Retrospective: The Last 25 Years of Walt Disney Animation Studios

by

Julien Faddoul

The Jeffrey Katzenberg Era

The Little Mermaid (1989) ***

A mermaid falls in love with a prince and longs to be human.

The film that opened the door for the Disney Renaissance, reestablishing the commitment to superior animation and an excellent score. The rampant sentimentality is forgiven.

Writer/Director – John Musker, Ron Clements

Music – Alan Menken

Lyrics – Howard Ashman

Original Score – Alan Menken

Art Director – Michael A. Peraza, Donald A. Towns

Editor – John Carnochan

Visual Effects Supervisor – Mark Dindal

Layout Supervisor – David A. Dunnet

Background Supervisor – Donald A. Towns

Clean-Up Supervisor – Vera Lanpher

Supervising Animators

Mark Henn

Glen Keane

Duncan Marjoribanks

Ruben A. Aquino

Andreas Deja

Matthew O’Callaghan

Producer – Howard Ashman, John Musker

Cast: Rene Auberjonois, Christopher Daniel Barnes, Jodi Benson, Pat Carroll, Paddi Edwards, Buddy Hackett, Jason Marin, Kenneth Mars, Edie McClurg, Will Ryan, Ben Wright, Samuel E. Wright

The Rescuers Down Under (1990) *

The mouse Rescue Aid Society goes to Australia to help a boy and a trapped eagle.

Slick animated feature that improves on the original without ever really justifying its own existence.

Director – Hendel Butoy, Mike Gabriel

Writer – Jim Cox, Karey Kirkpatrick, Byron Simpson, Joe Ranft

Original Score – Bruce Broughton

Art Director – Maurice Hunt

Editor – Michael Kelly

Story Supervisor – Joe Ranft

Layout Supervisor – Dan Hansen

Effects Supervisor – Randy Fullmer

Supervising Animators

Mark Henn

Glen Keane

Duncan Marjoribanks

Ruben A. Aquino

Nik Ranieri

Ed Gombert

Russ Edmonds

Kathy Zielinski

David Cutler

Anthony de Rosa

Producer – Thomas Schumacher

Cast: Bob Newhart, Eva Gabor, John Candy, George C. Scott, Tristan Rogers, Douglas Seale, Frank Welker, Adam Ryen

Beauty and the Beast (1991) ****

A prince, turned into a beast by enchantment, is rescued by the love of a beautiful girl.

Superb, scintillating animated musical that is often deservedly credited with starting the dominance of animated films with the viewing public. It is full of great scenes and character animation and contains one of greatest scores ever written for film.

Director – Gary Trousdale, Kirk Wise

Writer – Linda Woolverton

Music – Alan Menken

Lyrics – Howard Ashman

Original Score – Alan Menken

Art Director – Brian McEntee

Editor – John Carnochan

Story Supervisor – Roger Allers

Layout Supervisor – Ed Ghertner

Background Supervisor – Lisa Keene

Clean-Up Supervisor – Vera Lanpher

Effects Supervisor – Randy Fullmer

CG Supervisor – Jim Hillin

Supervising Animators

Belle – James Baxter

Beast – Glen Keane

Gaston – Andreas Deja

Lumiere – Nik Ranieri

Cogsworth – Will Finn

Mrs Potts & Chip – David Pruiksma

Maurice – Ruben A. Aquino

Lefou – Chris Wahl

Phillippe – Russ Edmonds

Producer – Don Hahn

Cast: Paige O’Hara, Robby Benson, Richard White, Rex Everhart, Jerry Orbach, David Ogden Stiers, Angela Lansbury, Jesse Corti

Aladdin (1992) ****

An urchin with a magic lamp falls in love with a runaway princess.

A masterful film: Witty and acute in its story and vivid in its execution. It is the summation of sublime animation, stunning design, hilarious jokes, great songs and one magnificent vocal performance.

Director – John Musker, Ron Clements

Writer – John Musker, Ron Clements, Ted Elliot, Terry Rossio

Music – Alan Menken

Lyrics – Howard Ashman, Tim Rice

Original Score – Alan Menken

Art Director – Bill Perkins

Editor – H. Lee Peterson

Artistic Coordinator – Dan Hansen

Production Designer – R.S. Vander Wende

Story Supervisor – Ed Gombert

Layout Supervisor – Rasoul Azadani

Background Supervisor – Kathy Altieri

Clean-Up Supervisor – Vera Lanpher

Effects Supervisor – Don Paul

CG Supervisor – Steve Goldberg

Supervising Animators

Aladdin – Glen Keane

Genie – Eric Goldberg

Jasmine – Mark Henn

Jafar – Andreas Deja

Abu – Duncan Marjoribanks

Iago – Will Finn

Carpet – Randy Cartwright

Sultan – David Pruiksma

Rajah – Aaron Blaise

Beggar/Snake – Kathy Zielinski

Producer – John Musker, Ron Clements

Cast: Scott Weinger, Robin Williams, Linda Larkin, Jonathan Freeman, Frank Welker, Gilbert Gottfried, Douglas Seale

The Lion King (1994) ***

A royal lion cub, exiled by his evil uncle, returns to restore balance and take his rightful place as king.

