Top 10 Non-Disney Animated Films

by Kristen Maldonado
email: krismaldo@msn.com

Disney has come out with many classic movies, from Cinderella to Enchanted, but there are many great movies that are not under the Disney company. These movies are fun for the whole family, focusing on the friendship, family, and adventure.

1. The Swan Princess: Princess Odette is turned into a swan by an evil sorcerer who wants control of the kingdom. When the only thing that can save the princess is everlasting love, Prince Derek must prove he loves her because of who she is, not just because of her pretty face. Add a suave frog named Jean-Bob, a slow turtle named Speedy, and a war-ready Puffin and you’ve got quite a lovable crew for this romantic tale. And the adventures continue with The Swan Princess II: Escape from Castle Mountain and The Swan Princess III: The Mystery of the Enchanted Kingdom, when the evil Lord Rothbart’s evil allies cause more magical mayhem. “This Is My Idea” was always one of my favorite Swan Princess musical numbers because you get to learn about the characters as they grew up, from little kids to their geeky phases, right to where they are when the movie officially takes place.

2. Thumbelina: Thumbelina is a tiny girl – no bigger than a thumb - who doesn’t seem to fit into the big world around her. When she meets the fairy prince Cornelius, she doesn’t feel so alone anymore. But then she is kidnapped by toads and taken on a wild adventure. “Let Me Be Your Wings” is the main song for the film – does Thumbelina’s voice sound familiar to you? It should! Jodi Benson, the voice of Ariel from Disney’s The Little Mermaid, is also the voice of Thumbelina.

3. Anastasia: Anastasia is the missing daughter of the last Russian Tsar; Anya is an orphan with an unknown past. But could they be one in the same? Two Russian con men, Dimitri and Vladimir, want to find the real Anastasia so they can get the reward being offered by her grandmother. The duo convinces Anya that since she doesn’t know about her past, who is to say she couldn’t be Anastasia? Anya just wants a family, but an ancient, evil curse could ruin everything. Anya’s singing voice may sound familiar – vocalist Liz Callaway also sang the voice of Princess Odette in The Swan Princess.

4. FernGully: The Last Rainforest: The forest of FernGully is being cut down – but no one knows about the fairies and magic that live there. When Christa meets her first human, Zak, she accidentally shrinks him down to her size. After seeing the beauty of her world, he wants to help FernGully…but then Christa finds out he was originally part of the team cutting down the forest. The film was followed by FernGully 2: The Magical Rescue. Many famous actors lent their voices to roles in the first FernGully including Tim Curry, Christian Slater, Cheech Marin, and Tommy Chong. Robin Williams plays Batty, a wacky bat with some mad rapping skills.

5. Space Jam: Mashing real-life humans and cartoons, Space Jam is one hysterical movie. Michael Jordan stars as himself, and helps Bugs Bunny and the rest of Looney Toons win their freedom in a basketball game verses aliens.

6. Kiki’s Delivery Service: Kiki is a young witch who starts her own airborne messenger service while trying to fit into a new town. Kirsten Dunst voices Kiki in the English version of this Japanese animated film.

7. Cats Don’t Dance: Danny is one ambitious feline – he wants to become a Hollywood film star. But in a world run by a vicious little diva named Darla Dimple, it’s hard getting a shot in the spotlight. Darla shows off her star-power…or is it evil power?...in “Big and Loud.”

8. An American Tail: An American Tail is the story of a little Russian mouse named Fievel. On the trip to America - “where there are no cats” and the “streets are paved with cheese” - Fievel gets lost. He makes friends in this new country while trying to find a way back to his family. Fievel’s story continues in An American Tail: Fievel Goes West.

9. The Land Before Time: The same creators that worked on An American Tail also worked on The Land Before Time. Five little dinosaurs, led by a brontosaurus named Littlefoot, go on an adventure to find food for the rest of the dinosaurs. Along the way they face obstacles and learn how to work together as friends to find the Great Valley. The film led to a successful franchise, complete with twelve, sing-a-long installments, games, and a television show.

10. Balto: Based on a true story, Balto is a half-wolf, half-husky outsider who becomes a hero. He leads a dog team through the wilderness to bring medical supplies to Nome, Alaska, saving children from a diphtheria epidemic in 1925. Balto’s story continued in Balto: Wolf Quest and Balto III: Wings of Change.

What are your favorite non-Disney animated films?

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