A Nostalgic Landmark For Those Who "Lived It"

Rating: 10/10 (7 March 2017)

Most people consider "Toy Story" to be the animated movie that bridged the "playful kiddie stuff" with "sophisticated adult appeal" to produce a product that all could enjoy. However, I think that sometimes this quirky little gem is overlooked in the pantheon of animated fare as it shares many of those same "Toy Story" traits.
For a basic plot summary, "Space Jam" sees "former" (during his "baseball years") NBA great Michael Jordan (played by himself, of course!) join forces with Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, and all the other Looney Tunes gang to play a b-ball games against the evil minions of Swackhammer of Moron Mountain in Toon Land.
The reason this film works so well is two-fold:
First, it is just a great kid's movie. I mean, what kid doesn't like the Looney Tunes, right?! There are enough crazy antics to keep most kids entertained for the runtime.
The true hallmark of the film, though, is how well it stands up to "nostalgia viewers" like myself, or those who saw it "live" back in 1996. "Space Jam" took full advantage of Michael Jordan's mystique (back when the NBA was relevant to everyone and still fighting the NFL for popularity), added some great music, and even capitalized on Jordan's retirement by making it a plot point.
Simply put, "Space Jam" may be somewhat of a forgotten effort due to basketball's waning popularity, the time gone by after Jordan, and the fact that even the Looney Tunes themselves are no longer as popular as they once were. However, the cultural significance of this movie (for those who "lived it") cannot be ignored. When Jordan is flying around the court and "I Believe I Can Fly" is crooning in the background, this is pure magic for the nostalgic set.