17. How the Grinch Stole the Christmas

DIRECTED BY CHUCK JONES & BEN WASHAM

WRITTEN BY CHRISTINE KENNE

STARRING: BORIS KARLOFF, JUNE FORAY AND THURL RAVENSCROFT

RELEASE DATE: DECEMBER 18TH 1966

AGE RECOMMENDED: ALL

I’m a fan of Dr. Seuss, and this is for me his finest work. I usually watch this movie in the weeks prior Christmas, most of the time on my birthday so it is full of memories. How the Grinch stole the Christmas is the best film adaptation of Dr. Seuss’ work; is cleaver and memorable. One of the best things is the song by Albert Hague and the lyrics by Dr. Seuss himself.  The movie was a TV special that keep repeating every year during Christmas and is still and was on CBS but after the rights for transition were bought by Turner Television.

18. An American Tale

DIRECTED BY DON BLUHT

WRITTEN BY  JUDY FREUDBERG

STARRING: PHILLIP GLASSER, DOM DELUISE, NEMEHIA PERSOFF AND ERICA YOHN

RELEASE DATE: NOVEMBER 21, 1986

AGE RECOMMENDED: ALL

This is a movie produced by Steven Spielberg in which is depicted the migration from the Czarist Russia of 1885. The movie is an idealization of the “american dream”. At eh end of the day it’s a pretty typical story, and one that still keeps me entertained until this day. This movie I thing  is the only “good” work of the big Disney defection of the 80’s in which animators left the studio to go back to the classic animation that Disney had left behind.

This is at the end of the day American history in disguise of a road movie.

19. Song of the South

DIRCTED BY HARVE FOSTER & WILFRED JACKSON

WRITTEN BY DALTON S. REYMOND, MORTON GRANT, MAURICE RAPF, BILL PEET, RALPH WRIGHT, GEORGE STALLINGS, & JOEL CHANDLER HARRIS

STARRING: RUTH WARRICK, BOBBY DRISCOLL, JAMES BASKETT, LUANA PATTEN, LUCILE WATSON, HATTIE MCDANIEL, GLEEN LEEDY, JOHNY LEE, & NIC STEWART

RELEASE DATE: NOVEMBER 12, 1946

I have fond memories of this movie specially because this one was the favorite of my grandmother. Song of the south is an American period movie based in the Americanization of the African folklore tale of the trickster rabbit. The story was brought to America by Joel Chandler Harris whose pen name was Uncle Remus.

The movie was a success when it was release and even won an Academy Award for original song , but now a days in USA Song of the South is baned for it’s portrayal of slavery. This decision is consider as unfair because others movies like Gone with the wind or Jezebel also portray slavery without been baned for it.  Outside of the US the tales of  the Brer Rabbit are really popular.  I believe this movie is a buried jewel that deserve to be seen.

20. 101 Dalmatian

DIRECTED BY CLYDE GERONIMO, HAMILTON LUSKE, & WOLFANG REITHERMAN

WRITTEN BY BILL PEET & DODIE SMITH

STARRING ROD TAYLOR, CATE BAUER, BETTY LOU GERSON, BEN WRIGHT, LISA DAVIS & MARTHA WENWORTH

RELEASE DATE: JANUARY 5, 1961

AGE RECOMMENDED:  ALL

What I love the most of this movie is the villain… Cruela Devil. This is the ultimate children movie and the only dog movie I like.  101 Dalmatian had everything you need in a movie a love story, an amazing soundtrack, heinous villain, and a happy ending.

The film’s animation was a major change for Disney Studios, whose animators had previously used the process of rotoscoping to used xerography for the first time to transfer the line art onto the cels instead of having the artists hand-draw everything (to low cost). The art ended up having a thick, black-lined sketchy look to, which was nothing like Disney’s previous animated films.

