Angel Cohn

This sweet film is a genuine treat, even if there's little plot, no antic mayhem and its 90-minute running time is mostly consumed by nonstop, sometimes pretentious dialogue.

The colorful and kid-friendly characters are a delight, though very young children might be alarmed by some of the larger creatures, who tend to come into view teeth first.

Alba, constantly sporting off-the-shoulder tops a la "Flashdance," brings no depth of feeling to her character, and her average -- often wooden -- moves make it hard to believe she's a uniquely talented hoofer and sought-after choreographer.

Moooove along, there's nothing to see here!

The young actors are charming, O'Toole commands every scene he's in, the scenery is lush, and the animals are gorgeous.

Filled with tremendous stunts and well-shot racing sequences, director Steve Boyum's loud, down-and-dirty ride through the world of Supercross motorcycle racing comes to a screeching halt for its many pit stops for Hollywood clichés.

The kids -- most of them first-timers cast for natural charisma and musical ability -- steal the show, and a talented supporting cast helps take the edge off Black's manic antics.

Stunningly beautiful scenery and the nearly unbelievable true story of a mountain-climbing expedition gone awry to chilling effect.

Stands out by virtue of its impressive visual style and the filmmakers' decision not to massage the facts into cliched conflicts with neat, feel-good resolutions that produce the proper sense of uplift.

Some of the film's more violent scenes may be inappropriate for young and/or sensitive children.

The film is an intriguing and hugely theatrical experience whose effectiveness is greatly enhanced by gorgeous period costumes and set design.

This heist flick is far more likely to drive audiences away than catch and keep anyone's interest in the title kid -- or more accurately, kids.

But when it's funny, it's truly funny and the featured couples all have an easy and believable chemistry.

Funny moments can be found throughout, but it's mostly silly and scattered.

While it's unlikely that her film will sway former fans who swore off the band for political reasons, that seems beside the point.

The supporting cast's comic abilities smooth over many -- if not all -- of the movie's flaws.

Hudson and Wilson share a natural and easy chemistry that helps compensate for the Cuban-mobster subplot.

Awash in pop-culture jokes that will fly over the heads of tots and delight their parents, this vividly colored romp is a worthy sequel to the 1991 Oscar winner.

Parents should be warned that the novel ventures into some emotionally dark territory that could be upsetting to very young or sensitive children, and might want to consider reading and discussing the book together before seeing the film.

Readers hate to see their favorites messed with by filmmakers, and though devotees will notice changes from Brashares' novel -- some slight and some more substantial -- the film remains true to the book's spirit, and the deviations shouldn't alienate them.

The only memorable moments in the entire film come courtesy of three supporting characters, dopey skateboarders (Evan Peters, Shane Hunter, Hunter Parrish) who blindly follow Julie around.

Should have been pared down into an episode of the series.

Slickly animated and cleverly written.

Webber's assured directing is evident throughout; in addition to eliciting strong performances from his cast, he always knows when to linger on an image and when to move on.

Its real liability is on the special effects front: The sub-par digital effects — particularly in the scenes featuring poisonous lizards — detract noticeably from the overall atmosphere.

Harmon and Murray are cardboard cutouts of ideal boyfriends; the only male performer allowed to shine is newcomer Ryan Malgarini, who nearly steals every scene he's in.

But while the material is interesting, it's not substantial enough to sustain a feature-length treatment.

Delivers 90 minutes of riotously funny raunch; unfortunately, its running time is closer to two hours.