In the season of newsworthy remakes (Spike Jonze’s hipster ode to Where the Wild Things Are, Tim Burton’s forthcoming Alice in Wonderland) it's hard to know which films you’re supposed to be dragging the kids to, and which ones you’re supposed to steal away to watch by your nostalgic lonesome. Wes Anderson’s stop-action remake of the Roald Dahl book Fantastic Mr. Fox (now playing in select cities, opening nationwide on Thanksgiving) is the clear winner of this brood: its silly, imaginative, stylish world is for absolutely everyone.

Mr. Fox (George Clooney) spends his life outwitting 3 local farmers -- very different men who share an equal hate for Fox. A life of sinking his chops into live chicks dead-ends in domestication when he falls for Mrs. Fox (Meryl Streep), swears off his life of daring-do, and becomes a newspaper columnist. Alas, animal nature is too strong: One night, he feeds the watchdogs laced blueberries, slides into the coop, and back into a familiar life of crime.

It's a real joy to see Anderson’s style expressed though animation, and every intricate detail has his stamp, from the retro corduroy suit dawned by a Mr. Fox to the smart bluegrass soundtrack. The take-homes are heartfelt, not mushy: Accept your family the way they are, know your true nature, and if you break into a grocery store, remember to do a little dancing before you leave.

Photo courtesy of us.penguingroup.com

Plus: Check out this clip featuring the song "Let Her Dance" from the Fantastic Mr. Fox soundtrack!

I don’t think this is what Obama had in mind when he talked about teachable moments with kids, but what the heck…

There’s a hidden benefit in playing video games: learning about classical music. This, I found out last night at Video Games Live!, a totally unique musical experience dreamt up by video game music composers Tommy Tallarico and Jack Wall. Three giant screens showed spliced video game footage, while a live orchestra and choir performed (mostly) classical music from the games.

And the kids -- and, yes, adults in anime-like costumes -- went wild. The highlights included an awesome take on the The Legend of Zelda and sweet remixes of cult classics, like Castlevania and Donkey Kong. Kids will more likely go crazy for the music from newer, more visually dramatic, games like Halo, Final Fantasy, and the World of Warcraft, though.

Tallarico was an entertaining host -- and personable and charming enough to convince a mom that a kid can be a gamer and a social rock star: “Some people think that video game music is nothing but simplistic bleeps and bloops,” he opened up, successfully pulling a boo out of the crowd. “This is an art form! There’s a reason why video games are the entertainment of choice for the 21st Century!”

So fess up: have you ever paid attention to the soundtrack to your kids' video games before?

Children’s music can be a tad intimidating. It’s not like you pick up good kids’ jams by turning on the radio or flipping through your friend’s iPod. And there’s always a very frightening possibility that the music will be annoying as hell but your kids will just adore it. That's when you're in serious trouble. (You may start contemplating such existential questions as, “Can one wear ear plugs while driving?” BTW, the answer’s no!)

That’s why I recommend this album of children’s tunes from various artists, Kidzapalooza. Several rockers make an appearance on this funky, genre-spanning disc, like Lisa Loeb and Perry Farrell of Jane’s Addiction. It’s a great introduction to the best kids’ music out there, and it is far from annoying.

The crazy thing about this disc is that the best tunes are definitely from the seasoned kids’ vets, not the rockers giving it “star power.” The Jimmies (who have a GREAT musical DVD coming in November) start it off hard and catchy. Lunch Money brings the silly, catchy pop jams that they’re known for with the wonderfully titled “A Cookie as Big as My Head.” Zach Gill has a chilled, Jack Johnson-esque easiness in his sweet addition to the compilation, “Back in the Day.” Follow that with a punk rock version of “Skip to My Lou” -- hey, it’s music edumacation! -- and you’ll see just how far-reaching kids’ tunes can be.

The low point of the album for me? Lisa Loeb’s overly cutesy, overly preachy track, “In the Details.” She killed the message by shouting it too much. Nonetheless, this a great collection of kids’ music. Highly recommended!

Last night, the first Food Network-branded video game, Cook or Be Cooked!, was rolled out at the studio kitchens in New York. (Check out our October School Years issue for a review of the brow-furrowing Wii game, which really simulates the race to get everything on the table hot—and at the same time!) The winner of the Next Iron Chef, the Food Network darling Michael Symon, cooked along with the game to prove just how realistic it is—it devolved into a man vs. machine Iron Chef competition in no time. During the demo, Symon mentioned his 22-year-old son, and two Parenting editors exchanged incredulous looks. (It’s the Greek skin, he later quipped.) We caught up with (okay, cornered) him afterward to pepper him with questions about fatherhood and family dinnertime.

Does your son cook, too?
My son is a baker, actually, so he definitely cooks.
Ah, so is being able to cook is genetic!?
No, no, it's not genetic; it's what you are exposed to.
My family was Greek and I was always around cooking growing up; we cooked everything from scratch. My wife is a sommelier [a person who builds a wine list at a restaurant], and we just exposed our son to the same thing. It’s important to him now because we were together every day, cooking. But--when he was growing up he always complained, "Daaad, why can't I just go eat at McDonalds."
What's your advice to moms who say, “I just don't have the time to cook from scratch”?
It takes no more time to just make some simple roast chicken with olive oil and rosemary than to go through the drive-thru.
So, the key is just to keep it simple?
Yes, keep it simple and invest in fresh ingredients. Every Saturday we go to the farmers market then it’s really easy to eat well because we have fresh, quality ingredients.

Yesterday, I played Tony Hawk’s killer new skateboarding game, Tony Hawk: RIDE, with the laid back, down-to-earth skateboarding legend himself. (He showed me his battle scars from years of professional skating: some pretty gnarly shins.) Did I beat Tony Hawk at Tony Hawk? Technically yes, because his board wasn’t hooked up to the game! Yes, the bundled package, which is out in November, comes with a wireless skateboard designed by Hawk to really mimic the experience, minus the dirty spills because you’re on the ground.

We chatted while I made a total fool of myself:

So you’re a dad of four, right? Were your kids an inspiration for the game in a way?
Well, for me this game was all about my love for skating. Skating has really kept me youthful. [He mugs.] But they have helped me too, to keep in touch with what’s important and relevant for kids.

So why make the game now?
Well the technology was finally there to really do it justice. The game uses infrared sensors for the grabs and senses movement realistically. And people aren’t afraid to buy peripherals now. [Like guitars for Guitar Hero…]

What about the music for the game?
Well, I was involved with it as much as I could be—making suggestions and pushing people out to Activision.

What your favorite song to skate to, for real?
Ah! Loaded question! I guess I’d have to say The Clash “Clampdown.”

Have you played the game with your kids at home yet?
Oh yeah, they love it, especially in the party mode. They’re always fighting, like, “Me next, me next!”

So this is your avatar, huh? What do you think about its likeness?
Oh, it’s great. Amazing. There’s a lot less grey hair!