5) The Iron Giant
Warner Bros. Animation is not really in the business of feature films, specializing primarily in those Looney Tunes guys, although they are making a bit of a push over the next few years, beginning with the highly anticipated Lego Movie (I don’t think I’ve ever been this excited for an animated movie before. It’s weird). It’s going to be their first fully animated movie since the beloved 1999 Brad Bird-directed feature, The Iron Giant.
I say beloved, but it has taken quite a long time to earn that designation. Its initial box office release was a pretty sad tale, resulting in a huge loss for Warner (perhaps why their animation department had such a long cinematic hiatus, and why they’re pushing Lego so hard right now). In hindsight, many are now hailing it as one of the greatest, possibly the greatest, animated movie of all time. It’s certainly smarter than any movie Disney has ever released, with a Cold War-set commentary behind it and beautifully subtle allusions to other relevant movies and stories throughout history. “I am not a gun” has become a pacifist catchphrase against movies that tend to glorify violent resolutions. It also matches Disney in its visual gags and silly humor, as well as deeply felt and emotionally powerful moments. Movies like Nemo and WALL-E are cute and beautifully executed, but The Iron Giant contains a little something extra.
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