I think The Little Mermaid and Beauty and the Beast are better than The Lion King.
Which is the greatest animated movie of all time?
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Last: 3 mo ago by Al Bula
I think it's Lion King.
And the story about how it was made is interesting. I read this long ago, so I may have some details wrong.. but apparently the Disney execs thought Pocahontas was going to be the big hit that year. That project got all their best animators, sound guys, etc. The Lion King was expected to go straight to video or something. The staff on the Lion King was pissed about being second fiddle. And they busted their asses to make it the best it could be. They even invented lots of techniques for that movie (like using computers to help make the stampeded scene). And they went out and got Elton John to write the music.
When the Disney execs saw the intro, they thought "holy sh**", we got something here. And they decided to make that the movie trailer. And they could tell from the response that it was going to be a huge hit.
And the story about how it was made is interesting. I read this long ago, so I may have some details wrong.. but apparently the Disney execs thought Pocahontas was going to be the big hit that year. That project got all their best animators, sound guys, etc. The Lion King was expected to go straight to video or something. The staff on the Lion King was pissed about being second fiddle. And they busted their asses to make it the best it could be. They even invented lots of techniques for that movie (like using computers to help make the stampeded scene). And they went out and got Elton John to write the music.
When the Disney execs saw the intro, they thought "holy sh**", we got something here. And they decided to make that the movie trailer. And they could tell from the response that it was going to be a huge hit.
Lion King
Shrek
One not mentioned
Big Hero 6
Shrek
One not mentioned
Big Hero 6
I don't know that it's the best, but I think The Brave Little Toaster deserves a mention in the thread
From childhood
Transformers: The Motion Picture
As a dad
Tangled - with my personal hero, Flynn Rider
As a nerd
Into the Spiderverse by a wide margin
Transformers: The Motion Picture
As a dad
Tangled - with my personal hero, Flynn Rider
As a nerd
Into the Spiderverse by a wide margin
zap said:
I think The Little Mermaid and Beauty and the Beast are better than The Lion King.
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This is a subject near and dear to my heart, I studied animation for about 4 years and seriously looked at taking my career that direction but couldn't make it work with finances and location (also still have a side project that we hope to complete one day). One of my best friends now works for Laika and I have other friends all over the industry, I'm a big animation nerd and love animated films of all genres.
That said, it's tough to pick "greatest" for so many reasons. Here in the States we've got a very US-centric view that often totally misses work from amazing international creators like Studio Ghibli and Cartoon Saloon. Animation has also changed dramatically in the last 30 years or so, everything now is so CG focused that it's tough to compare that to the amazing old school 2D work that Disney did, though it's cool to see CG work really getting away from the clean render Pixar style
So with that in mind...
Underrated/ignored
The Iron Giant - still one of my favorite overall films of the last 25 years, incredible all around.
Rango - trippy af art direction and character design, it's just plain weird but so good. Also one of the only animated features ever created by ILM.
EDIT: Kubo and the Two Strings - a little out there, as Laika films can be at times, but some of the effects they accomplished in stop motion are just visually stunning and the art direction is incredible. An absolutely beautiful film from top to bottom.
Influential
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse - it's hard to put into words just how technically insane this film is and the sequel is just as amazing (pun not intended). It's also artistically incredible and you could hang almost any frame on your wall with a fantastic story to boot. This is the movie that's allowed so many other more artistic animated films to be made by US studios.
Toy Story - if you aren't old enough to remember when this came out it was absolutely mind blowing. Funny how rudimentary it looks now by comparison, still a great story though.
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs - you know this one already, for the time it was made an absolute technical masterpiece and still looks incredible today.
Personal faves
The Incredibles - superhero family meets 60s Bond vibes and Brad Bird is an incredible storyteller, just hits every note for me.
The Mitchells vs the Machines - from much of the creative team that did the Spider-Verse films this movie is a blast, crazy cool artistically and a heartfelt message.
The Emperor's New Groove - one of a handful of films to come out of Disney's short lived Florida studio, this is one of the most anti-Disney Disney films out there and it's a blast. And Kronk might be one of my favorite animated characters ever.
EDIT: Left off The Secret of NIMH from my faves, it's a nice change of style from the Disney 2D films and still holds up really well today.
