we all have our thoughts on the state of
cinema but everyone can agree that this
is a golden age for feature animation
welcome to watchmojo.com and 2019 that
made enormous strides for the medium in
terms of storytelling and technique
number twenty Isle of Dogs almost a
decade after fantastic mr. Fox Wes
Anderson returned to stop-motion
animation with a wildly imaginative
creation spots will be the first dog to
be officially deported from the city at
its heart Isle of Dogs is a classic tale
about man's best friend the way this
story is executed is anything but
traditional though incorporating a
futuristic Japan a dog flu epidemic and
a whole island comprised of trash some
say they died away over the subsequent
years starving and forgotten
some say they swam to the mainland but
this seems unlikely too far to
dog-paddle the witty screenplay is
complemented by an inventive visual
design
transporting the audience to a marvelous
world of miniatures Isle of Dogs is like
a rankin/bass special if it were
conceived by Akira Kurosawa which makes
sense since both were reportedly sources
of inspiration what's your name who
cares
you're from central mega shaki I can
tell by the accent at the same time the
film has that signature oddball wit and
whimsical visual flair that could only
stem from Wes Anderson's genius number
19 Klaus in a year dominated by animated
sequels this Netflix movie not only
stood out as an original property but
also as a welcome throwback to
hand-drawn techniques one year you can't
cheat bribe or squirm your way out of
this one dad come on
it's me let's talk about this ma'am
Klaus provides an origin story for Santa
Claus
voiced by JK Simmons in a gruff yet
tender performance where are you gonna
get that many toys you make new ones
I don't make toys however the film is
just as much about Jason Schwartzman
jesper a spoiled rich boy forced to
deliver mail on an isolated icy island
together both men learned the value of
friendship and come to see how one act
of kindness can snowball into something
even greater delivering these toys
seeing the joy they bring to children I
thought I'd never feel this again the
heartfelt story and vibrant traditional
animation will fill the audience with
warmth as if they're sitting in front of
the fireplace on Christmas Eve
interesting choice of words
really you're the two pieces it's no
wonder Klaus swept the Annie Awards
number 18 the breadwinner this
oscar-nominated animated feature is a
bit like Mulan crossed with Persepolis
based on Deborah Ellis's novel the
breadwinner centers on parwana
an 11 year old Afghan girl where is he
being taken to prison they'll teach him
a good lesson pull a Chucky
the Taliban won't allow girls or women
to even step outside without a male
escort which proves increasingly
problematic when padawan s father is
arrested you need to get a boy's name so
you don't hesitate next time somebody
asks you I am della wad no it means
brave to provide for her family padawan
addresses up as a boy although getting
caught would likely mean death the
teachers talk as intense and harrowing
as the breadwinner can be director Nora
to me has ultimately made a hopeful film
about family friendship and the
compassion that every human being
deserves every day you'll come home with
cuts and blisters every day you go out
there and I don't know if I'll see you
back again I can't lose you too
for those who view animation as kids
stuff this is a prime example of how the
medium can be used to reflect real-world
struggles and adult themes number 17
tangled the outside world is a dangerous
place filled with horrible selfish
people you must stay here in an era
where mainstream animated films had
become more reliant on pop-culture
references and edgy humor musical fairy
tales were starting to look like a thing
of the past
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for those who grew up on Disney classics
like Snow White Cinderella and The
Little Mermaid tangled was the comeback
we all had been waiting for alright
listen I didn't want to have to do this
but you leave me no choice here comes
the smolder the film returned to many of
the tropes that Disney built its feature
animation brand upon a lovable heroine a
sinister villain catchy music scene
stealing comedic relief and a gripping
love story however this fresh take on
the story of Rapunzel also brought
several new elements to the table such
as modern sensibilities and dazzling CG
animation
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arguably commencing another Disney
Renaissance tangled was overflowing with
heart and hair number 16 wreckit-ralph
over the last decade Disney has been
really a ting what it means to be a
villain and record Ralph is one of the
most unique examples I can't spend
another 30 years living alone in the
garbage I'm not going back without a
medal Ralph isn't a bad guy being the
antagonist in an arcade game though
wrecking buildings is part of his job
the wrecking guy where's Ralph you
should be building the film presents an
engaging existential crisis while also
making way for a lot of laughs
creativity and video game references
director rich more rose to prominence
working on shows like The Simpsons and
