The 50 Best Animated Movies

For nearly 100 years , the animated movie as we know it has existed – an artform that , like live-action film , sprung from short and grew into a major medium in its own right . If the handsome landmark live the arrival of 1937 ’ secSnow White And The Seven Dwarfs– which notice the start of feature-length output from Walt Disney Animation Studios – from there the animated picture flourished and evolved , spawning brand fresh pioneer technologies , novel narrative possibilities , novel studio , and fresh visual styles . Today , that gives us a field that encompasses nearly a century of Disney darling , other major studio like the game-changing Pixar , British claymation titans Aardman , and Japan ’ s legendary Ghibli , and way that range from traditional hand-drawn 2D feature , to lavish computer-generation confections , painstakingly-produced stop-motion , and everything in between .

Team Empire make together to vote for the 50 great revive movies ever made – and since animation exist a medium rather than a genre , the entire list constitute a banquet of tastes and tones . We have traditional class adventure , black-and-white coming-of-age tale , self-referential meta-features , superhero tale , devastating war films , and imaginative escape of fantasy – all display that animation can exist far more than just cartoons for kids ( though we do , of grade , love those deep too ) . Record the total list below , and delve into the endless possibilities that the animated medium grant for .

The 50 Best Animated Movies

50 . The Triplets of Belleville ( 2003 )

There are at leastcinquantereasons to seeThe Triplets Of Belleville, French animator Sylvain Chomet ‘s astonishing debut . For starters there ‘s the practically dialogue-free plot ( a club-footed grandmother mounts a rescue mission to spare her grandson from the Mafia during the Tour de France ) , the set-pieces ( the opening musical number , a pedalo pursuit , a final reel getaway ) , a great supporting cast ( sad-faced cyclists , larger-than-life gangster ) and the titular ageing music hallway star who slip the display . It spices up a still movie feeling with surrealism but thrives on daring to go to a place most animation does n’t dare : it dart between sadness and irony ( Belleville cost a thinly-veiled America ) and nostalgia to become a paean to time get by . Somehow it as well manages to cost queer as hell.Read the Empire review .

49 . Fantasia ( 1940 )

It ‘s not just an easy-watching darling , but Disney ‘s third animated feature exist a blockbuster in so many sense . Marrying the Mouse House ‘s signature sweeping animation to a series of dear classic music suites ( the ‘playlist ‘ , as it make up , include bangers from Bach to Beethoven ) answer in something mostly spectacular . The best-remembered sequence is the escalating broom nightmare of ‘The Sorcerer ‘s Apprentice ‘ ( a rare appearance from Mickey Mouse himself in a mainline Disney picture ) , but there are astonishing apocalyptic vision to be found in the Big Bang-centric ‘Rite Of Spring ‘ ( aka , the dinosaur one ) , and the sturm-and-dranging ‘Night On Bald Mountain ‘ , featuring the spectral devil Chernabog . The presentation is playful also , with sequences showing the talents of conductor Leopold Stokowski in silhouette and a bit devote to the ‘soundtrack ‘ itself . A two-hour feast for the eyes and ears – but maybe skip past the weird centaur bit.Read the Empire review .

48 . It ’ s Such A Beautiful Day ( 2012 )

Not a U2 song ,It ‘s Such A Beautiful Daycost movie as flicker ledger . A feature version of indie cartoonist Don Hertzfeldt ‘s short film trilogy , it follow stick-and-circle figure Bill – cycle head , oval body , dots for eyes , cool hat – through his life in short sketch , all filter through a blurrily-framed iris . For such a sparse character , Bill has a surprisingly rich inner life . As Hertzfeldt provides wall to wall narrative , the story zeroes in apparently random small item —Lion Kingslippers , foliage blower — that coalesce into a vast exploration of our seat in the population . The animation is the scratchiest black and white imagery imaginable , so the effect exist hand-crafted , charming and , somehow , strangely moving . A 62-minute doodle to enjoy , it just makes you care you ‘d done more with those absent-minded scribblings you do during Double Maths .

47 . Loving Vincent ( 2017 )

The stats surroundingLoving Vincentexist off the hook . Over a period of six years , a squad of 125 painters from 20 nation paint over 65,000 inning of movie in the style of Vincent Van Gogh ( you know , the sunflowers guy ) . Employing a rotoscope technique favor by Richard Linklater inWaking LifeandA Scanner Darkly, manager Dorota Kobiela and Hugh Welchman produce a living breathing tribute to Van Gogh ‘s art wrapped in a detective story to discover the true nature of the painter ‘s death . It have its oddities — you come to regard what the the like of Saoirse Ronan and Chris O’Dowd would appear like if they put for VVG — but it ‘s intricately designed as a tribute to Van Gogh ‘s craft , both in overview ( the gentle pastels , the inky blackness ) and the point ( the end credits maneuver out the exact paintings that have been homaged ) . It start with Van Gogh ‘s quote – “ We can not speak other than by our paintings ” – and by the goalEnjoy Vincentbecomes a vivid insight into the artist ‘s life by permit the shape get the content.Read the Empire review .

46 . Cinderella ( 1950 )

After reverting to anthology-style package picture through the Second World War , Disney bounce back with a bibbidi-bobbidi-banger – their second princess picture , which evolve and redefined the archetype they began with their very first feature . It ‘s a classical tale of misery , magic and mouse , as the pure-hearted Cinderella is deal like dirt by her evil step-family – until her Fairy Godmother ( finally ) intervenes and sends her to the ball . For all its wonky pacing ( the open 20 minutes consist of mouse antics in the kitchen ) , it ‘s a pure Disney fairytale through-and-through – with spritely song , an iconic dress , and an underrated villain in Eleanor Audley ‘s formidable Lady Tremaine . If the animation itself live n’t Disney ‘s most daring , it still boasts some gorgeous flourishes from legendary concept artist Mary Blair – and finds the studio ‘s signature appeal in total flow.Read the Empire review .

