Looking ‘Up’

I’m a big kid when it comes to animated films. So when I heard the buzz about the new Pixar film “Up,” which is an adventure about a 78-year-old salesman, I decided to add it to the list of films I’d like to see this summer. I rarely see films the first or second week they come out, but I’ll catch it at some point.

Side note: I was excited about the first black princess in Disney’s “The Princess and the Frog” until all the controversy about the prince and the images etc. I see Disney made a few changes, but I think that offensive buck-toothed firefly is still in it. Who was on that approval committee?

Anyways, that one doesn’t come out until the winter, so let me get back to the present.  

In honor of “Up,” here are some of my favorite animated movies from the last ten years.

In No Particular Order:

  

Hoodwinked: A remake of the tale of Little Red Riding Hood. Hilarious. I can watch this one over and over.

Chicken Little – This one really wasn’t the best movie – it definitely had its faults – but it had some funny moments too. And Chicken Little was sooo cute! I always feel like I should feel bad for laughing, but the scene below when the ugly duckling shocks the teacher always has me rolling. “You mustn’t sneak up on me Ugly … I mean Abby!” And then the roughest game of dodge ball ever follows.

Wall-e— Any animated film in this day and age that can start the first half with no dialogue, just robot noises, has made an accomplishment. It was touching. And the fact that they infused numerous serious issues into the plot and still managed not to take away from the film was pretty incredible. Wall-e, as well as Ratatouille below, is at the top of my list.

Ratatouille – Once you get over the fact that you’re rooting for a rat to become a chef, the movie is all uphill from there.

 

Finding Nemo – For obvious reasons. I mean who wouldn’t put Finding Nemo on the list?

Shrek and Shrek 2 – The Shrek series has it all and entertains both adults and children. Sometimes I wondered how some of the jokes made the cut for kiddie films, but somehow they made it in. Shrek 3 sucked though. Could NOT put that mess on the list.

Ice Age and Ice Age 2 – The first film didn’t really need a sequel, but nonetheless, both movies were funny. And they never let that poor squirrel get the acorn.

Kung Fu Panda – This one looked like it was going to be horrible from the previews. Even after my brother told me it was good, I still wasn’t convinced. But I finally saw it, and it was way better than I thought it would be.

Honorary Mention – Happy Feet would most definitely have made the list if it wasn’t for the filmmakers who decided to completely take the movie off track toward the end and make it about environmentalism and global warming. If it fit the film, it would have been OK, but they really ruined the last part of the movie. It was supposed to be about a dancing penguin and accepting others, people! The first half was great though.