James and the Giant Peach
James and the Giant Peach ★★★ 1996 (PG)
Terrific combo of live action and stop-motion animation highlights this adaptation of Roald Dahl's 1961 children's book. Orphaned James is sent to live with his wicked aunts. When magic “crocodile tongues,” given to James by a hobo, spill at the base of a peach tree, one fruit grows to such a tremendous size that James crawls inside, meets six insect friends, and goes on numerous adventures, all the while trying to face his fears. Dahl's books are creepy and since the people who brought you “Nightmare Before Christmas” are also doing “James,” expect the visuals to be astonishing but too scary for the little ones. 80m/C VHS, DVD. D: Henry Selick; C: Pete Kozachik, Hiro Narita; M: Randy Newman; V: Paul Terry, Pete Postlethwaite, Joanna Lumley, Miriam Margolyes, Richard Dreyfuss, Susan Sarandon, David Thewlis, Simon Callow, Jane Leeves.