Over the Hedge A bushy-tailed bunko artist discovers that friendship is more filling than junk food in directors Tim Johnson and Karey Kirkpatrick's good-naturedly entertaining and visually cheery computer-animated comedy "Over the Hedge" (DreamWorks).

Based on comic strip characters created by Michael Fry and T. Lewis, the fable centers on RJ (voiced by Bruce Willis), a rascally raccoon driven by hunger to steal hibernating bear Vincent's (voiced by Nick Nolte) stockpile of munchies. Stirred from his slumber, Vincent catches RJ midtheft, but his stash is destroyed in the process.

Vincent gives RJ a week to replace it, or else.

Meanwhile, some woodland creatures wake from their winter naps to find that a suburban housing development -- surrounded by a tall hedge -- has sprung up on their forest doorstep. They include turtle Verne (Garry Shandling), squirrel Hammy (Steve Carell), skunk Stella (Wanda Sykes), possum Ozzie (William Shatner) and porcupine parents Lou and Penny (Eugene Levy and Catherine O'Hara).

RJ tricks the critters to let him "help" them scavenge enough food for the coming winter by taking them "over the hedge" to raid the humans' homes ("we eat to live, they live to eat").

The lively animation is dominated by nutty action sequences reminiscent of the old Warner Bros. Looney Toons. The writing is witty and benefits from the excellent voice talent. There are a few veiled off-color jokes to keep adults amused, but the film is overwhelmingly kid-friendly. Ben Folds provides unmemorable songs.

Mediocre but cheerily enjoyable, the movie imparts a commendable message about family and acting unselfishly, while offering funny commentary on our consumer society's obsession with excess, whether it's for food, sport utility vehicles or entertainment electronics. "For humans," RJ declares, "enough is never enough."

In select cities, the feature attraction will be preceded by a delightful computer-animated short, "First Flight" -- itself worth the price of admission -- that sweetly tells the story of an uptight businessman's life-changing encounter with a baby blue jay.

The film contains some mildly crude humor, a few rude expressions and innuendo, and recurring comic action violence. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is A-I -- general patronage. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is PG -- parental guidance suggested. Some material may not be suitable for children.

X-Men: The Last Stand
In "X-Men: The Last Stand" (20th Century Fox) -- the third film based on the popular Marvel comic-book series -- there are characters who zap laser blasts from their eyes, control the weather, manipulate metal and walk through walls. But the most remarkable feat displayed is director Brett Ratner's ability to inject enough human emotion into what is essentially one big special-effects X-travaganza to make the action-packed movie engaging as well as entertaining.

Taking up where the last film ended, "Last Stand" continues the saga of a band of humans whose mutated genetics give them extraordinary powers, which they use to battle their evil counterparts. The story line here focuses on telepath Jean Grey (Famke Janssen), who died at the climax of the second movie -- or so we were led to believe. As it turns out, she survived, reborn with her psychic prowess bordering on godlike. But the trauma of her near-death experience has also unleashed a dark, destructive and uncontrollable alter personality, giving her character a Jekyll-and-Hyde twist.

Suspicious of the mutants -- even those who promote peaceful coexistence -- the U.S. government announces it has developed a "cure" and institutes a policy of turning them into humdrum Homo sapiens. The news sparks a revolution, as the misanthropic Magneto (Ian McKellen) declares war on mankind, amassing an army of maddened mutants. Others, like the climate-commanding Storm (Halle Berry) and the curiously coifed fighting machine Wolverine (Hugh Jackman), side with Professor Charles Xavier (Patrick Stewart), who advocates a more lawful approach.

New characters include the erudite Dr. Henry McCoy aka "Beast" (Kelsey Grammer under heavy makeup), a furry blue mutant who, though allied with Xavier, sympathizes with those yearning to be "normal," humorously responding to Storm's protest against a cure by quipping, "You don't shed on the sofa." There's also Juggernaut (Vinnie Jones), a human bulldozer who takes up Magneto's cause, along with returning hotheaded Pyro (Aaron Stanford) and the shape-shifting Mystique (Rebecca Romijn). Among the more empathetic additions is the winged Angel (Ben Foster), the self-loathing son of the man leading the crusade to rid the world of mutants. (A flashback of him as a young boy trying to hide his "shame" is heartbreaking.)

Fans of the series who worried whether Ratner, who took over the reins from Bryan Singer, could deliver on the goods won't be disappointed. As for the action sequences, viewers get their money's worth, including an eye-popping centerpiece involving the Golden Gate Bridge.

But Ratner manages to keep the story focused on the relationships of the characters, though several of the secondary players are underdeveloped. Unlike many other series that become stale, "Last Stand" maintains its freshness. With little back story provided, however, those who haven't seen the first two installments may be a little lost.

The violence, while highly stylized, is a bit more intense this time (bodies vaporized, etc.), but there is little actual blood. Nevertheless, some parents may argue that consequence-free carnage sends the wrong message. Still, this mayhem coupled with a brief, but sensual moment between Janssen and Jackman preclude recommendation for younger adolescents.

Part of the reason the series works so well is that, while the characters may be superhuman, the problems they face -- from intolerance to teen angst -- are identifiably human. The latter fuels the romance between Rogue (Anna Paquin) and her frosty beau, Iceman (Shawn Ashmore), complicated by newcomer Kitty Pryde (Ellen Page). Its comic-book conceit notwithstanding, the film's political subtext is clear in its commentary on such hot-button issues as minority (racial or sexual) rights, bioethics and terrorism, while exploring more timeless themes such as alienation and the use and abuse of power.

The movie's sensory-overload climax -- during which Jean Grey does to Alcatraz what Carrie did to her high school auditorium on prom night -- silly as it may be, does commendably affirm that love is the greatest power of all, a resolution that ends on a somewhat morally questionable note.

Despite the finality of the film's title, a teaser ending suggests that this is far from this franchise's last stand.

The film contains much stylized action violence, a sexually suggestive encounter, brief suggested nudity, and a few instances of crude language, limiting its appropriateness to older adolescents and up. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is A-II -- adults and adolescents. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is PG-13 -- parents strongly cautioned. Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13.

David DiCerto is on the staff of the Office for Film & Broadcasting of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.