Anthomation Assesses The Top 5 Spooky Full Length Animated Features

Howdy guys, Anthomaton here. Today, I shall review the top 5 animated feature films with a spooky theme. 

Halloween is a day to embrace cosplays, candy, and trick-or-treating (usually), but the thing that always gets overlooked are animated movies that can give you those annual chills. No longer will I be silent on this matter; it’s time to praise these films.

5. ParaNorman (2012)

Young Norman Babcock (Kodi Smit‑McPhee) has the ability to speak with the dead ‑‑ and he often prefers their company to that of the living. Norman receives word from his strange Uncle Prenderghast (John Goodman) that a centuries‑old witch’s curse on their town is real and about to come true ‑‑ and that only Norman can stop it. This was produced by Laika and it really shows. The stop-motion animation is great, the story is entertaining and while some of the characters can be a little static, most of them are still likeable.

Score:

7/10

4. Corpse Bride (2005)

Set back in the late 1800s in a Victorian village, a man and woman by the names of Victor Van Dort and Victoria Everglot are betrothed because the Everglots need the money or else they’ll be living on the streets and the Van Dorts want to be high in society. But when things go wrong at the wedding rehearsal, Victor goes into the woods to practice his vows. Just as soon as he gets them right, he finds himself married to Emily, the corpse bride. While Victoria waits on the other side, there’s a rich newcomer that may take Victor’s place. So two brides, one groom, who will Victor pick? The film was directed by Tim Burton and the film shines with his darker-themed direction. One thing you will notice in the review is that every film on the list exceeds in its use of stop-motion animation, and this film is no different. The film also benefits greatly from an intriguing story and well done voice acting from Burton regulars Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham Carter.

Score:

8/10

3. Frankenweenie (2012)

Young Victor Frankenstein (Charlie Tahan) is a science nerd and outsider at school, but he does have one good friend: his dog, Sparky. But then, tragedy strikes, and Sparky shuffles off this mortal coil. Victor is heartbroken, but his science teacher (Martin Landau) gives him an idea of how to jolt old Sparky back to life. The experiment is successful, and all goes well, until Victor’s fellow students steal his secret and use it to resurrect other dead animals — with monstrous consequences. Another Burton film, and another success. The film is shot in black-and-white and is also both a parody of and homage to the 1931 film Frankenstein. The animation is great and characters range from interesting to even more interesting.

Score:

8/10

2. Coraline (2009)

When Coraline moves to an old house, she feels bored and neglected by her parents. She finds a hidden door with a bricked up passage. During the night, she crosses the passage and finds a parallel world where everybody has buttons instead of eyes, with caring parents and all her dreams coming true. When the Other Mother invites Coraline to stay in her world forever, the girl refuses and finds that the alternate reality where she is trapped is only a trick to lure her. This was Laika’s first full length film, and it’s safe to say that they got off to a fantastic start. The animation is wonderful and the darker tone of the story and characters gives this film a uniquely entertaining experience not seen in most animated films.

Score:

8/10

1.The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)

Jack Skellington, the pumpkin king of Halloween Town, is bored with doing the same thing every year for Halloween. One day he stumbles into Christmas Town, and is so taken with the idea of Christmas that he tries to get the resident bats, ghouls, and goblins of Halloween Town to help him put on Christmas instead of Halloween — but alas, they can’t get it quite right. The pumpkin king of them all does not disappoint in the least. It doesn’t matter if it is a Halloween movie, Christmas movie, or both, the movie is on the list and that’s the end of it. From the animation, to story, to characters, to songs, everything about this movie is delightful and as rememberable as holiday movies get.

Score:

8.5/10