My friend Rachel told me that she wouldn’t check out my site again until I reviewed Charlotte’s Web. So, Rachel, this one is for you.

Charlotte’s Web was originally published in 1952, but technology is now at a point where a faithful live-action film version can finally be made.

Paramount and Walden Media have assembled a truly all-star cast, which is easy when most of their roles only require a few days of voiceover work. You won’t see them, but you’ll hear Julia Roberts, Steve Buscemi, Oprah Winfrey, John Cleese, Kathy Bates, Thomas Haden Church, Robert Redford, and more. Steve Buscemi sounds exactly as I’d always imagined Templeton the Rat would sound. As much as I love Julia Roberts, though, she sounds like she is reading aloud at story hour. I don’t see Charlotte; I see a spider and I hear Julia Roberts.

Dakota Fanning lends some star power to the live-action cast. She is the only person who is young enough to play Fern and guarantee a big opening weekend. It’s nice to see her in an age appropriate role, unlike her next project. She has the rest of her life to be an adult.

The bottom line is that it is always difficult to make a good book into a good movie, and it is even more difficult when the book is as beloved as Charlotte’s Web. I mean, come on, who hasn’t read the book? But doesn’t that trailer just give you the warm fuzzies? Don’t we all need more miracles? It looks like this is going to be Some Movie, so I say SEE IT!

Charlotte’s Web is rated G and opens on December 15. (Official Site)

-posted by Julie