#stop motion animation my beloved <3

[melonpond]

bro Wendell and Wild had no right being that good of a movie

[sotwk]

Cinder Girl (Fíli x unnamed OC)

Summary: The Crown Prince of Erebor faces the dilemma of losing his heart to a lovely yet humble palace servant.

Word count: 2.4 k

Content: Fluffy, tropey romance and comfort, Durins Live AU, post-BotFA, class division, love confession, Pining Prince Fíli

Rating: General (no warnings apply)

To Read on AO3: Link

Dedication and Inspiration: Thank you to the Anon who inspired this concept long ago by sending me this message! <3

Also for my friend, @guardianofrivendell, a true Fíli aficionado with an incredible repertoire of fics of our beloved Dwarf Prince. You probably don't remember, but this fic fulfills the "Love Confessions" request you made from my Valentine Event in 2023! Better late than never? Welcome back! <3

Cinder Girl 

The Reclaimed Kingdom of Erebor

Third Age 2945

What to do, what to do? The proper thing, of course. The decision should be that simple, and it usually was so for Fíli.  

Except now. Except when it came to her. 

The young dwarf lord tugged on the beaded braid of his mustache and leaned forward in the cushioned bench on which he sat. He made a motion to stand, only to plop back down again with a frustrated grunt. He had been dithering that way for the last ten minutes, at least. 

And he had spent twice as long sitting there, only half ashamed of allowing himself to enjoy the sight that surprised him when he returned to his chambers following a day-long council meeting. 

I am just looking, is all, Fíli reminded himself, desperate to excuse his poor manners. He knew the right thing to do would be to gently wake her, assure her that she was in no trouble, and allow her to discreetly exit the room she should never have been caught in. 

Surely this was a sign. A gift from Mahal himself, to force his stubborn, weak arse into action. Yet there he was again, he who was hailed as the Lion of Erebor, one of the bravest warriors in the kingdom, just sitting there stupidly, staring as he always did, because he could never find neither strength nor courage to do anything else in the presence of this dwarrowdam that stole the very breath from his lungs. 

Even as she lay there on the lush fur rug by the fireplace, in a cozy warmth that likely had lulled her to sleep, her presence paralyzed him. She was that very rare gem, found only once in a generation, exquisite in itself without need for cutting or polishing, or settings of gold, or other fine stones to accompany it. 

"Beyond beautiful," Fíli thought, and his chest filled with both longing and wonderment of how utterly she had ensnared him with so little effort, with such little awareness of the effect she caused.

She had dazzled Fíli the moment she cast her first smile and first spoke his name, and from then on the prince was blind to all others. When she laughed, Fíli finally understood why his brother Kíli constantly acted the fool just to earn that sweet sound from his own lady’s lips.

And so Fíli neglected to mention the titles that accompanied his name, and as a result he was able to enjoy hours of conversations with the newcomer from the Blue Mountains, basking in her uninhibited laughter and open stories and playful touches.

But the ruse would not last even a month. When she finally discovered that the new “friend” who had welcomed her to Erebor was actually King Thorin’s heir, next-in-line to the throne of Durin, an invisible wall rose between them. She never laughed in the same way around him again. She remained friendly and kind, yes, but every action toward him was suddenly restrained by prim courtesy. Their once animated conversations were dampened by measured, cautious responses. Even her beautiful smile was dimmed by a strange sadness, as though the knowledge of his royal identity disappointed her. 

"Please, you don't have to…" he said, when he once tried to stop her from bowing to him as they passed each other in the hall. 

"It is only proper, my lord," she murmured, keeping her lovely eyes lowered to her feet, only doubling Fíli's frustrations. "I bid you a good day, Prince Fíli."

And she hurried away with her cleaning pail in tow, before Fíli could offer to help, before he could muster up the nerve to invite her to dinner, which was why he had come down to the servants’ hall in the first place. All he had succeeded in doing was send the tongues of the palace domestic staff wagging. 

Eventually Fíli's despair grew heavy enough that he sought Balin's counsel, daring not to broach the topic with the one person who could completely relieve him of his fear: that no future was possible between the Heir of Durin and a dwarf not only from a different clan, but without rank or advantages. 

Balin remained silent while Fíli laid out his entire predicament--during the prince’s impassioned speech, and a long while after. Too long, so much that the thoughtful calm Fíli usually admired in his sagacious old cousin only set his teeth on edge.

“I must say this is troubling news to hear indeed,” Balin finally spoke, tugging thoughtfully at his beard.

“Troubling?!” Fíli exclaimed. “How could you already deem it as such when you have not yet met her? What matters her lack of status when she is the sweetest and gentlest soul to ever bless me with her company?! That is, until she decided she could no longer tolerate my presence,” he amended glumly. 

“Calm yourself, boy.” Balin chuckled between sips of his ale. “You have only ever raved this passionately about very few things before, and never about a bonnie lass. For a moment I thought I might actually be speaking to Kíli.”

“That isn't close to either the comfort or counsel I was hoping for, Balin.”

“Harrumph. That is because I have neither of those things for you, lad! What you need is to be slapped back into your senses!” Balin shook a stout finger at the dwarf-prince. “Have you so little knowledge or faith in your Uncle that you could not bring this matter straight to him?”

Fíli drew back, eyebrows lifted in bewilderment. “I thought he would scoff at the frivolity of it, before declaring my desire for her as unsuitable.”

“Because the girl is common?” Balin snorted when Fíli nodded. “It would wound Thorin so deeply to hear this, that I shall not even bother repeating your words to him.” He reached across the dinner table to grip Fíli’s arm. “Your Uncle risked his life, risked everything to take back this Mountain for you, my boy. To give you the future that he felt you deserved. Do you think that future is all about gold?”

Balin smiled and slapped Fíli gently on his slack-jawed face. “It is about choice, and freedom. The freedom to chase whatever dreams you wish. Go and speak to Thorin. It appears there is much he needs to clarify about his expectations of you as the realm’s prince and his heir.” 

Fíli had genuinely intended to heed Balin’s advice to discuss things with his uncle. But after failing to quickly gain an audience with the chronically busy king, he let his nerves conquer him yet again, as he put off pursuing that conversation. And so day after day passed with him stuck in the plight of his own making… leading at last to that evening, when the source of his agony literally lay right before him inside his own chambers, demanding to be dealt with.

The more time passed with him just sitting and staring at the sleeping chambermaid, the longer each minute seemed to stretch, and the more ridiculous Fili felt in his inertness. 

Just when his frustration came to its peak, and he felt unable to tolerate himself any longer, the prince rose quietly and stepped towards the figure on the fur rug. 

A pounding knock barely gave him any warning before his chamber door swung wide open and Kili barreled inside. “Did you not say you were starving, brother? What is taking you so--??”