Futurama bringing the same biting satire
and wit to his feature debut you know
what's gonna happen when the players see
you glitching they're gonna think the
game's broken just as many Simpsons and
Futurama episodes were anchored by a
strong emotional core wreck-it Ralph and
it's 2018 sequel balance out every
laughs with a touching moment number 15
a cat in Paris since it didn't receive
much publicity in the States this French
film took many by surprise when it
scored a Best Animated Feature Oscar
nomination it was definitely deserved as
a cat in Paris is a cleverly written and
slickly drawn hoot yes sweetie that's
the man who shot your father directed by
Jean Loup Felicio Lee and Alan Gong yell
the story revolves around a feline with
a double life a cat burglar with a heart
of gold
a police superintendent with a vendetta
a little girl without a voice and
gangsters without a clue
the film channels various capers from
North by Northwest to Reservoir Dogs it
also has a wonderful sense of humor
calling the Pink Panther and even home
alone to mind for fans of farcical
comedy and animation it's a perfect
combination number 14 your name Makoto
Shinkai has certainly made a name for
himself in recent years with this
romantic fantasy I wrote and
directed the highest-grossing animated
you're just more popular when I'm you
fooling yourself
audiences fell in love with the story of
taki and Mitsuo high school students
with an unusual connection despite never
meeting in person they begin to
miraculously switch bodies although
they're brought together by fantastical
elements the bond between taki and
Mitsuo is beyond genuine these two are
destined for each other but they're
separated by more than walking distance
oh my gosh
from taki again but what was talk you
doing out here in addition to being
gorgeously animated your name is an
exquisitely told story full of mystery
and tears I came all this way to see you
which wasn't easy since you were pretty
far away the gripping drama leaves us
hooked until the very last revelation
which is as satisfying as endings get
number 13 the tale of the princess
kaguya with films like grave of the
fireflies only yesterday and pom Poko
it's our Takahata established himself as
one of the greatest anime directors of
all time oh what a beautiful little doll
no quiet like following a lengthy hiatus
Takahata returned to direct his final
feature for Studio Ghibli the tail of
the Princess Kaguya inspired by Japanese
folklore the film centers on a tiny girl
who grows exponentially after being
discovered in a bamboo stick the purpose
of this banquet is to celebrate the
taking of my name of course it is man
yes but all I'm doing is sitting here
it's like I'm not even at my own party
where everyone else views her as sacred
royalty the girl truly wants nothing
more than to be an ordinary human much
like it's sketchy yet stylish animation
the story brings out the beauty and
simplicity only now when I'm forced to
go back to the moon do I finally
remember why I came here just a few
years before Takahata passed away at age
82 and 2018 Princess Kaguya earned him
his first Oscar nomination ever for Best
Animated Feature number 12 Moana when it
comes to princesses Disney often looks
to classic fairy tales for inspiration
Moana on the other hand has the
distinction of being a wholly original
addition to the Disney Princess lineup
yet the filmmakers tell a timeless story
that feels like it could have existed
for centuries huge news we can take them
find Maui make him restore the heart we
were voyages we can buoyant again that's
because director Ron Clements and John
Musker did their homework on Polynesian
mythology becoming especially intrigued
by the demigod Maui
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No one of the key themes in Moana is
looking to the past for guidance and
seeing how far that wisdom will take you
maybe the gods found you for a reason
maybe the ocean brought you to them
because it saw someone who is worthy of
being saved the same can be said about
the film which builds upon both
Polynesian traditions and Disney
traditions to create something shiny and
new we'd say thank you but Maui is
already singing you're welcome you're
welcome number 11 song of the sea'
developed by cartoon saloon the same
studio behind the breadwinner song of
the sea' is another elegantly crafted
Oscar nominee with a strong sense of
culture described as a spiritual
follow-up to director Tom Moore's
previous film The Secret of Kells the
story once again borrows from Celtic
folklore
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haven't been keys that old here breathe
the water our heroes are been a young
Irish lad and Saoirse his silent sister
who's a selkie although Ben has resented
Saoirse ever since their mother vanished
their broken family is mended through
magic mythology and music
speaking of which song of the sea' is
every bit as beautiful to listen to as
it is to look at the soothing score and
hand-drawn animation make for an
atmospheric voyage beyond the sea and
our wildest fantasies number 10 the lego
movie Phil Lord and Christopher Miller
have taken several projects that seemed
DOA and turned in something awesome with
