Box Office Theory Forum’s Top 100 Disney Movies

[Eric Prime]

#22

Lilo & Stitch

1,483 points, 24 lists

"If you want to leave, you can. I'll remember you though. I remember everyone that leaves."

Box Office: 273.1M

Rotten Tomatoes: 87%

Metacritic: 73

Awards: 1 Academy Award nomination, 1 Annie Award and 9 nominations, 1 Critics Choice Award nominee

 

Roger Ebert's Review: "Now here comes a truly inspired animated feature named "Lilo & Stitch." How will it do? It's one of the most charming feature-length cartoons of recent years--funny, sassy, startling, original and with six songs by Elvis. It doesn't get sickeningly sweet at the end, it has as much stuff in it for grown-ups as for kids, and it has a bright offbeat look to it."

 

Its Legacy: One of the highest-grossing Disney movies of the 2000s. Appeared in Kingdom Hearts. Made Chris Sanders and Dean DeBlois icons in the animation industry. Stitch would become a merchandising monster. Earned several direct-to-video sequels, several television shows, and an upcoming live-action remake. Has one of the best ad campaigns in movie history. Gave Tia Carrerre a paycheck.

 

Commentary: Coming out in a weird, experimental time for Disney Animation, attempting to branch away from Broadway-style musicals and princess stories, Lilo and Stitch was by far the most successful. At the box office, with critics, and in creating a long-lasting franchise. In a way, despite the initially odd premise of a little girl becoming friends with an alien, it’s very clear why this oddball feature became so successful. Not just for the stupid kids watching, but for the parents who arguably get more out of the feature. And of course, the stupid kids who grow up to realize all the subtle details and pathos they didn’t click with when they were 5.

 

Stitch, the goofy blue alien who loves destruction, became the breakout character for obvious reasons. He’s a silly weirdo who loves to eat, loves to cause chaos, and is just oh so adorable and cuddly. They still sell plushies and merch of him in stores over 2 decades later. And while he’s great, he’s just the cherry on top of a very powerful story of loss and familial comfort.

 

Anchored by Lilo, a little girl who feels isolated from the rest of the world due to familial tragedy, much of the film is centered on the trauma that comes from losing family and loved ones. Trying to deal with a chaotic, terrible family life and situation at an age you’re unprepared for. A heartbreaking tale about two sisters trying to keep things all together, despite the world trying to tear them apart. It’s a movie that is quietly devastating, yet balanced perfectly by comedy, sci-fi adventure, and heart.

 

Lilo and Stitch was, and still is, a massive deal with kids and adults, serving as one of Disney’s most valuable franchises, with a remake just around the corner. It catapulted Chris Sanders and Dean DeBlois to fame in the animation industry, with them finding great success at Dreamworks with the How to Train Your Dragon franchise, and works as a seminal piece of pure Disney magic.

 

 

[Eric Prime]

#21

Guardians of the Galaxy

1,483 points, 29 lists

"I am Groot."

 

Box Office: 273.1M

Rotten Tomatoes: 87%

Metacritic: 73

Awards: 1 Academy Award nomination, 1 Annie Award and 9 nominations, 1 Critics Choice Award nominee

 

Roger Ebert's Review: N/A

 

Its Legacy: The third-highest grossing movie of 2014 and the highest-grossing Marvel movie of 2014. Brought the obscure comic and turned it into one of the most profitable Marvel franchises ever. Made Chris Pratt a movie star. Introduced not only the Guardians, but also Ronan, The Collector, and Howard the Duck into the MCU. Pushed James Gunn into A-list Hollywood director material. The soundtrack became the first soundtrack album in history consisting entirely of previously released songs to top the Billboard chart. Gave Lloyd Kaufman a paycheck.

 

Commentary: We have now ended our MCU run of entries with this epic comedy space opera. And in many ways, it really is the perfect finale. A perfect showcase of the ingenuity and creativity of the Marvel Cinematic Universe and a glorious period where Marvel could take anything and place them into the pop culture zeitgeist.

