Horton Hears a Who (2008)

Horton Hears A Who is much better than prior animated fare of recent years (Chicken Little, Over the Hedge, Ice Age, even Madagascar). In fact, it bears the noteworthy imprint of trying to hew true to the Seussian textus receptus: Whoville is definitely Whoville and its inhabitants (with their iambic diction) are unmistakably recognizable as the brainchildren and godchildren of Ted Geisel. Jim Carrey (previously an over-the-top green-suited ham known as the Grinch) is remarkably restrained as the large-but-not-in-charge Horton ("An elephant's faithful, one hundred percent"). Steve Carell (previously Hammy the hyperkinetic squirrel in Over the Hedge) is remarkably restrained as the Mayor of Whoville. Carol Burnett is a triple-threat control-freak as the authoritarian kangaroo who lays down the rules so no one (esp. God forbid the children) questions the rules or thinks for themselves. Horton ("A person's a person, no matter how small") knows he must save Whoville at any cost -- which promises to involve an encounter with Will Arnett's mercenary buzzard Vlad ("I devour heem two times"). The soundtrack is wonderful and theater viewers (including myself) went gaga over the googly-eyed little yellow creature known as Katy -- or the other Vlad, a bunny who bakes cookies. So you see Horton has a coherent and cohesive story with plenty of bits of whimsy to amuse any and all. 5 stars.