the lego movie they proved that even a
film based on a toy line has the
potential to be hilarious heartwarming
and game-changing
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this movie's imagination knows no bounds
assembling a collection of established
characters like Batman and new animated
icons like construction worker Emmet I
know what you're thinking he is the
least qualified person in the world to
lead us and you are right
that's just supposed to make us feel
better the story feels like something a
child would make up while playing with
LEGOs which is fitting given a twist in
the final act it's at this point that
the lego movie evolves from a great film
to an instant classic all of this that
you see before you is all your father's
and everything is thought out top of the
tower
it might have been snubbed out of a Best
Animated Feature Oscar nomination but
what Lord and Miller have built will
last for eons ages eight to fourteen
that's a suggestion they have to put
that on there number nine inside out
whenever it looks like Hollywood is
officially run out of ideas Pixar comes
along with a new film that stimulates
the mind hello I'm joy inside-out isn't
just a beacon of innovation but a beacon
of hope for anyone who's ever felt like
an outsider 11-year old Riley couldn't
feel more isolated when she moves across
the country her struggles may be common
but that doesn't make them any less
heavy-handed or important to address mom
and dad I came home because iving into
Riley's head where her emotions operate
were taken on a joyous tear-jerking and
life-affirming journey about growing up
you need to be happy
[Music]
my hockey team while little kids will
appreciate the film for its vibrant
colors and playful humor older children
and adults are bound to get an even
stronger reaction out of this deeply
emotional triumph number eight it's such
a beautiful day you know that scene and
inside out or the characters become
abstract
well this absurdist art house drama d
comes from a modern master of abstract
animation don Hertzfeld
he met his ex-girlfriend during her
lunch break and they took a walk to the
park he noticed that every time he was
near her she sort of moved away with a
tight-lipped smile on her face
technically the film is comprised of
three shorts by Hertzfeld centering on a
man with a memory disorder who's
searching for an identity from the brief
runtime - its stick figure characters -
Hertzfeld constant narration it's such a
beautiful day as his minimalist as
feature animation gets at lunch he told
bill about a physics book he was reading
about time now the passing of time is
just an illusion because all of eternity
is actually taking place at once
although it may look like something
you'd doodle in class this is a sir
really funny and surprisingly
philosophical indeed gem about mental
health family and the meaning of human
existence even the animation while not
groundbreaking per se has a distinctive
charm demonstrating how even the most
basic drawing can send a powerful
message all the memories the doctor
asked him to recall today are suddenly
out of his grasp so many years of faces
and moments are mostly just a vague
feeling now number 7
Kubo and the two strings the stop-motion
geniuses at Leica picked up where Tim
Burton left off but in recent years have
branched out with projects outside of
the gothic fantasy genre with the golden
globe-winning missing link they took us
on an old-school adventure in Kubo and
the two strings director Travis Knight
drew heavily from Japanese culture
crafting what's practically a
stop-motion anime father I'm worried
about mother with every day that goes by
she drifts further away the film also
has echoes of The Legend of Zelda
following a musically inclined boy on an
epic voyage
he comes across an assortment of bizarre
creatures thank goodness that's over
when Kubo isn't sucking the audience in
with its arousing story it's leaving
them awestruck by the stop-motion
wizardry scoring two Oscar nominations
and winning the BAFTA for Best Animated
Film this might be like as masterpiece
number six anomaly saw on paper
anomaly supply as a live-action film as
a matter of fact Charlie Kaufman
initially wrote it for the stage under
the pen name Francis for goalie I can't
explain while Kaufman had his doubts
about adopting the play into a
stop-motion animated feature this move
added another level of gravitas to the
story's existential themes so you need
to find your friend though two beautiful
ladies Trump's my friend lonely Michael
feels like the only person in the world
so much so that almost everyone else is
voiced by the same actor will you kiss
me again I hope to I hope you do too a
seemingly ordinary woman named Lisa
however catches Michael's eye as well as
his ear Lisa could be a diamond in the
rough but it's also possible that
Michael is simply desperate for
companionship
either way Kaufman and co-director Duke
Johnson have made a profound film about
the human condition number five How to
Train Your Dragon 2
the first How to Train Your Dragon set
the bar pretty high but it's follow-up
somehow managed to improve upon
virtually everything he liked the best
