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Three best animated films of all time

Published/Last Modified on Tuesday, Dec 09, 2008 - 11:43:18 pm MST

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As a rule, I cannot stand animated films.

Pixar performs a little CGI magic, a few stars accentuate their fame behind an adorable avatar, the kiddies pile into the theaters, the movie studios make hundreds of millions on this mindless pablum and misguided conservative pundits wonder aloud why “The Incredibles” shouldn’t get more Oscar praise from Hollywood than “Brokeback Mountain” because, after all, it made more money.

The plots are all the same — a child is separated from its parental figure and meets quirky, talking animals along the way before they are triumphantly reunited.

And the kiddies apparently never see this storyline coming.

That being said, there are three animated films that I can recommend whole-heartedly.

1) "Persepolis"

The story of the fall of the Shah in Iran as told through the adventures of one girl could only be told in cartoon form.

The distinctive Persian nose and ominous shadows meld perfectly in this never preachy, brutally honest piece of storytelling.

2) "Watership Down"

This tale of British bunnies competing for turf has many of the same separation anxiety motifs as many of the Disney films I was criticizing above, Watership Down is smarter.

The metaphor connecting bunnies and humans holds, and the horrifically violent bunny rabbit fight scenes, all choregraphed to the sweet harmonies of Art Garfunkel are guaranteed to stick to your bones.

3) "Who Framed Roger Rabbit?"

This could be the greatest animated film of all time because it addresses the existential problem of being a “Toon.”

Christopher Lloyd’s villain is an eerie reminder of Hitler going to extremes to deny his Jewish roots and the interplay between made-up cartoon characters, real ones and human beings creates a world all its own, not duplicated in film since.

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Bender wrote on Feb 28, 2009 2:14 PM:

" How about these three
1. Beavis and Butthead Do America
2. The Simpsons Movie
3. South Park: Bigger, Longer and Uncut "

Unbelievable wrote on Dec 24, 2008 7:01 AM:

" I just looked at this to read people's favorite animated movies and was floored at the comments written.I cannot believe what a group of grown men are writing online for the public to see. Arguing and bashing each other over their opinions of animated movies. I'm actually embarrassed for the bunch of you! Someone named Matt wrote an article that was non-violent, light-hearted, and you all found a way to fight over it. Shame on you! "

Becky wrote on Dec 24, 2008 12:34 AM:

" First off, why do we let Hollywood tell us what is a good movie. Like what you like and feel no shame. Second, animation is a very complicated art form. Try getting your squash and stretch right. Third, don't mess with a Media Arts Alumni when animation is on the line. "

Dan wrote on Dec 22, 2008 11:56 PM:

" I gotta give you a broak though, me and the wife were talking about the whole way disney seems to think it is not okay for the main character in the movie to have both parents. It's always some tragedy about how they get sranded or lost and have to make some sort of journey back home, so yes, Disney sucks at that. And making sure there is ALWAYS some kind of romance, which I don't see nesessary for ALL kid movies. I kinda see your point to a certain extent. "

Marc Smith wrote on Dec 22, 2008 12:14 PM:

" Fritz the Cat. The first adult animated movie. See it, not with young kids. Watership down, you got to be kidding me! Look in the dictionary under the word "suck", it is right there. The book, OK, but man, the movie, pour Draino in my eyes first. "

hummer wrote on Dec 22, 2008 10:57 AM:

" In my view the best animated films of all time would be those films that were ground breaking creations in their era.
Heavy Metal - 1981
Toy Story - 1995
Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within - 2001 "

Matt Hickman wrote on Dec 18, 2008 3:50 PM:

" Dan,
Matt has never proclaimed that Matt never gets his facts mixed up, especially when it comes to animated films. Matt was only trying to point out the redundant storylines of animated films being recycled over and over again. Matt had no idea such a topic could foster such acrimony. Matt is now beginning to be somewhat sorry he ever brought it up. Matt will be laying this one to rest in archives in 24 hours. May we never speak of animated films again. "

Dan wrote on Dec 17, 2008 11:57 PM:

" Don't question Matt!!!! don't you know Matt knows all! how dare you all!!! he NEVER and may i repeat NEVER gets his facts mixed up. "

Matt Hickman wrote on Dec 16, 2008 10:00 PM:

" the land before time, an american tail, cars, ice age, madagascar, dumbo... i could go on... all revolve around separation anxiety, and sorry, they're not all pixar. pixar was not to be taken literally and precisely. "

the lizard wrote on Dec 16, 2008 3:08 PM:

" your mom goes to buena...
as kip would say from "napoleon dynamite," another great film.
having nothing to do with animation, of course. "

Andy Baird wrote on Dec 16, 2008 1:40 PM:

