I can vividly remember reading this story as a child and then later watching the film. I loved it back then. It seemed like the filmmakers had gone to the next level somehow to create this visual masterpiece that (unknown to me until I saw it) I had been waiting for my entire life up until that point.And while I have moved onto other things since that time (life gets in the way!) and James and the Giant Peach became just another happy, faded memory, I never forgot how much it once meant to me. So when it recently came up again, I got to thinking: would it still hold up after all these years? Should I refrain from watching it, lest it spoil the happy memory of it that I had from my childhood?Well, I gave in and watch it. It's never as good as the first time, and never as magical as when I saw it as a kid, but it was still a pleasure to see it again, and a great movie for the children!

I watched this movie because somewhere I ran into comparison with Nightmare Before Christmas. It is far from bad movie, but Tim Burton is just a producer here and comparing this with movies Burton wrote and directed is nothing but blasphemy. My main objection to this movie are pretty much boring songs. It's unbelievable that this movie was nominated for Best Music Academy Award. Out of all Disney animated movies I saw so far this one has definitely the worst soundtrack and not even one song that became evergreen hit. Overall, I have no objections, but no commendations either. Average Disney flick suitable for children only.6/10

This is a very carefree and sweet (like peaches) live action/computer animated movie based on Roald Dahl children's novel, James and the Giant Beach.In the movie, James has to go live with his two horrible aunts, Aunt Spiker and Aunt Sponge, after the death of his parents. After saving a spider, he obtains crocodile tongues in his garden and an enormous peach grows from it. In the peach, he meets animated versions of the spider he saved earlier and a host of other multi-legged animals including the Centipede, Ladybug and Grasshopper. They help James escape his unhappy home and journey to the City of New York.In this movie, you get some nice memorable characters, interesting stop-motion animation, clever imagination and a catchy song to sing-along with called "We're Family." The rest of the songs and music score were sub-par. The song Paul Terry (James) sings called "My Name is James" is too melancholy and dreary for me, no harmony or melodies, and the actor himself didn't seem fit for the role - lack of emotion and interest.The overall movie did not have the captivating adventures, magic and fun I enjoy from many other animated films; therefore, I've only found the film to be average as far as entertainment is concerned. However, since this film does have the elements of a child's innocence and imagination, this would be a fine film to show to little kids, but not one to sit together to watch with the entire family.Grade C-

I remember when I was a kid and would slip in my Nightmare Before Christmas VHS tape, one of the trailers that was on it was James and the Giant Peach. I always wanted to see it, but my parents didn't buy the movie. I think because the film at the time had gotten Luke warm reviews, but over the years it seems like James and the Giant Peach got a cult following and an audience to boot. After all, we don't really get some of these great animated films that were from the 90's. Plus whenever there's a dark family film, a lot of parents tend to look down on it. I think today's parents have become a little too protective in my opinion. However, I had the opportunity to see the film yesterday and gladly watched it. I admit, my hopes were maybe a bit high, but I can see why the reviews were mixed on this one.James Henry Trotter is a young boy who lives with his parents by the sea. On James's birthday, they plan to go to New York City. However, his parents are later killed by a ghostly rhinoceros from the sky and finds himself living with his two cruel aunts, Spiker and Sponge. He is forced to work all day and they threaten him with beatings to keep him in line and taunt him about the mysterious rhino and other hazards if he tries to leave. While rescuing a spider from being squashed by his aunts, James meets a mysterious man with a bag of magic greens, which he gives to James to make his life better When James is returning to the house, he trips and the green beans escape into the ground. One peach is soon found on a withered old tree, and it grows. The aunts use the giant peach as an attraction, making lots of money as James watches from the house, not allowed to leave. That night, James is sent to pick up the garbage. While doing so, he grabs a chunk of the peach to eat. A large hole appears inside the peach and James ventures inside, were he finds and befriends a group of life-size anthropomorphic bugs who also dream of an ideal home and decide to travel to New York.I think if I saw this as a kid, I would've adored it. As an adult, I see that there scenes that lead to no where and there are some things that are not explained in the film that are explained in the book. I remember reading the book in elementary school and if you didn't read the book, I think you would be totally lost with the whole killer rhino ordeal. Also the aunts are so one note, first off, how is it this kid has the kindest parents in the world with the nastiest sisters who are extremely ugly and obviously hate kids? Yeah, I'm sure when the parents were writing their wills they said "Now, if something happens to us, who will take care of James"…"How about your parents who call and write letters daily and adore him?"…"No, I don't think they'll like him living with them"…"True, how about your 2 evil ugly sisters who hate him and love to beat him?"…"Perfect!". However, the animation is absolutely wonderful and really takes you back into Nightmare Before Christmas, in fact, there is even a cameo appearance by Jack Skeleton. The songs are charming and all of the characters are great too, even if not consistent. Like I don't get how the spider says she doesn't like socializing with anyone, but is clearly singing and dancing with them in the next scene without complaint. But for the kids, this is a great film that gives them hope to dream. I wish I would've seen it as a kid. But I still like it despite the flaws, considering that I think I'm just nitpicking at this point. I can understand why James and the Giant Peach found it's audience and where it will end up in the classics one day.7/10