Sonic the Hedgehog 3

This was a pleasant surprise. As a father who has spent days of my life sitting through the first two entries, I'm so relieved that the series shifted into a new gear.

The character development hit harder, the action was more exciting, and the humor hit new highs. The villains were three-dimensional and it was a joy spending the movie with the trio of Knuckles, Tails and Sonic operating with fully-formed friendship. It wasn't without nits to pick - I personally found the editing to be noticeably choppy at times - but the pros well outweigh the cons.

I can't stress enough that people familiar with the series will get a new and welcome take on how the series operates. Same chassis, new engine.