After reading Kos's FP diary and the following thread on Pixar's best, I thought that there had to be a diary with an open thread to discuss the best animation movies ever made.
Personally, I am a huge fan of animation movies, especially the thought-provoking Studio Ghibli kind.
I have rated the following as the best animation movies and their underlying themes in no particular order -
Princess Mononoke-This environmentalist's sentimental favorite
My Neighbor Totoro-anti-corporatist pro-rural-subsistence/autonomy message
Persepolis-quaint biting humor, personal journey
Kiki's delivery service-A Teenager's thought independence and emotional growth
Only yesterday-one of the best feminist animation movies ever made
Grave of the fireflies-Do I need to give a reason ?? Best anti-war animation movie ever made.
Tales from Earthsea-A very complex movie on a boy dealing with personal demons
Whisper of the heart -A teenager's creative and emotional growth
Spirited Away-An explosion of colors and creativity and Parallel universes and the anti-greed message is beautiful
Metropolis-Apocalyptic anti-classist vision drawn from Fritz Lang's original much different version
Pom Poko and Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind-The conservationist environmentalist anti-urbanization message of the two movies are unparalleled
I can hear the sea a.k.a Ocean Waves-Adolescent Perception Perception Perception
Antz-One of the better Anti-hegemonistic , anti-groupist movies that was made which utilized its star voice-cast well
Howl's moving castle-A beautiful man facing his inner demons outsmarted, outwitted and enchanted by a smarter-than-whip plain-jane, again the none-too-subtle anti-war/anti-hegemony message
All the Pixar movies except for Cars
Dumbo, Jungle Book, Fantasia, The Lion King and The Ramayana.
And
Wall-E- incorporating themes from most of the great movies I listed above and you have to watch it!
so-so ditzy movies in my opinion-Shrek,Ferngully(h/t MissLaura and Nicolemm), Ice Age, Little Mermaid, Kungfu Panda etc etc
I might have left some good ones out.
Also looking forward to one more from Studio Ghibli coming to theaters next month-Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea by Hayao Miyazaki
Treat this as an open thread.
Discuss.
I'll add a poll later.
Update-
Some noteables not mentioned-
Nightmare before Christmas(h/t Anetteboardman), Corpse Bride(pure Tim Burton genius)
Brad Bird's first one-Iron Giant(h/t Rheinhard), Mulan, Fritz the cat, Les Triplets de Belleville, Horton hears a who, Last Unicorn, When the wind blows
Hilarious ones-Wallace and Grommit, My neighbors the Yamadas, Flushed away, Chicken Run, All the Pixar shorts
Sentimental favorites which I personally don't care for-Beauty and the beast, Pinocchio, Snow White and the seven dwarves.
Some more gems-Watership down, Akira,Ghost in the shell, Hedgehog in Fog, Heron and Crane, Fox and Rabbit (those three by Yuri Norstein) h/t edgeways
P.S-The poll came out all wrong. Wanted to add more movies there.