#16
How to Train Your Dragon 2
Released: June 11, 2027
Runtime: 1 hour, 42 minutes
Rating: PG
Animation Style: 3D computer-animated style
Studio: DreamWorks
A wonderful sequel to a classic animated movie. This, amazingly, found a way to elevate the emotions even further than the original.
Voice cast: Jay Baruchel, Gerard Butler, Craig Ferguson, America Ferrera, Jonah Hill, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Kristen Wiig, T.J. Miller, Cate Blanchett, Djimon Hounsou, Randy Thom, and Kit Harington.
#17
Spirited Away
Released: July 20, 2001
Runtime: 124 minutes
Rating: PG
Animation Style: traditional hand-drawn 2D animation blended subtly with digital technology
Studio: Studio Ghibli
One of the classic Studio Ghibli films, Spirited Away was a masterpiece. When I watched it, I was anxious that the hype was too much, but those fears washed away with this beautiful film.
Voice cast: – Daveigh Chase, Suzanne Pleshette, Jason Marsden, Susan Egan, David Ogden Stiers, Lauren Holly, Michael Chiklis, John Ratzenberger, Tara Strong, Mickie McGowan, Jack Angel, Bob Bergen, Rodger Bumpass, Jennifer Darling, Paul Eiding, Sherry Lynn, Mona Marshall, Candi Milo, Colleen O’Shaughnessey, Phil Proctor, Jim Ward.
#18
The Lion King
Released: June 24, 1994
Runtime: 88 minutes
Rating: G
Animation Style: traditional 2D hand-drawn animation style combined with early digital technology
Studio: Walt Disney
One of the Renaissance films for Walt Disney, The Lion King is a coming of age tale of the future King of the Jungle. The film is very much like an adaptation of William Shakespeare’s Hamlet. It also featured one of the great soundtracks of all time with Elton John performing.
Voice cast: Matthew Broderick, James Earl Jones, Jeremy Irons, Jonathan Taylor Thomas, Moira Kelly, Niketa Calame, Madge Sinclair, Nathan Lane, Ernie Sabella, Whoopi Goldberg, Cheech Marin, Rowan Atkinson, Jim Cummings, and Robert Guillaume.
#19
Finding Nemo
Released: May 30, 2003
Runtime: 100 minutes
Rating: G
Animation Style: a blend of computer-generated (CGI) hyper-realism and stylized cartoon character design
Studio: Pixar/Disney
A brillaint father-son flick that sees Nemo get himself lost across the vast ocean. One of the best storie from Pixar, and that is saying a lot.
Voice cast: Albert Brooks, Ellen DeGeneres, Alexander Gould, Willem Dafoe, Geoffrey Rush, Brad Garrett, Allison Janney, Stephen Root, Austin Pendleton, Vicki Lewis, Joe Ranft, Andrew Stanton, Elizabeth Perkins, Nicholas Bird, Eric Bana, Bob Peterson, Barry Humphries, Bruce Spense, Bill Hunter, LuLu Ebeling, Jordan “Jordy” Ranft, Erica Beck, Erik Per Sullivan and John Ratzenberger.
#20
Beauty and the Beast
Released: November 22, 1991
Runtime: 84 minutes
Rating: G
Animation Style: Hybrid of traditional hand-drawn cel animation with pioneering computer-generated (CG) imagery.
Studio: Disney
One of the movies that kicked off the animation renaissance for Walt Disney Studios in 1991. Beauty and the Beast was a majestic tale as old as time. I remember not wanting to see this as a college student when it came out, but what the heck did I know? Now Beauty and the Beast kicked off the Top 20 of the Top 100.
Voice cast: Paige O’Hara, Robby Benson, Richard White, Jerry Orbach, David Ogden Stiers, Angela Lansbury, Bradley Michael Pierce, Rex Everhart, Jesse Corti, Hal Smith, Jo Anne Worley, Mary Kay Bergman, Kath Soucie, Jack Angel, Phil Proctor, Bill Farmer, Patrick Pinney, Brian Cummings, Alvin Epstein, Tony Jay, Alec Murphy, Kimmy Robertson, and Frank Welker.
