Was Lion King the last great "American" animated film?

I know Ghost in the Shell was released a year later, so I'm gonna say "American". Toy Story just ruined the charm of animated films like Aladdin or Lion King. Anyone agree?

Disney have made several other animated films since then, and while they may not come close to the greatness of the Lion King, they've still all been pretty good.

The Princess and the Frog was a nice return to it recently for one, hopefully it's something they keep up.

Mulan was good

I preferred Toy Story to any other Disney film, but since it's not animated, yeah?

Hercules, Mulan, Tarzan, and Lilo & Stitch are all good too

The Emperor's New Groove remains an unsung Disney classic in my book.

Pixar Movies are fantastic, what are you talking about.

Are you talking about the difference between 3D and traditional hand-drawn animation? Because Toy Story had a lot of charm.

Brother Bear? Or was that a hybrid? Well regardless, it was amazing.

McGhee, I think Disney films from 1989-1994 [Little Mermaid-Lion King] were the greatest. Pixar was what killed it for me cuz it just felt like celebrities voice acting on CG. I did not think Toy Story had any charm, however the SNES game was pretty good.

@Khessed said:

The Emperor's New Groove remains an unsung Disney classic in my book.

Thank you.

The Emperor's New Groove remains an unsung Disney classic in my book.

@AsheronsCall said:

McGhee, I think Disney films from 1989-1994 [Little Mermaid-Lion King] were the greatest. Pixar was what killed it for me cuz it just felt like celebrities voice acting on CG.

That sounds more like Dreamworks.

I love Lion King to death, I was 10 when it came out and it was the most amazing thing I had ever seen. But Pixar makes incredible movies. Stuff like UP is up there (no pun intended) with any Disney classic in my book.

@AsheronsCall said:

McGhee, I think Disney films from 1989-1994 [Little Mermaid-Lion King] were the greatest. Pixar was what killed it for me cuz it just felt like celebrities voice acting on CG. I did not think Toy Story had any charm, however the SNES game was pretty good.

You seem to be picking a very specific point and deciding anything past that isn't worth your time. That sounds like Nostalgia Goggles.

Ferris Bueller and Nathan Lane didn't bother you in Lion King? I can assure you, Disney used plenty of celebrities to voice their characters in that same time frame. The quality of voice acting should be judged by the performance, not the name behind it (famous or otherwise). Pixar has made a slew of fantastic movies over the past 15 years, things I would easily consider some of the finest animated features ever made. Wall-E and The Incredibles are two of my favorite movies of all time.

I thought Tangled had a lot of the earlier charm of the renaissance Disney works from the 90's. The music wasn't quite up to the level of the Ashman-Menkin years, but it grew on me with repeated viewing. I really took to the opening song ("When Will My Life Begin") and the one sung by the heroine's mother ("Mother Knows Best"). Alan Menken was part of the Tangled's composition team alongside Glenn Slater who incidentally replaced Howard Ashman as lyricist in the Broadway adaption of Disney's Little Mermaid. New songs were added for that stage production. Tangled is a 3D CG version of the 2D animated movie musical that Disney's been doing for decades.

Wall-E is one of my all time favorite films and I am constantly amazed that so much emotion can be delivered by two non-living characters. The subtle movements of their bodies and the "language" through which the two lead communicate is expressive and joyous. The mix of live-action and CG animation also add an element of the fantastic that recalled Mary Poppins and Pete's Dragon. Most of all though, the film managed to make me feel that a toaster and an Ipod could fall in love.

If we're just talking 2D animation, then you might be right since not a lot has been done theatrically in 2D since 3D became the box-office standard. Beside the above mentioned Princess and the Frog, the only other recent films I can recall off the top of my head are 2007's The Simpsons Movie and this year's Winnie the Pooh. The two Disney offerings had decent to excellent critical reviews but underperformed at the box office. Hop, a movie about a jelly-bean shitting rodent earned more money than Pooh-bear. 2002's Lilo and Stitch was their last big 2D movie. In light of those returns, it's not surprising that studios put all their money behind 3D films. The only reason the same hasn't occurred in Japan yet is profitability. A 2D One Piece movie can still pack 'em in across the Pacific at a fraction of the cost of a 3D film.

The last good american animated film was treasure planet or Tarzan. I don't remember which was released first and last. Those movies are 12 years old, 3D took over after 2D. The 3D movies are silly and not at all as well made as the 2D ones from Disney.

The Emperor's New Groove remains an unsung Disney classic in my book.