In this movie no all the dogs are named, so I will like to review the names of the dogs(with name): 1. Pongo (Father) 2. Perdita (Mother) 3. Lucky  4. Thunder 5. Rolly 6. Patch 7. Pepper 8. Penny 9. Cadpig 10. Freckles 11. Purdy 12. Wizzer 13. Jewel 14. Dipstick 15. Two-Tone

21. Pixar Shorts

DIRECTED BY VARIOUS

WRITTEN BY VARIOUS

STARRING BY VARIOUS

AGE RECOMMENDED: ALL

Every time you go to see a Pixar at the beginning Pixar will treat us with an amazing short movie that it is almost as good as the actual movie. And in 2009 Pixar release a DVD with the some of them, and I have seen it endlessly. All of them are memorable. This is one of the most seen DVDs ever.

Pixar Animation has officially been in business for over 20 years now and it’s only gotten better with age. Pixar came to live  in 1979 with Ed Catmull created the company, but officially-named Pixar was purchased in 1986 by Apple co-founder Steve Jobs. Then they hire a young animator, John Lassete, who brought an artistic voice to Pixar’s technical environment. All of them work in the develop of demos for the SIGGRAPH computer graphics conference. The warm receptions of the crowd planted more seeds in the minds of Lasseter and company, eventually shifting the group’s focus from hardware sales to experimental CG shorts and commercials.

Pixar name became a success during early 1990s when they partener with Disney and created  Toy Story in 1995 and never looked back. The company has gone on to reach amazing levels of critical and commercial success, churning out a near-endless string of terrific films for animation fans of all ages. Pixar still holds short films in high regard, as they continue to craft bite-sized stories for theatrical and DVD release. Often times, younger hopefuls are even given a chance to show their stuff.

25. Finding Nemo

DIRECTED BY ANDREW STANTON & LEE UNKRICH

WRITTEN BY ANDREW STANTON,  BOB PETERSON & DAVID REYNOLDS

STARRING: ALBERT BROOKS, ELEN DEGENERES, ALEXANDER GOULD, WILLIEM DAFOE, BRAD GARRET & ALLISON JANNEY

RELEASE DATE: MAY 30, 2003

AGE RECOMMENDED: ALL

 

Another Pixar movie. As everybody know Pixar is the status of excellence in animation movie and this one, specially, is jaw dropping with the stunning aquatic images. The story is great and cleaver full of  creative gags but the what it makes this movie amazing is the voices. Finding Nemo is a blend of childlike sweetness and adult wit, but in less measure than we’ve become used to.

Finding Nemo is such a bright film with an opening is decidedly dark.  When I saw the trailer of this movie I thought it will the worst Pixar movie, but when I saw it, to my surprise was mind blowing. This is one of the few times when the trailer do not show  the funniest parts of the movie. One of the funniest things about Finding Nemo is that the movie is a road trip movie under the sea.

26. The Black Cauldron

DIRECTED BY TED BERMAN & RICHARD RICH

WRITTEN BY ART STEVENS, PETER YOUNG, ROY MORITA, AL WILSON, DAVID JONAS, VANCE GERRY, TED BERMAN, RICHARD RICH & JOE HALE

STARRING: GRANT BARDSLEY, SUSAN SHERIDAN, FREDDIE JONES, NIGEL HAWTHORNE, JONH HURT, & JOHN BYNER

RELEASE DATE: JULY 24 1985

AGE RECOMMENDED: 5 AND UP

This is an unusual Disney movie that try to be the beginning of a new animation era, but flunk. The movie is based in the children saga  of Lloyd Alexander’s “The Chronicles of Prydain.” This a quest movie, full of fantasy and magic.  When the movie came out was a fail, as I already said, but is really one of that forget jewels of children films. I love this movie because is a goosebumps type. One thing that is noteworthy about The Black Cauldron is that it doesn’t feature any songs. That’s a rarity for any Disney movie.

The drawing in The Black Cauldron may seem a little rough or unfinished. Frankly, though, even judging by today’s high standards, the artwork is impressive, especially during the late sequences when the Black Cauldron spews its magical contents skyward and an army of corpses begins its march. The backgrounds are as richly textured and detailed as in any other Disney film.

30. Tangled

DIRECTED BY: NATHAN GRENO & BYRON HOWARD

WRITTEN: DAN FOGELMAN

STARRING: ZACHARY LEVY, MANDY MOORE,  DONNA MURPHY

RELEASE DATE: NOVEMBER 24TH 2010

AGE RECOMMENDED: ALL

 

When I started this  blog I never consider this scenario.  Two months ago Disney release this movie, and is definitely worth to see it. Tangled is more than a princess movie, is an action movie and comedy. And for the first time the princess is only part of the move not the main character, Flynn the male character is equally important. Rapunzel is not a needy girl, she’s independent and capable to defend her self, is smart and sweet. The repartee between Rapunzel and Flynn is clever and sharp, and there’s good chemistry between them. Flynn is an extremely charming rogue, just pompous enough to laugh at and whose change of heart towards Rapunzel is believable and slowly earned.

Mother Gothel nearly steals the show, with her overprotective tyranny being made to seem almost rational through some of her sly exchanges with the naive young princess. Mother also gets one of the film’s biggest musical numbers, which Murphy nails.

The music of this movie is again a marvelous work of Alan Menken. The movie is the rebirth of Disney animated musicals after the 80-90’s wave. The CGI animation is simply gorgeous but what it makes this movie what it is, is the perfect sync of a talented cast.

The repartee between Rapunzel and Flynn is clever and sharp, and there’s good chemistry between them. Flynn is an extremely charming rogue, just pompous enough to laugh at and whose change of heart towards Rapunzel is believable and slowly earned. Mother Gothel nearly steals the show, with her overprotective tyranny being made to seem almost rational through some of her sly exchanges with the naive young princess. Mother also gets one of the film’s biggest musical numbers, which Murphy nails.

31. My Neighbor Totoro

DIRECTED BY: HAYAO MIYAZAKI

WRITTEN BY: HAYAO MIYAZAKI

RELEASE DATE: APRIL 16, 1988

AGE RECOMMENDED: 6 AND UP

My Neighbor Totoro is one of that weird and hide precious treasures, that when you found it is hard to forget. The movie is written for the children world, in this movie there is no villains, no monster, no scary parental figure. Is one of that movies where everything is good without been dull or boring. The movie is on  Internet Movie Database voted the fifth best family film of all time; new Anime Encyclopedia calls it the best Japanese animated film ever made and it has 94% in Rotten tomatoes. This movie is movie made to make you smile.

Visually this movie is enchanting, the background seems to came out from watercolor painting and the details are flawless. Totoro had a great impact in the animation community, we can see it in Toy Story 3 (Bonnie have a Totoro plush).    My neighbor Totoro is definitely a movie any 6 years old and anyone who was 6 once should see.

32. The Emperor’s New Groove

DIRECTED BY: MARK DINDAL

WRITTEN BY: DAVID REYNOLDS

STARRING: DAVID SPADE, JOHN GOODMAN, ERTHA KITT, PATRICK WARBURTON

RELEASE DATE: DECEMBER 15, 2000

AGE RECOMMENDED: ALL

 

This Disney movie is the most anti-Disney movie, here the main character is a witty unsympathetic teenager Inca emperor. The movie breaks the new Disney wave of musical films and lack of the heartwarming character. So what is great about The emperor’s New Grove, well it’s a sharply edgy humorous, clever cartoon.  This movie is gonna make kid laugh but I’m 100% that grow ups will enjoy it more.

The script is brilliant and the storyline works in perfectly with the humor. David Spade is great as Kuzko, but the movie belong definitely to Yzma (Eartha Kitt). It’s really unfair this movie is not more recognize as one of Disney classics.