The best animated movies you've probably never heard of

Summary

• Independent animated films offer depth and beauty but fight for recognition.

• Mary and Max explore isolation in a unique friendship and captivating with their gloomy charm.

• Animation shows different genres and themes, from lighter comedy to emotional documentaries.

Animated films have been around for generations, and in their time on the screen, they have imprisoned viewers of all ages with fictional stories about alternative universes and explorations of emotions that get much less discourse than they should. The market is dominated by titans such as Disney and Pixar, so it is difficult to be exposed to some of the lesser known productions that have as much quality and care.

The world of independent animated films is a mixed landscape of artistic productions with a deeper importance and masterpiece with lower budget that shows the beauty of the small things. And although Japan has its fair part of classic films, the Western world still has a lot to offer when it comes to animation and animated universe.

Mary and Max

A charming story of friendship and loneliness

Adam Elliot is a craftsman in terms of clay, who has been shown time and time again, and most recently with Memoir of a snail. But even that movie is at the lower end of the recognition scale, and Mary and Max is an even less known movie that still has the same level of charm and beauty as many respected mainstream films.

It chronicles the unconventional friendship that blooms between an eight -year -old Australian girl and a 44 fat man from New York and explores themes about isolation and friendship in a way that few other films have ever tried. The gloomy aesthetics are perfectly parallel to life in the characters and every moment is full of emotions, some good and some bad.

Ruben Brandt, collector

A larger scale

Collector is an exciting thriller that takes many different art styles, such as cubism, which is traditionally reserved for conventional art and animates them in a beautiful hypnotic way that has as much intrigue as it makes beauty. The action follows a psychotherapist and his nightmares involving various works of art and his group of patients who went on a heist to steal each of them.

Adult animation has been around for many years, but this film takes things in a completely different direction, focuses more on psychological themes and deeper subjects within a person's psyche and really deepens the depth of what it means to be human. A hidden gem that many will have missed, but one that is well worth the visit.

The painting

When the art becomes self -conscious

• Date of release: 2011

• Genre: Drama, adventure

• Rating: U.

• Runtime: 76

• Director: Jean-François Laguioni

The painting Is about as French as a movie can get, involving substances in paintings that live and interact with each other, everyone is looking for their creator. The different styles they meet within each painting provide a level of uniqueness to the story, as no two frames are the same, and the world is constantly evolving.

It is a very self-conscious, meta-story that plays with the action in very literal ways and invites viewers to look beyond the canvas at the deeper meanings behind both the film and the art as a whole. The whole story speaks to a broader view of social division and a rejection of authority, condensed to a digestible package that anyone can enjoy.

The last unicorn

Travel to the edge of the earth

An early animated film that still has significant weight today, The last unicorn is a sensitive and emotional story that follows a lone enicorn and their insight that the entire breed has been driven to the earth's edge by the mighty Red Bull, and it is up to them to be the Savior.

The film has a pretty role, with talents like Christopher Lee and Mia Farrow, but it has been mostly held in ambiguity. But for those who meet it and choose to look at, they are greeted with a melancholy world that is not afraid to speak their mind and show that animation can be as free as any other media.

Doogal (The Magic Roundabout)

A magic adaptation that few remember

The magic roundabout Is a classic children's movie that missed the brand when it came to the cash register but which is still a fantastic movie to visit, although the animation style is a bit unconventional sometimes. Zebad is back from his frozen grave, and the Ragtag team of a cow, a rabbit, a dog and a talking train must travel all over the world in search of crystals to save the day.

The film is a carefree journey that is self -conscious of its absurdity and is not afraid to keep things stupid even before the fight. The visual may not be groundbreaking or particularly impressive, but it is the perfect movie for anyone who wants to scrape their itching for nonsense fun.

Song of the Sea

A mixture of supernatural folklore and family dynamics

Song of the Sea is how animated family stories should be, beautiful to combine imagination with reality through a sensitive balance between the supernatural and real problems. Ben and his mute sister Saorese undergo a transformation, both metaphorically and physically in some cases, and intended to free mythical creatures from the evil that plague the world.

The hand -drawn style makes everything feel more intimate and sincere, and following the two children on their adventures gives lots of wonder for younger viewers and as much joy for the older generation. A real exploration of what it means to have a family, despite the differences and mistakes made on the road.

A city named Panic

Raw stop motion with more than a few laughter

A city named Panic is just pure comedy. A wonderfully lighter story that uses difficult staged props to capture the surreal adventure of three plastic toys and the series of increasingly absurd events that follow them along the way. The sets are raw but still charming, and the level of detail that is captured with such a simple strategy is nothing more than remarkable.

The jerky movements, the deliberate inclusion of certain luminaires and the overall childish aesthetics, make the film feel like something straight out of a child's toy box and so much more. This, in combination with deadpan humor and sometimes ridiculous scenarios, makes every moment a pleasure and a movie that viewers giggle for hours after it ends.

Tower

Animation takes on the documentary

Seriously by the documentary format and accessibility of the animated style is combined to give Tower to life. A crown of one of America's first school shooting, the film pays deep respect for those who lost their lives and never deviates too far into abstract by keeping the style realistic but still visually fantastic.

The film deliberately draws attention away from the shooter and focuses on the experiences of those affected, and emphasizes heroism and trauma experienced to deliver an emotional and deeply personal film that shows the power of the animation and the importance of telling these stories.