An absorbing drama with many stunning moments despite a somewhat preachy tone. It found enormous favor with the public. Problematic though it is, it remains cogent 20 years later.

Director – Roger Allers, Rob Minkoff

Writer – Irene Mecchi, Jonathan Roberts, Linda Woolverton

Music – Elton John

Lyrics – Tim Rice

Original Score – Hans Zimmer

Art Director – Andy Gaskill

Editor – Tom Finan, John Carnochan

Artistic Coordinator – Randy Fullmer

Production Designer – Chris Sanders

Story Supervisor – Brenda Chapman

Layout Supervisor – Daniel St. Pierre

Background Supervisor – Doug Ball

Clean-Up Supervisor – Vera Lanpher

Effects Supervisor – Scott Santoro

CG Supervisor – Scott F. Johnston

Supervising Animators

Young Simba – Mark Henn

Adult Simba – Ruben A. Aquino

Scar – Andreas Deja

Mufasa – Tony Fucile

Pumbaa – Tony Bancroft

Timon – Michael Surrey

Young Nala – Aaron Blaise

Adult Nala – Anthony de Rosa

Hyenas – Alex Kupershmidt, David Burgess

Zazu – Ellen Woodbury

Sarabi – Russ Edmonds

Rafiki – James Baxter

Producer – Don Hahn

Cast: Jonathan Taylor Thomas, Matthew Broderick, Jeremy Irons, James Earl Jones, Nathan Jane, Ernie Sabella, Nikita Calame, Moira Kelly, Whoopi Goldberg, Cheech Marin, Jim Cummings, Rowan Atkinson, Madge Sinlcair, Robert Guillaume

Pocahontas (1995) **

Pocahontas falls in love with the British settler Captain John Smith and saves him from death.

Bad history and an uninteresting narrative force bog down an otherwise accomplished animated film that doesn’t rank with Disney’s previous triumphs.

Director – Mike Gabriel, Eric Goldberg

Writer – Carl Binder, Susannah Grant, Philip LaZebnik

Music – Alan Menken

Lyrics – Stephen Schwartz

Original Score – Alan Menken

Art Director – Michael Giaimo

Editor – H. Lee Peterson

Artistic Coordinator – Dan Hansen

Story Supervisor – Tom Sito

Layout Supervisor – Rasoul Azadani

Background Supervisor – Cristy Maltese

Clean-Up Supervisor – Renee Holt-Bird, Nancy Kniep

Effects Supervisor – Don Paul

CG Supervisor – Steve Goldberg

Supervising Animators

Pocahontas – Glen Keane

John Smith – John Pomeroy

Governor Ratcliffe – Duncan Marjoribanks

Chief Powhatan – Ruben A. Aquino

Meeko – Nik Ranieri

Flit – David Pruiksma

Percy/Wiggins/Grandmother Willow – Chris Buck

Thomas – Ken Duncan

Nakoma – Anthony de Rosa

Ben/Lon – T. Daniel Hofstedt

Kocoum – Michael Cedeno

Producer – James Pentecost

Cast: Irene Bedard, Mel Gibson, David Ogden Stiers, Russell Means, John Kassir, Christian Bale, Linda Hunt, Billy Connelly, Joe Baker, Michelle St. John, Frank Welker

The Peter Schneider/Thomas Schumacher Era

The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1996) ***

The deformed bell ringer of Notre Dame saves a gypsy girl from the machinations of his master.

A curiosity: An unlikely subject for Disney to revise, risking both the boredom and confusion of young audiences. Throughout its duration, it shifts between clumsiness and pure brilliance, sometimes in the same scene.

