Home MPAA Rating: PG-13 Entertainment: +2 Content: +2

Animated adventure from DreamWorks with the voices of Jim Parsons, Rihanna, Steve Martin and Jennifer Lopez.

FILM SYNOPSIS: When Oh, a loveable misfit from another planet, lands on Earth and finds himself on the run from his own people, he forms an unlikely friendship with an adventurous girl named Tip who is on a quest of her own – to find her mother. You see, the space invaders, called Boovs, are fleeing another race of aliens (the Gorg) whom they believe are trying to destroy them. As soon as the Boovs arrive, they capture all Earthlings and place them in Australia.

Oh, a Jerry Lewis-type bungler, has accidently sent an interstellar email to the space villains as to the Boovs’ new location. Oh is vilified by his fellow Boovs, who are attempting to recall the invitation before it arrives at the Gorgs’ email boxes. Through a series of comic adventures with Tip (a 7th-grade girl who drives a car), Oh comes to understand that being different and making mistakes is all part of being human.

PREVIEW REVIEW: Though not in league with WALL-E, UP, BOLT or the great Disney classics, still Home has its charm. Clever and stylish with more than a hint of political correctness, the life lessons for little ones abound. Keep in mind, the jokes will have more appeal for little ones than adults or teens, but the action, great score, color and tame humor (mostly) will hold preschoolers’ attention. Friendship, sacrifice, appreciation for those different from ourselves, questioning our leaders – there’s a lot included in the film meant to teach children how to behave toward others.

If you can keep to surface values, the above should suffice. However, Home is far from faultless. In keeping with this era’s New Age animation philosophy that all cartoons must be in 3D, audiences are forced to yet again wear uncomfortable glasses that result in the picture being darker than necessary, and for only a few in-your-face effects that add little to the story or the enjoyment.

And speaking of a “darker” element: The story concept seems unnerving. These “innocent” space invaders take over our planet in a kind of apocalyptic manner, and they decide our future without the slightest regard for our input (you know, kind of like the formulators of Obamacare).

And what about the single-parent situation that goes not only unresolved, but unquestioned. The little girl is black, her mother appears to be white or Hispanic, and the father doesn’t appear at all. Isn’t this going to raise a few questions? It could have been an interesting commentary on social mores, but never seems to be of importance.

I’m being picayune here, but can you recall an email that’s been sent? According to my computer geeky friends, the answer is a resounding NO!

Preview Reviewer: Phil Boatwright
Distributor: DreamWorks