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.
Grave of the Fireflies (1988)
8.5/10
Director: Isao Takahata
In the aftermath of a World War II bombing, two orphaned children struggle to survive in the Japanese countryside. To Seita and his four-year-old sist... Read more
Kiki's Delivery Service (1989)
7.9/10
Director: Hayao Miyazaki
Rarely does a film touch so many hearts or reach such artistic heights as the highly accliamed 'Kiki's Delivery Service', the magical adventure of an... Read more
Howl's Moving Castle (2004)
8.2/10
Director: Hayao Miyazaki
Starring: Voices Of, Christian Bale, Emily Mortimer, Jean Simmons, Blythe Danner, Billy Cr...
With its otherworldly beauty and charm Miyazaki's magical tale of adventure and self-discovery is testament to his limiltiless imagination. 18-year-ol... Read more
Princess Mononoke (1997)
8.4/10
Director: Hayao Miyazaki
Starring: Billy Bob Thornton, Billy Crudup, Claire Danes, Gillian Anderson, Minnie Driver
This stunning masterpiece by animation wizard Hayao Miyazaki is set during Japan's Muromachi era, when a maddened Boar God infects a prince with a dea... Read more
The Jungle Book (Disney) (1967)
7.4/10
Director: Wolfgang Reitherman
Starring: Sebastian Cabot, Voices Of, Louis Prima
A bright and tuneful Disney animated feature. This update of the Kipling tale pairs some fine comic voices with memorably drawn characters. The advent... 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
Mulan (1998)
7.6/10
Director: Barry Cook, Tony Bancroft
Starring: Ming-Na Wen, Eddie Murphy, Donny Osmond
The timeless Chinese folk tale of an heroic young woman who takes drastic measures to save her family and country is given exciting animated treatment... Read more
The Muppet Show: Season 1 (1976)
8.4/10
Director: Philip Casson, Peter Harris
Starring: Kermit the Frog, Miss Piggy, Fozzie Bear, Peter Ustinov, Bruce Forsyth, Candice...
All 24 episodes of the emmy award winning first season are finally here with perennial icons Kermit the Frog, Miss Piggy, Gonzo the... whatever, Fozzi... 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
Peter Pan (Disney) (1953)
7.3/10
Director: Clyde Geronimi, Hamilton Luske, Wilfred Jackson
Starring: Voices Of, Kathryn Beaumont, Bobby Driscoll, Hans Conried
The beloved Disney cartoon feature has Peter, Tinker Bell and the Darling children on a fun-filled trip to Never Never Land, where the wicked Captain... Read more