 

Prior to 2014, nobody gave a darn about those Guardians of the Galaxy. And people were baffled that this random Z-list team of superheroes was being thrown into the Marvel universe before bigger characters like Doctor Strange. Even the trailers made this seem like an odd beast, with a talking raccoon and giant tree and weird sci-fi nonsense. Nobody was going to take to this.

 

Thankfully, with the combination of Marvel Studios fun and the sharp, self-aware, hilarious comedy of Mr. James Gunn, we got ourselves a rollicking adventure that felt so distinct and off-key in all the best ways from most superhero blockbusters. It was a film that was gleefully self-aware of its silliness, took full advantage of its comedy and characters, and offered an incredible soundtrack that made some classic 80s tunes fresh and hip to a new generation of kids. Oh, and Rocket turned some kids into furries too, because of course they did.

 

It’s a movie that felt bold and idiosyncratic, reminding viewers that Marvel wasn’t just superheroes saving the day. It was also weird and gonzo and oddly heartfelt, with a lot of the movie about an immature man child trying to come to grips with the loss of his mother and trying to find family in the chaotic vastness of outer space. This odd blend of familiar Marvel conventions, silly sci-fi adventure, raunchy humor, and sincere pathos really shouldn’t have worked as well as it did. And yet it did.

 

Sure enough, Guardians of the Galaxy was the big movie of the summer, making these nobody Marvel characters some of the coolest and most iconic heroes in the entire MCU and Marvel Comics universe itself. They are now just as iconic as X-Men or Fantastic Four, and some may say that these guys have usurped those teams in popularity these days. We soon got an impressive trilogy many cite as Marvel’s absolute best roster of movies, a popular video game, and director James Gunn has now become a golden boy in Hollywood, currently spearheading the new roster of DC Comics movies. It’s hard to know what the future holds, but to quote 80s music icon George Michael, I gotta have faith.

 

[Human]

The start of the Disney reinassance should be Oliver and Company.  That is what started the style, big broadway style musicals, movies made for children primarily, the incompetent parental figure, rich villain whose motivation is become even richer.

[Eric Prime]

#110 - Unbreakable (454 points, 10 lists)

 

#109 - Con Air (468 points, 11 lists)

 

#108 - The Great Mouse Detective (470 points, 13 lists)

 

#107 - Ford v Ferrari (475 points, 10 lists)

 

#106 - Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End (480 points, 12 lists)

 

#105 - The Royal Tenenbaums (497 points, 8 lists)

 

#104 - Peter Pan (504 points, 12 lists)

 

#103 - Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (505 points, 14 lists)

 

#102 - Starship Troopers (508 points, 10 lists)

 

#101 - The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe (511 points, 12 lists)

[Eric Prime]

Yep. Just like that, the honorable mentions are done, as we finally approach the top 20. I will get the next three up later today, after I come back from Dune. But for now, you lucky chaps now know about what films barely missed the cut and speculate on what our final 20 can be. Remember some of the hints I dropped earlier in the first post. Person who gets it all right wins my love and affection as their prize.

 

[Arlborn]

2 hours ago, Eric Atreides said:

#110 - Unbreakable (454 points, 10 lists)

 

#109 - Con Air (468 points, 11 lists)

 

#108 - The Great Mouse Detective (470 points, 13 lists)

 

#107 - Ford v Ferrari (475 points, 10 lists)

 

#106 - Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End (480 points, 12 lists)

 

#105 - The Royal Tenenbaums (497 points, 8 lists)

 

#104 - Peter Pan (504 points, 12 lists)

 

#103 - Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (505 points, 14 lists)

 

#102 - Starship Troopers (508 points, 10 lists)

 

#101 - The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe (511 points, 12 lists)

So many amazing movies here that deserved to be in the top 100, bit sad actually.

[TalismanRing]

21 hours ago, Eric Atreides said:

#23

The Little Mermaid

1,448 points, 27 lists

"Teenagers. They think they know everything. You give them an inch, they swim all over you."

 

Box Office: 235M

Rotten Tomatoes: 93%

Metacritic: 88

Awards: 2 Academy Awards and 1 nomination, 2 Golden Globe Awards and 2 nominations, 2 Grammy Awards and 3 nominations

 

Roger Ebert's Review: What's best about "The Little Mermaid" is the visual invention with which the adventures are drawn. There is a lightness and a freedom about the settings - from Triton's underwater throne room to storms at sea to Ursula's garden of captured souls (they look a little like the tourists buried in Farmer Vincent's back yard in "Motel Hell"). The colors are bright, the water sparkles with reflected light, and there is the sense that not a single frame has been compromised because of the cost of animation.

 

Its Legacy: The film that began the Disney Renaissance. Brought Disney back to fairy tales and back to musicals. Ariel would become one of the most praised and criticized Disney Princesses ever. Influenced nearly every Disney fairy tale since its release. Appeared in Kingdom Hearts. Appears in all the theme parks. Earned two direct-to-video sequels. Earned a Broadway show. Earned a TV series, with a new on on the horizon. Earned a live-action remake. Considered one of the greatest animated movies of all time. Gave Kenneth Mars a paycheck.

 

Commentary: The very film that saved Disney itself...well, kind of. It was actually a solid succession of films alongside other marketing factors that led to Little Mermaid becoming a huge juggernaut. Of course, it’s easier to put it all on the flashy princess movie that everybody loves and makes a ton of money even today. But...what was I talking about? Oh yeah, movie.

 

This was Disney’s epic return to the world of fairy tales. Something they ignored since Sleeping Beauty 30 years ago. And it was an amazing return. Simply because this was a rare case of a film that captured everything we loved from what came before, while also having its own personality and paving the way for so many other future classics.

 

It’s a film that is reminiscent of classics like Snow White and Sleeping Beauty, from the romance story to the fun side characters to the beautiful castles and backgrounds. Yet everything about it feels so fresh and modern and unique even after all these years. Must have been truly mind blowing in 1989. With incredible music, powerful sequences, and gorgeous colors, all of this works perfectly thanks to the incredible character that is Ariel.

 

Sure, it can be easy to mock or mischaracterize her. But she captured so many people’s hearts and imaginations for obvious reasons. She was determined, she was active, she was curious, she was vibrant, and full of so much personality. Both in the incredible character animation of Glen Keane and the incredible vocals of Jodi Benson, both of whom had brought so much life and energy and earnestness to the character. This was a princess for the modern age and her personality would influence future heroines like Belle, Jasmine, Tiana, Mulan, Elsa, and more over the coming decades.

 

And over 30 years later, Little Mermaid still feels modern and distinct and resonant, with the recent remake finding success and popularity with a whole new generation of audiences. It's the kind of legacy most movies dream of having.

 

 

 

Alan Menken & Howard Ashman (such a tragic loss) also deserve a lot of the kudos.

[Eric Prime]

#20

Toy Story 3

1,551 points, 32 lists

"So long...partner."

Box Office: 1.067B

Rotten Tomatoes: 98%

Metacritic: 92

Awards: 2 Academy Awards and 3 nominations, 3 Annie Award nominations, 1 BAFTA Award and 2 nominations, 1 Golden Globe Award, 1 Grammy Award

 

Roger Ebert's Review: "This is a jolly, slapstick comedy, lacking the almost eerie humanity that infused the earlier “Toy Story” sagas, and happier with action and jokes than with characters and emotions. But hey, what can you expect from a movie named "Toy Story 3," especially with the humans mostly offstage? I expect its target audience will love it, and at the box office, it may take right up where "How to Train Your Dragon" left off. Just don't get me started about the 3-D."

 

Its Legacy: The first Toy Story movie and first animated movie to cross a billion dollars. Quentin Tarantino's favorite movie of 2010. #4 on Cahiers du Cinema's Top 10 Films of 2010. Recreated into live-action by two brothers in Iowa. Considered one of the greatest animated movies of all time. Gave Jeff Garlin a paycheck.

 

Commentary: Coming out a decade since the last movie, Toy Story 3 was one of those rare sequels that didn’t skip a single beat between installments. If anything, a franchise like Toy Story is genuinely miraculous.

 

Aging in real-time with its audience, the third film explored the inevitable future that the first two only glanced at. What happens to toys when their owners grow up? What is it like to be loved and played and celebrated, only to have those experiences taken away just like that? Are toys, and for that matter us, able to move away from people who were once in our lives?

 

This captures a lot of fascinating angles and succeeds in all accounts. With a fun new setting of a local daycare center, the Toy Story crew are thrown in with a ton of memorable and charming characters that have become staples of the franchise. This even did Greta Gerwig’s Barbie movie 13 years before Greta Gerwig’s Barbie movie. And it does all of this with hilarious gags, touching, heartfelt moments that made grown adults cry, and some super intense sequences. It’s a combination of a goofy family adventure, an epic prison break movie, and a beautiful finale to an iconic animated series...that didn’t actually end and will never end, because capitalism.

 

Toy Story 3’s billion-dollar success cemented the franchise as the best of the best in the realm of animation and the reason Disney and Pixar really are so special.

 

 

 

[Human]

I thought it would be higher.

[Eric Prime]

#19

Pinocchio

1,581 points, 22 lists

"Little puppet made of pine, awake. The gift of life is thine."

Box Office: 164M

Rotten Tomatoes: 100%

Metacritic: 99

Awards: 2 Academy Awards, 1 Hugo Award

 

Roger Ebert's Review: "What the Disney shop did with its first animated features has resonated through film history. Ernest Rister says in a letter: "I cannot tell you how many of today's computer graphics artists have the book Disney Animation: The Illusion of Life at their work stations." All modern animated content in movies, from Jabba the Hut to "Toy Story," springs from those years of invention at Disney, he says: "The same principles apply everywhere, and those principles were all discovered under one roof, decades ago by a bunch of young punks jazzed up about creating something." And that's no lie."

 

Its Legacy: The first animated feature to use the multiplane camera and the third animated movie made by an American studio. Considered one of the greatest animated movies of all time and the most technically perfect Disney movie ever. "When You Wish Upon A Star" became Disney's anthem and most iconic song ever. Jiminy Cricket would appear in numerous other Disney projects. Has appearances in almost all the Disney parks. Earned a TV movie prequel in 2000. Earned a live-action remake in 2022. Joined the National Film Registry in 1994. Gave Cliff Edwards a paycheck.

 

Commentary: In many ways, Pinocchio serves as one of, if not Disney’s most technically impressive work ever made. Taking the groundwork that Snow White had solidified and adding in even more feats of technical wizardry. This all told certainly makes it one of Disney’s absolute best from a visual and technical perspective. The backgrounds are full of lush, realistic details, yet still manage to have enough of a surreal side to them that emphasizes the fantastical and magical. All the characters have such amazing expressions and body language and squash and stretch to them, with details both broad and subtle all at once. To say nothing of all the incredible setpieces, innovative and dynamic, that are just marvelous to look at, and the amazing colors that are bright, deep, and lively.

 

However, within the beauty of the animation is an engrossing fable about maturity and learning from your mistakes. Within the bonkers and silly story is a sense of foreboding dread that really makes the film's themes and messaging more powerful. Pinocchio's actions have consequences, and he is forced to deal with terrible adults or witnessing terrible events towards others. It not only gives Pinocchio more dimension as a character, but it makes the happy and joyous moments all the more earned and delightful, as well as showing kids, ironically enough, wishing on a star won't make things easier. You have to earn your happy ending through work and accepting you did something wrong, and owning up to it.

 

It’s a wonderful odyssey of terror and excitement and humor and one that only until very, very recently with the Guillermo del Toro picture, nobody was able to match. Alongside featuring arguably the greatest song in Disney history, it’s a film that took everything great about Snow White and elevated it to a higher, greater level. A level that, some may argue, no other Disney feature has ever matched.

 

 

[Eric Prime]

#18

Mulan

1,596 points, 27 lists

"My, what beautiful blossoms we have this year. But look, this one's late. But I'll bet that when it blooms, it will be the most beautiful of all."

'

 

Box Office: 304.3M

Rotten Tomatoes: 86%

Metacritic: 72

Awards: 1 Academy Award nomination, 10 Annie Awards and 2 nominations, 2 Golden Globe Award nominations, 2 Grammy Award nominations

 

Roger Ebert's Review: "Animation often finds a direct line to my imagination: It's pure story, character, movement and form, without the distractions of reality or the biographical baggage of the actors. I found myself really enjoying "Mulan,'' as a story and as animated art. If the songs were only more memorable, I'd give it four stars, but they seemed pleasant rather than rousing, and I wasn't humming anything on the way out. Still, "Mulan'' is an impressive achievement, with a story and treatment ranking with "Beauty and the Beast (IMAX)'' and "The Lion King.''

 

Its Legacy: One of the highest-grossing films of the Disney Renaissance. Part of the official Disney Princess line. The first of three animated features primarily animated at Disney's Florida animation studio. Mulan would be considered one of Disney's greatest heroines. Appeared in Kingdom Hearts. Earned a direct-to-video sequel in 2004. Earned a live-action remake in 2020. Gave Eddie Murphy a paycheck.

 

Commentary: Well...didn’t think the movie would get this high on the list. While Mulan was a solid critical and commercial hit on its release, its popularity has only risen more and more over the years for a wide variety of reasons. Great visuals, fun action, catchy songs, a lot of 90s girl power. The list goes on. 

 

In many ways, a lot of the appeal is in part to Mulan herself. She’s a character familiar to other 90s Disney heroines. Heartfelt, vibrant, quirky, dreams of wanting more in life. She has a love for her family, has a lot of great comedy moments, and gets to have tons of badass moments as a warrior that you don’t really see with the other princesses. And at the same time, Mulan also resonates as a character who just doesn’t fit in. While other Disney heroines want adventure or love, she just wants to feel some sort of acceptance in a world and culture that doesn’t seem to accept her. She can’t fit into the stereotypes and worldviews that others want and expect her to have, and it gnaws at her so. And thus, she breaks down those stereotypes people place on her and other women like her, and becomes the person she is destined to be, saving China and the world itself in the process. 

 

It’s such a powerful, emotionally resonant character that makes the film instantly memorable and I’m sure turned a lot of young girls’ heads, making them realize they can be more than what people around her expect them to be. Both on its original release and decades later. Mulan continues to be a beloved title in the Disney canon and still has a strong fanbase, with a lot of personality and humor and style that will ensure it will be a fan-favorite for decades to come and inspire all kinds of women to don a sword. And that’s fucking awesome.

 

[4815162342]

Pinocchio getting all the way to #19 I didn't expect 

[Arlborn]

On 2/28/2024 at 10:18 PM, Eric Atreides said:

#21

Guardians of the Galaxy

1,483 points, 29 lists

"I am Groot."

 

Box Office: 273.1M

Rotten Tomatoes: 87%

Metacritic: 73

Awards: 1 Academy Award nomination, 1 Annie Award and 9 nominations, 1 Critics Choice Award nominee

 

Roger Ebert's Review: N/A

 

Its Legacy: The third-highest grossing movie of 2014 and the highest-grossing Marvel movie of 2014. Brought the obscure comic and turned it into one of the most profitable Marvel franchises ever. Made Chris Pratt a movie star. Introduced not only the Guardians, but also Ronan, The Collector, and Howard the Duck into the MCU. Pushed James Gunn into A-list Hollywood director material. The soundtrack became the first soundtrack album in history consisting entirely of previously released songs to top the Billboard chart. Gave Lloyd Kaufman a paycheck.

 

Commentary: We have now ended our MCU run of entries with this epic comedy space opera. And in many ways, it really is the perfect finale. A perfect showcase of the ingenuity and creativity of the Marvel Cinematic Universe and a glorious period where Marvel could take anything and place them into the pop culture zeitgeist.

 

Prior to 2014, nobody gave a darn about those Guardians of the Galaxy. And people were baffled that this random Z-list team of superheroes was being thrown into the Marvel universe before bigger characters like Doctor Strange. Even the trailers made this seem like an odd beast, with a talking raccoon and giant tree and weird sci-fi nonsense. Nobody was going to take to this.

 

Thankfully, with the combination of Marvel Studios fun and the sharp, self-aware, hilarious comedy of Mr. James Gunn, we got ourselves a rollicking adventure that felt so distinct and off-key in all the best ways from most superhero blockbusters. It was a film that was gleefully self-aware of its silliness, took full advantage of its comedy and characters, and offered an incredible soundtrack that made some classic 80s tunes fresh and hip to a new generation of kids. Oh, and Rocket turned some kids into furries too, because of course they did.

 

It’s a movie that felt bold and idiosyncratic, reminding viewers that Marvel wasn’t just superheroes saving the day. It was also weird and gonzo and oddly heartfelt, with a lot of the movie about an immature man child trying to come to grips with the loss of his mother and trying to find family in the chaotic vastness of outer space. This odd blend of familiar Marvel conventions, silly sci-fi adventure, raunchy humor, and sincere pathos really shouldn’t have worked as well as it did. And yet it did.

 

Sure enough, Guardians of the Galaxy was the big movie of the summer, making these nobody Marvel characters some of the coolest and most iconic heroes in the entire MCU and Marvel Comics universe itself. They are now just as iconic as X-Men or Fantastic Four, and some may say that these guys have usurped those teams in popularity these days. We soon got an impressive trilogy many cite as Marvel’s absolute best roster of movies, a popular video game, and director James Gunn has now become a golden boy in Hollywood, currently spearheading the new roster of DC Comics movies. It’s hard to know what the future holds, but to quote 80s music icon George Michael, I gotta have faith.

 

Just wanna say that Guardians of the Galaxy in front of the Avengers movies is kinda incredible. MCU will suffer quite a bit without Gunn, he really should have been the director of the next Avengers.

 

 

Is it really going to be a top 20 fully animated by the way? Feels like I am missing some big live action movie, not sure though.

[cannastop]

7 minutes ago, 4815162342 said:

Pinocchio getting all the way to #19 I didn't expect 

Mulan at #18 I did not expect.

[cannastop]

Just now, Arlborn said:

Is it really going to be a top 20 fully animated by the way? Feels like I am missing some big live action movie, not sure though.

Don't really know. I wouldn't mind though.

[Morieris]

1 hour ago, 4815162342 said:

Pinocchio getting all the way to #19 I didn't expect 

 

I find it underrated, so I'm happy for it!

[grey ghost]

Is Guardians 1 the highest MCU movie on the list? 

[Eric Prime]

#17

Up

1,674 points, 32 lists

"Adventure is out there!"

Box Office: 735.1M

Rotten Tomatoes: 98%

Metacritic: 88

Awards: 2 Academy Awards and 3 nominations, 2 Annie Awards and 7 nominations, 2 BAFTA Awards and 2 nominations, 2 Golden Globe Awards, 2 Grammy Awards and 1 nomination

 

Roger Ebert's Review: ""Up" is a wonderful film, with characters who are as believable as any characters can be who spend much of their time floating above the rain forests of Venezuela. They have tempers, problems and obsessions. They are cute and goofy, but they aren't cute in the treacly way of little cartoon animals. They're cute in the human way of the animation master Hayao Miyazaki. Two of the three central characters are cranky old men, which is a wonder in this youth-obsessed era. "Up" doesn't think all heroes must be young or sweet, although the third important character is a nervy kid."