Kili stopped short, his wide-eyed stare darting between Fili and the lady that had stumbled to her feet, disheveled and disoriented. It was impossible to tell who looked more mortified by his arrival. 

“Have I… am I interrupting something?”

“I am so very sorry, milords!” the maiden blurted out. “I didn't mean to, I---I am so--!” Her ashen face suddenly colored by the violence of her embarrassment, she grabbed her cleaning pail from the hearth. The contents rattled inside the metal bucket, so badly did her hands shake as she gave a hasty curtsy to the royal princes.

“N-no, no wait, please… h-hold on for just a moment--” Fili began, when his tongue finally came unstuck from the roof of his mouth, but it was too late. She rushed across the room and straight out the open door without ever lifting her gaze off the ground. 

“Brother, I am sorry, I didn't know--”

Fili brushed aside the apology and scrambled past Kili to fly out into the hallway. Panic had broken through his earlier paralysis and suddenly he could not move fast enough, his body acting beyond the constraints of his judgment. 

He called after her; the sound of her name and his footsteps chased her down the empty corridor. But to Fili's dismay she did not stop or even slow down, and just as she was about to turn a corner and descend the stairs leading from the palace wing, a desperate shout escaped containment, partially strangled in the tightness of his throat, but still too loud to be ignored. 

“I love you, all right?! I love you!!”

The frantic clatter of the metal pail ceased, and all Fili could hear against the ensuing silence was the roar of his pulse beneath his ears. In several strides, he closed the distance to come before the maiden. She stayed rooted to the spot and motionless, apart from the heaving of her bosom as she chased her breath. 

“This was not how I wanted you to find out.” The calm in his own voice surprised Fili, as did the confidence that drove his words. “But I also do not wish to take it back. Hiding from the truth has gained me nothing but pain.”

“I appreciate your candor, milord, and I regret your pain.” She continued to address him, but her eyes remained firmly lowered towards her hands, white-knuckled in their grip around the pail handle. “But what am I to do with these fine words you offer? How can a peasant be worthy to receive the affections of a prince?”

“Worthy?” Fíli repeated in distaste. “What causes you to believe that you must be worthy to--?”

“You are the future King of Erebor.” She spoke loudly over him, as though she had not heard him at all, or was determined not to. “The blood of Durin the Deathless runs in you! I am just a nobody from a Broadbeam village in the Blue Mountains--” 

“I was born in such a village, same as my father!” Fíli cut her off with matching fervor. “And you are certainly not ‘just a nobody’ to me.”

Something in his words finally reached her, for at last she raised her bowed head ever so slightly, just enough for her gaze to meet his, and the tears that shimmered in her eyes wiped away the last of his hesitation.

“We are not different, ghivashel. Not in any way that matters.”

Her smile that bloomed at that word, one that proclaimed her more precious than any treasure in Erebor, revived a light in him that had gone out in the long weeks of her absence. 

When Fíli reached out to relieve her of the cleaning pail, she did not resist. Grasping her wrist, he rested her open hand upon his. He swept his thumb back and forth all across her palm, over the red scrapes and dirt-streaked calluses that made her all the more beautiful and admirable in his eyes.

“Not long ago, I spent each waking day with my face smeared in soot, my arms and hands burnt from the blaze of forge fires, aching to the bone after hours of back-breaking labor.”

He pushed up his tunic sleeve to show her: the patches of discolored skin from old burns, the countless scars that littered the entire length of his arm, almost to his elbow. 

“But I would always go to bed happy, and proud of my honest living, of the smith that I was.” He shook his head and corrected himself. “The smith that I am. Whatever titles and additional duties I may now carry as a consequence of my inheritance, I am still that same soot-covered dwarf.”

He sealed her hand between his two and lightly kissed the fingertips that peeked out from the cage of his palms.

“All I ask is for a chance to show you that,” he said softly. “With the hope that you might come to love what you see in me. For I have already, absolutely, fallen in love with everything I see in you.”

Her silence filled the entire length of the passageway, all the way up to the high ceilings. Under the crushing weight of its persistence, Fíli’s hope started to falter. But as the fear of his failure to convince her started to creep in, his grip all the more tightened around her hand. He couldn't let go. He did not know how he could ever let her go.

“From the first day we met,” she finally spoke. “I already loved everything I saw in you…Fíli of the Blue Mountains.” She tipped her chin up and squared her shoulders, face set with resolution alongside her gentle smile. “I think that love can bring me the courage I need to let the other side of you, Prince Fíli of Erebor, into my heart as well.” 

Fíli’s entire being swelled with such relief and unbridled joy he thought he might catch flame. His arms found themselves around her waist, drawing her close to his desire to demonstrate the feelings he had restrained for too long.

Alas, a sudden and deafening crash rang through the hall to cut off Fíli’s eager quest.  “Sorry, sorry!” yelped a guilty voice in the shadows.

Fíli groaned, then chuckled, and settled for another chase kiss upon his lady’s hand. 

“Would you care to have dinner with my brother and I?” he asked her, nodding in the direction of the ruckus as Kíli struggled to straighten up the decorative suit of armor he had knocked over. “An unrepentant snoop he may be, but I can assure you he is otherwise harmless and actually quite pleasant company.”

“It sounds like a wonderful start to getting to know the rest of you,” she said, eyes bright from their shared laughter, free of even a speck of her earlier doubts. “Because I very much would like to know everything, Fíli. To discover and delight in every wonderful bit of you.”

“And you shall have that,” Fíli vowed, brushing his thumb over the curve of her cheek, over an ashy mark of the fireplace cinders that had brought her back to him. “You already do have me, but I shall also endeavor to give the whole world to make you happy.”

“You are already the whole world,” she declared, and rose on her toes to do what he could not, sealing their confessions with a sound kiss.

For more SotWK Fanfiction: Fanfiction Masterlist

Other useful links:

Introduction to SotWK

Headcanon Masterlist

[mulders-too-large-shirt]

s2 episode 10 thoughts

woohoo! this episode has "museum" in the title and i love museums! but it also talks about cults in the description and i'm less keen on those

update: there were no real museums :( i feel lied to and cheated

we open on some cows. i was admiring their cuteness and their wonderful sounds by writing "moo" in my notes before we get a JUMPSCARE to a beef processing plant which. augh. unpleasant. i do not care for meat related story lines.

we see this woman working at the processing facility and she comes home to her kids and no husband in sight (a single mom who works two jobs, who loves her kids and never stops, iktr)

and she's getting in the shower but we see some fellow with glasses is WATCHING her. the question is from where and how?!? oh very creepy!!!

then the older brother leaves and we find him in the morning stripped to his underwear in the woods and whimpering. and his back is covered in writing.

so naturally my first thought was "what does this have to do with the meat? or did they just jumpscare me with unrelated meat imagery?"

(we later learn that it is, in fact, related. but this all happened before the title sequence even aired, so i was a little suspicious!)

cut to our beloved duo. mulder says this waking up in the woods with writing on the back and no memory thing has happened to a bunch of other kids. and scully's like "but why does this interest you?" and he says the sheriff claims they're being possessed which does seem up his alley

they're in the car with the sheriff and mulder was a gentleman and let scully sit in the front <3 he said my queen, you have endured so much, and motion sickness shall not be one of your troubles

at this point i realized the earlier meat scenes WERE related because the sheriff is introducing this new religious cult, who are vegetarians and bought a ton of cows to keep as pets. cows are cute but a bit large for pets in my opinion.

next they SHARE AN UMBRELLA on the way to the church's sermon thingy

okay so the leader is typing while someone reads his words which is certainly a presentation style. they all wear red turbans. and scully says she doesn't think they seem like the type to get involved in all this. she wanted them to be innocent so she could pet their cows. i'm onto you.

mulder hears a few lines of their chanting and says that these are "walk-ins'', which means the people think enlightened beings are controlling their bodies. okay theological king!

they go to talk to the boy who was in the woods in his underwear and man. we get this shot of mulder in the back. and his coat. is so comically large. i had to pause. take a deep breath. and remember the origins of my url.

the teenager says he thinks he was maybe possessed by an animal spirit or something, he doesn't know, and scully's sleuthing around the house when she discovers a child (the teenager's brother) and they are having a chat (again how much of this work involves talking to children) but SOMEONE is WATCHING THEM and it is CREEPY!!

cutscene to the pair eating ribs together and scully has sauce on her face and mulder wipes it off for her. and i squeaked. a squeak emerged from my body. look what they've driven me to. i am a woman with dignity squeaking over a rib date.

and why did they both look so good? but i was especially admiring mulder, in his silly little rib eating fit, explain the cult's reasoning behind a new spirit taking over the bodies of those who lost hope. i was embarrassed at myself for how attractive i found him. but then i remembered there are a lot of people who have probably been in a similar situation. so thank u for following this blog so i feel less alone in that manner.

oh nooo a bunch of kids are being mean to one of the church members on the side of the road... mulder gets up to intervene and tells them to gtfo (we love a man that stands for morals and justice)

the lead bully is ANGRY and sees scully come out and says "why don't you run along with the little wife" in her direction which is exactly what i have been saying but no one listens to me.

(neither of them seem to care that this happened which makes me think it's not the first time such words have been tossed in their direction)

and he's all "my father will hear about this" because the girl notices scully has a gun and gasp. he's the sheriff's son! so mulder's like "yeah i think he WOULD like to know about this" and they beat it

there's a moment where scully says it's hard to know who is in the wrong without having a scorecard, implying that keeping up with small town drama is impossible, and mulder is gazing at her. like GAZING at her. i think he heard the wife suggestion and was seriously mulling it over.

then the sheriff's son is making out with this girl for a time i considered far too long. but she goes back to where she lives and she sees a dog! a very cute dog! she appears to know this dog and goes to visit when BAM! dog-related kidnapping occurs :(

she ends up down to her underwear in the woods and she's hallucinating a giant crow eating her and also being swarmed with bugs which seems deeply unpleasant

scully does a check up on her because she is a DOCTOR and you had best not forget it! she seems fine... except... weird chemical in blood... a chemical you'd need to be some sort of doctor to know about... and we see the cult leader used to be a doctor before getting kicked out of the doctor world... it's not looking great for him

they pay him a visit but he won't let them enter his place because they will defile the sacredness of the space with their meat-eating aura. and then all of the members of the church swarm our duo's car and OHH it was creepy. but they manage to bring him into the station for questioning.

they're trying to ask him about the weird chemicals and he's going on about the injustice of eating cows and at this point the sheriff starts screaming at the guy. and mulder has to escort the sheriff out and tell him to be normal.

he says something about the guy starting a lot of trouble for being a holy man and i was thinking to myself. famously holy men DO cause a lot of trouble. this is perfectly on brand.

so then the rest of the church members were protesting outside of the bbq restaurant where our besties recently ate. and the sheriff's son comes out and throws COW BLOOD on them. he took his notes from carrie i see. the sheriff is PISSED and wrangles him up.

while all of this is going down, a strange man is beckoning to scully. and i am of the opinion that strange men beckoning to women should be avoided, but this is what separates me from the fbi agents of the world, because she goes over and he says he wants to show them something

at this point, the score to the show was going hard. i was jamming out. it was really getting dramatic as they rode over to some place and then got out of the car.

this strange man is talking about how he used to own this land, but he sold it and got rich, and he's saying that the new people inject the cows with stuff. i felt as if this episode was trying to make me a lil vegan.

scully's talking about how growth hormone is safe but the guy is not buying whatever the government has to say on the subject. and yeah like scully the government did just take you for a while so maybe they're actually lying? who knows. she went to med school and i didn't. frankly i don't want anything extra in my cow

we see the glasses of the man who was watching them earlier doing some cow injections! the amount of red flags here is staggering...

at this point, our regularly scheduled plot is interrupted by an excellent (and by that, of course, i mean entirely unrealistic) CGI helicopter crash that had be yelling at the screen. i LOVE 90's CGI it always fills me with whimsy. like sorry i know this was a serious scene but it looked funny and i laughed!!!

the two people on the helicopter are dead, and one of them was a doctor, who was found with a briefcase full of cash and a mysterious liquid... hmm..

mulder enters the room. "scully? you're not gonna believe this"

YESSSS! he said the LINE! i had seen it meme'd into my vocabulary far before i had ever decided to watch this show, or even had any idea what it was referring to. i would just mumble "scully, you're never gonna believe this" to myself whenever i learned any surprising information. for at least the last 5 years or so. so this felt very full circle to me. he did it.

he also proceeds to say something that scully can, in fact believe, because she already figured it out herself

so here's the situation: the doctor was treating a bunch of kids, including all of those who had gone into a frenzy in the woods. but what is the through-line here...?

we see glasses man again and then a RANDOM FARMER IS SHOT DEAD!

they go back to the house of the mom and the kids, and she's like yeah my son was getting vitamin shots from that guy. man i hate to tell you but i think there was more than vitamins in those shots. but mulder is... distracted by something.

there's a light coming from the bathroom mirror and he realizes there's something behind it. so he wraps his hand up and PUNCHES IT (bad luck be upon him for 7 years)

he finds what he refers to as a "private little movie studio" with a running camera and a TON of vhs tapes... nasty!!! not good!!!

cutscene to the sheriff's son, who has undergone a kidnapping and has not woken up! sheriff is naturally in deep distress. it turns out that he was actually murdered.

the car of our duo passes that of the gunman who shot that random farmer and scully realizes she knows that face... and i'm thinking that it did not look familiar at all. maybe it's someone she went to school with?

