Best Animation Movies of 1989

Life on a shelf as a snowman trapped in a snow-globe blizzard can become wearing, especially when you're surrounded by knickknacks from sunnier locales. When the jaded snowman finally breaks free of his glass house, his vacation plans are cut short.

When a casino-owning dog named Charlie is murdered by his rival Carface, he finds himself in Heaven basically by default since all dogs go to heaven. However, since he wants to get back at his killer, he cons his way back to the living with the warning that doing that damns him to Hell. Once back, he teams with his old partner, Itchy, to prep his retaliation. He also stumbles onto an orphan girl who can talk to the animals, thus allowing him to get the inside info on the races to ensure his wins to finance his plans. However, all the while, he is still haunted by nightmares of what's waiting for him on the other side unless he can prove that he is worthy of Heaven again.

Heidi, the star of the "Meet The Feebles Variety Hour" discovers her lover Bletch, The Walrus, is cheating on her. And with all the world waiting for the show, the assorted co-stars must contend with drug addiction, extortion, robbery, disease, drug dealing, and murder. Meanwhile the love between two of the stars is threatened by Trevor the Rat, who wishes to exploit the young starlet for use in his porno movie.

Sophie is snatched from her orphanage early one morning by the BFG (Big Friendly Giant), whom she witnesses engaged in mysterious activities. She is soon put at ease, as she learns that BFG's job is to collect, catalog and deliver pleasant dreams to children. She joins him that night, but a mean giants follow them, planning to eat the children of the world.

Chip and Dale, Disney's favorite chipmunk team, form their own protection agency for their fellow animals, where they seek to help the helpless and protect those in peril from those who would exploit them.

A humorous and thought-provoking view of what animals in zoos might be thinking about their captivity and surroundings.

Garfield's Thanksgiving finds Jon with a love interest - a veterinarian who orders Garfield on a diet - and then comes for Thanksgiving dinner!

According to Bart Simpson, "If TV taught me anything , it's that miracles always happen to poor kids at Christmas. It Happened to Tiny Tim, it happened to the Smurfs, and it's going to happen to us." But it better happen fast. The Simpsons are in a Yuletide jam-there's no money for presents, and they may have to cancel Christmas! Before the crisis ends, Homer gets a job as a part-time Santa, Bart gets a tattoo, and the whole family- even Grandpa and Marge's nasty sisters- gets into the holiday spirit when they discover the true meaning of Christmas.

Roger Rabbit once again is chosen for the dangerous task of babysitting Baby Herman and everything is going to be just fine.

When a group of generals from the Pentagon notify General Halftrack that they want to inspect a model of the modern soldier, Beetle Bailey probably wasn't what they had in mind.

The special is hosted by Tony Danza and Annie Potts celebrating 50 years of William Hanna and Joseph Barbera's partnership in animation. This is the first animated project to be broadcast in Dolby Surround sound system.

As Valentine's Day approaches, Cathy, ever the romantic, becomes passionately consumed with thoughts of hearts, flowers and candle-lit dinners.

Pryde of the X-Men was a short-lived series about the X-Men, with the main character being Kitty Pryde (whose alias is Shadow Cat, though she never becomes Shadow Cat in the series), which is why the series is titled Pryde of the X-Men. The show was produced by Marvel Productions and Sunbow Productions, who made a pilot for NBC. The pilot aired, but for unknown reasons, it was never turned into a full-blown series. Despite it not becoming a full series, the pilot has aired in syndication, and was later released on video.

Leonard Maltin introduces us to and takes us back to a theatre showing Wartime cartoon shorts and explains how Bugs and Daffy and the gang, through a collection/sampling of 11 cartoon shorts which served the war effort.

Aboard a humongous space ship, an astronaut discovers a magic, glowing portal that brings him to a land of wonder and amazement. Filmed with the Lego line of construction toys, the film is considered to be a significant example of early brickfilms.

Mickey and his friends take a close look at important street safety situations and tips.

One magical day each year the teddy bears of the world come alive to gather in the forest for food, fun and games. One year, with the help of two warmhearted teddy bears, a sad, little girl got a special look at this joyful event.

You Take Care Now, an early student film, is a perfect exemplar of Ann Marie Fleming's idiosyncratic vision and stands as one of her signature works. Made on 16mm, and incorporating found footage, original material, animation, and processed images (Vancouver's groundbreaking avant-garde cinema of the 1970s is a decided influence here), Fleming's film offers a visually dazzling, emotionally wrenching, oddly humorous account of two profound personal traumas.

Garfield the cat daydreams that he's an old-time private detective.

A storm threatens the already damaged harbor breakwater, and Beamer, the Lighthouse, fears for the safety of all who live in Little Golden Book Land! When Scuffy overhears Beamer sharing bad news with the big ships anchored nearby, he promises to help. Undaunted, Scuffy recruits Tootle the Train, Poky Little Puppy, and Shy Little Kitten to join him on his mission.

Children's book authors Jean and Laurent de Brunhoff's most beloved elephant comes to the big screen in this animated family tale. Elephant monarch King Babar tells the tale, that unfolds via flashback, of how a much-younger Barbar and his girlfriend Celeste save her village from the pugnacious rhinoceroses that have come to raid it.

