Should you bring the kids? Yes. This is a really fun movie with lots of action and fun characters. The "museum creatures springing to life" premise might scare very young kids. That's why I recommend it for ages 8 and older. For more info, see "Bringing the Kids" below.

THE STORY: What's so hard about being a night watchman at a museum? Plenty – especially when the statues come to life every night! That's the premise of this movie directed by Shawn Levy ("The Pink Panther," "Cheaper by the Dozen").

Larry Daley (Ben Stiller) is a bumbling but likeable guy, always optimistic about his prospects, mundane as they may be. He's also struggling with the fact that he's divorced and his son, Nick (Jake Cherry), doesn't have much faith in his dad.

Then Larry accepts a position as a night-shift security guard at the Museum of Natural History in New York, and gets more excitement than he bargained for. As it turns out, all the displays spring to life every night. Suddenly, he's got Roman Gladiators waging war, a Neanderthal burning down his display, Attila the Hun pillaging neighboring exhibits, and a T-Rex terrorizing the museum.

To make matters worse, the three night watchmen who previously held the job (Dick Van Dyke, Mickey Rooney, and Bill Cobbs) have their own agenda. In fact, they've dreamed up an evil plot to use the museum's awesome power to their own benefit!

Amidst the chaos, the only "person" Larry can turn to for help is a wax figure of President Teddy Roosevelt (Robin Williams). Will this oddest of couples be able to harness the bedlam, stop the oldsters' evil plot, and keep the creatures from terrorizing innocent people? You'll have to see the movie to find out!

Based on a children's book by Milan Trenc, this family-oriented thriller (yep, that's what I'm calling it) boasts an impressive cast, including Ricky Gervais, Kim Raver, and Owen Wilson as a tiny cowboy who, of course, comes to life. What would a Ben Stiller movie be without Owen Wilson?

Carla Gugino plays a museum tour guide who just might get the chance to talk with Sacagawea for that dissertation she's been working on.

BRINGING THE KIDS:

PRESCHOOLERS (ages 2-5): This movie is too realistic and scary for preschoolers. They may not understand that museum creatures really DON'T come to life at night (and hence, they might be waiting for their own toys to do the same). A better museum flick for kids – and one of the sweetest movies around – is the animated "Curious George" (which, by the way, also starred Dick Van Dyke), about a loveable monkey who gets into all sorts of trouble.

GRADE-SCHOOLERS (ages 6 - 10): This movie definitely has its scary moments with all sorts of creatures and statues springing to life at every turn. Still, it's ok for older grade-schoolers who might have a better understanding that it's make-believe (or…is it?!). It's not as scary as "Jurassic Park" or even "Jumanji" or "Zathura". And Ben Stiller is a likeable guy who transitions well from offbeat movies like "Zoolander" and "Starsky & Hutch" to family movies.

TWEEN / TEEN (ages 11+): The takeaway message is that Larry learns to take control of his life, "be a man," and show his son he's got something to offer. And how fun to see Dick Van Dyke, Mickey Rooney, and Bill Cobbs as villains. This is a fun family film that's (mostly) free of crude humor and innuendoes, but still has enough action to keep older kids entertained. A great movie to see with friends or on a date!

SCORE: 3.5 out of 4 Reels