The release of the live action film “Transformers” has youngsters and adults who are young-at-heart all scrambling to movie theaters. Dinner and a Movie takes a look at eateries and movies that families of all types can enjoy this weekend.

DINNER

Serendipity 3 — It might feel like a faux pas for food-conscious New Yorkers to ever consider a meal here, but Serendipity 3 still commands two-hour-long lines for its famous frozen hot chocolate and other enormous desserts. The restaurant also offers a full menu, including shrimp pasta dishes, country meatloaf, and all kinds of omelettes. (225 E. 60th St., between Second and Third avenues, 212-838-3531)

Alice’s Tea Cup — Not only is this tiny restaurant perfect for little ones, it’s also great for grown-up tea snobs. Alice’s offers an extensive black, green, herbal, and white tea list, along with the usual list of tea accompaniments, including giant scones and dainty sandwiches. The best options on the menu for a group are the afternoon tea platters, which feature scones, unlimited sandwiches, chocolate cake, and cookies. (102 W. 73rd St. at Columbus Avenue, 212-799-3006)

Patsy’s Pizzeria — The best part about Patsy’s is its location: It’s the perfect wind-down restaurant after a day’s shopping at Bloomingdale’s or elsewhere on the Upper East Side. Pizzas come in small and large sizes, and include unusual toppings such as prosciutto and mixed roasted peppers. A white pizza (mozzarella and ricotta) dotted with fresh garlic is a thing of mouth warming beauty. (206 W. 60th St. at Third Avenue, 212-688-9707)

Dylan’s Candy Shop — Candyland comes alive: Dylan Thomas’s sugar emporium offers two floors of every kind of chocolate, Gummy bear, M&M, and jelly bean you can think of. The shop also offers milkshakes and malt shakes, cupcakes, and even clothing branded with candy labels. Saving room for dessert after dinner has never been so sweet. (1011 Third Ave. at 60th Street, 646-735-0078)

MOVIE

Boys (and, hopefully, girls) of all ages can appreciate Michael Bay’s “Transformers” (2007) for what it is today — a big money, big action feature film — and for what it represented in the 1980s. Back then, “Transformers” referred to an animated television cartoon, and to the Hasbro collection of toys that could “transform” to a living being from a machine. In this updated movie, the Autobots and Decepticons rain terror on Earth as Sam Witwicky (played by Shia LaBoeuf ) struggles to save the human race. In the July 3 edition of The New York Sun, Nicolas Rapold wrote: “Buoyed by a surprisingly effective stream of wisecracks, ‘Transformers’ gets the monster-truck idolatry of it all. The crashing, tumbling, striding robots are toys-turnedheroes, big friendly giants (or monsters), iron gods on earth.” (Friday, 7, 9, 9:55, and 10:25 p.m., AMC Loews Kips Bay, 550 Second Ave., between 30th and 31st streets, 212-447-0638, $10.50, and in theaters around town)

Animated movies might elicit groans from grumpy parents, but Brad Bird’s “Ratatouille” (2007) is filled with the kind of spirit and ambition that makes movies about luck and success — animated or not — fulfilling in the end. A rat named Remy (voiced by comedian Patton Oswald) stumbles upon a discarded cookbook and soon cooks up his own dreams of becoming a great chef. After being separated from his family, he travels to Paris, where he teams up with Linguini, the garbage boy, at a famous French restaurant, winning praise for an amazing pot of chowder. Remy and Linguini soon have to fend off the curious criticism of a popular food writer while maintaining their new found fame. “Ratatouille” is about the prospect of seeing hopes and delicious dreams through to a happy ending. (Friday, 7:30, 8, and 9:30 p.m., City Cinemas Village East, 181 Second Ave., between 11th and 12th streets, 212-529-6998, $10.50, and in theaters around town.)