Astro Kid

This junior-league sci-fi animation from France sees ten-year-old Willy separated from his scientist parents and stranded on a strange planet when their spaceship is hit by an asteroid. His sole companion is spherical survival bot Buck, the robo equivalent of a Swiss army knife. Their task? To survive until rescue arrives. The pair's dialogue sometimes sounds like it hankers for the original French, but the visuals certainly do the trick. The film is full of fun futuristic gizmos and weird creatures, from scary giant rock crabs to a cute and cuddly eight-legged pet "balloon" pup. Sequences of chase and peril may upset more sensitive souls, but otherwise this enjoyable synthesis of Lost in Space, Wall-E and a touch of Tarzan is bright and breezy fun for younger kids.