@AsheronsCall said:

McGhee, I think Disney films from 1989-1994 [Little Mermaid-Lion King] were the greatest. Pixar was what killed it for me cuz it just felt like celebrities voice acting on CG.

I adore The Lion King. It was the first movie I ever saw in theaters as a kid, and remains one of my favorite films... But that's a really silly argument. Sure, Toy Story has celebrity voice acting, but not any more than you find in The Lion King.

@captain_clayman said:

@Khessed said:

The Emperor's New Groove remains an unsung Disney classic in my book.

agreed. i freaking loved that movie.

Yep

The Prince of Egypt was pretty good if I remember correctly.

@Everyones_A_Critic: Wasn't a Disney movie but still really good.

Mulan is the best disney movie, bar none!

Lilo and Stitch was pretty dang good, as was The Emperor's New Groove

@Hao_Kaiser: Lion king is overrated, it's typical "emo" movie or the typical movie people who saw it as young ones love. In fact it's not really much better than any other disney flick from the 90s. The only thing it had that was "superior" was great songs. It was not the last best movie, I would rate the disney movies like this:

1. Tarzan (Best animation i have ever seen, great story and music)
2. Hercules (A classic greek story changed to suit kids)
3. Hunchback of notre dame (Great christian story)
4. Lion King (Great songs and a decent story...ripoff)
5. Mulan (I love china and the Mulan story)
6. Pocahontas (Crappy animation but classic love story)
7. Taran (Crappy animation but the setting and animation style beats anything)
8. Treasure planet (Great adventure flick...last great animation from disney)

@captain_clayman said:

@Khessed said:

The Emperor's New Groove remains an unsung Disney classic in my book.

agreed. i freaking loved that movie.

Yep

Oh right, Tarzan and Treasure Island, forgot about those two movies....  They were great

@Jack268: Mister, I'll make a man out of you

Wall-E & UP are great , check out spirited away its not a American Animated film but its so fucking good.

Also Animated or animation can apply to both 2D and 3D films , e.g lion king and wall-e are both animated films

How to Train Your Dragon is an awesome movie, and perhaps the best animation movie I've seen. This makes me disagree with your opinion. Ghost In The Shell is superbly animated, and deep in its phylosophical theme, but never grabs the warmness and funny nature of How to Train Your Dragon.

The joke is Lion King is a rip off and good animation is still being produced in the US.

Lion King: Greatness isn't something you earn. It's a born right given to the few elite.

mulan, the emperors new groove and the hunchback of notre dame so no there was some good ones after and that's not even including pixar stuff and thats only thinking of Disney stuff

3D doesn't count, and still if it would count there is really no 3D movie worht to be mentioned except maybe Shrek or Ice Age. Still both those movies are goofy as fuck. There has been no serious 3d moview released.

My god. How can you hate on 3D movies? Wall-e? UP? How to Train Your Dragon? What the hell? Wall-e is probably my favourite animated movie ever. Rose tinted glasses will do that to a man I guess.

No, there's been a lot more good animated movies after that! Personally I think a lot of Miyazaki movies are amazing like Howl's Moving Castle and more recently Arietty. Mulan, Hercules, Lilo and Stitch, Hunchback, etc were all good too.

Pixar has made many great movies since then. Many of which I would say are better than Lion King.

@TwoLines said:

My god. How can you hate on 3D movies? Wall-e? UP? How to Train Your Dragon? What the hell? Wall-e is probably my favourite animated movie ever. Rose tinted glasses will do that to a man I guess.

@WileyS said:

Pixar has made many great movies since then. Many of which I would say are better than Lion King.

Wall E and UP aren't serious movies, they are goofy comedies. Just like you can't compare Dumb and Dumber with Lord of the rings you can't do the same with Wall E and Hunchback of notre dame or Tarzan or whatever. Pixar can make goofy silly movies that are loved by people with low standards for art or movies. Pixar is for 5 year olds...old disney is for 20+ audience. Pinochioo and Bambi among other old movies are works of art compared to most animated movies of today.

@RecSpec said:

@Irvandus said:

@captain_clayman said:

@Khessed said:

The Emperor's New Groove remains an unsung Disney classic in my book.

agreed. i freaking loved that movie.

Yep

Forgot about how awesome that movie was until this topic.

Same here.

