Mars Needs Moms (2011)

Walt Disney picked up the 3D motion-cap CGI animated pic “Mars Needs Moms” from Robert Zemeckis’ own studio, and released it with much fanfare. It became one of the biggest box office bombs ever. The stunner: It’s not a bad film. It’s an hour-long story stretched to 90-plus minutes, so sight gags are repeated 10 times rather than three times, and many a badly sketched character need not exist. The story: A bratty boy must rescue his mother from aliens who have taken her to Mars, intent on sucking her good motherly instincts from her body. A wicked way to spook a child. Critics derided that, as if “Bambi” never existed. “Mars” is in line with other Zemeckis fare “Polar Express” and “Christmas Carol,” but bouncier and better animated. But, shorter is better. B-