Five freaks of nature, not unlike those classic science-fiction icons Mothra, the Blob, the 50 Foot Woman, the Fly and the Gillman, are released from US government security to stave off an alien invasion in this charming, funny and ingeniously detailed cartoon caper from DreamWorks. The focus is mainly on Susan (voiced by Reese Witherspoon), who is hit by a meteor on her wedding day and grows into the huge Ginormica. The film is a valentine to B-movie creature features, with smart scripting and superior craftsmanship. Discerning adults and demanding children alike will be entranced by the action-packed dazzle and visually enthralling delights, including a stunning battle on San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge. And for sci-fi buffs, the references will prove delicious, taking in the likes of Close Encounters of the Third Kind, ET and Men in Black.

When Susan Murphy is unwittingly clobbered by a meteor full of outer space gunk on her wedding day, she mysteriously grows to 49-feet-11-inches. The military jumps into action and captures Susan, secreting her away to a covert government compound. She is renamed Ginormica and placed in confinement with a ragtag group of Monsters...