Entertainment
10 Most Essential Animated Movies of the Last 100 Years, Ranked
If there is one genre of entertainment that most certainly brings out a gamut of emotions, it’s animated features. Throughout the history of cinema, whether it be Disney, DreamWorks, Pixar, Studio Ghibli, or any other major animation studio, we have been transported to worlds beyond our imagination.
Over the past 100 years, animated films have dominated our lives, with many topping our favorite film lists. But with so many brilliant titles that have played a major factor in entertainment and pop culture, what films are considered the most essential animated films of all time? Whether they made Academy Award history or jump-started an entire studio’s ascension to the top, these ten films are not only great, but their substantial impact should be celebrated.
10
‘The Nightmare Before Christmas’ (1993)
There’s always been an affinity for stop-motion animation. For many, stop-motion was defined through the holiday classics of yore. The next generation received both thanks to Tim Burton’s astonishing The Nightmare Before Christmas. The film follows Jack Skellington (Chris Sarandon and Danny Elfman), the King of Halloween Town, who stumbles into Christmas Town while scheming to take over the holiday. With an iconic score by Danny Elfman and a voice cast that included Catherine O’Hara, Ken Page, and Paul Reubens, The Nightmare Before Christmas was a darkly animated film that bridged the gap between kid-friendly and adult favorites.
The stop-motion animated Gothic fantasy thriller has garnered a cult following as a revolutionary animated features. Tonally matching the styles of Burton’s films, including Batman and Beetlejuice, The Nightmare Before Christmas was Disney’s way of demonstrating the great lengths to which their animated capabilities could be taken. With a wonderfully specific visual style and tunes that have rivaled many Disney classics, The Nightmare Before Christmas reimagined where animation could go. Perhaps its most enduring legacy is this: is it a Christmas movie or a Halloween film? The debate remains today.
9
‘The Iron Giant’ (1999)
When it comes to 90s animation, Disney has always dominated the conversation and will always do so. Even some of its rivals earned major recognition over time. But there is one film that changed the landscape of animation that has seemingly been lost to time: The Iron Giant. Using classic animation combined with computer-generated images, The Iron Giant shattered expectations. Brought to life by Brad Bird, the Cold War-set story follows Hogarth Hughes (Eli Marienthal), a young boy who discovers and befriends the titular character. Joined by Dean McCoppin (Harry Connick Jr.), Hogarth attempts to prevent the United States’ military, alerted by paranoid federal agent Kent Mansley (Christopher McDonald), from finding and vanquishing the extraterrestrial Giant.
With a stellar voice cast that included Vin Diesel, Jennifer Aniston, and Cloris Leachman, and a sleek animation style, The Iron Giant had the appeal to attract an audience. With new power players on the animated scene, The Iron Giant still broke through to earn great praise as a deserving entry as an all-time great, thanks to the exploration of the complexity of human relationships. The Iron Giant is essential viewing because it defied the odds as a brilliantly authentic animated feature from an underdog, about an underdog.
8
‘Spirited Away’ (2001)
By the time Disney grasped the brilliance of Studio Ghibli, the company had already put out scores of animated classics. But at the urging of John Lasseter, Walt Disney Pictures purchased the international distribution rights for Studio Ghibli, thus allowing their next movie to reach its full potential. That film was Spirited Away. The exceptional film is a coming-of-age story about Chihiro, who, after her parents are turned into pigs by the witch Yubaba, must work in a bathhouse for spirits to find a way to free them and return to the human world. While working in the bathhouse, she encounters a variety of spirits and learns about hard work, courage, and the importance of her identity and past. Becoming the highest-grossing film in Japanese cinema, it made history by becoming the first hand-drawn, non-English-language animated film to win the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature. There is a specific mood and aura that are fearlessly imaginative and attach to every scene and character, exuding through the screen.
Truly not since a Studio Ghibli film later on this list did we see such a groundbreaking story from the animated powerhouse. The scope of animated filmmaking had begun to turn toward computer-generated animation, but Spirited Away reminded us of the stunning spectacle of hand-drawn stories. Though perceived solely as a children’s film, it shattered expectations, resonating deeply with global audiences of all ages. An enchanting and gorgeously drawn fairy tale, Spirited Away is a beautiful adventure that is one of the most deserving rewatches, as it elicits such raw and genuine feelings.
