I'm sorry, but I have got to express how sick I am of animated films starring otherwise silent animals who (through the miraculous power of computer science) don the voices of celebrities to embark on wacky adventures. If I have to deal with another Shrek or Madagascar sequel I'm going to explode violently. I will then have Dreamworks Animation SKG scoop up my remains and package them in DVD boxes to sell with all their other junk they put out. Nobody will know the difference.

Really though... you can only make so many films with lions and donkeys and fish before the world gets wise to the gimmick. Covering a terrible story with talking animals isn't going to make the story better. Much like cheap cat litter, it can only slightly cover the stink of what's underneath the surface. While there is at least one good animated film in recent history, there are four or five that really take the cake when it comes to being overwhelmingly horrid. For every WALL-E there is an Ice Age 3, a Madagascar 2, a Shrek 3, a Bee Movie, an Over The Hedge, and a Shark Tale, just to name a few.

While most animated films are designed for children in mind, I think there will be a market for it in the future for adults. Studios are already trying to make that crossover with movies such as Beowulf, but I personally find such animation creepy. I came out of Polar Express terrified, images of Tom Hanks haunting me everywhere I went. I'm waiting for the day when there's a creative surge in the computer generated animation genre... a time when I don't have to worry about seeing two completely different films and getting almost the same story (Over The Hedge vs. Madagascar, for example). When that day comes, you'll find me at the theater with a bucket of popcorn and my nutritional yeast at the ready. Until then, keep those creepy talking animals the hell away from me.