40. Aladdin- I know for some people Aladdin would make their top 10 but I’ve never been as big a fan as most people even though I do like it (hey it made this list!). It’s a ton of fun with one of the most iconic performances in all of Disney. The Menken/Ashman/Rice songs are wonderful.39. Batman Mask of the Phantasm- vastly underrated superhero movie with terrific vocal performances. Actually my favorite batman movie. I think the animation is also underrated. Get it on blu-ray studio!
38. Persepolis- One of most unique animated films I’ve ever seen. About a girl growing up in the Iranian Revolution. It looks striking, with an extremely likable lead character and a story with a lot of layers of family, personal and political drama.37. Big Hero 6- I was really moved by the relationship of Hiro and Tadashi. A lovely film about grief and remembering those who have past on while also being a superhero movie with a diverse, funny group unlike any I’ve seen before. I love Baymax so much and SanFransokyo was so creative and beautiful.36. Snow White and 7 Dwarves- I realize this is a little out of sync with my Disney rankings but this where I felt it fit in this list. Snow White is not just great because it was first but it holds up remarkably well. It’s funny, sweet, scary and has great songs. I love how the Queen is the queen but it isn’t enough for her. She also has to be prettiest in the land.35. Iron Giant- A lovely animated story by Brad Bird about a boy in 1950s who finds a giant and has to keep it from the government. Love the animation, story, everything. 34. Mulan- Underrated Disney movie with a strong female heroine, good laughs, strong ensemble of characters, sweeping battle animation, great score and fun songs. Only weakness is lame boring villain. 33. Corpse Bride- a beautiful ghost story with haunting music and a visual style that I actually like even better than Nightmare Before Christmas. The story isn’t quite as layered or interesting and the characters not as good as Nightmare but I still love it. There is enough story of the unlikely match thrown together for me to love it. 32. Lion King- Another one I’m sure people will be upset having so low but I love Lion King. That’s why it beat out 18 other films. It’s epic, beautiful, heartfelt and has an amazing villain. Some of the pop elements, juvenile humor and way they handle Can You Feel Love Tonight I could do without. Still hugely satisfying engaging film about whether we take the easy way out or the tough one that we are destined for. It’s also some of Disney’s most glorious animation they ever did. 31. Dumbo- It depresses me that so many outside the animation community see Dumbo as a racist Disney movie. That or it is ‘too sad’. It has its perhaps questionable segments but at its core is a message about acceptance of people and their differences. The relationship between Timothy Q Mouse and Dumbo is sweet. The watercolor artwork is lovely capturing the bright colors of the circus. The elephants dream is weird and a delight. I love it! Here’s my video on this list:
