Great (Often Overlooked) Animated Films (Non-Disney)
This is a list of some of my favorite non-Disney animated films. Many of them are relativly unknown but great non the less. Caution to parents, many of these films are not suitable for children. FYI... Disney refers to Disney/ Touchstone/ Pixar/ LucasFilm/ Marvel... I also consciously didn't include the superhero films of DC either as it wouldn't be fair as Marvel is already excluded and we can't take sides.
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- DirectorMasami HataStarsTôru FuruyaMami KoyamaIkue SakakibaraA prince of the sea and a child of fire engage in a tragic forbidden romance.Long ago, spirits of fire and water lived as one. But jealous Algaroch, lord of the winds, drove a rift between King Oceanus and his sister Hyperia, queen of fire. Since then fire fairies and water sprites have been at war and forbidden from consorting, but when Prince Sirius, the king's chosen successor, meets Hyperia's beautiful daughter Malta, they fall madly in love. A wise, old turtle explains their one chance is to reach the hill of Elysium during the next solar eclipse, where a magic flower blossoms that can carry them to a distant star where fire and water live as one.
- DirectorShane AckerStarsElijah WoodJennifer ConnellyCrispin GloverA rag doll that awakens in a postapocalyptic future holds the key to humanity's salvation.In a world destroyed in a war between man and machine, a hand-stitched doll with the number 9 written on its back comes to life. The world he has awakened in is frightening, but he quickly learns that he is not alone and that there are others like him, also with a single digit written on their back, who can help him in the fight for survival.
- DirectorTomm MooreNora TwomeyStarsEvan McGuireBrendan GleesonMick LallyA young boy in a remote medieval outpost under siege from barbarian raids is beckoned to adventure when a celebrated master illuminator arrives with an ancient book, brimming with secret wisdom and powers.The story takes place in the eighth century, a perilous time when Viking raiders threatened to destroy Irish civilization. Since his parents were killed by Vikings, 12-year-old Brendan has lived within the walled monastery of Kells under the stern eye of his uncle, Abbot Cellach. But his life changes when Brother Aidan arrives at Kells with a wondrously beautiful but unfinished illuminated manuscript, created to be "a beacon in these dark times." Brendan realizes he wants to become an illuminator and complete the book, despite his uncle's opposition. His decision helps him win the friendship of Aisling, a silver-haired wood fairy, and requires him to battle the monstrous pagan god Crom Cruach and save Kells from pending invaders.
- DirectorRobert ZemeckisStarsBob HoskinsChristopher LloydJoanna CassidyWhen a cartoon rabbit is accused of murder, he enlists the help of a burnt out private investigator to prove his innocence.I know, I know, I said non disney. But! This film is not exclusively disney as it contains characters from more studios than i can count. For that reason i have included it here. The story revolves around a human detective named Eddie Valiant who is hired to take pictures of Maroon cartoons biggest stars wife, Jessica Rabbit. When they show the picture of Jessica playing patty cake with Marvin Acme to Roger he hits the roof, literally! The next day Marvin turns up dead and the man, or rabbit, hunt is on for the most wanted rabbit in toon town. The only problem is Roger is innocent and he enlists the help of Eddie, the man that got him into this mess, to help prove his innocence before The judge can give him the dip, the only way to kill a toon. Things get worse when Marvin's will goes missing leaving the fate of toon town itself hanging in the balance as well.
- DirectorMark OsborneStarsJeff BridgesMackenzie FoyRachel McAdamsA little girl lives in a very grown-up world with her mother, who tries to prepare her for it. Her neighbor, the Aviator, introduces the girl to an extraordinary world where anything is possible, the world of the Little Prince.'The Little Prince' is a beautiful animated movie that was shockingly withheld from American audiences. Two days before it's USA national release paramount pulled it indefinitely from the theatrical schedule, without explanation, other than that they didn't feel it would appeal to Americans. Soon after, exclusive rights were purchased by NetFlix and it will be released in August 2016, nearly a year after the rest of the world. Though these unfortunate circumstances don't generally bode well, the film is fantastic. It tells the story of a little girl who grew up way too fast and her old neighbor who never did. Through stories of his past, and his friend that he calls the little prince, the old man slowly awakens the childhood spirt inside of her and helps her to come to terms with real life inevitabilities such as living, loving, losing, aging, and even death. The animation is a combination of two very different styles, computer & stop motion, which makes the movie even better than it would have been otherwise as the stories being told stand out from the rest of the film in a unique and breathtaking way. If you don't see this film it is definitely your loss.