Director – Gary Trousdale, Kirk Wise

Writer – Tab Murphy, Irene Mecchi, Bob Tzudiker, Noni White, Jonathan Roberts

Music – Alan Menken

Lyrics – Stephen Schwartz

Original Score – Alan Menken

Art Director – David Goetz

Editor – Ellen Keneshea

Artistic Coordinator – Randy Fullmer

Story Supervisor – Will Finn

Layout Supervisor – Ed Ghertner

Background Supervisor – Lisa Keene

Clean-Up Supervisor – Vera Lanpher

Effects Supervisor – Christopher Jenkins

CG Supervisor – Kiran Bhakta Joshi

Supervising Animators

Quasimodo – James Baxter

Esmerelda – Tony Fucile

Frollo – Kathy Zielinski

Phoebus – Russ Edmonds

Hugo/Victor – David Pruiksma

Laverne – Will Finn

Clopin – Michael Surrey

Archdeacon – David Burgess

Djali – Ron Husband

Producer – Don Hahn

Cast: Tom Hulce, Demi Moore, Kevin Kline, Tony Jay, Jason Alexander, Charles Kimbrough, Mary Wickes, Paul Kandel, David Ogden Stiers

Hercules (1997) **

Hercules, son of Zeus, is captured by the minions of Hades, Lord of the Underworld, and brought up as a mortal; he can only restore his Godhood if he becomes a true hero.

Striking, funny animated comedy based on mythology with humor typical of its directors, which too often falls toward crassness. A pleasurable, if not enthralling, Disney film.

Director – John Musker, Ron Clements

Writer – John Musker, Ron Clements, Irene Mecchi, Bob Shaw, Don McEnery

Music – Alan Menken

Lyrics – David Zippel

Original Score – Alan Menken

Art Director – Andy Gaskill

Editor – Tom Finan

Artistic Coordinator – Dan Hansen

Production Designer – Gerald Scarfe

Story Supervisor – Barry Johnson

Layout Supervisor – Rasoul Azadani

Background Supervisor – Thomas Cardone

Clean-Up Supervisor – Nancy Kniep

Effects Supervisor – Mauro Maressa

CG Supervisor – Roger L. Gould

Supervising Animators

Adult Hercules – Andreas Deja

Philoctetes – Eric Goldberg

Hades – Nik Ranieri

Megera – Ken Duncan

Pegasus – Ellen Woodbury

Young Hercules – Randy Haycock

Zeus/Hera– Anthony de Rosa

The Muses – Michael Show

Pain – James Lopez

Panic – Brian Ferguson

Titans – Dominique Monfrey

Alcmene/Amphitryon – Richard Bazley

Fates/Thebans – Nancy Beiman

Hydra – Oskar Urretabizkaia

Producer – Alice Dewey, John Musker, Ron Clements

Cast: Tate Donavan, Danny DeVito, James Woods, Josh Keaton, Susan Egan, Bobcat Goldthwait, Matt Frewer, Rip Torn, Samantha Eggar, Barbara Barrie, Hal Holbrook, Paul Shaffer

Mulan (1998) **

A tomboyish girl disguises herself as a young man so she can fight with the Imperial Chinese Army against the invading Huns.

Two tones, one delving into the seriousness of warfare and the other the perquisite Disney humor, never quite mesh together in an otherwise brilliantly designed and animated film. It utilizes a Chinese calligraphic style.

Director – Barry Cook, Tony Bancroft

Writer – Rita Hsiao, Chris Sanders, Philip LaZebnik, Eugenia Bostwick-Singer, Raymond Singer

Music – Matthew Wilder

Lyrics – David Zippel

Original Score – Jerry Goldsmith

Art Director – Ric Sluiter

Editor – Michael Kelly

Artistic Coordinator – Jeff Dutton

Production Designer – Hans Bacher

Story Supervisor – Chris Sanders

Layout Supervisor – Robert Walker

Background Supervisor – Robert E. Stanton

Clean-Up Supervisor – Ruben Procopio

Effects Supervisor – David Tidgwell

CG Supervisor – Eric Guaglione

Supervising Animators

Mulan/Fa Zhou – Mark Henn

Shang/Fa Li – Ruben A. Aquino

Mushu – Tom Bancroft

Yao/Ancestors – Aaron Blaise

Ling/Chien-Po – Broose Johnson

Shan Yu/Huns/Falcon – Pres Romanillos

Khan/General Li – Alex Kupershmidt

Chi Fu/Grandmother Fa – Jeffrey J. Varab

Cri-Kee – Barry Temple

The Emperor – T. Daniel Hofstedt

Producer – Pam Coats

Cast: Ming-Na Wen, Eddie Murphy, BD Wong, Miguel Ferrer, Harvey Fierstein, Gedde Watanabe, Jerry Tondo, James Hong, Soon-Tek Oh, June Foray, Freda Foh Shen, Pat Morita

Tarzan (1999) ***

An orphaned baby, adopted by a great ape, grows to manhood and discovers he is a human when he falls in love with a British explorer.

