They Might Be Giants … Movie Review

Many children's films, both animated and live-action, fall into the epic category. The viewer might also consider the following animated classics: Charlotte's Web (1972), the story of the runt of the litter whose life is saved by a spider who can write; The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe (1993), the story of four children's trip to enchanted Narnia with the great lion Aslan; and the seasonal Muppet's Christmas Carol (1993), a funny and musical recreation of Dickens' favorite tale of Scrooge and Tiny Tim with a cast of cuddly muppets.

There are also a host of newer generation Disney animated epics: Beauty and the Beast (1992), where the lovely and spirited Belle meets and tames the Beast with a kind, hidden heart; Aladdin (1993), a high-energy romp through the Arabian nights classic with Robin Williams as the voice of the unforgettable blue genie; The Lion King (1994), a coming of age story of Simba the African lion cub; Pocahontas (1996), which recreates the American legend of the Indian princess who risked her life to make peace with the white settlers; and Toy Story (1996), a new kind of movie altogether, entirely computer animated, with an epic cast of toy characters having adventures in and out of the nursery.

Epic live-action is available in abundance as well. From the beloved story of the classic nanny Mary Poppins (1964), which won Julie Andrews an Oscar, to the exotic island adventure Swiss Family Robinson, complete with tree house and pet ostrich, to the action-packed Disney retelling of The Jungle Book (1994) and the game-become-real tale of Jumanji (1995), lots of fantasy adventure and fun await children and the adults who watch with them. Of course, you'll find the occasional film that will test your patience, like Robert Altman's Popeye, with Robin Williams in the lead.