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This article was originally published on May 31, 2024.
It has been updated to include theOscar-nominatedanimated filmFlow,which is now streaming onMax.
It was, as all films were then, silent.
While silent animated shorts are still commonplace, feature animation has largely left its silent roots behind.
But, thankfully, there is a surprisingly impressive canon of modern animated feature films that are effectively silent.
While they have synchronized sound, they explore their worlds without a word of dialogue.
But it didnt, and the film survives as an all-time animated classic.
Theres no dialogue and minimal sound effects, but theres barely a second thatDiscoveryisnt blasting in all its glory.
Dialogue is nearly nonexistent, but the film thrums with a kinetic musical rhythm.
The film earned two Oscar nominations: Best Animated Feature and Best Song for the terrific Belleville Rendez-Vous.
But one day he wakes to discover that wings have begun to grow from his back.
This is animation that employs rough pencil marks that delightfully draws attention to itself as hand-drawn.
But when its this mesmerizing to watch, you wont mind.
It follows an elderly magician whos struggling to find work in 1959 Paris.
This tender, occasionally somber affair is full of gorgeous, precise detail.
Visually, its exquisite, with a warm color palette and rich character designs.
Beneath the brightness is an intense coming-of-age story as the boy discovers a world far beyond his humble upbringing.
There is technically dialogue inBoy and the World, but its Portuguese spoken backward, rendering it intoPeanuts-esque gibberish.
Character designs are memorable with a distinctly British charm.
Shipwrecked after a disastrous storm, a man is left to fend for himself on a remote island.
This is a gorgeous and striking film with stunning animation that seamlessly blends traditional animation with CG.
The backgrounds, uniquely drawn with charcoal on paper, add a remarkable dimension to the imagery.
Away(2019)
A boy wakes up in the middle of nowhere with nobody in sight.
All he has with him are a motorcycle and a friendly injured bird.
Its well paced, and standout sequences like the reflecting lake immerse you in this dialogue-free story.
It also has possibly the shortest credit sequence in animation, as the film was made entirely by Zilbalodis.
Yet beneath all the horror, theres a remarkable sense of humanity in every creation.
Yet this is a considerably more complex narrative than Zilbalodiss first film.
The characters act like real animals, and not cartoons, a decision that givesFlowa potent sense of authenticity.
