griggs's - Animated April 2025: (Ranked) List
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Paprika (2006)Papurika
Prepare to enter the realm of fantasy and imagination - where reality and dreams collide in a kaleidoscopic mindscape of sheer visual genius. The magical tale centers on a revolutionary machine that allows scientists to enter and record a subject's dream. After being stolen, a fearless detective and brilliant therapist join forces to recover the device - before it falls into the hands of a "dream terrorist" in this gripping anime thriller from acclaimed director Satoshi Kon. - Director:
- Satoshi Kon
- Cast:
- Megumi Hayashibara, Tôru Emori, Katsunosuke Hori
- Formats:
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Once upon a time...or maybe twice, there was an unearthly paradise called Pepperland. A place where happiness and music reigned supreme. But all that was threatened when the terrible Blue Meanies declared war and sent in their army led by a menacing Flying Glove to destroy all that was good. Enter, John, Paul, George and Ringo to save the day! Armed with little more than their humour, songs, and of course, their yellow submarine, the Fab Four tackle the rough seas ahead in an effort to bring down the evil forces of bluedom. - Director:
- George Dunning
- Cast:
- Paul Angelis, John Clive, Dick Emery
- Formats:
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Visionary director Wes Anderson's 'Isle of Dogs' tells the story of Atari Kobayashi, 12-year-old ward to corrupt Mayor Kobayashi. When all the canine pets of Megasaki City are exiled to vast Trash Island, Atari sets off in search of his bodyguard dog, Spots. With the assistance of his newfound mongrel friends, he begins an epic journey that will decide the fate and future of the entire Prefecture. - Director:
- Wes Anderson
- Cast:
- Scarlett Johansson, Bryan Cranston, Liev Schreiber
- Formats:
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Belladonna of Sadness (1973)Kanashimi no Beradonna
One of the great lost masterpieces of Japanese animation. "Belladonna of Sadness" is a mad, swirling, psychedelic light-show of medieval tarot-card imagery with horned demons, haunted forests and La Belle Dame Sans Merci with J.R.R. Tolkien influences. The last film in the Animerama trilogy produced by the godfather of Japanese anime and manga, Osamu Tezuka and directed by his longtime collaborator Eiichi Yamamoto (Astro Boy and Kimba the White Lion), 'Belladonna' unfolds as a series of spectacular still watercolor paintings that bleed and twist together. A young woman, Jeanne (voiced by Aiko Nagayama) is assaulted by the local lord on her wedding night. To take revenge, she makes a pact with the Devil himself (voiced by Tatsuya Nakadai, from Akira Kurosawa's 'Ran') who appears as a sprite and transforms her into a black-robed vision of madness and desire. Extremely transgressive, 'Belladonna' is fueled by a mind-blowing Japanese psych rock soundtrack by noted avant-garde jazz composer Masahiko Satoh. - Director:
- Eiichi Yamamoto
- Cast:
- Aiko Nagayama, Masaya Takahashi, Masakane Yonekura
- Formats:
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Mind Game (2004)Maindo gêmu
Nishi has always loved Myon since they were little. And now as adults, he wants to pursue his dream of becoming a manga artist and marrying his childhood sweetheart. There's one problem, though. She's already been proposed to and thinks Nishi is too much of a wimp. But upon meeting the fiancé while at her family's diner and accepting him as a good guy, they encounter a couple of yakuza, only to have Nishi grasp a certain revelation. And, with his newly acquired look on life, adventures abound as he, Myon, and her sister, Yan, escape the yakuza into a most unlikely location where they meet an old man... - Director:
- Masaaki Yuasa
- Cast:
- Kôji Imada, Sayaka Maeda, Takashi Fujii
- Formats:
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Belleville Rendez-Vous (2003)The Triplets of Belleville / Les triplettes de Belleville
Noticing that here grandson, Champion, is a lonely little boy, Madame Souza buys him his first bicycle. Years go by, and with Madame Souza putting him through his paces, Champion becomes worthy of his name. Now, he is ready to enter the world's most famous cycling competition, the Tour de France. But, no sooner that the race has begun, two mysterious men in black kidnap him and it is up to Madame Souza and her faithful dog, Bruno, to rescue him, Soon, their quest takes them to a giant metropolis, called Belleville, where they encounter three eccentric female music hall stars of the 1930s and do battle with the evil French mafia. But can they rescue Champion? A visual treat for young and old alike, this stunning film has captured the imagination of audients the world over with its unique blend of classic animation and razor-sharp wit. - Director:
- Sylvain Chomet
- Cast:
- Michèle Caucheteux, Jean-Claude Donda, Michel Robin
- Formats:
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Two dogs, Snitter and Rowf, escape from a research institute and go on the run after being deliberately infected with a deadly virus. As they pose a threat to the human population, the two dogs are hunted down whilst searching for their original owner and a place where they no longer have to suffer human cruelty. - Director:
- Martin Rosen
- Cast:
- John Hurt, Christopher Benjamin, James Bolam
- Formats:
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This musical movie adaptation of Peter S. Beagle's classic best-seller tells the story of the last remaining Unicorn on earth who sets out from her home in lilac woods in the hope that she will find another of her kind. A wondrous quest begins with the Last Unicorn meeting many colourful characters along the way, including Schmendrick the Magician, Mommy Fortuna and Molly Grue. Danger Looms, However, with the appearance of the sinister Red Bull. - Director:
- Jules Bass
- Cast:
- Jeff Bridges, Alan Arkin, Jeff Bridges
- Formats:
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Princess Mononoke (1997)Mononoke-hime
Young warrior Ashitaka receives a wound that refuses to heal in a battle with a cursed beast. Searching for a remedy for the supernatural injury, he leaves his remote village for the forbidding forests of the west, where he finds a human enclave under siege from divine powers: deities of times past, the wolf gods, and San, a wild girl of the forest. Hayao Miyazaki's masterpiece depicts the clash between the natural world and its old gods, and the rise of humans and the beginnings of modern civilisation. It shows three elements of the Japanese psyche warring for supremacy in an epic ecological fable of stirring mythic power. - Director:
- Hayao Miyazaki
- Cast:
- Yôji Matsuda, Yuriko Ishida, Yûko Tanaka
- Formats:
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Hiccup (voice by Jay Baruchel) is a failure as a Viking: skinny, inquisitive, and inventive, he asks questions and tries out unsuccessful contraptions when he's supposed to be fighting the dragons that attack his village. His father, chief Stoick the Vast (voice of Gerard Butler), has pretty much given up on his teenage son and apprenticed him to blacksmith Gobber (voice of Craig Ferguson). Worse, Hiccup knows the village loser hasn't a chance of impressing Astrid (voice of America Ferrera), the girl of his dreams and a formidable dragon fighter in her own right. When one of Hiccup's inventions actually works, he hasn't the heart to kill the young dragon he's brought down. He names it Toothless and befriends it, although he's been taught to fear and loathe dragons... - Director:
- Dean DeBlois
- Cast:
- Jay Baruchel, Gerard Butler, Christopher Mintz-Plasse
- Formats:
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The life and controversial death of Vincent van Gogh as told by his paintings and by the characters that inhabit them. Beginning a year after his demise, this portrait of the artist is built via a series of interviews conducted by Armand Roulin (Booth) - a regular model for the artist's portraits - who becomes obsessed with van Gogh's death, caused by a bullet wound to the stomach. Was it an accident? Was it suicide? 'Loving Vincent' sets out to explore one of art's great mysteries, a unique film created using over over 65,000 hand painted frames and features music from the award winning composer Clint Mansell (The Fountain; Black Swan). - Director:
- Dorota Kobiela
- Cast:
- Douglas Booth, Jerome Flynn, Robert Gulaczyk
- Formats:
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Ne Zha (2019)Ne zha zhi mo tong jiang shi
A young boy, Ne Zha, is birthed from a heavenly pearl by the Primeval Lord of Heaven. Born with unique powers, Ne Zha finds himself as an outcast who is hated and feared. Destined by prophecy to bring destruction to the world, the young boy must choose between good and evil in order to break the shackles of fate and become the hero. - Director:
- Yu Yang
- Cast:
- Yanting Lü, Joseph, Mo Han
- Formats:
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Playing a version of herself, Robin Wright is an ageing actress who decides to take her final job: preserving her digital likeness for a future Hollywood. In a deal brokered by her agent (Harvey Keitel) and studio head (Danny Huston), her alias will be controlled by the studio, starring in any film they want with no restrictions. In return, she receives healthy compensation so she can care for her ailing son, and her digitised character will stay forever young. Twenty years later, with her contract expiring, Robin is invited to take part in 'The Congress' convention as she makes her comeback, straight into the world of future fantasy cinema. - Director:
- Ari Folman
- Cast:
- Robin Wright, Jon Hamm, Harvey Keitel
- Formats:
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A live performance of 23 songs from Luciano Pavarotti, recorded at the Gran Theatre Del Liceu, Barcelona on June 8th 1989.
Tracklisting:
1. Un'Aura Amorosa - "Cosi Fan Tutie" Mozart
2. La Promessa - Rossini
3. La Danza - Rossini4. Dolente Inmagine Di Fille Mia - Bellini
5. Malinconia, Ninfa Gentile - Bellini
6. Vanne, O Rosa Fortunata - Bellini
7. Bella Nice Che d'Amore - Bellini
8. Ma Rendi Pur Contento - Bellini
9. La Mia Letizia Infondere - "I Lombardi" - Verdi
10. Pourquoi Me Reveiller - "Werther" Massenet
11. Nevicata - Respighi
12. Pioggia - Respighi
13. Nebbie - Respighi
14. M'appari' Tutt'Amor - "Marta" Flotow
15. Serenata - Mascagni
16. Girometta - Sibella
17. Occhi Di Fata - Denza
18. Recondita Armonia - "Tosca" Puccini
19. 'A Vucchella - D'Annunzio - Tosti
20. Marechiare - Tosti
21. Donna Non Vidi Mai - "Manon Lescaut" Puccini
22. O Sole Mio - Di Capua - Capurro
23. Una Furtiva Lagrima - "l'Elisir d'Amore" Donizetti- Director:
- Not Available
- Cast:
- Luciano Pavarotti
- Formats:
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