*cough*Ratatouille is amazing*cough*

@Hermoor said:

Wall E and UP aren't serious movies, they are goofy comedies. Just like you can't compare Dumb and Dumber with Lord of the rings you can't do the same with Wall E and Hunchback of notre dame or Tarzan or whatever. Pixar can make goofy silly movies that are loved by people with low standards for art or movies. Pixar is for 5 year olds...old disney is for 20+ audience. Pinochioo and Bambi among other old movies are works of art compared to most animated movies of today.

I don't understand how someone could watch Up, The Incredibles, Toy Story1-3, etc. and honestly think what you just typed.

@TwoLines said:

My god. How can you hate on 3D movies? Wall-e? UP? How to Train Your Dragon? What the hell? Wall-e is probably my favourite animated movie ever. Rose tinted glasses will do that to a man I guess.

@WileyS said:

Pixar has made many great movies since then. Many of which I would say are better than Lion King.

Wall E and UP aren't serious movies, they are goofy comedies. Just like you can't compare Dumb and Dumber with Lord of the rings you can't do the same with Wall E and Hunchback of notre dame or Tarzan or whatever. Pixar can make goofy silly movies that are loved by people with low standards for art or movies. Pixar is for 5 year olds...old disney is for 20+ audience. Pinochioo and Bambi among other old movies are works of art compared to most animated movies of today.

lilo and stich dawg

@TheSouthernDandy said:

@Hermoor said:

@TwoLines said:

My god. How can you hate on 3D movies? Wall-e? UP? How to Train Your Dragon? What the hell? Wall-e is probably my favourite animated movie ever. Rose tinted glasses will do that to a man I guess.

@WileyS said:

Pixar has made many great movies since then. Many of which I would say are better than Lion King.

Wall E and UP aren't serious movies, they are goofy comedies. Just like you can't compare Dumb and Dumber with Lord of the rings you can't do the same with Wall E and Hunchback of notre dame or Tarzan or whatever. Pixar can make goofy silly movies that are loved by people with low standards for art or movies. Pixar is for 5 year olds...old disney is for 20+ audience. Pinochioo and Bambi among other old movies are works of art compared to most animated movies of today.

Sorry but I'm gonna have to completely disagree with you. You need to watch those movies a little closer.

Their is probably more internal conflict in a single pixar movie (excluding cars) than the entirity of the Lord of the Rings Trilogy. Pixar movie's have a lot of ups and downs in terms of the emotional tone of the movies. You can't tell me the montage of Carl and Ellie's life or Jessie's owner outgrowing her are not touching moments. Just because Wall E has goofy imagery (kind of like all disney movies) and robots bleeping to talk doesn't mean it's commentary on the reliance of machines is any less important.

Well, I really liked The Incredibles, Ratatouille, and WALL-E. Those are animated films. 
 
So no, I disagree with you.

Well compare this clip to this clip and tell me which is a comedy and which is a serious movie??? I think I'm right on this:

Either you are just little kids, or you are dumb. Comparing "old disney" to Pixar is silly. It's like comparing rap music to mozart.

@Hermoor said:

@TwoLines said:

My god. How can you hate on 3D movies? Wall-e? UP? How to Train Your Dragon? What the hell? Wall-e is probably my favourite animated movie ever. Rose tinted glasses will do that to a man I guess.

@WileyS said:

Pixar has made many great movies since then. Many of which I would say are better than Lion King.

Wall E and UP aren't serious movies, they are goofy comedies. Just like you can't compare Dumb and Dumber with Lord of the rings you can't do the same with Wall E and Hunchback of notre dame or Tarzan or whatever. Pixar can make goofy silly movies that are loved by people with low standards for art or movies. Pixar is for 5 year olds...old disney is for 20+ audience. Pinochioo and Bambi among other old movies are works of art compared to most animated movies of today.

Haha, fooled me there, shame on me. Good one though.

What about the Iron Giant? I liked that one.

@Hermoor: Oh...you're one of those...I'm gonna go do something else now.

@metalhead87 said:

@Hermoor: Oh...you're one of those...I'm gonna go do something else now.

Im one of what? Oh you mean I'm the kind of person that prefer serious beauty over "cute" puppies and little robots that are having a hard time stand up. Listen I don't care if you have no taste in art or movies. But please keep your 4 year old movies for yourself. It's simply impossible to compare Pixar to old DIsney.

@captain_clayman said:

@Khessed said:

The Emperor's New Groove remains an unsung Disney classic in my book.

agreed. i freaking loved that movie.

Yep

Mulan was better then the lion king, and wall e was better then some animated disney movies