AUTUMN/WINTER 2011 FAMILY AND ANIMATED FILMS: PUSS IN BOOTS, HUGO, ARTHUR CHRISTMAS, HAPPY FEET 2, THE ADVENTURES OF TINTIN, CHIPWRECKED!

Although world has, for some reason, developed a taste for dark and morbid stories, I know that among you there are those who want something positive and colourful for their kids, or for themselves if they have a kid in them. Here's HOLLYWOOD SPY's guide through Autumn/Winter 2011 family and animated films.

CHARMING "PUSS IN BOOTS" 

The first one to open Autumn/Winter 2011 season of the animated characters will be the most charming one, off course, the biggest

feline seducer and the breaker of so many pussy hearts - PUSS IN BOOTS. The beloved character from the famous SHREK animated saga now has his own film which should hit cinemas November 4th. The story is set way before Puss ever met Shrek, when our suave and furry feline hero went on a swashbuckling ride, teaming up with mastermind Humpty Dumpty and the street-savvy Kitty to steal the famed Goose that lays the Golden Eggs. The brilliant voice cast includes Antonio Banderas who did outstanding job with Puss, while Salma Hayek was the obvious choice for the

voice of Kitty. The director of the film is Chris Miller who wrote and directed SHREK THE THIRD and gave his own voice to Kowalski in MADAGASCAR :) Click for the unbelievably adorable trailer. You don't want to miss the scene in which Puss drinks milk!

SCORSESE'S "HUGO"

Another film for kids and family premiering November 23rd is Martin Scorsese's HUGO. The film which tells the story of an orphan boy living a secret life in the walls of a Paris train station. With the help of an eccentric girl, he searches for  the answer to a mystery linking the father he recently lost, the  ill-tempered toy shop owner living below him and a heart shaped lock,  seemingly without a key. Based on the bestselling and award winning book from Brian Selznick this movie, coming out this November, has Jude Law, Ben Kingsley, Christopher Lee and Ray Winstone in the cast. The film was shot in 3D. Check out the trailer which features some really lovely visuals.

 "HAPPY FEET 2" READY TO DANCE

Bringing those adorable little penguins back to cinemas on November 18th is HAPPY FEET 2. As the sequel to the Academy Award winning animated smash hit,  it returns audiences to

the magnificent landscape of Antarctica in superb 3D. Mumble, The Master of Tap, has a problem because his tiny son, Erik, is choreo-phobic. Reluctant to dance, Erik runs away and encounters The Mighty Sven, a penguin who can fly! Mumble has no hope of competing with this charismatic new role model. But things get worse when the world is shaken by powerful forces. Erik learns of his father’s “guts and grit” as Mumble brings together the penguin nations and all manner of fabulous creatures—from tiny Krill to giant Elephant Seals—to put things right! Brad Pitt,

Robin Williams and Elijah Wood are just some of the names in the voice cast. Watch the super cute trailer.

HILARIOUS "ARTHUR CHRISTMAS"

One of the films, I've mentioned a lot before is ARTHUR CHRISTMAS which finally premieres November 23rd. This 3D,CG-animated family comedy will at last reveal the incredible, never-before seen answer to every child's question: "So how does Santa deliver all those presents in one night?" The answer: Santa's exhilarating, ultra-high-tech operation hidden beneath the North Pole. But at the heart of the film is a story with the ingredients of a Christmas classic - a family in a state of comic dysfunction and an unlikely hero, Arthur, with an urgent mission that must be

completed before Christmas morning dawns. The brilliant voice cast is lead by James McAvoy, Hugh Laurie, Jim Broadbent, Bill Nighy....Watch the delightful trailer.

 THE ADVENTURES OF TINTIN

I'm not sure this one would be for kids, but it is animated.  Premiering December 21st is THE ADVENTURES OF TINTIN: SECRET OF THE UNICORN. I read the original comics as a kid,

but I've never got the appeal of the character, so I'm hoping that this Steven Spielberg directed movie adaptation will put something interesting and thrilling in it, although I didn't like the trailers so far. The story chronicles the escapades of a junior reporter who has a nose for a good story and a talent for attracting trouble, which more often than not imperils his life!Using state of the art performance capture technology Spielberg has shot the first film, while Peter Jackson is supposed to shot the second one. The voice cast includes Jamie Bell, Daniel Craig, Cary Elwes and Simon Pegg. Click for the latest trailer.

CHIPMUNKS ARE CHIPWRECKED!

And those crazy little furry creatures, for which you don't know

whether they are adorable or annoying, the screechy little squirrels are back in ALVIN AND THE CHIPMUNKS: CHIPWRECKED which hits cinemas on December 16th. In this sequel, the vacationing Chipmunks and Chipettes are turning a luxury cruise liner into their personal playground, until they become 'chipwrecked' on a remote island. As the Chipmunks and Chipettes try various schemes to find their way home, they accidentally discover their new turf is not as deserted as it seems.

Check out the crazy trailer too (you don't wanna miss Chips singing Gaga's BAD ROMANCE! Kids will love it, I'm sure.