- DirectorHiromasa YonebayashiStarsBridgit MendlerAmy PoehlerWill ArnettThe Clock family are four-inch-tall people who live anonymously in another family's residence, borrowing simple items to make their home. Life changes for the Clocks when their teenage daughter Arrietty is discovered.
- DirectorDave FleischerWillard BowskyOrestes CalpiniStarsJessica DragonetteLanny RossPinto ColvigA doctor washes ashore on an island inhabited by little people.This 1939 animated film is based on Jonathan Swift's classic novel about a sailor stranded on an island populated by people the size of his thumb. When Gabby, the town crier, discovers Gulliver on the beach, he runs to tell the king. But the king is preoccupied with the impending wedding of his daughter, Princess Gloria, to Prince David from the neighboring kingdom. When the kingdoms can't agree on which song to play at the wedding, Gulliver is caught in the middle of a war. His common sense helps the two sides resolve their dispute, but not before a lot of adventure and romance.
- DirectorMichael SchaackStarsUlrich TukurMario AdorfHelge SchneiderA cat must investigate brutal murders of other cats in a neighborhood he has moved into with his owner.This is a dark animated film that is truly great. It is originally a german film but is dubbed in english very well. It is most certainly not for children. The story revolves around a house cat named Francis who is new to the neighborhood and stumbles upon a murder mystery as someone is ripping the throats out of a whole bunch of cats. With the help of his new friend Bluebeard, a stray Maine Coon that lives nearby, he investigates and discovers a conspiracy, a cover-up, and a cult as well as discovers the true meaning of what it means to be felidae. But can they catch the killer before the rest of their friends turn up dead... only time will tell. Felidae is a dramatic adult oriented adventure that shouldn't be missed.
- DirectorLee MishkinStarsHans ConriedMorgan BrittanyCraig SchaeferThe king of the faeries sends for a young hunter after his shadow escapes and threatens his kingdom.Oisin is returning home with a group of huntsmen when a faerie princess appears to him and whisks him away to meet her father, who asks him to defeat the evil Shadow who threatens Faerie Land. Now Oisin and his new friends must avoid the Red Caps, the Shadow's evil soldiers, and make their way to the tallest tower to defeat the evil Shadow and save Faerie Land once and for all. Faeries is a very good, all be it, very short film that is done in a animation style reminiscent of the hobbit but has a unique feel all its own. Highly recommended!
- DirectorMasami HataMasanori HataWilliam T. HurtzStarsGabriel DamonMickey RooneyRene AuberjonoisEach night, young Nemo goes to Slumberland and has adventures and befriends the king of Slumberland, Morpheus. But one night Nemo discovers Nightmare Land, and the evil nightmare king, throwing Slumberland and Nemo himself into danger.Inspired by Winsor McCay's early 1900s comic strip, this tells the magical story of a little boy and his fantastic adventures in a dream kingdom. Welcome to the fantasy world of Little Nemo, where dreams of enchanted lands and new friends take young Nemo into an exciting, fun-filled adventure through Slumberland all in one unforgettable night.
- DirectorJules BassArthur Rankin Jr.StarsJeff BridgesMia FarrowAngela LansburyA beautiful unicorn sets out to learn if she truly is the last of her kind in this sparkling animated musical.Based upon the Peter S. Beagle novel of the same name. A unicorn, who believes herself to be the last, searches for any others of her kind, while avoiding the malevolent Red Bull, the agent believed to have destroyed the rest of the herd. Along the way, she is mistaken, ignored, attacked, and obsessed about, finally finding help from a magician, Schmendrick, and a knight, Prince Lir. Now this brave unicorn and her friends must face an evil king who is obsessed with attempting to capture the world's unicorns.
- DirectorMartin RosenJohn HubleyStarsJohn HurtRichard BriersRalph RichardsonHoping to escape destruction by human developers and save their community, a colony of rabbits, led by Hazel and Fiver, seek out a safe place to set up a new warren.Based upon Richard Adam's novel of the same title, this delves into the surprisingly violent world of a warren of rabbits as they seek to establish a new colony free of tyranny and human intervention. Frightening and bloody in some scenes. Not recommended for young children.
