For the last month I have been ranking the top Animated Films for Disney, Pixar and Non-Disney/Pixar Films and today on the final day of Animation Month I will be ranking the Top 10 Animated Films of all Time. Now I have been straightforward with all of these lists so far and for this one I also need to be straightforward. Animation is my favorite genre of film and for over the last 25 years of my life, from being born pretty much, I have loved watching animated films and over the course of those 25 years I have gone to appreciate them more than just a ordinary kids film as some of these films I have ranked have had more mature themes and stories and also have been targeted more for a older demographic such as teenagers and young adults. It’s not always about how the animation looks on the screen that makes it really good but more of the fact that it needs to have a great story, characters that leave a memorable message, a beautiful soundtrack sometimes helps, but most of all a really great animated film will have a deep message that young kids might not understand now but in time will be able to understand when they are a bit older. Now not all of them do this but in that case a great animated film has a great team working behind the scenes to make the animated film feel more than just your ordinary animated film and more of an Academy Award contender or just a really great feature film. That’s kind of why I love Animated films and why I centered a full month on them. I wanted to spread my love to you all and talk about why I love them. Anyway, comment below what your favorite animated film of all time is and let’s go into a 2-D or 3-D world and rank the Top 10 Animated Films of All Time.
Top 10 Animated Films of All Time
10. Spirited Away (2001) – Hayao Miyazaki is pretty well known for his amazing animated films as he is one of the greatest animators of all time. I wanted to watch Spirited Away before making this countdown because I know how good it is but I wanted to see it with my own eyes and not just through other critic’s reviews/opinions. I honestly can say after watching Spirited Away that it is one of the greatest animated films ever. Now I haven’t seen all of Miyazaki’s films but in time I will but to have his biggest film yet on this list is a huge honor. Spirited Away is about a young girl named Chihiro who enters the world called Kami, a place where folklore and Japanese spirits live. Her parents are turned to pigs by the witch Yubaba and now Chririo must work for her and find a way to free herself and her parents. I first want to say how beautifully animated this film is from the characters to just the setting of Kami. It looks outstanding and visually beautiful and most of all I love how colorful Kami is with so many vibrant colors that light up the screen. Now I watched the English dubbed version but regardless of which version you watch just know that it is an amazing film that has a very great story, some enjoyable and quite frankly great looking animated characters and such beautiful scores in this film that make it feel like you are visiting Japan when watching the film. I now see why this film gets so much praise and why it won the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature and why it won so many awards in general. It’s literally such a great feature film that made me want to check out more Miyazaki animated films. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ByXuk9QqQkk&t=54s
9. Aladdin (1992) – Considered one of the greatest animated films ever, Aladdin continues be a beloved Disney classic that everyone in the world loves. The film is about a street urchin named Aladdin who finds a magic lamp and disguises himself as a wealthy prince to impress and marry the Sultan’s daughter. Aladdin truly shows the magic of Disney and its very beautiful message of being yourself that not only won the hearts of many but would become an iconic theme in multiple Disney films. Aladdin has great characters and such an outstanding soundtrack, but let’s not forget to appreciate the hard work of the animators who helped bring this movie to life. The animation looks spectacular and they way it comes off on film is glorious. The action sequences feel like a live action scene, including the scene where Aladdin, Abu and the Magic Carpet fly out of the Cave of Wonders, such an outstanding scene that shows how amazing the animators are. For me I love this film because I grew up with it and it’s the first film I think of when talking about the late great Robin Williams. The amount of unused dialogue that wasn’t used for the Genie is beyond amazing as there must be hours of unused dialogue hidden either in the Disney Vault or in the Archives. Aladdin is a great representation of a great Disney film as it has heart, it has soul, it is telling a beautiful message within its story, it has such brilliant animation but also an amazing voice cast and soundtrack to tell its story and bring the animation to life. Hell I’ll be the one to say it, yes the live action is nowhere close to being as good as the original 1992 film but I will give it some love for doing something different, even though it was the same film with the same plot points, it added in some big key features that I wish was in the original like Jasmine being more independent and getting her own song. But the original animated Aladdin is by far one of the greatest animated films ever and should be cherished by so many people. Had the Best Animated Feature been an award back in the 90s then this film would defiantly win. Aladdin brought us to a whole new world and it’s a world that many people love to visit time and time again. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qJJog4BJrUw
