bated-breath.net

There are few things that make me happier than watching a well written animated film– some people may call me childish for it, but I honestly believe sometimes they’re more compelling than the other films you can stumble across when you’re looking for a good movie. I’ve decided to post the top 5 of bated-breath.net’s favourite Animated Films.

All lists are subjective, and this one is in no way concrete, as new movies come out every year and some will wiggle in when you’re least expecting it. I may get scoffs from people who find some of my choices to be ‘too recent’ and that ‘classic films’ are better, but I’m talking about replay value here– something I can watch over and over, without getting bored– and how it resonates with me as a person.

One of the first movies I ever fell in love with, and still resonates with me today– I don’t know why, I was never really separated from my family or anything like that– but somehow it manages to creep into me and make me happy in ways I can’t explain. It has some of my random favourite songs of any animated film like it, and it’s one of those films where the songs don’t seem forced into it. For some reason, it seems like every animated film feels the need to shove dozens of songs in for kids to relate to, but honestly I just find that as time passes they don’t stand up to the test of time, whereas with An American Tail, it totally does.

Something about following adorable little Fievel through his journey to locate his parents rekindles some kind of childishness in me where I just want to sing along with each song and cry at each sad part. It was my favourite movie as a child and still settles well within the top 5 animated today.

This proves to anyone who questions it that I am, undeniably, a girl. For some reason this ends up being a lot of girl’s favourites– I don’t really dig the look of Eric, but somehow I still fell in love with him, and I wanted to be Ariel with her long, flowing red hair and her beautiful floatiness in the water (true story: I used to sing to myself and swim around in our pool at home pretending I was Ariel– if you tell anyone, I’ll hurt you.) The story itself is a bit whacked out and far removed from the actual fairy tail, but somehow the whole fantastical underwater scene, and even the music, drew me in, and it was one of the last Disney Animated Films I actually enjoyed before they fell into the dark years of badness.

Heart don’t fail me now, courage don’t desert me, don’t turn back now that we’re here~
Yes, I may be insane over this movie just a touch, but in the past few years its seen less replay with me than it used to– but, that doesn’t detract from the fact that the movie is one of my all-time favourites, and is another non-Disney title that just tugs at me in ways I can’t explain. I know all the songs by heart, even the ‘bad’ ones, and I absolutely adore everyone in this movie. Besides, you put John Cusack in the role of the love interest when he looks that cute? I’m all over it in a heartbeat. This movie had it all. <3

Not only does Tangled boast two of the most amusing animal sidekick types ever, as well as a relatively strong and funny female lead, but it also has the hottest Disney ‘Prince’ (even though he’s not a prince… yet) ever.

Even without Flynn, this movie managed to rekindle my love for what Disney used to stand for– humour that even adults could love mixed in with a child’s film so the whole family could actually enjoy it. It didn’t feel pandering or anything of the like, and though the songs, as always, felt a bit over the top and forced, it still managed to get some of them stuck in my head. Also, Pascal and Maximus win for the best Disney Sidekicks ever– sorry Abu, you tried.

There hasn’t been an animated movie in the last ten years that has made itself more rewatchable to me than CLoudy with a Chance of Meatballs. There’s something about it that is both funny and endearing and it somehow makes me feel at home. The humour is intelligent enough for adults to enjoy it, while still being appeasing to children. I have watched it more than a dozen times in the last three years and haven’t gotten bored of it yet. Between the dialogue between Sam and Flint, as well as his father’s crazy eyebrows, and Steve (Neil Patrick Harris, anyone?) being a dork, I can’t believe how anyone could really dislike this film, especially considering it wasn’t even really taking after the book it was ‘based’ on.

I know there are a lot of animated movies out there, and some of you might think I’m insane for this one being my top, but any movie that has a replay value like this one ends up being in my top 5, hands down, and this one took the top gracefully with its ability to be funny even after you know the jokes are coming. Good show, yeah?

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This is as definitive as it gets for bated-breath.net and its animated film choices, and I doubt even if it were anyone but just me that it would change. I have final vote, and this is just… the list, boys and girls. Anything you’d add? Anything you think shouldn’t be up there? Feel free to comment and I’ll try to reply in kind. <3 <3