Bolt (2008)

Bolt is a blast of pure fun from Disney with a well-drawn story that plays like it's from Pixar. Bolt is The Incredibles meets The Truman Show before it becomes Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey. It's about believing in yourself and facing down disillusionment -- choosing to stand in the gap as if saving the day depends on you (even though others help close the gap because you're not alone except for that crucial decisive moment). The animation is excellent and the story is paced at a good clip with lots of chuckle- and bellylaugh-inducing humor. I love the premise of Bolt and this movie caught the attention of everyone in the theatre from the opening scene, which gave us Bolt as a cute puppy meeting his new owner. (You could hear the coos throughout the audience, esp. from my 11-year-old viewing partner.) John Travolta and all the voice talent did excellent work and I was impressed with Miley Cyrus' vocals in the soundtrack. I'd love to see Bolt again and so, I suspect, would any child. 5 stars. (12-11-08)