- DirectorChris WedgeStarsAmanda SeyfriedJosh HutchersonBeyoncéA teenager finds herself transported to a deep forest setting where a battle between the forces of good and evil is taking place. She bands together with a ragtag group of characters to save their world--and ours.The story of 'Epic' revolves around a young lady name M.K. who magically finds herself in the middle of a war between the forces of life and decay. When the queen of life lays dying in the forest a human girl stumbles upon her and magically shrinks to the size of an ant where she is tasked, at the queens request, with the protection of a rose bud, not a sleigh, which is the key to crowning a new queen but only if she can get it to a special place in the forest and allow it to bloom in the light. With the help of the queens shattered lover, two slugs, her giant sized bumbling father, and a cocky soldier it is up to M.K. to save them all. This film is awesome it is a compelling and engaging story done in breath taking computer animation. This 'epic' story shouldn't be missed.
- DirectorDuke JohnsonCharlie KaufmanStarsDavid ThewlisJennifer Jason LeighTom NoonanA man crippled by the mundanity of his life experiences something out of the ordinary.'Anomalisa' is a strange academy award nominated film that finds beauty and inspiration in the mundanity of human existence. The film revolves around an inspirational speaker named Michael who is board with life, but after meeting the lively Lisa he decides to do something out ordinary. The film is at times awkward, and uncomfortable, and even a bit strange but thats all part of what makes it great. Done with painstakingly detailed stop-motion animation that is simply amazing. Parents, this one is absolutely not for kids which is quite evident in the very long and strikingly realistic and graphic sex scene that is included. So if you're an adult looking for something different, like Michael, give this film a try.
- 2003–20041h 20m7.3 (167)TV EpisodeDirectorRichard DantoLiam SauryStarsRichard BerryPatrick BouchiteyCatherine JacobIn 1916, laconic adventurer Corto Maltese is in Paramaribo, Surinam visiting his mystic female friend Java. He helps a young heir haunted by voodoo spirits, delivers some weapons to rebels in Brazil and hunts for treasure with Rasputin.This is the second (story order) of five movies released in 2002 that deal with the tales of Corto Maltese. In addition to these five movies there are also six twenty-minute television episodes released at the same time that chronicle his smaller adventures. For those of you not familiar with Corto I'll give a brief introduction as well. Corto Maltese is a european graphic novel series created by the legendary writer Hugo Pratt who is so respected by the comic industry for the groundbreaking strides he made in the creation of what is now know as a graphic novel, that he has an island nation in DC comics continuity named his most famous character Corto Maltese, that first appeared in the dark knights returns series as a nod to Hugo Pratt. Corto Maltese is, by most accounts, the most popular comic character in all of Europe. Corto Maltese is a laconic sea captain, without a ship, that goes on adventures all around the world during the early 20th century. He is best described as a "rogue with a heart of gold", he is a peripatetic sailor who is both stoic and sympathetic to the disadvantaged. He is a take *beep* from no one sort of character, hardcore if you will, who has a sarcastic flare. This film takes place in 1916 and starts while Corto is in Paramaribo, Surinam visiting his mystic female friend Java In this tale he helps a young heir haunted by voodoo spirits, delivers some weapons to rebels in Brazil and hunts for treasure with his friend Rasputin. All the films are great and I recommend that you watch them in the correct (story) order but this is my favorite.
- DirectorSteven HahnStarsJoe ColliganCarmen ArgenzianoNoelle NorthSet on the subterranean Mine-World, a band of human worker are treated like slaves under the power of the evil overlord Zygon until one, Orin, unearths the hilt of a mythical sword that only he can master. Escaping the planet, he runs into the rogue smuggler Dagg and a pair of helpful droids and the princess, who all team up to return to the Mine-World with a plan to defeat Zygon and free Orin's enslaved people.Deep within a subterranean Mine-World, a tribe of humans forced into a grim life of servitude by the malevolent overlord Zygon knows nothing of the surface world or of hope until a brave young boy named Orin discovers a sword with mysterious powers that only he can unlock! After escaping the Mine-World with his weapon, Orin teams with rogue smuggler Dagg, a beautiful princess and some trusty robots on an intergalactic mission to free his enslaved people and defeat the evil Zygon!
