Charlotte's Web

Based on the award-winning book by New Yorker writer E. B. White, Charlotte's Web has come to the screen once before as an animated film. This time it comes courtesy of many of the techniques used in Babe, where live animals have the voices of actors. Charlotte herself, voiced by Julia Roberts, is computer-generated. As the trailer credits show, the cast is all-star. However, the final effect, despite an attempt to be faithful to the book, lacks E. B. White's style and charm. After all, he was a novelist and essay writer. So re-read the book, then enjoy the movie—on its own terms. Opened in theaters December 15th.