Animated selection
By Rama Gaind
STORYTELLING at its best, Bolt is a Disney 3-D animated adventure which sees a cute canine with special powers who stars on a weekly television series, but thinks he’s really a superhero.
Voiced by John Travolta, Bolt works alongside his owner Penny (Miley Cyrus) to save the world from the evil Dr Calico (Malcolm McDowell).
A series of accidents sets him loose on the real world and he embarks from New York on a journey back to Hollywood, aided by a cynical alley cat named Mittens (voiced by Susie Essman). When they find themselves in a park begging for food they meet a TV-addicted hamster named Rhino (brilliantly voiced by a Disney animator named Mark Walton).
The hamster recognises Bolt from his show and convinces the pair to let him join them on their travels.
While each twist and turn of this animated road adventure might be predictable, the action sequences are well created, graphic detail is spot-on and the story’s quick tempo make for enjoyable viewing.
THAT lovable group of escaped New York City Zoo animals in the original, return for an animated, musical tale in the colourful Madagascar – Escape 2 Africa.
A bungled escape from Madagascar lands them on the plains of Africa where the opportunity is rife for most of them to meet their relatives.
Ben Stiller is the voice of Alex the lion, David Schwimmer is Melman the giraffe, Chris Rock is Marty the zebra and Jada Pinkett Smith is Gloria the hippo.
This will be a treat for the young ones.
TALE of Despereaux is one animated film that appears to be overly cluttered, but it features a surplus of celebrity voices: Matthew Broderick, Robbie Coltrane, Dustin Hoffman, Richard Jenkins, Emma Watson and Tracey Ullman.
It tells the story of a brave and courteous mouse who befriends a human princess.
Borrowing from other celluloid works including Ratatouille and Flushed Away are obvious traits.
