed. And what about Charles Darwin and his assistant - a highly intelligent, but silent chimp?

It's a wonderfully goofy plot - set in the 1800's - and yet characters have Sharpies, use modern expressions and one of the other scientific experiments is a Rubik's Cube. And this only adds to the goofiness. "The Pirates! Band of Misfits" is filled with big laughs, subtle jokes and clever one-liners from start to finish. You have to pay attention and listen closely to get them all. The first scene of the movie, in which we meet The Pirate Captain and his men (all of which aren't men) has more laughs in it than some full-length so-called comedies. Overall, "The Pirates!" is more geared to an older audience because the jokes and references are more for them, but that's not to say that younger kids won't like it.

The writing is brilliant. The script relies on so many forms of comedy: satire, parody, farce, slapstick. There are situations and events thrown-in just for laughs (my personal favorite is the "Pirate of the Year Award" ceremony), others that are flat-out ridiculous, but it all works because the writers stay true to the story and the variety characters.

The other element of "The Pirates!" that makes it so enjoyable is the stop-motion animation, which is fantastic. All characters and settings look so good that you watch in awe wondering how the Aardman team was able to create these scenes with modeling clay and hundred of thousand of still photos. Grant, in his first animated role, does a nice job as the likeable Pirate Captain. Jeremy Piven, Salma Hayek and even Al Roker are part of the supporting cast. The rest of the voices mostly come from British actors, including Martin Freeman and Brendan Gleeson.

This is the most ambitious of any Aardman film, with loads of characters and tons of action. The movie packs so much into 90 minutes, and that includes the credits, which may be the most entertaining I've ever seen. You'll feel bad for the people who worked on the film because you won't be able to pay attention to their names. Don't make a mistake and leave early.

"The Pirates! Band of Misfits" is rated PG for some mild action, rude humor and brief language. It's appropriate for kids 8 and up. But again, youngsters will enjoy it for the characters and the action, but the older crowd, including parents, will appreciate it even more.

On The Official LCJ Report Card, "The Pirates! Band of Misfits" gets a B+. It's a whale of a good time and the funniest film of 2012...by far. I saw it in 3D and the extra dimension works, though it does make a few of the scenes a little too dark. When I see "The Pirates!" again (and it'll be soon) it'll be in digital 2D and I'm sure it will be fantastic. Either way, if you don't enjoy "Pirates!" it's time for you to walk the plank!

This is a big year for animated movies, with two other stop-motion films, plus Pixar's "Brave" and "Madagascar 3" coming out. But it'll be very hard for any of them to defeat "The Pirates!".

"Titanic" was the biggest movie of all-time (with $600M) from 1998-2010 before James Cameron's next movie - the overrated "Avatar" - took over. "Titanic" is the top movie to stay consecutively at the #1 spot at the box office (15 weeks from Dec. 19, 1997 to Mar. 29, 1998). It won 11 Oscars (tying the all-time record) including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Visual Effects and Best Song and was nominated for 14 (Kate Winslet and Gloria Stuart both lost, though Stuart won a SAG award).

Now, one of the biggest, most respected (and longest) films in movie history is back on the big screen for its 15th anniversary and the historic 100th Anniversary of the sinking of the actual Titanic. And Cameron has resurrected it in 3D. I was really disappointed by 2009's "Avatar" but am amazed at what Cameron was able to do 12 years earlier with "Titanic".

This is the first time seeing the film and one of the most impressive things for me about "Titanic" is the storytelling. The challenge for Cameron: making a compelling movie about an event that everyone already knows so much about. Well, he succeeds by telling the story in a non-traditional fashion. The introduction (in present day, with the explorers searching inside the sunken Titanic and Stuart - "Old Rose" - coming on board to tell her story) was a stroke of genius. And the fact that Cameron allows this section of the film to last for half an hour is amazing, something most directors would never have the guts to do.

In preparing to see "Titanic 3D" I was thinking about the film's length (3 hours and 15 minutes) and wondering if I was going to be able to get through all of it. But the movie is so engaging with its story, likeable characters and intense and dramatic scenes that I never once thought about the length. The film flows (not pun intended) timelessly and you just want it to keep unfolding.

