Every year, a whole host of new animated masterpieces make their way to the big (and small) screen. From colourful characters, to sweeping 3D landscapes and even animated paintings, 2017 is a real bonanza for animated film.
The list of 2017 animation films is already looking amazing, with some of the best animated movies originating from every corner of the globe. As you can imagine, at Pebble we are super fans of all things animation, and we thought we’d share our pick of the top 5 to watch out for this year…
1. Loving Vincent
Number one in our top five films countdown is a genuine original – the first ever fully painted feature film. Using canvas as the base for animation, directors Dorota Kobiela and Hugh Welchman worked for 7 years straight to complete this hand-painted film. Told primarily from Van Gogh’s point of view, ‘Loving Vincent’ explores the mystery shrouding his 1890 death, utilising some of the best animation we’ve ever seen.
2. Despicable Me 3
This film needs almost no introduction. If you’ve not seen yellow minions popping up everywhere, then you’ve been living in an animation void for the last few years. With even more despicability (we’re almost sure that’s a real word), Illumination are back with their third instalment of everyone’s favourite supervillain saga. There are more ‘80s references, a dazzling array of hair textures and some beautifully quirky animation. Its predecessor, Despicable Me 2, was nominated for an Oscar for best animation in 2013, so this third outing has a lot to live up to!
3. Coco
In another massive crossover animation, the latest offering from Disney and Pixar puts a little extra life into the afterlife. ‘Coco’ is a spectacularly colourful compendium of character animation, that follows a young boy called Miguel who, after being banned from listening to music, dreams of becoming a famous musician. But in classic animated style, his path isn’t so straightforward, and he ends up tumbling into the Land of the Dead. Co-helmed by Pixar’s top animation director Lee Unkrich (Toy Story 3) and first timer Adrian Molina, we can’t wait to see Pixar’s take on dia de los Muertos.
4. Ferdinand
Another heartwarming animated tale from the folks over at 20th Century Fox, ‘Ferdinand’, tells the story of a big-hearted bull who is mistaken for a wild and dangerous beast. Featuring the voice talents of Kate McKinnon, David Tennant and even John Cena, ‘Ferdinand’ features some cute and cleverly crafted character animation that looks like it will leave you with some serious feels.
5. Paddington 2
The last on our list is another quirky take on the nation’s most beloved bear. It’s a tumble in the bright, colourful streets of London – full of well-known faces and enough intrigue and adventure to shake a marmalade covered stick at. It also features the best bear-based animation you’ll see in any movie this year.
Whatever your animated preferences, there’s something for everyone (we haven’t even touched on the best anime) and, with such a strong animated roster, we can’t wait to see what’s in store for 2018. In the meantime, if you’re thinking of crafting an animation or want to chat more about it, drop us a line.