▁g orge ous ▁moments ▁here ▁— ▁especially ▁some ▁under water ▁sequences ". ▁The ▁Austin ▁Chron icle ▁said : ▁" The ▁P eb ble ▁and ▁the ▁P engu in ▁features ▁some ▁beautiful ly ▁animated ▁sequences ▁[...] ▁The ▁characters ▁are ▁great ▁and ▁the ▁voice ▁tal ents ▁of ▁Martin ▁Short ... and ▁James ▁Bel ush i ... are ▁ter r ific ". ▁Vari ety ▁said ▁the ▁film ▁has ▁a ▁" heart w arm ing ▁story , ▁some ▁l ively ▁songs ▁and ▁professional ▁animation ", ▁adding ▁that ▁it ▁is ▁" a ▁sweet , ▁enjoy able ▁rom antic ▁tale ▁more ▁likely ▁to ▁succeed ▁as ▁an ▁afternoon ▁di version ▁on ▁home ▁video ▁than ▁on ▁the ▁big ▁screen ". ▁The ▁New ▁York ▁Times ▁wrote ▁" The ▁t unes ▁Mr . ▁Man il ow ▁has ▁written ▁for ▁the ▁movie ▁are , ▁like ▁his ▁familiar ▁pop ▁standards , ▁b oun cy ▁and ▁catch y ", ▁and ▁commented ▁that ▁" the ▁animation ▁is ▁fine ". ▁Washington ▁Post ▁Staff ▁W riter ▁Hal ▁Hin son ▁wrote ▁that ▁" A ▁fl our ishing ▁opening ▁number — t itled ▁' Here ▁and ▁Now ' — pro ves ▁that ▁Short ▁can ▁bel t ▁out ▁a ▁song ▁with ▁the ▁best ▁of ▁them ", ▁adding ▁that ▁the ▁" Bl uth ▁studio ▁style ▁of ▁animation ▁is ▁pass able , ▁and , ▁in ▁the ▁case ▁of ▁a ▁Bre cht - We ill ▁flav ored ▁production ▁number , ▁occasionally ▁inspired ." ▁ ▁SF G ate ▁described ▁the ▁" show - t une - ▁style ▁songs " ▁as ▁" ple asant ▁but ▁forget table