mulder is interrogating the video man, and he's getting real rough with him. he smacks him on the head, which is justified considering he was filming people in their home, but i do worry that mulder's interrogation violence will someday get him fired. the dude swears up and down that he did NOT kill them, but he did do the kidnapping and writing, because the doctor was experimenting on those kids and turning them into "monsters"

scully makes a connection... the gunman she saw before... was the FELLOW THAT KILLED DEEP THROAT???!!!! she has to excuse herself from the room at this revelation

mulder is deep in interrogation mode and the glasses slash video guy is saying that the doctor paid people- himself included- to inject the cows with a mystery substance, and that he must have been doing it to the kids he was treating as well

scully's back in the room and her and mulder are so close. so close. there is no reason for them to be that close. but here they are.

she says the stuff in the bottle was unidentifiable. that's actually not what she says, she said something about the number of proteins it had, and that means nothing to me but mulder goes OFF. he takes her outside the room and starts yelling at her about this meaning something.

here, at this moment, is where i realize what was happening: deep throat had mentioned to scully how they were dealing with people so cruel that they injected alien dna into kids. and i was putting 2 and 2 together JUST AS our main characters were. which honestly i feel like i should have picked up on that earlier but i hone in on character details and not alien details so sue me.

anyway mulder is absolutely gagged. he's yelling about "deep throat dying for this", and scully looks super super scared. he tells her to head out and that he wants this gunman taken alive

next we see him knock on the door of the... cult leader?!?! yes, you heard me right! mulder explains that he KNOWS it might offend this dude's religion, but he needs help. and so all of the kids and the families involved with the secret alien injection are taken to the barn where these people worship. tensions are boiling.

scully asks the sheriff where mulder is and he says that he left because he thought he knew where the gunman was. and this was not part of the plan, the splitting up and going to an undisclosed location! but i can imagine that this was deeply personal for him on the levels of 1. having lost deep thoat 2. having lost his sister and requesting any information pertaining to aliens and 3. these were the folks that kidnapped him at the end of s1 so. he had some scores to settle.

he goes to the beef processing plant, where he finds a TON of gasoline poured all over the floor. now, if i were mulder, being both deathly afraid of fire and also generally concerned with my life, i would have gotten tf out of there. but i am not mulder, and he keeps going on his quest to find this man.

gunman launches a sneak attack from behind a cow. which is not a bad place for a dramatic stakeout/fight scene but boy i'd hate to be there irl. and things are looking tough for mulder, who gets off his feet, only to be locked inside the building while this dude gets his lighter. he's about to drop it when...

scully walks in! with backup! she's got her gun pointed at him and he's wavering but the sheriff shoots him like 800 times. because he was the one that must have killed his son, so it was deeply personal. he's crying while doing this.

mulder stands over his body so sadly, knowing that he will never get the information he wants

scully concludes the episode by writing her case report, talking about how the kids who were infected have started getting sick. none of the kids from the church were infected, so it seems they were a control group. so in that case, the cult leader would have to have been in on this whole thing! oh, it's dramatic

but wait! if our duo had so recently eaten the infected meat, does that mean they are susceptible to aliens in their blood? and who knows who else ate the meat that was shipped out all around the country! aliens could be running rampant!

(i don't think that is actually the case- i'd have to imagine eating alien protein once is a lot different than getting it injected in you regularly for your whole life. but still. could complicate an already complicated situation. i mean, they've already endured evil cocoon bugs, exposure to that fungal virus, scully's coma... their doctors must be baffled at their medical history)

anyway, pretty good episode! i wish i could explain the joy that crossed my face when he said the line. and when they had a little rib date. oh man i needed that. that was good for me. i'll pass on meat imagery, like always, but it was interesting how they built this episode out of that one line in the s1 finale- or that they had planned it that way from the start. i didn't think we'd ever see what that whole process looked like! and it's good to get more info on our late friend deep throat. i still don't fully believe he's dead. you have to keep some suspicions on these things in sci fi.

[spotsandsocks]

Favorite fantasy movie or tv show? 💜

How can I choose!!! I can but so here’s a list of most beloved fantasy films

Willow is a classic can always watch that

Labyrinth - weird but wonderful (not dark crystal too scary not never ending story too sad )

Lots of

The rings 1 &3 not so keen on 3

Clash of the titans - the old one a classic if my youth and all the old Stop motion ones! Brilliant

Not a movie but dungeons and dragons the cartoon series - 😍

New she ra cartoon

Gargoyles - I’m a animation fan what can u say

Thanks for asking 🥰

[kylesvariouslistsandstuff]

Golden Globe animated movie nominations are in. Sometimes they surprise, sometimes they baffle... Sometimes BOTH...

THE BOY AND THE HERON

ELEMENTAL

SPIDER-MAN: ACROSS THE SPIDER-VERSE

THE SUPER MARIO BROS. MOVIE

SUZUME

WISH

All I'll say is, some of these choices are quite safe, and not as beloved as others. Surely NIMONA and TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES: MUTANT MAYHEM should've had slots, no? The Globes are a totally different world, one with a weird history... And sometimes their nomination choices in animated features, and other categories, reflects that. I will say that it's nice that another anime movie that isn't Ghibli got some love here. I myself found SUZUME to be a pretty solid picture, and it's neat to see it - and anything by Makoto Shinkai, really - get some recognition.

And sometimes, the nominations give us a good idea of what the Oscars will nominate.

For the Oscars, my predictions are still...

THE BOY AND THE HERON - Miyazaki, critically acclaimed, easy nomination.

CHICKEN RUN 2: DAWN OF THE NUGGET - The first film is more or less why there's even a Best Animated Feature category to begin with. DreamWorks aggressively campaigned for the film to get a Best Picture nomination, and Aardman more often than not gets nod for a stop-motion movie. Only exception was EARLY MAN, which few people saw or heard of.

NIMONA - Critical darling, infamous as the queer movie that big bad Disney scrapped. Plus, it's fairly progressive. The Oscars sometimes like movies like that, because Hollywood loves to look progressive. (When they're far from it, but that's another story.)

SPIDER-MAN: ACROSS THE SPIDER-VERSE - Obvious reasons.

TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES: MUTANT MAYHEM - Another critically-acclaimed film, bold art style and animation choices.

I'd be surprised if SUPER MARIO BROS., even though it was this year's biggest animated movie, gets nominated. The critical reception for it was so-so, and it could have a LEGO MOVIE effect where those who are nominating see it as a commercial or something. (Or whatever weird reason the animation branch didn't nominate LEGO MOVIE for Best Animated Feature of 2014.) ELEMENTAL and WISH were not critical darlings, though the former did have fantastic legs and staying power. Still, I see both of them sitting this race out. The last time Disney was left out of the race altogether was for the animated movies of 2011, their offerings that year were a CARS sequel most people disliked and a WINNIE THE POOH movie that no one even saw to begin with. DreamWorks I don't think has much of a shot, either. None of the TROLLS movies ever got nomm'ed and they never get glowing critical reception, RUBY GILLMAN, TEENAGE KRAKEN was straight up dumped. Do most people even know it exists?

