‘Bolt’ is tried-and-true fun, but nothing special

• BOLT STARS: John Travolta, Miley Cyrus and Susie Essman.
• DIRECTOR: John Lasseter.
• LENGTH: 96 min.
• RATING: PG (some mild action and peril)

Photo by The Associated Press

Animated characters, from left, Bolt, Mittens and Rhino in “Bolt.”

Harmless as a puppy, "Bolt" comes bounding into theaters, stumbling over its big, goofy paws, wagging its fluffy tail and begging to play ball.

It's sweet and eager to please but, sadly, nothing terribly special: Girl finds dog, girl loses dog, girl gets dog back. You've seen this sort of thing countless times before, namely in any movie with the word "Lassie" in the title.

But if you happen to be a girl who loves dogs, you may find yourself wiping away a tear or two.

This animated 3-D adventure follows a scrappy, white shelter mutt named Bolt (voiced by John Travolta) who isn't a superhero, but he plays one on TV. Trouble is, he has no idea he's an actor in a role. He thinks he's really saving plucky, young Penny (Miley Cyrus) – his "person," as he's so proud to call her – from bad guys and explosions over and over again.

When Bolt accidentally gets shipped across the country from Hollywood to New York City, in a totally contrived fashion, he must make that tried-and-true, intrepid trek back home. Travolta, so often pigeonholed as a tough guy or an idiot or both, shows some lovely glimmers of vulnerability here, especially once he realizes he's just a normal dog after all.

Along the way, he befriends the street-wise, wisecracking alley cat, Mittens (Susie Essman in a slightly less vulgar mode than you'd find her on "Curb Your Enthusiasm"), and the overeager, overfed hamster Rhino (the scene-stealing Mark Walton), who's obsessed with television and is totally psyched about the prospect of being Bolt's crime-fighting sidekick. A sort of small, furry Louie Anderson look-alike, the delusional hamster is an undeniable hoot, but "Bolt" goes to him a few times too many for the reliable laugh; a little of Rhino goes a long way.

"Bolt" is the first animated feature created and executed under longtime Pixar guru John Lasseter, but it lacks the complexity of story and depth of character you so often find in previous Pixar releases such as "Toy Story," "Monsters Inc.," "The Incredibles" and this year's outstanding "WALL-E." The film is familiar rather than groundbreaking, safe when it should be moving. Call it an occupational hazard: Lasseter is too good at what he does; it's not a terrible problem to have.

As for the 3-D, it will suffice. "Bolt" could have survived without it and still have been as diverting. Thankfully, it doesn't fling anything at you gratuitously, nor does it envelop you wholly like last year's "Beowulf." Rather, with the help of some sturdy dark glasses, the 3-D effect provides "Bolt" with a pleasing sense of texture, an effortless tangibility in the blades of grass or the hair on the back of the lost pup's neck.

At the helm this time are Chris Williams and Byron Howard, veteran animators making their directing debut. "Bolt" certainly moves along at a lively clip that will satisfy both kids and adults, but the script (from Williams and Dan Fogelman) is a little too Hollywood-insider, which isn't exactly novel in this age of "Entourage." The director of the "Bolt" TV series (voiced with typical pomposity by James Lipton) obsesses over a boom mike in the frame. Penny's slick, shallow agent (Greg Germann) wants her to get over the loss of her furry friend and accept another, similar white dog as her co-star.

Meanwhile, the real Bolt has been trying to navigate the perils of the real world with no superpowers: "If I stare at the lock really hard, it'll burst into flames and melt," he insists earnestly. No such luck.

He does, however, run into a trio of pigeons who have a script to pitch once he makes it back to L.A. So maybe "Bolt" is a documentary after all.

'Twilight, Bolt' Top This Week's New Movie Releasest

Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson star in 'Twilight,' which promises to draw young audiences to theaters in droves.

It's a something-for-everyone weekend at the box office, but as far as generating eager anticipation, one title stands out: "Twilight," the vampire romance based on the wildly popular book series.

The film, starring Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson, is targeted squarely at the teen market -- that unique market segment that tends toward repeated viewings of their favorite movies -- and judging by the amount of swooning I've witnessed in discussions with various people about the film, you can expect the film to enjoy a brisk opening.

Even then, though, it'll have competition. Chief among them: the new animated dog tale "Bolt," featuring the voices of Miley Cyrus and John Travolta. Not only is it an animated, family-friendly adventure -- a genre that always seems to do well, as proven by "Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa" a couple of weeks ago -- but its also got the Disney name attached to it, which is always a help.

