Thoughts so far on 2011 Animated Movies?

The Common Room Other Animation
#41

I’ve only seen 2 animated movies this year, Cars 2 & Rio
Cars 2- I loved it. The plot was somewhat complicated and fast paced for me, but after a second viewing I understood it better. It’s not an amazing movie, it’s just for fun, but I really like that. and, of course, I’ve got to mention that gorgeous animation. :slight_smile:
Rio- It was good. I really liked the music and the animation, but some of the scenes and jokes were a little to corny for my taste. Still, I did know it was really another one of the just for fun movies, which it was, and I enjoyed it.

So, yeah, that’s all I’ve seen so far. Although I am very interested in renting Winnie the Pooh and Kung Fu Panda 2. Actually, with Winnie the Pooh, I’m not interested in renting it. I AM renting it. :stuck_out_tongue: And I don’t know why, it’s probably just me, but I have no interest in Rango. :neutral_face:

#42

My thoughts?

Rio was superb. Exact the thing I need in an animated movie - gorgeous animation, abundant colours, and good voice acting (and singing!). But I’m biased seeing as Blue Sky is my favourite animation studio, hehe! Definitely my fave movie of the year, next to Pirates of the Caribbean 4.

Kung Fu Panda 2 definitely exceeded my expectations! It was surprisingly heartwarming and left me feeling all happy, and the visuals and character development were top-notch. If all Dreamworks films were like this and HTTYD…

Rango, meanwhile, was also very good. I liked the realistic character designs and the surrealism of it all. And Johnny Depp is just awesome.

I hasn’t seen Cars 2…

#43

No, that’s fine! I can understand completely; it’s a very different type of animated movie. It’s actually very gritty, and if that’s not something that appeals to you I can easily see why you’re not interested.

#44

Yes, Book of Mormon! I saw the whole thing on youtube, before it was taken down. The songs are all great, it’s about time that Matt and Trey went to Broadway. Since all of movies projects focus a lot on music. You should check out Cannibal! The Musical. It was Trey’s film he made when he was studying film in college. (He majored in Music. Not suprising!)

Yeah, I was suprised because I know how much you love Cars! I can’t wait to hear what you think of it when you do see it!

#45

It’s been an ok year for animation. It feels weird not having a Pixar film to obsess over during the summer. 2009 was the best years in recent years IMO. There were good movies and a lot of variety in animation styles. Here’s my rankings so far for 2011 with the top being my favorite to the lowest being my least favorite.

Rio I thought the story was a mess. But the colors, energy, setting and music won me over.

Rango What a beautiful and quirky film. I enjoyed the story and the fact that even though it was an animated film released by a major studio, it wasn’t made to be really cute and appealing to the masses. I hope more animation studios take chances like Nickelodeon and Paramount did with this movie. But seeing how much money is made at the box office, I wouldn’t be suprised if nobody did something as quirky and more mature as this again. After least not a big studio.

Kung Fu Panda 2 While I enjoyed this movie for it’s darker themes and 2D animation scenes, I felt like the story was being rushed along to get to the next action sequence. And sometimes they were hard to follow with all the quick camera changes. Also, I felt like the writers should have let the emotional scenes play out sometimes. Way to often there would be somebody sharing their feelings about something or somebody going through an emotionally hard time and somebody would interrupt the moment with a joke.

Cars 2 I don’t remember much about this movie and I can’t wait until Pixar moves on to Brave. I’ve never left the theatre after seeing a Pixar movie and felt nothing until I saw Cars 2. My mind was on what I gotta do before I go to work instead of what I just saw. Usually a Pixar movie stays with me the whole day, and I’m already thinking about when can I see it again during the next couple of days.

I’m looking forward to Tintin, only because who’s involved with the film. And I plan on seeing Mars Needs Moms on Blu-ray soon.

#46

I love all the reasons you listed. I especially like, as you say, how surrealistic it is. It’s like no animated movie ever done before, in content and looks.

#47

I technically thnink I saw Megamind in January of this year- but technically it’s a 2010 film, still, I really loved that film it was loads of fun!

