Julia Robert spent 2006 catatonically voicing an ant in The Ant Bully, a film no one saw, and a spider in Charlotte's Web, a film that every child who poops their pants can stand to benefit from.
Charlotte's Web (2006)
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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
It doesn't turn E.B. White into a travesty, but it manages to make him border on inane.
The respectfulness... can't be denied, but beneath it lies an undue sense of entitlement: of big stars and big egos crashing a party where they're not entirely welcome.
doesn't really encroach on the legacy and success of its animated ancestor
A whimsical and warmly appealing adaptation of the children's classic.
Children of all ages, even those not old enough to read, can enjoy the journey.
Director Gary Winick and writers Susannah Grant and Karey Kirkpatrick preserve White's lovely observations, often using his language.
To paraphrase the novel's famous last lines, it's not often a story comes along that can make for both a great book and a wonderful movie. Charlotte's Web isn't both.
The film stays mostly true to the values, tenets and lessons that White espoused and, as a period piece of a simpler time of Americana, it looks great as well.
This is one case where the special effects do what they are supposed to do: enhance the movie instead of taking it over.
Gary Winick's film may not be perfect, but it honors its source and captures the key elements that have made E. B. White's book a classic.
Gary Winick's version of Charlotte's Web captures the moral spirit of E.B. White's hugely popular barnyard fable.
Remember the peaceful atmosphere of bedtime storytelling? The kind that allows parent and child to take satisfaction in the story, not the teller? That's how Charlotte draws you into its web.
This adaptation adds some characters and lots of gags, but is really quite faithful to the spirit and story line of E.B. White's touching classic.
This story could be used as a wonderful learning tool for children dealing with loss.
This beloved, quintessentially American children's tale weaves sheer magic, becoming the best family film of the year.
Because this Charlotte -- eschewing animation for real humans (adorable Dakota Fanning as Fern) and real animals that seem to talk -- this Charlotte gets you.
Director Gary Winick keeps the film's modesty of scale and generosity of spirit in mind throughout. The story has a pull like few others, and Sam Shepard's narration keeps everything easy and unpretentious, in sync with White's prose.
Pork producers may not be high on it, but moviegoers are going to love Charlotte's Web.
There are pleasures to be had from a family film that doesn't scamper from one action sequence to the next.
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