DVDs: The Gifts that Keep on Giving

For ages 8-12

Cars (G)
Put the pedal to the metal with this high-octane animated movie about the fabled Route 66. It's the story of Lightning McQueen, a hot-shot stock-car voiced by actor Owen Wilson. En route to a big race, the cocky McQueen gets waylaid in Radiator Springs, where he meets a few quirky characters and learns the true meaning of friendship and family. This movie makes you believe there's truly a place where cars talk and cruise down the road at break-neck speeds, all without a driver! The star-studded voice cast includes Paul Newman, Bonnie Hunt, Cheech Marin, John Ratzenberger, and racing legend Richard Petty.

Over The Hedge (PG for some rude humor and mild comic action)
This fun caper is about a colony of critters who awaken from a long winter nap to find a subdivision in their backyard. Led by a gun-shy tortoise (Garry Shandling), the animals are forced to face their worst fear: humans. But with help from an opportunistic raccoon (Bruce Willis), they learn that maybe people aren't so bad after all. While fun and creative, this movie contains lots of cartoon violence - mostly revolving around a psychotic exterminator - so it's best reserved for kids 8 and older. Voices include Nick Nolte, Eugene Levy, Catherine O'Hara, Avril Lavigne, Wanda Sykes, and William Shatner.

The Ant Bully (PG for some mild rude humor and action)
Guess what? It's not all about us! That's right, there are plenty of worlds out there humming along quite nicely without us, thank you very much. This one revolves around a colony of ants and a boy who gets shrunk down to size and learns that compassion, teamwork, and loyalty are what counts. Stellar voice cast includes Julia Roberts, Nicolas Cage, and Meryl Streep.

Hoodwinked (PG for some mild action and thematic elements)
This animated movie tells the "real" behind-the-scenes story of the classic Little Red Riding Hood. Called to Granny's cottage to look into a domestic disturbance involving a sardonic wolf, an ax and a crimson-caped girl, investigators uncover a tangled web of events connected to a string of snack-shop robberies. Voices include Anne Hathaway, Glenn Close, James Belushi, and David Ogden Stiers. Creative story-telling and plenty of action make this a winner.