Four dinosaurs take up a time-traveling scientist (Walter Cronkite) on his offer to get smart by eating "brain grain," and it's off to the 20th century in this animated kids movie. But there's no real terror in the streets here, as the newly cerebral, English-speaking prehistoric beasts hit the New York City pavement in search of a museum proprietor (Julia Childs). On the way they befriend a couple of kids from the opposite sides of the tracks, get rooked into performing in a demented circus run by the scientist's evil brother, and learn something about friendship. John Goodman voices the narrator apatosaurus, and is joined by such luminaries as Rhea Perlman, Martin Short, and Jay Leno. Not only did Steven Spielberg take some time off from his other dinosaur project of 1993 to executive-produce this 65-minute flick, but John Patrick Shanley (Oscar-winner for Moonstruck) wrote the script and Thomas Dolby ("She Blinded Me with Science") wrote and Little Richard belts out the movie's rocking signature tune "Roll Back the Rock." There's plenty of humor for adults and lots of dinosaur action for the kids, but the morbid big-top subplot may spook younger children. (Ages 4 and older) --Kimberly Heinrichs