 

Its Legacy: Pixar's first 3D movie. The first 3D film to open the Cannes Film Festival. Became the second animated feature to be nominated for Best Picture. Its opening sequence is considered one of the greatest film openings of all time. Referenced in The Simpsons and Once Upon a Time. Earned a spin-off series. Considered one of Pixar's absolute bests. The sixth-highest grossing film of 2009. Gave Christopher Plummer a paycheck.

 

Commentary: Even compared to most animated features, Up is an odd, odd beast of a film. It’s a movie about an old geezer who ties a bunch of balloons to his house, finds himself in an adventure in South America, is paired up with a goofy boy scout, a weird bird, and a talking dog, and has to face off against another old geezer who has an army of dogs at his disposal. Oh, and the whole movie is about coming to terms with his dead wife. I don’t know how director Pete Docter and the Pixar crew pulled it off, but they did it.

 

There’s a lot to love of course. It’s quite funny, it has very memorable and charming characters, rollicking adventure, and it has a fantastic introduction. If anything, the one thing everybody remembers this movie for best is its opening 15 minutes. There’s an adorable meet cute between the shy Carl and the adventurous Ellie as children, perfectly setting up the story and character dynamics and why the two had such a great relationship. And of course, we are then treated with a beautiful montage of a married couple going through all the trials, tribulations, excitement, sadness, and beauty of life. It’s a moment that could have succeeded as a short film all on its own, but it encapsulates one of the most powerful themes ever put in a Pixar movie.

 

It’s a film for the people who feel they have accomplished nothing. Who feel they didn’t achieve the goals they wanted. Who felt as if they let others down or couldn’t find the happiness they wanted. Up tells us all that every life is an adventure. It has ups, downs, highs, lows. It has incredible people we meet, wonderful stories, and heartfelt moments, even if it isn’t as exciting as we may have hoped for. And to focus on one goal in life and ignoring the other great parts of life is damaging. Your life is an adventure, and it’s a great one. Try to remember that.

 

 

[Eric Prime]

#16

Spirited Away

1,820 points, 28 lists

"Once you do something, you never forget. Even if you can't remember."

 

Box Office: 395.8M

Rotten Tomatoes: 96%

Metacritic: 96

Awards: 1 Academy Award, 4 Annie Awards, 1 BAFTA Award nomination, 3 Manichi Film Awards, 2 Japan Academy Awards, 8 Tokyo Anime Awards

 

Roger Ebert's Review: "Viewing Hiyao Miyazaki's "Spirited Away" for the third time, I was struck by a quality between generosity and love. On earlier viewings I was caught up by the boundless imagination of the story. This time I began to focus on the elements in the picture that didn't need to be there. Animation is a painstaking process, and there is a tendency to simplify its visual elements. Miyazaki, in contrast, offers complexity. His backgrounds are rich in detail, his canvas embraces space liberally, and it is all drawn with meticulous attention. We may not pay much conscious attention to the corners of the frame, but we know they are there, and they reinforce the remarkable precision of his fantasy worlds."

 

Its Legacy: Oft-considered Hayao Miyazaki's best work. Considered one of the greatest animated movies of all time, as well as movies in general. The highest-grossing film in Japan for 19 years. The first and only hand-drawn/anime/non-English-language film to win the Best Animated Feature Oscar. Helped make Studio Ghibli a household name in the West. Cited as an influence for many other animated films, including Coco and Turning Red. Earned a stage adaptation in 2022.

 

Commentary: 

Arguably the most essential and important Ghibli film. Not just because this is considered their best, most iconic title, but also how this is the film that, for many, introduced them to one of the greatest animation studios of all time. Pixar’s John Lasseter, a Ghibli fanboy, convinced the Disney brass to pick up the US rights and create their own dub. And in turn, almost immediately, everything changed.

