Let's sing these underrated animated musical praises. Welcome to MsMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks of the underrated animated musicals that deserve more love.
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00:00Welcome to Ms. Mojo, and today we're counting down our picks of the underrated animated
00:12musicals that deserve more love.
00:21Number 10.
00:22Vevo
00:23Lin-Manuel Miranda fans are missing out if they haven't yet experienced this feel-good
00:27film.
00:37The titular Vevo is a Cuban kinkajou, or honey bear, with a passion for music.
00:43Together with a girl named Gabby, he sets out on an epic quest to give his late singing
00:46partner's old friend the love tune crafted for her.
00:59That old friend just so happens to be played by Gloria Estefan, by the way.
01:03Miranda wrote the songs and voices the main character to great effect.
01:07The numbers are absolutely infectious and feel up-to-date, while the energy is high
01:12characters are lovable throughout.
01:22It's a sweet little story with a lot of heart, and it needs way more recognition.
01:27Number 9.
01:28Thumbelina
01:29The
01:36House of Mouse practically has a monopoly on most fairy tales.
01:39They currently have the rights to this film, too.
01:42Still, in 1994, directors Don Bluth and Gary Goldman gave us a then-non-Disney heroine
01:47to love with a tiny Thumbelina.
01:55Critics weren't kind, but for many 90s kids, Thumbelina's adventures represent a core memory.
02:01The title character is voiced by Jodie Benson, who also played Ariel in The Little Mermaid.
02:06The songs for their part were composed by Barry Manilow.
02:10Let Me Be Your Wings is a beautiful romantic duet, and though Marry the Mole won a Razzie,
02:14it's definitely memorable.
02:18Fun, quirky, and often dark, Thumbelina is underappreciated yet magical.
02:35Number 8.
02:36Strange Magic
02:47Animated jukebox musicals were having a moment in the 2010s, with Sing and Trolls both bursting
02:52onto our screens to great success in 2016.
02:55However, about a year earlier, Strange Magic was released to relatively little fanfare.
03:05Yet, the Lucasfilm production has a high-profile voice cast, including Kristen Chenoweth, Alan
03:15Cumming, and Evan Rachel Wood.
03:17The premise is a lot of fun, too.
03:19A take on A Midsummer Night's Dream, it was pitched as a Beauty and the Beast story where
03:23the Beast doesn't change.
03:25Plus, the songs are an eclectic mix of classic rock and modern pop bangers, selected by George
03:30Lucas.
03:41It's weird, but it works.
03:43Number 7.
03:44The Road to El Dorado
03:56When it comes to traditionally animated DreamWorks musicals, most of us can agree that The Prince
04:01of Egypt is a masterpiece.
04:03Meanwhile, The Road to El Dorado is often overlooked.
04:07Kenneth Branagh and Kevin Kline star as two Spanish con artists, who stumble upon the
04:11famed titular Golden City.
04:19The movie may have its issues, but it has become a bit of a cult classic, and it's not
04:23hard to see why.
04:25After all, with a score by Hans Zimmer and John Powell, and songs by Elton John and Tim
04:29Rice, you can't go too far wrong.
04:42Not to mention the plot has a satisfying blend of comedy and adventure, the animation's appealing,
04:47and it's all just a lot of fun.
04:49Number 6.
04:50Fern Gully – The Last Rainforest
04:53It might not be considered a classic, but we love a movie with a message, and Fern Gully
04:57didn't come to play.
05:04Its ominous warnings about the evils of pollution and the destruction of the rainforests aren't
05:09subtle, but they are effective.
05:11On a lighter note, this independent animated film is also chock full of fairies, magic,
05:16romance, and some really great tunes.
05:26There's also an awesome voice cast.
05:28Christian Slater and Samantha Mathis are notably joined by the late Robin Williams, who brings
05:33his usual star power as Batty the fruit bat.
05:36We also could never forget Tim Curry's charismatic villain Hexus, who really steals the show.
05:49Number 5.
05:50An American Tale
06:03Don Bluth has made his mark on the animation industry with works like Anastasia and The
06:07Land Before Time, but we should also remember Feivel Mauskiewicz, the hero of this underrated
06:12musical.
06:13An American Tale was a box office success, bagged two Grammys for Somewhere Out There,
06:18and spawned multiple sequels, including the enjoyable Feivel Goes West, though Bluth wasn't
06:23a part of those.
