MOVIES

Top 5 family movies of 2008

By Dale Roe
AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF
Wednesday, December 31, 2008

2008 was a transitional year for family movies. The absence of a "Harry Potter" release (pushed back to next summer), a disappointing "Narnia" sequel, a just-this-much-too-violent "Iron Man" and a dreadfully disappointing "Speed Racer" cleared the way for animated films — some finally rivaling Pixar in story as well as visuals — to reach the peak of the family film pile. Here are my top five:

1. 'Wall-E' — The wizards at Disney/Pixar managed the near-impossible: an often-silent, animated film whose pixels produce more genuine emotion than any real actors in this year's live-action releases. Hilarity and joy meet darkness and dystopia.

2. 'Kung-Fu Panda' — Jack Black is perfect as Po, a daydreaming panda who must turn his weaknesses into strengths on his journey to become the mythical "dragon warrior." Dustin Hoffman, as Ninja Master Shifu, is no slouch either.

3. 'Bolt' — Miley Cyrus and John Travolta dissolve into their lead characters as the stellar supporting voice talent, including Susie Essman's street-savvy feline, Mittens, and Mark Walton's breakout hamster character, Rhino, steal this hilarious, action-packed tale.

4. 'Dr. Seuss's "Horton Hears a Who" ' — Jim Carrey forgoes smarmy theatrics in favor of sweet simplicity as Horton, the Elephant, who discovers Whoville on the tip of a speck of dust, and the filmmakers are mostly faithful to the good Doctor's classic tale.

5. 'The Spiderwick Chronicles' — This film won't take the fantasy franchise mantle from Harry Potter or the tales of Narnia, but in their absence it provided a familiar dose of much-needed magic to the cineplex.

droe@statesman.com