2010 Family & Kids Movies

This animated release for kids tells the story of Elmer, Freddy, and Kimo, as they team up with their mystical, ancient animal spirit friends the Brijes in order to stop an evil force from going back in time to sever the special connection between people and Brijes. ~ Cammila Collar, Rovi

French animators Jean-Loup Felicioli and Alain Gagnol directed this comedy-drama in which a family discovers their house pet is living a surprising double life. Zoe (voice of Oriane Zani) is a seven-year-old girl traumatized by the death of her father, a police detective who was on the trail of Victor Costa (voice of Jean Benguigui), a powerful underworld boss. Ever since the passing of her father, Zoe has been mute, and her mother Jeanne (voice of Dominique Blanc), also a detective, has been working hard to track down Costa and the killers and bring them to justice. However, it turns out a criminal is hiding right under their noses -- while Zoe sleeps, her beloved pet cat Dino slips out of the house at night and serves as a companion and assistant to Nico (voice of Bruno Salomone), a suave burglar who has robbed some of the wealthiest and most elegant homes in Paris. One night, Zoe follows Dino as he spends the night on the town, and as she crosses paths with Nico, she finds herself in the clutches of a handful of ruthless gangsters. Une Vie De Chat (aka A Cat in Paris) received an Academy Award nomination in 2012 as Best Animated Feature. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

This direct-to-video, family-oriented inspirational drama takes place in a rural Iowan town of 5,000. Based on a true story, it concerns a group of boys who grow up together playing basketball in tournaments and driveways - and end up on opposite sides of the proverbial fence, playing for rival high schools. Then another twist occurs when each high school yields a championship team - pitting the two against one another in the finals and forcing the young men to learn the importance of family, friendship and a great deal more. ~ Nathan Southern, Rovi

A talented circus dog, a scrappy canine from the streets, and a fun-loving rat blast off on a journey into the stars in this animated family-oriented comedy based on the real-life adventures of Belka and Strelka, two dogs from the former Soviet Union who in 1960 became the first earthbound animals to orbit the Earth, and return home alive. When her circus act goes awry, four-legged circus performer Belka comes crashing down to Earth in her homemade rocket. That fateful accident marks the beginning of an enduring friendship with street-smart dog Strelka, and wise-cracking rodent Venya. Later, the fun-loving trio and some new friends board a rocket bound for orbit, and make history by proving that mankind has finally perfected the technology to explore space. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

A youngster looking to make his mark in the world comes up with a grand scheme with the help of his pals in this family-friendly comedy-drama. Ten-year-old Billy Kirkfield (Bobby Coleman) and his friends Howard (Bobb'e J. Thompson) and Jason (Josh Flitter) decide that they want to get their names in the Guinness Book of World Records, and after a snowy discovery, they are soon the talk of their small town. As they proceed on their adventure, they deal with school bullies and bring their community together in ways they hadn't anticipated, all while discovering the true value of friendship. Also starring Christopher Lloyd, Doug E. Doug and Beverley Mitchell, Snowmen received its world premiere at the 2010 Tribeca Film Festival. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

A small town mayor fights to uphold the local Christmas traditions after his former high school rival returns from the big city, and complains that the locals are violating the constitution's Establishment clause. Every December, Trapper Falls Alaska mayor Dan Reed (Ted McGinley) and his brother Greg (Brad Stine) take time out from their busy schedules to set up a Nativity scene, and blanket the town with Christmas decorations. But 20 years after leaving Trapper Falls, Mitch Bright (Daniel Baldwin) is back, and he's determined to challenge tradition. Not only does Mitch want the Nativity scene dismantled and the Christmas decorations altered to read "Seasons Greetings," but he's determined to unseat Dan as mayor as well. Later, as the case goes to court, Dan's wife Kristen (Nancy Stafford) and daughter Makayla (Francesca Derosa) attempt to maintain solidarity among the locals by launching a pro-Christmas campaign titled "Christmas with a Capitol C." In the process, they inadvertently uncover the reason Mitch has returned to town bearing such a bitter grudge against his former friends and neighbors. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

The family-friendly holiday comedy The Santa Incident follows the adventures of ten-year-old Daniel and his little sister as they try to help Santa get back to the North Pole before Christmas is ruined for everyone. Greg German and Ione Skye co-star. ~ Perry Seibert, Rovi

Shrek (voice of Mike Myers) gets in the Halloween spirit by challenging his fairytale friends to come up with scary stories for a contest. But the gang learn that they'll have to spend the night in Lord Farquaad's haunted castle before the winner is named. Cameron Diaz and Antonio Banderas reprise their roles as Princess Fiona and Puss in Boots, respectively, while Dean Edwards takes on the role of Donkey. ~ Brie Hearn, Rovi

When the demands of Christmas become too much to handle, one suburban mother responds by going on strike, and inspires the other overburdened mothers in her small community to follow suit. Joy Robertson (Daphne Zuniga) is the kind of mom who likes to make the Christmas season special. But this year, something is different. Joy has started to feel as if her family simply expects her to drop everything to cook, buy presents, and decorate the house. When Joy responds by calling a halt to the familiar Christmas traditions, she is quickly joined by the rest of the mothers in her neighborhood. Now the more steam Joy's movement gains, the faster her once quiet town spirals into complete chaos. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi