Evil Genie Jafar wrote:Can someone place the list with all the comments here; or at least on a PM?
I don't know why, but no matter what browser I use.... it gives me a fatal error on the ign site and closes down.
Your wish is my command:
25. Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within
Arriving at a time when audiences began to question the line between CGI and conventional moviemaking, this ambitious video game adaptation quickly fell of the radar as a cautionary tale for future filmmakers. But the project, which features some of the most exciting computer-generated characters ever put on film, proves to be a rewarding, adult-oriented odyssey that offers more than mere video-game style showdowns. Now on DVD where its technical (much less creative) accomplishments can be fully appreciated, this film offers an intelligent, humanistic alternative to the conventional body-count approaches of live-action adaptations. -TG
24. Pinocchio
Snow White created the animated feature and Pinocchio further elevated the status of the genre and continued a streak of success that Disney would never equal. The classic story of the boy who wanted to become a man is a timeless work of beautiful animation, fun and heartbreaking drama. Disney was also careful to make a film that could cross over in appeal to both children and adults. If you haven't seen Pinocchio in recent years, you might be surprised to discover how dark and, at some moments, twisted the film actually gets. They could never make this film today. -JO
23. Bambi
Both dark and cute, dramatic and humorous, Bambi showed the maturity of animation as an art form upon its release in 1942. While meant to be Disney's second full-length animated film (pre-production began in 1936), Bambi was instead released as the sixth film, largely due to Walt Disney's quest for perfection and realism in telling the story. The film broke new ground in many ways, becoming the first of the Disney animated features to not have any of the songs sung by the characters and to take the bold path of killing off the title character's mother. -BZ
22. Princess Mononoke
Aside from Spirited Away, Princess Mononoke is the best known Miyazaki film stateside. Stunning visual imagery characterizes this lush and gorgeous film about a prince trying to rid he and his village of a curse. Along the way he gets unwittingly involved in a battle between the forest gods and a mining settlement, ultimately bringing Princess Mononoke into the fold. This film makes our list for two sequences alone: the emergence of the Kodoma and our first glimpse of the Great Forest Spirit. Epic in scope, lushly animated, the film is a must see for any serious student of animation. -SH
21. Fantasia
This film isn't merely an engaging series of vignettes, nor an artsy departure from Disney's spate of fairy tale adaptations. Rather, it's an outright classic that elevated the entire medium, and offered an early glimpse of what might be possible in the realm of hand-drawn (and later, computer-generated) animation. "Night on Bald Mountain" offers one of the most chilling embodiments of a piece of music ever envisioned, while "The Sorcerer's Apprecntice" takes Mickey's cheerful countenance and catapults him into a literal maelstrom of mischief. But the sweltering, dinosaur-laden "Rite of Spring" remains an achievement in animation that has yet to be surpassed. Forget about independent follicle motion or bounce shadows - the first, last and best significant benchmarks were made here. -TG
20. Monsters, Inc.
Despite Pixar's preponderance for stories about terrible toddlers, Pete Docter scores one of the company's biggest hits with this irresistible ode to rugrats. When monsters-in-your-closet Sulley (John Goodman) and his best buddy Mike (Billy Crystal) accidentally return from a job with a kid in tow, they find that their natural-born adversaries may in fact prove better as friends than foes; before long, their world - and all of Monstropolis - is thrown into hilarious disarray. Crystal and Goodman have chemistry to burn as our wise-cracking heroes, while Steve Buscemi oozes malevolence as their chameleonic competitor. But it's Mary Gibbs' expressive collection of gurgles as Boo that brings the relationships to life. Even if it eventually takes a full-grown monster to raise them, this movie's sweet enough to make anyone consider having kids. -TG
19. Metropolis
Osamu Tezuka's Metropolis presents one of the grandest visions of animation the world has ever seen. Set in a living, breathing metropolis, the film is based on the manga that was inspired by Fritz Lang's original black and white vision of the future. What results is a gorgeous movie that weaves many different styles of animation seamlessly into one masterful presentation. Not only is the vision big and bold, the story is heartwarming and politically intriguing. Come for the animation, stay for the amazing story. -CC
18. Charlotte's Web
How many times did they make you watch this one in grade school? But it was always fun, right? Charlotte's Web, the 1973 animated film based on E.B. White's classic book, tells the story of a spider named Charlotte who save a talented little pig, Wilbur, from slaughter with the help of a gaggle of barnyard friends. What's not to love? The animation isn't anything to go crazy over, but it's a fun little flick with some memorable music ("The faaair is veritable smorgasbord, orgasboard...") and a touching story. If you don't shed at least one tear at the end, you're an asshole. -BL
17. Transformers: The Movie
I think most of us here hold a very special place in our heart for The Transformers: The Movie. One of the few films that actually delivered on the promise of a film bigger and better than it's TV counterpart, Transformers had it all: Big action, great animation, drama (how shocked were you when Optimus bit the dust?), cursing (could you believe they said the "S" word?), a catchy soundtrack that had us all humming "The Touch" afterwards and the voices of Orson Welles and Leonard Nimoy to boot. The Transformers were a cult phenomenon that invaded pop culture in the 80's and this film was their finest moment. -JO
16. Grave of the Fireflies
Definitely the most heart-rending entry in the list, Grave of the Fireflies is a deeply saddening tale of two children abandoned and alone at the end of World War II. Based on the Akiyuki Nosaka novel, it is not only a comment on the devastation of war, but the purpose of hope in a world that seems to have forgotten how. Truly a drama in every sense of the word, this is not standard animated fare. Not a feel-good movie, but one every citizen of the world should see. -CC
15. Dumbo
Released in 1941, Disney's Dumbo is a classic animated film that is just as brilliant and enjoyable today as it was back then. The movie, which centers around a cute baby elephant who is made fun of because of his huge ears and tries to overcome the challenges he faces because of the unusual deformity, has been a genre favorite for generations. Rumor has it that it was even a favorite of Walt Disney himself, even though he was initially reluctant to make the picture. -BL
14. Shrek
Combining equal parts pop culture & fairy tale references for adults with potty humor for kids, 2001's Shrek proved to be enjoyable on numerous levels. Boasting an incredible number of unique locations for a CG-animated film (36 -- more than any other CG film at the time) and a virtually nonstop run of fairy tale jokes in the first 30 minutes of the movie, Shrek showed that a studio other than Pixar can make a good-looking and fun computer-animated movie. -BZ
13. The Lion King
The Lion King, released in 1994, was just the film that Disney needed to resolidify its place at the top of the animation game as other studios began to cut in on their action. The lushly animated picture with an epic story, fantastic songs, an all-star voice cast, and just the right amount of humor was hailed by critics and immediately embraced by moviegoers. After it was all said and done, the film went on to gross $328.5 million (including an IMAX re-release) at the domestic box office. It also spawned a Broadway musical that became a huge hit and a series of direct-to-video sequels. -BL
12. Toy Story
It's difficult to measure just how much impact Toy Story has had on animated films. It launched Pixar into the limelight, essentially turning a smallish studio into a behemoth (although a loving, cuddly behemoth), it challenged the concept of 2D animation, and spurred other studios to join the 3D revolution. Technically superior and visually striking at its release, the movie is not only a tech marvel, it is a heartwarming story as well. Following the lives of several toys and their quest to please the young boy Andy, it is a finely-crafted tale packed with emotional payoff. No wonder Pixar has gone on to make a string of hits. -CC
11. The Little Mermaid
Bolstered by several of the best songs recorded in Disney's illustrious history ("Kiss the Girl" remains one of Ashman and Menken's great triumphs) not to mention some truly terrific storytelling, The Little Mermaid both began and ended important eras in animation. Ariel (Jodi Benson) was cut straight from the cloth of such classic heroines as Snow White and Sleeping Beauty; that is, she was a prototypical damsel in distress. But she presaged a time when independent, assertive young women would anchor animated releases, and offer audiences protagonists not only to admire, but look up to. That said, the film holds up beautifully, and ranks as one of Disney's last true classics; only Beauty and the Beast and Aladdin would follow before Pixar came thunderously to power with Toy Story. -TG
10. Beauty and the Beast
