What if a weapon doesn’t want to be a weapon? This question is at the heart of The Iron Giant, which marked the directorial debut of animation giant Brad Bird. Hogarth Hughes (voiced by Eli Marienthal), discovers a giant robot (Vin Diesel) that crash-landed near his home in Rockwell, Maine at the height of the Cold War. Hogarth befriends the curious, almost childlike robot, but incidents around the community caused by the robot soon draw the attention of a paranoid U.S. government agent who summons the Army. While playing together, Hogarth inadvertently discovers the Giant’s defensive weapons. Although the town accepts the creature, the paranoid government agent convinces the army to attack him with nuclear weapons which will destroy Rockwell and everyone in it. When he sees the town and his friend are in danger the Giant realizes you are who you choose to be. — Erin Ritter

Rated: PG