Leonardo DiCaprio and Winslet have great chemistry on screen. A young Leo may not have given the best acting performance of his career, but you can't help but care about Jack and Rose while they're falling in love on the ship and you're rooting for them to stay together and get off the ship alive. The visual effects are breathtaking, especially the scenes of chaos on deck when the ship is going down. Some of those shots of the lifeboats and the passengers floating will stay with me for a long time. And having the "Titanic" theme (Celine Dion's "My Heart Will Go On") sprinkled in throughout the film and then having her sing the full song over the credits at the end at the end is yet another fantastic decision.

As for the 3D post-conversion (which is probably what many of you mostly care about since you've already seen the film several times) - it works! The 3D is not overwhelming, but it enhancing the storytelling and the action (especially the water sequences). No gimmicks or tricks, so the effect should not be distracting to any "Titanic" diehards who might be worried that this new version will spoil the film.

"Titanic" is rated PG-13 for intense action/violence, peril, disturbing images, some language, brief nudity, and some smoking. It's appropriate for kids 12 and up. If you've never seen "Titanic" before (like me), you're a huge fan who can recite the lines by heart or somewhere in between this is the perfect opportunity to take another memorable voyage.

On The Official LCJ Report Card, "Titanic 3D" gets a B+.

Though Cameron promised that he didn't change a single frame of the original film I couldn't help but look for him inside his one-man submarine during the scenes at the bottom the ocean. Who knows what he's got planned for his next underwater adventure film, but he'll have a hard time coming-up with anything as great as "Titanic".

"Bully" has been getting a lot of attention over the past several weeks, because of the "R" rating given the documentary by the MPAA. The Weinstein Company and others tried to get the rating changed. A 17-year-old girl from Michigan has gathered nearly 500,000 signatures on a petition, hoping to convince the MPAA to make "Bully" PG-13. As you probably know by now their efforts failed, but the studio decided to ignore the MPAA and is releasing the film "unrated". I wholeheartedly this decision and I'll get into that a little more later. But controversy aside, this movie is fascinating, heartbreaking and very important.

Bullying has become a major problem in American schools. "Bully" follows the stories of five students who have been directly affected by bullying. We get to know kids who have been victimized because others think they're "different", whether it's how they look, how they act, or their sexuality. We meet a girl who was a victim and chose to fight back, but in the wrong way. And we see two families who are dealing with the ultimate tragedy: having a son/brother commit suicide because they simply couldn't take the bullying anymore.

The parents want to use their terrible situations to help get bullying stopped, but find it difficult to get the administration in the schools to deal with the problem seriously. It's clear, thanks to some dramatic hidden-camera video and interviews with teachers and staff, that the schools are not doing enough (some not doing anything at all) to stop bullying from taking place and punishing the kids who are involved. The parents are forced to fight this battle outside of school, starting-up anti-bullying organizations which they hope will make a difference.

At times "Bully" is hard to watch because of the stories that the parents and kids share, some of which are shocking. There are also several scenes of actual bullying taking place, including footage captured on school buses, that just makes you angry. And listening to one Vice Principal's opinions on the bullying situation will make you want to shout at the screen. This is one time when it might be o.k. to talk during a film, because it's tough to stay silent when you're hearing some of these comments.

This documentary does not include a narration. Some text appears every once in awhile to identify people and locations but mostly you hear from victims and their friends and family members, those involved in the school systems and, of course, the bullies themselves. This was a good decision by director Lee Hirsch to go without narration and allow everything to play out naturally so we get the complete picture of this issue from the words of those directly involved on all sides.

"Bully" cuts back and forth between the five stories over the length of a school year, giving enough time for each one to unfold and have a dramatic impact. You feel terrible about what these kids and families have gone through, and feel even worse that nothing effective is being done to solve this problem.

There is some hope and a positive message at the end of "Bully". The film certainly made a lasting impression on me, and hopefully those who watch it will be not only moved by it, but encouraged to take action. This is an important documentary that everyone - parents, teachers, school officials and first and foremost, students, should see.

As for the MPAA controversy, "Bully" had been given an 'R' rating because of six swear words - that's it. And these words are actually necessary because they help to show the verbal abuse that bullies use along with the physical abuse. And, trust me, kids everywhere have heard these words and won't be harmed by them. I applaude Hirsch for not giving in to the MPAA and re-editing the film, taking-out the 6 words in order to get a PG-13 rating. And I support the studio's decision to ignore the MPAA and release the film without a rating. Hopefully theater groups around the country will understand this unique situation and decide to show the film AND allow kids to see it. The movie's website states that 13-million children will be victims of bullying in schools throughout the U.S. this year alone. The MPAA was not protecting those kids by trying to keep them from hearing a few bad words. Instead it tried to prevent them from possibly getting the help they need to end the torture and maybe save their lives. Let's hope it didn't succeed.

