An American Tail

Rating: G

Movie Release Date: November 21, 1986

DVD Release Date: January 20, 2004

Plot 411: An animated film about the immigration of the Mousekewitz family to America, a land where there are no cats.

Review: I used to love this film when I was younger. Fievel (Phillip Glasser) is a young mouse who is separated from his family when he gets washed overboard on the ship to America. His family believes him to be dead, but Fievel makes his way to America in a glass bottle. When he arrives, he meets all kinds of people - some honest, some devious. As he continues to look for his family, Fievel becomes wrapped up in a political rally against the cats that he now realizes are also in the new world. Fievel served as a strong protagonist because despite his small stature he had a big heart. He made you fall in love with him through his determination (not to mention his huge ears) to find his family. You cheered for him. You were upset with him. You were frightened for him. However, looking back on the plot now it's easy to see all the larger implications that were overlooked when I was a child. This story could've been a subplot in Gangs Of New York because it deals with the same time period and issues. I find it amazing that socio-political themes of the time could be translated into a children's film with such ease. All the same prejudices, poverty and corruption were there.

Watch It: For the inspirational jouney of one mouse in a land of many and to reminisce about the hand-drawn quality that was so prevalent in the '80s.

Skip It: If you like your animation to be more of the CG variety.