Ten Ten List; Animated Movies

(This is my second in a series of Top Ten Movie lists.)

I think some people dismiss animation as being for kids, just as some people dismiss comic books as being for kids. This couldn’t be further from the truth. The Comics Code Authority might have been responsible for dumbing down comics, and animation by extension, in the USA, but the rest of the world, and a few subversive American publishers, knew that comics were just another medium for expression. Animated movies are another medium for expression that is no less important or serious than any other kind of movie.

I love animated movies. The filmmakers can throw off the shackles of reality and animate anything they want, letting the imagination run wild. There are also so many amazing styles that animation can be done in: hand-drawn cell animation, computer-generated, claymation, models, etc.

One film that didn’t quite make the list illustrates a diverse approach to animation.

The Girl Without Hands (2016) is a wonderfully minimalist approach to story telling with just a few painterly lines on the screen supporting the story. The fact that there’s sometimes not even a background helps focus the attention on what is happening in the narrative.

If I were including TV shows on this list then I’d put Love, Death & Robots here as well because it showcases not only some great writing but a great diversity of animation styles.

So here is my top ten list of animated, or anime, movies, in order of release date:

1. Akira (1988)

Set in the dystopian future of 2019, 30 years after WWIII, this iconic movie is an early example of Japanese anime making it big in the west. Watching it again the other day, I was impressed with the quality of the hand drawn cel animation, especially for a film made in the ‘80s.

I think the combination of the animation, the amazing soundtrack, and the story of the motorbike gang kids trying to help their friend, all draws you into an amazing cyberpunk world.

2. Grave of the Fireflies (1988)

This is not your normal Studio Ghibli movie (directed by Isao Takahata). Poignant and heartbreaking, this movie left its mark on me the first time I saw it years ago, and every time I’ve watched it since, that impression hasn’t changed. There are no cute little critters here, rather it is the story of a boy trying to look after his little sister in World War II era Japan, under attack from allied bombers. The relationship between Seita and his little sister Setsuko is uplifting as they find moments of joy in wartorn Japan, but in the end, things don’t go well for them.

I wondered if I should include this film in the list. It’s a sad film and I thought people might not like watching it, but in the end I’ve included it because films, like life, can be bittersweet. Not every story needs to have a happy ending.

3. Aladdin (1992)

This is a happy movie for me. There are plenty of other good Disney movies I could have included, but Aladdin holds a special place for me. You know how some songs, or smells, can be associated with particular memories? This film reminds me of a happy time for me, so it makes the list.

There are a few heavy weights in movie animation which I feel obliged to include, and Disney is one of those. There aren’t many surprises in a Disney movie. The stories are pretty formulaic, and you may have to hold your nose a bit to get past some of the sexism and cultural appropriation, but they are fun.

Aladin puts in a solid showing with catchy songs and memorable characters. Jaffar and Iago make two of my favourite baddies in a Disney movie.

4. Ghost in the Shell (1995)

It’s always a good sign when I’m happy to watch a film over and over again, and this is one of those films.

Masamune Shirow writes great action characters, but with a distinctly philosophical bent. There is a constant questioning of exactly what it means to be human and how do you define “life” in a future where people are half cyborg, and Artificial Life exists. This same questioning of humanity is also a theme in some of his other works like the Appleseed movies.

The philosophy doesn’t get in the way of the action though, and there are some brutal fights, yet the film counters these with some beautiful contemplative montages enhanced by the ethereal soundtrack for this movie by Kenji Kawai.

Favourite line:

Kusanagi: “What the hell did you use?”

Batou: “You’re standard issue Big Gun.”

5. Spirited Away (2001)

I could easily write a top ten list just for Studio Ghibli. I love all their movies so much. Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind (1984), Princess Mononoke (1997), and Howl’s Moving Castle (2004) are all personal favourites, but I settled on Spirited Away by Hayao Miyazaki because it seems to pack in so many of the elements that make Studio Ghibli films wonderful. It’s populated with wildly imaginative characters, beautiful scenery, and a sort of coming of age story where young Chihiro must learn to overcome her fears and stand up for herself.

6. The Incredibles (2004)

Funny, relatable, and with great characters.

Pixar studios are, in my mind, the undisputed heavyweights of CGI animation, and no animation list would be complete without at least one of their movies. It’s not just their technical proficiency, but the creativity and humanity they bring to the writing process for each story just blows me away. I think this is evident in some of the imitators in this area, where there are films of great technical competence, but of little substance.

There are plenty of great Pixar movies, but The Incredibles has always been a favourite of mine. I love the premise that superheroes need to go into hiding, and they play this up for great comedic effect in the film. Even the support characters are great. My son thinks that Edna Mode, the fashion designer of super suits, is the best character in the film, but there are so many great characters in this one that I can’t choose just one.

7. Coraline (2009)

I keep wanting to start my these reviews with “I love this movie”, but that’s true for all the movies I’ve chosen for these lists, otherwise they wouldn’t be on the lists. But it’s *really* true for this one. Or perhaps I mean I love this one a little bit extra.

I love anything that comes from the mind of Neil Gaiman and Coraline is no exception. The imagination on display here is exceptional and the animation is gorgeous. The story itself is a children’s story, but it’s not condescending like so many kids stories, and Coraline’s sense of wonder throughout the film is relatable to any age viewer.

When Coraline’s family move, she finds another world of delight and danger hidden behind a little door in the new house.

8. The Pirates (Aardman, 2012)

This is a really fun movie. There are so many little easter eggs in it that just push it over the edge.

Aardman studios is another one of the heavy hitters that I couldn’t leave off the list of animated movies. They might not be giants like Disney, but they have been a favourite of mine since the days of their Morph character in the ’70s when I was a kid. Their Animated Conversations were brilliant, and they just got better and better with shows like Wallace and Grommit (“Cheeeese”), and Shaun the Sheep.

I love all of their feature length films, but The Pirates makes the list for its non-stop whit. How can you go wrong with a band of pirates who unwittingly are in possession of the worlds last Dodo bird and find themselves having to save the bird from the Queen of England who wants to eat it for dinner?

9. Isle of Dogs (2018)

I love the offbeat style of animation in this one.

The story of a young boy who misses his dog and goes on a quest to find him, defying the anti-dog sentiment being fostered by the local mayor.

When I was thinking about animated movies to add to this list I also considered Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009), but I didn’t realise they are both directed by Wes Anderson until I started doing my research. I actually enjoy both movies, but I like the Isle of Dogs more because of its novel story.

10. Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018)

Using the premise that 6 different universes from the multi-verse are colliding, this film brings 6 different spider people together to prevent the collapse and destruction of each of their worlds. This allows the writers to take the fact that spiderman is a comic book character and push it front and centre so that the whole comic book style becomes part of the films own style. Colour half-tones used for shading, and thought balloons for inner dialogue. There’s even an overtly cartoonish spider pig. Each spider person has it’s own distinct drawing style and this works so well in this film.

While the story is not terribly original, it gets written so well that it doesn’t matter. In fact, the film's writers play off the cliches of superhero stories, anticipating the bad guys' lines etc.