U GOTTA SEE THIS.

WINNER'S CIRCLE: It's hard not to like "Dreamer: Inspired by a True Story" (DreamWorks; $29.9). The true-story part which is told on one of the extras on the DVD is about Mariah's Storm, a horse that broke a bone and came back to race again, winning the 1995 Turfway Breeders' Cup.

"Dreamer" is about Sonador, which can mean dreamer in Spanish, but the real dreamer is Cale Crane (Dakota Fanning). Her father, Ben, doesn't spend much time with her, working as a trainer for the Palmers (David Morse), the owner of Sonador. Egged on by his wife, Lilly (Elisabeth Shue), Ben takes Cale to the track on the day of a big race for Sonador. Against Ben's advice, Palmer races the filly, who breaks a leg in a fall. Palmer wants the horse destroyed, but Ben - seeing his daughter's face - refuses, buys the horse and loses his job.

Over the next few months, the horse heals, as does the family, including the relationship between Ben and his father (Kris Kristofferson).

Aided by Balon (Luis Guzman) and Manolin (Freddy Rodriguez), a onetime jockey who was injured in a terrible fall, Sonador who Ben hoped could, at best, be used to sire unexpectedly is able to race again.

"Dreamer" may follow a familiar route, but it's sweet and heartwarming without being saccharine. Russell, who began his career making family films, brings a solid believability to Ben. Kristofferson, Shue and the rest of the cast all nicely fill out their roles.

It's Fanning, though, who holds sway. She has a strong presence beyond her years, an important quality in playing Cale, because it's her belief in Sonador that propels the story. A young girl and a horse often make for a winning combination, and "Dreamer" is a winner.

- Rob Lowman

DOGGONE CUTE: Just when a mom thinks she's watched every episode of Scooby-Doo imaginable, along comes "The Scooby-Doo Dynomutt Hour The Complete Series."

This box set includes 758 minutes of fun, featuring not just Scooby and the gang but also the escapades of the superhero the Blue Falcon and his mechanical canine sidekick, Dynomutt Dog Wonder. The Scooby episodes on these discs contain much of the same hair-raising and ghost-chasing that fans have grown to know and love. Added to the mix is the character of Scooby-Dum, Scooby's country cousin. These stories split time with half-hour segments featuring Dynomutt. For those unfamiliar, he and Blue Falcon act as a dynamic duo in the Batman and Robin mold, fighting criminals with "high-tech" weapons and more than a dash of silliness.

There are no new plots here but on a few episodes the mystery gang teams up with the caped crusaders. It's hours and hours of goofy fun that any Scooby aficionado will be sure to appreciate.

The package also includes a featurette on the history of both Scooby and Dynomutt, as well as interviews with both characters' original voice actors. (Not rated, Turner Home Entertainment; $33.99).

- Diana McKeon Charkalis

A LITTLE CLUCK FOR YOUR BUCK: "Chicken Little," Disney's first in-house all-CG animated feature, is neither incredible nor "The Incredibles." Much of the film will seem like something you've seen before, and you probably have, in better animated fare. The story begins when the diminutive, bespectacled title character (voiced by Zach Braff) is hit on the head by an object from above and then, to the embarrassment of his father (Garry Marshall), insists to all of the townsfolk that the sky is falling, throwing everyone into a panic.

Eventually, flying saucers do arrive, carrying octopuslike creatures with long, thin tentacles. But by then the townspeople are past listening to what Chicken Little has to say.

The film may make serviceable family entertainment, but it lacks focus. Pop references are plopped together with psycho-babble jargon about "closure" between Chicken Little and his dad. (Who were they writing for?) And it helps to know a lot of '60s and '70s tunes because you'll hear them. From Disney, you would hope for a little bit more. (Disney; $29.99)

-R.L.

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(1) no caption (Dakota Fanning)

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