Bratz Babyz (NR, 2006)

In BRATZ BABYZ, Chloe, Jade, Sasha, and Yasmin are toddlers The plot revolves around a puppy who first stows away and then runs away in the mall. The Bratz manage an escape from the mall "Playplace," where they are watched while their adult caregivers shop, in an effort to find and rescue the puppy.

Following the trend of Looney Tunes with its Baby Looney Tunes, Bratz Babyz brings us the adventures of Chloe, Jade, Sasha, and Yasmin as toddlers. It turns out that these baby Bratz aren't much different from the teen characters, wearing makeup, obsessing about fashion, and roaming the mall largely free from adult supervision. Aside from the adults, boys are also given short shrift in the movie, presented as ruffians who torture Miss Calabash and try to impede the girls' efforts to recover the dog. Girl power is taken too far when its point is to diminish boys.

Cotton candy-colored animation accompanied by throbbing techno music will keep the viewer awake during the slow points in the story (and there are many). The Baby Bratz are genuinely disturbing to look at: cropped tops and sexy boy-styled underpants accentuate long baby legs and big hair. One positive note is that the girls learn they must work together to be successful in finding the missing dog, and they are apologetic when they've hurt one another's feelings. It's almost enough to erase the memory of toddlers singing "you look hotter than hot, you're dressed up to rock!" OK, maybe not.