Animated Movies
Details on animated films including cast lists, trailers, movie reviews, photo galleries and interviews. And fans of animated movies will want to check out the timeline tracking the history of the art form as well as other insight into this genre of film.
- 8 Crazy Nights (9)
- 9 (16)
- A Christmas Carol (12)
- Alpha and Omega (10)
- Ant Bully (10)
- Astro Boy (10)
- Barnyard (8)
- Battle for Terra (10)
- Bee Movie (15)
- Bolt (8)
- Brother Bear (4)
- Cars (21)
- Cars 2 (17)
- Chicken Little (6)
- Cloudy with a Chance (14)
- Coraline (14)
- Corpse Bride (16)
- Curious George (16)
- Despicable Me (24)
- Doogal (3)
- Everyone's Hero (6)
- Fantastic Mr Fox (11)
- Finding Nemo (9)
- Flushed Away (9)
- Fly Me to the Moon (4)
- G-Force (11)
- Gnomeo and Juliet (16)
- Happily N'Ever After (7)
- Happy Feet (26)
- Home on the Range (3)
- Hoodwinked Too (8)
- Hop (19)
- Horton Hears a Who (15)
- How to Train Your Dragon (15)
- Howl's Moving Castle (10)
- Ice Age 2 (11)
- Ice Age 3 (9)
- Igor (9)
- Incredibles, The (9)
- Kung Fu Panda (19)
- Kung Fu Panda 2 (19)
- Legend of the Guardians (24)
- Lilo and Stitch (11)
- Madagascar (9)
- Madagascar 2 (18)
- Mars Needs Moms (14)
- Meet the Robinsons (8)
- Megamind (15)
- Monster House (14)
- Monsters vs Aliens (17)
- Open Season (14)
- Over the Hedge (9)
- Planet 51 (9)
- Ponyo (7)
- Pooh's Heffalump Movie (3)
- Princess and the Frog, The (7)
- Rango (14)
- Ratatouille (20)
- Rio (19)
- Robots (19)
- Shark Tale (15)
- Shrek (8)
- Shrek 2 (19)
- Shrek Forever After (19)
- Shrek the Third (21)
- Simpsons Movie, The (8)
- Space Chimps (7)
- SpongeBob SquarePants (11)
- Star Wars The Clone Wars (12)
- Surf's Up (19)
- Tale of Despereaux, The (12)
- Tangled (19)
- Teacher's Pet (3)
- Team America (6)
- Toy Story 3 (21)
- Treasure Planet (7)
- Up (15)
- Valiant (8)
- WALL-E (13)
- Wallace and Gromit (6)
- Wild Thornberrys (6)
- Wild, The (7)
- Winnie the Pooh (6)
Review of "Alice in Wonderland" on Blu-ray and DVD, storyline, and bonus features.
"Bambi" finally arrives on Blu-ray for the first time in history.
Review of "Beauty and the Beast" Diamond Edition Blu-ray and DVD, storyline, and bonus features.
Review of Walt Disney Pictures' "Fantasia/Fantasia 4-Disc Special Edition Blu-Ray," storyline, and bonus features.
"Hoodwinked!" arrives on Blu-ray for the first time in history.
Though the stop-motion animation field has cranked out such exemplary efforts as "The Nightmare Before Christmas" and "Chicken Run," the genre has never quite been able to produce a masterpiece on the level of, say, "The Lion King," "WALL-E," or "Up" – until now.
"Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind" arrives on Blu-ray for the first time in history.
As hard as it is to believe, Sean Connery's unmistakable voice has never been heard in an animated film before. "Sir Billi," the first full-length animated movie from Scotland, marks the animated feature film debut of Connery who will be providing the voice of the lead character.
The latest effort from Japan’s Studio Ghibli, "Tales from Earthsea," marks the directorial debut of Hayao Miyazaki’s son, Goro, and it’s ultimately clear that the fledgling filmmaker doesn’t yet possess his father’s remarkable abilities.
Review of "The Black Cauldron" 25th Anniversary Special Edition DVD, storyline, and bonus features.
Details on the "The Fox and the Hound" and "The Fox and the Hound 2" Blu-Ray release including a review of the extra material.
Details on the "The Illusionist" Blu-Ray/DVD release including a review of the extra material.
Review of "The Illusionist," the traditionally animated film directed by Sylvain Chomet.
Review of the re-release of "The Lion King" in theaters - in 3D.
A list of five things you probably never knew about Walt Disney Pictures' animated hit The Lion King. Includes trivia and pictures.
