When I first saw the trailer for Snow Dogs in front of Monster's Inc., I couldn't believe what I was seeing or hearing. Cuba Gooding Jr. as a dentist in Miami who inherits a house and a team of sled dogs in Alaska, and chooses to move there and make the best of things. It's all kind of a blur, but then there were a lot of shots of him being cold; him being a city "slicker" in the wilderness; and him screaming because he's either slipping, falling, being dragged, or being chased by some kind of animal. All the while, "Who Let the Dogs Out" plays over his screams.

          But that's the thing about Snow Dogs -- it actually gets worse, and in so many ways. Turns out, Cuba Gooding's character, Ted, inherits his dogs from his birth mother, the lone black woman in a tiny Alaskan town (think Northern Exposure). His business partner is dentist Rupert, played by Sisqo (yes, the "Thong Song" guy is doing more movies). And, the capper is that Ted is a (cringe) Michael Bolton fan.

          Now I'm not a parent, and I don't have any nieces or nephews. But I do think I vaguely understand what entertains kids. There are a few good kids' movies, and there are about ten to that one that are bad to awful. This clunker is definitely in the majority, and it's a classic example of why parents hate going to kiddie flicks. Even though some children will find Snow Dogs mildly amusing (especially if they're very young and simply love dogs), but I'm betting most will just get bored.

          There's a difference between juvenile humor and comedy that's just plain insulting. This film was made to get laughs from the slowest person in the audience -- just pure slapstick with lots of inane, inoffensive screaming and exaggerated facial expressions. And, if the kids at my screening are any indication, most others will start getting restless, especially when the sappier parts of the story kick in.

          Snow Dogs starts going for the heartstrings in a huge way by the last part of the film. After all, if it's going to be one of those made-for-TV-looking movies that ends up in endless Disney Channel reruns, it's got to extol some valuable lessons (presumably found in Winterdance: the Fine Madness of Running the Iditarod, the book which inspired the film). But I won't give away what the wise sages at Disney have in store for you, because it'll also give away some plot twists.

          So, I'll just move on to what's salvageable in this wreck. Number one has to be the dogs, teams of gorgeous Siberian Huskies, looking especially graceful and powerful as they pull their sled across spectacularly grand panoramas of snow-draped Alaska (actually Alberta, Canada). The only problem is the filmmakers used Henson System animatronic puppets to give the dogs facial expressions and to make them talk, which comes off more annoying than adorable.

          But, number two is definitely James Coburn. Looking, sounding, and acting like he's competing for top prize on "Who's More Grizzled?" Coburn is always fun to watch, especially when he's being mean and ornery. Which brings me to the biggest mystery of this film: What are Cuba Gooding Jr. and James Coburn doing in this movie? Is the acting job market so bad that Oscar winners are turning to kids' movies for work? Perhaps the bigger tragedy is that the marketers get to boast, "starring two Academy Award winners" in every ad.

          My, how the mighty have fallen. Worse for them, I can't imagine Snow Dogs pulling down very strong box office numbers, considering all the other fantastic kiddie fare out in theaters now. But if you're one of the unfortunate ones who ends up dragged to this nonsense after giving in to your plaintive children, just soak in the absurdity of it all, and remember that there's far more zaniness than I even got to mention. One hint: a giant, talking Michael Bolton album cover. Enough said.

          When I first saw the trailer for Snow Dogs in front of Monster's Inc., I was awed by what appeared to be first class animation in what I was seeing and hearing. Cuba Gooding Jr. as a dentist, a city "slicker" in the wilderness, from Miami inheriting a house and a team of sled dogs in Alaska was funny. The dogs fascinated me. The animation used sparingly on the dogs throughout made Demon, the lead sled dog, fantastic, and my favorite character.

          Snow Dogs - is a bit overdone in places, a few too many rescues placed at odd moments irritated me just a bit, And, I thought the last one would have fitted better a bit earlier. In listening at our local theater, the laughter came. I ended up asking a mother and child, and both expressed satisfaction. They liked it and the 4-year-old girl said, "It is good."

          Now I'm a parent, and I have nieces and nephews. We agree there are too few good kids' movies, and there many that are bad to awful. This was NOT a "clunker" and was and is a reason supporting parents going to "kiddie flicks." Many children will find Snow Dogs amusing (especially if they're very young or simply love dogs). I'm betting most will enjoy the movie and not get bored.

          There's a difference between juvenile humor and comedy that's just plain insulting, as JT notes. This film was made to get laughs from EVERYBODY in the audience -lots of pure slapstick with lots of inane, inoffensive screaming and marvelously exaggerated facial expressions, especially the dogs. The dream sequence is responsible for the best part of the trailers I have seen, and I was sorry that part was so short.

          The developing relationship with Coburn was fun to watch, and I envied the fun range that James Coburn was allowed to play in this film.

          Snow Dogs starts going for the heartstrings in a huge way in the latter parts of the film. It is indeed going to end up going to endless Disney Channel reruns.

          JT and I agree the dogs, teams of gorgeous Siberian Huskies, look graceful and powerful as they pull their sled across spectacularly grand panoramas of snow-draped Alaska (actually Alberta, Canada) while "teaching" Cuba Gooding Jr. What he must learn. The fact that filmmakers used Henson System animatronic puppets to give the dogs facial expressions and to make them talk, worked delightfully for me! LOL JT says, "more annoying than adorable," I'll say more adorable, fun and amusing, and I felt no drop of annoyance.

          JT number twos James Coburn. I have to agree! Looking, sounding, and acting like the biggest baddest hombre North of the lower 48 states; Coburn is always delightful to watch. Especially when he's being the biggest meanie in the film and using that delightful touch of ornery that he has always had since those long ago days of Flint and other earlier movies. That brings us to Cuba Gooding Jr.? LOL I certainly was surprised by that casting, but it too worked for me. I am gullible and a sucker for fun! While JT says "the acting job market so bad that Oscar winners are turning to kids' movies for work?" I disagree. Certainly all characters were stretched into the caricature position as seems normal for the current efforts of comedy. Caricature of real people, parody, and putting the average person in impossible situations seems to be the vogue. I hope Disney's boasts in their ads; bring enough viewers to bring those dogs back!

          JT can't imagine Snow Dogs pulling down very strong box office numbers, considering all the other fantastic kiddie fare out in theaters now. According to one web estimate The movie has pulled down 60.3 Million in domestic release. The number may be higher when you look, the second time I looked it was 20 million more than when I first looked and was number 2 in sales behind Black Hawk Down in it's third week of release. Given the price of dog food that isn't bad. It certainly doesn't rank with Harry Potter's 916 Million plus, but it ain't peanuts! I agree with JT "just soak in the absurdity of it all, and remember that there's far more zaniness" than either of us chose to mention. Watch out for that tree!