DreamWorks' The Wild Robot stands far above their recent films, highlighting how disappointing it is when they don't live up to their potential.

That beginning encapsulates the perception of DreamWorks Animation in a nutshell — as the decidedly less ambitious, less artful cousin to Pixar. And it’s hard to say that reputation is totally unearned.

Undoubtedly it’s easier for animation studios to have an in-house style, but this isn’t the path DreamWorks Animation decided to take when adapting the illustrated children’s novel The Wild Robot by Peter Brown, where a ROZZUM unit 7134 robot gets stranded on an isolated island teeming with wildlife.

"The Wild Robot” opened No. 1 in theaters nationwide this weekend, riding in on a wave of critical acclaim. The movie's release coincides with the DreamWorks Animation's 30th anniversary.

DreamWorks' The Wild Robot is an emotional rollercoaster that doesn't end with the credits, as we're breaking down its post-credits scene.

It's not often that a movie makes me want to read the book that inspired it. I have to say that after seeing “The Wild Robot” this weekend, I may

Both classic and innovative, the film stars the voice of Lupita Nyong’o, who gives carefully nuanced life to a robot lost — but finding itself — in nature.

NOTE: This review is partially adapted from my reaction to The Wild Robot following its premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival] Crafting stakes is complicated territory for a film targeted at audiences of all ages.