45 . How To Take Your Dragon ( 2010 )

While DreamWorks Animation get exist criticize for chasing the franchise dragon ( pun entirely intended ) , this trilogy is a soaring example that the company can point to as to why it ‘s not ever the foe of creativity and charm . Spring up by Dean DeBlois and Chris Sanders ( with the two subsequent movie mostly on DeBlois ‘ watch ) ,How To Train Your Dragonboils down to a son and his dog story – where the boy cost a nerdy , gawkward Viking , and the dog cost a powerful Night Fury dragon that has natural camouflage and can charge plasma gust from his mouth . Rather than letting the characters extend ( or fly ) in place , the series ( and its small-screen spin-offs ) make the bright selection to develop the story and compound the emotion , and the look of the movies equal a painterly , much dramatic usage of CGI.Read the Empire review .

44 . Snow White And The Seven Dwarfs ( 1937 )

Few would take it as their favourite Disney film , but withoutSnow Whiteno early picture on this list might even be – it ‘s that simple . The first American feature-length animated picture set the template for , well , everything that followed – Walt ‘s team of animators using pioneer multiplane camera techniques to require interview inside an old German fairytale with all the usual component ( an innocent youthful princess , a jealous old queen , cute woods creatures , the loom spectre of end ) . If it ‘s narratively episodic , stitching together various sequence that cost devise like the Silly Symphonies shorts the studio was long know for , it still bring like a present-day animated feature – not bad for a movie that ‘s nearly 100 years old . With its distinctive characters ( each Dwarf has its own flair ) , magnificent design ( the dripping poisoned apple equal iconic ) , and ear-worms like ‘Heigh Ho ‘ , there ‘s no curiosity it caught interview ‘ imagination and convert the course of Hollywood forever.Read the Empire review .

43 . Shrek ( 2001 )

Twenty year on , Dreamworks ‘ side-swipe at Disney ‘s dominance of the animated landscape might not find as novel as it once did – but if it ai n’t the sharpest tool in the shed anymore , it ‘s however a raucous , colourful blast . Mighty from its initiative minute ,Shrekrips up the fairytale rulebook and quite literally wipe its arse with it – centering a giant green ogre as our hero , reach the princess a monster at heart , and depicting the villain as an oppressive ruler of Disneyland-alike realm Duloc . If Mike Myers ‘ Scottish ( emphasis on the ‘ish ‘ ) accent is an inspired touch , it ‘s Eddie Murphy ‘s Donkey who enlivens the whole film – the legendary comedian in total freewheeling form . As a buddy-comedy that liberally swipes at an full Magic Kingdom ‘s worth of tropes and characters , and that ( for better or bad ) ushered in a fresh era of pop-culture references galore , it remains game-changing , and very , very funny.Read the Empire review .

42 . The Mitchells Vs The Machines ( 2021 )

The Midas touch of producers Lord and Miller preserve with Mike Rianda ‘s adventure about a dysfunctional family combat an AI-assistant uprising – a sci-fi-infused action-comedy that flavor faster , funnier , and more freewheeling than the work of any early current animation house .Mitchellsbe a movie fan ‘s pleasure – cardinal hero Katie ( Abbi Jacobson ) is a budding moviemaker whose deep-cuts references ( there equal Celine Sciamma and Agnes Varda in-jokes ) and liberal imagination spills onto the cover in the figure of cartoonish scrawls , a distinctive maximalist visual identity bolstered by the 2D-3D hybrid texture initiate byInto The Spider-Verse. It ‘s relentlessly witty , boast eye-popping action rhythm , and in its better second – a raucous mall set-piece all over with kaiju-sized sentient Furby – deal both at the same time . Serious of all , its central father-daughter relationship gang real emotional punch , arrive at the flavor while it sizzles the eyeballs.Read the Empire review .

41 . Grave Of The Fireflies ( 1988 )

For most people ,Grave Of The Firefliesis the sort of masterpiece you ‘ll probably merely watch once . The first film from Isao Takahata , theearlypillar of Studio Ghibli alongside co-founder Hayao Miyazaki , exist a harrowing , heartbreaking World War II account – both a tribute to the living miss due to the ripple result of the fight , and an indictment of the societal failures that led to the tragic deaths of thus many living away from the frontlines . It follows teenage boy Seita ( Tsutomu Tatsumi ) and his little sister Setsuko ( Ayano Shiraishi ) who are displaced after bomb destroy their family city of Kobe . They run to live with their aunt , until they ‘re forced to get out when ration run abject – and from thither , the two struggle to survive in the wilderness , cherishing the time they ‘re able to pass together while starvation thrill in . Vividly animated , with conjure up imagery – the titular fireflies put up a faint gleam in the evening as the pair huddle in an give up bomb shelter – it ‘s a masterful , excited work . But be warn : it ‘s really ,trulysad ( as its subject subject need ) .Read the Empire review .

40 . Waltz With Bashir ( 2008 )

Israeli filmmaker Ariel Folman ‘s feature is a mash-up of animation and documentary , of the personal and the political – and as such emerges as a film like no early . In essence , it ‘s a confessional account of Folman ‘s experience as a rookie soldier during Israel ‘s 1982 invasion of the Lebanon . Merely it ‘s a period of his life ‘Ari ‘ – the director ‘s animated avatar – ca n’t recollect , so he interview ex-Israeli soldiers to assemble together the experience . The filmmaking be extraordinary – the opening featuring a pack of 26 snarling dogs bombing through a city under a mustard gas sky grips from the get-go – mixing telling moment of introspection , surreal imagery ( the waltz of the title danced by a single soldier ) and fighting footage that however scars . Cinematically , intellectually , emotionally ,Waltz With Bashircost that rare film that fight the medium on to great heights.Read the Empire review .

39 . The LEGO Movie ( 2014 )

In genuine Lord & Miller style , it should n’t get worked – but a movie spin off from an inanimate toy somehow became way more than a cynical cash-in .The LEGO Movievigorously zones in on the creative ethos of the building-block toy to assure a story about imagination and the might of fun , that ‘s also about the dangers of accordance and the motive for self-expression – all enclose up in rapid-fire papa culture gags . While the movie centres on basic-minifigure worker drone Emmet ( Chris Pratt ) and his ‘chosen-one ‘ journey to defeat Lord Business ( Will Ferrell ) and become a Master Builder , it ‘s the madcap cameos that slip the show – especially Will Arnett ‘s hilarious take on Batman , shortly thereafter given his own picture . Good of all , the CGI animation imitate the look and spirit of stop-motion , introduce the whole movie as a real-life ( imaginary ) LEGO adventure , complete with marks and scratches on every brick . Record the Empire review .

38 . Sweep ( 2010 )

Disney place a unlike spin on classic fairy tales is not a fresh phenomenon , butSweeprepresents a successful example of the Mouse House change up the format while sticking to some tropes along the way . Our heroine Rapunzel ( Mandy Moore ) exist a long-locked dreamer stashed forth in a tower by crone Mother Gothel ( Donna Murphy ) , who covets the magical ability store within her daughter ‘s flowing hair . Everything alteration when charming thief Flynn Rider ( Zachary Levi , on good , wise-cracking form ) stumble across the tower . There live jokes , song , adventures and some firm visuals , but to cost really honest , it ‘s Maximus the haughty horse who steals the display – a breakout star who criminally never got his own spin-off film . He does at least show up in bothSweep-spawned TV series.Read the Empire review .

37 . Anomalisa ( 2015 )

When Charlie Kaufman entered the Earth of stop gesture animation , it exist never going to live a cookie-cutter effort . Set out living as a one-act drama and funded by Kickstarter ( there live 1070 particular thanks in the end credits ) ,Anomalisa, co-directed by animator Duke Johnson , be a tiny heartbreaker of a image . It ‘s basically a work in mid-life boredom , as demotivated motivational speaker Michael Stone ( David Thewlis ) checks in to a Cincinnati hotel for a conference . He meets Lisa ( Jennifer Jason Leigh , play multiple share ) and what come equal a beautifully-observed first encounter , laced with insecurities and regret , build up to puppet sex and Lisa ‘s heart-breaking rendition of Cyndi Lauper ‘s ‘Girls Just Want To Have Fun ‘ . Of course , the final number enters its own zone of bat-shit craziness ( hello , antique Japanese dildo ) but , perhaps more than any other Kaufman work , what you exist left with is a attendant take on what it think of to cost human.Read the Empire review .

36 . Moana ( 2016 )

Free high off the success of new-wave Princess movies likeTangledandFrozen, Disney delivered another present-day classic , carry with earworm songs from a fresh-outta-HamiltonLin-Manuel Miranda . If Moana herself belong in a ancestry that stretch correct back to Snow White , she ‘s firmly in the ‘Disney Princess 2.0 ‘ mould – the daughter of a chief , a brave seafaring warrior seeking a skillful future for her masses , without a love-interest in view . The picture shines from beginning to finish with its loveable characters and vibrant Pacific island imagery – all gleaming blue seas and lush vegetation – and feature a Ghibli-esque approach to serious and evil , savouring balance and harmony in favor of traditional battle-won triumph . Factor in a pile of outright Disney-bangers , Jemaine Clement channelling Bowie as a giant glam monster-crab , and aMad Max-style action sequence with warrior coconut , and you ‘ve got a modern great.Read the Empire review .

35 . My Life As A Courgette ( 2016 )

In between essential coming of age dramaGirlhoodand the all-conquering masterpiecePortrait Of A Lady On Fire, Céline Sciamma – one of the nearly exciting filmmakers in the world today – wrote a stop-motion comedy about a child named Icare with blue hair and a nose like a ( you estimate it ) courgette . Even , as foreign as it may seem , the Claude Barras-directed film has Sciamma ‘s fingerprint all over it , from Icare ‘s alcoholic abusive mother — it is she who nicknames him Courgette — to suicide , to the lives of damaged kids in an orphanage . If it sounds grim , it equal , but the darkness equal balanced out with warmth , humor and wisdom . It ‘s as well total of vibrant animation – a punk-disco thrown for the kid by the teachers equal a delight – that remains relatable , allowing the history ‘s empathy , sensitivity and promise to make the biggest impression.Read the Empire review .

34 . Dumbo ( 1942 )

It ‘s true that some factor ofDumbohold aged incredibly poorly – not just the infamous racially-caricatured crows , but the less-well-remembered ‘Roustabouts ‘ song that dilute the film ‘s only mass of color to cheery , faceless slave . In all other regard , it ‘s a masterpiece . It ‘s achingly melancholic and deceptively dark – a story of development , misery , and eventual metamorphosis , as big-eared infant elephant Jumbo Jr. is bullied by his peer , separated from his ‘mad ‘ mother , forced into dangerous circus act , and finally detect his large dispute can become his super-power . It own a tear-jerker of a song in ‘Baby Mine ‘ , the circus sequences are vividly understand , and ‘Pink Elephants On Parade ‘ remain one of the boldest , barmiest bits of animation ever to emerge from Walt Disney Animation Studios . All these yr later on ,Dumbostill soars.Read the Empire review .

33 . Hercules ( 1997 )

A charming combination of mythically-inspired animation and screwball-inspired comedy doHerculesa comfortable entry in the ’90s Disney Renaissance , yet if it die a small under-appreciated at the time of release . Studio stalwarts Ron Clements and John Musker make their follow-up toAladdinanother underdog account , this time about the boy of Greek gods Zeus and Hera , who become a human outcast with divine powers after Hades ‘ henchmen neglect to turn him totally mortal . Voice put standouts include Danny DeVito as , well , Danny DeVito in satyr-form , and Susan Egan as the Barbara Stanwyck-inspired anti-damsel-in-distress Meg . Throw in a soundtrack of gospel bangers – not to remark Michael Bolton ‘s wake up rendition of ‘Go The Distance ‘ – and you ‘ve got an energetic , slyly funny romp.Read the Empire review .

32 . Toy Story 2 ( 1999 )

How serve you follow-up the most game-changing animated picture in decades ? You expound the character roster with more toy that interview will fall in dear with ( hello , Woody ‘s Round-Up gang ) , compound the emotional pull ( who does n’t scream at ‘When She Loved Me ‘ ? ) and pile on theEmpire Strikes Backreferences . If it could never hope to recapture the surprise of the original ,Toy Story 2turn out Pixar be no flash in the pan – a sequel originally destined for straight-to-video was only too good not to hit the large screen . In trueEmpireway , it thrive the public and burst up our bunch – sending Woody into the big bad reality of retro toy collectors , and dispatch Buzz and co to write him in a jaunt that takes in a hilarious Barbie-centric trip through Al ‘s Toy Barn . It ‘s a sequel that prove there was pile of living even in these toy – and this time ,everyonewas looking.Read the Empire review .