So forget the NR. See "Bully" - and take your kids with you.

Along with the brief language, there is some mature subject matter in the film, mainly involving the suicides. It a tough call on an appropriate age group for "Bully" because I truly believe all students, from 3rd-4th grade on up, should see it. Exposing young kids to this issue may be one of the best ways to try to combat the problem. Certainly it should be required viewing for every middle school student in the country.

But know going in that even though the movie does end on a promising note, this is a very serious film that's quite emotional to watch.

On The Official LCJ Report Card, "Bully" gets a B+. This is solid documentary filmmaking. Some of the images and interviews will stay with you forever. I would have liked to have seen an interview or two with some of the actual bullies, but Hirsch says he left those out intentionally because this film is about hearing from those in most need to be heard - the victims.

The timing of the release of "Bully" is excellent, as students are still in school, and the DVD release can take place at the beginning of the next school year in the fall. And there's a good chance the buzz about the film will return at the end of the year when the Oscar nominations are discussed.

Japan's Studio Ghibli has had a great deal of success bringing their anime films to America, thanks in large part to Disney, which distributes the films in the U.S. Fans and critics alike have loved Ghibli movies, beginning with their first - 1986's "Castle in the Sky". Stand-outs from the studio include "My Neighbor Totoro" (1988), "Spirited Away", which won the Best Animated Feature Oscar in 2002, "Howl's Moving Castle", which was nominated for an Academy Award in 2006 and 2009's "Ponyo".

Their latest, "The Secret World of Arrietty", is a simple and sweet addition to the collection, written and co-produced by long-time director Hayao Miyazaki, who adapted it from the book, The Borrowers.

Borrowers are little people who live under the floors of homes. They take just what they need to survive from the humans they live with - an occasional sugar cube or tissue. And they have to be sure they are never seen. 14 year old Arrietty (voiced by Disney Channel's Bridgit Mendler) is just old enough to start going on borrowing trips with her father, which has her mother worried. Real-life husband and wife Will Arnet and Amy Peohler voice the parents.

One day while she's out on her own Arrietty is spotted by Sean ("Wizards of Waverly Place" star David Henrie), a teenager who's come with his aunt to stay at this house in the country. Sean has some medical problems and needs to rest before surgery. Even though she's been told to stay away from "Human Beans", as they call them, Arrietty is drawn to Sean and he is immediately fascinated with her. The two begin an unlikely friendship and learn much from each other.

The first thing that makes "The Sercet World of Arrietty" stand out is the beautiful animation - completely hand-drawn by hundreds of Japanese animators with grace and quality. The characters are vivid and expressive and the backgrounds are gorgeous, many appear to be watercolor paintings. Both Arreitty's miniature world and the real-life settings are wonderful.

The work of the voice cast in this U.S. version is quite good, including comedy legend Carol Burnett, as the home's caretaker, who's suspected for years that little people were living in the house. She's getting the hang of voicing villains (which she also did in 2008's "Horton Hears a Who!")

At times the film feels a bit rushed. I would have liked to have seen more of the unusual relationship between Arrietty and Sean before the very abrupt ending. And though it's rated G there is some adult material here, mostly involving Sean's illness. Yes, this is an animated movie with the Disney name attached, and it's a fantasy about 4-inch tall people, but this is a little more grown-up than "Ponyo" and not recommended for the very little ones. However, everyone else will enjoy this gentle, unique story.

On The Official L-C-J Report Card, "The Secret World of Arrietty" gets a B+. The year in animation is off to a great start.

"Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close" deals with a very difficult subject: the attacks of 9/11. But this film is much more than that. It's also a story about journeys and taking risks, dealing with grief and moving forward.

14 year-old Thomas Horn was chosen to play young Oskar Schell, the main character of the story, by director Stephen Daldry when he saw Horn competing on "Kids Jeopardy". And Horn is excellent in this very challenging role, which required him to deliver a tremendous amount of dialogue and raw emotion in practically every single scene.

Oskar is very smart but he also has issues with anxiety and socialization. His father (played by Tom Hanks) knew how to get the best out of his son. They loved to play word games and he would send Oskar on adventures throughout NYC that would force him to use his mind and talk with people. When his father dies in the World Trade Center attacks, Oskar and his mother (Sandra Bullock) are devastated, unable to make sense out of what happened. 

