Top 5 DreamWorks Animation Movies
By Elliott Cuff
Ever since its founding in 1994, DreamWorks Animation has been a Hollywood powerhouse and one of the great American animation studios, with several critically and commercially successful franchises over the past 30 years.
So in honor of 1994 Month, here are my five favorite DreamWorks Animation movies and why they still endure today.
Shrek
Perhaps DreamWorks’ most notable title and winner of the inaugural Best Animated Feature Oscar, Shrek remains genuinely funny and heartwarming with plenty of pop culture references, adult jokes, and a bouncy soundtrack. You might need to peel back a few layers of the onion to shed the film’s cultural weight, but underneath is an earnest fairytale for the ages.
The Prince of Egypt
Amidst DreamWorks’ slate of hand-drawn titles, The Prince of Egypt stands out as the best of the bunch. It’s a moving, visually stunning, and epic retelling of the Book of Exodus that was clearly crafted with passion and creativity, and somehow feels both classical and fresh.
Shrek 2
Like every great sequel, Shrek 2 takes everything that worked in the first Shrek and amplifies it. Introducing compelling new characters and a stunning new setting, this dazzling sequel fires on all cylinders, and the harmonious climactic “Holding Out for a Hero” sequence remains unmatched.
How to Train Your Dragon
Vikings and dragons, a forbidden friendship, soaring visuals—all aspects that make How to Train Your Dragon a superb film filled with wonder and heart. It quickly cemented itself as an instant classic with its top-notch animation, interesting characters, and a strong voice cast, not to mention the very best boy in Toothless the Night Fury.
Puss in Boots: The Last Wish
Recency bias? Maybe. But The Last Wish is just that good, and feels like true innovation in the form. Puss in Boots’ sophomore solo effort is vibrant and exciting, the animation is creative and dynamic, and the villain is one of the best in recent memory. Returning to the fairytale land of Far, Far Away never felt better.
Elliott Cuff is a writer, journalist, and film enthusiast. Follow him on Twitter @CuffWrites and Instagram @elliottlovesmovies.