Flushed Away (2006)

Kids' cartoon movies lately have been incredibly, incredibly disappointing. Last year yielded some clunkers (like Doogal), and then a few medium-bad (like Over the Hedge and Pixar's Cars). This is the first cartoon I've seen in a long time that I've actually thoroughly enjoyed. At first I was worried they'd overdo the film references (as Dreamworks has a tendency to do... Shark Tale, anyone? *Shudder*) but while it was self-referential and silly, it was also much cleverer than anything children's entertainment has offered us over the last few years. Lots of little throwaway moments that took me a second to get, but when I did, I started laughing out loud. This is not quite Chicken Run, not quite Wallace and Gromit, but it's certainly a cut above the dreck we've been offered recently. Enjoyable for both parents and kids. 4 stars.