Animated Movies That Redefined Modern Animation

For the past eighty years, animation has given us some of the most creative, beautiful, and innovative films ever made. These animated classics continue to captivate audiences of all ages, and the art form shows no signs of losing its appeal.

Throughout the history of animation, a few truly groundbreaking films have consistently pushed the boundaries of what’s possible. These eight animated masterpieces are prime examples, significantly shaping the future of the art form.

Shrek Was A Ground-Breaking Piece of Tongue-In-Cheek Computer Animation

Before the movie Shrek, Pixar dominated the world of computer-animated films. However, Dreamworks’ Shrek, released in 2001, showed that other studios could also create successful films using this technology. The story of the ogre and his donkey quickly became a huge hit, proving that computer animation wasn’t limited to films like Toy Story and A Bug’s Life.

Starting its own collection of movies, spin-off films, and short stories, Shrek truly changed animated movies. It wasn’t afraid to be a little bit edgy, filled with jokes for adults as well as kids, and offered surprisingly thoughtful themes. Because of this, it appealed to everyone and set a new high bar for Dreamworks animation, becoming their most successful franchise.

The Lego Movie Effortlessly Made CGI Look Like Stop-Motion

Released in 2014, The Lego Movie, directed by Phil Lord and Chris Miller, was a surprisingly fantastic animated film that really shook things up. It used innovative computer animation to perfectly capture the look and feel of classic stop-motion Lego videos, making it feel like you’re watching a child’s imaginative playtime come to life.

Beyond its clever story, the film is consistently funny, surprisingly touching, and genuinely thrilling. It launched a strong sequel, and even led to the fantastic The Lego Batman Movie. The Lego Movie is a wonderful animated film – the way it captures the look and feel of Lego bricks creates a sense of both realism and happy memories. It’s a truly innovative movie and rightfully receives all the acclaim it gets.

Paprika Is An Adult-Oriented Sci-Fi Animated Epic

Satoshi Kon was a hugely influential director in contemporary animation for adults. He created visually stunning films like Perfect Blue, Tokyo Godfathers, and Millennium Actress. Many consider his 2006 film, Paprika, to be his masterpiece – a captivating science fiction story with surreal imagery, dreamlike scenes, and mature themes.

Paprika showed a wide audience that animation isn’t just for kids – it can be used to tell complex and mature stories. The film is visually stunning, with a dark and unsettling tone, and explores the fascinating world of dreams. It’s a truly original and beautifully made animated film that stands out as one of the best ever created.

Fantastic Mr. Fox Is The Gold Standard For Contemporary Stop-Motion Animation

Stop-motion animation is a remarkably beautiful and distinctive art form. It’s a very hands-on, personal process that consistently delivers some of the most moving and memorable scenes and characters in film. One film, widely considered a masterpiece of the 21st century, beautifully celebrates animation itself, along with the importance of family and imagination.

This film is a charming and heartwarming story, much like Wes Anderson’s other movies. It’s a beautifully done adaptation of Roald Dahl’s classic book, Fantastic Mr. Fox. From beginning to end, it’s clever, funny, visually stunning, and ultimately uplifting. It also helped prove how important and creative stop-motion animation can be in contemporary film.

Akira Is One Of The Most Visually Dazzling Films Ever Made

Katsuhiro Otomo’s 1988 animated film, Akira, has profoundly influenced animation and live-action movies for decades. It’s been widely referenced, paid tribute to, and imitated. The film’s groundbreaking visuals and incredible hand-drawn animation are considered a landmark achievement in cinema.

The film’s opening, featuring a thrilling motorcycle chase with striking light trails, is a truly unforgettable and visually stunning cinematic moment, whether it’s live-action or animated. Every scene that follows is equally impressive, beautifully detailed and crafted. Similar to Paprika, Akira demonstrated the power of animation as a storytelling medium, and its breathtaking visuals only reinforced that idea.

Spirited Away Is The Best Film From The Legendary Studio Ghibli

I’ve always been completely captivated by Studio Ghibli, and to me, Hayao Miyazaki is simply the greatest animated director ever. His films are just magical – I remember being utterly charmed by Howl’s Moving Castle, falling in love with My Neighbor Totoro, and being completely swept away by Princess Mononoke. But if I had to pick a favorite, it would probably be Spirited Away from 2001 – it’s a true masterpiece.

With its stunning animation that redefined the standard for the industry, and a remarkably creative and insightful fantasy setting, Spirited Away deeply influenced a generation of animators. Many animated films and shows created afterward were inspired by its success, and it continues to be considered a landmark achievement in filmmaking.

Toy Story Changed The World of Animation Forever

Released in 1995, Toy Story was the first full-length animated movie created entirely with computers. Directed by John Lasseter, it showed the world what computer animation could achieve and proved that compelling, emotional stories could be told through any kind of filmmaking.

As a huge animation fan, I truly believe Toy Story changed everything. It wasn’t just a great movie; it launched a whole wave of incredible animated films, and we’ve seen so many amazing sequels because of it. Honestly, I don’t think animation would be where it is today without that original 1995 film. What’s really incredible is that even after thirty-one years, Toy Story still feels magical, creative, and thrilling. It really set the bar for all computer-animated movies, and it still holds up perfectly.

Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse Has Pushed The Medium Into The Future

The 2018 animated film Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, directed by Bob Persichetti, Peter Ramsey, and Rodney Rothman, was a groundbreaking achievement. Its unique visual style hadn’t been seen before, and it’s strongly influenced the look of many animated movies since then.

With its innovative and diverse animation techniques, Into the Spider-Verse is a heartfelt tribute to both comic books and the art of animation itself. The film features fantastic characters, laugh-out-loud visual humor, and truly stunning action sequences. Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse has had a huge impact on modern animation and is widely considered one of the greatest and most important animated films ever made.

2026-02-05 01:08