Some Movie!
Charlotte's Web (2006)
Tomatometer
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Reviews Counted:139
Fresh:108
Rotten:31
Average Rating:6.9/10
Consensus: Kids will be entertained by the straightforward plot and cute animals, and adults will be charmed by how quiet and humble the production is, a fine translation of E.B. White’s genteel prose.
Theatrical Release:09-02-2007
Synopsis: Gary Winick (THIRTEEN GOING ON 30) had a lot to live up to in remaking a beloved children's movie, itself based on the classic novel by E. B. White, but this 2006 live-action version more than... Gary Winick (THIRTEEN GOING ON 30) had a lot to live up to in remaking a beloved children's movie, itself based on the classic novel by E. B. White, but this 2006 live-action version more than fulfills its promise. With droll '50s-inspired art direction, low-key and earnest performances, and the cutest ensemble cast of farm animals since BABE, Winick maintains the deeply moral (though not moralistic) themes of the original novel and also injects some mild humor and scenes of peril and adventure. Child actor Dakota Fanning gives an impressively mature performance as the loyal and spunky farm girl Fern who rescues the pig Wilbur--the runt of his litter--from her father's axe. But as Wilbur grows up and faces his likely fate of becoming Christmas dinner, another friend steps in to save the day--the spider Charlotte (voiced by Julia Roberts), who spins fancy, slogan-filled webs above Wilbur's pen to convince his guardians that he is indeed a special pig and worth saving. The resulting hubbub saves his hide and reveals the importance of friendship and loyalty. Additionally, in scene after poignant scene, Wilbur learns about the nature of miracles, the seasons of life and death, and the inherent worth of even the runtiest of us. [More]
Starring: Dakota Fanning, Julia Roberts, Oprah Winfrey, Steve Buscemi
Starring: Dakota Fanning, Julia Roberts, Oprah Winfrey, Steve Buscemi, Kathy Bates, John Cleese, Thomas Haden Church, Cedric the Entertainer, Robert Redford, Jane Sibbett, Jennifer Garner, Reba McEntire, André Benjamin, Gary Basaraba, Siobhan Fallon
Director: Gary Winick
Director: Gary Winick
Screenwriter: Susannah Grant, Karey Kirkpatrick
Story: Earl Hamner
Producer: Jordan Kerner
Composer: Danny Elfman
Studio: Paramount Pictures
Reviews for Charlotte's Web
A quiet work of some charm and wit that captures the essence of White's story with a minimum of pandering to modern tastes.
It's refreshing to watch a movie that is both artistically brilliant and truly family friendly.
the update is satisfying enough for those that grew up watching the original and are now exposing their children, nieces/nephews and grandchildren to it.
Charlotte's Web is so good it almost makes a carnivore want to boycott pork.
Winick's Web can't contend with White's lyrical book or the flawless animated feature in the long run.
Charlotte's Web is a beautiful tale of friendship that spoons out the virtues of kindness and generosity without a medicinal taste.
Charlotte's Web has all the requisite elements that a family film needs to succeed and endure: humor, drama, pathos, and an emotionally satisfying ending.
to borrow a line from the beloved spider, Charlotte, her new movie is simply “Terrific,” “Radiant” and “Some Film!”
Not magical, but a fresh adaptation of the classic children's book about a spider that saves a pig from the smokehouse.
Happy happy, joy joy... This is a wonder of gentle humor, tender sentiment, and uplifting philosophy about the joys of friendship, the marvels of nature, the circle of life.
[Charlotte] already picked the best words to describe the latest movie adaptation: terrific, radiant and humble.
The voice talent seems selected for marquee value rather than the ability to create a character. But the power of the story retains its genuine magic and, like Fern, audiences will find this barnyard a place they want to stay.
Competence and a core faithfulness are enough to communicate the simple charms of E.B. White's perennial children's novel.
Earnest, effective and entertaining, although in no way an adequate substitute for the much richer experience of White's novel.
Best of all may be the narration, by Sam Shepard: His voice, the kind of voice God might have if he'd ever smoked Camels, frames this gentle but potent little story with good-natured authority, making it feel modern and ageless at once.
In the end, the pros and cons all just add up to that same bit of modern-day kid-movie praise: It could have been so much worse.
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