Gush / Animated Films

• Maybe it belongs under "anime", but Grave of the Fireflies is the most powerful thing I've ever seen in a long time. To this day it is the only movie that has made me cry. And it felt wonderful
• Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse is pretty much perfect from start to finish. The well-defined characters, the slick and beautiful animation, the smart and clever screenplay, Shameik Moore’s performance as Miles, the incredible action scenes, the emotionally investing story, the amazing songs featured in the movie (especially “What’s Up, Danger?” and the sequence it accompanies), the pounding musical score, and even a touching tribute to the late great Stan Lee. What’s not to love?
• Spirited Away is the most beautiful movie ever made. The art is gorgeous and the story will play your heartstrings like a champion harpist. It's so good, I watched it right after having four impacted wisdom teeth out and forgot I was ever in pain.
  • I would argue that Howl's Moving Castle is even better. It's such an amazingly beautiful film, both visually and substance-wise. The whimsy, the magic, the action, the romance: a very easy movie to fall in love with.
  • Scenery Porn, anyone? Miyazaki is a genius, no matter what movie you watch. It's a pity so few people in the US (I can only speak for my home country) know who he is.
  • You are not alone.
  • While I adore Spirited Away, Kiki's Delivery Service is my favourite film of all time. It's characters are so charming and realistic, Jiji is adorable and EXCELLENTLY voice acted by Phil Hartman. For being such a relaxed film, it even manages to have genuinely action-packed moments near the end. It's just an adorable, charming film, and I love it so.
• Some of the Scooby Doo movies were surprisingly good, particularly Scooby Doo and the Boo Brothers and Scooby Doo and the Ghoul School. They were two of my favourite movies as a child and I still love them.
  • Scooby-Doo on Zombie Island is quite possibly the greatest Scooby movie I have ever seen. The animation is great, the soundtrack is awesome for being heavy metal and rock instead of the standard pop that the shows have, and it is genuinely terrifying because it was the first time in Scooby Doo where the monsters were real. Yeah, the above examples? Inspired from this one. It basically resurrected the franchise. Plus, it came out on the exact same day that I was born, so I have a soft spot for it.
• Tangled is possibly Disney's best animated feature yet—and that's saying something, coming from someone who's grown up with Disney films her whole life. In fact, I almost wish it had come out when I was a kid so I could have grown up with it. "I See The Light" is a beautiful song on its own, but the scene that accompanies it is breathtakingly gorgeous...it still makes me tear up when I see it. The animation is stunning—the attention to detail is incredible, with each individual blade of grass and strand of hair and everything. The plot is lighthearted and wonderful, the characters very lovable, excellent villain, perfect happy ending—I left that theater feeling so incredibly happy. I felt like a child again.
• Disney's Wreck-It Ralph is quickly becoming a movie to gush about already before its release, if only for the fact that Disney, for the first time ever since Who Framed Roger Rabbit, is pulling the same stunt that made that film even more notable: averting lawyer friendly cameos with video game characters, in the first film in the Disney Animated Canon to be entirely devoted to video games. Pac Man Fever is only addressed, as the movie is... an actual movie about gaming. To top it all off, the cameos aren't shoddy either: we've got big names like Bowser from Super Mario Bros., Dr. Eggman from Sonic the Hedgehog, Clyde from Pac-Man... and even Kano straight from Mortal Kombat, all portrayed with stunning physical faithfulness! The cherry on top is that even heroes get cameos as well: Q*bert, Chun-Li... and, last but definitely not least, Sonic The Hedgehog himself, getting a cameo in an in-movie Public Service Announcement, coming with a Role Reprise to complete the awesomeness. Roger Craig Smith provides the hedgehog's voice. And his lines are perfectly in character.
  Sonic: "If you leave your game, stay safe, stay alert: if you die outside your game, you won't regenerate, ever! Game Over."
  • Seconded. I've never been so excited for an animated Disney movie since-well, never. I'm so happy to see all the positive reactions to it and Sonic's public service announcement literally shot all of my expectations through the roof.
