It Came From Outer Space!

Starring: (the voices of) Jennifer Aniston, Eli Marienthal, Harry Connick Jr., Vin Diesel, Cloris Leachman, James Gammon, Christopher McDonald, John Mahoney

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★☆ - near perfect

"I know you feel bad about the deer, but it's not your fault. Things die. That's part of life. It's bad to kill, but it's not bad to die." - Hogarth Hughes

Why watch this? ... a boy finds an unlikely friend when a mysterious metal giant becomes sentient.

Plot Summary: Set in 1957, during the Cold War, a young boy named Hogarth Hughes discovers and befriends a giant robot that has crash-landed near his town in Maine. Hogarth attempts to protect the robot from a paranoid government agent and the U.S. military, who are determined to find and destroy the giant. With the help of beatnik artist Dean McCoppin, Hogarth tries to teach the Giant about life and prevent him from becoming the weapon his creators intended.

Dad's Preview: This is one of the best non-Disney animated efforts from the 90's. When a massive iron robot crash lands on earth, the bump on the head somehow causes it to become "alive". A fatherless boy, Hogarth, stumbles upon the friendly giant. Their interactions are fun and wonderful, as the iron man becomes more and more human. As par for the course, the Army wants to reclaim their "project" (designed for warfare), even if it means destroying him. The all-star voice cast hits every mark. This heart-warming flick will also leave a mark on your heartstrings.

Warner Bros. Feature Animations; Warner Bros.