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"Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs" proves to be exactly what’s expected of it: A mildly entertaining family treat. Just as loveable as the first two films, the latest installment features the familiar characters in 3-D, making it wildly exciting for kids.
Ray Romano returns as the voice of Manny, the wooly mammoth who is extremely protective of the pregnant Ellie (voice of Queen Latifah). Diego, the sabre-toothed tiger (voice of Denis Leary), feels he should leave the herd and move on with his life while Sid the sloth (voice of John Leguizamo) desperately wants a family of his own.
When he innocently steals and cares for hatching dinosaur eggs, the mother angrily scoops the sloth and her babies into a world previously unknown by the ice-age animals. Beneath the snow and melting glaciers lies a world of lush greenery and huge, roaring non-extinct dinosaurs. In a quest to rescue Sid, the herd encounters Buck (voice of Simon Pegg), an eye-patch-wearing weasel who lives for the adventure of chasing Rudy, the biggest, meanest dinosaur in the land.
And what would an "Ice Age" sequel be without the interludes of Scrat (voice of Chris Wedge), the acorn-obsessed squirrel? This time, his fanatical antics are interrupted by his female counterpart Scratte (voice of Karen Disher).
There are some giggles throughout the adventure, with sarcasm and teasing of the characters, as well as jokes that only parents can appreciate. One of the most amusing scenes involves the animals inhaling what they think is poisonous gas, but turns out to produce a helium-like effect, causing contagious laughter.
The dialogue between the characters is funny at times, but some comments were predictable and bordered on corny.
While the first two films were funnier, the same sensitive overtones were present in "Dawn of the Dinosaurs." Each character shows an endearing side.
The film is cute, funny and all around enjoyable for the family. No big surprises, except for in-your-face flying objects, thanks to 3-D glasses.
Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs
PG
Two reels out of four
In area theaters now
The Haunting in Connecticut
PG-13
Available Tuesday
"The Haunting in Connecticut" follows the Campbell family who moves to a new home in order for ill son Matt (Kyle Gallner) to receive medical treatment. After a few days, he starts seeing dead people and scary antics ensue.
The movie also stars Virginia Madsen as Sara Campbell and Candian actor Elias Koteas as Rev. Propescu.