Smart, magnificently realized tale of humanity and racism, seamlessly mixing traditional hand-drawn animation with computer effects. It broke from the Disney trend of the time in keeping its songs in the background, commenting on the emotion.

Director – Kevin Lima, Chris Buck

Writer – Tab Murphy, Bob Tzudiker, Noni White

Music/Lyrics – Phil Collins

Original Score – Mark Mancina

Art Director – Daniel St. Pierre

Editor – Gregory Perler

Artistic Coordinator – Fraser MacLean

Story Supervisor – Brian Pimentel

Layout Supervisor – Jean-Christophe Poulain

Background Supervisor – Doug Ball

Clean-Up Supervisor – Marshall Toomey

Effects Supervisor – Peter DeMund

CG Supervisor – Eric Daniels

Supervising Animators

Adult Tarzan – Glen Keane

Jane – Ken Duncan

Kala – Russ Edmonds

Terk – Michael Surrey

Tantor – Sergio Pablos

Clayton – Randy Haycock

Porter – David Burgess

Kerchak – Bruce W. Smith

Young Tarzan – John Ripa

Sabor – Dominique Monfrey

Producer – Bonnie Arnold

Cast: Tony Goldwyn, Minnie Driver, Glenn Close, Rosie O’Donnell, Wayne Knight, Brian Blessed, Nigel Hawthorne, Lance Henriksen, Alex D. Linz

The Emperor’s New Groove (2000) ***

A selfish Inca emperor, transformed into a llama by his bitter advisor, tries to regain his humanity and kingship with the aid of a friendly peasant.

Hysterical animated comedy that is exquisitely precise despite its thin narrative. It is closer in spirit to Chuck Jones and Warner Bros than the traditional Disney humor.

Director – Mark Dindal

Writer – Mark Dindal, Chris Williams, David Reynolds

Music – Sting, David Hartley

Lyrics – Sting

Original Score – John Debney

Art Director – Colin Stimpson

Co-Art Director – Dan Cooper

Editor – Pamela Ziegenhagen-Shefland

Artistic Coordinator – Dan Hansen

Production Designer – Paul Felix

Story Supervisor – Stephen Anderson

Layout Supervisor – Jean-Christophe Poulain

Background Supervisor – Natalie Franscioni-Karp

Clean-Up Supervisor – Vera Lanpher

Effects Supervisor – Mauro Maressa

Supervising Animators

Kuzko – Nik Ranieri

Pacha – Bruce W. Smith

Yzma – Dale Baer

Kronk – Tony Bancroft

Chica – Doug Frankel

Tipo – James Lopez

Chaca/Bucky – Brian Ferguson

Producer – Randy Fullmer

Cast: David Spade, John Goodman, Eartha Kitt, Patrick Warburton, Wendie Malick

Atlantis: The Lost Empire (2001) **

In 1914, the world's most highly qualified crew of archaeologists and explorers is led by a historian in search of the lost empire of Atlantis.  

An attempt by the Disney artists to break from formula and do an animated picture heavy on action and adventure. Despite a tremendous amount of work that is emblematic of its directors, it totally lacks a convincing centre to hold it together.

Director – Gary Trousdale, Kirk Wise

Writer – Tab Murphy

Original Score – James Newton Howard

Art Director – David Goetz

Editor – Ellen Keneshea

Artistic Coordinator – Christopher Jenkins

Production Designer – Matt Codd, Ricardo Delgado, Mike Mignola, Jim E. Martin

Story Supervisor – John Sanford

Layout Supervisor – Ed Ghertner

Background Supervisor – Lisa Keene

Clean-Up Supervisor – Marshall Toomey

Effects Supervisor – Marlon West

CG Supervisor – Kiran Bhakta Joshi

Supervising Animators

Milo – John Pomeroy

Rourke – Michael Surrey

Kida – Randy Haycock

Vinny – Russ Edmonds

Dr Sweet – Ron Husband

Helga – Yoshimichi Tamura

Audrey – Anne Marie Bardwell

Moliere – Anthony de Rosa

Mrs Packard/Mr Harcourt – David Pruiksma

Atlantean King – Michael Cedeno

Cookie/Preston Whitmore – Shawn Keller

Producer – Don Hahn

Cast: Michael J. Fox, James Garner, Cree Summer, Don Novello, Phil Morris, Jacqueline Obradors, Claudia Christian, Leonard Nimoy, Corey Burton, John Mahoney, Florence Stanley, David Ogden Stiers, Jim Varney

Lilo & Stitch (2002) **

A Hawaiian orphan befriends an alien creature that is on the run and hiding on Earth.

