Air Bud: World Pup

Three is a charm for the Air Bud franchise, which returns to the screen to showcase the athletic talents of Buddy, the golden retriever who made his film debut as a basketball star in the original Air Bud (1997). Disney's third installment seems to have rekindled its initial freshness. Buddy takes to the soccer field this time, and he has the immense good fortune of being joined by real-life U.S. Women's Soccer Team champions Brandi Chastain, Brianna Scurry, and Tisha Venturini, among others. Kevin Zegers returns to the story as Buddy's owner, who falls in love with the only girl on his own soccer team. While sparks fly on and off the field in that romance, Buddy has a love interest of his own and soon becomes a father to six puppies. The drama heightens when a couple of puppy thieves (who closely resemble Jasper and Horace from 101 Dalmatians) pose as dog catchers and make off with the pups. A hilarious chase, assisted by dozens of courageous canines, ensues. Dog lovers in the audience will be pleased to know there is no insinuation of dog abuse here and there are no sad pet moments. Parents can skip this one, knowing their kids will enjoy plenty of benign entertainment while viewing some great soccer stunts by real-life champs.

Rated G, 1:23.

Diary of a Wimpy Kid

The first volume in Jeff Kinney's wildly popular Web and book series hits the screen in this live-action adaptation. The impish Zachary Gordon, who recalls Wonder Years-era Fred Savage, plays Greg Heffley, who enters middle school determined to become class favorite. It won't be easy. His best friend, Rowley, is a big, redheaded lug who embarrasses him at every turn. Greg's obnoxious teenage brother, Rodrick, advises him to keep his head down, but Greg believes he needs to excel at something to achieve his goal. Smart, but small for his age, he tries wrestling and safety patrolling, but nothing seems to fit. During gym class, he and Rowley meet wise-beyond-her-years newspaper reporter Angie, who finds popularity overrated. Greg isn't convinced, but the harder he tries, the more boorish he becomes, until even Rowley abandons him. After a humiliating encounter with some high school bullies, though, Greg learns what really matters: self-respect (he also discovers that the dreaded "cheese touch" is just a myth). Berlin-born director Thor Freudenthal avoids any dull or sentimental patches, which should please kids and adults alike. Rachael Harris and Steve Zahn could use more face time as the terminally un-cool Heffley parents, but Harris's rhythm-impaired moves at the mother-son dance provide one of the best laughs. Kinney fans will also appreciate the way Freudenthal weaves stick-figure drawings from Greg's journal throughout this zippy entertainment.

Rated PG, 1:32.