PIG TALES.
Wilbur, a piglet, knows that when the snow is coming his life will soon be over, but a spider called Charlotte has a plan to keep him alive. The second film version of the beloved E.B. White novel (the first came in 1973) uses computer animation to humanize the animals; it looks great and the stars delivering the voices do it enthusiastically. The depiction of life in the country looks like it usually does in commercials; everything is a little too rosy, but director Gary Winick delivers on the whole and it’s refreshing to see a children’s movie address difficult issues.
2006-U.S. 97 min. Color. Directed by Gary Winick. Novel: E.B. White. Cast: Dakota Fanning (Fern), Kevin Anderson (Mr. Arable), Beau Bridges (Dr. Dorian). Voices of Julia Roberts (Charlotte), Dominic Scott Kay (Wilbur), Robert Redford (Ike), Steve Buscemi, John Cleese, Oprah Winfrey… Cedric the Entertainer, Kathy Bates, Reba McEntire, Thomas Haden Church, André Benjamin, Sam Elliott.
Trivia: Tim Burton allegedly considered directing the film.
