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Contrary to what some may believe,animated movies are not always happy, family-friendly films.
There are many reasons why filmmakers may decide to make dark animated features.
For one, animation allows filmmakers to make storytelling decisions that would be otherwise impossible to convey.
Whatever the reason may be, many animated films end up being far darker than viewers expect.
Tolkien’s,The Lord of the Rings.
The animated style does, however, allow for many stunning visuals throughout this dark story.
The narrative explores themes of survival, leadership, and community against the backdrop of the English countryside.
Featuring the voices of John Hurt and Richard Briers, the film blends adventure with poignant social commentary.
The title,The Secret of NIMH, refers to the National Institute of Mental Health.
Battling various threats and uncovering hidden truths, the film blends adventure and mystery within an intricately animated world.
The idea ofturning genetically influenced lab rats into prominent charactersin an animated film immediately adds a dark twist.
The mere presence of these characters contributes a palpable darkness to the film.
Custom image by Yeider Chacon
Perfect Blue is a psychological thriller directed by Satoshi Kon.
After all, Coraline is not the only person to discover the mysterious portal in her new house.
Written and directed by Henry Selick, the film uses stop-motion animation and stars Dakota Fanning as Coraline.
Watership Down is an animated adaptation of Richard Adams' novel, directed by Martin Rosen. The film follows a group of rabbits as they escape their warren to find a new home, facing various threats and challenges along the way. The narrative explores themes of survival, leadership, and community against the backdrop of the English countryside. Featuring the voices of John Hurt and Richard Briers, the film blends adventure with poignant social commentary.
In a post-apocalyptic world, 9 is a computer-animated science fiction film where small sentient ragdolls battle menacing machines.
The film features the voices of Jennifer Connelly and John C. Reilly.
The visuals of9are consistently stunning, offeringa bold, dismal representation of a lifeless version of Earth.
While Marcel is infectiously optimistic, it is difficult to ignore the dark undertones of the film.
Fortunately, Marcel’s unwavering courage consistently manages to shine through all the darkness.
This should come as no major surprise, though, given the name in the title.
The movie won the Oscar for Best Animated Feature Film in 2023.
The Secret of NIMH follows the courageous journey of a field mouse, Mrs. Brisby, who seeks the aid of a group of secretive, highly intelligent rats to save her home and ill son. Battling various threats and uncovering hidden truths, the film blends adventure and mystery within an intricately animated world.
Perfect Blue is a psychological thriller directed by Satoshi Kon. The film follows Mima Kirigoe, a pop idol who transitions to acting, only to find herself stalked by an obsessive fan and plagued by mental instability. As she grapples with her evolving career and identity, Mima’s sense of reality begins to blur, culminating in a suspenseful and haunting narrative.
Set in 1957 Maine against the backdrop of the Cold War, The Iron Giant follows Hogarth Hughes, a young boy who finds an alien robot crashlanded in the woods outside his hometown. Determining that the robot is friendly, Hogarth quickly becomes its protector against forces in the US Army who wish to use the robot for their own means. Eli Marienthal voices Hogarth, with a further cast that includes Vin Diesel, Jennifer Aniston, Harry Connick Jr., and Christopher McDonald.
Based on Neil Gaiman’s novella, Coraline follows Coraline Jones, a lonely young girl who, after moving to a new house with her inattentive parents, discovers a portal to another, more sinister alternate reality behind one of the house’s many doors. Written and directed by Henry Selick, the film uses stop-motion animation and stars Dakota Fanning as Coraline.
In a post-apocalyptic world, 9 is a computer-animated science fiction film where small sentient ragdolls battle menacing machines. Led by the titular character, voiced by Elijah Wood, they strive to survive and discover the truth about humanity’s downfall. The film features the voices of Jennifer Connelly and John C. Reilly.
ParaNorman is a stop-motion animated movie about a young boy who uses his ability to see and communicate with the dead to save his town from an ancient witch’s curse. The voice cast includes Kodi Smit-McPhee, Anna Kendrick, Casey Affleck, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Leslie Mann, Jodelle Ferland, Bernard Hill, Tucker Albrizzi, and John Goodman.
Marcel the Shell with Shoes On (2021) is a charming mockumentary that follows Marcel, an anthropomorphic seashell voiced by Jenny Slate. Living with his grandmother, Marcel navigates life in a human household, using resourcefulness and wit to tackle everyday challenges. Dean Fleischer-Camp directs this adaptation of the popular web series, expanding the whimsical world of Marcel while maintaining its unique blend of humor and heart.
From director Guillermo del Toro comes Pinocchio, a stop-motion animation reimagining of Carlo Collodi’s original tale, The Adventures of Pinocchio. A darker story than the Disney original, this Pinocchio takes place during the fascist regime in 1930s Italy after the passing of Gepetto’s son, Carlo. When Gepetto’s grief overcomes him, he finally seeks an outlet by creating a wooden boy who comes to life. However, Gepetto’s new wooden son is more of a trickster than a well-behaved boy, as he pranks the people he comes across and tends to lean on the wild side. Pinocchio will struggle to make his father proud and learn what it means to be a real boy while avoiding the pursuit of the film’s main antagonist, Count Volpe.
