Rating: 
Summary: The innocence of E.T., the heart of Superman...
Review: We bought this movie for the kids, but after watching it the first time, we knew that this was one my wife and I could enjoy just as much as the kids. The basic plot of the movie is this: The Iron Giant, an alien robot of tremendous size and power, crash-lands on Earth for reasons unknown. Although the Giant has the power to "fix" physical damage, he has somehow been damaged mentally so that he has lost memory of all of his powers. His crash-landing does not go unnoticed by the government, which sends an agent to investigate (the story is set in 1957, at the height of Sputnik-inspired paranoia). Meanwhile, the Giant has made the acquaintance of young Hogarth Hobbs, a boy living with his working mom in a small Maine town. The whereabouts of Hogarth's dad are never explicity made clear, but you do get a brief glimpse of a photo in Hogarth's room of a fighter pilot and his plane, presumably Dad, lost in Korea (just my theory). The story pretty much revolves around the agent's attempts to find the Giant (with the aid of a few indiscretions by Hogarth, who really needs to keep better track of his stuff), and Hogarth's attempts to keep the Giant away from the government's clutches, while at the same time developing a relationship with the Giant that is very reminiscent of Elliot and E.T. Hogarth gets some help in this effot from Dean, the local hippie type who runs the local junkyard (which is good for the Giant, who needs to eat scrap metal to survive).At first, the Giant seems to be nothing more than a big robot. But, as Hogarth learns to communicate with him, we learn that the Giant has feelings and a big heart. He doesn't want to play "bad robot" to Hogarth's pretend space hero, he wants to be Superman! You can't help but like the big lug. The movie is well-written, with a lot of absolutely hilarious comedy as well as some real tear-jerker moments. The quality of the animation is top-notch, especially the scene near the end when the Giant (who can fly) is being confronted by three VERY well-drawn F-86 Sabre jets. An EXCELLENT movie, which everyone can enjoy. I can't imagine anyone not liking it. But, don't take my word for it - pick it up!
Rating:
Summary: Pass me the kleenex!
Review: First off I should admit I hate cartoons, secondly I *never* cry over movies... for years I made fun of the hubby for both, so it was a big surprise for both of us after seeing this movie and me actually sobbing uncontrollably out loud! Who ever would've suspected that a robot could display such emotion and to top it off an animated robot? But this Iron Giant does just that and incredibly well -the animation, the voice, the story, all done so well. I was touched by this movie like I've never been and I never thought I would be able to sit through an animated "kiddie" movie. This one's a definite must see for everyone. I don't know how I missed it in the theaters, but I can guarantee if I had seen it in the theaters no one would've missed me -I'd have been the one standing up applauding and shouting "woohoo!", something else I "never" do (haha!) but with this one I wouldn't have been able to help myself. Then again, maybe I wouldn't have been noticed because I'm sure the rest of the crowd would've been up applauding right along with me. I laughed, I cried, I must see it again and again! (another thing I never do...) I could go on and on about the details of this movie, but I'd rather everyone go rent this movie and see them for themselves -you won't regret it, this one's good for the soul.
Rating:
Summary: Flawless Entertainment
Review: My kids may have watched this disc enough to provide the first documented case of DVD "laser-rot". What's even more amazing is that I'm not sick of watching it with them over and over. The Giant has got to be the best fantasy-film/sci-fi character since E.T.
