Hollywood's Top 10 Family Films of 2009

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There's nothing better than when something tastes great and is somehow good for you too (I'm looking at you, sweet potatoes!).


But that's the trouble with family-friendly films, they too-often seem bland as they try to appeal to the whole family's tastes.

Well, I'm happy to report that this year saw an exceptional offering of movies that were enjoyable to all -- even your crotchety grandpa who doesn't like to leave his house.

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10. 'Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian'
Ben Stiller reprises his role as Larry Daley, an unwitting witness to the nocturnal animation of the museum he guards--only now he's much wiser, better equipped and decidedly more entrepreneurial. Basically a madcap heist film disguised as a cameo-soaked history lesson, this one lacked depth but made up for it with all those familiar names, places and faces. If that doesn't get your buy-in,

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9. 'Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs'
Based on the extremely fun 1978 children's book by Judi Barrett, this film tells the story of Flint Lockwood (Bill Hader), a struggling inventor who cooks up something amazing: the ability to turn water molecules into food. At first, glorious hamburgers and ice cream fall from the sky

(saving everyone from having to endure their usual fare of super-gross sardines), but as the proportions of the food-rain grown, soon a spaghetti storm looms overhead. It's up to Flint and weathergirl Sam Sparks (voiced with comedic glee by Anna Faris) to save the world from edible destruction. This animated film, available also in very-cool 3D, was surprisingly palatable for all.

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8. 'Monsters vs. Aliens'
When Susan (Reese Witherspoon) is struck by a meteorite, she becomes a giantess who must hole up in a top-secret government facility created especially for such monsters.

There, she befriends other outcasts who all must, of course, band together to ultimately save the day. The plot is nothing new, but the quick-witted writing and the film's moral fiber made it an early-spring family-friendly blockbuster.

And was anyone surprised? Teeming with voice talent (Seth Rogen, Rainn Wilson, Kiefer Sutherland and Will Arnett all contribute), this 3D film had it all: monsters, aliens, a plot by evil villains to invade the planet, and even Stephen Colbert as the President.

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7. 'Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince'
This brooding installment of the Harry Potter juggernaut (we're at film six of eight, for those who've lost track) sees Hogwarts classmates Harry (Daniel Radcliffe), Ron (Rupert Grint) and Hermione (Emma Watson) playing out something of a wizardly John Hughes film in terms of romance and teen angst love triangles.

Harry pines for Ron's little sister Ginny, Hermione pines for Ron, and Ron spends most of the movie making out with Lavender Brown. While all the unrequited love business is interesting, the real meat of the story involves Harry's used textbook that once belonged to a mysterious "half-blood prince," whose identity is unfortunate, least of all for Dumbledore. Sniff, sniff.