The Top 20 Greatest Animated Movies Of All Time

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The Top 20 Greatest Animated Movies Of All Time
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For most of us, animation is the first genre we are exposed to as children, our gateway into cinema that has a hand in forming our taste in movies as adults. From Disney’s decades of dominance, to the emergence of Studio Ghibli, Dreamworks, Laika and others, animation has outgrown its reputation as solely children’s entertainment and evolved into a multidiscipline art form, telling stories we hold dear for a lifetime. Here, we present what we consider the very best of the genre, something no doubt everyone with have their own version of. For this countdown, we excluded anything that wasn’t a feature film, as well as films that mix both animation and live action (sorry Space Jam fans!).

By Victoria Luxford

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20. Persepolis (2007) – Marjane Satrapi’s graphic novel jumps from the page to the screen in a story that places the very familiar trials of childhood against a very unfamiliar backdrop. Protagonist Marji navigates the obstacles of growing up while also living through the Iranian revolution of the late 1970s. Animated in black and white, in an attempt to make the story about people rather than regions, the result is an unforgettable journey that reminds us of animation’s ability to make us think.

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19. Kubo and The Two Strings (2016) – Oregon animation studio Laika has become a new face on the block, thanks to movies that feel traditional and are just impeccably told. Boasting a voice cast that includes Charlize Theron, Matthew McConaughey, and Ralph Fiennes, the fantasy follows a young boy and a magic instrument linked to his past. Heroic and thrilling, it’s a wonderful film that deserved a bigger audience than it got upon its release.

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18. Shrek (2001) – If Toy Story started computer animation’s dominance, Shrek refined it. An amazing ensemble cast put together a satirical take on the world of fairy stories, with humour that entertained kids while still appealing to adults. The film won the first-ever Oscar for Best Animated Feature – not bad for a film that wasn’t even meant to star Mike Myers; the comedy actor was brought in after the passing of original star, Chris Farley.

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17. Aladdin (1992) – Part of the Disney renaissance of the ‘90s, two words sum up why the film is great: Robin Williams. One of the most entertaining vocal performances in history, his take on Genie was made all the more remarkable with the knowledge that his lines were largely improvised. If you ever wondered why the late actor is so missed by movie fans, this performance is all you need.

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16. The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993) – Is it a Christmas film? A Halloween film? One thing is for certain: this movie has become an alternative holiday tradition, thanks to dark humour, spooky tunes and a unique visual style. The film is so beloved, it is re-released regularly, being one of the first to embrace 3D conversion in 2006. Often mistaken as a Tim Burton film, it was directed by Henry Selick and based on Burton’s initial idea.

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15. Coraline (2009) – Selick would emerge from Burton’s shadow to make another dark stop-motion landmark, following a young girl named Coraline as she enters an alternate world that is not all it seems. Embracing traditional animation techniques, the film launched animation studio Laika and captured the intricate storytelling of Neil Gaiman’s original graphic novel perfectly.

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14. Kiki’s Delivery Service (1989) – One of the simpler Studio Ghibli stories, Kiki’s Delivery Service mixes wonder with a deeper messages about maintaining a passion for the things you love and finding independence. Taking nine years to find a release in the US, this young witch’s coming-of-age story has been many people’s gateway into with world of Studio Ghibli, and the genius of director Hayao Miyazaki.

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13. Finding Nemo (2003) – At its high point during the 2000s, Pixar excelled in making you marvel at what was possible with computer animation. The vision of our tiny hero Marlin (Albert Brooks), lost in an endless blue ocean looking for his son Nemo, is true artistry, creating something both beautiful to look at and compelling to follow. This combined with a never-better Ellen Degeneres as Dory, who reminded a generation that all you needed to do was “just keep swimming”.

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12. The Illusionist (L’illusionniste – 2010) – Can animation make you weep without saying a word? Anyone who has seen the hand-drawn 2010 drama will answer a resounding ‘yes’. Following a magician in the late ‘50s, struggling to survive the death of the variety circuit, Edinburgh is painstakingly crafted around a story that will speak to everyone, even though not one word of dialogue is spoken. Despite failing to find its audience at the box office, Sylvain Chomet’s tale is one to seek out.

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11. Anomalisa (2015) – Lonely motivational speaker Michael (David Thewlis) finds his world rocked when one night, he meets a woman named Lisa (Jennifer Jason Leigh) who is unlike anyone he has ever met. A superbly acted drama that just happens to be stop-motion animated, director Charlie Kaufman portrays depression in a superb way, having everyone Michael speaks to possess the same voice (Tom Noonan) until he meets Lisa. A visionary, uplifting tale.