If I’m ignoring that one though:

Kung Fu Panda 2 was definitly my favourite, it was a wonderful addition to Dw’s list of films and makes it so far the third good film in a row DW’s has made (HTTYD and Megamind being the other two). The villian chosen was suitably tragic in his own way as was Po’s story and while I could have done with more development from the furious five outside of Tigress, I’m thinking that’ll happen in a future film anyway and in any case this is a wonderful, beautiful film.

Rango comes second, though honestly, I think it could be the one to win the best animated film- or the animated film of any this year which will recieve a ‘best picture’ nomination, if only because it’s an animated film which doesn’t seem to be exactly for children. I don’t normally like westerns but I enjoyed it a lot and while at first I was unsure of the animation it quickly grew on me. The story itself was interesting as well, though I’ll have to admit a town of animals wearing clothes like that is a bit odd in a place where humans would keep Rango as a pet.

If this film wins, I understand why and will be fine with that too, even if personally I enjoyed KFP2 more.

Then comes Rio- it has wonderful animation and WAS a good film. It wasn’t perfect however and there were some story-telling mistakes. And it’s no first ice age which is pretty much the closest thing to a flawless movie the studio has. Still it’s a good movie and it deserves a nomination if nothing else.

I have yet to see Cars 2.

I was too busy (still am really even if it was still in cinemas) to see it. I hope to when it comes out on DVD however. Though given apparent reviews and things I’ve read it seems like I won’t be putting this on the same level as the original cars- which I put in as a nicely plotted movie with good character development, if in a strange unrealistic world. Still, I hope to see it and give it a shot all the same.

#48

I have heard of cannill I really want to see it. I’ll have to netflix it though it seems really underground. When I read that Trey was a music major the south park movie all made sense lol. He did an awesome job in the book of mormon so funny and so good.Not discrediting Matt Stone but in every duo there is one who shine sthe most. At Big Idea it was Phil Vischer, with Hanna Barbrea it was Joesph Barbera, with South Park studios its Trey Parker.

Opening weekend is when I planned but the same friends who actually suggested KP2 because he was 16 and couldn’t see the hangover 2 said cars 2 was “for kids” :confused: .

#49

Best animated film of 2011 so far is [spoil]Phineas and Ferb: Across the Second Dimension[/spoil].

/thread

#50

I think it was alright, a lot of sequels though.

#51

I agree. Thats probably why an animated film this year hasn’t made 200M domestically.

#52

I thought 2011 was a great year for animation. I’m not too excited about the 2012 lineup, the only one I really want to see is Brave.

Anyway, here’s what I saw in 2011. From favorite to least

  1. Rio
  2. Rango
  3. Winnie the Pooh
  4. Puss in Boots
  5. Kung Fu Panda 2
  6. Cars 2
#53

I was just about to revive this thread for the new year. Anyway, last year was a disappointment for animation. Nothing made 200M domestically and the quality of the films were mostly average. Only one animated film really made me say “that was amazing” was Rango. Hopefully, this year will be better.

#54

I’m not sure if I could call 2011 a great year for animation, because I’d personally rather have a single spectacular masterpiece of a film and some other okay movies—maybe one or two pretty good ones—than a bunch of mediocre movies I like enough but not love. You know? I think Rango is the best animated movie of the year and yet I’m still not completely gaga for it, whereas in 2010 we had movies like Toy Story 3, Tangled, and How to Train Your Dragon, which are all good if not wonderful movies.

Only the first two movies on my list (so far) are B-grade in my opinion, but the rest are almost entirely around B- (minus) or C-grade. :confused: 2012 needs some A-grade movies to make up for 2011! I’ll tell you what I’m very optimistic about for 2012, though: Brave, Frankenweenie, and Paranorman. Not sure what the Dreamworks films or Wreck-It Ralph will be like.

My ranking so far (haven’t seen everything!):

  1. Rango
  2. Kung Fu Panda 2
  3. Rio (had its ups… and then its downs)
  4. (Tied with above) Cars 2
  5. Arthur Christmas (too forgettable, sadly)
  6. From up on Poppy Hill
  7. Gnomeo & Juliet

Still need to see Winnie the Pooh and Puss in Boots, both of which I’m sure will be cute and entertaining.