A year later, while in his father closet, Oskar finds a key that he believes his father left him as part of a final adventure. So he begins a quest to find the lock that goes with the key, hoping what's inside will provide some answers. Along the way Oskar meets many people, some who change his life as he does theirs.

"Extremely Loud and Incredible Close" is based on a novel which went much more into the details of the 9/11 attacks. For his film Daldry has simplified things. This is Oskar's story: a young boy trying, in his own way, to deal with the sudden loss of his father. But the script and the performances make it work. The film is over 2-hours long, but you stay with it the entire time. Solid supporting performances from Max Von Sydow and Viola Davis compliment the work of Horn, Bullock and Hanks, who is only in a handful of scenes.

As has been the trend with many end of the year releases (including "J. Edgar" and "The Iron Lady"), flashbacks are used extensively, as we see (and hear, in heart-breaking phone messages) the events of 9/11 as they are happening, in bits-and-pieces, throughout the movie. By the end we get the full story of that day for this family, and it helps make for a believable conclusion. The flashback clips help build to a suspenseful climax as Oskar's quest with the key is also coming to an end.

"Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close" is rated PG-13, mostly for the realistic and tragic subject matter. It's appropriate for teens and up, but it's tricky to recommend. Anyone who lost a loved one or was personally effected by 9/11 in other ways may want to avoid this film, as some scenes may be very tough to handle, even 10 years later. This movie is powerful and quite sad.

On The Official Kid Critic Report Card, "Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close" gets a B+. It was one of the best films of 2011 and definitely deserved it's Best Picture Oscar nomination.

"Beauty and the Beast 3D" was originally supposed to be released on February 12th, 2010. But after early test screenings and negative backlash, Disney decided to drop it completely. In September, they decided to release "The Lion King 3D". Once that became a surprise hit, the studio decided to re-release a bunch of their classics in the third dimension.

I got ripped online for my harsh criticisms of "The Lion King 3D" because of how poor the conversion was. Too many scenes were blurry, and for stretches of the movie, there was no 3D at all. But Disney has done it right with "Beauty and the Beast" - giving it the 3D treatment it deserves.

From the memorable opening sequence with the stain-glassed windows to the glorious finale, the 3D is used perfectly. At times the conversion makes the background images (such as the statues in the castle) pop-out and become true characters.

It also enhances many of the musical numbers including "Be Our Guest" and the ballroom sequence for the song "Beauty and the Beast". And there's a moment you'll remember if you're a fan of the movie - during the song "Gaston" when LeFou is swung straight into the camera. Wait till you see that in 3D.

It's no secret that "Beauty and the Beast" is my favorite movie of all time. So there is a part of me that isn't sure that this version was even necessary. Why mess with a classic? But if this version gets more people to see the film, especially young kids, then it was worth it. In fact this is a great first 3-D movie to take little ones to (theaters are even supplying special 3D glasses that are just the right size).

Along with this new version of "Beauty" is a brand new and very funny short called "Tangled Ever After", which takes place right where "Tangled" left off. And, as always, don't leave early because during the end credits there are new black and white artist sketches of the "Beauty" characters in 3D that are very impressive.

On The Official Kid Critic Report Card, "Beauty and the Beast 3D" gets a B+.

It got over-shadowed during awards season by "The Artist", but "The Descendants" was clearly one of the best films of 2011 (#5 on my list) and now it's out on Blu-ray/DVD.

Alexander Payne ("Sideways") directs this compelling, often amusing and ultimately satisfying drama which stars George Clooney, who delivers yet another completely convincing performance. Clooney plays Matt King, an attorney who lives in Hawaii with his wife and two daughters. As the story begins his wife is in a coma, after hitting her head in a boating accident. He soon finds out that she's not going to live. And then he learns from his oldest daughter (no spoiler alert here - it's in all the trailers) that his wife was having an affair. Matt doesn't have a great relationship with his kids, so things are going to get a little rough.

At the same time he's also dealing with his two dozen or so cousins. They all own a large piece of land on one of the islands which they have to sell. So they all must decide who to sell it to - and Matt has the final say.

He's a good guy dealing with some very serious issues and situations, including wanting to find the man his wife was having the affair with. Clooney handles the complexity of this character perfectly. This is the best perfomance of his career and I still believe he deserved the Oscar.

"The Descendants" begins with narration, as Clooney sets-up the plot and his emotions at the time. This goes on a little too long and is distracting at times. Thankfully the narration is toned-down as the movie goes on.