8. The Lego Movie (2014) - The idea of making a film based off of a popular children’s toy somehow worked and somehow became one of the greatest animated films of all time. The Lego Movie is not even 10 years old yet and somehow it is one of the most beloved films and highly praised animated films ever. The Lego Movie is about Emmet, an ordinary Lego mini figure, who is said to be “the special” as now he must help a resistant movement stop a villainous business man from trying to take over the Lego world. Now on paper the film’s main story seems childish, but it’s pretty mature when you read between the lines and learn about the subliminal message of the film. A message that lets us cherish our inner child and to dream big and rather not try and put someone’s imagination down just because you can’t feel the same way they do. The Lego Movie might be a PG rated film that children want to see cause it has the word “Lego” in it but in the end the animated film was able to show the older adults who tell their kids they can’t do this or don’t do that to just chill out and let your child be imaginative and it also tells them hey remember when you were a kid, imagine you can too. As for the film itself it is a well developed animated film that has lego effects in almost everything from fire, water and even the explosions, they are all done with computer animated lego’s and it is really cool. The voice cast is phenomenal and without a doubt the comedy moments mixed with the real subliminal message moments are extremely incredible. Now I mentioned in the Non-Disney/Pixar list that this film wasn’t nominated for Best Animated Feature in the Academy Awards, even though it was the best animated film of that year, and while I still am upset about this snub I kind of look past it. I’m happy a very underrated animated film like Big Hero 6 won the award because it is overshadowed by a lot of Disney films that came out before it or after it so it can be able to be on a list of many prestigious animated films to have won that award. The Lego Movie would have been an obvious choice to win the award and even be on that list too but in the end it doesn’t need an award to make it prestigious because it’s a cinematic masterpiece regardless of if it wins any award or not. It’s one of the best animated films because it uses a child’s toy to put on a hell of a performance and tell a very powerful message that will pull on your heartstrings. The Lego Movie might seem like a cash grab or a type of film to advertise Lego but it’s not and it honor’s what the toy represents to children and how you can make anything you want with them as long as you dream big. This film tells that story and in the end it parallels to us needing to dream big and to cherish our imagination/past life as a kid and to cherish the little things in life. Such a powerful message for an animated film that target demographic is ages 7 – 14. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M_pemwLg_zc
7. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937) – Heigh ho, Heigh ho, it’s off to Disney we go and without Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Walt Disney and his company would had been a thing in the past and there wouldn’t be a Disneyland, World, EuroDisney, Pixar, Disney+, the list can go on and on. While Mickey Mouse might have brought in some high revenue, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs changed the game for Disney and for animation. Historically and culturally every Disney film that followed needed to be just as good, popular, memorable or better than Snow White, no question about it. Snow White isn’t the most perfect film under the House of Mouse but it is the one that really started it all. Films like Pinocchio, Bambi, Fantasia, Dumbo and the rest of the Disney catalogue could not find their success and stride without this movie. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs might be about a princess running away from her evil Stepmother/Queen and meeting 7 short men who hide her and keep her safe, but it’s a film where we see beautiful classic style of hand drawn animation and an incredible musical score that defines Walt Disney Pictures. Walt Disney’s company, the animators, the storytellers, Walt himself, brought this Brothers Grimm fairy tale to life and shocked the world by doing it in the most perfect way. The animation looks so smooth and the movements of the characters look so realistic, especially now comparing it to today’s animation. I would love to see a classic hand drawn animated film like this one today as I miss classic hand drawn animation. I’m not the biggest fan of this movie but for what it is worth I give it a lot of love and respect for being the legendary icon of Disney and animation. Oh who am I kidding, I’m literally Dopey for many reasons and this was the one film that played in the auditorium in my elementary school the most. This movie is phenomenal and wherever it is placed on this list it doesn’t matter because in the end we know how great this film is. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z4zQ1txgD94
6. Toy Story 3 (2010) – I love this movie to death and believe me had this been “My Top 10 Animated Films of All Time” list and been opinionated then this would be number 2 hands down but I need to be straightforward with it. Toy Story 3 is hands down a perfect animated film. Everything about it from the characters to the soundtrack to the animation to the music to the emotional intense scenes that will make you cry for hours and think about your life and….look this is very great film. It is in my opinion the best Toy Story film in the franchise and quite frankly the best Pixar film of all time. There is something about it that I literally can’t stop crying when I watch Andy say goodbye to his toys or when I see any clip of the film I ultimately just forget about life and remember everything great about the film. Toy Story 3 won many awards, and was even nominated for Best Picture in the Academy Awards, but while it didn’t win the most prestigious film award ever it did however prove how great of a film it is. I look deep into this film’s message and what it is trying to tell