Animation
Animation refers to the process in which each frame of a film or movie is produced individually, whether generated as a computer graphic, or by photographing a drawn image, or by repeatedly making small changes to a model, and then photographing the result. When the frames are strung together and the resulting film is viewed at a speed of 16 or more frames per second, there is an illusion of continuous movement (due to the persistence of vision). Generating such a film is very labour intensive and tedious, though the development of computer animation has greatly sped up the process.
Here Alice has assembled all the very best of this craft; scroll below alphabetically or search using the sub-categories in green on the left. 'Family Animation', 'Classic Animation', 'Cult Animation' or 'JapanAnime'.
Right: Nick Park's endearing Wallace and Gromit.
Wallace and Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit (2005)
7.1/10
Director: Nick Park, Steve Box
Starring: Peter Sallis, Ralph Fiennes, Helena Bonham Carter, Peter Kay, Liz Smith
Wallace and Gromit return for their first feature length film, a rip-roaring comedy that sees the wacky inventor come up with a new way to get rid of... Read more
Waltz with Bashir (2008)
8/10
Director: Ari Folman
Israeli filmmaker Ari Folman employs a unique animated style in this innovative documentary that recalls his military service in the early 1980s. When... Read more
Watership Down (1978)
7.7/10
Director: Martin Rosen
Starring: Voices Of, John Hurt, Richard Briers, Ralph Richardson, Simon Cadell, Terence Ri...
Director Martin Rosen's acclaimed animated version of the Richard Adam's novel about a family of rabbits seeking a safe place to live as developers mo... Read more
Watership Down: Volume 2 - Strawberry Fayre (1999)
7.7/10
Starring: (Voices of) , Rik Mayall, Jane Horrocks, John Hurt, Stephen Fry, Phill Jupitus
Volume 2 of the animated TV series based on the characters from Richard Adams' novel "Watership Down". A sweet and remarkable tale of friendship, surv... Read more
What's New Mr Magoo? (1977)
7.4/10
Starring: Voice Of, Jim Backus
Featuring 32 stories across 3 discs this is the ultimate collection of animated adventures from near-sighted eccentric, Mr Magoo (as voiced by Jim Bac... Read more
When the Wind Blows (1986)
7.8/10
Director: Jimmy T Murakami
Starring: Peggy Ashcroft, John Mills, Voices Of, Robin Houston
An enormous success in England, based on the best-selling book by Raymond Briggs, this is the powerful, unforgettable story of the consequences of nuc... Read more
Whisper of the Heart (1995)
8/10
Director: Yoshifumi Kondo
Written and produced by Manga maestro Hayao Miyazaki this classic anime sees young bookworm Shizuku spending her summer reading and translating popula... Read more
Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988)
7.7/10
Director: Robert Zemeckis
Starring: Bob Hoskins, Christopher Lloyd, Charles Fleischer, Joanna Cassidy
Groundbreaking blend of live-action and animation in which jaded, 1940's detective Bob Hoskins goes searching for a murderer with prime suspect, and c... Read more
Winnie the Pooh: A Very Merry Pooh Year (2002)
6.8/10
Director: Anon
Starring: Winnie The Pooh, Tigger, Eeyore, Piglet
Share the joy and magic of the holidays as Pooh and his lovable friends celebrate Christmas and New Year's in a delightful tale about spending special... Read more
Wizards (1976)
6.5/10
Director: Ralph Bakshi
Starring: Richard Romanus, Jesse Wells, Bob Holt
Ralph Bakshi presents this animated futuristic fantasy for adults as a dry run for 'The Lord of the Rings' feature he was planning. A cigar-chomping,... Read more