7
‘Beauty and the Beast’ (1991)
A sign of greatness is being nominated for an Academy Award. It’s even more impressive when you make history as the first animated feature to earn a nomination. Bringing the nostalgia from princess films back to animation, Disney reignited the love of fairy tales through the classic story, Beauty and the Beast. A true tale as old as time, the animated classic tells the story of a prince turned into a beast seeking to transform back into a human by finding the one who can break the spell.
Between the lyricist Howard Ashman and composer Alan Menken‘s extraordinary score, the magical world and beloved characters, and a romance we wish to all experience, Beauty and the Beast is exquisitely remarkable.A flawless film, it was an instant box-office smash that became an award darling. Thanks in part for its usage of computer-generated imagery, Beauty and the Beast charted the next generation of animation style. A beloved generational classic, Beauty and the Beast is a tale as old as time.
6
‘My Neighbor Totoro’ (1988)
If Disney has Mickey Mouse, Studio Ghibli has Totoro. And it all started with My Neighbor Totoro. The studio, founded by Hayao Miyazaki, Isao Takahata, and Toshio Suzuki, set off on its underdog story with the success of the 1988 animated feature. Exploring themes such as animism, Shinto symbology, environmentalism, and the joys of rural living, My Neighbor Totoro follows two young sisters, Satsuki and Mei, and their interactions with friendly wood spirits in 1950s postwar rural Japan. Considered a delightful, wonderful film by Miyazaki, the animation style became synonymous with the studio for its care for Japanese culture while honoring nostalgia with a modern presence.
The film beautifully captures the innocence and magic of childhood as it touches on the magic of the world around it. Through its positivity ingrained in the movie, the charm comes from Miyazaki’s bright, hand-drawn universe. Every detail is rooted in reality while possessing a sport of its own. The popularity of Tortoro as a character, who became their official mascot, helped establish Studio Ghibli to a broader audience. Yet one that would truly only reach great heights with their later catalogue of films. The truly enchanting film deserves to be considered one of the most influential animated classics of all time.
5
‘Snow White’ (1937)
The world of animated features truly began with Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. Though not the first ever, Snow White started a revolution and admiration for the genre. Inspired by the Brothers Grimm fairy tales, the story follows the titular princess and the jealous queen, obsessed with being the fairest one of all. A landmark film, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, ushered in the age of animation during a major transitional period in cinema. Jumpstarting the animated musical, the film is known for its classic songbook, with classics including “Heigh-Ho”, “Someday My Prince Will Come”, and “Whistle While You Work.” The movie ignited our love for Disney princesses. And our obsession with talking to woodland creatures.
The art direction of the film utilized an array of influences, including Hollywood films and European illustrations, establishing a specific imagery that began the signature style for the studio. The legacy of the film is why Snow White is essential. Thanks to the film’s success, Disney began development on the first phase of films, including Pinocchio, Dumbo, and Bambi, among others. Had Snow White not made the impact it had, we would not be where we are today in the world of animation.
4
‘Shrek’ (2001)
The titular character may have said, “Get out of my swamp,” but the movie has entered right into our hearts. Putting a twist on fairy tales, Shrek introduced audiences to a temperamental ogre named Shrek (Mike Myers) who finds his swamp home overrun by fairy tale creatures banished by the obsessive ruler Lord Farquaad (John Lithgow). With the help of Donkey (Eddie Murphy), Shrek makes a pact with Farquaad to rescue Princess Fiona (Cameron Diaz) in exchange for regaining control of his swamp. A kid’s film with adult sensibility, Shrek shook both Disney and Pixar to the core as DreamWorks suddenly arrived as a prime player in the animation game.
Parodying fairy tales, many of which had been brought to life by their rival, Shrek was a subversive film that remained charming, with a worthwhile story. Helping to launch an entire franchise that’s still going strong today, Shrek served as a reminder that looks can be deceiving. From an animation standpoint, DreamWorks’ ability to tap into the computer-generated animation trend while establishing its own aesthetic was pivotal to its ongoing success. Now, if you like pop culture references, this film is chock-full of them. While simultaneously embracing and subverting fairy tales, Shrek became appealing and entertaining to families forever.
