We all know Disney has had a monopoly on kids & family movies, dominating in animation since the early ’90s. As a self-proclaimed movie buff, who would I be if I just watched one studio’s stories? And, obviously, I watched The Prince of Egypt almost 100x as a kiddo. Disney could never.
Here is a list of my favorite animated movies NOT made by Disney:
Anastasia (1997) – Fox Animation
The tale of the Russian Princess that I thought was real up until a few years ago was on constant rewind in my house. A girl born to Russian royalty is separated from her family during a coup and can’t remember who she is when she’s brought up in an orphanage. When she’s old enough, she sets on the quest to find her family, and obviously, herself. She meets two men trying to con their way into some major bucks by holding auditions for the role as the missing princess to obtain the reward from the only living member of the Russian royal family, Anastasia’s grandmother (voiced by the legendary Angela Lansbury). It gets crazier when the villain is introduced with his bat sidekick and evil plan to finish off the rest of the Romanov line.
Mention the word “princess” and I’d watch it, especially since I was raised as a Disney one myself. And it has songs!? And Mrs. Potts!?! Pssh, you got (little) me hooked. Anastasia is the non-Disney Princess I hold up to the caliber of Belle, Jasmine, Mulan, and the other ’90s princesses. Her movie was in rotation just as much as the rest of them. But, since Disney acquired most of Fox’s media assets not too long ago, Anastasia is available to stream on Disney+!
Does that make her a Disney Princess, then? 🤔
The Prince of Egypt (1998) – DreamWorks
Mentioned in my previous post of Soundtracks That Didn’t Need to Go That Hard, the Prince of Egypt is a movie you absolutely could not forget about even if you tried. Told as an interpretation of the story of Moses from the book of Exodus, DreamWorks went ALL OUT with this one.
I’m not gonna explain too much since the movie can speak for itself but know this: it’s an experience you don’t want to miss out on. I don’t think I’ve seen many bad reviews and knowing this movie is universally loved is a great feeling.
I don’t even know how many times I watched this movie as a kid but as an adult, I’ve seen it about 38 times. In the last month. I’m kidding! Or am I?
The Road to El Dorado (2000) – DreamWorks
Another movie mentioned in the Soundtracks post, El Dorado (for short) is by far the most rewatched not-Disney animated film in my repertoire. It’s colorful, it’s, fun, there’s gold! And it’s an adventure unlike any other!
I could recite the dialogue of this movie to near perfection and mimic the acting of each character from how many times I’ve seen this movie.
Though the concept is very racist and historically inaccurate, I liked the idea (as a child) of a lost city of gold here in the Americas with a civilization untouched by the outside world. I’m glad this movie didn’t come out in the last ten years since it would probably be “canceled” by every woke parent or film watcher. Some things you just gotta let it be and enjoy it for what it is: an animated musical comedy musically produced by Elton John. How much more fun can that be?
Shark Tale (2004) – DreamWorks
If I could rate this a 27/10, I would. There is absolutely nothing wrong about this movie and is practically perfect in every way. From the star-studded cast to the aquatic jokes and nuances in the dialogue to the end credit song with Christina Aguilera and Missy Elliot, Shark Tale is a national treasure.
With the hype for Finding Nemo (2003) winding down, DreamWorks took the opportunity to create one of the best satires that still makes me laugh to this day. Yeah, it may touch on/make references to some “problematic” topics but that’s what makes it a satirical; making fun of the world we live in but make it fish! You don’t realize how ridiculous something is until you see it from a different perspective and this one hit the nail on the head. Gold diggers, money hungry beings, gambling, the mafia, and straight up fraud are the backbone of the story told in a way that 8 year old Kass found absolutely hysterical. This is another movie that would absolutely be “canceled” in this decade but hey, it’s whatever.
Megamind (2010) – DreamWorks
OOOOOO I’M SHAKING IN BABY SEAL LEATHER BOOTS!
AND I LOVE YOU, RANDOM CITIZEN!
The one liners in this movie had me cracking up from the moment Will Ferrell’s voice started narrating the tale. The movie is a satire about superheroes and their villains but from the villain’s point of view this time. You have a character who’s so used to losing that when he wins, he doesn’t know what to do with himself. And neither does the city.
This comedy goldmine is better than 68% of superhero movies, guaranteed. With the over saturation of them in the media, it’s refreshing to see an alternate take on what it means to be “super”.
Also, when my mom looks at my baby pictures, she calls me Megamind because of my big head. I don’t see it.
Trolls (2016) – DreamWorks
I was not a Troll fan growing up, I didn’t care for the toys nor did I know anything about them as they were super popular in the eighties and I’m def a nineties kid. But put Justin Timberlake as the musical producer and you’ve caught my attention.
This movie is absolutely ridiculous to the point where it’s entertaining. It’s obviously a kids movie but the music the Trolls and their not-so-nice friends, the Bergens, have to figure out how to live in harmony and not be eaten even though eating a Troll feels like happiness.
I think I’ve seen this movie so many times I can recite the dialogue. I knew most of the songs already but the original ones they made for the movie are also super catchy. Yes, this movie came out when I was 20. Yes, I’m basically a big (relative) ass kid in an adult body. And I’m ABSOLUTELY the Branch of my friend group.
The Mitchells vs. The Machines (2021) – Sony Animation
I was speechless the first time I saw this movie on Netflix one random afternoon in my room. I’d remembered seeing a teaser trailer a while back about a girl getting ready to go to college and having a hard time with a parent as she transitions to adulthood. Relatable, right!?!
The robot apocalypse, however, is not. Aside from the story line being super goofy and fun, the animation style that went into this masterpiece is mind blowing. It’s no surprise that the studio that created Spider-Man: Into the Spiderverse is capable of said awesome animation, it was just unexpected since the movie is streamed only on Netflix.
I enjoyed this movie way more than I thought I would given its adaptation of an apocalypse. I don’t like apocalypse movies, they’re pointless to me. Why fight to survive in world that’s dying?!?! What is the prize??!!
I’m getting sidetracked, sorry. The relationship Katie (main character) has with each of her family members is put to the test and strengthened by the beginning and end of the robots taking over. Because they saved the world. Together. Watch it for yourself. It’s probably one of the best animated movies of all time. Professional opinion.
I watch a lot of movies. Obviously. I watch a lot of animated movies. And not all of them are Disney. Though the Mouse does have a monopoly on children & family films (animation being the main money maker), it’s cool to see other styles and story lines of storytelling. Diversifying the media kids consume is a good way to get them to develop critical thinking skills and not be brainwashed into thinking the single-story is the only story worth understanding. Media literacy seems to be lacking in the young consumers’ education where they aren’t able to tell the difference between critiquing a piece of media and canceling it.
As a “former” kiddo who didn’t see herself in a lot of characters, I personally know how it feels to relate to a character’s story, finally feeling seen and acknowledged. And Disney is not the only company that can do that.
KrashingWaves 
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