Top 10 Underrated Animated Musicals

MsMojo

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.

Transcript

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?

13:42Check out this other recent clip from Ms. Mojo.

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