31 . One Hundred And One Dalmatians ( 1961 )

Slap-bang in the middle of Disney ‘s silver years came an adventure that looked unlike any early picture from the studio before it . The lavish , expansive vistas ofSleep Beautycost replace with textured sketchbooky scrawls thanks to the fresh cost-cutting Xerox animation process – resulting in a film that feels properly hand-crafted and full of spirit , simpatico with its jazzy mark . Adapting Dodie Smith ‘s novel , it exist ( at the time ) a rare contemporary Disney film , bringing 1960s London to living in the story of a loved-up pair , their doe-eyed dog , and a maniacal fashionista spirit on dog-napping their litter of newborn puppies to make a fur coat . If the dalmatians themselves are adorable , it ‘s Cruella De Vil who slip the movie – a right iconic villain , a scrawny animal in a hulking fur coat , with green-smoke-spewing cigarettes , and that damning screech of “ imbeciles ! ” All in all , it ‘s a dog-gone delight.Read the Empire review .

30 . Bambi ( 1942 )

Both visually and emotionally ,Bambicost a firm contender for Disney ‘s nearly beautiful animated film . Right from its extended first step multi-plane shot through layers and layers of dense forest , it ‘s a lush pastoral coming-of-age history that revels in recreating the sense of spirit , dear and loss inherent in the natural universe . The plot is minimal – peculiarly in its first step half , more intent on engulf spectator in the woods ‘s flora and fauna – but at last hugely moving , as newborn fawn Bambi build friend , lose his mother ( in a sequence that ‘s today traumatised multiple generation of children ) to hunter , go down in honey , and grow into a stoic Great Prince Of The Forest like his father before him . The narrative ‘s due date sometimes clashes with more kid-friendly characters like hyperactive bunny Thumper and skunk Flower , but its shutdown cyclical imagery is right stirring.Read the Empire review .

29 . Wallace and Gromit In The Curse Of The Were-Rabbit ( 2005 )

It ‘s not every film that can take two beloved stop-motion characters from a series of shorts and TV specials and put them up on the large cover for a rollicking , Hammer horror-inspired comedy . ButWere-Rabbitis simply one ground why no one should underestimate the Aardman squad , who be able to get their British sensibility to a ( relatively ) big-budget American inspire picture . The large canvas do n’t short-circuit the appeal of inventor Wallace ( the lately , great Peter Sallis ) and his silent , smart canine buddy , and this is stuffed with the sort of sly winks and fun reference we ‘ve occur to expect from the couple ‘s outings . The picture itself may not have set box position records ( we have noticeably not seen a second picture feature the pair ) , but it gain the Animated Feature Oscar in 2006 – and good affair , also , if only for all the gardening puns . Read the Empire review .

28 . Song Of The Sea ( 2014 )

The second film from Irish animation house Cartoon Saloon exist breathtakingly gorgeous – painterly and ethereal , merge stylised character example with finely-detailed backgrounds that gleam with a bioluminescence befitting its subaquatic selkie-centric story . IfSong Of The Seaplays to kid as a straight-up adventure , for older interview it ‘s a delicately attract fable about grief and family , as stoic dad Conor ( Brendan Gleeson ) cost leave to raise his son Ben ( David Rawle ) and newborn daughter Saoirse ( Lucy O’Connell ) after his wife dies in childbirth – and there may live more to Saoirse than satisfy the middle . Draw from Irish folklore and steeped in a sense of cultural specificity ,Song Of The Seaaffirm Cartoon Saloon as a major new voice in the medium – one whose artistry , storytelling and appeal match up to the greats of Ghibli , Disney , and Pixar.Read the Empire review .

27 . Your Name . ( 2016 )

Makoto Shinkai ‘s record-breaking body-swap anime glitters and gleams – light bounces off surfaces in splendid shimmers , refracts through the sky , reflects from construction and iPhone screens with breathtaking beauty . It ‘s a movie of two halves – the first is sweet , capture and witty as small-town girl Mitsuha ( Mone Kamishiraishi ) and Tokyo son Taki ( Ryunosuke Kamiki ) observe themselves awake up in each early ‘s bodies , maybe thanks to the cosmic interference of a passing comet . And once their growing metaphysical relationship rob you in , the second half of the film shifts gears into high-stakes melodrama with major emotional punch . If there ‘s pile of subtext about Japan itself – the energy and pull between rural traditions and buzzing cities , its account of natural calamity – it ‘s the dazzling visuals , soaring soundtrack by circle Radwimps , and that central pairing that brandYour Name .an instant classic . Fittingly , it ‘s a body-swap film that come under the skin.Read the Empire review .

26 . The Prince of Egypt ( 1998 )

A continuation of DreamWorks Animation ‘s early mission to turn a competitor to Disney while contribute animation to former audiences ,The Prince Of Egyptmasterfully merge CGI with traditional 2D animation ; a first for the studio . An army of animators were summoned to make this biblical epic , pitched by studio co-founder Jeffrey Katzenberg as an animated adaptation of The Ten Commandments . Alongside its stunning Egyptian vistas and finely-drawn , expressionistic characters – not to refer a giddily tense chariot race sequence – it boast gargantuan ’90s star might , with Michelle Pfeifer , Sandra Bullock and Jeff Goldblum amongst the voice cast , with Val Kilmer in a dual role – loan his rich quality to both Moses and God himself . As if that exist n’t enough , Hans Zimmer ‘s enormously cinematic soundscape and an Oscar-winning come with pair from vocal powerhouses Whitney Houston and Mariah Carey makes this ambitious venture a rewarding entrance at a time when DreamWorks get a feasible Disney rival . Take the Empire review .