The movie does a great job of pulling you in. You're immediately invested in these characters and what's unfolding on screen. This is one of the few films I can honestly say that I was disappointed when it ended. Even at  nearly two hours I wanted to see more of how things worked-out for this family.

Clooney is in practically every scene once, as always, owns the screen. He is one of the few actors today who brings his A-game every time, and makes every role believable. The rest of the cast, including the kids, are very good. Beau Bridges, Robert Forester, Judy Greer and Matthew Lillard makes-up the nice supporting cast and each has a pivotal scene in which they shine (Lillard holds his own in a key one-on-one showdown with Clooney).

The film's tone is key to the story and it's pitch-perfect. Payne does a great job of keeping the story on track and true to itself. And there's just the right amount of Hawaiian atmosphere.

"The Descendants" is rated R for some adult subject matter and a decent amount of language, mostly spoken by the kids. It's appropriate for teens and up. If you're a George Clooney fan or just a fan of good movies this is a must-see.

On "The Official Kid Critic Report Card", "The Descendants" gets a B+.

"The Muppets" is the first Muppet movie since 1999's "Muppets in Space". Following a long lay-off and recent partnership with Disney, Kermit this new adventure for Kermit and his freinds is a major success, even though it didn't do as great at the Box Office as it should have.

Jason Segal co-wrote the script and stars as Gary. His girlfriend of 10 years is Mary (Amy Adams) and his brother is Walter, who happens to be a Muppet. In flashback we see Gary and Walter growing-up and being best friends. They also discover "The Muppet Show" on TV, and Walter immediately becomes the shows biggest fan.

To celebrate their 10th anniversary Gary and Mary decide to take a trip to Hollywood and bring Walter with them. Once there they discover that old Muppets Studio has been abandoned for years and is about to be demolished by an evil oil baron named Tex Richman (Chris Cooper).

Walter decides that he needs to find Kermit and convince him to get the Muppets back together to do one more show - a telethon to raise #10-million dollars to save the studio. This isn't going to be easy, because the old gang has gone their separate ways and all have new lives.

The first part of "The Muppets" is a road picture, and then it becomes a "let's put on a show" picture, and there's some romantic storylines, a nasty villain and loads of laughs. You would expect that Kermit would be the star of the film, but this is a true ensemble, with each of the beloved Muppet characters - Fozzie, Animal, Gonzo and, of course, Miss Piggy - all getting their share of screen time. But it's the story of Walter that gives the film it's heart, as he tries to decide where he fits in the world.

Others in the human cast include Rashida Jones ("Parks and Recreation"), who plays a tough TV executive. And there are nearly two dozen celebrity cameos, led by Jack Black, Emily Blunt, Alan Arkin and Neil Patrick Harris (who has the movie's best line) - some playing themselves, some playing characters. I was worried that the cameos would be overdone, but they're actually very well placed.

All of the performances are great and there's some fun dance numbers and several songs, including two performed by Kermit (a new one and the classic "Rainbow Connection") that may choke-up longtime fans. I've seen most of the old episodes of "The Muppet Show" on DVD and all of their movies and watching this comeback film was even an emotional experience for me.

"The Muppets" is rated PG for some brief, mild violence. It's appropriate for everyone 6 to 96. Many of those who worked on the old show and previous movies criticized this new film for being unfaithful to the Muppet name and legacy, which is nonsense. "The Muppets" honors the characters and their history and is a very worthy addition to the franchise. 

On "The Official Kid Critic Report Card", "The Muppets" gets a B+.

It's a heartwarming comedy, action, adventure, suspense, romantic musical. Normally I would blast a movie that tried to be all that. But Kermit and the gang pull it off in style. Maybe, after all these years, it has become easier being green. 

A sequel has already been announced, but Segal will not be a part of it.

Here's the best way I can sum-up "Puss in Boots": It's so much fun that even Shrek would love it.

DreamWorks re-introduced the fairy tale cat to the movie public in "Shrek 2" back in 2004 and he immediately became one of the most popular characters of the "Shrek" ensemble. And now, eight years (and two other "Shrek" films) later, Puss in Boots has his own movie, with Antonio Banderas, once again, providing his voice.

"Puss in Boots" is both a spin-off and a prequel, as we get Puss' back story - How he grew-up, became an outlaw and a hero, all before eventually joining-up with Shrek and Donkey in that franchise.

