"The sky is falling! The sky is falling!" So begins the classic children's tale, Chicken Little.  Walt Disney's animated new take on the story opens today, November 4, to what should be a very enthusiastic box office response. The film, whose star-studded cast includes voices by School of Rock's Joan Cusack, Garden State's Zach Braff and famed Hollywood producer Garry Marshall, is a delightful, fun-for-the-whole-family experience.

The film relates the underdog (or is it under-chicken?) tale of tiny Chicken Little, who is the constant butt of everyone's jokes after he causes a town ruckus with his false cries of "the sky is falling!" A seemingly bad luck charm, Chicken Little vows to turn his life around and fix his reputation, but the residents of Oakey Oaks are a tough crowd to win over. Chicken Little's adventure to prove his self-worth and truthfulness and to gain back his self-confidence will make you laugh, cry, and occasionally want to hug someone.

One can't help but be delighted at the amazing things computers can do in the movies these days. The Shrek-like animation is so realistic and fun to watch that at times you forget the movie is animated at all. The colors are brilliant and the characters are unique and distinctive, ranging from a butch Foxy Loxy, the overachiever at Oakey Oaks school, to the excessively overweight pig named Runt of the Litter, Chicken Little's best friend. While the animation can occasionally take gratuitous liberties, this is the creative license of the people who work so hard to create these unbelievable films. The gorgeous village of Oakey Oaks is displayed down to the last detail, including a stop-light that consists of a chameleon with a double-sided red and green sign, who changes color each time he flips the sign around. Fun details like these shock and delight the audience, creating a totally believable illusion of a fun, bubbly town with fun, bubbly residents.

One might assume upon entering the theater that the under-5 and over-40 demographic of most of the audience members could mean bad things for us college students. However, the reality is that the story that Steve Bencich and Ron J. Friedman have penned is totally captivating right from the start. The script's appeal to a wide age-range and the fast pace of the story make the movie completely accessible to anyone watching it, not just your little cousins.  Like with other very watchable animated films (think Shrek and Toy Story), there are jokes for everybody, and a storyline that is simple enough for the kids to understand but interesting enough to keep more mature viewers engaged.

The voice-over performances in the movie are also fantastic. Goofy Braff as the voice of Chicken Little makes you root for the loser, bringing a child-like quality to the part that makes you forget that there is actually a grown man bringing the character to life. Hilarious Cusack, whose other vocal animation credits include Toy Story 2, is adorable as Chicken Little's close friend Abby Mallard. Marshall brings an unexpected twist to the story as Buck Cluck, Chicken Little's go-get-'em father, although his voice seems perfect for the large rooster the animators created for the part. Also featured in the film are Clueless' Wallace Shawn, Bewitched's Amy Sedaris and the original Batman, Adam West.

These impressive performances are improved further by a fantastic soundtrack that includes tracks by Joss Stone, the Barenaked Ladies, and Patti LaBelle. The upbeat tunes provide another fun element for everyone to enjoy, as well as very appropriately accompanying the plot. A few impromptu karaoke performances by cast members throughout the film are little gems not to be missed. 

Chicken Little is a must-see for those of you who are animation lovers, and if you aren't yet a believer, this may be the movie that changes your mind.

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