Spirited, adorable animated film that is delightfully inventive until it succumbs to heavy sentimentality.

Writer/Director – Chris Sanders, Dean DeBlois

Original Score – Alan Silvestri

Art Director – Ric Sluiter

Editor – Darren T. Holmes

Artistic Coordinator – Jeff Dutton

Production Designer – Paul Felix

Layout Supervisor – Arden Chan

Background Supervisor – Robert E. Stanton

Clean-Up Supervisor – Philip S. Boyd, Christine Lawrence-Finney

Effects Supervisor – Joseph F. Gilland

CG Supervisor – Eric Guaglione

Supervising Animators

Lilo – Andreas Deja

Stitch – Alex Kupershmidt

Nani – Stephane Sainte-Foi

Bubbles – Byron Howard

Pleakley/David – Ruben A. Aquino

Jumba – Bolhem Bouchiba

Grand Councilwoman – James Young Jackson

Captain Gantu – Theodore Ty

Producer – Clark Spencer

Cast: Daveigh Chase, Chris Sanders, Tia Carrere, David Ogden Stiers, Kevin McDonald, Ving Rhames, Zoe Caldwell, Jason Scott Lee, Kevin Michael Richardson

Treasure Planet (2002) **

On a distant planet in another galaxy, a troubled teenager goes in search of a pirate’s treasure.

An underrated film: A space age version of Stevenson’s oft-filmed book that is mostly remembered for its colossal failure at the box office. Its strengths lie in the creation of its beguiling world and characters rather than its uninvolving screenplay.

Director – John Musker, Ron Clements

Writer – John Musker, Ron Clements, Ted Elliot, Terry Rossio, Rob Edwards

Music/Lyrics – Johnny Rzeznik

Original Score – James Newton Howard

Art Director – Andy Gaskill

Co-Art Director – Ian Gooding

Editor – Michael Kelly

Artistic Coordinator – Neil Eskuri

Production Designer – Steve Olds, Frank Nissen

Story Supervisor – Barry Johnson

Layout Supervisor – Rasoul Azadani

Background Supervisor – Dan Cooper

Clean-Up Supervisor – Vera Lanpher

Effects Supervisor – David Tidgwell

CG Supervisor – Kyle Odermatt

Supervising Animators

Jim Hawkins – John Ripa

John Sivler – Glen Keane, Eric Daniels

Captain Amelia/Scroop – Ken Duncan

Dr Doppler – Sergio Pablos

B.E.N. – Oskar Urretabizkaia

Morph – Michael Show

Sarah – Jared Beckstrand

Mr Arrow – T. Daniel Hofstedt

Billy Bones – Nancy Beiman

Silver’s Crew – Adam Dykstra, Ellen Woodbury

Onus – Brian Ferguson

Producer – Roy Conli, John Musker, Ron Clements

Cast: Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Brian Murray, Emma Thompson, David Hyde pierce, Martin Short, Laurie Metcalf, Roscoe Lee Browne, Michael Wincott, Patrick McGoohan, Dane A. Davis

The David Stainton Era

Brother Bear (2003) *

After killing a bear, an Inuit boy is himself transformed into a bear by spirits.

A great example of the loss of nerve that began at Disney at the turn of the 21^st Century; almost everything here is recycled from previous films, though it does look good.

Director – Aaron Blaise, Robert Walker

Writer – Tab Murphy, Lorne Cameron, David Hoselton, Steve Bencich, Ron J. Friedman

Music/Lyrics – Phil Collins

Original Score – Phil Collins, Mark Mancina

Art Director – Robh Ruppel

Editor – Tim Mertens

Artistic Coordinator – Kirk Bodyfelt

Background Stylist – Xiangyuan Jie

Story Supervisor – Stephen Anderson

Layout Supervisor – Jeff Dickson

Background Supervisor – Barry R. Kooser

Clean-Up Supervisor – Philip S. Boyd, Christine Lawrence-Finney

Effects Supervisor – Garrett Wren

Supervising Animators

Kenai Bear – Byron Howard

Koda – Alex Kupershmidt

Denahi – Ruben A. Aquino

Kenai Human – James Young Jackson

Rutt – Tom Stanley

Tuke – Broose Johnson

Sitka – Anthony Wayne Michaels

Tanana – Tom Gately

Tug/Koda’s Mom – Rune Brandt Bennicke

Producer – Chuck Williams

Cast: Joaquin Phoenix, Jeremy Suarez, Jason Raize, Rick Moranis, Dave Thomas, D.B. Sweeney, Joan Copeland, Michael Clarke Duncan, Harold Gould

Home on the Range (2004) **

Three cows set out to catch an outlaw in order to save their ranch.

