This is a small, humorous movie in some ways, but it has a huge heart. What a nice experience.

The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.

The story, direction, characters, and writing/dialogue is akin to taking a tranquilizer shot to the neck, but everything else was so well done.

By the time the dramatic fireworks start popping off, each one feels earned.

There's been a lot of variations of the classic Looney Tunes characters over the years, but the 1990s reincarnation has caused the most controversy, due to its bloated use of commercialism marketing. There is no bigger example of that, than 1996's 'Space Jam' directed by Joe Pytka; a giant glorified marketing ploy to sell Looney Tunes toys and Air Jordans. It was no surprise that the feature-length movie was like that, seeing how a series of Nike commercials starring Michael Jordan and Bugs Bunny in the early 1990s, was the source that spark the idea for this movie. Despite that, I still kinda like this movie. I didn't mind the commercialism style as much as others, maybe, because this obviously produce placement film did had somewhat of interesting story. Don't get me wrong, on the surface level, Michael Jordan teaming up with the Looney Tunes to face cartoony aliens in a basketball game, in order to save them from slavery in an intergalactic amusement park is indeed ridiculous & somewhat stupid. However, there seem to be, some thought provoking, undercurrents themes, running through this fictional film that could had been great. Let's start with father & son dramatics that the beginning of the film established! It was very heartfelt. Unfortunately, the movie doesn't do anything with that, as the relationship with his father is never brought up, again. I think the movie could be better, if the film explore their relationship more, because we know from real life, that Jordan retired from the NBA to pursue the dream of his late father who was murdered in 1993, who had always envisioned his son as a baseball player. Sadly, the film doesn't give that exposition, making the baseball subplot, more out of the blue. Just think if they did, there would be a great conflict for his character, as Jordan tries to honor his late father's wishes, despite, not being any good in the sport, while also trying to fight the urge to play basketball, again, so that he can make a living for his family due to financial problems. I guess, mentioning Jordan father's death was too dark for this 1990s kid movie, but just think, if this film had a little more 'balls'. It would give this film, a little more stakes. Also, I wish, the movie gave a better reason, why Jordan was helping the Tunes, besides the villains bullying the tunes and him. Honestly, the movie could had intermixed, Jordan's children, a lot better with the Looney Tunes basketball plot, by having them, be abducted by the aliens and taken to Moron Mountain after Bugs seek his help. It would add some really needed stakes. Yes, I know, the kidnapped plot would be clichés, but it's better than the pointless scene, that we got of them, helping Bugs Bunny (Voiced by Billy West) & Daffy Duck (Voiced by Dee Bradley Baker), search for basketball shorts. All of these ideas, would help make Jordan, feel less drywall than he is, in this movie. Without it, Jordan's bad acting is more noticeable, due to his limitedly. I would rather see him, attempt being dramatic, than seeing him, such a square in this film. Despite that, I have to say, the animation department at Warner Bros did a great job, making it seem like Jordan was really interacting with the Looney Tunes. In the field of animation, the film is almost in par, with 1988's 'Who Framed Roger Rabbit'. Still, I wish the humor in this film could be, a little bit better. Don't get me wrong, the movie does have some funny moments, but there's some off-color humor, that didn't need to be there. Also, some of the slapstick jokes, during the game were a little too childish for Looney Tunes. In the end, I just wish, the movie could had play more on the satire part of the cartoon series, more. One miss opportunity was making fun of the concept of Moron Mountain. It would had been entertaining to see the Looney Tunes poke fun at the idea of selling their souls out for an amusement park. It could had a Six Flags/Marriot Park vibe to it. Regardless of the lack of satire humor, Looney Tunes characters were amusing. However, I wish the filmmaker gave new character, Lola Bunny (Voiced by Kath Soucie), a little more personality, than being a token objectified hot rabbit. She seem a bit one-dimensional. Anyways, I have to say, the voice acting for the tunes, is pretty damn accurate to the original voice actors. As for the live acting actors; Bill Murray's cameo was indeed a highlight. The deadpan, don't give an f*ck attitude to the animated madness going on around him provide some of the biggest laughs, toward the end. However, surprising, it was the other professional basketball players that takes the cake for best jokes. Seeing the players going through series of embarrassing moments was pretty hilarious. I can't say, the same with Wayne Knight as Stan Podolak, whom comes across, as too annoying for his own good. The numerous close shots with him, made me, want to turn off the movie. As for the number of NBA stock footage, quickly being flash during the credits. I didn't mind it, but I can understand, if somebody get really ill. That sequence was indeed, seizure epilepsy due to how photosensitive, it was. Still, that upbeat rap by Quad City DJ that came with it, was pretty awesome. The other songs in the soundtrack like 'I Believe I can Fly' by R. Kelly & "Fly like An Eagle' By Seal was equally as extraordinary. I hope the rumor sequel with LeBron James has songs, just as memorable as the original. Overall: Even with its flaws, Space Jam, for better or for worse, is just so outrageous, you can't help, being drawn to it. I just can't help, loving it. It's just one of those movies.

