Bolt...

Well, well, well - Pixar and Disney joined together under the tutelege of the hit machine that is John Lasseter. Bolt isn't 'Pixar at it's best', but Pixar's best is waaaaaaaay up there to start with. No, instead Bolt is just a damn good slice of CG-animated fun (and occasionally damn cute to boot).

However, while the titular hound is loveable and cuddly, it's again a case of the side characters creating a just-as-large, if not larger impression than the lead. Brooklyn-voiced, gangster-like pigeons who 'never forget a face' and a certain fanboy hamster caged in a plastic ball are the scene stealers here.

Just like in WALL.E (although WALL.E is still unbearably loveable - in the best sense), M.O. made a huge mark on the film when on screen - heck, even a cockroach became something cute - an epic feat unto itself. Anyway, it's funny how these side characters are so consistently great in these sort of films - just like in both Madagascars - the urbane chimps and the gangster-like penguin posse stole both of those movies.

Anyway, a rather solid effort - and while not up there both in terms of script and visuals as say WALL.E - it does what it sets out to do confidently and extracts a barrel-load of chuckles from you in the process. A good omen for Disney/Pixar's future methinks.