My Top 10 Animated Films
Hey everyone from Planet-M, this week I’ll be putting up my Top 10 Animated Film, this blog will list out some of my favourite animated films from over the years and give the reasons why, for this list I will not be including films that have been 3D animated or blend animation with live action.
All of this is based on my own personal opinion and I will try not to give away too much of the films plot in my summary. If you have any suggestions for future blogs please leave them in the comment section below.
10: Cats Don’t Dance
Why: For the first I have Cats Don’t Dance, this film was one of my favourites growing mostly because it’s what got me interested in musicals and animation, the film takes place during the golden age of cinema centring around an optimistic Cat named Danny as he seeks to become a star in Hollywood, but slowly comes to realisation that Hollywood is looking for talented people, not animals (as in the film they are just used as extras).
The film is animated well as many of the characters have this fast paced and exaggerated Looney Toons style movement to them which really adds to the singing and dancing scenes, the animation is done best around the villain as she is given a wide array of expressions that match both her kind and sinister nature, but what the film does best is capture the atmosphere of the golden cinema, not only are many famous actors of that era shown throughout the film, but the fast paced chats of early 1940’s actors is done by a few characters and the first few songs emulate the style of the 1940’s musicals as well, I will admit that it is corny at times, but it is a good watch if your wanting to watch something a bit optimistic.
9: Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron
Why: Spirit was an animated film that I was recommended to watch when I was in college and I have to say I was glad that it was recommended. The story is about this wild Stallion who gets captured by humans and separated from his herd and the whole film revolves around him trying to break free and return to his home.
One of the best aspects of this film was the fact that (unlike most animated films with animals) the horses didn’t talk, you had to interpret what they were saying through things like expressions and that is what I really liked about the film, of course there is a narration done by Matt Damon, but he only talks when it is required of him story wise. The music (Sung by Bryan Adams) does create a very wild and free atmosphere which matches the general personality of the main character and never really feels out of place, the film also blends together traditional animation with 3-D animation, in some cases it does it well, but the rest of the time it can feel out of place. All and all this was a good film with excellent visuals and a strong story.
8: Arrietty
Why: This film is one of my favourite studio ghibli films not just in terms of its animation, but in its story as well, it stays true to the book in some aspects while at the same time introducing new elements that make it interesting. The story follows a borrower (who are tiny people who live under the floor boards, who borrowing things in order to survive) named Arrietty, one night she is seen by a human and now the family of borrowers need to find a new home.
The animation for this film (like most studio ghibli films) is spectacular not just in the look and the movement of the characters, but in the sense of scale between them and the rest of the landscape, the film truly showed that it was a trek to just get to the other side of the kitchen or how the sounds that are made by various appliances sound to someone smaller, it was colourful and (in my opinion) is one of the best adaptations of my favourite book.
7: Howls Moving Castle
Why: Howls Moving Castle to me is a lot like Arrietty, it’s an adaptation of one of my favourite books that has many elements from the book, but like Arrietty it has its own elements that make it unique. The story follows Sophie a young girl who is cursed by a witch and must now seek help from the mischievous wizard Howl in order to lift the curse. The animation is colourful and vibrant, but is capable of being dark not just in the scenes of war, but in colourful scenes like Sophie’s dream. I will admit the story lacks focus in some areas like the romance between Sophie and Howl left me a bit confused, but it was the same with book and in the end I still liked the film.
6: The Prince of Egypt
Why: What can I say about this film other than epic? It’s a creative reimagining of the tale of exodus which centres on the fact that both Moses and the Pharaoh Ramses are brothers, the animation is creative and allows for many great visual effects such as the flames around the burning bush, the story is well written with good chemistry between the voice cast such as Val Kilmer’s Moses and Ralph Fiennes’s Rameses. One of the things that I like about this film the most is that fact that it is (in a way) timeless, the music doesn’t date the film and the humour is funny at any age.
5: The Secret of NIMH
Why: Now I have to admit that I’ve always liked the work of Don Bluth and this was the film that cemented that liking, The Secret of NIMH. The story follows a field Mouse known as Mrs Brisby as she seeks assistance from the advanced rats of NIMH, to help here move her house before it is torn a sunder by the farmer and his tractor.
The animation in this film is nothing short of magical not only are the effects bright and colourful but they help create this dark overtone throughout the film, but it is a beautiful darkness which matches the science and technology motif added throughout the film, honestly I do not want to give too many details on this film, mostly because it’s a film that many should see for themselves, but if you’re looking for a film with a good story and incredible effects then watch the Secret of NIMH.
4: Nausicaa of The Valley of the wind
Why: After watching Howls Moving Castle I decided to look up more Ghibli films, so I decided to take a look at the film the started it all before Ghibli, I have to say I really like this film, not just for its themes of Anti-war and environmentalism, but also because the story is original and the designs for this world really create the tone of a humanity teetering on the edge of extinction.
3: The Little Mermaid
Why: We all know the story, the animation has a good cinematic scope, being able to create an atmosphere in both the songs and the film itself, the story is simplistic which allows for more focus in the visuals and the main characters, the main character herself is given a wide range of the expressions that take more precedence when she can’t speak and the songs are just generally likable, this a good film that many people have grown up watching at one point or another and people will continue to watch and like it.
2: American Pop
Why: American Pop is a 4 part anthology story which follows one family through 4 generations as they grow up with the music of their different eras and how they spend their lives reaching for their dreams as musicians, in this film the use of Ralph Bakshi’s roto-scoping techniques work with the stylised backgrounds and the music not only amplifies the animation but vice versa.
1: Fantasia
Why: Now like I said in American Pop I’ve always liked how music or the flow of music can be amplified through or follow animation and it isn’t done better than in this, Micky Mouse following the Sorcerer’s Apprentice composed Paul Dukas and Night on Bald Mountain by Modest Mussorgsky and Ave Maria are some of my favourite segments throughout the entire film depicting both power, wonder, imagination, but also fear and dread. This is truly one of the greatest films that Disney has ever made and I always love to look back on it now and then.
Hope you all liked this week’s list and I hope that you will watch some of these films. This will be the last blog on this website until December 1st, Thank You for Reading.
