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The Peanuts Movie

Whether you think the filmmakers successfully kicked the ball or fell flat on their backs all depends on whether you were expecting a faithful adaptation or a modern take.

Hotel Transylvania 2

While not as original or surprising as the first film, Hotel Transylvania 2 still touches the heart-strings and tickles the funny-bone. Kids will love it and adults won’t die of boredom either.

Ant-Man

While no where near being one of Marvel’s best, Ant-Man is still perfectly decent summer entertainment…albeit on a smaller scale.

Shaun the Sheep Movie

Skillfully made and utterly charming, Shaun the Sheep Movie is filled with wooly situations, sheep thrills, and good-natured fun. You won’t have a baaaad word to say about it afterwards.

Minions

Minions has potential but is ultimately disappointing with an uneven plot and stale jokes. Instead of feature length these little guys would be better served doing short films from now on.

Insider Access To Inside Out

The sneak peek at Pixar’s latest was a worthwhile evening that included some nice bonus features, but the main attraction was Pete Docter’s extraordinary film.

Home

Home is a lackluster and innocuous affair that will, at best, be forgotten about the day after you see it, or at worst, make you ask if you can has those ninety minutes back.

Cinderella

The animated classic gets a magical live-action retelling that should please audiences both young and old, while Frozen Fever proves to be a delightful follow-up to the Disney blockbuster.

The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water

While Sponge has the humor and style kids expect, it never reaches the amazing highs the show achieved in its glory days — this is one sponge who should’ve stayed underwater.

Strange Magic

Want a head start to making a great movie? It’s no secret. You just need a good solid story. Otherwise you’ll have to resort to cheap tricks and strange magic.

Penguins of Madagascar

Penguins of Madagascar is not Pixar, but it’s not trying to be either. It compares much more favorably with the Looney Tunes cartoons of the past — zany, silly fun for fun’s sake. And, Hoover Dam, does it succeed!

Big Hero 6

Big Hero 6 is yet another winner from Disney — with an assist from Marvel! Despite some nit-picking criticisms of the story, audiences will be more than satisfied with their film.

The Book of Life

Story, as the saying goes, may be king. But a weak story doesn’t have to be the death of a film when, like The Book of Life, the animation, music, humor, acting, and everything else is so heavenly.

The Boxtrolls

The Boxtrolls isn’t necessarily bad. And it tries very hard not to be. But it takes more than crazy characters in a cardboard cutout story to make a really good movie.

Planes: Fire & Rescue

With a more interesting subject and setting, and a wider canvas, Planes: Fire & Rescue is better than its predecessor — but it isn’t quite a first-class upgrade.

How To Train Your Dragon 2

Though it doesn’t quite reach the same heights, How To Train Your Dragon 2 is a worthy followup to the original. And it makes us yearn for DreamWorks to stop coasting and train themselves to fly higher.

Rio 2

Rio 2 is the type of film that needs to become an endangered species in Hollywood — a vapid, unoriginal movie that will appeal only to young children who aren’t familiar with all the cliches and stereotypes.

Mr. Peabody and Sherman

Mr. Peabody and Sherman’s focus on family is a nice change from the classic series, but the lack of humor and a good story make it improbable you’ll enjoy the film.

The Lego Movie

The Lego Movie is an unexpectedly good film. And just like Legos themselves, it’s something that boys and girls, no matter their age, can all enjoy.

The Nut Job

Despite the clever title and concept, The Nut Job fails to deliver the goods on just about every level — with a stale story, unremarkable animation, and lackluster acting.

Saving Mr Banks

Disney’s own retelling of a moment in the Studio’s history doesn’t dig deep enough to be a real “making of Mary Poppins“, but a unique story angle and fun 1960s recreations add up to a jolly confection that should please fans and casual viewers alike.

Frozen

Some of the plot holes may be frightful, but the story, music, visuals, and cast are delightful. Frozen is easily one of the Disney’s best in recent years, and it’s a film that will definitely not leave you cold.

Free Birds

Free Birds may not be the main course on our animated menu this year. But with a fun story and some hilarious performances it’s no canned cranberry sauce either.

Planes

Ladies and gentlemen, the Captain has turned on the fasten seat belt sign because there’s more turbulence than high flying in this should-have-gone-straight-to-home-video release.

Turbo

If you can buy into the concept, or are under ten years old, Turbo might be a fun ride. For the rest of us, the film is less fast and furious and more of a race to the bottom.

Despicable Me 2

Laughs — and minions — aplenty. But other than that Despicable Me 2 is an ultimately bland and forgettable hour and a half at the theatre.

Monsters University

Monsters University is that rare follow-up that perfectly expands and enhances the world created in the original film. And best of all, it’s so funny it’s scary!

The Croods

Though you might not naturally select it based on the ads, The Croods might surprise you. Full of fun, stunning to look at, and filled with heart, DreamWorks’ latest is a step up the evolutionary ladder.

Escape From Planet Earth

Escape From Planet Earth, the first theatrically released film from Rainmaker Entertainment, isn’t out of this world. But it’s no black hole either.

Ice Age: Continental Drift

Neither good nor that bad, the latest Ice Age film will leave you… not caring… and wondering if the franchise is drifting now and maybe needs to be allowed to melt away.