Anastasia

Epic in scope and grandeur, Anastasia almost pulls off the impossible--upstaging Disney. Trying to emulate the grand love stories of the past, it sweeps between dazzling sequences but lacks the necessary character development to move the film beyond being merely a disjointed string of lavish set pieces. Still, though the villain element falls hopelessly flat, the love story comes to life in the voices of Meg Ryan, John Cusack and Angela Lansbury. The challenge to the animated empire is clear: Disney magic is no longer an exclusive product.