#21
Wreck It Ralph
Released: Noivember 2, 2012
Runtime: 101 minutes
Rating: PG
Animation Style: multi-style 3D computer approach
Studio: Disney
Wreck It Ralph was a surprise hit. A brand new IP, Ralph took lots of the old video games we loved as children and made a word all its own.
Voice cast: John C. Reilly, Sarah Silverman, Jack McBrayer, Jane Lynch, Alan Tudyk, Mindy Kaling, Joe Lo Truglio, Ed O’Neil, Dennis Haysbert, Adam Corolla, Horation Sanz, Rich Moore, Edie McClurg, Raymond S. Persi, Jess Harnell, Rachael Harris, Skylar Astin, Katie Lowes, Jamie Elman, Josie Trinidad, Cymbre Walk, Phil Johnston, Stefanie Scott, John DiMaggio, Raymond S. Persi, Brian Kesinger, Martin Jarvis, Tucker Gilmore, Brandon Scott and Tim Mertens.
#22
Transformers One
Released: September 20, 2024
Runtime: 104 minutes
Rating: PG
Animation Style: a blend of stylized realism and handcrafted keyframe animation
Studio: Paramount Animation
This was a film that I almost decided to not go and see. The first trailer they released for this movie was one of the worst trailers I had ever seen. It was so bad that, after all of the Michael Bay Transformers movies that I hated so much, I could not see myself wasting time on this. I am glad I went as it turned out to be one of my favorite movies of 2024.
Voice cast: Chris Hemsworth, Brian Tyree Henry, Scarlett Johansson, Keegan-Michael Key, Steve Buscemi, Laurence Fishburne, Jon Bailey, and Jon Hamm.
#23
ParaNorman
Released: August 12, 2012
Runtime: 92 minutes
Rating: PG
Animation Style:
Studio: Laika Studios
ParaNorman is the story of a young boy who can speak with the dead, which comes in handy when the town is swarmed by zombies. I sometimes get this film confused with Frankenweeine. Maybe it is time for a rewatch.
Voice cast: Kodi Smit-McPhee, Jodelle Ferland, Bernard Hill, Tucker Albrizzi, Anna Kendrick, Casey Affleck, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Leslie Mann, Jeff Garlin, Elaine Stritch, Bernard Hill, Jodelle Ferland, and John Goodman
#24
Puss in Boots: The Last Wish
Released: December 21, 2022
Runtime: 102 minutes
Rating: PG
Animation Style: hybrid 2D and 3D look
Studio: DreamWorks Animation
I always liked the character of Puss in Boots, but the first solo film from the character was okay, at best. So I went into Puss in Boots: The Last Wish with low expectations and questions about why we needed another Puss in Boots movie. Those questions were answered big time as the movie was tremendous.
Voice cast: Antonio Banderas, Salma Hayek, Harvey Guillén, Florence Pugh, Olivia Colman, Ray Winstone, Samson Kayo, John Mulaney, Wagner Moura, Da’Vine Joy Randolph, Anthony Mendez, Kevin McCann, Bernardo De Paula, Betsy Sodaro and Artemis Pebdani.
#25
Monsters vs. Aliens
Released: March 27, 2009
Runtime: 94 minutes
Rating: PG
Animation Style: stereoscopic 3-D computer
Studio: DreamWorks Animation
This film is done in an old, B-movie format, like some of the old alien/monster movies of the 1950s. The characters in the film are very funny and led by Susan, it has a surprising amount of heart.
Voice cast: Reese Witherspoon, Seth Rogen, Hugh Laurie, Will Arnett, Kiefer Sutherland, Rainn Wilson, Paul Rudd, Stephen Colbert, Amy Poehler, Jeffrey Tambor, Julie White, Renée Zellweger, John Krasinski, and Ed Helms .