That said, it's tough to pick "greatest" for so many reasons. Here in the States we've got a very US-centric view that often totally misses work from amazing international creators like Studio Ghibli and Cartoon Saloon. Animation has also changed dramatically in the last 30 years or so, everything now is so CG focused that it's tough to compare that to the amazing old school 2D work that Disney did, though it's cool to see CG work really getting away from the clean render Pixar style
So with that in mind...
Underrated/ignored
The Iron Giant - still one of my favorite overall films of the last 25 years, incredible all around.
Rango - trippy af art direction and character design, it's just plain weird but so good. Also one of the only animated features ever created by ILM.
EDIT: Kubo and the Two Strings - a little out there, as Laika films can be at times, but some of the effects they accomplished in stop motion are just visually stunning and the art direction is incredible. An absolutely beautiful film from top to bottom.
Influential
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse - it's hard to put into words just how technically insane this film is and the sequel is just as amazing (pun not intended). It's also artistically incredible and you could hang almost any frame on your wall with a fantastic story to boot. This is the movie that's allowed so many other more artistic animated films to be made by US studios.
Toy Story - if you aren't old enough to remember when this came out it was absolutely mind blowing. Funny how rudimentary it looks now by comparison, still a great story though.
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs - you know this one already, for the time it was made an absolute technical masterpiece and still looks incredible today.
Personal faves
The Incredibles - superhero family meets 60s Bond vibes and Brad Bird is an incredible storyteller, just hits every note for me.
The Mitchells vs the Machines - from much of the creative team that did the Spider-Verse films this movie is a blast, crazy cool artistically and a heartfelt message.
The Emperor's New Groove - one of a handful of films to come out of Disney's short lived Florida studio, this is one of the most anti-Disney Disney films out there and it's a blast. And Kronk might be one of my favorite animated characters ever.
EDIT: Left off The Secret of NIMH from my faves, it's a nice change of style from the Disney 2D films and still holds up really well today.
My top 5:
Finding Nemo
Toy Story 3
Lion King
Toy Story
Coco
Finding Nemo
Toy Story 3
Lion King
Toy Story
Coco
Probably not an all-time great but I watched Encanto when I went to visit my brother and his family. I thought it was fantastic.
Coco both a beautiful story and beautiful to look at.
It's far and away my favorite.
I'm also partial to the 1970's Hobbit with the Glenn Yarbrough soundtrack.
Does Rikki-Tikki-Tavi count? I loved that as a kid in the 70's.
There was a GI Joe miniseries that got put together in 1983 as a full length movie and shown on TV back in the day. That one was really good too.
It's far and away my favorite.
I'm also partial to the 1970's Hobbit with the Glenn Yarbrough soundtrack.
Does Rikki-Tikki-Tavi count? I loved that as a kid in the 70's.
There was a GI Joe miniseries that got put together in 1983 as a full length movie and shown on TV back in the day. That one was really good too.
Such a great movie.Quote:
The Mitchells vs the Machines - from much of the creative team that did the Spider-Verse films this movie is a blast, crazy cool artistically and a heartfelt message.
If you say you hate the state of politics in this nation and you don't get involved in it, you obviously don't hate the state of politics in this nation.
Was hoping you'd chime in. Great list!
Can't believe we're on page 3 and no one has mentioned Batman Mask of the Phantasm. Real miss by f13
Edit: ah ****, Scotty beat me to it. Nevermind.
Edit: ah ****, Scotty beat me to it. Nevermind.
Not one mention of Frozen?
C@LAg said:to me, 1, 3 and 9 do not stand the test of time; although they are noteworthy as of the time of their release.citizenkane06 said:
Here's the American Film Institute list:
1 Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs 1937
2 Pinocchio 1940
3 Bambi 1942
4 The Lion King 1994
5 Fantasia 1940
6 Toy Story 1995
7 Beauty and the Beast 1991
8 Shrek 2001
9 Cinderella 1950
10 Finding Nemo 2003
https://www.afi.com/afis-10-top-10/
that is not to say they are bad movies, but they are more notable for what they represent more than the quality of their narrative.
It isn't just the quality of the narrative that makes a great movie. For sure they're very basic stories from when movie making was very basic, especially animation, but they were and still are absolute works of visual art. I'm shocked Sleeping Beauty isn't in the top 10.
I think I might have to pick The Land Before Time.
Blackstreet said:
Not one mention of Frozen?
If I never hear Let it Go again in my life, I'll be ok with that.
