From Studio Ghibli to Pixar: Animation That Changed the World

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FROZEN (2013) – Movie Review

Plot Summary:
Frozen (2013), directed by Chris Buck and Jennifer Lee, is a magical and heartwarming Disney animated film inspired by Hans Christian Andersen’s fairy tale The Snow Queen. The story is set in the kingdom of Arendelle, where two royal sisters, Elsa (voiced by Idina Menzel) and Anna (voiced by Kristen Bell), are torn apart by a tragic accident from their childhood. Elsa possesses magical ice powers that she cannot control, leading her to unintentionally curse their land with eternal winter. Fearing her powers, Elsa isolates herself, leaving Anna to grow up without her sister’s companionship.

When Elsa comes of age and is crowned queen, her powers are accidentally revealed to the kingdom, triggering a snowstorm that threatens to destroy Arendelle. Elsa flees to the mountains, where she builds herself an ice palace, embracing her powers but leaving the kingdom in an endless winter. Anna, determined to bring Elsa back and restore summer, sets out on a dangerous journey, joined by Kristoff (voiced by Josh Gad), a rugged ice harvester, his reindeer Sven, and an optimistic snowman named Olaf (voiced by Josh Gad).

As Anna and her new companions trek through the snowy wilderness, they uncover the truth about Elsa’s powers and the bond of sisterhood. Anna must make a sacrifice for her sister, demonstrating the power of love to undo the curse and end the eternal winter.

RATATOUILLE (2007) – Movie Review

Plot Summary:
Ratatouille (2007), directed by Brad Bird and produced by Pixar, is an animated culinary adventure set in Paris, where food and art collide. The story follows Remy (voiced by Patton Oswalt), a rat with a refined palate and a dream of becoming a world-class chef. While his family lives by the motto that rats should never get involved with human food, Remy’s passion for cooking leads him to defy the odds and pursue his passion.

After being separated from his family and discovering a famous Parisian restaurant led by the arrogant yet talented chef Gusteau (voiced by Brad Garrett), Remy finds himself in the kitchen of the restaurant, where he forms an unlikely alliance with Linguini (voiced by Lou Romano), a clumsy young man who has no idea how to cook but has inherited the restaurant from Gusteau. Through a series of humorous and heartfelt events, Remy secretly controls Linguini’s cooking by pulling his hair, guiding him to create culinary masterpieces.

As Remy’s influence in the kitchen grows, he faces several challenges, including the suspicion of the restaurant’s staff, the rivalry with the scheming Skinner (voiced by Ian Holm), and his need to keep his identity as a rat a secret. Meanwhile, Remy must come to terms with his dreams of becoming a chef while balancing his loyalty to his family and his passion for food.

COCO (2017) – Movie Review

Plot Summary:
COCO (2017), directed by Lee Unkrich and Adrian Molina, is an emotionally rich and visually stunning animated film by Pixar that celebrates Mexican culture and the tradition of Día de los Muertos (the Day of the Dead). The story follows Miguel Rivera (voiced by Anthony Gonzalez), a 12-year-old boy who dreams of becoming a musician, despite his family’s strong ban on music, stemming from a past family tragedy. His great-great-grandfather, a famous musician, abandoned the family to pursue his career, leaving his descendants to shun music.

Miguel’s passion for music leads him to accidentally enter the Land of the Dead on the night of Día de los Muertos, where he meets his ancestors, including his great-great-grandmother Mama Imelda (voiced by Alanna Ubach), who insists that he return to the living world before sunrise, or he will be trapped there forever. While searching for his great-great-grandfather to receive his blessing so he can play music, Miguel uncovers family secrets and learns the importance of remembering and honoring one’s ancestors.

The journey brings Miguel closer to his family’s true history, exploring themes of legacy, love, and the bonds that connect generations.

ONWARD (2020) – Movie Review

Plot Summary:
Onward (2020), directed by Dan Scanlon and produced by Pixar, is a heartfelt animated adventure set in a fantastical world where magical creatures live in a modern, suburban setting. The story follows two teenage elf brothers, Ian (voiced by Tom Holland) and Barley Lightfoot (voiced by Chris Pratt), who live in a world that was once full of magic but has since become more ordinary and technology-driven. Ian, the younger, more cautious of the two, is socially awkward and feels a lack of connection to his late father, who passed away before he could really get to know him.

On Ian’s sixteenth birthday, their mother, Laurel (voiced by Julia Louis-Dreyfus), gives the brothers a special gift: a spell that can bring their father back for one day. However, the spell goes wrong, and only their father’s lower half is reanimated, leaving the brothers with only 24 hours to find a way to complete the spell and reunite with their father. The brothers embark on a quest through their world, facing magical challenges and meeting quirky characters along the way, all while discovering more about each other, their family, and the bond that ties them together.

MIGRATION (2025) – Movie Review

Plot Summary:
Migration (2025), produced by Illumination Entertainment, is an animated adventure that takes viewers on a heartwarming and comedic journey about a family of ducks embarking on their first-ever migratory trip. The story follows Maggie, a young, energetic duck, who is hesitant about leaving her comfortable home in the city to embark on the dangerous, long migration with her family. Her overprotective father, Harold, is determined to keep the family safe during their journey, while her adventurous younger brother, Sam, can’t wait to explore the world.

