The Secret of Kells (2009. Ireland, Belgium, France)

Refreshingly different precisely because its look is so profoundly retro, 'Brendan and the Secret of Kells' harks back not just to older animation styles but to pre-medieval illuminated manuscript tradition. With its jewel-bright colors and intricate use of lines, the result is absolutely luscious to behold. Evoking the simplified drawings of children's books, the pic will most please the underserved 3- to 10-year-old demographic (even though bits are quite scary) and parents, but older kids may be sniffier, especially given the earnest, joke-light screenplay. Theatrical prospects, even in Europe, look tricky, but 'Brendan' could reap lots of ancillary coin...