Rating:
Summary: Familiar, Yet New
Review: "Iron Giant" immediately stands out for an animated feature film by its passing on the claymation-on-steroids look(i.e. Shrek, the Toy Stories) for a gorgeous, fluid hand-drawn look. Yet, like Shrek and the Toy Stories, it has a good message that might be lost on younger viewers were it not so brilliantly presented. Basically, we all have good and bad in us, its CHOICE that makes us who we trully are. In the story, the metaphor is drawn effectively as Superman vs. the evil Robot. The plot is this: an intelligent but misunderstood young boy in the 1950s, raised by his single-parent mom ( a waitress, no less) finds a 100 foot robot whom he compassionately saves and reluctantly befriends. The rest of the world fears the robot and wants to destroy it(ET anyone?). Will the boy save the robot? Will the robot save the boy? The supporting characters are few but fill their roles admirably. The clueless but unconditionally loving mother. The young, beatnik artist father-figure. The evil-step-fatherish G-man who will stop at nothing to destroy the robot. It doesn't have the pop and sizzle of a "Shrek" or "Toy Story", but it draws you in deeper a it goes along. While there aren't alot of laugh out loud moments, there really isn't much drag either. There are a few nice extras (gotta love those 'making of' shorts!)but get it for the outstanding story with lush animation and a cool moral.
Rating:
Summary: For the Kid in All of Us
Review: I think I know why I missed this film the first time out. Close to 30 years ago I had read the Ted Hughes story (or rather, had it read to me as a boy back in the Boston Public School system by a real hip 3rd grade teacher). I don't like my childhood memories spoiled by revisionist filmmakers, so I chose not to see the movie. Furthermore, I argued, there is not enough in that little story to make a full length movie. Boy, was I wrong.My kids love the film. I love the film. I went out afterwards and bought the COASTERS best of CD so that I could sing along: "Gonna find her, gonna find her--if I had to swim a river, you know I will, if I had to climb a mountain, you know I will, if she's hiding up on blueberry hill--." You get the picture. It took me back, way back.
Rating: 
Summary: More for the kids...
Review: As an anime fan, I found this movie mildly entertaining but the kids love it.
Rating:
Summary: One of the best 1999 films.
Review: Along with Stuart Little and Toy Story 2,this film is one of the best 1999 films. Here is the plot:
In the early 1950`s,Hogarth Hughes (Eli Marienthal) believes a crazy Mr.Sputz (M.Emmet Walsh)story. Later that night,a giant mettal robot (Vin Diesel) attacks the power station. The next day he belives that he can capture the giant...as he does. He and the giant become friends untill an FBI agent (Christopher MacDonald)moves in with him. The mettal monster stays at Dean Mcopins (Henry Conick Jr)scrap yard. When the army comes with the general(John Mahoney) to attack the robot.As they can hope the giant and Hogarth escape....
Rating:
Summary: The Power Of Friendship
Review: Heart-warming, feel-good, child-centered parable which delivers a message about anti-violence and hope. Military stereotyping generated discussion. Excellent animation. Contains violence which is relevant to telling the story. Enjoyed the rural Maine setting. The children felt sorry for the Iron Giant. Some kids were glued to the screen. "Hogarth was afraid of the Iron Giant, but he saved him anyway." "It showed how to be friendly to someone who is different from you." Best for ages 8 to 12.
Rating:
Summary: Guilty!
Review: I, too, was guilty of falling prey to the extremely bad marketing of this quiet, powerful movie. Because of that, I did not go to see it when it was released, and it was just gone too fast for me to reconsider. But, I caught it on cable one day, and immediately knew that I'd made a mistake. This is probably one of the very best animated films I've seen since the classics of my childhood; movies such as "Gay Puree", and "Hoppity Goes to Town". First of all, its set in a time and a world (Cold War 1957) into which I was born, and it captures that atmosphere flawlessly. It is emotionally true to both the time and the events of that day. And, like the reviewer before me, I was suddenly, powerfully, and quite unexpectedly reduced to tears at the movie's end. I never thought the three words, "I love you", so simply stated, could bring me down like that (or the selfless act that inspired them). I must have this film in my collection now.
Rating: 
Summary: Very entertaining movie.
Review: This is the type of wondrous film that I yearned for as a kid. I still enjoyed it as an adult. The story is predictable at times, and a little bit simplified for the children in the audience. Yet it still gets to you, and makes you wide eyed and young at heart. Extremely young children might not quite get the ending, so parents might be advised to screen it first (at the worst, they will probably end up seeing a film THEY liked).
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