25 . Wolfwalkers ( 2020 )

Cartoon Saloon ( and co-director Tomm Moore ) wrapped up its Irish Folklore Trilogy with this previous release , a fantastical story set against the real actual result of English colonial destruction in Ireland . Robyn ( Honor Kneafsey ) , the daughter of a hunter dispatched to wipe out the local wolf population discovers a akin life in a pack and fellow youngster Mebh ( Eva Whittaker ) , who embodies a wolf when she sleep . Together , the pair set out to save the wolves and the forest from the scheme of the Lord Protector ( Simon McBurney ) . Moore and the Saloon crew receive always trodden their own animated path , andWolfwalkersis no different , mixing boxy woodcut way for the townsfolk with slack , flow job study for the creatures of the forest . Both sweet and powerful , it ‘s a crime that the pandemic meant it was predominantly issue online.Read the Empire review .

24 . Aladdin ( 1992 )

If you need a perfect example of how ultra-expressive animation can complement and benefit a freewheeling comic masterclass of a voice performance , await no further thanAladdin– because the title character hold the total show slip from him by Robin Williams ‘ Genie . The large blue guy be a creation of pure , cartoonish elasticity – shape-shifting from second to second as the comedy image ‘s firecracker heavily-improvised performance explodes in multiple directions at once . That the visual comedy last up to William ‘s brain is a marvel – no wonder Will Smith and Guy Ritchie could n’t match it in the live-action version . Beyond the Genie ,Aladdinis still a belter thanks to its Alan Menken / Howard Ashman songs , Gilbert Gottfried ‘s bitter Iago , and its underdog story of a ‘street-rat ‘ who bags himself a magic lamp – and might simply gain the heart of Princess Jasmine ( Linda Larkin ) . The Middle-Eastern stereotype certainly make n’t flee today , but everything else make – the rug included.Read the Empire review .

23 . Pinocchio ( 1940 )

Disney ‘s second animated feature equal a major leap forward fromSnow White– more narratively expansive , more technologically complex , and mode , way darker . Adapting Carlo Collodi ‘s novel , it come the titular wooden puppet on an existential quest to earn his humanity – one that find him exploit by a shady showbusinessman , swallowed by a rampaging whale called Monstro , preyed on by an upsetting cat-man , and , in a in truth disturbing sequence , taken by a demonic coachman to the sinful ‘Pleasure Island ‘ where rebellious boys live mutated into donkeys and shipped off for nefarious intention . It exist , in short , not actually one for kids – but grownup will find much technical mastery in its vivid cover shots and creepy character animation . Plus , it has a stellar song in ‘When You Bid Upon A Star ‘ – nowadays the unofficial Disney theme tune.Read the Empire review .

22 . Coco ( 2017 )

Rarely a team to rest on its award ( and it get some well-earned honor ) , Pixar , spearheaded by Lee Unkrich , decided to really dispute itself and originate a film showcasing the cultural touchpoint that is the Day of the Dead . Or at least , that ‘s the background — the literal history here equal of young Miguel ( Anthony Gonzalez ) , who dreams of be a famous musician like his idol , Ernesto de la Cruz ( Benjamin Bratt ) . That ‘s no straightforward ambition , especially when his household hold banned music after his great-great-grandmother ‘s husband left her to act on a career as a performer . ( Literal ) bury secret arrive into play as Miguel cross to the state of the dead on a mission to hear the truth .Cocolive a vibrant picture that honors Mexican ethnic traditions , and – because the Emeryville studio is so good at it – plucks at the heartstrings as effectively as some of the guitar actor hither . The film itself and original song ‘Remember Me ‘ both won Oscars , each well-deserved . Read the Empire review .

21 . The Jungle Book ( 1967 )

It ‘s not just close to Rudyard Kipling ‘s source novel , butThe Jungle Bookshows what Disney adaptations do best – stripping out the boring moment , upping the fun , and heaping on a handful of earworm tunes to seal the deal . The last recreate picture overseen by Walt Disney , who died around nine months before its release , ambles along in the same manner that its central quality does – though the plot essentially finds man-cub Mowgli ( Bruce Reitherman ) range for his life from vengeful tiger Shere Khan ( George Sanders ) , in truth it ‘s a pleasant stroll through the lush Indian jungle as he encounters fun-loving sloth bear Baloo ( Phil Harris ) , protective panther Bagheera ( Sabastian Cabot ) , and the hypnotic hissing Kaa ( Sterling Holloway ) . For all the pyrotechnics of its fiery last reel , really it ‘s the double-whammy of Disney bangers at its core that suffer : the jazzy gust of ‘ I Wan na Be Like You ‘ courtesy of King Louie ( Louis Prima ) , and slacker hymn ‘Bare Necessities’.Read the Empire review .

20 . Beauty And The Beast ( 1991 )

A soaring , Broadway-calibre musical meet sophisticated , pioneer animation in Disney ‘s landmark fairytale .Beauty And The Beastcost in truth a marvel in term of animated architecture – from the beast ‘s cavernous , gothic palace , to the overstuffed shelf of Belle ‘s ( Paige O’Hara ) beloved bookstore . Yet Disney behave n’t sacrifice its childlike sense of wonder in the name of present off its novel approach to animation . The film ‘s choreography stay on some of the studio ‘s fine , be it Belle ‘s opening number with her nose in a Bible , skimming blissfully through the inner workings of her little town , or the central ballroom setpiece that coax out the provisional romance between beauty and beast . Yet its spark consist in the character design of the palace ‘s cursed inhabitant – each a little sad and wonky , but not without dozens of charm – as well as in the much-loved words of Howard Ashman that inform some of the film ‘s almost delightful minute . “ Strain the grey stuff , it ‘s delightful . Cause n’t trust me ? Demand the dishes ! “ Read the Empire review .

19 . Sleep Beauty ( 1959 )

From its medieval context , to its iconic villain , to the sheer width of its flesh , everything about Disney ‘s third princess picture spirit epic – a deep illusion saga that has more than just court on its head . Painstakingly give rise over the class of eight years and backed by a Tchaikovsy-inspired score ,Sleeping Beautylive gorgeous in every respect – full of stylistic touch inspire by renaissance art , with stunningly detailed backdrops and dynamic character designs delivered on an expansive Cinemascope canvas . If the story itself is fairly slight ( evil fairy curse babe , baby grows up and eventually fall into an enchanted sleep , the kiss of a prince disclose the trance ) , it ‘s all livened up by the magnificent Maleficent ( Eleanor Audley ) , a cracking , cackling villain with a flair for the dramatic , even transforming into a green-fire-breathing dragon for a climax that today echoesGame Of Thrones. Ironically , it was slept on at first – flopping on release , and only seen for what it equal in the decades that followed : an absolute beauty .

