Harry is an annoying little bastard who lives in the sewers and has a special plan.

Disney makes a wise move away from sanitising familiar children's stories with this latest effort, the story of Mulan (Ming-Na Wen), a young Chinese girl who goes to war disguised as a man to save her ageing father from almost certain death in the army. The animation is also a refreshing change, being somewhat more akin to anime or to Chinese paintings than the usual Western style.

Like the recent Anastasia by Fox, this is a film that both adults and children can enjoy. There's nothing really new in terms of the story; young woman defies parents and the convention of arranged marriage to follow her own path, a path which ends in marriage to a man of her choice. However, Mulan goes through some amusing situations while trying to avoid being revealed as a woman and, of course, her disguise is a bit of a barrier to her romance with the handsome army captain, Shang (B.D. Wong, but with the singing voice of Donny Osmond!). Eddie Murphy does well as her obligatory smart-talking companion, in this case Mushu the dragon - his drag jokes are particularly funny considering his own encounter with a transvestite. The best thing about Mulan though has to be the superb animation, with the scenes of the invading Hun army particularly chilling. The film is well worth a look, even if you find the idea of Disney doing medieval China disconcerting.

One ant (Flik, our hero) accidentally destroys all the food that his colony had gathered to appease bullying grasshoppers, causing problems when the bad guys turn up to collect. Flik heads off to the big city to try to find some "warrior bugs" that could help defend the ant colony. However, after a mutual misunderstanding Flik ends up with a circus troupe that has just been fired by their boss (P.T. Flea!) after a wonderful scene under the big-top. By the time the truth is discovered the colony has few options left, but the real fun is only just beginning.

A Bug's Life seems more alive than Antz, with much more colour and brightness in the animation and more energy in the characters. The film is filled with funny little distractions - the fly that cannot resist the light of the bug-zapper or the miming bug on the city streets. But the characters are probably the biggest difference - A Bug's Life has an incredible range of adorable and hilarious little characters, and the script takes full advantage of this. The characters make A Bug's Life what it is - a wonderful film that is simply great fun. This alone is enough to make me recommend A Bug's Life over Antz. A Bug's Life will be thoroughly enjoyed by young and old, and is not one to miss. Finally, make sure you stick around for the entire credits sequence - there are some "bloopers" which are funny enough to make you roll around in the aisles.