Winter is coming. And no, we’re not talking about Game of Thrones. As the coldest time of year approaches, it’s natural to start thinking about watching series and movies that most closely resemble that time of year that brings families together and inspires people to dress up in their warmest clothing and drink hot chocolate. While many people flock to Hallmark Christmas movies, or watch their favorite animated Christmas specials, not every classic movie has to relate to the holidays.
In fact, there have been many recent movies in the world of animation that have been set in wintry landscapes and feature snowy adventures, but also have nothing to do with the holiday season overall. Here, we take a look at the ten best movies that find our heroes on wintry adventures. Don’t forget your mitts for this one.
Arctic Dogs (2019)
The newest entry on this list, the recently released but so far sadly unsuccessful animated film Arctic Dogs already earns a spot on this list of best animated wintry films purely for being absolutely adorable, and featuring a great voice cast to boot. The movie follows Swifty, a mail room dog who longs to become one of the racing huskies known as Top Dogs.
In addition to the main husky dog character, the film features more Arctic life like polar bears, foxes, albatrosses, walruses, and (unconventionally, as the rest of the list will show) puffins. It boasts an impressive cast of celebrities among its voices, including Avengers star Jeremy Renner, John Cleese, Alec Baldwin, Heidi Klum.
Rise of the Guardians (2012)
Many of the best animated films that find its main characters in wintry landscapes for some reason wind up not performing well at the box office, no matter how positively they may have been received. One such example is the beloved but sadly unsuccessful Rise of the Guardians.
The film follows many famed mythic figures of everyone’s childhood stories, including Santa Claus, Jack Frost, the Easter Bunny, and the Tooth Fairy, as they work to save the world from a monstrous figure who intends to bring darkness and despair to the world. Despite featuring prominent voice cast members like Chris Pine, Jude Law, and Hugh Jackman, the film is widely considered a box office bomb.
The Pebble and the Penguin (1995)
While it’s easy to focus on the big animation studios like Disney and Dreamworks, some of the best animated films of all time have come from smaller producers, including the iconic Don Bluth. One such wintry animated adventure that was released by Bluth in 1995 was The Pebble and the Penguin.
The Pebble and the Penguin tells the story of Hubie, a chronically nerdy and shy penguin who is in love with Marina, a female penguin. Hubie spends the movie struggling to get back to Marina and win her love by proposing to her with his own pebble. Though a commercial and critical failure due to major upheaval during production, the film remains beloved among a cult following all these years later.
Happy Feet (2006)
Penguins are always popular within the realm of animation, even when they’re not dealing with pebbles. Released in 2006, on the cusp of the major switch in animation from 2D to CGI, the hit film Happy Feet followed the journey from childhood to adolescence to adulthood of Mumble, a penguin who struggled to find his heart song and find a mate given the fact that he couldn’t sing.
Instead, Mumble was a phenomenal tap dancer, something that turned him into an outcast from his community. Along the way, Mumble connects with other outcast penguins, including some hilarious penguins voiced by the late, great Robin Williams.
Smallfoot (2018)
Animals might be commonly featured in many of these animated movies, but so, too, are mythical creatures. That’s exactly the case in the 2018 animated buddy comedy Smallfoot, which offers a new take on the familiar trope of the abominable snowman or yeti.
In the world of Smallfoot, humans are the myths that no one believes to be true. While we may wonder about the existence of Bigfoot-like hominids in our world, the yeti who live in this movie, including our hero, Migo, dream about the existence of creatures known as Smallfoot - or, human beings. With a winning cast of characters and voices including Channing Tatum, Danny DeVito, James Corden, and Zendaya, Smallfoot will surely be remembered as a seasonal classic.
Brother Bear (2003)
One of the most underrated Disney animated films of all time, Brother Bear was released in 2003 and tells the story of a young Inuit man who is changed into a bear to atone for the sins he committed as a man driven by revenge and rage. It’s one of the more adult Disney animated movies, and touches on themes of human nature that are seldom explored in the conventional princess fare.
It also features some of the most breathtaking 2D animation in history, given its lush Alaskan setting and use of the Northern Lights. The film also features Joaquin Phoenix in the lead role of Kenai, the man who becomes a bear.
Ice Age (2002)
Things don’t get much more wintry than the series of films depicting the first ever massive winter the planet ever experienced. We’re talking, of course, about the beloved Ice Age series of films, which have been released between 2002 and 2016.
The movies follow the adventures of quirky characters like Sid the Sloth, Manny the woolly mammoth, Diego the saber toothed tiger, and Scrat the saber toothed squirrel. They also feature some impressive voices among the massive cast, including Ray Romano, Denis Leary, Queen Latifah, John Lequizamo, and Jennifer Lopez. Released by Blue Sky Studios, the films have always been equal parts hilarious and heartwarming, and feature some of the most stunning animation in film history when it comes to depicting snow and ice.
Thumbelina (1994)
The majority of this next movie might not take place in the winter, but the sequences involving winter and snow and ice are among some of the cult classic film Thumbelina’s best and most important. Released in 1994, the animated film hailing from Don Bluth follows the familiar fairytale of Thumbelina, a teeny tiny young girl longing for a place to belong in this world.
Along the way, Thumbelina falls in love with a similarly sized fairy prince named Cornelius, and the duo are forced to brave harsh weather and villainous foes including fearsome toads as they work toward achieving their conventional (but pint-sized) happily ever after.
Anastasia (1997)
As with Thumbelina, the majority of this film’s action may not take place entirely within the season of winter. But given that Anastasia, yet another Don Bluth classic, takes place in the often frigid and wintry Russia of the early 20th century, it’s safe to say that this beloved film belongs right near the top of this list.
Released in 1997, the film is a work of historical fiction that offers an explanation as to what could have happened to the lost princess Anastasia of Russia. Through heart and humor, the film offers a truly winning adventure story, driven by the longing for family and the unexpected romance that blossoms between Meg Ryan’s princess Anastasia and John Cusack’s kitchen boy turned con artist Dimitri.
Frozen (2013)
No other animated movie involving a wintry setting could possibly have come in at the top of this list. One of the most successful and highest grossing animated films of all time, the Disney hit Frozen changed the animation landscape as a whole, and produced a familiar fairy tale story with an entirely new spin on it, much like many of the other films on this list.
With an impressive voice cast including Broadway stars Idina Menzel and Jonathan Groff, Frozen tells the conventional story of the Ice Queen but with a truly heartwarming - and dare we even say, snowman-melting - twist of sisterly love and sacrifice through the relationship of heroines Elsa and Anna. Add in the adorable Olaf the snowman, and it’s clear that no other movie can compete.
