Debate Topic #3:
What is the best animated movie of all time - when you combine the two primary factors of animation quality (traditional, computer, or combination) and plot?
INVALID ARGUMENTS:
NO HENTAI! Movies must be G, PG, PG-13 or R
Founding argument to contest:
Because I love animated movies so much I can't offer a single top movie - so here are my top 3, in no particular order I'm going to admit to:
The Iron Giant
A story close to my heart and childhood that spans generations of those of us who grew up under the shadow of a mushroom cloud... and our father's generation... and our children's too because it's just a damn good story with brilliant animation.
Brad Bird KILLED IT with this movie top to bottom...
Screw the box office - this movie isn't just worth watching on Netflix or On Demand - it's worthy of OWNING! This is one of my go-to movies when I am bored with whatever is on the tube.
Akira
THE Anime film that defines and all others must be graded against. Ghost in the Shell to Bubblegum Crisis to anything new - everything must pay homage to Akira first, and expect to be compared to it over and over again - even as old as it is relatively speaking.
From the motorcycle that ANY true geek would want to own (and a lot of motorcycle enthusiasts too) to the subtle perfect hand drawn way a chain link fence bends under a person's weight this movie goes beyond legendary anime to the ranks of the pantheon of ANY animated feature as far as I'm concerned.
Oh - and don't watch the American re-edit put out in the late 90's / early 00's that they show on Encore and Starz occassionally --- if you're going to watch it, watch the original dubbed version from roughly 91.
and finally:
I was really torn on this one because for me to narrow it down to a top 3 in this catagory is REALLY difficult... I own a lot of animation. There's tons more I wish I owned... but trying to be polite and keep it to a limit of 3 I had to go with:
UP
I will admit it - there are a few movies that make me cry, approximately 5 that can do it consistently - and this is one of them. The first 10 minutes tell a more powerful story without dialogue than the entire Twilight Saga ever will, hell - it tells a more powerful heart wrenching story than MOST rom-coms, chick flicks, and sappy Nicholas Sparks movies ever will COMBINED. The first 10 minutes makes me cry. I will admit that gladly.
The rest of the movie is pretty damn solid too! I have no complaints about any aspect of the ... SQUIRREL! ... ummm... movie. Yeah, sorry.
This movie didn't just deserve it's Best Picture nomination at the Oscars - it fucking deserved to WIN. Fuck Avatar. Fuck The Hurt Locker, Inglorious Basterds and District 9 - all of which I love. UP was the most original, emotional, beautiful movie made that year of those nominees.
Watch that first 10 minutes with just your S.O. or alone, without kids of any age, and tell me you don't well up at least a little!
What say you?
To quote the Joker: "And... here... we... GO!"