In a lot of ways, the ’90s was the ideal time to get into animated movies because it was a groundbreaking decade. Along with Disney’s Renaissance Era, there was the rise of Pixar as a feature film studio and greatness from Studio Ghibli, just to name a few.
Throw in some stop-motion animated movies and you can see why there are so many popular classics from the decade. Letterboxd is a good place to find the most popular of the era because the movie lovers on the site pick out a great mix of both acclaimed and beloved films from around the world.
1990 – The Rescuers Down Under
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Whenever people mention the Renaissance Era for Disney, The Rescuers Down Under gets forgotten. It certainly wasn’t a hit on the level of some other releases but it was still a pretty strong effort from the studio.
The film is a sequel to 1977’s The Rescuers and it sees two mice travel to Australia to help rescue a boy from a poacher who is hunting an endangered species of birds. It was a modest box office success and received solid reviews but remains one of the more underrated Disney movies ever released.
1991 – Beauty And The Beast
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There have been plenty of adaptations of Beauty and the Beast over the years but in the eyes of many, the greatest version is the animated classic from Disney. It was a massive commercial success and even spawned a Broadway musical that ran for years.
Telling the story of a female prisoner and a man cursed to look like a monster who ultimately fall in love, Beauty and the Beast was a historic film for Disney. It became the first animated movie to be nominated for Best Picture at the Oscars, while also winning for Best Original Song and Best Original Score.
1992 – Aladdin
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Following up on an Oscar nominated film was a daunting task but it seems like Aladdin managed to more than live up to the expectations. It made even more money than Beauty and the Beast and is arguably just as iconic, also becoming a Broadway play and getting a live-action remake.
Boosted by legendary original songs, Aladdin follows a street urchin who poses as a prince with the help of a genie to win the heart of a princess. The film was praised for almost every aspect and has gone down as a benchmark in animation from the ’90s, holding up impressively well today.
1993 – The Nightmare Before Christmas
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Is it a Halloween movie or a Christmas flick? People have been asking that question about The Nightmare Before Christmas since it was originally released and ultimately, both answers are basically correct. People watch this movie each year for both holidays.
This stop-motion animated tale from the mind of Tim Burton focuses on Jack Skellington, the king of Halloween Town, as he visits Christmas Town and becomes enamored with it. Although some found it too dark for kids at first, it has become a favorite that people adore.
1994 – The Lion King
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A lot of Walt Disney Animation Studios films are adaptations of famous tales and stories but The Lion King is completely original. It also just so happens to arguably be the most profitable movie released by the studio, grossing over $1 billion and spawning sequels, TV shows, a remake, and a Broadway play.
It makes sense that this is the year’s most popular film because there are still folks who make sure to watch The Lion King on a consistent basis. The story of a young lion who grows up to take his kingdom after his evil uncle murders his father is timeless and the fantastic soundtrack only helps.
1995 – Toy Story
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After years of impressive short films, Pixar joined the world of feature films and hasn’t looked back. Toy Story was their debut and it was a wildly impressive way to start, with the movie being groundbreaking in terms of CGI animation.
The visuals might not hold up well today but they set the tone going forward for Pixar. Plus, the real star of the movie is the enchanting story about the toys that belong to a young boy coming to life and ultimately his two favorite toys becoming true friends. This changed the game for animation going forward.
1996 – Space Jam
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It could be said that no film made the combination of animation and live-action work quite as well as Who Framed Roger Rabbit? but Space Jam feels like a close contender. The movie is basically a perfect look at what the ’90s was like as it took the Looney Tunes and Michael Jordan and put them together.
The popular cartoons get the retired NBA legend to help them in a game against aliens and while critics didn’t love the flick, audiences adored it. It makes everyone think of the era with the people and characters involved and the iconic soundtrack.
1997 – Princess Mononoke
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The lone film from Studio Ghibli to be the most popular of its given year in the ’90s was Princess Mononoke. The story comes from the mind of Hayao Miyazaki, the writer and director of some of the greatest animated films ever released.
Picking out the best movie from Miyazaki is difficult but Princess Mononoke is certainly in the conversation. With a tremendous plot centering on a war for a forest between a mining colony and a group of gods, gorgeous animation, and memorable characters, it’s no wonder this is an all-time great.
1998 – Mulan
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It feels like Mulan was a different kind of tale for Disney to tell in this era. While there was a love story involved, the focal point wasn’t about the romance but instead about a strong and heroic female protagonist who stepped up in honor of her family.
Mulan centers on the titular character as she disguises herself as a man to fight in a war so that her injured father doesn’t have to. The movie was met with widespread acclaim for character development, storytelling, comedy, and music, delivering some of Disney’s best songs ever.
1999 – Toy Story 2
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After another success with A Bug’s Life, Pixar returned to the original with Toy Story 2. It could be argued that this is even better than the first film, also holding a 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, which is a rare feat to pull off.
This installment takes what worked in the first entry and builds on it by having Buzz help Woody remember who he is and furthering their friendship. It also had some great comedic elements and introduced iconic characters like Jesse, Bullseye, and more.