3
‘Fantasia’ (1940)
We’ve come to understand that music is a crucial part of any Disney animated classic. But once upon a time, one Disney film explored a different type of song for its animated film. One that didn’t utilize any lyrics. What became was a groundbreaking essential classic called Fantasia. The musical anthology film consists of eight animated segments set to pieces of classical music. From The Sorcerer’s Apprentice by Paul Dukas to Dance of the Hours by Amilcare Ponchielli, each movement is accompanied by brilliant animation that has become a classic in its own right. Started as an idea by Walt Disney himself as a vehicle for Mickey Mouse, Fantasia served as a mode of animated storytelling through the beauty of music.
To put it plainly, Fantasia was a landmark moment in animation for its magnificent achievement as a symphony of possibility. Disney animation was still a fledgling at the time, yet Fantasia opened a world of possibilities for the studio’s next steps. Through Mickey as the Sorcerer’s Apprentice, the company’s iconography was launched, with the sorcerer’s hat becoming the source of its imagination. 60 years later, Roy E. Disney helped to bring a sequel, Fantasia 2000 to fruition. Using the same magic as the original, with the evolution of Disney magic, it served as a chance for a new generation to embrace the celebration of musical storytelling. What’s true today, as it was almost 8 decades ago, Fantasia is timeless.
2
‘Toy Story’ (1995)
All it takes is one successful project to change the entire trajectory of your future. In 1995, everything changed for Pixar with the release of Toy Story. At the forefront of computer-generated animation, Toy Story gave us insight into what might happen while we’re away if our favorite toys came to life. Redefining the power of friendship in a wonderfully colorful world where imagination runs free, Toy Story’s story about a cowboy doll and a space ranger action figure launched a franchise that’s still going to infinity and beyond.
Toy Story was a groundbreaking film for its animation style, which strayed from what audiences were used to. By proving that audiences had an appetite for something beyond 2D animation, Pixar expanded the Toy Story universe with new beloved characters and adventures. Toy Story gave us a world where all types of toys can live together in unity. Rather than a typical hero versus villain narrative, Toy Story celebrated the power of friendship first and foremost. Thanks in part to the stellar voice cast —Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Wallace Shawn, Annie Potts, John Ratzenberger, and more— we soon learned that great chemistry brought life to these characters. Toy Story is incredible from start to finish because it’s not just a kids’ movie. It’s also for the kids at heart.
1
‘The Lion King’ (1994)
The Disney Renaissance of the 90s started strong, but when The Lion King hit theaters, it solidified Disney’s magic in ways never seen before. Recognized as one of the greatest films of all time, The Lion King transported us to the savannas of Africa for a coming-of-age story about a young lion destined to become king. Loosely based on Hamlet, The Lion King had all the elements that make a Disney animated film a classic: a strong sense of family, romance, and friendship. Balancing brightly colored moments with starkly dark scenes, The Lion King’s ability to craft a beautifully crafted visual amidst an emotionally ranging story has allowed it to become a favorite amongst cinephiles.
A major reason why The Lion King has stood the test of time is the exceptional music from Elton John and Tim Rice. From top to bottom, the music has become a source of adoration. From “The Circle of Life” to “Hakuna Matata,” the movie’s music has resonated with generations. There’s a reason why three of the film’s songs were nominated for Academy Awards. The Lion King became an essential animated classic the moment we looked down across the savanna to see the unity of animals coming together in celebration. A major cinematic moment was born.
The Lion King
- Release Date
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June 15, 1994
- Runtime
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89 minutes
- Director
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Roger Allers, Rob Minkoff
- Writers
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Irene Mecchi, Jonathan Roberts, Linda Woolverton, Rick Maki, Jorgen Klubien, Chris Sanders, Joe Ranft, Thom Enriquez, Larry Leker, Barry Johnson, Francis Glebas, Burny Mattinson, Andrew Gaskill, Gary Trousdale, Lorna Cook, Tom Sito, Mark Kausler, Kevin Harkey, Ed Gombert, Jim Capobianco
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Matthew Broderick
Simba (voice)
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