Short - This delightful adaptation follows Gertrude and George the Dancing Frog on a whirlwind theatrical tour. - Amanda Plummer, Heidi Stallings, Edna Harris

Legendary TV news anchor Walter Cronkite takes ecstatic Disneyland tourist Robin through the process of Disney's hand drawn animation and makes Robin's wish of visiting the animated world of Peter Pan (1953) come true.

Made-for-TV special of popular comic strip.

The Zooks and the Yooks are at war over the butter and bread - on which side should one spread?

A country couple and their shepherd endure drought, flood, a monstrous bear, hunters and tourists during a somewhat odd few days in their normally quiet life.

This bizarre parody of the animated religious children’s show Davey and Goliath uses actors but looks like Claymation because of the stop motion, distorted voices, giant prosthetic ears and hair and sets that make Pee-Wee’s Playhouse look realistic. Davey’s father whips him with a belt for saying that he saw a bear, though he really did see a bear, while his sister looks on in glee. His dog Goliath, actually a leopard-skin footrest with a grotesque tail, tries to help but gets whipped too. Oedipal dream sequences and Davey’s revenge are also highlights in this unforgettable and darkly hilarious suburban nightmare.

The Wicked Queen is dead but her brother, Lord Maliss, seeks for revenge. Using the Magic Mirror to locate Snow White and the Prince, he transforms into a dragon and attacks. Maliss takes the Prince to the Realm of Doom. Snow White, with the aid of the Seven Dwarfesses, cousins of the Sevens Dwarves, must embark on a quest to save her true love.

Set in the future, a rocket ship from Earth travels to a far universe and touches down on an unknown planet with a mission to exploit its natural resources. However, this is planet is like no other, it seems to be alive.

The perilous road to kicking the habit is explored in twenty-six vignettes that include various professionals and contraptions.

In Los Angeles, Betty Boop works as a waitress and her friends Koko and Bimbo in the kitchen of a dinning place, which is permanently crowded. The greatest attraction for clients is Betty Boop singing, while dreaming to be a Hollywood star.

A TV special that aired on February 15, 1989 on CBS. It was the final production in which Mel Blanc voiced the Looney Tunes before his death on July 10, 1989

The Miracles of Jesus is an exciting panorama of Jesus’ most touching miracles. Healing the sick and afflicted, raising Jairus’ dead daughter, casting out demons and calming the storm are attributed to the principle of faith. “All things are possible to those who believe,” Jesus tells us. The stories of Christ’s miracles increase our faith and teach character building virtues such as love, mercy and service.

The movie begins with a mountain lion on the prowl. He climbs to the top of a cliff and looks down to see something delicious---Bambi. Will it be curtains for Bambi or will a miracle occur?

Granpa tells stories to his granddaughter Emily, who imagines them as crayon drawings in motion.

Two men in chairs by the open hearth; photos move in front of their heads.

An animated film compiled by David Ehrlich consisting of 27 animators from different countries all explaining themselves through their animation.

The year is 2755. As a result of a system malfunction, the cargo ship XeBeC goes off-course in a warp gate and ends up within the orbit of the distant planet Garaga. After crashing on Garaga's surface, the crew must find ways to survive from hideous monsters, rabid ape soldiers, and a race of mysterious psychics.

The history of Bugs Bunny in under four minutes using clips from various cartoons.

A vendetta between two Corsican families is the background to Alexandre Dumas' story of the strange bond between twin brothers, who are separated at birth.

Lily Bunny counts from 1 to 20 in this exciting counting adventure. Huckle Cat, Lowly Worm, Bananas Gorilla, and others help Lily find funny things to count everywhere. Learning to count has never been more fun.

Mungo Baobab and his droids, Threepio and Artoo, are trailing the Rainbow comets of Manda in search of the fabled Roon system. Before they get there, they make an enemy out of the greedy Governor Koong. On Roon, they meet Auren Yomm and join her Umbo racing team in the Roon Games. Mungo takes up his old uncle Ogger's quest of finding the source of the valuable Roonstones. Meanwhile, Koong uses germ warfare against the rebellious province of Umboo and it becomes a race against time to find a cure for the Rooze infection. Written by Il Tesoro

With the arrival of a new juke-box in a snack-bar, the cockroaches' life becomes suddenly a little more animated.

This short is about a purple dinosaur named Sigmund, who likes to bounce on top of trees.

A harried husband is asked by his wife to put the family cat outside. He comes up with a novel solution to the problem.

This claymation short film uses a real interview for dialogue. Bill Perry relates stories about his youth, his tilted house, and adventures during WWII in Bristol, England during the blitz.

The misadventures of a small mutt named Rusty and his human family and canine friends.

A violent man wants some quiet time and he makes sure he gets it no matter what.

The Good Samaritan tells the most touching parable that Jesus ever taught. The story begins with the lawyer’s trick question, “What is the greatest commandment?” As Jesus answers with the story of the robbers, the Rabbi, the Levite and the wounded traveler becomes real. Imagine the traveler’s emotion as his own countrymen pass by while his enemy, a Samaritan, stops to help him. Jesus teaches us to love and serve one another no matter how we differ.