"Tale as old as time…" So begins the title song of Disney's greatest romance, an animated retelling of the classic tale. With a taut, engaging story, well-imagined characters, and some of the mist breathtaking art Disney has ever managed (and that's saying a lot), Beauty and the Beast stands as a shining example of 2D animation. Nominated as a Best Picture in 1991, it is the only animated film to ever earn such an honor. -CC
9. Aladdin
The follow-up to the wildly successful Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin whisked us away to an ancient realm filled with magic, genies and Peabo Bryson. Its tale of the magic lamp is one of the oldest and most well-known Disney has animated, but they put a fresh spin on it, making Aladdin one of the most lucrative animated films of all time. Much of the credit can go to Robin Williams' spirited performance as the genie, but the film also boasts some of the most breathtaking action sequences and memorable songs in genre history. -CC
8. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
The tagline for the 60th Anniversary stated, "The one that started it all," which is no understatement. With Snow White, old Walt created the modern animated film as we know it. Before this, cartoons were only created for shorts and usually featured unrealistic-looking creatures singing, dancing and being funny. Snow White gave us realistic, human-based animation and combined comedy and drama for a piece of timeless filmmaking that holds up every bit as well today as it did in 1937. Not only a great animated movie, but one of the greatest film achievements of any genre. -JO
7. The Incredibles
A pitch perfect action-adventure, The Incredibles has something for all ages to enjoy. Written and directed by Brad Bird (The Iron Giant), Incredibles combines elements from spy, superhero, family dramas and action flicks, deftly displaying suspense, action, family drama and a mid-life crisis. There's plenty of humor and references for a sci-fi or comic book fan to geek out about, while younger kids get a kick out of super-kids Dash and Violet taking on the bad guys. -BZ
6. Spirited Away
A delightful fantasy adventure, from animation master Hayao Miyazaki, Spirited Away (Sen to Chihiro no Kamikakushi), the story of 10-year-old Sen and her adventures in a haunted town, became an international sensation. Miyazaki says he made the film "for people who used to be 10-years-old and the people who are going to be 10-years-old," and we think he succeeded. Spirited Away, with its intriguing story and eerily beautiful animation, is truly a film for all ages. -BL
5. The Nightmare Before Christmas
Tim Burton didn't direct this stop-motion odyssey, but his fingerprints are all over it: Jack Skellington, former avatar of the best holiday of the year (Halloween, of course), turns his attention to something decidedly more mainstream - Christmas - with disastrous effects. Chris Sarandon, best known as The Princess Bride's Prince Humperdinck, lends Jack the proper air of ingratiating self-importance, but Danny Elfman's rousing lyrics truly give the characters - including the burlap-clad Oogie Boogie (Ken
Page) - a real voice. It's also the only family-oriented flick I can imagine that's perfect viewing for not one but two different holidays. -TG
4. Finding Nemo
Pixar's amazing run of success continued with Finding Nemo, which earned an astounding $340 million domestically. Voiced by Albert Brooks and Ellen Degeneres, it is the tale of a father fish who loses his son in the great ocean, and the journey he must make to bring him back. Told with a blend of sentimentality, madcap energy and wit, Nemo made storytelling look easy. -CC
3. South Park: Bigger, Longer and Uncut
Vulgar, trash-talking kids from a podunk town in a feature film? It's a musical you say? Naysayers expected little more than crass humor from the South Park movie, but Trey Parker and Matt Stone provided proof of their twisted genius with a film that was at once a great take on the TV show as well as a legitimately great musical. On top of that, the comic duo pulled one over on the MPAA, who didn't "get" the joke of the title until it was too late. -JO
2. Iron Giant
When writer-director Brad Bird's The Iron Giant was released in 1999, fans of animation everywhere were thirsting for something fresh and rejuvenating for the genre. With no formulaic storytelling, no cheesed-out ending and not a single song-and-dance sequence, the disarmingly charming science fiction tale of young Hogarth Hughes and his 50-foot-tall, steel-eating friend from outer space was just what we had all been waiting for. -BL
1. Toy Story 2
One of the few sequels that manages to surpass an already great original film, Toy Story 2 showed that animated sequels could exist without being inferior, cash-grabbing versions of their predecessors. With a tight storyline, superb animation and great character development (impressive in itself for a film about toys), TS2 helped cement Pixar's reputation as a studio Walt Disney himself would have been proud of. -BZ
