A good movie will draw you into the world it has created and make you feel part of it. So much so, that there’s a chance you’ll leave the theater after with a bit of an adrenaline rush. Maybe the latest Bond flick has you feeling like you can be the next 007. Maybe an over-the-top car chase has you pressing on the gas pedal and drifting like a pro. Maybe the story of a talented musician has you thinking you could pick up a guitar and strum a perfect rhythm.
Most of the time we’re left with wanting more. We want something similar, yet new at the same time. we don’t want to watch the same film again, we want to watch something that pairs nicely.
Here at ScreenAge Wasteland, we’ve selected six films that you should watch during quarantine if you’re in the mood for some high quality animated stories.
Son of the White Mare
The perfect mixture of mythology and psychedelia, Son of the White Mare is an eye popping action fantasy that’s unlike any other animated movie. More like an acid trip put to paper, the film is a sensory overload. This ain’t Disney, folks. There are no cute side characters or catchy feel good songs. It’s epic fight scenes with very little dialogue and tons of weird shit that only make sense to Hungarian and Eurasians. If the bizarre story doesn’t do it (a horse goddess gives birth to three super-powered sons who set out to save three princesses from three evil dragons and reclaim their lost kingdom from the underworld), its unique visuals will. If you ever wondered what Samurai Jack would look like if it was made in the 70s, look no further.
– Sailor Monsoon
The Great Mouse Detective
How did this not become Disney’s next big franchise? If this would have been released just a few years later during the height of the Disney Renaissance I’m guaranteed this would have gotten at least two direct-to-video sequels and a television series. It’s Sherlock Holmes, but with mice! Cross this property over with The Rescuers and you have a burgeoning Disney Cine-Mice Universe! Seriously, this is one of Disney’s underrated animated gems that was released after Walt’s death and before the Renaissance during the dark days of Disney animation. However, it’s packed with action, song, and mystery. It’s fun for the whole family.
– Marmaduke Karlston
I Lost My Body
Never before has a story of a severed hand running the streets been so beautiful. This is the best-animated movie of 2019 that I highly recommend. In a time like this, it may seem weird to watch an odd animated drama about a guy who loses his hand and going on the journey of that severed hand back to its original body, but here we are. We are in an odd time navigating through something that we don’t understand. This movie hits that note really well. Watching this hand navigate gutters, fight off rats and other obstacles really pull you into the story that was being told. A fantastic score with a touching story and some solid voice work help makes this a standout animated film. It’s on Netflix. Watch it.
– Vincent Kane
The Breadwinner
Looking for a heavier animated film than your typical Disney fare? The Breadwinner takes us inside the dangerous world of Afghanistan under Taliban rule – a place especially harsh for you g girls like 11-year-old Parvana. When her father is imprisoned by Taliban forces, Parvana must disguise herself as a boy to take care of her mother and sister. The story is a beautiful and dark look at resilience in adversity and the power of stories to connect us all.
– Jacob Holmes
Cyber City Oedo 808
Fellow Wasteland reader and contributor Nokoo recommended an OVA called Goku MIdnight Eye to me a while back And I finally got around to checking it out in late February. It was great (you should totally check it out on Amazon Prime) and it led me to seek out some more anime with that sweet, moody cyberpunk/noir aesthetic. Cyber City Oedo 808 fit the bill perfectly.
Comprised of three episodes, each with running times around d 40 minutes, Cyber City follows the exploits of three criminals, Sengoku, Gogol and Benten, who are given a chance to win their freedom by working for Chief of Police Hasegawa to solve cyber-related crimes. Each case they solve knocks time off their sentences, but if they fail, Hasegawa could detonate the explosive collar each criminal wears around his neck. Each episode focuses on one of the three convicts. Cyber City’s got reanimated, revenge-seeking cyborg corpses; Mohawk-wearing punk hackers; immortal, cyborg vampires; dialogue that is laced with the most hilarious profanities, mega cities drenched in blues and blacks, and great animation. If you like cyberpunk, Cyber City Oedo 808 is worth a look. You can find all three episodes on YouTube.
– Billy Dhalgren
Mary and Max
Mary and Max is a stop motion animation film that follows two unlikely pen pals, as they strike up a blossoming relationship with each other. I use the phrase unlikely as Mary is an 8-year-old Australian girl and Max a 44-year-old American man. Mary is constantly teased by her classmates due to an unfortunately placed birthmark on her head and Max is morbidly obese, while also suffering from mental health problems. Through all that, they manage to form a close relationship through the power of pen and paper. Philip Seymour Hoffman and Toni Collete do a stellar job of voicing the two leads and if you decide to take 90 minutes out of your day to enjoy this gorgeous film, you will probably laugh, probably cringe and more than likely shed a few tears.
– Lee McCutcheon
What are some animated movies that you have watched recently?