Disney does Dickens in this animated version of Oliver Twist, in which a homeless New York City cat falls in with a bunch of mischievous dogs under the leadership of the appealing scoundrel Fagin. The roots of Disney's success with animation in the '90s begins with this clever, energetic, atmospheric movie, which succeeds in capturing the grim world Dickens conjured. Lyricist Howard Ashman (The Little Mermaid) worked on the songs, the best of which is sung by Billy Joel, who provides the voice of (the Artful) Dodger. -Tom Keogh.

These OAVs were among the first Japanese series released as such in the U. S. and are remembered fondly by fans. An early example of cyberpunk that borrows heavily from Blade Runner and Robocop, Bubblegum Crisis depicts the adventures of the female vigilante group the Knight Sabers. In form-fitting, high-heeled mecha suits, Sylia, Priss, Linna, and Nene fight the rogue cyborgs of the sinister Genom Corporation in MegaTokyo, 2032. Sylia's brother Mackie, and A. D. Cop Leon, Priss's long-suffering suitor, assist them. The first three episodes (1987) form a single continuity; "Revenge Road" (1988) depicts a battle between an embittered man and a motorcycle gang. "Moonlight Rambler" (1988) and "Red Eyes" (1989) pit the Saber Knights against vampire cyborgs prowling MegaTokyo. [+]

Disney's take on this historical confrontation between European settlers and Native Americans follows the paths of two future lovers. One is British adventurer John Smith, who travels the Atlantic with the Virginia Company to establish Jamestown. On the shore is Pocahontas, a typical Disney heroine: bright, beautiful, mischievous, and motherless. The two meet in the untamed wilds of America (the first meeting is quite divine), fall in love, and try to ward off the warring factions. It's Disney's version of a Native American West Side Story. Two Disney trademarks do not quite muster up: the villain isn't hissable and the score's only high point is the Oscar-winning "Colors of the Wind. " Calling it "historical" is a stretch, but Disney created a very natural look at the two cultures. The Native American characters are handled especially well, and kids should be intrigued by their world; the movie is a far different lesson from the one their parents and grandparents learned. Disney has discovered a few things, though: you don't have to kill to solve your problems, and you can end the film without a happily-ever-after, illustrated by a touching final visual. (Ages 5 and older) -Doug Thomas.

The film opens on a peaceful summer afternoon at the Masaki home in Okayama-where it's never peaceful for very long. A mysterious girl appears and begins calling Tenchi "Daddy. " Predictably, she causes uproar among the women of the Masaki household. Ryoko takes an immediate dislike to her; Sasami quickly befriends her. Mayuka was created by the demon Yuzuha, the embodiment of the Tree of Darkness. She fell in love with Yosho, Tenchi's grandfather, when he was a child on Jurai, but was driven away by his guards. After centuries of nursing her hatred, she plans to strike at Yosho through Tenchi. Ryoko and Tenchi battle Yuzuha in a weird netherworld filled with vicious but saccharine-looking toys. They finally defeat her with the help of Ayeka, who enables Tenchi to use his Jurai powers: he cleaves the demon in two with the Lighthawk sword. The second Tenchi feature is the oddest of the three, with the strongest conflicts among characters: Tenchi even loses his temper and slaps Ryoko. [+]

Not the egregious foul it seemed to be in theaters, Hercules stands up as an entertaining spritzer of an animated feature. The continual peppering of in-jokes and cultural references becomes less irksome on video. That there's no majesty or awe invested in the beloved Greek legends also seems less of an error. Also on the plus side is the bounciest Alan Menken music since Little Shop of Horrors. With Zeus's blood in his veins, young Hercules's amazing strength makes him an outcast (sorry, that still doesn't fly), so he trains with a satyr named Phil to become a hero. Along the way Herc meets Meg, a common mortal who falls hard for him. They're both against the jocular Hades, who has to destroy Hercules to take over Olympus. The hydra is the computer-animated set piece for this little number, a no-chance attempt to beat that wildebeest herd from The Lion King. -Keith Simanton.

At the peak of Looney Tunes: Back in Action, Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck lead Elmer Fudd on a wild pursuit through famous paintings hanging in the Louvre, their animated selves absorbing the painting styles of Salvador Dali, Georges Seurat, Toulouse Lautrec, and others. That sequence manages to recapture the anarchic spirit of Warner Bros. ' classic cartoons; unfortunately, not much else in this labored movie does. Technically, the merging of live actors and cartoon characters is impressive, as Brendan Fraser and Jenna Elfman team up with Bugs and Daffy to save the world by keeping a magical diamond out of the hands of the evil Acme Corporation, headed by a nerdy, prancing Steve Martin. Just about every Warner Bros. character makes an appearance, as do Timothy Dalton, Heather Locklear, and the ever-dependable comic delight of Joan Cusack (In and Out, School of Rock). -Bret Fetzer.

