I'm saddened to see that one of your "crucial" requirements for a good CG films is cute things that talk. In my opinion cute animals isn't at all crucial, but rather obligatory. With the exception of the Final Fantasy movies and The Incredibles, there isn't a single CG film I can think of that doesn't rely on family-friendly cutesy characters to draw an audience. And the same can be said for virtually any and all major American-made animated features. Granted most animated films are geared towards families with small children, but the whole talking animals thing has been beaten to death. It's almost as much of a given as the laundry list of celebrities who provide thier voice "talent" for these films, the pop culture references (I'm looking at you Dreamworks!), or the musical montage sequence.
I'm saddened to see that one of your "crucial" requirements for a good CG films is cute things that talk. In my opinion cute animals isn't at all crucial, but rather obligatory. With the exception of the Final Fantasy movies and The Incredibles, there isn't a single CG film I can think of that doesn't rely on family-friendly cutesy characters to draw an audience. And the same can be said for virtually any and all major American-made animated features. Granted most animated films are geared towards families with small children, but the whole talking animals thing has been beaten to death. It's almost as much of a given as the laundry list of celebrities who provide thier voice "talent" for these films, the pop culture references (I'm looking at you Dreamworks!), or the musical montage sequence.