the viewers and that message clearly states “never forget your youth when you grow up”. There is a certain bond we have with our youth, our younger selves and if we let go of that youth we will possibly forget who we used to be and if we let go of the kid that lives inside us then we will never remember the good times we had as a child. At the same time parents have to let their kids go, whether it’s to go to college or to live their lives, the purpose is they need to let them be independent and the same can be said for kids who become young adults letting go of something they love the most. We watched Andy play with his toys and show them love for so many years and now he knows it’s time for someone else to love them and play with them, thus he accepts it and gives away his most precious thing in his whole life. Giving up Woody to Bonnie was something huge for him but he got to have one last fun time with Woody and the gang because of it. Like I said before never forget your youth because if you do then you will forget the funs times you had as a kid. I know you need to grow up and become more mature but never let it take over your life. Toy Story 3 told us this in one film and I will never forget that. Toy Story 3 is in a special place in my heart that I will never let go and never give up. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FnmX5yVW3zc
5. Wall-E (2008) – I don’t think there is any way to make this cinematic masterpiece without having animation, visuals and beautiful cinematography. I made a review for this film earlier this month and I talked more about it back in the Pixar list but I have explained why this film is a masterpiece. So if you didn’t read the review I highly recommend you do as I go into full detail why this film is great and what makes it so great. Wall-E is Pixar’s most unique film as it is about a robot who is the last living thing on earth as all the people who used to live on earth are gone and on a spaceship. In the film he meets someone he loves, brings life to people/robots that are kind of lifeless and have no purpose and he brings something to the people that they never really were able to experience before. This film is also unique with the sense of it being a true heartwarming Pixar film that will leave you with many emotions and is done perfectly well with amazing animators and storytellers. Monster’s Inc, Ratatouille and obviously Toy Story is under that same list but my god I would put Wall-E first on this list because it even though it has 30% dialogue in this film I would make it a dialogueless film that uses either only robot sounds or just pure animation to tell its story. Critics call Wall-E the best film of 2008 and I have to say the more I talk about this film and the longer I think about it I’m kind of turning my head towards it. I love the Dark Knight and will always call it the best movie of 2008 and of all time but in a weird way I could replace Dark Knight with Wall-E if I wanted to. Wall-E is a very great film and like I said I made a review on this film and talk more about it but if you have never seen Wall-E then you should defiantly go watch it and if you have seen it before but haven’t seen it in a while or for a long time then you should take some time out of your life and go watch it again and enjoy a very amazing experience from watching this masterpiece. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WB8LrCWmGYw
4. Toy Story 2 (1999) – Toy Story was a ground breaking movie for animation and a future huge animation production company. Toy Story 2 however changed the game for animation storytelling and became the beginning of what I like to call “Pixar’s Diamond/Renaissance Era (Toy Story 2 (1999) – Toy Story 3 (2010)). But for Toy Story 2, the film needed to be different from its predecessor and it needed to engage the viewer in a different way. The animation was improved compared to the first Toy Story and at the time it was groundbreaking how in just 4 years the sequel looked remarkably better and visually stunning. Sure it looks not as good now but back in 1999 it was amazing. Toy Story 2 story isn’t about a brand new toy like the last film but centered on abandonment. While Woody wasn’t abandoned, he has the feeling that he might be and this then leads to the story of Jessie and how she was abandoned by her owner. Humans deal with abandonment a lot, when a parent leaves or is never there or when a friend or a person you love breaks your heart and gives up on you. But to see it with a toy and in an animated film it’s powerful and sure it seems childish but it could parallel to people and make them feel some emotions. I don’t need to explain much for this film because we know how iconic and amazing Toy Story 2 and all the Toy Story films are and how they will be in our lives and in our minds for many more years to come. Toy Story 2 is said to be the greatest Pixar film and one of the best animated films of all time and it defiantly shows why it is so great and why it is one of and possibly the best. It’s an arguable topic but it is by far a beloved animated film that many Disney and animated fans love. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vvVqWgFo1fk
