Due to some demand over deviantArt, here's another TLC blog post!
Today's, here's a list of....
TLC #04: My Top 20 Animated Movies!
This one was a bit harder to come by... but in the end, since I did lists like this one for years, since as long as I remember as a kid, it was also easy to come up with. I just needed to re-think of my favorites and update it a bit. I had them figured out pretty clear in mind.
So before anyone asks, yes, of course this is totally subjective. Why wouldn't it?
The following below are my absolute favorite animated films. Some I grew up with or attached to, but also stunning timeless classics.
Due to the different nature of genres they usually explore, I will be making a separate list for anime movies, from Japan. (that way it will allow me to narrow it to a total of way lot more than just 20 favorites)
Honorable mentions to the following that didn't make the cut:
Where to begin? There's loads of fantastic movie I didn't put there. It goes from some of the recent DC Comics animated film which were made direct to DVD and of varying qualities to fun cult classics like the South Park movie I find hilarious but wouldn't go around calling it "my favorite". And also so many other beloved Disney classics like Kuzco, Toy Story, Peter Pan, and therefore...
I went for a variety of genres, not just the usual kid friendly-musicals everyone loves to mention. And of different type of animation.
Here's the list now:
#20 A Grand Day Out with Wallace and Gromit (1989) genre: comedy/science fiction
A perfect stop-motion "clay" animated classic. Timeless and hilarious!
It was the one film that probably both introduced me to clay animation and Wallace & Gromit. And probably one of my earliest experience with British humor.
Love it.
#19 Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988) genre: thriller/comedy
Roger Rabbit has always been a favorite of mine. If anything, for the groundbreaking way it broke the frontier between live action and animation.
It's appropriately dark in some points and a loving tribute to both Disney & Warner Bros classic animation.
#18 Robin Hood (1973) genre: musical/fairy tale
Disney's Robin Hood is still to this day one of my favorite story-based adaptation movies.
It was made on such a simple and modest budget the movie had to cut back on lots of elements from animations to other points.
The characters are so likeable.
It's a shame after so many years there's never been a decent release of its soundtrack though...
#17 The Land Before Time (1988) genre: adventure/coming-of-age film
Don Bluth directed so many amazing pictures! But this is easily one of my own favorites.
Sad by moments, more adventurous by others. You wouldn't expect to feel so many different emotions with all-star cast of dinosaurs.
Here's a tip for you: Avoid any of the hundred or so direct-to-video sequels.
#16 Treasure Planet (2002) genre: science-fiction adventure
The end of the 1990s/early 2000s saw the decline of the 2D animated motion pictures at the box office, the arrival of many celebrity-lead CGi goofy movies. Yet many more groundbreaking techniques were being developed to bring some of the edge of 3D computer graphics to the hand drawn animation.
And more serious adventure films were being explored after so many kiddie Disney musicals. Including Disney's own Treasure Planet here.
That's one of the beefs I have with CGi. They're always comedy/parody fart-joke meta-driven fests with loads of jokes and goofy anthropomorphic characters in the lead role.
While these last fantastic animated films were closer to real adventure films with very human characters (except the odd looking alien for story purposes like in this Treasure Planet).
Anyway, getting like a rant here. Sorry, it's just that this gem went by without barely anyone seeing it.
It's a genuinely fun take on the classic story Treasure Island, with a scifi twist.
#15 Atlantis: The Lost Empire (2001) genre: scifi adventure
Another Disney film that ditched the musicals for a more science-fiction/adventure tone. But unlike Treasure Planet's seriousness, it still has very quirky characters and a light hearted plot.
Well, as light hearted as they could with the story of Atlantis.
One of my favorites. Everything rings so right in Atlantis. From the fun background characters of the ship to
Such a fun movie.
Mike Mignola's role in the chara design of the film doesn't hurt either.
#14 The Lion King (1994) genre: epic musical drama
I'm not kidding with the "epic musical drama". That's what it is considered to be. And that's what it is.
A Shakespear-ian animal-centric classic.
Great music/songs, fantastic characters. Where did they find animals that could act so well!? /lame joke
A perfect example of the type of movie you couldn't have in any other way than animated.
#13 FernGully: The Last Rainforest (1992) genre: fantasy/musical
Did 20th Century Fox ever produce any other animated film than this one?
Part-Peter Pan, part-environmental PSA. But you know what? I liked it. So.... There!
#12 Wakko's Wish (1999) genre: musical/tragicomedy
Originally meant to be the first theatrical release of the Animaniacs, it ended up as their swan song.. on home releases instead.
Why isn't this yet on DVD?!?*
*as I write these lines
#11 Mulan (1998) genre: action/comedy musical
Based on a real story and a fantastic deconstruction of the traditional "Disney princess".
Plus it has some pretty catchy songs, what more to ask?