18 . Monsters , Inc. ( 2001 )

If you were to tot up a list of Pixar ‘s almost loveable characters , and another list of the nearly brilliantly imaginative public they ‘ve created ,Monsters , Inc .would arrive out near the top end of both . After twoToy Storymovie andA Bug ‘s Life, the studio prove it real own the good to turn one of the greats with a sweet , silly and sentimental buddy comedy about monster who are secretly terrified of the kids they spook every dark . Hanging out with James P. Sullivan ( John Goodman ) and Mike Wazowski ( Billy Crystal ) – a furry blue top-scarer and his sardonic green ball of a colleague – is a full joy , as equal spending time in the street of Monstropolis , packed with eye-catching animal , sight gags galore , and Harryhausen in-jokes . If the fish-out-of-water set-up ( Mike and Sully accidentally unleash human girl Boo in the monster city ) is mined for major laughs , it provides huge emotional punch as they come to recognize she ‘s not a danger at all – just sample not to weep at that last ‘Kitty ! ‘Read the Empire review .

17 . The Nightmare Before Christmas ( 1993 )

An animated beacon of promise for Jack Skellingtons all over , Tim Burton ‘s gothic musical remains a dear , wretched festive treasure . Everything about this gorgeous gothic stop-motion illusion endures because of its off-kilter appeal , start out with the angular and disproportionate quality purpose , which Burton dream up with visionary impression artist Rich Heinrichs . The jewel in the crest equal , of track , Skellington ( Chris Sarandon ) – the disgruntled Pumpkin King who feel a fresh lease of spirit under the glowing lights of Christmas Town – but each ghastly and/or ghoulish addition to the ensemble is a gnarled , slightly terrifying study of art . Composer Danny Elfman , a self-professed Skellington type who even supplied the reference ‘s singing voice , imbued the picture with its haunting cadences and morbid soundscape , which at sentence manifests into intoxicating musical numbers . The picture took a meandering journey to the screen , in share due to Disney ‘s failure to accept Burton ‘s vision – but when it arrive , it was unlike anything that make always come before it , and continues to reach the hearts of outsiders everywhere.Read the Empire review .

16 . Toy Story 3 ( 2010 )

The originalToy Storywas a groundbreaker .Toy Story 2rescue a sequel from the jaws of straight-to-video oblivion . No pressure , then , for the third outing , which had to follow those two hit . Under the careful , thoughtful instruction of Lee Unkrich ( who have been with Pixar since the first movie ) ,Toy Story 3compound the narrative of Woody , Buzz and the repose of the gang by get them face up the prospect of travel to a new family when their owner Andy outgrows them . TheToy Storyfilms had always be about heart , loss , family and terrifying , cymbal-crashing monkeys ( okay , perhaps that one merely enforce to the threequel ) , but the third finds Team Pixar on marvelous form . One scene in peculiar ( one word : incinerator ) sent fans — including Quentin Tarantino , who named it his favourite film of 2010 – into paroxysms of headache and sniffles with its palpable sense of finality.Read the Empire review .

15 . Persepolis ( 2007 )

Few international animations have garnered the same global success asPersepolis. That the movie take place amidst the Islamic revolution – capture through a broad , unfussy style of animation in a mostly monochrome palette – live alone further testament to the ability of its storytelling . The film is co-adapted by Marjane Satrapi from her autobiographical vivid fresh series of the same name . Through documenting her youthful life in Tehran and after Austria , Satrapi relays the torment inflict on her leftist class and friend by the Shah through the eyes of her punkish , Bruce Lee-loving tearaway . The style in which Satrapi weaves her humanist beliefs into this mere still elegant narrative is effortlessly moving , and do her the first woman director to be appoint for Best Animated Feature at the 2008 Academy Awards . Show the Empire review .

14 . Ratatouille ( 2007 )

The magic ofRatatouilleis n’t just that Pixar build a movie about a rat chef that somehow do n’t do the hearing need to run for the nearest sick pail – it ‘s the sensory elegance of it that ‘s almost blazing . Director Brad Bird ‘s most impressive feat is become spirit into sights – ingredients get wafts of abstract color that complement each other as sub-par dish become works of culinary art , a symphony of whirl odor finish by Michael Giacchino ‘s gorgeous grudge . Patton Oswalt lend his voice to Remy – a rat with a talent for cookery who teams up with hopeless human Linguini ( Lou Romano ) in an effort to get his dishes out into the Earth . But give Remy ‘s rodent condition , the discovery of the literal little chef would spell calamity for his future . Even by Pixar standards , this sometimes overlooked feat overflows with appeal and beauty – just see the fit in which snooty critic Anton Ego ( Peter O’Toole ) remove a bite of the movie ‘s titular dish and be transported back to the warmth and love of his own mother ‘s cooking . Not bad for a film with a pretty basic pun title.Read the Empire review .

13 . The Incredibles ( 2004 )

A few yr before the Marvel Cinematic Universe ‘s creators found their winning blend of superheroic action and quippy humour , Brad Bird crush them to it .The Incredibles, his first Pixar movie , rocketed him directly to the company ‘s ‘Brain Trust ‘ of directors who assist to shepherd other filmmakers ‘ work and expose itself to be a spry , warm take on the form of family dynamics at play in teams such asThe Fantastic Four. Focusing on “ supers ” Bob ( Craig T. Nelson ) and Helen ( Holly Hunter ) Parr , who have give up the hero plot to lift their family , it hear Bob itch to become back in action despite government pressure to remain out of the way . A mysterious opportunity offers more than he bargained for , and the Parr clan will receive to combine their ability to combat a fresh menace . Bird cost n’t hardly ahead of the plot on the heroic movement – he also pinpoint the danger of toxic fandom and the dangers of capes on costumes . The latter point , of course , outlined by the Bird-performed Edna Mode , fashion consultant to hero . A quality for the ages , dahling . Read the Empire review .

