Monsters v. Aliens: For the kids and the kidless alike

In between things leaping off the screen, there are a few grown-up nerdy references, minimal bodily function jokes, and a slew of celebrity voices whose names you match to the face: Seth Rogen is the most obvious, Will Arnett actually took the longest for me to name. Reese Witherspoon is pretty charismatic, even as a cartoon, but I'm not sure the movie carries as well in regular 2D format -- unless of course you are like most child-free adults who watch cartoon movies and wait to watch them at home with the comforts of your couch and bong hits.

The story is pretty simple (see title), the subplot rather obvious (the 50 foot woman learns she's strong and doesn't need a man to complete her!), and you know how this will turn out before its hardly even begun (everyone discovers friendship and self-esteem!), but still, I enjoyed every moment of Monsters v. Aliens. I am a sucker for anything in 3D. (Sex and the City 2 producers, take note.) And I love camp, '50s nostalgia, and disaster movies. So perhaps I was a little easy going into movie, it could be better suited for an Epcot ride, but so what? I'm getting on, because during a sold-out matinee filled with kids, I never once was bothered by talking or antics -- we were all enraptured, oohing and aahing as one.

-- A. RAYMOND JOHNSON

Previously > Don't book a Witch Mountain escape