06:30However, the 1986 flick received mixed reviews, with some suggesting it was too downbeat for
06:38kids.
06:39If you ask us, though, it has everything you want from a children's film.
06:43Memorable songs, engaging characters, and plenty of adventure.
06:58It's emotional, too, tackling big themes including immigration and corruption.
07:02Plus, Feivel himself is simply adorable.
07:06Number 4.
07:07Happy Feet
07:08It may look like a standard jukebox musical, but Happy Feet deserves to stand out from
07:12the crowd.
07:23The comedy is full of peril, going to some dark places.
07:27It's also an all-singing-and-dancing extravaganza, featuring numbers from across the musical
07:32spectrum.
07:33You'll hear familiar tunes from Elvis, Prince, Stevie Wonder, the Beach Boys, and more.
07:49The story itself is worthwhile, too, following Mumble, a penguin without a heart song, who's
07:54shunned by his peers until he proves himself through dance.
07:57And that's saying nothing of the environmental message.
08:00But the pièce de résistance might just be the Boogie Wonderland scene, featuring a huge
08:04crowd of penguins animated to move like real tap dancers.
08:19The end product is truly special.
08:22Number 3.
08:23The Ghost for Camelot
08:24This Arthurian fantasy adventure has faced its share of criticism, but there's also a
08:29lot it does right.
08:30For one thing, the songs are pitch perfect.
08:42You might have heard Andrea Bocelli in Céline Dion's The Prayer without ever realizing it
08:46originated here.
08:48And it's not the only memorable tune on the soundtrack.
09:02With a Celtic-inspired score and the vocal talents of folks like Dion and Andrea Corr,
09:07the music is actually really beautiful.
09:09The plot is fun, too.
09:10It centers on Cayley, an aspiring knight of Camelot, and Garrett, a solitary man who's
09:15visually impaired and who secretly shares her ambition.
09:28The leads have chemistry, the side characters add great value, and Gary Oldman makes an
09:33entertaining villain.
09:35What more could you want?
09:36Number 2.
09:37The Swan Princess
09:38Swan Lake gets the animated princess treatment in The Swan Princess, a magical romance from
09:48New Line Cinema.
09:50Despite some plot holes and a love interest some might find uninspiring, it's really an
09:54enjoyable watch.
09:55The songs are catchy and clever, with the opening number, This Is My Idea, setting the
10:00story up perfectly.
10:06After a fairy-tale-style beginning, Prince Derek blows his chance with the heroine Odette.
10:15We stan a princess who knows her worth, although love does conquer all by the end.
10:20The rest of the movie is a fun adventure full of quirky side characters, including a French
10:25frog voiced by John Cleese.
10:27The fantastic tracks continue throughout, too, with bops like Princesses on Parade and
10:32the romantic duet, Far Longer Than Forever.
10:43Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.
10:47The musical Barbie movies.
10:49These were better than their animation would suggest.
11:00Cats Don't Dance.
11:01A feel-good feline fable that's unfortunately been all but forgotten.
11:15Corpse Bride.
11:16One of Tim Burton's best, if most overlooked.
11:31The Pebble and the Penguin.
11:32This obscure Don Bluth-Gary Goldman pick has a controversial history, but is worth a watch.
11:47Little Dogs Go to Heaven.
11:48Dogs, demons, and some good songs, too.
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12:21The Lion King 2 – Simba's Pride.
12:34Disney sequels aren't known for their excellence, although The Little Mermaid 2 has its moments.
12:39However, Simba's Pride is really worthwhile.
12:42While its predecessor is loosely inspired by Hamlet, this one borrows its premise from
12:46Romeo and Juliet instead.
12:57Simba's daughter and Scar's would-be heir are our star-crossed lovers, torn apart by
13:01prejudice and suspicion.
13:02Honestly, the animation might not be up to scratch, but the songs are great.
13:07The opening number, He Lives in You, is taken from The Lion King Broadway show, and the
13:11film hits its musical peak with One of Us, a dramatic chorus number that we think is
13:16up there with Disney's best.
13:27You won't be bored watching this one.
13:29Which underrated animated movie do you think has the best songs?
13:32Share your favorites in the comments.
13:41Do you agree with our picks?
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