As they travel through diverse landscapes—from bustling cities to wide open fields and stormy seas—the family encounters new friends, challenges, and unexpected dangers. Maggie soon learns that while the world can be unpredictable, it’s also full of opportunities to grow, form new relationships, and discover the power of family bonds. The story also explores the themes of independence and self-discovery, as Maggie must decide how to face the challenges of the world and her place in it.

Throughout their journey, the family is forced to rely on each other and face their fears, culminating in a pivotal moment when Maggie must step up and lead the family through a particularly difficult part of their trip. Along the way, they form a deeper understanding of themselves and their world, finding that home is wherever you feel safe and loved.

TURNING RED (2022) – Movie Review

Plot Summary:
Turning Red (2022), directed by Domee Shi, is a delightful and emotionally charged coming-of-age animated film from Pixar that explores themes of identity, family, and transformation. Set in Toronto in 2002, the film follows Mei Lee (voiced by Rosalie Chiang), a 13-year-old Chinese-Canadian girl who is navigating the ups and downs of adolescence. Mei is a high-achiever, trying to meet the expectations of her overbearing mother, Ming (voiced by Sandra Oh), and maintain her perfect image.

However, Mei’s world turns upside down when she discovers that she has inherited a unique family curse: whenever she gets too emotional, she transforms into a giant red panda. This transformation is both a literal and symbolic representation of Mei’s inner turmoil as she faces the challenges of growing up, balancing her cultural heritage, and dealing with the pressures of adolescence.

As Mei tries to navigate this new aspect of her identity, she must find a way to control her emotions and decide whether to embrace or suppress her red panda form. Along the way, Mei’s bond with her friends and family deepens, and she learns important lessons about self-acceptance, the complexities of family dynamics, and the importance of finding a balance between personal desires and familial expectations.

FINDING NEMO (2003) – Movie Review

Plot Summary:
Finding Nemo (2003), directed by Andrew Stanton, is a heartwarming animated adventure from Pixar that takes audiences on an unforgettable journey across the vast, colorful ocean. The film centers on Marlin (voiced by Albert Brooks), a clownfish who is deeply protective of his only son, Nemo (voiced by Alexander Gould), after losing his wife and most of their eggs to a predator. When Nemo is captured by a scuba diver and placed in a fish tank at a dentist’s office, Marlin embarks on a perilous journey to rescue him.

Along the way, Marlin is joined by Dory (voiced by Ellen DeGeneres), a forgetful yet optimistic regal blue tang fish. Together, they brave the dangers of the ocean, encountering sharks, jellyfish, and other sea creatures, all while Marlin learns to trust and let go of his overwhelming fear and protective instincts. Meanwhile, Nemo befriends the other fish in the tank and attempts to escape his captors. As Marlin and Nemo navigate their respective journeys, both learn valuable lessons about love, bravery, and letting go.

THE LION KING (1994) – Movie Review

Plot Summary:
The Lion King (1994), directed by Roger Allers and Rob Minkoff, is a Disney animated classic that has become one of the most iconic films in cinema history. Set in the African savannah, the story follows Simba (voiced by Matthew Broderick as an adult and Jonathan Taylor Thomas as a cub), a young lion cub destined to become king of the Pride Lands. Simba is the son of Mufasa (voiced by James Earl Jones), the wise and noble king, and Sarabi (voiced by Madge Sinclair), the queen. From a young age, Simba is filled with excitement and dreams of the day he will take his place as the ruler of the Pride Lands.

However, Simba’s life takes a dark turn when his uncle, Scar (voiced by Jeremy Irons), schemes to kill Mufasa and take the throne for himself. Scar tricks Simba into believing that he is responsible for Mufasa’s death, causing Simba to flee the Pride Lands in shame. Lost and alone, Simba finds solace in the company of two quirky characters, Timon (voiced by Nathan Lane) and Pumbaa (voiced by Ernie Sabella), who teach him their carefree lifestyle. As Simba grows older, he must confront his past, reclaim his destiny, and rise to the challenges of leadership when he returns to the Pride Lands to defeat Scar and restore balance to the kingdom.

101 DALMATIANS (1961) – Movie Review

Plot Summary:
101 Dalmatians (1961), directed by Clyde Geronimi, Hamilton Luske, and Wolfgang Reitherman, is a beloved Disney classic that tells the heartwarming and adventurous story of Pongo and Perdita, two Dalmatian dogs who embark on a daring rescue mission to save their stolen puppies from the sinister and wicked Cruella de Vil.

The story begins with Pongo, a male Dalmatian, who lives in London with his owner, Roger Radcliffe (voiced by Ben Wright), a musician. Pongo sets out to find a suitable wife for himself and, in the process, matches up with Perdita, a female Dalmatian. Together, they become the proud parents of 15 adorable puppies. However, their happiness is short-lived when the puppies are kidnapped by Cruella de Vil, a wealthy and cruel woman obsessed with making a fur coat out of Dalmatian puppies.

Cruella hires a team of criminals, Jasper and Horace, to steal the puppies, and they are taken to her mansion, where she plans to turn them into fur. Pongo and Perdita, with the help of their animal friends, set off on an incredible journey across the British countryside to rescue their puppies. Along the way, they encounter a network of helpful animals who work together to thwart Cruella’s evil plans and bring the puppies home safely.