Every genre across film has had its ups and downs throughout their history and animated movies are no exception. Since animation's beginning in late 1800s France, animated films have come a long way, especially in the United States.

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Some may not see the merit of animation, many making the assumption that it's juvenile, but thankfully there are creators who poured themselves into their art and showcased the impact animation can have on its audience. This split in creativity is why there are some animated movies that have done nothing for the genre. However, there are more works of art today than there are embarrassments.

10 Snow White And The Seven Dwarves Was The Movie That Started It All (Reinvented)

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Though viewers may have their own critiques when it comes to Snow White And The Seven Dwarves, the Disney classic is more than deserving of recognition. First and foremost, it was the first feature-length animated film of its time, proving that animation is a powerful tool in the art of cinematic storytelling.

At the time, even the Oscars praised the film, giving Walt Disney an honorary statuette, accompanied by 7 mini statuettes. The film was a stepping stone for the genre, which had a long way to go back in 1937.

9 Shark Tale's Design Was Way Behind The Times Upon Its Release (Didn't Reinvent)

Oscar and Lola in Shark Tale

Putting aside the film's issues of character development, dialogue, and pacing, the one problem that viewers come back to when it comes to Shark Tale is the film's animation design. Dreamworks already had access to great talent in animation, so the reason for such unsettling color choices and character design is greatly upsetting.

It is by far one of the studio's worst films, which is frustrating since this team also created films like The Prince of Egypt and How To Train Your Dragon.

8 The Nightmare Before Christmas Made Stop-Motion A Thrill To Watch (Reinvented)

A still from Nightmare Before Christmas as jack hands a child a present

Though Tim Burton and his production staff didn't invent stop-motion animation, they proved that the art form is worth the hard work as The Nightmare Before Christmas was the first stop-motion film to find wide success. Burton broke away from his time at Disney to create a new look for children's entertainment, something more dark and symbolic that captivated all ages.

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The film also served as rare competition for Disney, being complete with an original look and music. It was a rarity among animated films outside of Disney at the time. Though it won few awards after its premiere, this film is by far one of the most beloved and iconic animated films in history.

7 Bee Movie Became Nothing More Than An Internet Meme (Didn't Reinvent)

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In spite of being produced by one of the most successful animation studios, who brought us The Prince of Egypt, Bee Movie was nothing more than a joke. The animation is adequate for its time, but the constant "bee" puns and bizarre change of pace reveal that the studio didn't really think everything through.

It's definitely not the worst animated film, but it is fun to make fun of, which is why the meme creators leaped at the chance for another juicy meme to terrorize the internet with. That is the legacy of Bee Movie, nothing more, nothing less.

6 The Prince Of Egypt Proved That Compelling Animated Films Are Worth The Cost (Reinvented)

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It didn't take long for The Prince of Egypt to transcend viewers' expectations, thanks to all the hard work that was poured into this passion project. Not only did the animation set the bar for artistry upon the film's premiere, but the writing, voice acting, and overall execution are phenomenal and have yet to age today.

The film put Dreamworks studios on the map, allowing for more competition in the industry, and showed off the immense talent that supports the studio's endeavors. In hindsight though, this film would never have been the success that it was if it wasn't for the grand budget that supported all the work. A total of $60 million was spent on the film, the biggest budget of any animated feature film. Surely, the producers have no regrets about the expense.

5 Foodfight! Advertised The Wrong Kind Of Animated Experience (Didn't Reinvent)

Dex Dogtective in front of a darkening sky in Foodfight

Becoming a legendary disaster that was more than a decade in the making, Foodfight's excuse is theft and rushed production. As much as the creators may have suffered from birthing this mutated project, it's hard to forgive them for what was presented in the end.

Originally they were comparing their film to Toy Story in the sense that they were bringing unanimated characters to life, but they forgot to consider the emotional heart of their story. The film comes across as one big cash grab involving all the biggest food brands combined with the strangest dialogue and innuendos. At that point, it doesn't even matter what the animation looked like, though that's another reason the film is considered a sin.

4 Toy Story Introduced The World To CGI (Reinvented)

Woody and Buzz Lightyear in Toy Story.

The film industry invented numerous ways to bring the most unreal characters and visuals to life, but everything would change after Pixar's Toy Story was released. The 3D technology used to create the film not only reinvented animated movies, but all movies took to Pixar's example of using CGI.

Disney would try to compete with Pixar with its film Dinosaur in 2000, and Dreamworks would follow the CGI trend with most of their films. Today, most animated movies are 3D, but the first, and most successful, was Toy Story. Live-action films have become so used to the technology Pixar pioneered that it's become standard practice for the entire industry.

3 Norm Of The North Is An Embarrassment For Modern Animation (Didn't Reinvent)

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Considering how far animated films have come, it's honestly a surprise that a film like Norm of the North was even produced, and even more shocking that it fared as well as it did at the Box Office. The plot is convoluted and follows the Polar Bear Norm, the laughing stock of the Arctic because he can't hunt for food. For strange reasons, he's chosen to travel to New York to convince people to not move to his home in the Arctic ⁠— yes, you read that right.

The animation is atrocious, though not as bad as Foodfight, which doesn't say much. As far as voice acting and music, there isn't much to shout about. It has the lowest rates across Rotten Tomatoes with a 9%, which is better than the 0% that it started out with.

2 Spirited Away Put Studio Ghibli And Anime On America's Radar (Reinvented)

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By the early 2000s, everyone in the U.S. thought they knew what animation could be, but what viewers didn't realize is that there is a whole world of stories to be told and multiple ways to tell them. That's only one way that Studio Ghibli's Spirited Away reinvented animated films.

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In an age when this genre was limited to lighthearted content for children, the Japanese classic made its debut at the Oscars, winning Best Animated Film in 2002 to most viewers' surprise. They were introduced to a darker, more symbolic way to tell stories for all ages, which hadn't been seen since The Nightmare Before Christmas. It introduced the States to Hayao Miyazaki's genius and inspired a generation of creators.

1 Spider-Man Into The Spiderverse Brings Animation Into The Future (Reinvented)

Peter B. Parker and Miles Morales swinging through a forest in the film Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse

At first, Spider-Man: Into The Spiderverse might have only resonated with Marvel fans, but the film was more than just entertainment for that group alone. For those who took a good look at the film, it was a monumental achievement in animation.

In addition to its riveting story and compelling characters, Sony challenged the status quo. Fans of animation had long missed the days of 2D, hand drawn animation, but rather than looking to the past or following the trend of 3D technology, the two were fused for the first time in a feature film. The creative and inventive style of this movie is one of its many strengths and makes it the full package as an animation masterpiece.