Nobody was especially surprised when financial and critical successes
"Up," "Coraline," "The Princess and the Frog," and
"Fantastic Mr. Fox" all received nominations for Best Animated Feature at the 2010 Oscars, but even obsessive animation buffs were left dumbfounded after the fifth slot was awarded to a little-known Irish film called "The Secret of Kells."
About.com Contributing Writer David Nusair gives this Special Edition the highest rating - 5 stars.
More than a decade after its release, "Toy Story 2" remains one of the best sequels ever made and Pixar's most accomplished film to date (although last year's "Up" came awfully close to topping it). The movie essentially takes everything that was great about the original and improves on it exponentially, with the final result that rare cinematic achievement that has something in it for everyone.
Find out whether it's worth purchasing the 2-Disc Special Edition of the original 'Toy Story' movie.
The very first full-length computer-generated film, "Toy Story" holds up just as well today as it did on its theatrical release over a decade. This classic of the animation genre features indelible characters, laugh-out-loud instances of humor, and a storyline that's often genuinely poignant.
Review of "Waking Sleeping Beauty" on DVD, storyline, and bonus features.
Review of James and the Giant Peach Special Edition Blu-Ray, storyline, and bonus features.
Much like 2010, 2011 promises to be a banner year for the world of animation – as the release schedule includes an almost equal mix of highly-anticipated sequels and buzzed-about originals. Check out this list of the year’s theatrical animation releases.
"The Lorax," "Frankenweenie," and sequels to "Ice Age" and "Madagascar" are among the animated movies heading to theaters in 2012.
Though it used to be that animated films were solely the domain of specialized voice performers, the genre now commands the attention and interest of the biggest stars in Hollywood including
Tom Hanks,
Julia Roberts, and
George Clooney. But there are a few A-listers who have yet to step into the recording booth...
Let's face it, there are just some movies that seem like they would work a whole lot better in animated form. This is usually a result of shoddy special effects or garish visuals, but there are other reasons, too.
In keeping with an animation tradition that dates back decades, Pixar has managed to pepper many of their movies with fully-realized friendships that have become indelible within the genre.href="http://movies.about.com/od/animatedmovies/tp/animated-couples.htm">WALL-E and Eve . That said, here are the top five Pixar duos.
The animation world has always been a particularly fertile spawning ground for memorable lines of dialogue, and Pixar, being the current rulers of the genre, have certainly churned out their share of indelible quotes over the years. The following stand as the studio's five most unforgettable lines.
Biography of director Andrew Stanton including film credits.
A year-by-year examination of the major touchstones in animated film history, from the very first cartoon right through to the rise of computer-generated special effects.
The biggest benefit that animation has over live action is its ability to commit literally anything to the silver screen, with the depth of any given filmmaker s imagination the only real limitation possessed by the genre. But sometimes certain movies just feel like they would've been better off within the live-action realm.
A look at the making of Lionsgate's big-screen, computer-animated film "Alpha and Omega."
A look at the making of Walt Disney Pictures' big-screen, traditionally-animated film "Tales from Earthsea."
A look at the making of Sony Pictures Classics' big-screen, traditionally-animated film "The Illusionist."
Though he’s worked as an animator on such Pixar films as 1999’s "Toy Story 2" and 2003’s "Finding Nemo," Bob Peterson is probably best known for his voice work as Dug on the 2009 smash "Up."
Brad Bird has quickly risen to the top of the animation field thanks to his three critically-acclaimed directorial efforts, "The Iron Giant," "The Incredibles," and "Ratatouille."
Biography of director Brad Lewis including film credits.
Carlos Saldanha is an animation filmmaker who has worked on "Ice Age," "Rio," and "Robots."
Short biographies on the various Princesses who have appeared in Disney films over the years.
Chris Sanders has become one of the most sought-after animation directors not currently working for Pixar, as the filmmaker has been the driving force behind hits like "Lilo & Stitch" and "How to Train Your Dragon."
Conrad Vernon is an animation filmmaker who has worked on "Monsters vs Aliens" and "Shrek 2."
David Silverman is an award-winning animation filmmaker who has worked on movies like "Ice Age," "Monsters, Inc.," and "The Simpsons Movie."
Biography of director Dean DeBlois including film credits. Dean DeBlois is an award-winning animation filmmaker who has worked on movies like Lilo & Stitch and How to Train Your Dragon.
Don Hall is an award-nominated animation filmmaker who has worked on "Meet the Robinsons" and "Winnie the Pooh."
DreamWorks Animation film releases from 2011 through 2014 include "Kung Fu Panda 2," "How to Train Your Dragon 2," and "Puss in Boots."
