As some of my previous blog posts have mentioned, I love animated movies. My favorite animated filmmaker is Hayao Miyazaki. His movies cover many topics, but focus on coming-of-age stories and interactions with nature. These deep and visually impressive films pull at the heart-strings while impressing the eye. Any of his movies are worth watching, but these four movies will pull you into a new magical world.

Best Television-Inspired Movies:

Television shows often end too early or not early enough. Movies based on television shows can be retreads of old materials or new spins on old classic themes. When thinking about movies based on television shows, there are many more groan-inducing experiences and a lesser amount of engrossing experiments. There are a few movies that extend or breathe new air in their universe and here is a list of some of my favorites.