>>Any of the animations by the marvellous Hayao Miyazaki, inc. "Spirited Away", "Kiki's Delivery Service" and esp. "Castle in the Sky" - all available on DVD and so stunning and innovative, worth seeing several times. Not exactly seen them this year but my daughter's just completed her collection with "Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind"
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>>http://www.amazon.com/Castle-Sky/dp/B00005JKYG
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>I liked "Spirited Away". Have not seen the rest.
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>Which reminds me of "The Triplets of Belleville". Wonderful movie!

I might give that a try: sounds like a cross between "Aristocats" and that one where the mice all go to the US to escape russian pogroms."Once upon a time in America"

You should at least see castle in the Sky though - IMO much better than Spitited Away. But all his films have the fantastic drawing reminiscent of Herge.