Annie: It's a hard knocks flick

Quvenzhané Wallis as Annie

Quvenzhané Wallis deserves better than this. 

The little girl who dazzled us in Beasts of the Southern Wild has star power to spare. It just isn't fair that she's stuck in a lackluster remake of this wonderful show-turned-movie.

Almost everything is this film is off. Take Sandy, the shaggy-haired dog Annie befriends. Here he's a tidy, short-haired pooch, making the Movie Slut wonder if someone in the movie had a dog-hair allergy.

And then there's the music, so excellent in the original. Why were three new unmemorable songs added?

Even Cameron Diaz, who seems made for the part of the wickedly funny Miss Hannigan, is off her game.

The MS could go on, but why beat a dead dog, long or short haired. If you want a dose of the-sun-will-come-out-tomorrow optimism, the 1977 version is still available.