The wild card, I feel, is actually MUTANT MAYHEM. I feel many are overlooking it. But the Academy could be weird about yet another TMNT movie and subsequently pass on it, and go for a safer choice. But at the same time, it was a small sleeper hit and one of the better-received animated movies of the year. It was kinda lowkey how it just showed up, and then took people by surprise. I know I absolutely dug it and put up there with my favorites of the year. I remember some people even remarking that they liked it better than ACROSS THE SPIDER-VERSE. But I have it in my predictions because... Again... ELEMENTAL, WISH, TROLLS 3, RUBY GILLMAN, MARIO, what else is there really? Does MIGRATION surprise us all? Illumination sometimes gets a nom, and MIGRATION - being from acclaimed French director Benjamin Renner, whose ERNEST & CELESTINE was nominated in its US release year - could be it. Coincidentally, we got an ERNEST & CELESTINE sequel this year... Which could also possibly get the nom if MUTANT MAYHEM doesn't?

I'm gonna say that slot is a three-way fight between MUTANT MAYHEM, MIGRATION, and ERNEST & CELESTINE 2. I feel the other four are secure...

But we shall see... Not that the awards really mean anything in the long run, it's just fun to track. Like watching a race or something, it's not life-or-death, just something fun.

[cosmic-navel-gazin]

YOU

Question 3 and 5 for the movie ask 👀

3.What is a film you absolutely despise and why?

Oh man I think The Lion King 2019 (and all those disney """live-action""" remakes in general). Some are more egregious than others but god like, just the staggering soulless, corporate, intellectually and emotionally lazy aura of them. They smell like bleach and plastic to me.

so many things to despise :D LIKE

the fact that so many extremely talented artists and workers in general whose creativity and talent and passion is being wasted on these things hurts my bones and crushes my soul

the fact that this thing is so blatantly a 'product' meant to be consumed once and then forgotten about

the no imagination or attemps at doing new and different things and when they are trying to do improvements or something new they show how they fundamentally don't understand what makes the originals work and what made them so beloved in the first placed

how manipulative it is, the unabashed exploitation of people's nostalgia and love of the original

the way a company plagiarizes itself like a greedy ouroboros

the way it wants to piggy-back off the hard work of the original while also wanting to replacing it

the way these things help perpetuate that 2d animation is old and outdated and for kids, while this new gritty no colour, no heart, no soul, no emotion, no sincerity, no vulnerability, no rawness, live action remake is much more mature and ´real´ and waaaaayyyyy better I mean who needs characters to act and emote when we can render all these fur textures…

It's just insulting to me and the entire human race overall

one of the only good things about it is YMS's review on it:

that and that their existence makes me appreciate the originals way more.

5. What is your favorite genre of film?

Aaaarghhhhh I don't know if I can choose, it's like choosing which one of your children is your favourite, it's evil to choose!

But here's some I'm genres I'm weak for: psychological horror, character studies, sci-fi, intimate small scale conflicts that are a microcosm of a larger more general and timeless conflict, dark comedy, historical periods!!!, fantasy and mythology, all sorts of animation but especially the crazy experimental ones (claymation and stop-motion for example), and just weird stuff in general

And I really like a film that can juggle polar opposite genres/emotions like a comedy/horror or comedy/tragedy in a way that enhances the whole thing and not subtract from it, it's one of the toughest things but oh that's the good shit right there when it's done right like:

A Field In England 2013

The Banshees of Inisherin 2022

Dogtooth 2009

Parasite 2019

or Coen Brothers' films

[saintvalentinex]

7 Comfort Movies

so I was tagged by one bestie of all time @wretcheddthing and man I can’t wait for you to judge me on these

1. The Nightmare Before Christmas

This movie is number one because it’s quite literally when I gained sentience. It’s my first true memory. My dad came home from Blockbuster and held the VHS up in his hands for little 3 year old me to see, and told me he got it just for us. Jack truly has become a father figure to me over the years and he makes me cry from how much I love him. Plus Henry Selleck and stop motion animation my fucking beloved.

2. Sinister

Okay I can explain. This was one of the first horror movies I genuinely enjoyed when it came out and it still holds up. I love it and I’ll defend it with my life. It’s got good jump scares, and the married couple remind me so much of the Torrance’s from the Shining if they actually loved each other. It’s heartbreaking. And sphookie.

3. Howl’s Moving Castle

This stupid wizard gave me so much gender euphoria as a kid for real. That and it always made me hope one day I’d go on a grand adventure like this, before realising life can be what I make it. I’d say so far it’s going the way I want it to.

4. The Magnificent Seven (2016)

I’m always a slut for a team of people who really fucking shouldn’t get along who end up being a found family fighting side by side against all odds. That, and I’m very happy to see someone who’s mental health trauma reaction is almost like mine. Idk. Makes my little brain go brr and do a little dance. Anyway, I love westerns and this is a very good film because I said so.

5. Before Sunrise

Get fucked I love this movie KSNSKSKSK 🤍 I’m a sucker for romance movies where you never know if they’re going to get back together, and both characters are so fucking interesting.

6. The Woman in Black

Oh look another horror film on here! I really loved the book growing up and I enjoyed the different yet still very heartbreaking approach they took with the film. Like sinister, the scares still hold up and it’s very sphookie. But also prepare to get your heart ripped out.

7. Midnight Mass

I know I’m cheating on this one, but I don’t watch a whole lot of “comfort films”. They rarely get to me like tv series do, and this one deserves to be on this list. Exploring how the divine can be a monster if you let it, mental health issues and religious trauma… chefs kiss. If you somehow have missed this Netflix series, I highly highly implore you to check it out.

And now I shall tag! @whitefoxes @somethingscarlet13 @vexchief iiiii don’t have a whole lot of people to tag so if you wanna do this feel free to ?

[go-go-devil]

✨Asks For Animation Enthusiasts✨

I haven’t really come across an ask post made strictly for animated media, so I decided to make my own! Hopefully I was able to cover enough ground with all of these questions

1) What were some of the animated films and shows that helped the most with shaping you into the person you are today?

2) When was the exact moment when you realized just how much you admire animation as an art form unique from other media?

3) Name one cartoon you never grew up with but felt that you would’ve LOVED as a kid!

4) Do you prefer watching feature length films or short films?

5) What is your favorite animated feature film?

6) What is your favorite animated short film?

7) Tell us about your favorite cartoon series

8) What was the first adult animation you’ve seen?

9) When did you start actively looking through the history of this art form from its conception? How much did you learn after taking this journey, and how much more do you feel you still need to learn?

10) When did you first discover anime?

11) Do you feel that anime is very distinct from western animation?

12) What is the darkest piece of animation you’ve ever seen?

