8 animation movies to watch if you love animation
If you’re as much into animation movies as we are, then this list is for you. We’ve compiled the best animation movies to watch as recommended by our team; that is, if you haven’t already watched them.
#1
Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988)
Created by: Touchstone Pictures
Release year: 1988
Synopsis: Toon Roger suspects his wife of having an affair with Marvin and hires a detective, Eddie Valiant. But when Marvin is found dead, Roger is accused of murder.
Why we like it:
Who Framed Roger Rabbit is one of the first animated movies to incorporate toons into the real world. This type of mix-media was extremely hard to achieve back in the 80s. Actors and actresses are first required to shoot the live-action segments of the film before animators pain-stakingly draw the toons over them. Before this film, cartoons seemed “pasted on” instead of blending into the scene. The animators combined traditional pencil drawn animation with new technology that allowed drawings to be printed directly onto a frame of film.
#2
Tarzan (1999)
Created by: Walt Disney Pictures
Release year: 1999
Synopsis: Tarzan, an orphan raised by mountain gorillas, rescues a woman explorer, Jane. After realising that he’s a human, Tarzan must choose between civilization and the jungle life.
Why we like it:
We love a story that involves animals! This one in particular has a wide range from elephants, to gorillas and leopards! We know, the Jungle Book has that too! But they don’t have Phil Collins for the sound track. Need I say more?
#3
Up (2009)
Created by: Walt Disney Pictures and Pixar Animation Studios
Release year: 2009
Synopsis: Carl, an old widower, goes off on an adventure in his flying house in search of Paradise Falls, his wife’s dream destination.
Why we like it:
The Pixar team always have the best storylines for their animation movies and this one also follows suit. Apart from the fact that the story is such a tear-jerker for the first 15 minutes, it definitely highlighted an uncanny mix of protagonists. Plus there is a talking dog! Also, if you ever watch their process of making this movie, the artists literally put their lives on edge by exploring Mount Roraima in Guyana, South America! Pixar really knows how to ‘up’ their story.
#4
Howl's Moving Castle (2005)
Created by: Studio Ghibli
Release year: 2005
Synopsis: Jealous of Sophie’s closeness to Howl, a wizard, the Witch of Waste transforms her into an old lady. Sophie must find a way to break the spell with the help of Howl’s friends, Calcifer and Markl.
Why we like it:
Love stories are always such a rollercoaster ride, but this one adds a curse to the twist. This story tackles finding love past a person’s physical beauty whilst also tapping into the topic of war and it’s perils. If you haven’t watched any of Studio Ghibli’s movies yet, then you need to! They have the most beautiful and intricate backgrounds that you can watch, and it’s all in 2D!
#5
Kubo and the Two Strings (2016)
Created by: Laika Studios
Release year: 2016
Synopsis: Kubo, a young boy, along with Monkey and Beetle, must find and wear his father’s legendary suit of armour in order to defeat an evil spirit.
Why we like it:
Combine a beautiful adventure with skilled puppeteers and you’ll end up watching a lot of movies by Laika Studios. Kubo’s art style is clearly inspired by ancient Japan, but the story is quite original. On top of that, it’s stop motion animation so it’s amazing to see what the animators can create and how seamless they can make the puppet motions.
#6
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018)
Created by: Columbia Pictures and Sony Pictures Animation in association with Marvel Entertainment.
Release year: 2018
Synopsis: After gaining superpowers from a spider bite, Miles Morales protects the city as Spider-Man. Soon, he meets alternate versions of himself and gets embroiled in an epic battle to save the multiverse.
Why we like it:
It’s your friendly neighbourhood Spidey! The Spiderman comics are one of the most popular superhero stories to date and have been remade so many times over the years; You’d think people will get sick of it by now. However, this one makes an interesting story for the swinging hero by involving other universes! The artists for this film managed to mix 2D and 3D animation beautifully and quite effectively to create a comic look that matches the story.
#7
Klaus (2019)
Created by: Netflix Animation and Sergio Pablos Animation
Release year: 2019
Synopsis: Jesper, a selfish postman, is forced to relocate to Smeerensburg by his father. However, he joins hands with a reclusive toymaker, Klaus, to spread joy in the dark and dreary town.
Why we like it:
Of course, we had to include a Christmas movie! Have you ever wondered about Santa Claus? Well this one gives us a different type of origin story that you might enjoy. The filmmakers created highly exaggerated features for their characters, resulting in quite the distinctive 2D art style that also seamlessly incorporates 3D.
#8
White Snake + White Snake 2: Green Snake (2021)
Created by: Light Chaser Animation Studios, Warner Bros. Pictures, Warner Bros.
Release year: 2021
Synopsis: White snake-demon Blanca loses her memory when disguised as a woman. Later, she falls in love with a snake hunter, which displeases her younger sister Verta, the green snake-demon.
Why we like it:
Based on an old Chinese legend, this movie takes us through the possibilities of the afterlife. Ok this is technically two animated movies, but this storyline has so many twists and turns that it will keep you at the edge of your seat!
So here we have it! Our top picks of all time; which was quite difficult to narrow down to be honest. We decided to present a range of animation studios for this list to give you a broader reach of animation styles. However, there are a lot more great films and animation studios emerging out there to watch so always keep your eyes peeled!
If you liked this article or have some feedback for our team, please feel free to send a message to hello@e-studios.com.au
Jozzelle De Jesus
B(Int)Entertainment
21 January, 2023