Given that it stands as the only real competition that Disney has ever faced on the animation front, DreamWorks Animation has quickly established itself as one of the most important (and successful) studios in Hollywood history. Read on for a few interesting facts you may not have known about the company.
As one of the most successful animation studios in film history, Pixar has certainly come a long way in the years since it launched its very first full-length feature film (1995's "Toy Story"). Read on for a few interesting facts you may not have known about the company.
Hayao Miyazaki has become one of the most influential men within the world of anime, thanks to the international success of films like "Princess Mononoke" and "Spirited Away."
An introduction to the three main types of animation - traditional, stop-motion, and computer-generated. A look at the history of the genre as well as its major landmarks.
Jennifer Yuh is an award-winning animation filmmaker who has worked on "Madagascar," "Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron," and "Kung Fu Panda 2."
Biography of director John Lasseter including film credits. John Lasseter has become one of the most influential men within the world of animation, thanks to his ongoing work with Disney Pixar.
Kelly Asbury is an award-winning animation filmmaker who has worked on movies like "Shrek 2" and "Gnomeo and Juliet."
Biography of director Lee Unkrich including film credits. Lee Unkrich is an up-and-coming animation filmmaker who has worked on movies like Monsters, Inc., Finding Nemo, and Toy Story 3.
Miksa Disa is an animation filmmaker who has worked on "Tarzan," "The Tigger Movie," and "Hoodwinked Too! Hood vs. Evil."
Inside the career of filmmaker Mike Mitchell.
Nick Park is an Oscar-winning animation filmmaker who has worked on movies like "Curse of the Were-Rabbit" and "Chicken Run."
There are few individuals who have played as key a role in Pixar’s incredible success as Pete Docter, as the Minnesota native, who was the third animator hired by the studio (after John Lasseter and Andrew Stanton), has lent his considerable talents to such blockbusters as "Toy Story 2," "Monsters, Inc.," and "Up."
Biography of director Stephen J. Anderson including film credits.
Sylvain Chomet is an Oscar-nominated animation filmmaker who has worked on movies like "The Triplets of Belleville" and "The Illusionist."
Despite the strides that animation has made in recent years, there are still some viewers who stubbornly believe that the genre is exclusively for children.
2010 was, in retrospect, a better-than-average year for the animation genre. Though there were certainly a few clunkers, 2010 saw the release of masterworks from all three of the major animation studios ( Pixar , Disney, and DreamWorks Animation ).
The best animated movies of 2011 is topped by Winnie the Pooh and includes releases from Disney, 20th Century Fox, and DreamWorks Animation.
A brief overview of the dramatic change in animated film over the years from the perspective of the men and women providing their voices. The initial rise of voice-over artists eventually gave way to the use of celebrities.
A chronological overview of the dramatic changes Disney princesses have undergone over the years, from the passive heroes of "Cinderella" and "Sleeping Beauty" to the fierce warriors of "Pocahontas" and "Mulan."
As the animation field continues to grow in popularity, it s becoming increasingly clear that many of today s most successful animated films owe a huge debt to five landmark examples of the genre.
A list of the five worst animated films released in 2011. The list includes releases from Pixar and Disney.
Tom McGrath is an award-winning animation filmmaker who has worked on movies like "Madagascar" and "Megamind."
Though the genre is primarily associated with kid-oriented fare, animated movies have been instrumental in cranking out some of the most memorable love stories within Hollywood history.
When the decade started, traditionally animated movies ruled multiplexes and computers were used only sparingly to beef up certain shots. But by the time the new century emerged, computers had become a force to be reckoned with and had all but put hand-drawn animators out of work.
Though computer animated films had debuted in the mid 1990s, the genre didn t completely take off until the turn of the century as major studios such as Disney, DreamWorks, and Fox all but abandoned traditional hand-drawn animation and focused instead on releases employing the new technology.
There's been a long history of memorable sidekicks throughout cinematic history, and it's certainly not surprising to note that the canon of Disney animated films is rife with memorable sidekicks of all shapes, sizes, and even species.
You may root for the hero, but the most interesting and compelling characters in Disney animated movies are usually the villains. The Mouse House has always made a point of emphasizing bad guys that you just can t help but love to hate, with the following 10 people standing head and shoulders above their villainous counterparts.
A top 5 list covering 3-D animated films that should have been made in 2-D, including "Toy Story 3," "Shrek Forever After," and "Rio."
It might surprise you to learn that the animation genre isn't exactly a breeding ground for theatrically released Christmas movies.
Fairy tales have been an integral part of the animation genre ever since its inception, as the very first full-length animated movie, 1937's Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs , was based on a well-known Brothers Grimm tale. Movie theaters have been flooded with adaptations of other fairy tales in the years since, with the following five...