#55

2011 was a lackluster year for animated movies. Looking forward to non-sequels in 2012.

From favorite to least favorite in 2011…

  1. Arthur Christmas (very nice but not tremendous)
  2. Winnie the Pooh (short and sweet, but how much hunny can one eat?)
  3. Rio (fun but light as a feather)
  4. Rango (excellent for two acts, diminished by the third)
  5. Gnomeo and Juliet (fun, with a weak ending)
  6. Mars Needs Moms* (better than its reputation)
  7. Hoodwinked Too! (not awful, but easily the bottom of the 2011 barrel)

[ * = motion capture…I don’t consider it animation, but others might]

No plans to see Cars 2, KFP 2, Happy Feet Two, or Puss In Boots. Probably plan to see The Adventures of Tintin* in second-run or on DVD.

Rango was disappointing both for the great expectations it built up and for the very flawed third act (due to the aerial bat-tle sequence, the Ratling gun, and the improperly used cacti). Even so, the first two acts (and The Spirit of the West) made it worthy of purchase on DVD.

#56

Overall, I think 2011 was kind of a “meh” year for animation. There were no really strong movies like 2010’s Dragon, Toy Story, and Tangled.

The best this year were Rango and Kung Fu Panda 2. Rango was so visually different and creative, and had a really strong first and third act. The middle was filled with a lot of bizarre humor that for the most part only made me laugh once. Take all of that out, and it would be a much more solid film.

I think I like Panda more than Rango, however. The beginning and middle did have some terrible, not funny jokes that felt like pandering to children and filler material, and there was something off about the pacing. At times I felt like the action was driving the plot rather than the plot driving the action. But these are very minor quibbles, for the amazing second half, starting with the scene in the tower all the way til the end more than made up for it. Emotional, artisticly beautiful, action packed, and a killer ending made this one of my favorite Dreamworks movies. I will definitely be watching this movie many, many times. It gets better for me with every rewatch. I confess, I originally balked at the idea of six Panda movies, but now I welcome them. Bring on KFP 3!

Puss in Boots takes third place. That movie was nowhere near as epic as it should have and could have been. It had a really great start, with the spaghetti western vibe. Then Kitty Softpaws came into the picture. Kitty is too much like Puss in Boots. I felt that it really took away from Puss’s uniqueness, being a cat that swordfights in boots. I liked Humpty Dumpty a lot, I liked that they made him a tragic villian, but I thought his reveal as the villian was lame. The whole ending battle was very weird; I really wish they had stuck with Puss fighting the Giant as the climactic ending.

At first I really loved Cars 2, but the more I thought about it the more I realized how many story problems there were. The one thing that I really loved was Finn McMissile. They did a really good job pulling off the whole spy car aspect with hm. And the beginning sequence on the oil rig was absolutely fantastic. I think I would have preferred the movie to be just about Finn and Holly, and to keep Mater, McQueen and Radiator Springs out of it altogether. Don’t get me wrong, I love the first Cars. But this one was seriously lacking.

Rio was nothing special. The animation for the birds was amazing, but the story just didn’t draw me in at all. Was I the only one who thought that Linda’s relationship with Blu was kind of creepy?

I haven’t seen TinTin or Arthur Christmas yet, but I reeeeeeeeeaaaaaaally want to. I decided not to waste my time or money with Gnomeo & Juliet or Happy Feet 2.

#57

Nice list! I didn’t really like Humpty’s character. He just felt kind of plain and generic. Like he didn’t have any character traits that made him interesting. I was really confused if he was the villain in the film or not.

#58

I’ve had a chance to rewatch all the animated films I saw this year now.

While I continue to adore Cars 2 on a personal level, I have been quoted saying I think Rango is the best film of the year critically speaking. However, now that I got to look over all the films again, I realize how fantastic, well written, and beautifully animated Kung Fu Panda 2 was. I think I will be rooting for it to win the Oscar/get some visual awards at the Annies. <3

#59

I have too looked at a lot of 2011’s films again, and maybe I was a bit harsh.