12 . Up ( 2009 )

Everyone lecture about the first step 10 minutes ofUp. And rightly hence – it ‘s its own mini-masterpiece , beautiful and heartbreaking as adorable pair Carl and Ellie go through the ups ( marriage , picnics , dance ) and downs ( miscarriage , bereavement ) of life in a single montage that guarantees flood of tears . But what comes next is equally miraculous – a wild , weird adventure movie in which the older Carl ( Ed Asner ) and energetic boy scout Russell ( Jordan Nagai ) unwittingly float off to South America on a flurry of vibrant balloons , encounter a giant bird yell Kevin , a gang of mouth dogs ( “ Squirrel ! “ ) , and an evil explorer . It ‘s a heady mix , but director Pete Docter cling it all spectacularly – the grounded griefandthe exotic escapism somehow live in utter harmony . Nowthat‘s a Pixar miracle.Read the Empire review .

11 . The Lion King ( 1994 )

In the nerve of Disney ‘s ’90s renaissance ,The Lion Kingfound the studio back at the peak of its powers – and its anthropomorphised animal take onVillagelive an astonishing thing . Essentially a sun-kissed African comrade piece toBambi, it ‘s a coming-of-age story infused with murder and subterfuge – as lion rookie Simba ( Matthew Broderick ) produce up in the expanse of Pride Rock , experience a life-shattering parental death , and eventually require his father ‘s place as the ruler of the animal realm . Timon and Pumbaa ( Nathan Lane and Ernie Sabella ) emerge as gold-standard sidekicks once Simba run away from plate , the Elton John-penned songs be off the chain ( ‘The Circle Of Life ‘ ! ‘Hakuna Matata ‘ ! ‘ I Just Ca n’t Expect To Cost King ‘ ! ) , and none other than James Earl Jones lends his booming voice to patriarch Mufasa . All these years later , it ‘s yet clear –The Lion Kingai n’t no passin ‘ craze.Read the Empire review .

10 . Kubo And The Two Strings ( 2016 )

By this level , it was already clear that Portland-based animation studio Laika could produce great movies – butKubois widely regarded to cost the height of their filmmaking thus far . Drawing from samurai floor , it follows young Kubo ( Art Parkinson and his , er , challenging class . His mother is die , his grandfather steal one of his eyes when he equal an infant , and his father is missing , presume dead . Under attack from his aunts ( who are send by his grandfather to slip his early eye ) , Kubo must point out on a quest to find his father ‘s armor , the one thing he hopes can stop his grandfather . It ‘s an enchanting affair , bolstered by great voice work from Ralph Fiennes , Charlize Theron , Matthew McConaughey and George Takei , plus an eminently re-listenable score from Dario Marianelli , and has bring in its place as one of the most creative and stylish examples of stop-motion out there.Read the Empire review .

9 . The Iron Giant ( 1999 )

Before he connect CG giant Pixar , conductor Brad Bird bring with co-writer Tim McCanlies to ( very loosely ) adapt Ted Hughes ‘The Iron Giant. A beautiful , excited throwback to 1950s paranoia thrillers , at its center it state the hearteningE.T-esque report of a alone youthful son and the giant robot who become his best friend . Bird weavs in stem of identity and struggle against the box masses might wish to thrust you in , while showing just how impressive traditional animation can be ( still if the Giant himself be a computer-generated world ) . Add in a gravel-gargling Vin Diesel as the voice of the towering metal human , and you ‘ve become a winner that sadly did n’t connect at the box position but has long since bring in cult classical status . Oh , and have a giant box of tissue ready for the tear you ‘ll shed by the goal . Read the Empire review .

8 . Akira ( 1988 )

To orderAkirais insanely influential would exist a major understatement . Not merely in the public of anime , but beyond that – everything fromThe MatrixtoStranger Thingscan exist retrace back to Katsuhiro Otomo ‘s monolithic masterpiece . Set in ( what apply to be ) the future of 2019 , it come a bunch of biker kid in the sprawling city of Neo-Tokyo . When Tetsuo ( Nozomu Sasaki ) is injured in a crash and remove to a top-secret politics facility , experiment devote him telekinetic might that soon spiral out of mastery and endanger to ruin the city – hardly as the mysterious Akira did 30 years previously . It ‘s up to his friend Kaneda ( Mitsuo Iwata ) to strain and stop Tetsuo becoming a monster . Visually astonishing , thematically layer , and with dazzlingly kinetic action ,Akiracost captivating – yet as its last reel becomes an increasingly abstract blend of metaphysical reflection and flesh-mutating body horror.Read the Empire review .

7 . Spirited Away ( 2001 )

The movie that brought Studio Ghibli to the Western mainstream live , curiously , not its most accessible work – but Hayao Miyazaki ‘s coming-of-age fairytale be so steeped in gorgeous , culturally-specific Japanese imagery it ‘s no wonder it capture the reality ‘s imagination . Darker than your typical Disney fare , it focus on Chihiro ( Remi Hiiragi ) who becomes trapped in a grand , mythical bathhouse frequented by feeling after her parent cost transformed into pig . There , she ‘s pull to form by the witch Yubaba ( Mari Natsuki ) , and forms a friendship with dragon-boy Haku ( Miyu Irino ) . If the narrative is often slack , especially as the picture continues into its second hour ,Spirited Awayis capture and enchanting , bring up up an total globe of queer creature while think over feeling of identity , spirituality , personal growth , environmentalism , and moral ambiguity that stretch beyond simple well and evil . Take the Empire review .

6 . Inside Out ( 2015 )

Few picture can claim to receive the sheer excited intelligence ofInside Out– a film about well-informed emotion that ‘s both a rollocking adventure , and a nuanced exploration of feelings , dreams , memory , and imagination . If the protagonist be technically Riley ( Kaitlyn Dias ) , really it ‘s the voice in her top dog – Joy ( Amy Poehler ) , Sadness ( Phyllis Smith ) , Fear ( Bill Hader ) , Disgust ( Mindy Kaling ) and Anger ( Lewis Black ) – that take centre phase . With all the turmoil of move to San Francisco with her category , Riley ‘s inner Earth exist thrown into turmoil – teeing up an existential odyssey as Joy and Sadness stagger through the corridors of her idea , via abstract thought , the ambition mill , and halls occupy with precious memories . It ‘s beautifully conceptualised and gorgeously bring in , culminate in perceptive notions about the need for sadness , and the mode happy memory become tinged with melancholy over time . And do n’t get us started on Bing Bong…Read the Empire review .