3. Shrek 2 (2004) – Shrek was another groundbreaking film for animation and its sequel Shrek 2 raised the bar with not only the Shrek franchise and DreamWorks Animation but with animation period. It broke box office records, it was nominated for so many awards, it became the biggest animated film of the decade and we were only 4 years into the decade. Shrek 2 is even considered by many as a perfect sequel, which isn’t rare to have a sequel be better than the original but to be a perfect sequel and be way better than the original, that is pretty rare. Shrek 2 animation is visually stunning, it’s not perfect but back in 2004 it was very outstanding. The soundtrack though is by far one of the best soundtracks of all time. Shrek soundtrack’s are usually amazing and full of bops, except Shrek the Third, but still this soundtrack is literally beautiful music to my ears. The story however is what makes this film so awesome as the film’s message of loving yourself for who you are and not let anyone judge you by what you are not is so powerful. There are many people who struggle with being judged and it then messes with their heads and makes them believe that no one would like them because of how they act or look and this film perfectly shows that with Shrek and how in this film he is still judged as a monster, as an ogre, and yet he goes out of his own way and becomes human just to not feel like an outsider but instead he more of an outsider now because he isn’t true to himself and Fiona because in the first film Shrek and Fiona fell in love with each other for who they are, not for what they looked like and in this movie Fiona loves Shrek for just being himself and would rather stay an ogre than living an normal human life. This movie is such a powerful film and many people can feel something or even learn something from watching the film. I think the story itself is a huge reason why many people call it such a perfect sequel and one of the greatest animated films of all time. Plus the “I Need a Hero” scene is ICONIC! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A_HjMIjzyMU
2. Beauty and the Beast (1991) – Historically speaking this film was the first animated film to be nominated for Best Picture in the Academy Awards, that alone is groundbreaking just to be able to be in the same category as some of the best films of the previous year, it’s seriously outstanding and something that wasn’t done again until 2009 with the film Up. Beauty and the Beast feels like a live stage show that happened to be animated and had people become everyday household items and be about a girl who falls in love with a man who was cursed to look like a monster. To think just three years later the film became one of the most successful Broadway shows of all time. Beauty and the Beast has never lost it popularity and higher status since it first came out because it’s a beautifully animated, well put together film that kind of changed the way people looked at animated films. Beauty and the Beast also had a killer soundtrack that had bops, I mean like guilty pleasure songs that you may see people sing in their car or hear people sing in the shower. If I had it my way I would be screaming the song Gaston in the shower. Beauty and the Beast was the main film to light the fire ten times more in the Renaissance Era and it brought us back to the golden years of Disney, the years where they’re films had beautiful music and outstanding animation and visuals. We’re talking about films that laid the foundation of Disney and brought it to new heights. Beauty and the Beast is loved by so many Disney fans, animation fans and fans of film. Again I mentioned it in the Disney list but it is very arguable what the best Disney animated film of all time is but I can see and agree with anyone who says Beauty and the Beast is the greatest of all time. I see how highly praised it is by critics and fans and I see how outstanding of a masterpiece this film is. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xDUhINW3SPs
1. The Lion King (1994) – There is something about The Lion King that draws us in and we continuously re-watch this movie like there is no tomorrow. The Lion King is more than an animated film, it’s a cinematic masterpiece. You can love and hate the film but deep down inside you know that it is the greatest animated film of all time. Many people have their favorites and their number one but we all can agree that The Lion King is up there with many. For me it is my favorite because I was engaged with the beautiful and stunning visuals and animation, the characters that bring this masterpiece to life, the music that makes me feel special and warm and fuzzy on the inside and just the amount of love and work that went into making this film. I love this movie with all my heart and it leaves me with so many emotions. The same can be said with many people as if you were born in the 90’s then this film was kind of a big part of your life, if you love Disney then this one of the few films you are watching constantly. We all cry during the Stampede scene, we all belt and sing Hakuna Matata, we all pretend to raise our babies or dogs/cats in the air like Rafiki does with Simba and we all have one time in our life dressed in drag and did the Hula, okay that last one might just be Timon but you get my point. This film teaches us that that past might hurt but you can’t run from it, you need to learn from it. And without a doubt we all begin to sing the Circle of Life when he hear “Nants ingonyama bagithi baba”, yes I looked up the lyrics to make my point, but here my point. The Lion King doesn’t need awards like Best Picture, Best Animated Feature or any award these last 9 films have won. It’s an iconic film that tells a Shakespearian story of Hamlet, but with Lions, and does it in the most legendary way. It’s a live stage show but with cats, also way better than CATS. It’s a movie that we all emotionally love and all can say is top tier level animation. I am honored to say that The Lion King is the greatest animated film of all time. Now again I’m not saying it because it is my favorite, I’m saying it because it’s the god damn truth. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UkPUaVfeorI
Video Version: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XjNZ7CUgYxA
And that is our final list for Animation Month. It was a fun month to talk about animated films and to show so much love for animation. But I want to thank you all for letting me put out in my opinion some of my best work and being able to show my love for animation.
Honorable Mentions: Shrek Up Toy Story Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse Ratatouille
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