- DirectorDon BluthGary GoldmanStarsMatt DamonDrew BarrymoreBill PullmanA young man learns that he has to find a hidden Earth ship before an enemy alien species does in order to secure the survival of humanity.A reluctant young hero holds the key to the future of mankind in the palm of his hand in this eye-popping, sci-fi adventure. It's the year 3028 and the Drej, a vicious alien race, have destroyed Earth. Fifteen years later a young man named Cale learns he possesses a genetically encoded map to the Titan, a spaceship that holds the secret to the salvation of the human race.
- DirectorTomm MooreStarsDavid RawleBrendan GleesonLisa HanniganBen, a young Irish boy, and his little sister Saoirse, a girl who can turn into a seal, go on an adventure to free the fairies and save the spirit world.This story of two children's epic journey to find their mother is based upon a Celtic folk tale. All i can say is that this film is AWESOME, just watch it and sea... catch the pun... for yourself.
- DirectorDominique MonferyStarsRuy AbitbolPaul BandeyNatacha BodyNatanaël, seven, still doesn't know how to read. His eccentric old aunt bequeaths her house to his parents and her book collection to the young boy. Nat discovers that the books serve as a shelter for all the heroes found in children's literature. They are the original characters and are counting on him for protection. For if they leave the library, they will disappear along with their stories forever! When his parents start selling off the books, Nathanaël, who is shrunk by the evil witch Carabosse, braves everything to save his tiny friends.When a young illiterate boy's great aunt dies and the family moves into her house he quickly realizes that the books in the library are much more than they appear. The characters from the books are alive and need his help to keep them from vanishing but the only thing that can save them is if he is able to read an ancient incantation that can hold them in this world. This is a beautiful and inspiring film that is suitable for all ages.
- DirectorHayao MiyazakiStarsCate BlanchettMatt DamonLiam NeesonA five-year-old boy develops a relationship with Ponyo, a young goldfish princess who longs to become a human after falling in love with him.
- DirectorJules BassArthur Rankin Jr.StarsVictor BuonoJames GregoryJames Earl JonesA young Boston writer goes back in time into an era where wizards and dragon reign and science is just barely known.The realm of magic is being threatened by the realm of logic, so Carolinus, the green wizard decides to shield it for all time. Ommedon, the evil red wizard, stands in his way. Carolinus then calls for a quest that is to be led by a man from the future, who is the first man of both the realms of science and magic. It is his job to defeat Ommedon.
- DirectorAlexandre HeboyanBenoît PhilipponStarsOmar SyIzïa HigelinMichaël GrégorioMune, a young fawn, is chosen as the new Guardian of the Moon. Together with Glim, a girl made of wax, and Sohone, the new Guardian of the Sun, they must recover the sun from the evil Necross.
- 2003–20041h 27m7.2 (317)TV EpisodeDirectorRichard DantoLiam SauryStarsRichard BerryPatrick BouchiteyBarbara SchulzIn 1913, laconic sea captain Corto Maltese, adrift in the Pacific, gets rescued by his bandit friend Rasputin who's taking two rich shipwrecked teens to an island where his boss the Monk will hold them for ransom. WWI complicates things.This is the first (story order) of five movies released in 2002 that deal with the tales of Corto Maltese. This tale takes place in 1913, laconic sea captain Corto Maltese is adrift in the Pacific Ocean and gets rescued by his bandit friend Rasputin who’s taking two rich shipwrecked teens to an island where his boss the Monk will hold them for ransom but WWI soon complicates things. All the films are great and I recommend that you watch them in the correct (story) order.
- DirectorWill VintonStarsJames WhitmoreMichele MarianaGary KrugTom Sawyer, Becky Thatcher and Huck Finn join Mark Twain on his airship to meet Halley's Comet.Where dreams become reality. Ready to fulfill his destiny--by crashing into Halley's comet--Mark Twain prepares for a hot air balloon ride to find the comet. With stowaways Tom Sawyer, Becky Thatcher and Huck Finn aboard his interplanetary balloon, they observe the historical events that inspired Twain through a magical time portal.
- DirectorOlaf EnckeClaudia RomeroHow Judas grassed on Jesus to earn the 30 euros he needed as entry fee to Maria Magdalena's sex show.The story of of Judas Ischariot, Mary Magdalena, & Jesus Christ as never told before. With Goats, Sheep and Bulls filling the pivitol roles. This one is definately not for kids.