Not all of this week's films are for young audiences, though. Here's a rundown of all the movies expected to open this Friday (Nov. 21), with the essential details a links to trailers where available:

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A scene from Disney's newest animated feature, 'Bolt.'

"BOLT" (Find the trailer here.)

A TV-star dog gets a rude awakening when he finds himself stranded in the real word -- and absent any actual superpowers. Miley Cyrus and John Travolta lend their voices to the latest animated adventure from Walt Disney Pictures. It is being released in 3-D and 2-D formats (Although only one local theater, the Grand in Slidell, is expected to show it in 3-D.) Rated PG for some mild action and peril. 1 hour 36 minutes.
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Asa Butterfield, left, and Vera Farmiga in a scene from 'The Boy in the Striped Pajamas.'

"THE BOY IN THE STRIPED PAJAMAS" (Find the trailer here.)

World War II, as seen through the eyes of the young son of a German officer at a concentration camp who befriends a Jewish boy on the other side of the fence. Asa Butterfield and Zac Mattoon O'Brien star in director Mark Herman's drama. Rated PG-13 for some mature thematic material involving the Holocaust. 1 hour 33 minutes.
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Lina Leandersson in the Swedish horror film 'Let the Right One In.'

"LET THE RIGHT ONE IN" (Find the trailer here.)

Watch out, "Twilight" -- there's another vampire love story in town, in the form of this Swedish film about a bullied boy who finds friendship and strength in a peculiar girl with a ghastly secret. Named best narrative feature at this year's Tribeca Film Festival. In Swedish, with subtitles. Kare Hedebrant and Lina Leandersson star in director Thomas Alfredson's horror-romance. Rated R for some bloody violence including disturbing images, brief nudity and language. 1 hour 54 minutes.
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Philip Seymour Hoffman and Samantha Morton in 'Synecdoche, New York.'

"SYNECDOCHE, NEW YORK" (Find the trailer here.)

Left-of-center screenwriter Charlie Kaufman ("Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind") directs for the first time in a dramatic feature about a neurotic New York theater director who embarks on his magnum opus, which involves turning an emormous warehouse into a stage that mimics the real life going on outside. Philip Seymour Hoffman, Samantha Morton, Catherine Keener and Hope Davis star. Rated R for language and some sexual content/nudity. 2 hours 4 minutes.
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Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson in 'Twilight.'

"TWILIGHT" (Find the trailer here.)

Young readers -- and more than a few not-so-young ones -- are already swooning over this horror-thriller-romance that chased "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" to next summer. Based on the wildly popular book series about a girl who falls in love with a vampire, it stars Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart (who just put the finishing touches on the New Orleans-shot drama "Welcome to the Rileys" with James Gandolfini). Catherine Hardwicke directs. Rated PG-13 for some violence and a scene of sensuality. 2 hours 2 minutes.

'enlarge Melman the giraffe, voiced by David Schwimmer, Gloria the hippo, voiced by Jada Pinkett Smith, Alex the lion, voice' serves up same menagerie

• MADAGASCAR: Escape 2 Africa STARS: Ben Stiller, Chris Rock and David Schwimmer.
• DIRECTORS: Eric Darnell and Tom McGrath.
• LENGTH: 89 min.
• RATING: PG (Some mild crude humor).

Photo by The Associated Press

A giraffe in love with a hippo, a zebra with an identity crisis, a lion desperate to win his newfound daddy's respect – the makers of "Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa" could have plunked their heroes down in a therapist's office for an animals-with-issues session.

Instead, they maroon them on the African mainland for what amounts to more of the same: a shrill retread of the 2005 animated hit "Madagascar."

Voice stars Ben Stiller, Chris Rock, David Schwimmer and Jada Pinkett Smith return, along with Sacha Baron Cohen and Cedric the Entertainer.

Operating on the principle that the bigger the menagerie, the merrier the movie, the filmmakers tack on fresh characters to the point of distraction, with the late Bernie Mac among the newcomers as dad to Stiller's Alex the lion.

Whether or not they've seen or remember the original flick, young kids will eat up this manic mess, a nonstop rush of slapstick and jabbering dialogue. The noise and mayhem will annoy, or at least bore, most parents, who can take some solace in the movie's brisk running time.

Eric Darnell and Tom McGrath, who made the first movie, return to direct and co-write "Escape 2 Africa," with Etan Cohen sharing screenplay credit.

They keep the story simple, picking up where "Madagascar" left Alex and his fellow pampered zoo animals, Marty the zebra (Rock), Melman the giraffe (Schwimmer) and Gloria the hippo (Pinkett Smith).