#26
Toy Story 2
Released: November 24, 1999
Runtime: 92 minutes
Rating: G
Animation Style: 3D computer-animated style
Studio: Pixar/Disney
Toy Story 2 is my least favorite of the original trilogy for this movie, which, considering that it is just short of the Top 25 all time, should tell you what I think of this franchise. It was a great reveal on the villain twist and introduced us to some amazing characters.
Voice cast: Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Joan Cusack, Kelsey Grammer, Don Rickles, Estelle Harris, Jim Varney, Wayne Knight, Wallace Shawn, John Ratzenberger, Annie Potts, R. Lee Ermey, John Morris, Laurie Metcalf, Jeff Pidgeon, R. Lee Ermey, Joe Ranft, Jodi Benson, Jonathan Harris, Andrew Stanton and Dave Foley.
#27
Ratatouille
Released: June 29, 2007
Runtime: 111 minutes
Rating: G
Animation Style: stylized, caricatured computer-animation style
Studio: Pixar/Disney
I did not watch this Pixar movie for years. I do nto know why I shunned this film for so long, but when I did finally watch it, I absolutely loved it. Ratatouille is one of the hidden gems in the Pixar catalog.
Voice cast: Patton Oswalt, Lou Romano, Ian Holm, Janeane Garofalo, Peter O’Toole, Brian Dennehy, Peter Sohn, Brad Garrett, Will Arnett, John Ratzenberger, James Remar, Teddy Newton, Brad Bird, Jake Steinfeld, Tony Fucile and Stéphane Roux .
#28
How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World
Released: February 22, 2019
Runtime: 104 minutes
Rating: PG
Animation Style: realistic lighting and advanced technology with expressive, stylized character designs
Studio: DreamWorks Animation
The third film in one of the most satisfying and engaging animated trilogies ever produced. This is a trilogy that allowed its protagonist to actually age and become an adult.
Voice cast: Jay Baruchel, America Ferrera, Cate Blanchett, Craig Ferguson, Gerard Butler, Jonah Hill, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Kristen Wiig, Kit Harington, F. Murray Abraham, Julia Emelin, Ólafur Darri Ólafsson, James Sie, David Tennant, Robin Atkin Downes, Kieron Elliot, Ashley Jensen, Gideon Emery and Randy Thom.
#39
Kung Fu Panda
Released: June 6, 2008
Runtime: 92 minutes
Rating: PG
Animation Style: advanced computer-generated (CG) 3D animation combined with artistic inspiration from traditional Chinese ink painting and wuxia martial arts films.
Studio: DreamWorks Animation
Kung Fu Panda has been one of the most successful animated franchises of the past 25 years. Po is a beloved character who everybody can relate to in some way or another.
Voice cast: Jack Black, Dustin Hoffman, Angelina Jolie, Ian McShane, Seth Rogen, Lucy Liu, David Cross, Randall Duk Kim, James Hong, Dan Fogler, Michael Clarke Duncan, and Jackie Chan
#30
Inside Out 2
Released: June 14, 2024
Runtime: 96 minutes
Rating: PG
Animation Style: stylized 3D computer animation style combined with traditional 2D hand-drawn elements
Studio: Pixar/Disney
One of the most successful animated films of all time making $1.699 billion at the box office.
Voice cast: Amy Poehler, Phyllis Smith, Lewis Black, Diane Lane, Kyle MacLachlan, Maya Hawke, Kensington Tallman, Liza Lapira, Tony Hale, Ayo Edebiri, Lilimar, Grace Lu, Sumayyah Nuriddin-Green, Adèle Exarchopoulos, Paul Walter Hauser, Yvette Nicole Brown, Ron Funches, James Austin Johnson, Yong Yea, Steve Purcell, Paula Pell, Pete Docter, Dave Goeltz, Frank Oz, Flea, Bobby Moynihan, John Ratzenberger, Paula Poundstone and June Squibb.