At the start of the film we learn that Puss is a wanted cat, accused of stealing money from the people of the small, Spanish town where he lives. To clear his name Puss wants to get his paws on the magic beans, that the adult Jack and Jill have found. Everyone believes that if you plant the magic beans in the right spot they will grow into a beanstalk that will take you to a castle in the sky and to the goose that lays the golden eggs.

But Puss isn't the only one who wants the beans. His former best friend, Humpty Dumpty, has been dreaming of finding the beans since the two were young orphans together. But they're enemies now. And a feisty feline named Kitty Softpaws, who's been working with Humpty to try to get the beans, is also in the picture. These three decide to work together to try to get take the beans from Jack and Jill.

And that's just the set-up. There are fun twists and turns in the story along the way that add plenty of suspense in the second half. In fact "Puss in Boots" is more of an action/adventure film than a comedy. It does have some big laughs, but they're mostly at the beginning as we're getting to know the characters. "Puss" doesn't have all the jokes and pop culture references of the "Shrek" films, but it has a charm and spirit all it's own. The writing team wisely takes a different route with this spin-off and it works.

The script is filled with funny moments, and it's also an homage to the classic "good guy is forced to become an outlaw and fights to clear his name" genre, which is led, of course, by Zorro - the character that Puss in Boots is based on. And Banderas, as you probably remember, played the Zorro character most recently on the big screen in two films ("The Mask of Zorro" in 1998 and "The Legend of Zorro" in 2005) so it all comes together in a very clever way.

As for the animation, it's better than ever. DreamWorks continues to raise the bar with every new animated film they produce. There's a 'Cat Dance Fight' and stagecoach chase that are visually amazing. Director Chris Miller adds some nice cinematic touches, including using split screens and montages. And the voice cast is perfect.

"Puss in Boots" is rated PG. It's appropriate for kids 8 and up. But, like the "Shrek" series and, to a lesser extent, the "Kung Fu Panda" films, "Puss in Boots" can be enjoyed by adults as well.  This may be the most "mature" of all the DreamWorks animated films.

On "The Official Kid Critic Report Card", "Puss in Boots" gets a B+.

From the one's I've seen and the research I've done "Puss in Boots" has to be the best spin-off movie of all-time. Miller (and I) are hoping we'll be lucky enough to enjoy a few more Puss adventures before he finally meets-up with that big green ogre.

"Dolphin Tale" is inspired by the true story of an amazing animal. And while most of the human characters in the film aren't based on real people, the star - a bottlenose dolphin named Winter - actually plays herself!

The movie begins with Winter being discovered washed ashore by Sawyer (Nathan Gamble). Sawyer isn't looking forward to summer because he has to attend school and his older cousin is leaving to join the Army. But he immediately becomes attached to the injured dolphin, who is taken to a local marine hospital for treatment.

It's determined that Winter's injured and infected tail has to be cut-off in order to save her life. But everyone soon realizes that the dolphin can't survive without a tail. And so they come up with a plan to try to put a prosthetic tail on Winter, something that has never been done before.

Even though you do have a pretty good idea where the story is going, "Dolphin Tale" keeps you interested all the way through. The performances are solid. Ashley Judd play Sawyer's single-mother, Harry Connick Jr. plays the marine center's director and chief scientist, while Oscar-winner Morgan Freeman is the prosthetics expert who Sawyer recruits to try to design the new tail. Freeman has a much smaller role than I expected, but he's always great. Gamble may give the best performance. He's very believable as the lonely 11-year who's passion becomes trying to save his new friend.

There are plenty of sub-plots (in fact, too many), including the hospital running out of money, a war veteran and some weather problems, but they all lead back to the quest to keep Winter alive, and director Charles Martin Smith does make you care, right to the end. The movie looks great - especially the underwater scenes involving Sawyer and Winter. There are some intentional 3D gimmicks, which are unnecessary, and the editing is a little choppy in spots.

One of the nice messages of the film is that people and animals with disabilities can achieve great things. And Smith isn't shy about showing adults and children who are physically challenged. There's a nice sense of hope and caring in the script.

"Dolphin Tale" is rated PG for some mild thematic elements. It's appropriate for kids 8 and up and obviously it's being targeted to kids, but parents and older viewers will enjoy it as well.

On "The Official Kid Critic Report Card", "Dolphin Tale" gets a B+. It's clearly a Hollywood version of the real story, but it's also one of the best family-friendly dramas of the year.