Annie

By Joel Stein

Aren't kids supposed to be tougher now, with all the video games and rap lyrics? Then why is Kathy Bates playing such an unscary Miss Hannigan, and Victor Garber such a cuddly Daddy Warbucks? Kids who made it through The Lion King could surely have handled the dark side of Annie, here expurgated and more treacly than necessary. Still, it's a big production with good Broadway singers belting out catchy songs. In the end, it's hard to say anything bad about Annie (or Annie, Alicia Morton). It's just so darn cute.

--By Joel Stein