Though there are plenty of well-known and justifiably well-regarded filmmakers within the animation world - Hayao Miyazaki, Brad Bird, and Lee Unkrich, just to name a few - there have also been certain occasions in which filmmakers from the live-action realm have attempted to cross over into animation.
Everybody has that one friend who simply refuses to watch animated films, with the refrain "they're just for kids" usually the first thing out of their mouths when questioned. Since making their debut in 1995 with "Toy Story," Pixar has managed to craft films that hold just as much appeal for grown ups as they do for kids.
The animation world may be a lot of things, but one thing it generally is not is a breeding ground for horror. Major studios like Disney , Pixar , and DreamWorks Animation have peppered many of their movies with creepy images, yet they ve been reluctant to come out with what could be labeled as full-fledged scary movies. Other...
With so many animated 3-D movies to choose from, it can be hard to determine which films deserve that extra surcharge that multiplexes are demanding for the extra dimension. In most cases, it s worth paying the extra few dollars since the animation genre lends itself naturally to 3-D with the following movies standing as the best and most eye-popping examples of the burgeoning technology.
A best of list covering the best animated science fiction films ever made.
The "Toy Story" films top this Best of list.
Everyone's had that experience where they've walked out of a Disney cartoon humming (or, even worse, singing) one of the songs that they ve just heard, and it's not surprising that the Mouse House is generally considered the king of animated musicals.
It's become incredibly fashionable to cast bigger and bigger celebrities in animated movies nowadays, but there are few performers that are able to convincingly disappear into the skin of their animated counterparts.
"Tangled" tops this best of list.
A top five list covering the most memorable, funny, and indelible friendships within the Disney animated movie legacy.
Over the years,
Disney has been responsible for some of the most memorable and indelible chunks of dialogue within the animation genre. And although it would be easy enough to list just the unforgettable lines from the studio's various songs - including "Cinderella's" "A dream is a wish your heart makes" - this list ranks only the best and most memorable instances of dialogue in
Disney's animated motion pictures.
>Over the years,
DreamWorks Animation has upheld one of the animation genre’s most beloved traditions by peppering their movies with exciting, jaw-dropping action sequences. The following stand as the studio’s five best such moments.
Like
Pixar, DreamWorks Animation has featured a number of memorable duos over the past several years – with the following five standing out as the most indelible.
Despite a rather rocky start, DreamWorks Animation has established itself as Disney Pixar s only true competitor within the world of feature-length animation. It s gotten to a point where DreamWorks can be consistently relied on to crank out above-average product, which ensures that attempting to compile a list of their five best films is easier...
A scene stealer is defined as a character that makes the most out of their limited screen time, to the extent that the viewer misses them when they re not around. DreamWorks Animation has certainly been responsible for their fair share of scene stealers, with the following five standing as their most memorable:
In keeping with an animation tradition dating back to the genre's inception, DreamWorks has included a number of compelling sidekicks in many of their releases with the following five standing head and shoulders above their right hand men (and women) brethren.
As DreamWorks Animation has become an increasingly palpable threat to Pixar’s supremacy over the animation world, so have their villains become increasingly intriguing and complex – with the following five standing out as the studio’s best and brightest (and deliciously evil).
Unlike its closest competitor, Pixar, DreamWorks Animation has never exactly been known for its ability to blend comedy with drama. There’s nevertheless little doubt that the company has managed to insert surprisingly heartfelt and emotional moments into several of their films, with the following five scenes standing as exemplary examples of this:
Pixar’s ability to elicit all manner of emotions from viewers has become legendary, as the studio is just as likely to make you double over laughing as they are to make you grip your armrest in suspense. But Pixar’s most impressive feat is the degree to which they’ve been able to make the hardiest of viewers
cry like babies time and time again, with these five scenes almost guaranteed to make you shed a tear or two.
When you think of Disney sidekicks, you probably think of noble characters like Jiminy Cricket, the Seven Dwarfs, and Timon Pumbaa. But throughout the animation studio s long history, there have been plenty of sidekicks and henchmen that have not only served the central villain but also upstaged their diabolical masters on a consistent basis.
An evil sidekicks best of list covering the most memorable, funny, and indelible evil sidekicks within the DreamWorks Animation movie legacy.
A best of list covering the most memorable, funny, and indelible evil sidekicks within the Pixar animated movie legacy.
A list of the five most evil stepmothers in animation history.
Since most animated movies tend to elicit at least a couple of laughs, it s not difficult to assume that virtually all examples of the genre could be ranked as comedies . But if you really think about it, the majority of such movies contain too many other elements drama, adventure, etc to be considered a comedy first and something else second.
