This was great

Rating: Null/10 (13 May 2000)

You will like this one, I knew it would be good but was surprised at just to what a high level they have raised the stakes in animation with Iron Giant. Sure it borrows from ET a good deal, but then that borrowed from Lassie and a hundred other Boy and his Dog stories before it, too.
I was knocked out by the animation, characters(Beatnik Man was good-Connick was right on the beam), so was the kid, the govt baddie and Jennifer Aniston. Thought that they modelled her character's looks after her a little, and that helped.
They got the '50s look to it right, the music, cold war era paranoia, Maypo ads and what not. I felt that they put a lotta heart into it, and enjoyed the scenes with the boy explaining a soul to the Iron Giant on the starry rooftip quite alot.
So it used a little Christian symbolism and themes, so what? A huge chunk of the country is exactly that-and will agree with what is being said.
Being from Maine orig, I got a kick outta them setting it in my state, too.
I am sorry Warner's kinda threw this out there without pushing it the way they oughta, it is a classic and will be around for some time to come I think.
***1/2, very very good, right there with Tarzan and Beauty and the Beast.