I think animated movies is probably my favourite genre of movie (although it’s a very broad term) and I often re-watch them. There’s always a lot coming out and picking only 5 was very hard, but here are my top 5 animated movies. I’m sure that in the future I will have lots of new movies that all vie for the top places.
5: Song of the Sea
Song of the Sea came out in 2014 and is a beautifully animated film with a fantastic soundtrack. The story intwines Irish mythology in a story about loss and grief. The animation style is not your usual affair, being 2d and resembling more children’s tv programs or story books than big feature length films. Once you get used to it however I think you’ll find it charming. I personally love all things mythology related and I learnt a few new stories from Irish folklore which is a new topic for me.
The characters are very realistic and believable, although they are children. I could completely understand the main character’s actions and being able to relate to them made the ending much more satisfying. There were certainly some emotional parts, and there are some very fun parts too. The whole film is great, perfect for families.
4: Monsters Inc.
Monsters Inc. is a great film that, I think, shows off all the good points of Pixar. It has the fun and truly original story line, main characters that have great chemistry together, a strong plot with lots of humour and emotion. As a kid, I always always scared of monsters and the dark (I still am) and this movie certainly helped me as a kid to not be quite as scared of monsters.
Looking back at it now, the animation feels outdated, but Pixar made some real leaps with Monsters Inc. The amount of time put into to animate the hair’s on Sully’s back alone would make my eyes water. Re-watching the film is great fun however as I feel that I can appreciate things in the script and the plot that I missed as a child.
3: The Incredibles
I’ll be honest and say that my “top 3” are pretty interchangeable. I love them all pretty equally.
The Incredibles was a fantastic film that brought a new life to superhero movies before superhero movies became popular again. It really portrayed a family unit well, the characters have realistic interactions. It was a film that both kids and parents could enjoy, I know for a fact my own parents loved it. The film is also ridiculously quote-able.
2: Shrek
Shrek was one of the first animated movies that I remember picking out myself at blockbusters video rentals. I remember loving the fact there was a talking Donkey who did funny things. I liked that the main character was grumpy and reminded me of adults. I liked that the princess knew martial arts. The sequels I’m not so fond of, but the original film will always be a classic in my heart.
1: Sprited Away
Studio Ghibli is up there as legends of the animation world. They’re the reason many people get into anime, they showcase an eastern culture and they have amazing sound tracks. The story telling is completely different and the artwork is simply breath taking.
Out of all of them Spirited Away is my favourite. It was the first one I ever watched and it has aged beautifully. The story is complex and compelling, the characters are rich with flavour. There’s lots of deep symbolism and there’s also lots of fun moments.
Honourable mentions:
- The Nightmare before Christmas
- How to Train your dragon
- Howl’s Moving Castle
- Cars
- Epic
- Up
- Dumbo
- The Lion King
- Mulan
- Wrek It Ralph
- Ratatouille