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10. Ghost In The Shell (1995) – Every so often there’s a film that’s as famous for the cinema it inspired as it is for being great in its own right. 1995 anime Ghost In The Shell mixed traditional and computer animation to bring to life this cyberpunk thriller, which delves into areas such as identity, sexuality and technology. Anyone who has seen the film can will be able to tell its influence on 1999’s The Matrix, while film-maker James Cameron used it as one of the inspirations for Avatar.

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9. Beauty And The Beast (1991) – A tale as old as time (sorry). Determined to maintain the momentum achieved by 1989’s The Little Mermaid, Beauty and The Beast solidified the era known as The Disney Renaissance with a marvellous song and dance spectacular that foreshadowed the future of animation by combining hand-drawn characters with a computer-animated background in the infamous ballroom scene. Easy to see, then, how the film became the first-ever animated film to be nominated for Best Picture at the Oscars.

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8. Up (2009) – The opening montage of Up is an emotionally devastating master stroke, arguably a short film in its own right. However, to suggest that’s all there is to the film would be to discredit a warm tale of adventure, pairing the grumpiest of old men with a sprightly young scout named Russell. From the script to the animation to the score, everything about up is simply wondrous.

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7. Wall*E (2008) – Not only is Wall*E a great film, it’s an important one. Teaching us about the possible consequences of mistreating our planet, the soulful trash robot with big eyes and a longing for romance embodies the kind of innocent hope Disney built its legacy on. It’s a work of art that pairs its warnings with a message that the world is worth fighting for.

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6. Akira (1988) – Many fans balk when the movie adaptation differs from the work on which it’s based, yet despite 1988’s Akira taking a different path from the original manga, it retains reverence among movie fans. Set in the ‘future’ of 2019, the science fiction landmark has been named alongside the greats of the genre, and credited with popularising anime worldwide. The film has influenced everything from Pokemon to Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight trilogy, and is considered so important that even Hollywood has refrained from remaking it (so far).

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5. Snow White and The Seven Dwarves (1937) – The film that started it all. A full-length animated feature film was a radical idea in the 1930s, but Walt Disney, who had achieved success from his Mickey Mouse shorts, had a bigger vision. Snow White is the classic movie fairy tale, with a wicked witch, comedic sidekicks and memorable songs. The film’s success made the name ‘Disney’ what it is today, and established many of the ideas we associate with animated film.

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4. My Neighbour Totoro (1988) – Hayao Miyazaki’s beloved family fantasy has slowly but surely made its way into the hearts of movie fans worldwide. The warm tale of two sisters who befriend a forest spirit when moving to a new home tells its story in a different fashion, preferring gentle astonishment over brash spectacle. The furry title character has become something of a mascot for Studio Ghibli fans, and the film itself has a deserved reputation as a masterpiece.

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3. The Lion King (1994) – When many people think of Disney, they think of The Lion King. An extraordinary saga of the ascent of young Simba, a cub forced into hiding following the death of his Father Mufasa (James Earl Jones), the film was inspired by Shakespeare’s Hamlet and combines everything the studio was best at. Opening with the remarkable “Circle of Life”, through the terror of Mufasa’s death, and the comedy of Pumba and Timon, it was the peak of Disney’s renaissance, and the pre-computer animation era.

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2. Spirited Away (2001) – Miyazaki’s third film on this list – well, there is a reason he’s been called ‘The Japanese Walt Disney’ (a nickname he is said to dislike immensely). Considered one of the best films of the 2000s, a young girl’s efforts to free her parents from a magical curse is an enchanting story that succeeds both visually and narratively. Winning the 2003 Oscar for Best Animated Feature, the film remains the highest grossing film in Japanese history for a reason!

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1. The Toy Story Trilogy (1995-2010) – Our top pick bends the rules slightly, but rather than take three spaces in this list, we chose to celebrate the entire journey of Woody, Buzz and all the toys in Andy’s room. 1995’s Toy Story changed animation forever, but also told a layered story of jealousy, friendship and childhood. The second film explored the fear of abandonment, while the superb Toy Story 3 taught us how to say goodbye. The fourth film arrives at the end of this month, and has a high bar to reach if it is to sit alongside these absolute classics. #staysafe #stayathome #selfisolation

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The Top 20 Greatest Animated Movies Of All Time

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