The latest animated movie, Meet the Robinsons, released by Disney, marks a return to the Disney studio’s wholesome past.

That is meant as a compliment.

Most recent animated films, including those from the Disney studio, have adopted a deliberately "cheeky" attitude and attempted to send messages of the "be yourself" variety.

Of course, the admonition to be oneself, though it sounds good (and sounds much better when expressed by Shakespeare: "to thine own self be true."), is no advice at all for a child. (In Shakespeare’s play it is addressed not to a child but to a young woman.)

After all, young children are naturally egocentric and respond more to rewards and punishments rather than internalized moral rules. That is why we have to teach them the difference between right and wrong.

In Meet the Robinsons the filmmakers give kids two solid lessons: family is central to a happy life, and what you do matters.

Both of these messages are sent strongly in the narrative, and the latter is also conveyed by the repeated admonition that the protagonist should "keep moving forward."

The narrative is rather complex, and appealingly so, dealing with time travel and some interesting questions of identity. Parents should be able to explain it all to their children as necessary. In addition, the film includes vividly imagined characters (especially the comically exaggerated villain, the Bowler Hat Guy), many zany visual images, and funny dialogue.

The repeated phrase, "I’m not sure how well this plan was thought through," is both funny in context and sends a good message about the importance of considering the possible consequences of one’s actions, a prerequisite for all moral thinking.

The film upholds values such as perseverance, compassion, benevolence, and diligence. 

It’s a fun movie, and a good one, a return to the values of Disney’s pre-1970s animated films while taking advantage of modern stylistic and technological devices.

Recommended.