" "Pixar performs a little CGI magic... The plots are all the same — a child is separated from its parental figure and meets quirky, talking animals along the way before they are triumphantly reunited."
I just reviewed the plots of all nine Pixar features. Only one, "Finding Nemo," even remotely resembles your description. Neither do the other popular animated films of the past decade, such as "Shrek," "Chicken Run," or "Over the Hedge." The one thing these films are NOT is 'all the same.' Hey, nobody says you *have* to like animation - but at least get your facts straight! "

Dan wrote on Dec 14, 2008 11:52 PM:

" Jason: Wow, couldn't have said that myself any better. WHenever I read anytning good ol' Matt here writes, I find myself wondering how I can find a job as easy as his. It's like he just wrote whatever came to mind without even doing the slight amount of ressearch. It's like if i wanted to write a blog on quantom physics having only graduated from Buena... "

Jason wrote on Dec 11, 2008 6:07 PM:

" Finally, you're helping to destroy printed news.
Oh, this only appears online? It doesn't matter, it's the paper's site and only employed writers seem to be able to post: that makes it an extension of the paper itself. Which means you've basically turned what should be a vessel for actual, factual, useful information into roughly the equivalent of teenagers blog to complain about his homework.
Wait.... that's precisely what youv'e done. Apparently all it takes is 4 years of college and your opinion is somehow inherently more valid than others because you're a 'journalist'. Well done... "

Jason wrote on Dec 11, 2008 6:04 PM:

" On a somewhat more personal note, there are a few things that really bother me about you.
1st, if you tend to dislike something, how does that qualify you to judge it? If I had a friend who voiced how much they hated fish and seafood, then proceeded to tell me the best three sushi places in town, how valid would i consider it? And beyond that, how conceited and stupid woul he look doing so?
Just in case you weren't sure that was rhetorical. The answer is "very". "

Jason wrote on Dec 11, 2008 6:01 PM:

" Ironically, the story you mention as 'the basis' doesn't seem to be present in the vast majority. As such, I'm not sure if this is ignorance or an intentional attempt at minimizing animation.
Moreover, look at the majority of the good Disney films: most of them are classic stories.
The fact that a medium is traditionally considered 'childish' or 'frivolous' is foolish stereotyping: the same can and is said of comics and even television.
I find it especially ironic that after bashing your 'stereotypical' animated film, you proclaim Watership down as the second best even though such stories are apparentlyterrible. "

Jason wrote on Dec 11, 2008 5:55 PM:

" ... I am honestly torn between commenting on you personally and your piece objectively. I think I'll start objectively.

Stating that all animated films are the same is ridiculous. This has been touched on before, but simply claiming that because you tend to dislike something it has no merit is ludicrous. There are a great many animated films with far more complex plots than some of the sitcoms and films that hit the screen, in part becaue of how much it costs. "

kc wrote on Dec 11, 2008 10:19 AM:

" I have to agree with Shawn about the brilliance of Triplets of Bellville. Excellent animated flick and the soundtrack is pretty jazzy!!! I like silly stuff like this blog and don't understand why peope get so bent. If you want to tie it back to sports that is your option. Compare your local sports team to a favorite movie or a local coach to your favorite superhero. Have fun with it. "

Dan wrote on Dec 11, 2008 3:44 AM:

" I think this would have been bearable if you at least changed the title. I now this is your opinion, and i understand you are not fond of animated films. What got into you to write this? I am just a little confused, did you even do the slightest ressearch before you wrote this? "

Dan wrote on Dec 11, 2008 3:41 AM:

" Horrible.... horrible...... horrible. But hey this is not as bad as some of your other stuff. "

Shawn wrote on Dec 11, 2008 12:42 AM:

" Surely each film has their own camp of supporters. Frankly, that is not the argument I wish to make. What I intend to argue it that animated films should be critiqued alongside the films of No Country for Old Men and The Departed. Animation is not a lesser form of entertainment and if a particular film is good enough, should be nominated along side other well produced feature films. "

Shawn wrote on Dec 11, 2008 12:41 AM:

" The film also plays off an entire history of comics, including the graphic work of Alan More and Dave Gibbons entitled The Watchmen; a must read for anyone who enjoyed The Incredibles. Super humans are still humans and deal with the same problems that we all deal with. When a society looks down on a special skill as useless and troublesome, and I really believe Brad Bird is talking about the arts including animation here, it looses what makes it beautiful and unique. Is The Incredibles better than Brokeback Mountain? "

Shawn wrote on Dec 11, 2008 12:40 AM:

" mind over your own.