  • Third. This is the second best film I seen this year (first being Paranorman). The video game cameos are just the cherry on top. I love the visuals, the humor, video game references, how they make the fictional video games so interesting that I want to be actual video games, the characters, the fact that it's one of the (if not, only) rare times when the Villain Protagonist is used, yet they don't make the hero counterpart a dick at best, the voice acting, and the Plot Twist are well done. I was disappointed with the lack of cameos to some other video game franchises (ie Mother, Kingdom Hearts, Phsyconauts, Kirby, ect.) and they don't dell into other video game realms, but hey. Nothing's perfect.
  • FOURTH. This. Is. My. Favourite. Disney. Movie. EVER. The video game cameos are joys to watch, but the setting is beautiful, the characters are awesome, and the voice acting is AMAZING. And there's a sequel coming? SHUT UP AND TAKE ALL MY MONEY. NO SERIOUSLY. ALL OF IT. HERE'S MY SAFE!
• Out of all the Disney movies that the company had made, my personal favorite will forever be Frozen. One of the things I loved about the movie is how it messed and played around with the typical Disney formula by deconstructing such things as True Love's Kiss or redefining what an act of true love is. I also loved how the relationship between the two sisters Anna and Elsa drives the plot, and you also feel sorry for each of them because you can tell that they both loved each other dearly, but they didn't know how to solve the problem with Elsa's ice powers until later on in the film. I also loved the fact that Anna chose to sacrifice her own chance of saving herself from being frozen alive just so that she could save her sister whose life was also on the line. All the characters are extremely thought out, and the songs are all very enjoyable. My personal favorite song from the movie will always be "Let it Go." The visuals are fantastic, the lyrics are glorious and very memorable, just the entire scene with Elsa alone on the mountains is simply breathtaking. This is also one of the few songs that I felt inspired from. I listen to the song every day whenever
• Henry Selick may have been out of the spotlight for a while, but Coraline was definitely worth all the waiting.
  • I am sure that I am in the very slim minority, but as a fan of the book, I think that Coraline is the Best.Movie.Ever. You are free to throw bricks at me now.
    • Fear not the bricks, dear troper. You're not alone. Actually, it seems a lot of the book's fans still regard the movie rather highly, running anywhere from "a good movie with some flaws caused by changes" to "better than the book." Even as a fan of the book herself, I am not ashamed to admit that I actually prefers the movie.
  • Imagine adapting a book which is, though excellent, is too short to be adapted into a feature film and has a somewhat off-putting premise. Imagine making a stop-motion film in an era where CGI is largely regarded as more practical and the results tend to net more profit, and with a relatively new, small-name company with not a single feature film to its name. Imagine shooting said movie in 3D, despite obvious technical limitations and the common perception that 3D movies are gimmicky amusement park rides. There is so much that they could have screwed up, and yet they did everything right. The movie was absolutely the most atmospheric, dreamy yet strangely real and believable work of fiction I have ever seen. Its characters feel more lifelike than even live-action characters have any right to be, and the subtle, patient narrative is nothing short of genius. The writing, voice acting, editing, cinematography, music, and special effects all work in perfect conjunction to create a story world that feels alive. And in case you're not quite patient enough to read through all of the above:
  Movie starts. Life = changed.
• I readily acknowledge that the 2009 Astro Boy film is far from perfect. But I still love every minute of is save the more Anvilicious political parody and those damned RRF 'bots. The film is beautiful to look at, the score is wonderful, and it's just all around sweet, cute, and fun. (And speaking as a longtime fan of the original, there's one moment I've been waiting for for years...)
  • Yeah, it's Tenma realizing he loves Astro for who he is, rather than continuing to toss him aside for being unlike Toby. I'm a sucker for that.
• How to Train Your Dragon (2010). I do not like watching movies, thinking them tedious. But even though I enjoyed the book, I love the movie even more. The soundtrack, the characters, the Heartwarming Moment when Hiccup and Toothless first bond and then adding my favourite Love Trope: Slap-Slap-Kiss with an Action Girl Tsundere! And Hiccup. What can I say about him? He is, literally, the cutest thing I have ever seen. Squee!