Still stranded in Madagascar, off the mainland coast, the foursome strap in to a derelict plane rebuilt by their pesky penguin comrades for the return to New York. The rickety contraption crashes on the plains of Africa, where Alex is reunited with his parents (Mac and Sherri Shepherd), from whom he was separated as a toddler after poachers captured him.

Alec Baldwin chimes in as a devious lion conniving to oust Mac as leader of the pride, while Cohen delivers another obnoxious vocal turn as lemur King Julien, with Cedric back as his flunky.

Co-director McGrath reprises his vocals for penguin boss Skipper, again eerily sounding like the ghost of Phil Hartman doing one of his voices for "The Simpsons." Singer will.i.am of the Black Eyed Peas is a Barry White sound-alike as ladies man hippo.

To its credit, "Escape 2 Africa" does maintain a distinct visual style amid today's animation overload of cookie-cutter critters that blend together from one movie to the next. The landscapes are vast and vivid, while the geometric shapes that go into the characters' design lend them a distinct look.

With so many characters to cram in and not much for many of them to do, "Escape 2 Africa" ends up a choppy, episodic affair.

The main players all have their own little subplots: Alex aiming to prove himself to papa, Marty trying to find his individuality among a herd of indistinguishable zebras, Gloria looking for love and Melman desperate to show that he's the man for her, despite their extreme genetic differences.

Giraffe-hippo romance aside, there's nothing remotely challenging – or for the most part, interesting – about any of this. Children who were big fans of the first movie just three years ago may have long since outgrown the superficiality served up in the sequel.

MOVIE REVIEWS NEW RELEASES

AUSTRALIA An English aristocrat inherits an Australian ranch the size of Maryland. When English cattle barons plot to take her land, she reluctantly joins forces with a rough-hewn cattle driver to drive 2,000 head of cattle across hundreds of miles of the country's most unforgiving land, only to still face the bombing of Darwin by the Japanese forces that had attacked Pearl Harbor only months earlier.

• Starring Nicole Kidman, Hugh Jackman and David Wenham.
• This film is not yet rated.

BOLT For super-dog Bolt, every day is filled with adventure, danger and intrigue – at least until the cameras stop rolling. When the star of a hit TV show is accidentally shipped from his Hollywood soundstage to New York City, he begins his biggest adventure yet – a cross-country journey through the real world to get back to his owner and co-star, Penny. Armed only with the delusions that all his amazing feats and powers are real, and the help of two unlikely traveling companions – a jaded, abandoned housecat named Mittens and a TV-obsessed hamster named Rhino – Bolt discovers he doesn't need superpowers to be a hero. (96 min.)

• With the voices of John Travolta, Miley Cyrus and Susie Essman.
• PG: Some mild action and peril.

FOUR CHRISTMASES When upscale, happily unmarried San Francisco couple Kate and Brad find themselves socked in by fog on Christmas morning, their exotic vacation plans morph into the family-centric holiday they had, until now, gleefully avoided. Out of obligation – and unable to escape – they trudge to not one, not two, but four relative-choked festivities, increasingly mortified to find childhood fears raised, adolescent wounds reopened and their very future together uncertain. As Brad counts the hours to when he can get away from their parents, step-parents, siblings and an assortment of nieces and nephews, Kate is starting to hear the ticking of a different kind of clock. And by the end of the day, she is beginning to wonder if their crazy families' choices are not so crazy after all. (82 min.)

• Starring Vince Vaughn, Reese Witherspoon and Robert Duvall.
• PG-13: Some sexual humor and language.

TRANSPORTER 3 Frank Martin has been pressured into transporting Valentina, the kidnapped daughter of Leonid Vasilev, the head of the Environmental Protection Agency for the Ukraine, from Marseilles through Stuttgart and Budapest until he ends up in Odessa on the Black Sea. Along the way, with the help of Inspector Tarconi, Frank has to contend with the people who strong armed him to take the job, agents sent by Vasilev to intercept him, and the general non-cooperation of his passenger. Despite Valentina's cynical disposition and his resistance to get involved, Frank and Valentina fall for each other, while escaping from one life-threatening situation after another. (100 min.)

• Starring Jason Statham, Francois Berleand and Robert Knepper.
• PG-13: Sequences of intense action and violence, some sexual content and drug material.

TWILIGHT Bella Swan has always been a bit different, never fitting in with the girls at her school. When Bella is sent to live with her father in the rainy little town of Forks, Wash., she doesn't expect much to change. Then she meets the mysterious and dazzlingly beautiful Edward Cullen, a boy unlike any she's ever met. Edward is a vampire, but he doesn't have fangs and his family is unique in that they choose not to drink human blood. Edward has been waiting 90 years for a soul mate, which he finds in Bella. They are soon swept up in a passionate and unorthodox romance. Edward must struggle to resist the primal pull of her scent, which could send him into an uncontrollable frenzy. But what will they do when a clan of new vampires – James, Laurent and Victoria – come to town and threaten to disrupt their way of life? (120 min.)