Sure, there was no How To Train Your Dragon or Toy Story 3 or Despicable Me or The Illusionist or Tangled, but there were films that came at least slightly close for me.

The Adventures of Tintin remains my favourite, although being mocap the majority of people on here won’t see it as animation. I notice that it has become a bit of a Marmite film though; some reviewers lauded it with praise and others slammed it. It simply isn’t everyones cup of tea, but for me, it was marvellous fun and a really good adaptation of a fantastic comic series.

Arthur Christmas and Winnie the Pooh (and thinking about it, Rio) are curious in that whilst I really enjoyed them, none of them are particularly memorable. Perhaps they were a bit too whimsical for me, even though I like whimsy. They’re weren’t bad films by any stretch, but it was as though Disney and Aardman had decided to go a bit low key for a year 8D . Let’s hope they pull out all the stops for Pirates! and Wreck-It Ralph this year.

Kung Fu Panda 2 was good, and I believe it may stand the test of time more than any other film this year. It was a well animated, nicely boarded, serviceable sequel. I didn’t find it to be brilliant like others on here, but I did have a very good time watching this on a lazy spring afternoon with my friends, and I reckon I will in the future.

Puss In Boots was good too, but unlike Kung Fu Panda 2, it probably won’t hold up just because of it’s off colour humour (which really annoys me in most cases). It’s an inbetweener for DreamWorks, not a Shark Tale, not a Dragon, more of a Shrek 2. I’ll admit that it’s clever and funny, but not a lot more.

Rango just didn’t do it for me at all. I know a lot of people loved it, and I really appreciate the animation, acting and general concept, but it just didn’t click on an emotional level. Maybe that’s just me, but I honestly did not care for the characters and I felt that they were cliches dressed up. I’ve only seen it once, so maybe another watch might do it for me. Who knows? And it’s just a small niggle, but I remember a lot of critics citing this as “an animated film that adults can watch!”. Well, to be fair, an adult can watch and enjoy any well rounded animated film; just look how many adult fans Pixar have.

Cars 2…oh man. First, I don’t think this film is bad. Initial reaction was that it was pretty good. But sitting through it again was a struggle, and I have never, I repeat, never struggled to watch a Pixar film for the second time. It’s predictable and over the top and I do like Mater, but his inclusion was too overwhelming and alien for most people. That being said, the animation is stunning, and Finn McMissile is really cool, and the spy idea, with a few tweaks, could’ve have been fantastic. Not to mention that this is John Lasseter’s baby. I don’t think the films reputation is going to get any better though. It’ll probably go down as the film that lost Pixar’s streak, which is a tragedy of sorts.

Of the two foreign language films nominated at this years Oscar’s, I was quite pleased to see Chico and Rita, which I saw way back in November of 2010 (which is sneaky actually) when it was released in the UK. It really is a sweet, sometimes funny, often very heartbreaking film, which I absolutely recommend, and I am now actually rooting for it to win. I have yet to see A Cat In Paris; I’ll get round to it! Arrietty isn’t one of Ghibli’s best but it is still beautifully played out and animated; I wonder if this will get a UK re-release to coincide with the US one, although it’s unlikely because the DVD’s already come out.

Now shall we quickly mention the bad? :mrgreen:

Gnomeo and Juliet wasn’t terrible, but it was no way great.
Mars Needs Moms is baaaad, but with potential.
Happy Feet 2 is awful.
Didn’t waste my money on Hoodwinked! Too: Good Vs. Evil, but looking at some clips, it does not look in any way impressive nor interesting.

So yeah, a quick summary.

#60

Very nice anylasist there dd! It’s actually Hood Vs Evil for Hoodwinked 2. Anyway, I don’t think that film deserved a sequel since people barely even remembered the first film. I thought from the trailers and all that it looked like garbage and the animation was very sub-par at best. And I totally agree about Cars 2 as it will go down in Pixar infamy.