#10 The Twelve Tasks of Asterix (1976) genre: adventure/comedy
French animation has produced so many fantastic cartoon classics and great short independent works over the years. Be it then or now.
But my favorite's without a doubt the 3rd animated motion picture based on the comic book series Astérix.
It has so many fun different situations and on-going problems for our heroes. More like several sketches one after the other.
#09 Titan A.E. (2000) genre: space opera/adventure
Another Don Bluth classic. His last one to date and probably the most underrated one.
Like Disney's late early 2000s movies, this went totally by without anybody watching it on theaters. Why's that?!
Such fun characters, and epic science-fiction tale that is worth a lot more than any of Hollywood's rehashed ideas you see nowadays.
#08 Wonder Woman (2009) genre: action/adventure
It was only Warner Bros' fourth direct-to-video animated movie based on a DC Comics propriety and it never came back on such similar level to it since then.
You'd swear this was meant for the big screen!
Not only does it look fantastic, crisp, clear and well animated but it also very entertaining and intelligent. Their productions were only started back then and these days they seem a whole lot cheaper budget-wise...
And this is also DC/Warner's only film lead by a female character to date, along the 1984 live-action Supergirl. Excuse my ignorance... but are you kidding me!?!
#07 Sinbad: Legend of the Seven Seas (2003) genre: swashbuckling fantasy/adventure
Very loosely adaptation of an Arabian Nights classic. In fact it tries to combine several travels of Sinbad in one movie, with details imported from other tales.
It's one of my all-time favorites (thus why it's number 7), fun, spectacular, and very fun, engaging and entertaining, did I mention it was fun?
The early CGi doesn't detract much from the film.
I just love the characters in this one.
Plus it has one of the best epic musical scores I've ever heard in any motion picture - animated or not.
#06 The Smurfs and the Magic Flute (1976) genre: fantasy/musical
"La Flûte à six schtroumpfs".
Another Franco-Belgium classic-turned-movie.
Forget the recent CGi ventures. This is where it's at!
Plus it's actually an adaptation of a Johan and Peewit adventure (Johan et Pirlouit) where the Smurfs originally come from.
I never tried the English-dub so I can't talk about it though...
#05 The Ballad of the Daltons (1978) genre: western/comedy
Originally the second part of a Lucky Luke animated trilogy. It's also one of my favorite productions based around Lucky Luke to this day.
It went a bit over-the-top here and there, due to it being animated instead of the usual comic book stories.
And it's probably not the best Lucky Luke story out there either.
But still a must in my eyes.
#04 Hercules (1997) genre: adventure/musical
One of the last Disney animated films to come out of their "Disney Renaissance" period.
The characters are all so likable, including the villain(s).
Plus it had some impressive computer effects by that time, like the Hydra.
It's the classic story of Heracles, with elements from the classic Superman story. With songs.
#03 The Iron Giant (1999) genre: science-fiction
Warner Bros Studios' only attempt at a big animated motion picture.
It's a great Cold War-era tale with a robot. An Iron Giant.
Like E.T., but a lot more enjoyable in my eyes - yes, I did just say that.
It has nothing to shy from live action movies in my eyes. It's a lot more deep and has much more heart than the blockbusters they churn out every summer.
#02 The Road to El Dorado (2000) genre: adventure(comedy/musical
This is just a film, okay? Inaccurate as possible.
But it is also such a fun "road trip"-kind of a buddy movie. With a great score, enjoyable songs and delivered by a fantastic cast of characters. Well, more like trio of characters, the rest is mostly background.
Anyway, it's a fantastic adventure/comedy. Hilarious scenes. Very colorful, well animated, it's not Disney but pretty darn close to it animation-wise.
And Chel.... What a kickass gal she was!
The character's design actually comes from Franco-Belgium cartoonist Didier Conrad whom I love the work.
#01 Aladdin (1992) genre: fantasy/comedy musical
And here's my all-time favorite animated film!
Aladdin!
Such a fun entertaining movie! What dreams are made of!
It's enjoyable, timeless and oh, so re-watchable. It hasn't aged a bit, that bit with the giant head of a sand-tiger is still as impressive now as it was back in 1992.
The characters are fantastic! Aladdin is a very likable well-intentioned good hero. Unlike many of the other 2-dimensional big bulky generic blond heroes you usually see in their films. And Jasmine is a great female lead! Although I kinda wish she got more to do in the film. (she made up for it in the TV series though)
All the songs are so fun and memorable!
The story, the action... everything's perfect!
I never tire of this film. It's a must watch/have! It's my favorite!
Anyways, that's it for "My Top 20 Animated Movies!"
You can agree or disagree with me, but thing is these are all my personal most memorable experiences.
The ones I enjoyed most and will probably always do.
I'm not saying there wasn't any better animated films. But those have always been my favorites and always will.
You can find some of these movies and a lot more reviewed on this page.
Artwork © Eyz. Other materials © Respective owners.
Good list. :)
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