The film's twenty years old already, man, how time does fly by. I grew up watching the Looney Tunes characters back in the Fifties, so for me, that's what kids cartoons are all about. Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck were my favorites, and they have prominent roles here, so that was cool. Having been away so long from the shows I watched as a kid, the presence of Lola Bunny was a bit of a surprise, I had never seen her before, or at least the iteration of her here wasn't familiar to me. Because all of the original voice artists are gone, folks like Mel Blanc and Chuck Jones, the Warner Brothers characters sounded just the slightest bit off to me, but that's a minor nuisance. Teaming up the cartoon characters with professional basketball players was a uniquely creative concept, though I would have liked to see some of the other players like Barkley and Ewing in the Monstar game themselves. But no matter, this is a colorful flick with decent animation and humor, with cool appearances by Wayne Knight and Bill Murray. Murray was effective doing his type of character from "Groundhog Day", a slovenly but decent guy who can make you laugh just by looking at him.

Space Jasm was hilly r8ed on DailyMotion and widely regarded as the best mo-vi of all ti em. Cult Classsic status with a heart worming-story about a middle-aged man (Michal Jorden) as he undergoes a mid-life Crysis™ to discover the meaning of what it truly means to exist within the existential whirled. Then the plot thickens when Mitchal Jurdin gee ts deported into the world of Disney™ and has to help the team of Spongebob, Finn and catgut compete in a shuffle bored constitution. In the clime-tic scene, Michalea Jadern go's against OJ SImpsonj who while riding his deader wife (who was an Handuh Odessy™) Who will wino the love of the Quenn Of Egl;and? Who will survive? Eggs. Ultimately, Space Jam is an excellent must-see cinema experience which deserves to be seen in 4k and one that represents a bygone era of cinema history. !5/5 not enough Kevion Spacey.

NOTE: This film was recommended to me by Ryan Clevenger for "Steve Pulaski Sees It." Living in Illinois, Space Jam is a film that hits the tender spots of the last two generations; one generation that got to experience Michael Jordan's unfathomable legacy as arguably the greatest basketball player who ever lived, and the other, mine, that reflects on his legacy through highlights and documentaries to keep the memory of such an all-star alive. Jordan's legacy didn't stop at on-court talent, as he was one of the most marketed athletes of his time and helped popularize the NBA, let alone the Chicago Bulls, on a previously unforeseen international level.If we remove the nostalgia factor from Space Jam, which is a very difficult thing to do by the way, then the film serves as Jordan's versatility. After retiring from the NBA at a relatively young age to pursue a career in baseball, Jordan only became more of a fascinating person, in addition to someone with impeccable charisma. Space Jam exists as a response to Jordan's departure from the NBA to the MLB, as the Looney Tune gang of Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Tweety Bird, Sylvester the Cat, Porky Pig, and Lola Bunny all call Jordan out of retirement when they challenge a group of intergalactic invaders from "Moron Mountain" to a basketball game in exchange for the planet.The Looney Tunes thing this will be an easy win, until the aliens from Moron Mountain, who are relatively puny in size and strength, find a way to steal the talents of star basketball players like Charles Barkley and Larry Johnson and become the "Monstars" of the court. Meanwhile, Jordan agrees to play for the Looney Tunes team, but it takes all of the five minutes of practice to show that the team is disproportionately talented towards Jordan. As a result, the team indulges in some aggressive training tactics to beat the Monstars and save the planet.As an amalgamation of live-action and animation, especially in an age where Pixar was coming on the scene and traditional animation was soon to be phased out, Space Jam is bright and vivid. The real-life characters of Michael Jordan, Wayne Knight, who has an amusing role, like he always does, Larry Bird, and even Bill Murray's interactions with the animated characters of Bugs Bunny and the like in a convincing, believable manner. The result is a beautifully colored and nicely executed mix of whimsy.Because both worlds of reality and animation are explored here, Space Jam has the luxury of being a film that can go beyond traditional boundaries of a sports film, and the Looney Tunes are no better characters to incite such zaniness. The animated bunch are quick-witted and ecstatic, and Jordan is clearly doing this for fun and excitement rather than a phoned-in project or another endorsement. Had Space Jam been more of a lackluster cash-in, sports fans and Jordan fans would've seen it from a mile away and dismissed the film immediately. However, because everyone involved recognizes what a zany project this is, they don't try to fight the lunacy, but instead, play along, and that provides us, the audience, with a wickedly entertaining stride into a lively sports film that is so fun you almost, almost miss the clichéd underdog element.Starring: Michael Jordan, Wayne Knight, Bill Murray, and Larry Bird. Directed by: Joe Pytka.