Best Animation Movies Ever

Animated movies have come a long way since Cinderella. Pixar and Dreamworks are two major studios that are leading the way, in fact Pixar's releases have been some of the best grossing movies of all-time. Most studios are seeing the green (as in cash) and are forming their own animated branches. These movies tend to hit across all audience members, young and old.

Even now movies are blurring the line between reality and animation. Speed Racer is an excellent look at how animation and real life actors blend together, a far cry from Who Framed Roger Rabbit. However, these are not true animation flicks, this article includes only movies that are 100% animated. Throughout the yeas animation has been getting better and better. This list is a Top Ten of Animated Movies in no particular order.

1) Bee Movie - I love this movie on several levels. The animation is great and the comedy is subtle and not too goofy. More importantly this movie tackles a real life problem in Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD), which is decimating bee populations across America. Jerry Sienfeld essentially created this movie and had his hands in every aspect of it.

2) Toy Story - The first movie in a long line of Pixar successes. Tom Hanks heads this all-star lineup of voice actors. Woody and Buzz Lightyear are still common staples in the toy chest of America's kids. Steve Jobs founded Pixar and you might also know him as the Apple CEO.

3) Finding Nemo - A Disney and Pixar collaboration that became an instant success and shot sales of Clown fishes through the roof. Nemo becomes lost and his dad sets out to find him. This animation movie might have been one of the first to make its main character handicapped.

4) Waking Life - The first of it's kind to use the striking animation you see on Charles Swabb commercials nowadays. Richard Linklater wrote and directed this novel look at sleepwalking and reality. My favorite scene in this movie involves a monkey talking about music culture and mentioning Kurt Cobain. Each frame of this flick was painstakingly hand animated after the entire movie was shot on film.

5) Beowulf - So close to reality it's scary. Angelina Jolie was reportedly upset at the close to nude scene of her in the water. This animation movie follows the centuries old Beowulf story as you've never seen it before. Slightly gritty and full of gore and battles this movie is a great watch on a weekend night.

6) Shrek 3 - The first two were good as well but the third one was just plain fun. I loved watching it in the theater and have watched it several times since it was released on DVD. The whole trilogy is worth owning and a must for parents.

7) Ratatouille - Many at Pixar were mad this movie wasn't nominated for best picture at this year's Oscars. This movie had it all and was perhaps my favorite Pixar film to date. Ratatouille follows a rat with a passion for cooking who teams up with an incompetent chef. Together these two prove the old adage "Two heads are better than one". A real crowd pleaser all the way through.

8) The Incredibles - I love super hero movies and this animated movie brings together a great cast that sees a retired super hero family be all they can be when the world is threatened once more. Super funny action that the whole family will love.

9) Kung-Fu Panda - I loved this movie. Great action with a cool message to the young audience. Jack Black brings to life the lovable Po as he bumbles through his training to become the Dragon Warrior. A cool side note is that Jackie Chan voices the monkey in the Fearsome Five.

10) Madagascar - I love penguins and even though they aren't in the movie long they steal the show for me. This movie is so good a sequel is coming out. Ben Stiller voices one of the characters and the comedy is non-stop.

By and far Pixar makes some of my favorite movies. I am looking forward to this years WallE. I threw in a few movies that are definitely adult oriented but good animation movies nevertheless. There is something to be said for animation being chosen as a way to make PG-13 films. The processes are a lot smoother and the animation gets better every year. Well the above movies are my favorite animation movies. Enjoy.