Since the big Disney boom in the 1950s, cartoon movies and tv shows have traditionally been reserved for children due to their imaginative medium and, at times, juvenile portrayals of characters and stories.

Recently, however, with the integration of more mature themes in these animated movies and more exposure both in awards and streaming platforms, young teens and adults have found themselves drawn to the expressiveness of these movies and even the qualities that previously made them seem unsuitable for their age group. 

“I think that morals to stories are applicable to people of all ages. And animated movies can deliver those messages just as well as live action,” junior Mia Williamson said.

Movies like Turning Red, Encanto, and Wall-E have delved into messages and main ideas that are relevant to much more than just kids and adults are taking note. Since the creation of an Animated Feature category in the Academy Awards, countless movies previously brushed aside in the world of award shows are receiving their due praise!

Along with the exploration of these more complex and engaging themes, aesthetically, animated movies have become more spectacular than ever before. By integrating new technology with the talent and hard work of animators, each new animated movie seems to be, visually and thematically, more striking and poignant.

“We’re growing up in a time where animation is consistently getting better by the year and consistently just breaking the bar,” senior Jack Faris said. “And so we have this really astonishing thing that’s happening where these movies have become insanely beautiful now, such as Luca. The animated movement is so fluid and the settings and characters are so colorful, it’s beautiful.”

Another component of animated movies which has captured many people’s attention is the wide variety of styles the genre contains. Traditional animation, 2D animation, 3D animation, and stop motion are all examples of very different styles all contained within this world of movies. Despite the collective medium they all share, working in these styles create widely different products. Animation has the capacity to produce movies like Coraline and Snow White; both movies are animated but, visually, they could not be more different.

“The variety between animated movies has always fascinated me”, sophomore Sabrina Holmes said. “The way two movies can be created in the same way yet also have almost nothing in common is super neat.”

The storytelling qualities of movies also seem to be enhanced by the medium of animation. Boundaries present while making a live-action movie such as sets and actors can be overcome with just a talented artist and a computer.

“Personally, I love the way animated movies can make characters so much more expressive, and they can really develop their themes using colors or other motifs,” Williamson said. “Just because of the creativity and the freedom they have with their animation, these movies can be so much more interactive and captivating to watch.”

While sometimes goofy, the exaggerated and overly expressive reactions of animated characters allow for a more compelling story to be told, fascinating audiences with the crazy yet grounded expressions of a character.