Despite the clear (and admittedly exhausting) objective to charm and delight, there is a depressive quality to this film that I find illuminating and honest. "Depressing" sounds like a negative word so maybe I should say "sad". But that also seems false given the cartoony and comic nature of the film. It's as if the bleakness and vulnerability of the hand-drawn staff during the Stainton era is eminently seeping through their drawings.

Writer/Director – Will Finn, John Sanford

Music – Alan Menken

Lyrics – Glenn Slater

Original Score – Alan Menken

Art Director – David Cutler

Editor – H. Lee Peterson

Artistic Coordinator – Dennis Blakey

Layout Supervisor – Jean-Christophe Poulain

Background Supervisor – Cristy Maltese

Clean-Up Supervisor – Marshall Toomey

Effects Supervisor – Marlon West

Supervising Animators

Maggie – Chris Buck

Mrs Calloway – Duncan Marjoribanks

Grace/Wesley/Rusty/Pearl – Mark Henn

Buck – Michael Surrey

Alameda Slim/Junior – Dale Baer

Rico/Willies/Horses – Russ Edmonds

Sheriff/Jeb – Sandro Lucio Cleuzo

Pearl – Bruce W. Smith

Farm Animals – James Lopez

Lucky Jack – Shawn Keller

Producer – Alice Dewey

Cast: Roseanne Barr, Judi Dench, Jennifer Tilly, Cuba Gooding Jr, Randy Quaid, Steve Buscemi, Charles Dennis, Charles Haid, Carole Cook, Joe Flaherty, Richard Riehle, Sam J. Levine

Chicken Little (2005)

When a tiny acorn bonks a chick on the head, he causes widespread panic and gets on the bad side of the entire town.

Disney's first fully computer animated effort is a bad and noisy film: Unattractive visuals, dull characters and a narrative that relies on parodying other films. The bottom of the Disney barrel.

Director – Mark Dindal

Writer – Mark Dindal, Mark Kennedy, Steve Bencich, Ron J. Friedman, Ron Anderson

Original Score – John Debney

Art Director – Ian Gooding

Co-Art Director – Dan Cooper

Editor – Dan Molina

Visual Effects Supervisor – Steve Goldberg

Production Designer – David Womersley, Mac George

Story Supervisor – Mark Kennedy

Layout Supervisor – Terry Moews

Technical Supervisor – Eric Powers

Animation Supervisor – Eamon Butler

Supervising Animators

Jason Ryan

Nick Ranieri

Doug Bennett

Tony Smeed

Dick Zondag

Mark Anthony Austin

Producer – Randy Fullmer

Cast: Zach Braff, Garry Marshall, Joan Cusack, Dan Molina, Steve Zahn, Amy Sedaris

The Ed Catmull/John Lasseter Era

Meet the Robinsons (2007) ***

A preteen orphan, longing for the love of his birth mother, is tricked by a boy with a time machine to help him fix a problem in the future.

A strange and wonderful film, with the furious, frenetic first-half only revealing its necessity when one has experienced the eloquent second-half. It applauds rational thought and patient research, and asserts the freedom to fail in the pursuit of scientific and emotional advances. It remains one of the most undervalued films ever made.

Director – Stephen Anderson

Writer – Jon Bernstein, Michelle Spitz, Don Hall, Nathan Greno, Joe Mateo, Aurian Redson, Stephen Anderson

Original Score – Danny Elfman

Art Director – Robh Ruppel

Co-Art Director – David Goetz

Editor – Ellen Keneshea

Visual Effects Supervisor – Steve Goldberg, Chris Peterson

Story Supervisor – Don Hall

Layout Supervisor – Scott Beattie

Technical Supervisor – Mark Hammel

Animation Supervisor – Michael Belzer

Supervising Animators

Nik Ranieri

Dale Baer

Dick Zondag

Jay N. Davis

John Ripa

Bob Davies

Ruben A. Aquino

Brian Ferguson

Producer – Dorothy McKim

Cast: Jordan Fry, Daniel Hansen, Wesley Singerman, Stephen Anderson, Harland Williams, Angela Bassett, Laurie Metcalf, Adam West, Tom Selleck, Nicole Sullivan

Bolt (2008) *

The star dog of a television show, unaware of that it’s all fake, goes missing and must find his way back to Hollywood with the help of a cat and a hamster.

