Top 10 Animated Films

When people think of animation the first thing that immediately comes to mind is Disney and Pixar, the dominant studios in the industry. But there are many other studios who are hot on their heels in recent years, turning out great features that both children and adults can enjoy. So lets not forget the likes of Dreamworks, Aardman, Ghibli and many more.

10 - Cloudy with a chance of Meatballs (2009)

Running Time: 1 Hour 30 mins
Genre: Animation/Comedy/Family
Director: Phil Lord, Christopher Miller
Stars: Anna Faris, Bill Hader, Bruce Campbell

A loud and buzzing film with a great concept; a rather useless scientist. But in trying to create a machine that turns water into food he accidentally sends his invention into the atmosphere. The results; it literally rains food, hence the title. A fun, colourful film with a recognisable voice cast this was a great success on release. It has also since rendered a sequel in which the food in their town has taken on a life of its own with food-animals such as tacodiles and shrimpanzees.

09 - How to Train Your Dragon (2010)

Running Time: 1 Hour 35 mins
Genre: Animation/Adventure/Fantasy
Director: Dean DeBlois, Chris Sanders
Stars: Jay Baruchel, Gerard Butler, Christopher Mintz-Plasse

A surprisingly huge hit for Dreamworks, HTTYD was not a film I was enthusiastic to see, and I didn't for a few years. However when the moment struck me to finally watch it I thoroughly enjoyed the excitement and the heart that fills this film. Set in the Viking era Hiccup is the son of the Viking leader but he just doesn't fit in with their violent dragon killing ways. When he sets out to prove he can kill one he ends up finding his soul mate. Toothless is a rare breed and it becomes Hiccups task to train him and teach his people that dragons do not need to be feared. A great movie for the whole family.

08 - The Croods (2013)

Running Time: 1 Hour 35 mins
Genre: Animation/Comedy/Family
Director: Kirk De Micco
Stars: Nicolas Cage, Emma Stone, Ryan Reynolds

I'm not ashamed to say this animated movie made me cry. Most animated movies today deal with very real and deep subjects in this case it is father daughter relationships and the issues with growing up and letting go. All set hilariously within a family of cavemen, with an all star voice cast this film is packed with jokes, the most successful those integrating modern world jokes into this primitive setting. Great animation, fantastic colour palette, delightfully funny and a compelling story this is a great animation from Dreamworks, again proving that not only Disney and Pixar can make animation movies.

07 - Howls Moving Castle (2004)

Running Time: 2 Hours
Genre: Animation/Fantasy/Family
Director: Hayao Miyazaki
Stars: Christian Bale, Jean Simmons, Emily Mortimer

Not considered the best, but definitely my favourite from the Studio Ghibli cannon. This fantastical story centres on a young girl called Sophie who has an ageing spell cast on her, she seeks out a young Wizard named Howl who is her only hope to break the spell. She finds him in his moving house (the image to the left) and becomes part of the unconventional family living there. Quirky and filled to the brim with the strange and magical, it is hard not to enjoy this movie from the genius Hayao Miyazaki.



06 - Coraline (2009)

Running Time: 1 Hour 40 mins
Genre: Animation/Fantasy/Mystery
Director: Henry Selick
Stars: Dakota Fanning, Teri Hatcher, John Hodgman

Coraline is a vivid, imaginative tale from the unmistakeable talent found at Laika Entertainment Studio. Dakota Fanning voices the title character of a young girl who has just moved into an old dingy apartment house. She is frustrated with her boring life and the lack of attention or intimacy she gets from her parents. When she discovers another identical world behind a door in her living room, and finds another mother and father who lavish her with treats and attention she is tempted to leave one world for the other. However all is not as it seems, the buttons for eyes should be a clue all is not right.

05 - The Polar Express (2004)

Running Time: 1 Hour 40 mins
Genre: Animation/Family/Fantasy
Director: Robert Zemeckis
Stars: Tom Hanks, Chris Coppola, Michael Jeter

The Polar Express is one of those movies that just makes you feel warm inside. Our protagonist a young boy doubting the existence of Christmas boards a magical train on Christmas Eve bound for the North Pole and a meeting with Santa. Through a action packed adventure getting there and then a captivating exploration of the North Pole this is a great Christmas movie for the kids (and fun-loving adults). Displaying perfect motion-capture techniques we get to see one of our best loved movie stars Tom Hanks in a selection of roles. Christmas, animation, Tom Hanks; what more could you want.

04 - Despicable Me (2010)

Running Time: 1 Hour 35 mins
Genre: Animation/Comedy/Family
Director: Pierre Coffin, Chris Renaud
Stars: Steve Carell, Jason Segel, Russell Brand

A major success when it was released it has now spawned a sequel and a spin off due for release 2015. One of the greatest premises for an animation in years. Gru (Steve Carell) is your stereotypical evil villain, except he isn't very good at it. Everything changes when he gets involved with three orphaned girls who through their sheer personality and dependence on him, change him for the better. This is a great film, one that adults can easily sit through without falling asleep. With a perfect voice cast it is incredibly funny and introduced the world to minions (who can imagine one without them).


03 - The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)

Running Time: 1 Hour 25 mins
Genre: Animation/Family/Fantasy
Director: Henry Selick
Stars: Danny Elfman, Chris Sarandon, Catherine O'Hara

This has been a favourite of mine since a very young age, I have always been drawn towards the gothic. It also happens to meld two of my favourite things; Christmas and Halloween. Jack Skellington is king of Halloweentown but he is feeling bored and depressed. On discovering Christmastown he decides that this year he will take over the beloved holiday. Unfortunately he doesn't quite get the idea and his scary presents are not to peoples liking. Awesome film, great songs and the animation is superb.

02 - The Snowman (1982)

Running Time: 26 mins
Genre: Animation/Short
Director: Dianne Jackson, Jimmy T. Murakami
Stars: (Aled Jones singing - in the original)

As a person of tradition and sentiment, I get a lot of joy from watching The Snowman at Christmas every year. The style in which it has been made makes it look like the drawings are magically coming to life on the page. Without any dialogue apart from an introduction from Father Christmas himself, this short animation is all the better for it. Simple and effecting with great charm and innocence, the inclusion of the now infamous christmas staple 'Walking in the Air' makes this a must see. I can't imagine not watching this one at least once in December.

01 - Shrek (2001)

Running Time: 1 Hour 30 mins
Genre: Animation/Comedy/Adventure
Director: Andrew Adamson, Vicky Jenson
Stars: Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy, Cameron Diaz

With Shrek, animation was given a modern kick, with the use of so many familiar star voices and a fresh vibrant comedic script incorporating pop culture, there was little chance this could fail. Shrek is an ogre who's peaceful swamp is disturbed by fairytale creatures. To return it to it's previous state he agrees to go on a quest to rescue a princess from a dragon. This goes more or less to plan, with the help and hindrance of a talking donkey (Eddie Murphy's best role in years) however he didn't plan on falling in love with the Princess in the process. Action packed and hilarious you can't not like Shrek, I challenge you.


So if you're wondering how to spend a rainy afternoon or you fancy something a little lighter and brighter than your dramas and thrillers then these are the perfect collection of animated films to fill your day with. Enjoy.