When you're stuck at summer camp with no adult counselor in sight and a fiery; bellowing hurricane named Dark Heart threatens to unleash a storm of evil; it's time to reach for the nearest teddy bear. In the case of Care Bears Movie II: A New Generation; three forlorn campers enlist a whole rainbow of singing; animated bears--and Care Bear Cousins--to learn that making friends and sharing feelings are skills that define true Camp Champs.

Another visual candy dish based on that lucrative pack of American Greeting Cards characters (introduced in the 1980s); this 90-minute film extends many warm; positive messages about caring and sharing. But it suffers from a thick coating of sugary dialogue ("If you have ever cared; care now!"); gooey songs; and exhausting action. Preschool viewers deserve healthier doses of similar yet superior fare; like Dragon Tales or Bear in the Big Blue House. --Liane Thomas