Family & Kids

Mattel meets Mark Twain in this animated musical based on the classic The Prince and the Pauper and starring the immortal blonde dress-up doll Barbie. Taking the artistic liberty of switching the main characters' gender, Barbie as the Princess and the Pauper finds Princess Anneliese and her poverty-stricken look-alike secretly switching identities. The 2004 direct-to-DVD feature film includes a total of seven original songs. ~ Matthew Tobey, All Movie Guide

Barbie of Swan Lake is the third direct-to video computer-animated feature starring a CGI Barbie, following Barbie in the Nutcracker and Barbie as Rapunzel. In this loose adaptation of the Tchaikovsky ballet, Barbie appears as Odette, a young girl who follows a unicorn into a forest. Kelsey Grammer voices the evil wizard Rothbart, the London Symphony Orchestra provides the music and the New York City Ballet is responsible for the choreography. Recommended for kids ages three to eight. ~ Andrea LeVasseur, All Movie Guide

Jonathan Silverman, Oscar Nunez, Cesar Millan, Rhea Perlman, and Eddie Griffin headline this installment of the popular film series featuring everyone's favorite fun-loving St. Bernard. Animal handler Eddie (Silverman) may deal with some of the best beasts in the business by day, but when it comes to his personal life there are no pets allowed. So strict is Eddie in enforcing this policy that when his young son Billy discovers a stray dog named Beethoven and his young litter of puppies, he insists that the boy find another place for the homeless pooches to live. But when dog-nappers make off with the canine star of the latest film that Eddie is working on, producers start to turn up the pressure for Eddie to find a replacement. Now, the harried father's only hope is to replace the missing canine with Beethoven, a natural star if there ever was one. Of course it doesn't take long for Beethoven to win Eddie's heart, and take Hollywood by storm, in the process proving that you can teach an old dog new tricks after all. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide

This stylish animated adventure is based on the '90s animated television series, which in turn is based on the original comics and Tim Burton's live action "Batman" films. Unlike the campy 1960s version of Batman, this version is half-mad from the superhero's obsession with justice. It is only his unusual sense of ethics that keeps him from becoming a full-blown psychotic. The story describes the origins of Batman as it follows the Dark Knight's attempts to capture the elusive, deadly Phantasm who kills a crime lord and makes it look as if Batman did it, causing a media smear campaign against the Caped Crusader. At the same time, millionaire Bruce Wayne holds a party at his mansion. There he meets Councilman Arthur Reeves, the man behind the accusations. Reeves derides playboy Wayne for allowing his college sweetheart Andrea Beaumont to leave him. Suddenly Wayne flashes back to his pre-Batman days. He remembers how he met her while visiting his parents' graves to renew his vow that he would spend his life fighting crime to avenge their wrongful deaths. He has already devised an early version of his alter-ego Batman, but that is nearly forgotten when he falls in love with Andrea. The story then jumps from past to present and back as the mysterious Phantasm strikes again. Batman continues his investigation and discovers a disturbing link between Andrea, who suddenly shows up after many years absence, and the villain. Meanwhile, the Phantasm, feeling that Batman is too close to learning his/her identity hires the Joker to kill him. But the Joker has his own agenda and much action ensues before the mystery of the Phantasm identity is solved, Batman clears his name, and justice is served. This film was originally made to go straight to video, Warner's studio liked it enough to release it theatrically. Some of the violence may be inappropriate for very young children. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

Luis Jiminez, Giselle Blondet and Jatnna Toribio star in the family-oriented yuletide comedy A Wonderful Christmas. Events unfold in the framework of an average domestic clan that threatens to become a bit too preoccupied to worry about Christmas - with Dad working round the clock and Mom expecting a new baby. The daughter, young Josie, soon recognizes the problem and takes responsibility for making this Christmas an unforgettable one. ~ Nathan Southern, All Movie Guide