7 and older
The Muppets (PG).
Completely fun for kids 7 and older, “The Muppets” brings back the fuzzy, low-tech crew in all their glory. Gary and Mary are going to Los Angeles to celebrate their 10th anniversary of going steady. Gary’s brother, Walter, is actually made of felt, though he doesn’t seem to know it. They take him to see the now-decrepit Muppet Studios in L.A. Walter overhears an evil business mogul saying he intends to tear the place down. Walter, Gary and Mary promise to help Kermit organize a telethon to raise $10 million to restore Muppet Studios. Then they travel the country rounding up the gang.
THE BOTTOM LINE: There’s little that’s off-color or nasty in “The Muppets.” There’s that passionate spark between Piggy and Kermit, and a human one between Gary and Mary, however shy.
Happy Feet Two (PG). Kids 7 and older already familiar with “Happy Feet” will be able to jump into this sequel with both feet tapping. “Happy Feet Two” mixes the cuteness of penguin characters with a theme about following your dream. Mumble, the young penguin of the first film, is now a father. His son Erik meets the mysterious Sven, a penguin who can fly. While Mumble is off searching for Erik, huge chunks of ice break off and isolate the colony. Mumble and Erik need help to rescue the other penguins.
The bottom line: The 3-D animation will make the breaking up of huge icebergs scary for kids younger than 7. Erik and his dad are threatened by elephant seals. There’s a sense that Erik’s mom and the other emperor penguins could starve after their colony is cut off. The humor includes very mild sexual innuendo.
8 and older
Arthur Christmas (PG). Not just another corny Santa story gussied up in computer-animated 3-D, “Arthur Christmas” is fresh. The sophistication of the British-accented dialogue and the occasional darkness of the story make the film better for kids 8 and older, though younger children can enjoy the characters, animation and physical comedy. Arthur is the younger son of Santa, who’s pooped, but reluctant to step down. Santa’s oldest son, Steve, has turned the operation into a computerized marvel. But Steve’s system fails to deliver a bike to a little girl. Arthur decides he’ll fix the error. Without Steve’s or Santa’s knowledge, he sets off with ancient Grandsanta on the old reindeer-powered sleigh.
THE BOTTOM LINE: Some of the aerobatics could unsettle kids younger than 8. The idea of a selfish grandparent could dismay little ones. The film contains rare mild sexual innuendo and toilet humor.
10 and older
Hugo (PG). While often comic, and though it ends happily, this film is not ideal for children younger than 10. It runs longer than two hours, and explores dark themes of loss, loneliness and failure. For attentive kids 10 and older, “Hugo” offers a charmed tale that is also a crash course in early film history. Hugo lives inside the clockworks of a Paris train station, narrowly avoiding capture by the orphan-hunting Station Inspector. Hugo was taught how to fix machines by his late father. Now alone, he has been trying to repair a mechanical man that he and his dad were working on. He’s caught stealing by the owner of a toy shop, who con-fiscates a notebook full of diagrams.
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