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Here's a look at the new movies I saw this week.

The Adventures of Tintin

Starring the Voice Talents of: Jamie Bell, Andy Serkis, Daniel Craig, Simon Pegg, Nick Frost, and Toby Jones

Synopsis: This is an animated adventure from director Steven Spielberg. The film uses the best in motion capture technology, a la films like "The Polar Express." Doubtless the technology continues to improve, and that is helping filmmakers to tell better stories with the technology available. "The Adventures of Tintin" is based on the popular comic book series in Belgium created by Herge. And there is plenty to like about this feature. The setting and story structure are reminiscent of "Indiana Jones," and one can't help but think that is by design. The story revolves around Tintin (Bell) and a sailor named Captain Haddock (Serkis) traveling the globe in search of a hidden treasure. Craig does a nice job voicing the primary villain, and Pegg and Frost add a bit to the humor. The script for the film was co-written by Edgar Wright ("Shaun of the Dead," "Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World") and Joe Cornish ("Attack The Block"). The film moves along at a good pace, and the action and humor mix well. The film is aimed primarily at younger viewers, but there is a little something for everyone here. In a year absent any substantial animated features, this film has the quality and pedigree to be the Best Animated Feature of the Year.

Rating: PG for adventure action violence, some drunkenness and brief smoking.

Verdict: Three stars out of Four

War Horse

Starring: Jeremy Irvine, Benedict Cumberbatch, Peter Mullan, Emily Watson, Tom Hiddleston, and David Thewlis

Synopsis: The second film from Steven Spielberg this holiday season is perhaps one of his best. Spielberg has been known for two types of films — first being his warm hearted, character-driven family films. The second is the cannon of World War II films and mini series' he's brought to life, capturing beautifully, and in a unique way, that period of history. With "War Horse," in a very real sense, he manages to accomplish both. This is a beautiful story set in the English countryside in World War I. The film centers on a horse, and his journey through World War I, focusing on the people that share his journey along the way. In the early part of the film, the young horse, Joey, forms a bond with a farmer's son, Albert (Irvine), which is where the film takes on some of the feel of an early Spielberg film. One of the beautiful things accomplished in this film is that Spielberg is able to add three dimensional depth to the non-human performers in this film. You feel the emotions, pain, and joy felt by Joey just as richly as you do with the human performers, which is no easy feat. In fact, some of the best scenes in the film feature no dialogue and no human performers, which is a credit to Spielberg and his team. Not that the human performers don't do nice work as well. There are several beautiful vignettes, and each performer does his or her job well, telling this beautiful and, at times, heart-breaking story. The middle section of the film is an interesting exploration of the tough, at times bleak front during World War I. Of course, Spielberg is still able to mix in his trademark lightness and humor to help offset the more emotional sequences of the film. This film, based on a children's novel and a stage play, comes to life in a beautiful way on the big screen. This is Spielberg's best feature film in a decade, and clearly one of the best films of the year. It's a film that offers something for the whole family and tells a beautiful story of love, family, and friendship under difficult circumstances. This is one of the MUST SEE films of 2011.

Rating: PG-13 for intense sequences of war violence.

Verdict: Four Stars our of Four.

We Bought A Zoo

Starring: Matt Damon, Scarlett Johansson, Thomas Haden Church, Elle Fanning, Colin Ford, Maggie Elizabeth Jones, and John Michael Higgins

Synopsis: Director Cameron Crowe knows how to get to the heart of the matter, and he certainly does that with "We Bought A Zoo," which is a warm, family-friendly tale. This is Crowe's first feature-film since 2005's "Elizabethtown," which I felt was an underrated feature. This film, based on a true story, is about a single father (Damon) who buys a run down zoo and moves his two kids (Ford and Jones) out there in the wake of the death of his wife. It starts a process of healing for the whole family, which helps them to move on. With the help of his brother (Haden Church) and a dedicated zoo keeper (Johansson), the zoo gets back on track and opens to the public. Crowe, who co-wrote the screenplay with Aline Brosh McKenna, knows how to build an emotionally gripping story around his characters, and he does that here. Damon gives a strong performance in the lead role, with Johansson playing well off him and Haden Church adding plenty of comic relief. The young actors also have to do their fair share of heavy lifting in this film, and do a nice job as well. Jones is cute as the young daughter, while Ford does a nice job as Damon's son, who is struggling to move on in a new place. Fanning, who was great in "Super 8," turns in another strong performance in a somewhat similar character here. Adding to the film is the setting, the fun animal performances, and the nice blend of humor and pathos. "We Bought A Zoo" isn't the greatest film of the year, but it's a perfect family film for the holiday season.

Rating: PG for language and some thematic elements.

Verdict: Three stars out of Four.

Upcoming Releases:

January 6 — "The Devil Inside"

January 13 — "The Iron Lady," "Contraband," "Joyful Noise," "Beauty and The Beast," "The Divide," "Loosies"

January 20 — "Underworld: Awakening," "Haywire," "Coriolanus," "Red Tails"

January 27 — "Albert Nobbs," "Rampart," "We Need To Talk About Kevin," "The Grey," "One For The Money," "Man On A Ledge"