Everyone loves Disney and Pixar. I mean, with such hits like Toy Story, The Lion King, Finding Nemo, and Frozen, what isn't there to like? However, with Disney holding 2nd place in Business Insider's List of the 30 Largest Media Companies, there are some animation companies that get thrown under the rug by Disney and Pixar.
Here are, in my opinion, the top 10 underrated animated films of all time-- excluding any Disney films.
1. Prince of Egypt
The Prince of Egypt was the second film that DreamWorks had released and was breathtaking. The film took inspirations from the book of Exodus and the story of Moses. With voice actors Val Kilmer, Ralph Fiennes, Sandra Bullock, Helen Mirren, and Danny Glover, the film is full of memorable one-liners and dialogue. But it is the music that captures the audience. "When You Believe" has been nominated for multiple awards and sung by Mariah Carey and Whitney Houston but the music also flows with the motions of the film. This movie doesn't get all the credit that is due to such a moving film.
2. Quest for Camelot
Warner Brothers decided to use King Arthur and the Round Table for inspiration for Quest for Camelot. The film follows the daughter of a Knight of the Round Table and her adventure to save Camelot. The main character, Kayley, is a spunky, headstrong heroine who is trying to make her way after her father's death. Warner Brothers hit at lessons such as acceptance, being yourself, and right vs. wrong all while exploring the land of Camelot and the magic that surrounds everyone and everything.
3. FernGully: The Last Rainforest
FernGully: The Last Rainforest takes another look at magic but more in a whimsical fashion than Quest for Camelot. Yet another film with an amazing voice cast with Samantha Mathis, Tim Curry, Christian Slater, and the late, Robin Williams. Although, this film's main focus is more about conservation than anything. The main character Crysta is a fairy learning the ways of a rainforest and how everything is connected but when she accidental shrinks a human named Zak to fairy size to save him, the both of them learn that they are more alike than they are different.
4. Osmosis Jones
Osmosis Jones takes the buddy-cop film theme and shrinks it down to a microscopic level. Following a white and blue blood cell and a new medication pill, the two of them work together to defeat a deadly illness in Bill Murray real life counterpart. With a mix of live action and animation, this films takes health and what happens in your body to a different level.
5. The Road to El Dorado
If you take two Spanish con-artists, throw them on a deserted island with a map to a Mayan city of gold, you would have the plot to The Road to El Dorado. This is another DreamWorks film that has stunning scenery and amazing music from the great Elton John. The movie itself is incredibly quirky and can be dark at some times, but overall is an uplifting film about friends going on an adventure.
6. Anastasia
How this movie has been beaten out by other Disney movies leaves me in awe. 20th Century Fox takes the legend of Grand Duchess Anastasia and completely revitalizes the mystery. Instead of Anastasia being executed with her family, this film takes an artistic look as to what could happen if she escaped and lived her life. It has beautiful Russian and Parisian landscapes, amazing music, and a talented cast of voice actors.
7. An American Tail
This is the cutest film ever, I think personally. An American Tail is about a Russian family (who just happen to be mice) and their immigration to New York City. The main character, Fievel Mousekewitze, ends up getting washed overboard on the way to America and his family believes that he has died. However, he survived in a glass bottle, arrives and America and searches the whole city for his family. On his journey, he meets new friends, learns about the truth of the "War of Cats vs Mice" and learns about himself and what he can do as one small mouse.
8. Balto
Balto is another film that uses a historical figure and bends the story a little. This film takes the 1925 Dog Race to save the children of Nome, Alaska from diphtheria and follows a terrible situation in the eyes of adorable animal characters to keep the films dark part light-hearted.
9. We're Back! A Dinosaur's Story
If you like dinosaurs, brain cereal, Julia Child, science, magic, and young children who want to change their lives, then We're Back! A Dinosaur's Story is your animated film. The film follows four dinosaurs and their journey from small minded dinosaurs to intelligent dinosaurs and how they ended up helping a professor achieve his goal: to grant children's wishes. Also, Julia Child voices an eccentric scientist who is all over the place... so what else is there to like?
10. All Dogs Go to Heaven
All Dogs Go to Heaven hit on incredible hard topics that even some dogs struggle with. Topics like heaven, hell, final judgment, and redemption. Dogs, Charlie and Itchy are con-dogs but later in the film, Charlie ends up getting murdered and finds his way to heaven. However, he sets his life clock back and goes back to Earth. Charlie then learns that his action is a one-way ticket to hell, so he tries to redeem himself by taking care of an orphan. I find that All Dogs Go to Heaven handle these topics with grace and small comedic jokes but definitely handles these topics to where children can understand them.
Animated films can do amazing things and help children start to grasp large ideas like heaven vs.hell, independece, acceptance, and so much more because it caters to every age group.