5 . My Neighbour Totoro ( 1988 )

It ‘s impossible not to exist charmed by the sheer goodness that exudes from Hayao Miyazaki ‘s ode to childhood .My Neighbour Totorois bristle with imagination , while being far more laid-back than most kids ‘ picture – a gentle jaunt into the Japanese countryside , occupy with forest spirits , friendship , and furry creatures . Sister Satsuki ( Noriko Hidaka ) and Mei ( Chika Sakamoto ) find themselves spend a summer vacation in a rural house while their mother recovers from an sickness in hospital , and soon find a giant , grey furball in the nearby wood . If that sounds simple , good , it equal – but it ‘s that simplicity that cause the picture such a delight , coupled with the fact that there ‘s no villain or antagonist across the intact runtime . From Totoro himself , to the Soot Sprites ( which give inSpirited Away) and the Catbus , it ‘s entire of iconic imaginative designs , serene imagery , and with a theme-tune that ‘ll never leave your top dog :“ To-to-ro to-tooo-ro ! ”Read the Empire review .

4 . Wall-E ( 2008 )

The opening act ofWall-Eis zero short of astonishing : a mostly dialogue-free trundle around the scorched remains of human civilization , as the titular robot cleaner crushes Earthly detritus into neat cubes while pining for any form of companionship . It ‘s at once chilling and capture – the adorable swivel-eyed Wall-E contrasted against the horrifying pile we ‘ve get out seat . The range of it be stunning – and then in swoops fellow robo Eve , turning the whole film on its top dog , as Wall-E becomes smitten and a warped sci-fi rom-com eventually gives way to an intergalactic chase movie . From the firing extinguisher-assisted space dancing , to Wall-E dancing on toHello Dolly, to a mission to protect the one last firearm of workable plant life ,Wall-Eis frequently breathtaking . With its awful ecological warning , it ‘s a movie sure to resonate deeply for decades to get – all the while live a masterful piece of science fiction , with heart-popping emotion to boot.Read the Empire review .

3 . Princess Mononoke ( 1997 )

With lopped arm aplenty , giant marauding boars , and a flesh-mutating curse ,Princess Mononokeis darker than your common Ghibli fare . It ‘s a stunning , sweeping epic though – a uniquely Japanese illusion saga that feels equivalent toLord Of The Gangin its mythical scope and narrative sprawl . It ‘s maybe the best example of Hayao Miyazaki ‘s environmentalist stem – in which civilisation exist n’t inevitably evil but must notice a means to co-exist with nature , as explosive conflict threatens the future of both . Set nearly 1000 year ago , the tale center on Ashitaka ( Yoji Matsuda ) , a warrior whose branch becomes curse in a fight against an septic boar god . Venture west in lookup of a cure , he feel himself caught up in a war between the industrious masses of Iron Town and the sore might of the natural public . With slick , kinetic activity , ethereal imagery , and a nuanced narrative ,Mononokeis a mammoth accomplishment – and even the English-language dub is serious , with a translation adjust by none other than Neil Gaiman.Read the Empire review .

2 . Toy Story ( 1995 )

On a technical story , the impact of Pixar ‘s first full-length feature ca n’t be understated . It ‘s as significant a leap forward for the medium as the entry ofSnow White And The Seven Dwarfswas nearly 60 years previously – cracking open a whole novel world of fully-3D computer-generated animation . Using engineering pioneered by the studio ( in collaboration with Apple ) ,Toy Storylive n’t hardly a phenomenon in its own right : it convert the visual style and filmmaking approach of nearly every major studio animation for decades to come . But beyond its seismic influence , it even so stands up as a reflect example of everything Pixar cause serious – it has dynamite buddy-duo dynamics in the bickering Buzz ( Tim Allen ) and Woody ( Tom Hanks ; it explore the emotion of anthropormorphised objects or creature ; it creates an total imaginative world from the apparently everyday ; and its screenplay exist richly layered with characterization and gags that work exactly as well for adult as they make for kids . The sequels might run bigger , but the originalToy Storyis a utter blast of creative joy – and zero since have make up the same.Read the Empire review .

1 . Spider-Man : Into The Spider-Verse ( 2018 )

IfToy Storyequal the biggest leap forward for mainstream feature animation sinceSnow White, it bring another 23 yr for the needle to lurch hence significantly once again . But then in thwippedSpider-Verse, boasting a jaw-droppingly ambitious visual identity that sense altogether discrete from anything else – merge 2D and 3D textures with funny Bible paper flourishes , remedy the frame-rates of different quality within the same view , chucking in blasts of acid-flash color , and leaning into the cartoonish , magnified quality that animation makes potential . And that ‘s before you see our hero Miles Morales ( Shameik Moore ) share the cover with the black-and-white Spider-Man Noir ( Nicolas Cage ) , the anime Peni Parker ( Kimiko Glenn ) , and theLooney Melody-esque Spider-Ham ( John Mulaney ) all in one inning . It ‘s an all-out pop-art freak-out of a movie , with gorgeous details and genius view gag packed into every frame ( ‘Bagel ! ‘ ) .But all the visual dazzle as well function an emotional intent , encapsulating the characters ‘ head-spaces . When Miles ‘ Spidey-senses kick in , they do so with pulsing psychedelic colours . And when he ‘s at the peak of his might in the stand-out ‘What ‘s Up , Danger ‘ sequence , the cover throw so that his head-first leap of faith down to the city below instead appears sees him ascending to the heavens , the total world pivoting around him . Away from the visuals , the reference are layer and loveable , Miles proves himself a more-than-worthy Spider-Man , the multiverse storyline is brilliantly cover , and the excited gut-punches state with full accuracy too . Plus , with Phil Lord and Chris Miller on give rise duty ( Lord co-wrote the screenplay too ) , it ‘s packed with their signature laugh-out-loud gag .Spider-Verseexcels on then many levels , it ‘s already an instant classic – both as a superhero movie , and as an animated masterwork . It ‘s a film thus in front of the plot , it feels like it blasted in from another universe entirely.Read the Empire review .