13) Name some of your favorite animators and why you fell in love with their style

14) Describe your feelings on Disney’s animated film catalogue (and/or Pixar as a separate studio and as a conglomerate of the Disney corporation)

15) Describe your feelings on Studio Ghibli’s filmography

16) Are there any animated films that you think deserve to be in the Criterion Collection? What is your overall opinion on their current collection of animated features?

17) Why do you think animation is still largely seen as being “more geared toward children” compared to live action despite there being many beloved works of mature animation?

18) How do you feel about adult animated films having to compete with family friendly animated films at the Oscars? Do you think both age ranges should be separated?

19) Have YOU ever made an animation before? If so, what was it about and what did you learn about the medium while making it? If not, would you want to try to make one in the future?

20) If you’re an animator, summarize what it is like for you to animate and how you were able to develop your own style

21) How much has the medium of animation changed as you’ve grown older? Is there any era of it that you are most nostalgic for?

22) What is your favorite style of animation (hand drawn, computer generated, stop-motion, etc.)?

23) What are your thoughts on independent animators on the internet? How much has it changed since the 2000′s (or 90′s if you were around for that era)?

24) Name some of your favorite animation in video games

25) Name a live-action movie you think would have been significantly improved if it had been fully-animated

26) What was the weirdest piece of animation you’ve ever seen?

27) Talk about your greatest animated guilty pleasure

28) Tell us about your DREAM film/show: an animation that doesn’t exist but you really really want it to :-)

And finally...

Bonus: Gush over a work of animation that you find highly underrated!

[emmacornell]

What is your favorite animation style and why? :3

OH MY GOD HOW DO I PICK THERES SO MANY

also this got so long i’mma put a readmore here 😹

It’s actually easier to say what animation style I DON’T like.

Motion tweening.

I cannot STAND motion tweening on most days and it’s mostly because a lot of furry art became over saturated with it and because a lot of people are real lazy with it?? Like some people attempt motion tweening art and they don’t put in the extra work to build their in between frames or clean up their transitions or just make sure the body parts aren’t clipping through anything c’mon if your gonna animate put in the work to make it not an eye crime.

Now when motion tweening animation is done right it can look great! I’ve seen some motion tweening animation that looks almost comparable to hand drawn animation! You can still pickout the mechanical squash and stretch motion tweening does but that can be masked better when you actually put in the work.

In my opinion motion tweening is best meant for subtle or background animation. Like falling leaves or that shoulder movement meant to simulate breathing that Live2D used to oversaturate their marketing with 😹

I guess if I really had to choose a favorite I’d pick traditional hand drawn animation but especially the style that blends 2D on 3D environments! Think those super late 90s early 00s animated movies like Treasure Planet and Spirit: Stallion of the Cimmaron. I miss this style of animation cause it felt so unique seeing standard cartoon figures suddenly zoom out to a sweeping shot of this elaborate stage with all these parts moving independently and with such depth it makes a nice mouth feel for the eyes.

Stop motion is also pretty near and dear to my heart for the genuine dedication you have to have for this craft and the time you spend on it to get everything just right 👌🏾👌🏾 Like I’m always down to watch Coraline or Chicken Run or Paranorman or Kubo or Isle of Dogs

Also this style of using 2D effects on 3D models and environments has me losing my mind over how GORGEOUS it is Into the Spiderverse my absolute BELOVED like I deadass saw that in theaters three times because it is so BEAUTIFUL on the big screen trust and believe I’m going to se the sequel in theaters even if theaters in a post pandemic era still scares me

Rubberhose animation is good of course but very few that try to emulate it truly put in the work for it. Rubberhose is supposed to be all wiggly and bouncy but some that try to emulate it only go as far as extreme squash and stretch. Cuphead actually GETS it and the work they put into that game’s animations paid off. (I know Bendy and the Ink Machine has some tiny animations too but eh)

Lord this post is long 😹 I’ll finish by saying CGI can be great but too many sources focus on the high fidelty of the graphics and less the quality of the animation. I don’t care if you can see the character’s pores or the individual strands of their hair and I don’t want animation to be indistinguishable from Live Action I wanna watch the silly cartoon men. Hotel Transylvania is so pleasing to the eyes in how it manages to emulate 2D squash and stretch with 3D models and the extra work the animators put in to sculpt those additional models for the inbetween frames to create the squash and stretch we expect from cartoons is big brain.

I can and will talk forever about animation I didn’t even get to named styles like Don Bluth or Genndy Tartakovsky or Ghibli or Studio Trigger 😹😹

[07734-143]

I've haven't seriously animated in months and I can still make a decent fluid motion and make it look natural (the one's I've posted on here were worked on for 1 to 3 days max so I don't count those)

But I stop drawing for a week and suddenly I can't draw anything right (animation depends on how well I can draw so where in the world is the logic in that?????)

Hands, my beloved 💕

Where did you go (╥﹏╥)

[g30citiesexe]

rrranking the dhmis tv episodes. 

BREAKING NEWS i like them all in some way. like obvs they’re all so well made

6: family

ok so i had friendship here on my list but i changed my mind. srry ep 3 u rank the last. i loved the creepy factors in the episode (the inherent wrongness of the characters in this grimy, realistic setting), the social commentary was great but! it just didn’t do it for me like the others! maybe because its a narrative we’ve seen before (yellow guy getting lured into a group with nonsensical rules) in the web show! still pretty good but not. amazing. 5: friendship. this one was hilarious. i liked the banter between the trio in this one and the jokes did land for me. warren is obvs a little freak but it goes well with the message about toxic friends they wanted to put out. animation changes my beloved!!! some people say the trio fighting at the end was like. bad but i didnt mind it. i found darkly comedic in a way. 4: jobs

this was a great opener to the show! the themes and characters were established so well. i loved the commentary in this one. the songs were great. comedy was funny. animated scene was great! overall just a really fun episode.

3: transport

the concept of just having 3 characters in a car sounds like. kind of boring but gosh darn does dhmis make it work! a lot of the jokes land well, the performances are good especially near the end and the “lore” actually begins to develop here!

2: electricity

this one is flat out genius. ending the show in true dhmis fashion, giving the audience more questions than answers. there’s only 1 song in this episode but damn is it catchy! the plot with the house levels was rlly interesting. also gay people. 1: death

this had the best opening line ngl. this episode is perfectly dark and comedic at the same time. justice for stain edwards by the way. there was so many good animation shifts in this one (stop motion for the coffin assembling itself! claymation!) and it was just really wild and fun.