  • A resounding yes from me as well! It's amazing how a kid's movie has a subtle tolerance message within it, but it is all around sweet and enjoyable. The flying scenes give a great sense of movement, and there are some nice little details too, such as carvings around weapons or houses. The development between Stoick and Hiccup is great, Hiccup and Astrid may be a love interest for the heck of it but they're still innocently charming, and the friendship... Oh, the friendship. Toothless and Hiccup have possibly the most pure and sweet and beautiful relationship in recent film.
• 9. Come on! Living sentinent ragdolls fighting against a giant killer machine to preserve life = awesomesauce.
  • To add to that, and properly gush: Yeah, I'll agree that the movie's far from perfect, but I don't care! I found myself strangely liking the characters, the visuals were great and showed that the designers and animators really cared for their work despite their limitations (judging by interviews and commentary, the movie had budget issues and had to be kept to a 80-minute runtime), and the part I like the most is that the entire thing isn't dialogue heavy. Most of the characters are seen through their body language or changes in their expressions, which is the point of a visual form. The actors do give a lot to their roles (Christopher Plummer as 1, and John C. Reilly as 5 being personal highlights), but it's the animators that are the real stars of the show. The machines look amazing, and I could study them for hours and still find something new about the way they're made that I didn't notice before. And don't even get me started on the environments. It's a shame that not many will pay attention to the post-apocalyptic background, but there's a real sense of humanity once being there, walking along the streets and working and creating things. Oh, and did we mention the adorable character designs and awesome giant A.I yet? Because those are also awesome.
  • Designs? What about the awesome characters? True that you don't get to see much of any of them once things go to hell, but even from that much they feel solid (and if any of them seem pigeonholed by their traits, it actually eventually makes sense), especially in their dynamics - they probably are a pretty good representation of what it'd be like if a person divided the facets of their soul into nine people indeed - and there's a good chance you'll have at least one particular favorite (2 for me, a very Cool Old Guy without needing to be a badass). Never mind the plot's weak points, the movie's one of my favorites for the world and characters.
• "Boys and girls of every age, wouldn't you like to see something strange?" Take America's two most popular holidays, "pop 'em in a boiling pot," and you get The Nightmare Before Christmas, one of the most unique movies ever made. Jack Skellington is perhaps one of the most unique characters to ever grace the silver screen. Born(?) into a world devoted to fear and terror, he longs for something more. And after trying everything else he can think of, he discovered everything he felt he was missing was just outside his front door. The stop-motion animation is downright amazing, and the songs and soundtrack are outstanding.
• Anastasia will ALWAYS have a special place in my heart, no matter how old I am. I ADORE the characters, and the score is so much fun... I still know every word!
  • Anastasia is probably the animated movie I watched the most as a child, and it remains one of my favorite animated movies, if not my favorite. It truly is great.
• Kung Fu Panda 2 has to be tied with How to Train Your Dragon for best animated DreamWorks movie for me. For someone that didn't really care about the first movie, I had really low expectations, but I was absolutely blown away by the stylistic animation, voice acting, story and character development. Not to mention the bad-ass villain, heartwarming moments and perfectly choreographed action sequences. I'm honestly sad that it was robbed from an Oscar by Rango.
  • This troper thinks that the Kung Fu Panda films are DreamWorks' line of Magna Opera.
• Rango certainly deserves its place here. There is truly no animated film like it out there. Its characters are uniquely quirky and weird (and Rattlesnake Jake is awesome), its animation style is a brilliantly executed subversion of the traditional cutesy animal characters of other animated movies (not that there is anything wrong with those films, but it's nice to see someone try something different and succeed), its story is effective regardless of whether you're a fan of Westerns of not, and you just gotta love the comedy and the amount of parental bonuses the movie has to offer. This is truly a work of animation genius that kids and adults alike can enjoy.
• The King And The Mocking Bird. I looked it up on this wiki and was stunned to find so little said about it. Disappointed, in fact. Such a beautiful movie in the smoothness of its animation and intricate detail of its backgrounds, wandering story and dreamy atmosphere. It was in Development Hell for decades (and for a time even longer than The Thief and the Cobbler), but it really paid off, known as a classic in French animation and the greatest work of animator Paul Grimault. Of course, in parts it does not make sense, but even if you think of it too much, it won't detract from the beauty of it. Also, it's a movie involving a lonely king, a witty mockingbird, a shepherdess, a chimney sweep, and a giant robot.