When Pixar released Toy Story , their first movie, in 1995, John Ratzenberger was just another actor amidst an impressive field of performers (including Tom Hanks , Tim Allen, and Don Rickles). But over the years, Pixar has seen fit to include Ratzenberger in every single one of their releases with the following five characters...
A top 5 list covering the best hybrids of live action and animation ever made topped by "Who Framed Roger Rabbit."
A best of list covering the most memorable and indelible original songs within the Pixar animated movie legacy.
Like any other genre, the animation field is littered with underwhelming movies that have somehow amassed a much more acclaimed reputation than they actually deserve. This list seeks to point the spotlight on five such titles.
Though the films produced by Pixar are often packed with funny and tragic character moments, the studio s output also boasts some of the most exciting and indelible action scenes ever found in the animation genre. The following five moments stand as the best of the best in Pixar's filmography.
Over the years,
Pixar has amassed the most impressive collection of regular filmmakers in animation history with the following five standing out as the studio's best.
With ten uniformly stellar films under their belt, Pixar has quickly and decisively established themselves as the most consistently impressive animation studio around. It s not surprising to note, then, that compiling a list of their five best efforts is no small feat, as they seem to raise the bar with every new release. (It s almost like...
A list of the five most memorable scene stealers in Pixar's movies.
It's clear Pixar is one of the few studios to ensure that you get the most bang for your buck, as the company offers moviegoers a quick little treat before each of their releases. These animated shorts are often just as entertaining as their full-length counterparts.
Unlike their parent company, Disney, Pixar has never exactly played by the rules of the animation game, so it's no real surprise to discover that their films are decidedly lacking in traditional sidekicks.
One of the most important elements in most
animated fare is the strength of its villain, and there's little doubt that
Pixar has managed to infuse several of their projects with bad guys that audiences can’t help but love to hate. Here are the studio's five most despicable, downright evil villains:
Over the years, Disney has become well known for traumatizing little children with surprisingly horrific bursts of shocking imagery. (See #1 for proof.) The following five scenes represent the most haunting interludes within Disney s prolific body of animated work.
The animation genre has always contained its fair share of shocking moments - Bambi's mom, anyone? - and DreamWorks Animation has certainly done its part in living up to that legacy. The following five moments stand above all the rest within the studio's impressive body of work.
Despite the family-friendly label on all of their movies, Pixar has never shied away from peppering their movies with episodes designed to stun and shock the viewer. This moments tower above all the rest in terms of their ability to stick in your mind and leave you shaken.
A top five list covering the most memorable, funny, and indelible speechless characters within the Disney animated movie legacy.
A top five list covering the most memorable, funny, and indelible speechless characters within the DreamWorks Animation movie legacy.
The 5 most memorable, funny, and indelible speechless characters within the Pixar animated movie legacy.
A best of list covering the top 5 animated characters who deserve their own spinoff film in Disney's animated movie legacy.
These characters really deserve their own films.
A best of list covering the top 5 characters that deserve their own spinoff film in the Pixar animated movie legacy.
Stop-motion, or claymation, is a style of animation in which objects are meticulously moved one frame at a time, which, given that most movies run 24 frames per second, has sealed its reputation as a seriously time-consuming and painstaking animation process.
Studio Ghibli, the film company started by Hayao Miyazaki, Isao Takahata, and Toshio Suzuki, is best known for its releases directed by animation master Miyazaki, and it would certainly be easy enough to compile a list consisting solely of his films. But there’s more to Studio Ghibli than just Miyazaki movies, even if the prolific filmmaker is responsible for the majority of the studio’s most well-known features.
With more and more animated movies flooding multiplexes, it s becoming all-too-easy for some films to unfairly slip beneath the cracks. And though you could probably come up with a list containing dozens of such movies, we ve limited ourselves to five animated films that we feel are most deserving of a second chance.
The worst animated sequels ever include "Hoodwinked Too: Hood vs. Evil" and "Cars 2."
It wasn t long ago that the majority of roles in animated movies were filled by professional voice actors , with the switch to celebrities a relatively recent phenomenon. And although there have been plenty of instances in which A-listers have brilliantly disappeared into their animated counterparts, there have been just as many occasions where famous folks have been utilized quite poorly with t…
A top 5 list covering the worst adaptations released by Walt Disney Pictures.
"Hop" and "Alvin and the Chipmunks" make this 'Worst of' list.
Though most kids would argue that there’s no such thing as a bad animated movie, the genre sometimes has a tendency to produce films that have been aimed squarely at the lowest common denominator.