Who doesn’t love a good animated movie? Since the beginning of animation in cinema, these films have been some of the most popular projects out there, and for very good reason. Animation is a whole art form in itself, a medium rather than a genre that is breathtaking and often an example of what makes a great film when done right.
Whether it’s in 2D or 3D, a good animated project can be considered a total masterclass in filmmaking. Animators have to build whole new worlds, characters, props, and more from the ground up, which is no easy task. So, when a good animated flick comes along, it’s all the more impressive and worth looking at as an example of how to make a good movie that appeals to all kinds of audiences.
10
‘The Iron Giant’ (1999)
Today, it may seem like common practice to include CG-animated characters and assets in a 2D project to capture things in a way hand-drawn cannot (a great example being the Colossal Titan form seen in Attack on Titan), but it was pretty unheard of back in the day. The first feature-length movie to include a CG-animated character as the protagonist in cinema history is none other than The Iron Giant.
For being the first to do it, it’s certainly difficult to tell when watching this extremely special movie, which is a testament to how well-done the animation is across both the 2D and 3D departments. Alongside this success is the fact that the animation is even further complemented by incredible storytelling. The Iron Giant is a story about choosing who you want to be, despite what many people believe you are made for.
9
‘The Prince of Egypt’ (1998)
One of the most underrated animated movies of all time is, without a doubt, The Prince of Egypt, thanks especially to how well it’s made. It’s filled to the brim with some beautiful hand-drawn animation that is breathtaking to this day, has strong vocal performances, and a score unlike any other surrounding it at the time. Directors Brenda Chapman, Steve Hickner and Simon Wells all came together to craft a genuinely beautiful film that still does not get the attention it deserves, despite being a masterclass in adapting mythical stories.
The Prince of Egypt is a breathtaking retelling of the story of Moses and an exceptional example of how to adapt a beloved story for a modern audience and do it well. There’s a lot of pressure when adapting stories like this, but The Prince of Egypt shows how one can take creative liberties without sacrificing the integrity, point, and themes of the original.
8
‘Ratatouille’ (2007)
Ratatouille is often considered to be Pixar Animation’s magnum opus. The common claim is that this is a nearly perfect film and has the perfect combination of everything it takes to make a good animated movie. Pixar Animation has always been known as one of the greats in the animated space, and Ratatouille is the best example of why.
This movie has an incredibly unique premise that brings about a story all about defying the odds and breaking out of people’s expectations. Directed by the phenomenal Brad Bird, who also directed The Iron Giant and a few other incredible flicks, Ratatouille is the perfect blend of heartfelt story, amazing animation, and compelling vocal performances that enhance the character arcs at play.
7
‘How to Train Your Dragon’ (2010)
DreamWorks Animation has always been at the top of the game when it comes to animated films. Ever since this studio started, they’ve been delivering new, unique, and expectation-subverting projects. A great example is their 2010 hit, How to Train Your Dragon, which takes the entire idea of dragons being evil and malicious and flips it on its head completely to tell a story about discrimination and unfair judgment.
How to Train Your Dragon does a near-perfect job at giving a dialogue-less non-human character enough expression range to do the speaking for them, without compromising the more realistic designs. Toothless the Dragon is one of the most well-animated creatures in animated films, on the basis that the audience always knows exactly what he is thinking and wants to do without needing to hear a lick of dialogue or someone speaking for him. Understanding visual language this well is essential to delivering not just compelling characters like Toothless, but good storytelling as a whole—camera moves, angles, and blocking.
6
‘Spirited Away’ (2002)
The largest non-American animation studio powerhouse out there is, without a doubt, the legendary Studio Ghibli. Of their biggest hits, the most recognizable is most certainly the highly-acclaimed Spirited Away. Even those who aren’t too aware of Studio Ghibli know about this gorgeous 2002 film, which is proof of the kind of quality this movie truly holds. It’s known all around the world as one of the best animated movies of all time.
World-renowned director Hayao Miyazaki managed to perfectly capture this majestic universe in a way that felt natural and filled the audience with wonder. Miyazaki’s movies hold a unique sense of magic and mysticism in a way that gets people incredibly invested. Of the many Ghibli masterpieces, Spirited Away does it best thanks to a great combination of stunning animation and inventive storytelling.
5
‘Kung Fu Panda’ (2008)
There aren’t many underdog stories like Kung Fu Panda, which is why this franchise has been known over the years as one of the best in DreamWorks. The first entry takes audiences’ expectations about a premise or character and flips them on their head. In this case, the protagonist, Po (Jack Black), an overweight Panda, is hailed as the legendary Dragon Warrior, and absolutely no one believes in him because of his appearance and lighthearted attitude.
Kung Fu Panda is a movie that, above all else, inspires audiences while simultaneously making them laugh. It finds a way to do something that is extremely difficult in storytelling, which is the act of balancing between drama and comedy. Poor tone balancing can make or break a movie, and Kung Fu Panda nimbly walks the line between absurdity and sentiment, making all the moments stand out more.
4
‘Shrek 2’ (2004)
If someone wants to learn how to make an astounding sequel project, they need not look further than Shrek 2. What this movie does that makes it a masterclass in sequel filmmaking is that it adds new things to the world and formula of its predecessor. It expands on its lore through new characters and themes while keeping the same meta humor.
It’s not easy to produce a sequel that works, but Shrek 2 may very well be the defining film when studying how to make one. It never rehashes the same plot and arc as the first entry, but the thematic core of the story remains intact. The voice cast comes back better than ever, and it’s clear that the studio spared no expense in making sure this sequel was amazing, which paid off for them tenfold.
3
‘Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse’ (2018)
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse redefined both the animated realm and superhero cinema as a whole. The new kind of style it brought, along with its meticulous attention to detail, made this movie something truly special and gave other studios the courage to get creative with their movies and television series. Projects like Arcane, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem, and Puss in Boots: The Last Wish wouldn’t look the way they do without the example that was set by this Spidey flick.
What makes this movie so special is how much attention to detail the animators and the rest of the crew had when producing it. There is so much to learn and study about the explosive visuals of Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. The film is a masterclass in animation and shaping a narrative through visuals, ultimately resulting in a living, breathing comic book.
2
‘Shrek’ (2001)
Truly, very few animated movies can actually beat Shrek, not just in enjoyability, but in quality, too. Much like Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse did, Shrek redefined the animated industry when it released—it didn’t do it solely through its animation, though, but rather through its unique screenplay and tone, its subversion and deconstruction of fairy tale tropes.
Shrek showed that animated family films can be edgier, filled with humor for both kids and adults—adult humor that is genuinely funny to older generations by being self-referential and even a tad raunchy—and the way it reshaped animated film norms. A script is nothing without a voice cast that can perform it, though, and boy, do Mike Meyers, Eddie Murphy, Cameron Diaz, and many more perform their hearts out. This movie is simply iconic in every way and a masterclass in good storytelling for family films.
1
‘The Incredibles’ (2004)
Sure, Ratatouille may be Pixar’s magnum opus, but another one of their pinnacle movies is the heartfelt family superhero adventure The Incredibles. Just like Shrek, this flick is filled with jokes and small plot details that only adults can enjoy—like the man who attempted to jump off the roof of a building intentionally suing Mr. Incredible (Craig T. Nelson) for saving him.
The Incredibles is a story about hope, heroism, and what it means to be a family. However, it still manages to have this lighthearted vibe while bringing in intense plot lines, character arcs, and all-around emotional content that, while kids may not fully understand at times, the parents and older siblings do, making this movie so much more meaningful for them. It proves that a movie can still have the lighthearted nature of a typical kids/family film, while being genuine and raw with its storytelling.