• Shrek 2 is one of the best animated films I've seen! The pop-culture references are hilarious, but they don't undermine the awesome moments, heartwarming moments, story and character development. It's a great film that never gets old.
• We're Back! A Dinosaur's Story is a Guilty Pleasure for me. It has great animation, a catchy song and is very funny at times. Even the creepy stuff can amaze you.
• Aardman Animations films like The Curse of the Were-Rabbit, Chicken Run, Flushed Away. Arthur Christmas and The Pirates! In an Adventure with Scientists are all amazing films, jam-packed with Easter Eggs for the attentive viewer, and just so much fun to watch. And the sheer effort placed into all of them, especially the stop-motion ones, is incredible. These guys easily match Pixar, Disney and DreamWorks in providing quality animated films.
• The Lorax, say what you will about how it's not faithful to the book. Personally... I enjoyed it, The story, the characters (except O'Hare) and even then O'Hare was a great and funny villain. Once-ler will make you feel sorry for him, he's adorable, the romance between Ted and Audrey is adorable, and the Lorax himself is an awesome character, and Danny DeVito did an amazing job... I could go on and on about how much I love this movie
• No mention of The Lion King (1994) yet?! This is one of the most well known Disney films for a reason. All of the songs are classics, from the jaw-dropping "Circle of Life", to the bouncy and fun "I Just Can't Wait To Be King" to Villain Song "Be Prepared", to feel good "Hakuna Matata", and of course "Can You Feel The Love Tonight?". The story is classic Coming of Age story about facing your mistakes and dealing with the fallout of your actions. The characters are all great, with special mention going to the Big Bad Scar, who is one of Disney's most well known villains to this day. Overall, one of the best things to come out of the House of Mouse.
• The Secret of NIMH certainly belongs on this list. With its stunning animation, a marvelous voice-acting cast, and a fantastic score by Jerry Goldsmith, this movie, the debut feature from Don Bluth, proved that Disney weren't the only kids on the block when it came to animated movies LONG before DreamWorks came along.
• Having read the original graphic novel in high school, Persepolis was everything one could have wanted from their Animated Adaptation. Marjane's illustrations translate beautifully to the animation medium, and the story, its themes, and its characters are as every bit as haunting, powerful, and insightful on the screen as they are on the page. Even with the adjustments made here and there for the sake of time, nothing is lost in the process of adapting Marjane Satrapi's work. An absolute must-watch for all lovers of mature, sophisticated, intelligent, and thoughtful animation.
• Loving Vincent. If the fact the film is animated entirely through paintings done in the style of Van Gogh's art isn't enough of a reason to convince you to check this masterpiece of adult animated cinema out, then how about its beautifully written and magnificently performed depiction of the tragic death of one of history's greatest artists. If you want to convince people animation is not merely a kids' genre, then please show them this emotional and breathtaking work. Anybody who calls themselves a lover of the animation medium must see this.
• Puss in Boots: The Last Wish has been praised a lot and I shall add to that pile because I think it's super deserved. A surprisingly intense (for an animated family movie) and thoughtful look at dealing with own mortality, gorgeous artstyle and animation, lovable new characters like the ever adorable Perrito and three types of villains (an imposing Knight of Cerebus who is force of nature trying to teach the protagonist a lesson, a sympathetic Anti-Villain who pulls a Heel–Face Turn, and a Laughably Evil Card-Carrying Villain who is irredeemable but oh so fun to watch), all of whom are executed well and one of the best depictions of panic attacks in all of animation. And all of this around a character who was initially a rather simple sidekick character (though still really lovable).
• The Super Mario Bros. Movie - A film adaptation of the most famous video game series that, for once, is accurate to the games. All the characters just as likeable as they are in the games, and there are lots of references that will put a smile on Super Mario Bros. fans', Nintendo fans', and general gamers' faces. Oh yeah, and Bowser needs to win a Grammy for his work on his Villain Love Song "Peaches".

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