fashion. Half live animal animation as in "Babe" and half live action, the film is stunningly made.The story is about the runt of a pig litter. There are ten teats available and eleven piglets. The eleventh piglet is doomed to be destroyed until the farmer's daughter Dakota Fanning saves and adopts the runt who is named Wilbur.Finally the piglet, Wilbur, gets to be too big to be a pet in the house and is sent across the road to another farm. The farm animals and Wilbur become "humanized" as we understand their animal talk. Five 5 goats, two 2 cows, two 2 geese, one 1 horse, one 1 rat and one 1 spider become a microcosm of society and Wilbur's family and friends and neighbors.It sounds preposterous, but it is utterly believable because the special effects are so good it all seems real and your disbelief disappears so you can get lost in the story. And … what a story.Wilbur slowly realizes that he is an animal raised for his meat and the end of his life is months away and he is disconcerted to say the least. But he has a friend determined to help him out – a spider named Charlotte voice by Julia Roberts , who will try many things to keep Wilbur as a permanent farm animal and not just food on the table for the farm family.The society of animals have many lessons to teach children and adults ; specifically, friendship, sacrifice, living with the death issue, hope, determination, love, duty, fairness, respect, humility, and much more.However, this is not a heavy lesson on mature life issues. Laughter and joy permeate the film and puns and chuckles are everywhere throughout the film.The artistry of the film is outstanding. The farms and surroundings are idyllic. The synchronizing of the words and animal movements are right on. Everything on the screen leads you to believe the story is real.FYI – There is a Truly Moving Pictures web site where there is a listing of past Truly Moving Picture Award winners that are now either at the theater or available on video.

a checkout!

pretty neat to watch how it's done, my kids really liked that part too.

law nowadays to put fart jokes in all children's entertainment. They didn't dumb down the lovely words E.B. White used -- Charlotte uses her grand language as she speaks to Wilbur and spins her webs.I kept thinking of "Babe" at the start of the movie. A white runt pig saved. Similar barnyard companions. Even the voice of Wilbur sounds like the voice of Babe. Even tho Babe was voiced by a 32 y.o. woman and Wilbur by a 9 y.o. boy! But I think the writers of Babe must have been fans of the classic "Charlotte's Web".Steve Buscemi as the voice of Templeton the Rat is just perfect. Poor guy even has a rat-like face -- is that why they cast him? And the CGI animation is flawless. You can't tell the animated animals from the real ones. Flawlessly blended.That little pig is SO cute at the beginning -- I just wanted to watch him play in the mud for 10 minutes. But no, they kept the story moving along. They even tried to make the spider cute, but that's quite a challenge. Still Julia Roberts' soothing motherly voice helps. Nevertheless, the little girl next to me climbed into her grandma's lap when the spider appeared. And Dakota Fanning, as always, is a darling.So go -- and if you loved the book as a child, bring plenty of Kleenex!

movie, and, at 40, that's saying something for a G-rated movie aimed at families with small children.The movie has an old-fashioned but familiar feel to it. It seems to represent the America we all think we remember, and want to see when we visit the country. It seems in many ways timeless, without feeling Disney-esquire. I'm sure this is what the filmmakers were going for, and they hit it right on the nose.I thought the casting was excellent, for the most part. Though Agnes Moorehead from the original animated version absolutely bowls Oprah Winfrey over as the goose, and Julia Roberts' voice was maybe a bit too matter-of-fact for Charlotte. Debbie Reynolds' extra-sweet voice did, I think, a just-so-slightly better job in the original. That aside, Miss Fanning is perfect as Fern, and Siobhan Fallon could not play the incredulous Mrs. Zuckerman one iota better.I think E.B. White would be pleased. This is as honest a representation of his wonderful story as anyone could hope for.If you have small kids, read them the book, and then go see the movie.If you read the book as a kid, and still smile when you think about it, then go see it yourself.Highly recommended.

who does not know the story are handled deftly so sensitive children will not get upset. An excellent family movie.

adults will enjoy this film. There is plenty of humor to offset the tragic elements of the story.

but the intervention of a young girl Fern Dakota Fanning helped prevent it, albeit for a little while. Put in a barn with the other animals, Wilbur is in desperate need of friendship to wilt away his loneliness, but given the indifferent attitudes amongst the resident animals, he gets a none too friendly introduction to farm life. That is until he meets Charlotte, a spider who will try help to extend the lifespan of Wilbur, saving the spring pig from becoming Christmas ham.It's a story about friendship, and the miracles gained from trust, help, and the fulfilling of promises. And this movie gets a huge boost through its A-list voice talents, with the likes of, check this out - Julia Roberts as Charlotte, Steve Buscemi as Templeton the selfish rat, John Cleese as Sam Sheep, leader of the pack of sheep followers played to hilarity , Katy Bates, Cedric the Entertainer, Oprah Winfrey, Robert Redford, Thomas Haden Church, Andre Benjamin and Sam Shepard. They seemed to have a rip-roaring time, and I thought Julia Roberts' Charlotte came across as extremely calm and collected, while probably the character with the best lines was Templeton the rat.Fanning already got experience playing opposite her animal counterparts, like in Dreamer earlier this year, though this time in the barnyard the animals are enhanced by technology and graphics. Her role however is limited in screen time, and although there are hints on puppy love, it's very much unexplored in depth as the focus is squarely on our animal friends. The score is an unrecognizable Danny Elfman contribution without the dark overtones, and the songs played during the animated stills of the end credits, do sound radio friendly enough to warrant airplay.Charlotte's Web is a feel good, heartwarming family movie which is suitable for this holiday season. It is uncomplicated, and has a simple message, but is engaging enough for both children and adults. A warning though, the movie is poignant yet hopeful, so to sentimental folks, a tissue or two will help.

the barn animals, to embrace her warm nature. I found her quite beautiful in the end.Steve Buscemi is perfect as Templeton. Knowing John Cleese is behind the head sheep makes it even funnier. And Dakota Fanning finally gets to play a little girl being a little girl.It only made me tear up twice, but I'm a big softy. Take the family, the kids, and anyone who's ever enjoyed EB White's classic story.