Hoodwinked ***

Hoodwinked
Directed by Cory Edwards, Todd Edwards, and Tony Leech. Starring Glenn Close, Anne Hathaway, James Belushi, and Patrick Warburton. Rated PG.

Wow, 2005 was a bad year for animation! Wallace & Gromit notwithstanding, most of the animated films this year were mediocre, like Chicken Little, or just plain bad, like Madagascar. However, the genre gets its redemption at the tail-end of the year with Hoodwinked, a send-up of the classic Little Red Riding Hood story chronicling the massive interrogation that took place afterwards. Throughout the questioning of Granny, Red, The Woodsman, and The Wolf, it is discovered that the whole ordeal may be linked to the mysterious Goody Bandit, who has been stealing recipes all over the woods. I don't think I've had this much fun at a film of this kind since Shrek 2. Though the animation styles used here are painfully obsolete, it doesn't hinder the story one bit. With a clever, funny script and an excellent concept, Hoodwinked is the movie I've waited nearly two years to see! Don't hesitate to take the kids to this one, either, as you'll probably enjoy it just as much as they do!