Puss in Boots kind of surprised me. Far more witty then I expected it to be, nicely animated and featuring a charming story of forgiveness and redemption that belies its Shrek inspired fractured fairy tale roots, this movie more than won me over.

| Original Score: 3/4 | Jan 27, 2012

What kids will get from it is plenty of fairly outrageous but not often witty fun with fairytale elements blended into a kind of latterday spaghetti western. For the rest of us, there is plenty of nice visual detail.

Full Review | Original Score: 3/5 | Dec 9, 2011

It's all amiable stuff, with a perfectly decent script, and the feline hero lapping his milk gets an indulgent laugh.

| Original Score: 3/5 | Dec 8, 2011

Most of the jokes fit into two categories: "Ha ha, he's Spanish" and "Ha ha, he's a cat".

| Original Score: 2/5 | Dec 8, 2011

Puss in Boots is very jolly for an hour. Then, like Santa Claus misjudging a chimney, it gets stuck at the moment we hope it will break free and distribute the festive gifts.

| Original Score: 3/5 | Dec 8, 2011

this western-parodying cat-with-too-many-names is closer to Rango than to anything from the Kingdom of Far Far Away.

Full Review | Original Score: 3/5 | Dec 8, 2011

'Puss in Boots' is uneven, but when it's on course, cat fans will be in heaven.

| Original Score: 3/5 | Dec 6, 2011

Like most kittens, it's not always perfectly behaved, but at least this new Puss adventure doesn't have you reaching for the cinematic spray bottle.

| Original Score: 3/5 | Dec 5, 2011

Mostly this is lots of frenetic fun, and Puss himself is a terrific hero. The animation, seen in 3D in many cinemas, is splendid.

| Original Score: 3.5/5 | Dec 1, 2011

The moment that Puss made his debut in Shrek 2, dramatically voiced by Antonio Banderas, and all but walked away with the picture, it was clear that DreamWorks Animation had created a resonant character.

Full Review | Nov 4, 2011

| Original Score: B- | Nov 2, 2011

It starts out fun and dashing and crazy, but once the plot sets in, I was significantly less into it.

| Oct 28, 2011

Puss in Boots prances along on three basic truths. One, cats are funny. Two, vain Spanish cats in high-heeled musketeer boots are even funnier. Lastly, booted, vain Spanish cats voiced by a breathy Antonio Banderas are flat-out hilarious.

| Original Score: 3/5 | Oct 28, 2011

It would overstate matters to say Puss in Boots leaves its cat holding the bag (we had to get that in). But it also leaves its hero awaiting a richer fable, one befitting his charms and his portrayer's talents.

| Original Score: 3/4 | Oct 28, 2011

Just when you were about to give up on 3-D-and the inflated price of admission to watch it on a theater screen-along comes a film that's worth the money. In fact, it isn't the story that makes Puss in Boots stand out, but the imaginative staging...

Full Review | Oct 28, 2011

The character may be here to save the day, but the movie's only here to pass the time and it does that just fine.

| Oct 28, 2011

Unlike Mater, Puss is ready for his closeup.

| Original Score: B+ | Oct 28, 2011

It's the morally-cracked Humpty who provides the film's emotional trajectory. Puss in Boots is a fun feline frolic -- with just a little egg on its face.

| Original Score: 3/4 | Oct 28, 2011

| Original Score: 3/5 | Oct 28, 2011

Almost shockingly good. And not just because a lot of you will approach it with lowered expectations.

| Original Score: 3/4 | Oct 28, 2011