[themovieblogonline]

Books That Became Films: The Blockbusters

The film industry never runs out of inspiration, especially when it comes to children’s adventures. Many of your favorite movies started as beloved books, each with its own unique charm. Here are some iconic books that became films. - The BFG (1989) Giants don’t have to be scary, and one little girl is determined to prove it. Roald Dahl’s 1982 classic, The BFG (The Big Friendly Giant), has been a fan favorite for decades. The story has been adapted into a 1989 animated film, a 2016 Disney live-action movie, and a stage play that debuted at Wimbledon Stadium in 1991.   - Charlotte’s Web (1973 E. B. White created literary magic with Charlotte’s Web, a touching tale of friendship between a spider and a pig whose life is at risk. The book was first adapted into a film in 1973 and later in 2006. In the same year, a live-action adaptation hit the screens, and a video game was released. The story also inspired a musical that premiered at Opera Delaware in 1989.   3. How To Train Your Dragon (2010) Cressida Cowell’s series about Viking children and their dragons became an instant hit. DreamWorks recognized the potential and developed a full-fledged How to Train Your Dragon franchise, with three movies already in the can. The story of Hiccup and Toothless continues to captivate audiences worldwide.   - Madeline Lost In Paris (1999) One of my all-time favorites, Madeline: Lost in Paris, is an underrated masterpiece. Based on the beloved children’s books by Ludwig Bemelmans, this film follows a group of girls studying at a Catholic school in Paris. It’s a heartwarming, emotional tale that has spawned movies, video games, toys, and more. The beautiful graphics and touching storyline make this television film a must-watch. - Coraline (2009) Would you trade your eyes for buttons to have a perfect life? Neil Gaiman’s fantasy-horror novel Coraline captured the imaginations of both kids and adults. The story was brought to life in a 2009 stop-motion animated film, followed by a 2018 opera and a 2005 musical. There’s even a video game that lets you explore Coraline’s eerie world. - Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs (2009) In a world where food falls from the sky, anything can happen. Judi Barrett’s quirky book Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs has spawned three books and two animated films released by Sony Pictures in 2009 and 2013. The whimsical concept is sure to bring a smile to your face.     - Pinocchio (1940) The tale of a wooden boy whose nose grows when he lies is a timeless classic. The Adventures of Pinocchio by Carlo Collodi has been adapted into numerous live-action and animated films, including the iconic 1940 Disney movie. From stage plays to video games, Pinocchio’s journey from puppet to real boy remains one of the most beloved stories in children’s literature.   - Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009) At this point, we're all convinced how great a Roald Dahl adaptation can be. With several of his classics turned into iconic films, this one is no exception. A sly fox wanting to survive with his cunning instincts, that’s Fantastic Mr. Fox by Roald Dahl. Published in 1970, it has been adapted into a 2009 stop-motion film, as well as a 2019 opera, that won the 2020 Grammy Award for Best Opera.  - The Grinch (2018) Dr. Seuss’s mischievous, Christmas-hating Grinch has been the subject of many adaptations, including the 2018 animated feature and a 2007 San Diego musical. The Grinch’s journey from heartless recluse to holiday hero is a festive favorite.     - Peter Pan (1988) Peter Pan, the boy who never grows up, is a creation of J. M. Barrie. His adventures in Neverland have sparked the imagination of countless children and have been adapted into numerous films, including the 1953 Disney classic and live-action movies in 1988 and 2003. Peter’s escapades with Wendy, Captain Hook, and the Lost Boys remain a fantasy at its finest. Whether you prefer reading the original books or watching the film adaptations, these timeless books that became films offer something for everyone. Who knows? They might just become your new favorites. Read the full article

[mariamga2024mi4017]

Presentation - Groups

02/07/2024

For the semester 2 group movie presentation, these are my group members!

Minuthi

Thameena

Maria (Me :D)

This is a list of the classes we will be having for future references.

Today we will have to get into our assigned groups and figure out are movie choice for analysis/brainstorm session.

Q What should we brainstorm about?

comparative analysis of a film and its source text.

Avoid picking a film that is made in the same country and during a short year apart.

2 texts and do a brainstorming session on films we have watched.

e.g. Matilda the book vs the movie, Alice in Wonderland versions, live-action Disney films, and the animated ones, check the brief.

Form and content (Content fills into the form) - original form? new form? How has the story changed? flexibility?

cross-examine the plot synopsis

Brainstorming session with Thamee and Minuthi -

Movie list -

Jurassic Park

Coraline

Chronicles of Narnia

Harry Potter

Roald Dahl's books - Matilda, Charlie, and the Chocolate Factory, Fantastic Mr. Fox, The BFG, James and the giant peach.

We created a brainstorming board on Miro to write down our ideas!

The link is down below!

My research -

These are the links to the articles I came across for the research!

Differences between the Coraline Novel and the film

2. Coraline Themes

3. Coraline Summery

Minuthi's research -

Thameena's Research -

Over look at our Mind Mapping!

Irushi's feedback from our group one-on-one session!

......

[kylesvariouslistsandstuff]

CORALINE's 15th anniversary re-issue is continuing to do pretty great, as more showtimes are being added by popular demand. Other territories are getting this, too. The re-issue looks to make over $30m in North America by the time it wraps up its run. For context, on its original run, it made $75m domestically. That's fantastic.

And I feel that this re-issue did so well and not so much the SHREK 2 and LION KING ones because... Everybody and their brother I think has seen both of those movies in cinemas. SHREK 2, released back in 2004, used to be the long-time record-holder for highest grossing animated movie both domestically *and* worldwide. Worldwide it was dethroned in 2010 by TOY STORY 3, and domestically in 2016 by FINDING DORY. LION KING was a long-time record-holder, too. Released in 1994, made $768m-ish back then, and was surpassed by FINDING NEMO domestically and worldwide in 2003.

LION KING was re-issued a number of times, too, adding to its overall gross. There was the 2002 "Special Edition" IMAX-only re-release, and then a 3D re-release in 2011. The 3D re-release took in a whopping $91m domestically and $186m worldwide. Now add in this year's brief re-issue, it currently sits a little under a billion worldwide in gross money. Adjusted, it's like lightyears above and away.

SHREK 2 never saw a theatrical re-issue, at least in the states, except for the most recent one. Again, I think it making less than $5m this year boils down to "so many people already saw it in theaters". Its performance was probably similar to that of a Fathom Events re-issue of a classic movie.

CORALINE, by contrast, did alright in early 2009. $75m here, $124m everywhere, against a $60m budget. Probably not a great total, but LAIKA is owned by a nepo baby, so they got to keep making features. Every movie since then technically kinda lost money, but again, they get to keep making these movies... So this re-issue was a chance for people who missed it to see it in theaters, along with people who saw it on DVD as kids. I think the horror elements really work in its favor, too. With SHREK 2 and LION KING, it's kinda like "oh, those are back in theaters, huh?" With CORALINE? At my cinema job, I noticed lots of groups, teens, etc. Those who likely - again - saw it on DVD as kids and were terrified, haha. That was like gateway kid-friendly horror.