The film opens on a peaceful summer afternoon at the Masaki home in Okayama-where it's never peaceful for very long. A mysterious girl appears and begins calling Tenchi "Daddy. " Predictably, she causes uproar among the women of the Masaki household. Ryoko takes an immediate dislike to her; Sasami quickly befriends her. Mayuka was created by the demon Yuzuha, the embodiment of the Tree of Darkness. She fell in love with Yosho, Tenchi's grandfather, when he was a child on Jurai, but was driven away by his guards. After centuries of nursing her hatred, she plans to strike at Yosho through Tenchi. Ryoko and Tenchi battle Yuzuha in a weird netherworld filled with vicious but saccharine-looking toys. They finally defeat her with the help of Ayeka, who enables Tenchi to use his Jurai powers: he cleaves the demon in two with the Lighthawk sword. The second Tenchi feature is the oddest of the three, with the strongest conflicts among characters: Tenchi even loses his temper and slaps Ryoko. [+]

Nearly every biblical film is ambitious, creating pictures to go with some of the most famous and sacred stories in the Western world. DreamWorks' first animated film was the vision of executive producer Jeffrey Katzenberg after his ugly split from Disney, where he had been acknowledged as a key architect in that studio's rebirth (The Little Mermaid, etc. ). His first film for the company he helped create was a huge, challenging project without a single toy or merchandising tie-in, the backbone du jour of family entertainment in the 1990s. Three directors and 16 writers succeed in carrying out much of Katzenberg's vision. The linear story of Moses is crisply told, and the look of the film is stunning; indeed, no animated film has looked so ready to be placed in the Louvre since Fantasia. Here is an Egypt alive with energetic bustle and pristine buildings. Born a slave and set adrift in the river, Moses (voiced by Val Kilmer) is raised as the son of Pharaoh Seti (Patrick Stewart) and is a fitting rival for his stepbrother Rameses (Ralph Fiennes). When he learns of his roots-in a knockout sequence in which hieroglyphics come alive-he flees to the desert, where he finds his roots and heeds God's calling to free the slaves from Egypt. Katzenberg and his artists are careful to tread lightly on religious boundaries. [+]

A rare example of mainstream animation being used to tell a highly political story, Animal Farm retains its value as a vivid adaptation of George Orwell's classic novel. Characters were eliminated, certain elements of plot were simplified, and the book's gloomy ending was softened to offer a glimmer of hope, but Orwell's parable of the Russian revolution-retold as a revolt among not-so-equal barnyard animals-remains potently intact. As produced by the famous British animation studio run by John Halas and Joy Batchelor, this still-important 1954 film is anything but kiddie fare; it steadfastly avoids sentiment, and despite its slightly more upbeat ending this is still a story that involves exploitation, death, betrayal, and an inevitable uprising that goes a step beyond Orwell's pessimistic conclusion. With British actor Maurice Denham supplying all the voices and Gordon Heath providing newsreel-like narration, this economical, documentary-like telling of Orwell's tale was criticized for its "Disneyfied" style, but the animation is actually quite striking in its European influence and bold use of symbolism. It has aged, and some of its impact has been lost to the course of history, but it's an essential addition to any serious animation collection. Excellent commentary and a 30-minute "making of" featurette place this extraordinary milestone of British animation in proper historical context. -Jeff Shannon.

All Dogs Go To Heaven is a musical, animated exploration of the fundamental conflict between good and bad and of the notions of caring and friendship. While all dogs may be welcome in heaven, the open admission policy doesn't necessarily ensure that a dog is worthy of, or even ready to accept his heavenly blessing. When criminal dog Charlie Barker (Burt Reynolds) and his sidekick Itchy (Dom DeLuise) escape from the dog pound, it isn't long before they realize that former business partner-in-crime Carface (Vic Taybak) has turned against them. Carface puts a permanent end to the partnership by killing Charlie, but Charlie ascends to heaven only to spurn his promised life devoid of surprises and fight to return to a life of vengeance, danger, and adventure on earth. When Charlie realizes that Carface has been using the animal-talking talents of young orphan girl named Anne-Marie (Judith Barsi) to further the success of his gambling business, Charlie steals her away and starts his own lucrative business venture. Charlie and Anne-Marie begin to become friends, but Anne-Marie's strong sense of what is right conflicts with Charlie's complete lack of moral standards and puts their friendship at risk. Worse, Charlie's quest for revenge threatens his own life as well as the lives of his friends Anne-Marie and Itchy. (Ages 6 and older) -Tami Horiuchi.