• Starring Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson and Billy Burke.
• PG-13: Some violence and a scene of sensuality.

CURRENT MOVIES

APPALOOSA A pair of hired guns in the Old West territory of New Mexico come to clean up a dangerous town run by a ruthless, powerful rancher and his band of outlaws. While boldly bringing new order to the town, the two fearless lawmen meet a provocative outsider whose unconventional ways threaten to destroy their decade-old bond. (114 min.)

• Starring Ed Harris, Viggo Mortensen and Renee Zellweger.
• R: some violence and language.

BEVERLY HILLS CHIHUAHUA Chloe, a diamond-clad, bootie wearing Beverly Hills Chihuahua, enjoys her luxurious lifestyle so much, she hardly notices Papi, a hilarious Chihuahua who happens to be crazy for Chloe. But when the most pampered pooch gets lost in Mexico with only a street-wise German Shepherd to help her find her way home, Papi heads south of the border – joining forces with a motley crew: three dogs, two humans, a sly rat and a nervous iguana – to rescue his true love. (85 min.)

• Starring Drew Barrymore, Piper Perabo and Jamie Lee Curtis.
• PG: Some mild thematic elements.

THE CHANGELING In 1928 Los Angeles, single mother Christine Collins arrives home to find her son, Walter, gone. Five months later, her prayers are answered and Walter is found in Illinois. But, to Christine's horror, the boy who steps off the train is not her son. The authorities vehemently disagree with Christine's assessment, and her only ally is a clergyman, who sees the case as his chance to expose the corruptness of L.A.'s police and government. (142 min.)

• Starring Angelina Jolie, John Malkovich and Jeffrey Donovan.
• R: Some violent and disturbing content and language.

EAGLE EYE Jerry Shaw and Rachel Holloman are two strangers thrown together by a mysterious phone call from a woman they have never met. Threatening their lives and family, she pushes Jerry and Rachel into a series of increasingly dangerous situations – using the technology of everyday life to track and control their every move. As the situation escalates, these two ordinary people become the country's most wanted fugitives, who must work together to discover what is really happening – and more importantly, why. (118 min.)

• Starring Shia LaBeouf, Michelle Monaghan and Rosario Dawson.
• PG-13: Intense sequences of action and violence, and for language.

THE HAUNTING OF MOLLY HARTLEY In this tale of spellbinding suspense, something evil lurks just beneath the lush surfaces of teenaged girl's private school world – and it holds the rights to her very soul. Now, on the eve of her 18th birthday, Molly Hartley is about to discover the truth of just who, or rather what, it is she is destined to become. (87 min.)

• Starring Haley Bennett, Chace Crawford and Shannon Marie Woodward.
• PG-13: Strong thematic material, violence and terror, brief strong language and some teen drinking.

HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL 3: SENIOR YEAR Troy and Gabriella facing the prospect of separation as they head off in different directions to college. Joined by the rest of the Wildcats, they stage an elaborate spring musical reflecting their experiences, hopes and fears about their future. (100 min.)

• Starring Zac Efron, Vanessa Hudgens and Ashley Tisdale.
• G.

MADAGASCAR: ESCAPE 2 AFRICA Alex, Marty, Melman, Gloria, King Julien, Maurice and the penguins and the chimps find themselves marooned on the distant shores of Madagascar. In the face of this obstacle, the New Yorkers have hatched a plan so crazy it just might work. With military precision, the penguins have repaired an old crashed plane – sort of. Once aloft, this unlikely crew stays airborne just long enough to make it to the wildest place of all – the vast plains of Africa, where the members of our zoo-raised crew encounter species of their own kind for the very first time. Africa seems like a great place – but is it better than their Central Park home? (89 min.)

• With the voices of Ben Stiller, Chris Rock and David Schwimmer.
• PG: Some mild crude humor.

QUANTUM OF SOLACE Following the betrayal and death of Vesper Lynd, James Bond makes his next mission personal. The hunt for those who blackmailed his lover leads Bond to ruthless businessman Dominic Greene, a key player in the organization which coerced Vesper. Bond learns that Greene is plotting to gain total control of a vital natural resource, and must navigate a minefield of danger and treachery to foil Greene's plan. (106 min.)

