Barnyard

What really happens on the farm when the farmer isn't looking? In director Steve Oedekerk's (KUNG POW: ENTER THE FIST, ACE VENTURA: WHEN NATURE CALLS) computer-generated animation feature, the farm animals can do everything humans do. They talk, walk upright, buy human contraband from a 'grey market' run by the gophers, and even turn the barn into a nightclub. Of course, they do all of this in secret. The biggest party animal is Otis (voiced by Kevin James), a happy-go-lucky cow who's always up for a crazy stunt or practical joke (bizarrely, the movie is full of male cows with udders). But Otis' carefree attitude doesn't sit too well with his father, Ben (Sam Neill), the barnyard patriarch and protector. While he loves his slacker son, Ben thinks that Otis needs to learn some responsibility if he is to continue his legacy. When the dangerous coyote season arrives and Ben is no longer able to serve as barnyard security, mayhem ensues and the farm starts to resemble an amusement park. Alas, Otis is still too immature to take the lead, preferring instead to woo bovine beauty Daisy (Courtney Cox) and party with his friends. But when push comes to shove, will Otis stand up to the coyotes and protect the barnyard, or will he turn the udder cheek? This coming-of-age tale is bolstered by the human antics of the animals and genuine laugh-out-loud moments for all ages. Wanda Sykes voices Bessy, Daisy's cynical cow friend, and Danny Glover voices Miles the Mule, a sage elder on the farm. Songs by Tom Petty and Peter Gabriel, as well as other artists, elevate the soundtrack above typical children's fare.