Tuesday, June 24, 2008

Top Ten Animation

AFI's list of the top ten animated films.



1. Snow White and The Seven Dwarves
2. Pinocchio
3. Bambi
4. The Lion King
5. Fantasia
6. Toy Story
7. Beauty and the Beast
8. Shrek
9. Cinderella
10. Finding Nemo

As expected Disney dominates! The only non-Disney film on this list is Shrek at #8 and I don't think it belongs on here anyway. It looks like seniority is king with the first three picks starting with the first feature length animated film Snow White and The Seven Dwarves then the second Pinocchio and the fifth with Bambi. Fantasia, Disney's third feature cartoon gets bumped by Bambi and Simba but that's not unexpected. What I did find unexpected was that Beauty and the Beast didn't rate higher since it is the only animated film ever nominated for Best Picture by the Academy. I would have expected Toy Story to rank higher as well for being the first full-length computer animated film. But Toy Story is not the best Pixar film and I would even say Finding Nemo is better.

The best one of all in my opinion (and once again I am stymied by the voters for completely snubbing it) is The Incredibles which brought computer animation to a whole new level of filmmaking, which I predict we will see even more of in the upcoming Wall-E based on the previews. If you look at the way "shots" are framed in The Incredibles you notice they are made to look as though there is actually a camera and actors performing in front of it, (i.e. Mr. Incredible is partly out of the frame while standing next to his wife, some objects are not in focus as if an actual lense were recording the action.) At times you forget that you are watching a cartoon. Maybe in twenty years the Institute will look back at The Incredibles as the most "incredible" animated film. Ok, that was some cheese, but you get my point.

And what about The Secret of Nimh? C'mon!

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Even though it's not animated Pippi Longstocking (The New Adventures of, I think) should be included...in every list, really. The theme song alone is worthy of hall of fame status - Pippi Longstocking is coming into your world - amazing lyrics and a tune that you're actually glad is stuck in your head. Not one of those kid's song you try to dig out with an ice pick...

Dignan said...

The funniest line in there was "even though it's not animated". My feelings exactly. Only Michael Bolton or Celine Dion songs make me feel better than that theme.

Anonymous said...

the incredibles was rad as well