A computer animated film that is not as strong as it could’ve been, borrowing most of its story elements from Toy Story (1995). It is funny, though.

Director – Chris Williams, Byron Howard

Writer – Chris Williams, Dan Fogelman

Original Score – John Powell

Art Director – Paul Felix

Editor – Tim Mertens

Visual Effects Supervisor – John Murrah

Story Supervisor – Nathan Greno

Layout Supervisor – Terry Moews

Lighting Supervisor – Adolph Lusinsky

Technical Supervisor – Hank Driskill

Animation Supervisor – Doug Bennett

Supervising Animators

Clay Kaytis

Mark Anthony Austin

Lino Di Salvo

Renato Dos Anjos

Mark Mitchell

Wayne Unten

Producer – Clark Spencer

Cast: John Travolta, Miley Cyrus, Susie Essman, Mark Walton, Malcolm McDowell, James Lipton, Randy Savage

The Princess and the Frog (2009) **

A waitress, desperate to fulfill her dreams as a restaurant owner, is set on a journey to turn a frog prince back into a human being, but she has to face the same problem after she kisses him.

An endeavor by Disney (and its directors) to make a return to the hand-drawn musicals that rejuvenated the studio 2 decades prior after recently converting to computer animation. The results are mixed, with exceptional character animation from the Renaissance tribe, a fairly good score and plodding narrative momentum. To date, the future of hand-drawn remains inconclusive. Make of it what you will.

Director – John Musker, Ron Clements

Writer – John Musker, Ron Clements, Rob Edwards, Greg Erb, Jason Oremland

Music/Lyrics – Randy Newman

Original Score – Randy Newman

Art Director – Ian Gooding

Editor – Jeff Draheim

Visual Effects Supervisor – Kyle Odermatt

Story Supervisor – Don Hall

Layout Supervisor – Rasoul Azadani

Background Supervisor – Sunny Apinchapong

Clean-Up Supervisor – Vera Lanpher

Effects Supervisor – Marlon West

Supervising Animators

Tiana – Mark Henn

Prince Naveen – Randy Haycock

Louis – Eric Goldberg

Dr Facilier – Bruce W. Smith

Charlotte – Nik Ranieri

Ray – Michael Surrey

Mama Odie – Andreas Deja

Lawrence – Anthony de Rosa

Eduroa/James – Ruben A. Aquino

Big Daddy La Bouff – Duncan Marjoribanks

Frog Hunters – Dale Baer

Producer – Peter Del Vecho

Cast: Anika Noni Rose, Bruno Campos, Keith David, Michael-Leon Wooley, Jennifer Cody, Jim Cummings, Jennifer Lewis, Peter Bartlett, Oprah Winfrey, Terrence Howard, John Goodman

Tangled (2010) **

A girl kept in a tower her whole life escapes when she blackmails a wanted thief.

A film that was 10 years in the making culminates into one of compromise, with many story beats consisting of beginnings with no ends and vice versa. There was an aspiration at Disney to use the film to improve the computer animation department, which is evident. But the results are still inadequate when compared to Pixar or Dreamworks. It is bright, handsomely composed with an entertaining story.

Director – Nathan Greno, Byron Howard

Writer – Dan Fogelman

Music – Alan Menken

Lyrics – Glenn Slater

Original Score – Alan Menken

Art Director – David Goetz

Co-Art Director – Dan Cooper

Editor – Tim Mertens

Visual Effects Supervisor – Steve Goldberg

Production Designer – Douglas Rogers

Story Supervisor – Mark Kennedy

Layout Supervisor – Scott Beattie

Lighting Supervisor – Mohit Kallanpur

Technical Supervisor – Mark Hammel

Animation Supervisor – Glen Keane, John Kahrs, Clay Kaytis

Supervising Animators

Lino Di Salvo

Mark Mitchell

Producer – Roy Conli

Cast: Mandy Moore, Zachary Levi, Donna Murphy, Ron Perlman, Jeffrey Tambor, Brad Garrett

Winnie the Pooh (2011) ***

The midcap adventures of A.A. Milne’s characters in the Hundred Acre Wood.

Calm, entrancing animated film of the kind that is now virtually extinct. Its reach is modest but a film that treats children with such dignity is hard to come by.

