Bee Movie

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Not content to be just another cog in the honey-making machine, rebellious bee Barry (co-writer Jerry Seinfeld) leaves the hive, develops a crush on a human (Renee Zellweger) and fumes when he discovers that people sell honey—bees' life's work—for profit. So, as many resourceful activists might, the feisty insect takes the entire human race to court.

Big question: Can Seinfeld score with this computer-animated comedy, his first major flight onto the big screen?

Catch it: "Bee Movie" takes a little time to get off the ground and sputters a bit towards the end, but in between are delightful quirks like a pushpin/stinger swordfight, courtroom testimony from Sting and a blissfully funny middle 45 minutes or so. It's one of the better animated movies of the year—admittedly, rising to the top of a shallow pool—and an impressive display of nice, family-friendly storytelling that doesn't get too sticky. 

Skip it: If you simply will never respect bees or their way of life. Maybe this newspaper headline will change your mind: "Frisbee hits hive. Internet down."

Bottom line: Handsome animation still doesn't dazzle quite like "Ratatouille," and it's unfortunate that the bees' coverage of the trial finds no one in the hive stepping up to disagree with Barry. Bees may not be the angels that "Bee Movie" claims, but the movie's a quality tribute to one of nature's most browbeaten villains—and evidence that even weaker lines like "That is one nectar collector" land softer thanks to Seinfeld's enthusiastic, silly smirk.

Bonus: Imagine how awesome it would be if humans could feel the excitement that a mosquito (Chris Rock) feels when seeing the truck for a blood bank ... Wait, it's just like kids seeing the ice cream truck!

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