Not even Henry Selick's other beloved movie, THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS, could do that kinda business last fall. That's been theatrically re-issued a gazillion times, too. That movie by no means flopped or anything back in 1993, it did decently, better than most animated movies not made by Disney Animation back then. It was a good few clicks above, say, FERNGULLY at the time. I would argue, having lived it, that NIGHTMARE really inched into the mainstream in the early-to-mid 2000s. After the DVD was released. It practically became synonymous with Hot Topic if INVADER ZIM already wasn't, the characters and world appeared in KINGDOM HEARTS, more parks stuff came about. With how ubiquitous it is now, you'd think it was the size of ALADDIN and THE LION KING on first release back in '93, but no. That's one that grew over time, too.

And to have two pictures like to your name, that's pretty solid I'd say. Not even the stop-motion films Tim Burton actually directed, and not a picture that he had a large role in like NIGHTMARE, had that kind of longevity I'd argue. CORPSE BRIDE has its fans, and FRANKENWEENIE's a hidden gem, but I don't see them having the same status as NIGHTMARE and CORALINE. Those two are something else.

Makes me wonder what'll happen if they do a re-release of PARANORMAN, or another LAIKA picture. If it'd do impressively well in the re-issue.

CORALINE's lifetime gross is $161m+ worldwide, as of now.

[dekaja]

top 5 movie genres!

heehee thank u!!

5. noir or neo-noir

i love noir film especially as it pertains to general film history!! so much of it is dependent upon place and i loooove stories where the setting is a character in itself.

4. experimental

this is, like, very broad and up to interpretation but it's a specific corner in my brain haha. it ends up applying a lot to animated film, in fact—phil tippett's mad god in 2021 or this WONDERFUL 1986 stop motion short film called street of crocodiles.

3. documentary

admittedly i trend more towards docuseries but a well produced documentary is like........ough. also the overall intersection with journalism makes it a bit multimedia which is sick.

2. thriller

i like a tense movie!!! i like a movie that doesn't answer questions immediately (or ever!!!) i like movies where i don't really know what's going on!!!!

1. horror

yeah this is probably. not surprising. i like scary movies!!! but also i love the craft and history and general psychology that exists behind a lot of horror, and how much passion for weird goopy grimy practical filmmaking still exists in the genre.

also a couple honorary mentions for silent film (metropolis, caligari, any movie with john gilbert) and german expressionism (fritz lang my beloved) as favorite historical stylistic touchpoints

[myfrenzi]

Animated Movies for All Ages on OTT

Animated Movies for All Ages on OTT: What to Watch on OTT

Animation is a timeless art form that transcends age boundaries. Whether you’re a child, an adult, or somewhere in between, animated movies have the power to captivate, inspire, and entertain. Over-the-Top (OTT) streaming platforms have become a treasure trove of animated gems for audiences of all ages. In this article, we’ll embark on a colorful journey through the world of animated movies available on OTT platforms, helping you discover what to watch on OTT for a delightful animated experience.

The Animation Renaissance on OTT Platforms

The digital era has witnessed a renaissance in animation, with OTT platforms playing a significant role in bringing diverse animated content to global audiences. These platforms have not only revived classic animation styles but have also embraced cutting-edge techniques.

1. The Magic of Disney+

Disney+ has emerged as a powerhouse of animated content, offering classics like “The Lion King” and “Aladdin” alongside modern hits like “Frozen” and “Moana.” The platform also features beloved Pixar films, making it a must-have for animation enthusiasts.

2. DreamWorks Delights

DreamWorks Animation has contributed its fair share of animated wonders to OTT platforms. From the “Shrek” series to “How to Train Your Dragon,” these films combine humor and heart for audiences of all ages.

3. Studio Ghibli’s Artistry

Studio Ghibli’s enchanting creations, including “Spirited Away” and “My Neighbor Totoro,” have found a home on OTT platforms. These films are celebrated for their breathtaking visuals and emotionally resonant storytelling.

Classic Animated Treasures

1. “The Little Mermaid” (1989)

Disney’s “The Little Mermaid” is a beloved classic that continues to enchant viewers with its unforgettable songs and the tale of Ariel’s underwater adventure.

2. “The Iron Giant” (1999)

This heartwarming story of a young boy’s friendship with a giant robot explores themes of identity, acceptance, and the power of compassion.

3. “The Nightmare Before Christmas” (1993)

Tim Burton’s darkly delightful stop-motion masterpiece marries Halloween and Christmas in a visually stunning and quirky tale.

Modern Marvels

1. “Coco” (2017)

Pixar’s “Coco” celebrates Mexican culture and the importance of family bonds in a visually splendid and emotionally resonant story.

2. “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse” (2018)

This groundbreaking film not only reimagines the superhero genre but also pushes the boundaries of animation with its unique visual style.

3. “Soul” (2020)

Exploring themes of purpose and passion, Pixar’s “Soul” is a thought-provoking journey that appeals to both children and adults.

Animated Worlds for Adults

Animated movies aren’t just for kids. Many animated films cater to adult audiences, addressing complex themes and emotions.

1. “Waking Life” (2001)

Richard Linklater’s philosophical exploration takes viewers on a dreamlike journey through existential questions.

2. “Persepolis” (2007)

This poignant autobiographical film offers a glimpse into a young girl’s life during the Iranian Revolution, combining history and personal narrative.

3. “Anomalisa” (2015)

A thought-provoking and visually unique film, “Anomalisa” delves into themes of loneliness and human connection.

What to Watch on OTT: The Animated Horizon

Navigating the vast sea of animated movies on OTT platforms can be an exhilarating adventure. The key is to explore various genres and styles, from traditional 2D animation to cutting-edge CGI.

The world of animated movies on OTT platforms is a testament to the enduring appeal of this art form. Whether you’re seeking heartwarming tales for family movie nights or thought-provoking narratives for your personal viewing, OTT platforms offer a diverse array of animated treasures.

So, the next time you’re wondering what to watch on OTT, consider embarking on an animated journey. From classic fairy tales to mind-bending adventures, there’s an animated masterpiece waiting to sweep you off your feet.

FAQs

Are animated movies suitable for all age groups? Yes, animated movies cater to audiences of all ages, from children to adults. They explore a wide range of themes and emotions, making them universally appealing.

Are animated movies only meant for entertainment, or do they convey deeper messages? Animated movies often convey profound messages and explore complex themes. They can inspire, educate, and provoke thought.

Where can I find classic animated movies on OTT platforms? Many classic animated movies are available on platforms like Disney+, Netflix, and Amazon Prime Video. These platforms often curate a selection of timeless animated classics.

Do animated movies have a cultural significance beyond entertainment? Yes, animated movies often reflect and celebrate diverse cultures, traditions, and stories. They contribute to cultural exchange and understanding.

Are there animated movies that cater specifically to adult audiences? Yes, there is a category of animated movies known as “adult animation” that addresses mature themes and is intended for adult viewers. These films often explore complex subjects and emotions.