Top 25: #10 - #6

#10: Iron Giant (1999): It should be really hard to fall in love with a weapon of mass destruction, but you can't help but love Hogarth. This is one of those movies that was marketed the wrong way, and yet still finds an audience. Not a major surprise as the Iron Giant himself was done rather well, and although full of the usual anti-war cliches it somehow still finds a way to make even the hardest man cry at the end. This is that rare movie, a movie with heart and soul that makes for a wonderful little respite from the difficulties in our own lives.



#9: Akira (1988): Akira was a phenomenon when it was originally released, ushering in a wave of Japanese animation that has yet to be really checked. It showed that animation did not need to be just for kids. To show you the power of this movie, it may be the first Hollywood movie to not find an audience due to its casting of non-Asians. The mix of punks, post-apocalyptic ruins, out of control psychic power, and extreme violence combined with beautiful animation made this movie something that could not be stopped, even more than twenty years later.



#8: The Incredibles (2004): This is one of those really weird movies: Not only does it make fun of its chosen genre, but it also shows us why we continue to believe in the genre. Synergy is a unique villain, as he craves the respect of his chosen hero and is willing to do whatever it takes to get it, even killing him. He could only be fought by The Incredibles, a family dedicated to each other no matter what, even when individual members screw up. Combined with some other rather unique characters such as Edna “E” Mode, it is one of those movies that shows us why families depend on each other.



#7: Sleeping Beauty (1959): Classic Disney animated movies should all be considered mandatory viewing. Sleeping Beauty is one of those that stands apart, as it is continually redefined in terms of the current political scene, with Princess Aurora finding herself at the center of almost every feminist struggle since her awakening. Maleficent is doubtless one of the most unforgettable villains of all time, willing to do anything to get what she wants, just as much as the fairies do what it takes to oppose her. With all that estrogen, it's easy to see why Prince Charming gets forgotten. This is still probably one of the best Disney animated cartoons, and that's no mean feat.



#6: Howl's Moving Castle (2004): Personally I'm more a fan of Only Yesterday, but this movie is far more important. Along with Disney movies, I think Miyazaki movies should also be considered mandatory viewing, and for basically the same reasons: They are gorgeous movies with incredible plot and unforgettable characters. Sophi's curse and subsequent choices make for one of the most enchanting movies. The world is rather nicely imagined, with all sorts of nice touches tossed in to show that this is a working world. It's that combination of whimsy and real that makes a Miyazaki film special, and it is never more on display than in this movie.