Now I could argue whether Pixar films are in fact deeper than Hickman suggests, and I am sure it would make for an interesting discussion, but time is short. I will though mention that The Incredibles is about more than a super hero family fighting crime. It speaks of acceptance and equality on a higher level than even Brokeback Mountain. Why strive for greatness, if in reality we are all equal? The quote “When every one is super, no one will be.” is one of the coolest lines ever written. "

Shawn wrote on Dec 11, 2008 12:38 AM:

" Watch Akira and tell me it is about being separated from your parents. France has made their own animation contribution with Sylvain Chomet’s The Triplets of Bellevlle, and it is my own opinion that Triplets is the best 2-d animated film in the last decade. Once you’ve widen your perspective, it is easier to find good animated films that don’t fall under the shadow of Walt Disney. The biggest hurdle is getting over the idea that you hate animated films, and realizing that you only in fact hate animated films that have more of a child’s consideration in "

Shawn wrote on Dec 11, 2008 12:37 AM:

" Let us not forget, though, the wonders that Henry Selnick and Tim Burton did for stop-motion animation with The Nightmare Before Christmas. It would also be heresy to exclude the shorts and featured film appearances of Wallace and Gromit from the mind of Nick Park. If you don’t fancy getting in touch with your inner child you might try looking overseas. Anime is animation. It is a different style than the west is most comfortable with, but many films contain stories that were actually written with adults in mind. "

Shawn wrote on Dec 11, 2008 12:35 AM:

" It is an art form in and of itself. It has surely made its own niche in western society as entertainment for children and adults with sophomoric humor, but animation is quite capable of dealing with deeper and more insightful story lines that resemble dramas, action, and, yes, horror films-- quick side note: I would love to know how Hickman feels about zombies.--There is even a good supply of independent animators in existence; Don Hertzfeldt and Bill Plympton to name a few. Yes, Pixar has raised the bar for animation and 3-d animation as well. "

Shawn wrote on Dec 11, 2008 12:32 AM:

" I apologize ahead of time for my very long response...and i mean really long...Although I respect this writer’s opinion, I must say that he is looking at animation, as a whole, from a very limited stand point. This article could have easily been about his favorite comedies, war epics, or romance films. The problem is that animation is not and should not be treated as a genre. "

WHERE are the LOCAL sports wrote on Dec 10, 2008 9:48 PM:

" so we advertisers are paying for a sports editor to blog something you can find on a random geek site and yet there are LOCAL sports events continually ignored; i will spend my local media dollars where they count "

Evan Watters wrote on Dec 10, 2008 7:41 PM:

" Obviously this was written with a very limited knowledge of animated features. There are endless varieties of animated feature films coming out of Japan and China. Almost any of Miyazaki's fantasy worlds represent more on screen than 3 Disney Animated Classics combined. Animated movies are marketed towards children because they are visually easier to understand. That being said, the plot, cinematography, and depth of content only goes as far as a child's vocabulary.

There is commentary and plot diversions littered throughout Princess Mononoke. If you'd like to take a dip into anime, that's a reasonably simple way to start :) "

Bill wrote on Dec 10, 2008 5:31 PM:

" Those three would only qualify as the best three recent animated films. If you are using the qualification "of all time" I think you would have to include Disney's Fantasia from 1940. "

Keith wrote on Dec 10, 2008 5:15 PM:

" 1. "Fantasia": This movie helped spawn future animators. And how can you not vote for hippos in a tutu.

2. "Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow": Stunning, dark visuals. It's mostly animated, and if you count "Roger Rabbit," this one counts and surpasses it.

3. Pixar films: They all are pretty much in the same category of high quality — "Cars," "Wall-E," "Toy Story," "The Incredibles," "Finding Nemo" and "Ratatouille," to name a few. Great story telling, great characters and wonderful images. Kids of all ages love 'em! "

the lizard wrote on Dec 10, 2008 4:32 PM:

" fantasia.

toy story.

chicken run.

animated films tell great stories. "

tomkat wrote on Dec 10, 2008 3:34 PM:

" 1. The Incredibles
2. Toy Story
3. The Grinch That Stole Christmas "

kc wrote on Dec 10, 2008 1:57 PM:

" 1) Pink Floyd the Wall
2) Animal Farm
3) Jungle Book "

JK wrote on Dec 10, 2008 1:33 PM:

" My top 3 would be:
The Nightmare Before Christmas
The Lion King
Animal Farm (1954 version)
I may even have to toss in a 4th, Kôkaku kidôtai (Ghost in the shell).
I will give some credit to WFRR for the acting mixed with animation, but overall the only thing good about that movie was Jessica Rabbit and sadly she wasn't real. "

Sweet T wrote on Dec 10, 2008 9:03 AM:

" Yo dude... animation is for light hearted fun...
1) Toy Story
2) The Incredibles
3) Kung Fu Panda "