Director – Stephen Anderson, Don Hall

Writer – Burny Mattinson, Stephen Anderson, Don Hall, Clio Chiang, Don Dougherty, Kendelle Hoyer, Brian Kesinger, Nicole Mitchell, Jeremy Spears

Music – Robert Lopez

Lyrics – Kristen Anderson-Lopez, Robert Lopez

Original Score – Henry Jackman

Art Director – Paul Felix

Editor – Lisa Linder

Visual Effects Supervisor – Kyle Odermatt

Story Supervisor – Burny Mattinson

Layout Supervisor – Rasoul Azadani

Background Supervisor – Sunny Apinchapong

Clean-Up Supervisor – Vera Lanpher

Effects Supervisor – Marlon West

Supervising Animators

Pooh/Christopher Robin – Mark Henn

Eyeore – Randy Haycock

Owl – Dale Baer

Rabbit – Eric Goldberg

Tigger – Andreas Deja

Kanga/Roo/Piglet – Bruce W. Smith

Producer – Peter Del Vecho, Clark Spencer

Cast: John Cleese, Jim Cummings, Bud Luckey, Craig Ferguson, Travis Oates, Kristen Anderson-Lopez, Tom Kenny, Jack Boulter, Wyatt Dean Hall

Wreck-it Ralph (2012) **

A villain in an arcade game decides to abandon his game for another when he becomes tired of being the bad guy.

Clever, effects-heavy computer animated film set in the video game world with plenty of inside jokes and a complex plot. It constructs a fascinating world with appealing characters, though the situations they find themselves in aren’t as inventive.

Director – Rich Moore

Writer – Rich Moore, Phil Johnston, Jim Reardon, Jennifer Lee

Original Score – Henry Jackman

Art Director – Mike Gabriel

Co-Art Director – Ian Gooding

Editor – Tim Mertens

Visual Effects Supervisor – Scott Kersavage

Story Supervisor – Jim Reardon

Layout Supervisor – Rob Dressel

Lighting Supervisor – Adolph Lusinsky

Technical Supervisor – Brian Leach, Ernest J. Petti

Animation Supervisor – Renato Dos Anjos

Supervising Animators

Doug Bennett

Mark Mitchell

Tony Smeed

Zach A. Parrish

Producer – Clark Spencer

Cast: John C. Reilly, Sarah Silverman, Jack McBrayer, Jane Lynch, Alan Tudyck, Mindy Kaling, Ed O’Neill

Frozen (2013) **

An ice salesman and a Norwegian princess journey through snowy mountains to find her sister who has frozen their entire kingdom.

Glossy, structurally awkward film that is, to date, the highest-grossing animated film of all time, despite stock characters and weak songs. In the end, the meticulous work of the Disney artists outweigh the cons, but it is hard to find a film in recent memory that is less deserving of the adoration it has received.

Director – Chris Buck, Jennifer Lee

Writer – Chris Buck, Jennifer Lee, Shane Morris

Music – Robert Lopez

Lyrics – Kristen Anderson-Lopez, Robert Lopez

Original Score – Christophe Beck

Art Director – Michael Giaimo

Co-Art Director – Lisa Keene

Editor – Jeff Draheim

Visual Effects Supervisor – Steve Goldberg

Production Designer – David Womersley

Story Supervisor – Paul Briggs

Layout Supervisor – Scott Beattie

Lighting Supervisor – Mohit Kallanpur

Technical Supervisor – Mark Hammel

Animation Supervisor – Lino Di Salvo

Supervising Animators

Tony Smeed

Rebecca Wilson Bresee

Hyrum Viri Osmond

Malcon B. Pierce

Wayne Unten

Producer – Peter Del Vecho

Cast: Kristen Bell, Idina Menzel, Jonathan Groff, Josh Gad, Santino Fontana, Alan Tudyk, Ciaran Hinds

Big Hero 6 (2014) ***

The special bond that develops between an inflatable robot and a prodigy as they team up with a group of friends to form a band of high-tech heroes.

For my full review, click here.

Director – Don Hall, Chris Williams

Writer – Jordan Roberts, Robert L. Baird, Daniel Gerson

Original Score – Henry Jackman

Production Designer – Paul Felix

Art Director – Scott Watanabe

Editor – Tim Mertens

Visual Effects Supervisor – Kyle Odermatt

Story Supervisor – Joe Mateo, Paul Briggs

Layout Supervisor – Rob Dressel

Lighting Supervisor – Adolph Lusinsky

Technical Supervisor – Hank Driskill

Animation Supervisor – Zach Parrish

Supervising Animators
Doug Bennett

Nathan Engelhardt

Jason Figliozzi

Michael Franceschi

Brent Homman

Producer – Roy Conli

Cast: Scott Adsit, Ryan Potter, Daniel Henney, T.J. Miller, Jamie Chung, Damon Wayans Jr., Genesis Rodriguez, James Cromwell, Alan Tudyk, Maya Rudolph