Dir. Byron Howard, Chris Williams
Writ. Dan Fogelman, Chris Williams, Byron Howard, Jared Stern
Act. John Travolta, Miley Cyrus, Mark Walton

As sad as this film year has been, this one is actually one of my favorite for 2008.

Bolt, an American White Shepherd, voiced by John Travolta (Hairspray), has lived his whole life on the set of his action TV show, where he believes he has superpowers.

When accidentally seperated from the studio and from his loving owner Penny, the show's child star, he ends up in New York where he forces a local alley cat, whom he believes is an agent for his arch nemesis to help him return to the girl.

Along the way, they team up with one of Bolt's most devoted fans, a hamster named Rhino. Soon Bolt's adventure back to Hollywood reveals the truth of his situation, forcing him to learn how to simply be a dog and not a false super hero.

I have to admit. This movie got to me, especially in the third act when Bolt was trying to save Penny from a fire in the studio's soundstage.

This one is maybe one of the most enjoyable movies of the year. It's a good balance of elements marketed to kids but with JUST enough adult jokes. That's not to say it deserves a more mature rating, but rather there are simply gags kids won't understand…much like Shrek 2.

For that, I appreciated the material and was entertained, AND allowed myself to give in to the picture's sappy and heart-string moments.

The only couple problems I had with the movie is, there should have been a big revealing moment for Bolt when he finds out he's just a dog on a TV show and not a superhero. The Cat finds out first and tries to tell him, and eventually Bolt figures it out, but the film missed a HUGE moment by doing it that way.

I compare it to a moment-if I am allowed to envoke the holy Pixar-in Toy Story when Buzz Lightyear finally realizes he's just a toy. It's THAT moment Bolt lacks.

The other thing wrong with the movie is, it IS pretty conventional in spots; however, for the payoffs of kudos, it's a good balance.

The MOST laughs from the picture comes from the hamster Rhino, voiced by Mark Walton. The character was a funny dynamic between Bolt and the cat as characters. Rhino KNEW Bolt was a TV show but still believed the dog still had the superpowers. Eventually, the hamster didn't care when he learned the truth and decided to become his own superhero.

In fact, overall the picture had decent character development altogether. It's a good ride for both adults and kids, with plenty of laughs and heart-warming goodies in the end.

There's not much more you can ask for from a cinema year like this one.

Benn - Where's the Humanity?