 

The film was praised like mad for being a transcendent, gorgeous piece of cinema. An astonishing cacophony of creativity and ingenuity that showed how incredible the medium of animation can be. A heartfelt fantasy story that also served as a biting anti-capitalist piece. A film that could appeal to any and all ages, whether it be for its creativity, story, characters, or themes. It became a sensation in its home country of Japan, becoming the highest-grossing film of all time in the region. It held onto that record for a whopping 19 years in fact. And in the West? Well, it was just as celebrated. So many critics and filmmakers said it was one of the greatest films, animated or otherwise, they had ever seen. Its Disney connections gave it the Oscar for Best Animated Feature, only further boosting its popularity with American viewers. And for many, it was a wakeup call on what animation could be.

 

While still family-friendly, this was a film that made people realize animation wasn’t just kids stuff. It showed people that a movie can be from a different country and culture and still be emotionally and spiritually resonant. It’s a film that showed how Japanese animation can deliver incredible artistry and creativity that American animation typically moves away from in favor of crude humor and silly scenarios. And these days, anime is bigger than ever, celebrated by millions, and converts millions of adults into animation diehards. Whether it be East, West, or what have you.

 

And while Spirited Away perhaps didn’t change things overnight on its own, it certainly caused ripples. Ripples we still feel. And as Miyazaki just released his (presumably) final film and earned box office success and numerous accolades, it’s still easy to say that this work will never be topped and will forever be his masterwork. Everything that makes him an amazing filmmaker is all right here. And it’s glorious.

 

[Eric Prime]

#15

The Emperor's New Groove

1,907 points, 31 lists

"Pull the lever, Kronk! Wrong lever!"

 

Box Office: 169.7M

Rotten Tomatoes: 86%

Metacritic: 70

Awards: 1 Academy Award nomination, 3 Annie Awards and 7 nominations, 1 Golden Globe Award nomination, 1 Grammy Award nomination

 

Roger Ebert's Review: "In animation circles the word "cartoon" is frowned upon, because it makes people think of a film that is six minutes long and stars Bugs Bunny, rather than a film that is 100 minutes long and grosses $200 million. I've trained myself to refer to them as "animated features," but now here comes Disney's "The Emperor's New Groove," and the only word for it is "cartoon." I mean that as a compliment."

 

Its Legacy: Considered one of the funniest Disney movies ever. Signified the end of Disney musicals quite literally. Has one of the most chaotic productions in animation history. Received a documentary, The Sweatbox, that you aren't allowed to watch. Has a devoted cult following. Has been memed to death on the Internet. Earned a direct-to-video sequel and television series. Sting's attempt at being Phil Collins that ultimately didn't happen. Gave Patrick Warburton a paycheck.

 

Commentary: Frankly, it’s a miracle we got a movie as offbeat as this under the controlled, corporate Disney environment. For a while, the plan was to have this be Kingdom of the Sun, a typical Disney musical with a big, grand story, tons of songs written by Sting, and a dramatic Prince and the Pauper-style story. But then, in the eleventh hour, everything fell apart, it was reworked as a wacky comedy, and we got something so off the wall and out there that, within the Walt Disney Animation Studios canon, it still feels like an anomaly nearly 25 years later. In many ways, this was Disney trying to make a full-length Warner Bros. cartoon.

 

It was full of offbeat, strange characters. It boasted insane slapstick sequences. It didn’t take itself remotely seriously. It broke the fourth wall, threw in gags every other second, and featured a huge grab bag of sitcom comedy talent and also Eartha Kitt. It was the most cartoony cartoon to ever come from Disney’s feature animation department. And it’s incredible. It’s a film that’s always hilarious, full of wit, and still depicting sharp animation that is reminiscent of the best of Chuck Jones and Tex Avery.

 

While not a huge hit at the time, the film’s offbeat nature and quotability meant it was destined for cult classic status, and it actually became a solidly potent franchise for Disney, with a sequel, a TV series, and it still gets consistent merchandise. And while it’s no Little Mermaid or Lion King in popularity, that cult following is still keeping it alive through Internet memes and video essays and just spreading happy vibes.

 

It’s a kooky and exceedingly enjoyable feature full of great laughs and great characters, and pulls off the impossible task of making David Spade funny. That takes serious talent.