• Starring Daniel Craig, Olga Kurylenko and Mathieu Amalric.
• PG-13: Intense sequences of violence and action and some sexual content.

ROLE MODELS Two salesmen trash a company truck on an energy drink-fueled bender. Upon their arrest, the court gives them a choice: do hard time or spend 150 service hours with a mentorship program. After one day with the kids, however, jail doesn't look half bad. Surrounded by annoying do-gooders, Danny struggles with his every neurotic impulse to guide Augie through the trials of becoming a man. Unfortunately, the guy just dumped by his girlfriend has only sarcasm to offer a bashful 16-year-old obsessed with medieval role play. Meanwhile, charming Wheeler tries to trade in an addiction to partying and women to assist a fifth-grader named Ronnie redirect his foul-mouthed ways. It would probably help if Ronnie's new mentor wasn't an overgrown adolescent whose idea of quality time includes keggers in Venice Beach. Once the center's ex-con director gives them an ultimatum, Danny and Wheeler are forced to tailor their brand of immature wisdom to their charges. (95 min.)

• Starring Seann William Scott, Paul Rudd and Elizabeth Banks.
• R: Crude and sexual content, strong language and nudity.

SAW V In the fifth installment of the "Saw" franchise, Hoffman is seemingly the last person alive to carry on the Jigsaw legacy. But, when his secret is threatened, he must go on the hunt to eliminate all loose ends. (88 min.)

• Starring Tobin Bell, Julie Benz and Meagan Good.
• R: Sequences of grisly bloody violence and torture, language and brief nudity.

THE SECRET LIFE OF BEES Haunted by memories of her late mother, 14-year-old Lily Owens runs away with her friend and caregiver Rosaleen to the South Carolina town that holds the key to her mother's past. There, Lily meets the Boatwright sisters, who take her in and teach her about beekeeping, honey and the Black Madonna. (110 min.)

• Starring Dakota Fanning, Jennifer Hudson and Queen Latifah.
• PG-13: Thematic material and some violence.

SOUL MEN Old animosities re-emerge when two estranged singers embark on a reunion tour to honor their late bandleader. (103 min.)

• Starring Samuel L. Jackson, Bernie Mac and Sharon Leal.
• R: Pervasive language and sexual content, including nudity.

ZACK AND MIRI MAKE A PORNO Two friends get into the amateur porn business to combat their rising debt, only to realize their underlying feelings for each other while doing so. (101 min.)

• Starring Seth Rogen, Elizabeth Banks and Craig Robinson.
• R: Strong crude sexual content including dialogue, graphic nudity and pervasive language.

Wall-E : DVD Review

Of all the references that come to mind with the phrase “robot love” Wall-E must be about the most cheerfully innocent – as well as being the most inarticulate for the first half hour or so. Laboring tirelessly away for seven hundred years among the ruins of some unnamed Earth city, compacting endless mounds of trash into neat cubes and stacking them up in orderly rows, Wall-E is hard-working, but creative and after a long exile with no other companion but a cheerful little cockroach – about to fall in love with his robotic Eve. Who really is named EVE – a sleek white survey ‘droid, come venturing back to earth to see if it has become fit for humans to return from centuries-long exile on a luxury space ship run almost completely-run by robots. Computer animation allows the ‘look’ of Wall-E to be as visually rich as any three classic Disney efforts put together – the piles of junk on earth are all individual, and detailed to the nth degree. Wall-E is as endearing and sympathetic a character as has ever been made from a mechanical object, shyly courting the object of his affections and following her back into space and defeating the machinations – literally machinations – of the robotic first mate of said luxury space ship. Because EVE is bearing a secret with her… but that would give away the plot, such as it is.

One of the most creative aspects about this release comes at the very first; the packaging of the set itself; entirely in light card-stock, which admittedly may not wear very well – but it the holders for the three discs slide out in panels from each side – a very clever and retro space age in design, as well as being ecologically sensitive. The persistence of garbage is one of the points of this movie.

The extras are generous, including a whole additional disc with the movie in digital version. Of the expected extras, the most amusing (and cringe-inducing) are the shorts about the inner workings of the Buy n Large Corporation, and the ‘bot files – all about the various service robots who do the work that humans have apparently moved beyond doing. (They have moved beyond anything except being zipped around on something that resembles an animated barca-lounger, and expanded accordingly.) One interesting feature was about how the robots were designed; apparently all kinds of current technology was studied for insights into how to make Wall-E convincing and believable.

This being Pixar, the outstanding extra short “Burn-E” – about a continually frustrated maintenance robot – is right up there with the space aliens in “Lifted”. Wall-E is available from Amazon.com, and from other commercial outlets.

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