Charlotte's Web is a charming children's movie perfect for half term and particularly a smart choice for those looking for 'Babe 3'. Not that this is Babe 3 sequel but it could so easily be seen as it (that's not a bad thing!). Cute little girl actress Dakota Fanning plays Fern who saves a cute little porker from being killed by her father and instead raises the piglet in her Dad's barn.

The little runt Wilbur finds it tough to get to know his fellow animals - sheep, goats, cows and a horse who have seen it all before (voiced beautifully by the likes of John Cleese, Kathy Bates and Oprah Winfrey) so the little pig (with a Babe type voice courtesy of Dominic Scott Kay) has to make do with getting to know a reluctant rat (Steve Buscemi) and a teensy-weensy spider Charlotte (Julia Roberts).

All is not plain-sailing though. As the other animals are keen to tell Wilbur that if he's not careful he won't see the other side of Christmas and will be turned into bacon sarnies. Charlotte the spider though has other ideas and will stop at nothing to try to attract the kind of attention for Wilbur that will save him from the abattoir. To achieve success though, she's going to have to engage a selfish rat to see through her plans.

Charlotte's Web is a delight - much like the Babe films, it doesn't take itself too seriously. It's good wholesome stuff and it has that magical edge that makes you just want to go along with it, adults and children alike. Steve Buscemi steals the show as the festering rat merely because he's got all the best lines, but he's ably backed up by Dakota Fanning, Julia Roberts and Dominic Scott Ray. There is no better film to take the pre-teens to this week, and particularly if they loved the Babe films. Those fearful of spiders should even come to see this film - but just be prepared to comfort any wee ones who may take the tragic-comic ending too much to heart.