I went with my step-sister and her friend to see Beauty and the Beast when it was released.
Didn't have big expectations but went along for the ride.
It was surprising to me how good the animation was. We walked out of the theater talking about how beautiful it was. And this is before everything got Pixar'd up.
And of course the songs were great and the story was timeless.
Didn't have big expectations but went along for the ride.
It was surprising to me how good the animation was. We walked out of the theater talking about how beautiful it was. And this is before everything got Pixar'd up.
And of course the songs were great and the story was timeless.
Bruce Almighty said:Blackstreet said:
Not one mention of Frozen?
If I never hear Let it Go again in my life, I'll be ok with that.
Let it go, man.
tbf, Frozen came out at the perfect age for my daughter, a time during which we had one of those Elf on a shelf dolls to pose all over the house, and that movie provided ample posing opportunities for that elf. Funniest one I did had the elf with a dry-erase marker, having written on the toilet Let One Go, Let One Go!maroon barchetta said:Bruce Almighty said:Blackstreet said:
Not one mention of Frozen?
If I never hear Let it Go again in my life, I'll be ok with that.
Let it go, man.
I think this is the only film that my family, all four of us, didn't have a dry eye in.double aught said:
Toy Story's not even the best Toy Story movie.
Give me Toy Story 3.
Toy Story 3 is a perfect film.
Blackstreet said:
Not one mention of Frozen?
Parents put this in the "worse than hitler" category
The Original Watership Down was great.
GoAgs92 said:
The Original Watership Down was great.
If by great you mean terrifying
lots of good answers. One of my favorites not yet mentioned is Fantastic Mr. Fox.
What do you boys want for breakfast BBQ ?.....OK Chili.
My favorite. I've watched it so many times I can quote the crap out of it.
uujm said:
When I was a kid, I wore out my copy of Robin Hood I watched it so much.
Ooh de laly!
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Urban Ag said:I think this is the only film that my family, all four of us, didn't have a dry eye in.double aught said:
Toy Story's not even the best Toy Story movie.
Give me Toy Story 3.
Toy Story 3 is a perfect film.
I think the answer is based on perspective but to me it's Toy Story 3 as said above. Toy Story was revolutionary in a lot of ways and fantastic but man, Toy Story 3 connected with people that have kids growing up and honestly people that were a kid and can reflect which is pretty much everyone. It hits on the true meaning of family and friendship.
And just to drive all that home was the incinerator scene that somehow hit all of it at the same time no matter what perspective you were viewing through.
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I'm glad someone else remembers the movie.Ornithopter said:GoAgs92 said:
The Original Watership Down was great.
If by great you mean terrifying
BigWig was the king!
1. I watched the hell out of The Hobbit. The animated Return of the King was similarly good. The rotoscoped LotR, on the other hand...$240 Worth of Pudding said:
I'm also partial to the 1970's Hobbit with the Glenn Yarbrough soundtrack.
There was a GI Joe miniseries that got put together in 1983 as a full length movie and shown on TV back in the day. That one was really good too.
2. If it's the one I'm thinking of, I think it was a little later than '83. Was it the Weather Dominator mini-series?
1. Heavy Metal
2. Ralph Bakshi's stuff
3. Studio Ghibli's stuff
2. Ralph Bakshi's stuff
3. Studio Ghibli's stuff
Claude! said:1. I watched the hell out of The Hobbit. The animated Return of the King was similarly good. The rotoscoped LotR, on the other hand...$240 Worth of Pudding said:
I'm also partial to the 1970's Hobbit with the Glenn Yarbrough soundtrack.
There was a GI Joe miniseries that got put together in 1983 as a full length movie and shown on TV back in the day. That one was really good too.
2. If it's the one I'm thinking of, I think it was a little later than '83. Was it the Weather Dominator mini-series?
Definitely '83.
$240 Worth of Pudding said:Claude! said:1. I watched the hell out of The Hobbit. The animated Return of the King was similarly good. The rotoscoped LotR, on the other hand...$240 Worth of Pudding said:
I'm also partial to the 1970's Hobbit with the Glenn Yarbrough soundtrack.
There was a GI Joe miniseries that got put together in 1983 as a full length movie and shown on TV back in the day. That one was really good too.
2. If it's the one I'm thinking of, I think it was a little later than '83. Was it the Weather Dominator mini-series?
Definitely '83.
You're right. It's the MASS Device mini-series.
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