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Based on Adam Rex's popular 2007 children's book The True Meaning of Smekday, filmmaker Tim Johnson's animated feature finds the Boovs' planet being threatened by the dreaded Gorg, after which the Boovs (who look like blue-hued Minions with stubby tentacles) decide to move to Earth. In preparation for this diversionary tactic, Earthlings are vacuumed up by giant Boov spaceships and relocated to a candy-colored theme park in the Australian desert. But 13-year-old Gratuity Tucci (voiced by Rihanna)—a Bahamian immigrant called “Tip”—and her calico cat avoid capture. A desperate but plucky Tip sets off in search of her mother (Jennifer Lopez). Meanwhile, a bumbling young Boov named Oh (Jim Parsons) becomes a fugitive after he inadvertently hits “send all” on a galaxy-wide housewarming party invitation, thereby revealing the terrestrial location of the new Boov habitat. Trapped in a convenience store freezer, Oh promises to use his advanced technology to help Tip, transforming her mother's car into a slushy-powered hovercraft (equipped with Rihanna's Caribbean-infused music tracks). Off they go, only to discover that the fault for the original threat might lie with the Boovs' egotistical leader, Captain Smek (Steve Martin). While Tip is the first black protagonist in a DreamWorks Animation feature, the plot here bears an uncanny resemblance to Disney's Polynesian-themed Lilo & Stitch. A strong optional purchase. (S. Granger)