Toy Story 3

If only every "children's movie" could be this well-made and well-loved. The consistency of the voice cast (even Andy is played by the same actor, now in his 20s), the brilliant animation, and the many running jokes are just a few of the reasons this series has yet to go stale. And the clever new gags -- like when Buzz gets "reset" and ends up in Spanish mode, making poetic declarations of love to his señorita, Jessie -- offer some of the movie's highlights. The film's antagonists, led by Beatty's deceptively huggable Lotso, have a believable reason for acting so selfishly, and Keaton's Ken is hilariously clothes-obsessed (and sensitive about being called a "girl's toy"). In the end, every character gets to shine (Barbie, the aliens, a self-sacrificing Mr. Potato Head who gets very creative when the situation calls for it), and every toy gets the "happily ever after" they deserve.

Disney's Pixar is possibly the only studio in the history of Hollywood to bat a thousand. Even though some of their films end up having more adult appeal (Ratatouille and WALL-E probably don't get as much DVD rotation as Finding Nemo or Monsters Inc. in many kids' houses) than others, Pixar's films always surpass expectations. So it's absolutely no surprise that the third installment in the studio's Toy Story franchise is another winner. By now we love these toys, cheering them on through battles with Sid the sadistic tween neighbor, greedy Big Al, and selfish Stinky Pete. So when Andy tosses the toys in a trash bag, our hearts flutter -- and when that bag winds up in the donation box instead of a trash compactor, we sigh in relief. And when at one point it seems that our beloved heroes may have truly reached the end, we tense up -- or in the case of the preschoolers in the audience, shed a tear or two. (And if that moment doesn't get you, the scene in which Andy's mom looks around his empty room and bids him farewell certainly will.)