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Here is Part 3 of the list! If you want to see part 1 and part 2, I have hyperlinked them in this sentence! I hope you all enjoy the next part of this list!
18. Justice League: Dark
Maybe it was the fact that the 2016 line-up of DC-animated films was not that great, but Justice League: Dark was such an improvement on the other films from 2016. It had a more consistent and dark tone, I liked the character dynamics more, and the action was way better than most, because of all of the magic use. Sure, the main threat was a bore, but I’m fine with any way we can fit Alfred Molina and Constantine into a movie together.
17. My Little Pony the Movie
I understand why this film didn’t really make a splash, but for a film based on a TV show, I found it enjoyable. It might not have hit every point of why people love this incarnation of the franchise, but it was a solid action-adventure romp. It struggled to mix 2D and CGI together, and the main villain was, just like Justice League: Dark, was not the best, but I had fun with this movie. I liked the jokes, most of the characters, and it was just good to see a 2D animated film in theaters.
16. Batman vs. Two-Face
The last film the great Adam West was cast in is a wonderful sendoff to one of the most iconic actors of the past. It was a story that was able to pace itself better, the jokes and more serious moments were balanced out, the character chemistry was just right, and the animation looked great. It’s a fantastic DC-animated feature, and I highly recommend checking out this one last hurrah for Adam West.
15. Ocean Waves
On one hand, I can understand why this film took so long to come over to the states. It’s not the most whimsical film, it doesn’t really have the more fantastical elements of a Miyazaki or Takahata, and we don’t even get an English dub in the official release. However, I still found myself enjoying this movie. I liked following the teens in the film through romance and maturing into adults. Even though Ghibli never let something like this happen again, where they had the younger staff members make a movie, I still enjoyed Ocean Waves.
14. The LEGO Ninjago Movie
Listen, I think in the long run, it was the best thing to not connect it to the TV show. It was a good idea to make this stand on its own. It might be the third best LEGO Movie of the theatrically-released films, and it might not have the same depth as LEGO Batman or the original LEGO Movie, but I still had a blast with the action, the writing, and the fairly solid voice acting. Hopefully the new upcoming LEGO film can put everything back on track.
13. A Silent Voice
While it has its problems in pacing, and a few characters that either don’t do anything, or don’t get a proper consequence handed to their behavior in the entire film, A Silent Voice is a powerful film about redemption and understanding one another. Along with the incredible soundtrack, it’s an emotional roller coaster with its ups and downs with a pretty satisfying arc for a majority of the characters. I think I even prefer it over Your Name. Now then, Elevenarts, you need to actually release this movie on DVD now!
12. Window Horses
This was easily one of the more unique offerings during the 2017 animation scene. While you can definitely compare it to The Prophet, with different directors directing different poetry sequences, it’s a more personal story about finding oneself, and the power of family. Do not let the art style turn you away from one of the more diverse and unique animated offerings of this decade. Sandra Oh did a great job with this movie, and I hope she tries out other projects like this in the future.
11. Ethel & Ernest
Yeah, this art style should be instantly recognizable to anyone who has seen the classic Christmas short, The Snowman, because this film is Raymond Briggs focusing on the life of his father and mother. The story focuses on them as they go through the time they first met, through World War II, and up to their deaths. It’s a charming and charismatic movie that I wish more people knew about. It’s beautifully animated with some great performances and incredibly touching scenes. It’s only available on DVD, which is a shame, but if you see it, please do pick up a copy of this film.
The Other Side of Animation 