sequels How to Train Your Dragon 2
delves deeper into its worlds lore and
deeper into mature territory just as
hiccup is much older than when we last
saw him the animation is more
sophisticated the action is more heart
pounding and the drama is more
gut-wrenching
your mother well now you know where I
get my dramatic flair it's a film that
really treats its viewers like adults
emerging as one of the best modern
fantasy epics live-action or animated
I'm not the chief that you wanted me to
be and I'm not a peacekeeper I thought I
was as dark as the film can get director
Dean Dubois never loses sight of the
sincere friendship between a boy and his
Dragon which has always been this
franchises driving force number four
frozen when frozen hit the scene many
were quick to hail it as the best
animated Disney movie since the Lion
King granted there had certainly been
other worthy Disney films released
between 1994 and 2013 nothing had taken
the world by storm however since Simba
took his place in the circle of life
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that all changed when Elsa let her ice
powers loose setting a new standard for
every Disney film that followed like The
Lion King frozen broke box office
records won two Academy Awards and even
years later keeps viewers coming back
for more but she froze your heart the
only frozen heart around here is yours
[Music]
for the latest generation of moviegoers
the film is a childhood staple for older
audiences it reminded them why they fell
in love with Disney Animation in the
first place number three
Coco Pixar has always been resistant to
doing musicals while the characters
don't spontaneously break out into song
and Coco this is arguably the first
Pixar film where the music is even more
integral than the dialogue
[Music]
what color is the sky I'm mo remember
the story is significantly tied to the
oscar-winning tune remember me which we
first hear as a grand musical number
later as a bittersweet farewell and
again as an eye-opening tearjerker she's
forgetting me who my daughter she's the
reason you wanted to cross the bridge
there's more than one way to listen to a
song and the same can be said about our
characters young Miguel is torn between
his family's tradition and his passion
for music while it would have been easy
for this movie to choose a side it
instead finds a middle ground that sees
everybody grow by the final curtain
number two
Toy Story 3 Toy Story 3 won the Academy
Award for Best Animated Feature but
perhaps its greatest feat was breaking
into the Best Picture race although the
medium has rarely been embraced in
Oscars top category few people could
deny that Toy Story 3 was not only a
magnificent piece of animation but
filmmaking at its finest
of course he does he cares about all of
you he was putting you in the Attic
I saw you can't just turn your back on
him now oh well it wasn't the end for
woody buzz in the gang this third
chapter felt like the culmination of
everything the franchise had been
building towards delivering on its
themes of moving on and accepting change
they may be animated they may be plastic
but the emotions these characters evoke
couldn't be more real he's brave like a
cowboy should be and kind and smart but
the thing that makes Woody's special is
he'll never give up on you it's a film
that speaks to your inner child while
also leaving you feeling more grown-up
before we unveil our number one pick
here are a few honorable mentions
officer judy hopps zpd how are you I am
doing just fine as well as I can be hmm
what hang in there can I do well I was
hoping you could run a poor you well I
was hoping you could de get the shovel
ricochets back towards number three and
that's one roof caved in igniting the
thermos of pure grain alcohol instantly
vaporizing his bodily form leaving
nothing but a charcoal statue and a half
hitch squeeze good morning I'd like to
introduce your new friend ECAR I mean
our new friend zucchini
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notifications number one spider-man into
the spider verse will admit that the
idea of an animated spider-man movie
from Sony had a skeptical so no matter
how many hits I take
I always find a way to come back in
addition to being an animation milestone
though into the spider-verse will be
remembered as one of the decades best
superhero movies as well as an
exceptional coming-of-age tale here's
lesson number one kids don't watch the
mouth watch the hands
Peter Parker is only a supporting player
with the spotlight going to fan favorite
Miles Morales the film also makes room
for several obscure characters who
wouldn't work nearly as well in
live-action this could literally not get
any weirder it can get weirder I just
wash my hands that's why their way into
the spider-verse was born for animation
and the entire movie is like a 3d comic
book brought to life whatever you choose
to do it would be great our family
doesn't run from things do the best the
world is you the style is complemented
by involving drama brilliant comedy and
stellar action it's a film that opens
spider-man and the animation medium up
to a new universe of possibilities do
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you