By all counts, 2009 was a huge year for animated movies. There were big crowd pleasers like Up, The Princess and the Frog, and Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, but for our money, the most entertaining was Wes Anderson’s stunning stop-motion tale Fantastic Mr. Fox.

Based on the book by Roald Dahl (Charlie and the Chocolate Factory), it’s the story of a fox who plots the greatest (chicken) heist ever. With an all-star cast of voice talent like George Clooney, Bill Murray, Meryl Streep, and Owen Wilson, this is a film you’ll want to see over and over, whether or not the kids are around.

Let your kids time-travel back to a mystical land where things like Star Wars video games, “Battle of Endor” Lego sets, remastered DVDs, and constant SpikeTV marathons didn’t exist. Can you imagine the horror? Ah yes, the late 1970s, back when the only way to bring Star Wars home was through action figures and the “The Story of Star Wars” album (on vinyl and 8-track!)

Thanks to some vinyl historians, now the next generation of fans can hear “The Story of Star Wars” in all its glory. Clocking in around 50 minutes, the album features dialogue, music, and sound effects from the movie, as well as narration by the gravel-voiced actor Roscoe Lee Browne. It’s a vivid description of the Star Wars universe, so it’ll thrill devoted little Jedis, while still being a fun introduction for those kids just starting out on their journey.

Al Madrigal burst onto the comedy scene in 2004, winning an award at the prestigious US Comedy Arts Festival in Aspen. Nicknamed “The Latin Breeze” for his casual storyteller tone onstage, Madrigal talks openly about cultural and parenting issues, squeezing painfully funny details from his life as a half-Mexican, half-Sicilian married father of two.

His stories touch on things all parents can relate to: swearing in front of the kids, bouncy house birthday parties, and why you should never let your kid watch The Wiggles. We recently chatted with the comic via email.

The Dad List: What was your childhood like? Do your kids have it easier than you?

Al Madrigal: I had it way easier than my kids. Both my parents worked, so me and my two little brothers really got to do as we pleased. We all took the streetcar— the N Judah in San Francisco—45 minutes everyday. We were alone from 3 to 6. We watched TV, played in the street with neighborhood kids, and played sports at school. There was no guitar, no rec league sports.

I’m so freaked out about my son getting hit by a car or kidnapped we’re with them at all times. If he so much as looks at a piano, he’s in a class. Art class, summer school, summer basketball leagues… poor guy has a tighter schedule than I do.

TDL: Before you broke into comedy, you spent almost 10 years firing people. How hard was that, and did it help you to be a better comic or dad?

AM: If you saw “Up in The Air,” that’s pretty much what I did. It was hard at first, but then I became really cold and started to make a sport out of it; that’s when I knew I needed to get out and do something creative and try to give back. I volunteered with Big Brothers and Big Sisters, took stained glass classes, and eventually tried stand-up. I’ve easily fired over 1000 people. It’s a weird skill to have but it did give me a couple things that I [still] use: I’m able to make tough decisions quickly without showing emotion, and I’m able to remain pretty calm when someone is giving me shit. Both things translate to comedy and parenting.

TDL: How did parenthood affect your stand-up routine?

AM: It gave me a whole new area… I still haven’t scratched the surface. Other kids and their parents are such idiots the potential for stories is limitless.

TDL: Is there anything about your family that’s off-limits? How thrilled was your wife about the “Pregnant, Horny, & Gassy” routine?

AM: No, everything is fair game. I’ll probably stop talking about my kids as they become more aware of what I do, but my wife is pretty thick-skinned and knows that making fun of her pays the bills. After “Pregnant, Horny, and Gassy” she cried (mainly because she really was pregnant) and made me promise to stop telling that bit. I crossed my fingers and kept doing it… still haven’t found a better opener.

Al Madrigal appears at the Punch Line in San Francisco through March 6th (tickets available here), and you can always get the complete lowdown at AlMadrigal.com

For the past 70 years, millions of kids have adored H.A. & Margaret Rey’s Curious George books. In these stories, we’ve come to know George as a clever little monkey who has the best of intentions, yet somehow manages to always create a mini-disaster.

Surprisingly, it turns out that one of Curious George’s biggest fans is Werner Herzog, the noted German director whose stark films include “Grizzly Man” and “Rescue Dawn.” In this video, Herzog gives his own rendition of one of the books, offering his unique view of Western society.

Wait, seriously? Noooooo, it’s actually just a hilarious parody, as “Werner Herzog” interjects his own thoughts on the vastness of the sea, the meaning of true happiness, and the influence of technology on our society.

You’ll never be able to look at happy-go-lucky George in the same way.

A long time ago, in a land before TiVo, cable and educational programming, there was a glorious thing known as Saturday morning cartoons. In the span of a few hours, legions of kids were treated to favorites like Fat Albert, Road Runner, and Scooby-Doo. They were all quality cartoons, but for many young boys, the highlight was undoubtedly Super Friends.

Yes, before Batman had parental issues and a gravel-coated voice, he was just a happy-go-lucky member of the Super Friends, the greatest crime-fighting unit the world had ever known. Comprised of Superman, Wonder Woman, Batman, and Aquaman, these superheroes set up shop in the Hall of Justice and did weekly battle with criminal masterminds. When the good guys needed some help, they had superheroes-in-training Wendy, Marvin and Wonder Dog do the grunt work. And if they ever got really desperate, well, there was always Robin.

Now for the first time, the debut season of Super Friends is available on DVD. The aptly-named “Season One, Volume One,” contains eight hour-long episodes including “The Power Pirate,” “The Weather Maker,” and “Dr. Pelagian’s War,” along with an Super Friends trivia challenge. So go ahead, break out the Count Chocula cereal, clear a spot on the shag carpeting, and watch Wonder Woman save the world. You won’t believe how good her invisible plane looks on DVD.

If you’re like most Dads, it’s been a while since you’ve been out to see live music. Sure, in your past kid-free life, you saw a million bands. But these days? It all seems so much harder. Tickets cost too much, you’ve got to pay the babysitter, and sitting through opening acts is a chore. Plus, by 11:00, it gets hard to fight off the yawns.

Now, thanks to NPR’s Live Concert archive, you can see what you’ve been missing. Their “All Songs Considered” podcast features great live performances by both upcoming artists as well as established veterans. Dig through their archives to find live sets from the likes of Sonic Youth, Bjork, Animal Collective, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Wilco, The White Stripes, Tom Waits, Radiohead, and tons more.

Sure, it’s not quite as fun as being there, but if you turn your speakers up loud enough, dim the lights, and spill a beer on yourself, it might just seem like the real thing.