Sliding Scale Of Idealism Versus Cynicism / Animated Films

• In general, the stigma of animated media since around The '80s means that a lot of animated films are made with a young audience in mind. Which means that most of it is rather idealistic, and exceptions are pretty rare.
• Grave of the Fireflies is commonly referenced when discussing things even more cynical than Eva; indeed, it is so disturbing, many who have seen it insist that they would never be able to watch it again. Ironically, it was made by Studio Ghibli, well-known for their idealistic productions.
  • Miyazaki's focus on Grey-and-Grey Morality makes it so that, despite the usually idealistic conclusions, there are films with concening and polarizing undertones. Princess Mononoke focuses on a war with Lady Eboshi and her army of iron miners and social outcasts against nature spirits enacting Gaia's Vengeance. Spirited Away has an assortment of strange spirits that are petty, greedy, and crude. Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind involves a post-apocalyptic Death World where petty warlords compete amidst themselves as a toxic forest (populated by giant insects) slowly devours the globe. And yet, all of these films have relatively happy endings.
• Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within has this as the central conflict between the protagonists (idealistic "scientists of the spirit" who want to cure alien infestation) and the main villain (a general who wants to use a laser cannon to destroy the invading aliens).
• The 2007 Beowulf paints the title character as a badass Anti-Hero, which ironically puts the movie at the opposite end of the scale from the original Old English poem (which portrays him as an honorable hero who does not, for instance, take advantage of the noblewomen he encounters). Being a self-aggrandizing braggart was part of the ideal heroic package in those days. The film plays this up and depicts this as it would be received today.
• All of Pixar's films are near the very end of the idealistic end of the scale, even if there are scenes that troubling for small chlidren. Ironically, their first film, Toy Story, was originally going to be a lot more cynical. The Incredibles is an exception, which is not quite as close to the idealistic end of the scale; supervillains are willing to put a child's life in danger and the heroes occasionally resort to deadly force to stop the bad guys.
• All of DreamWorks Animation's films franchises including Shrek, Kung Fu Panda, and the How to Train Your Dragon trilogy are all heavily on the idealistic end while all covering heavier themes.
• Disney's Fantasia, as far as it has a position, is generally closer to the idealistic end. Even the Night on Bald Mountain segment ends with Chernobog repelled and returning to slumber with prayer and the return of light. Bruno Bozzetto's response, Allegro non Troppo, is far more cynical.
• Films by animation studio Laika tend to tackle heavier themes than more popular studios, with a World Half Full viewpoint. For example, ParaNorman is quite dark and horrific for a family film. The movie has some very un-sugarcoated things to say about American history and human nature. In the true history of Blithe Hollow, not only did its Puritan founders execute a child because they didn't understand her abilities (a perspective that historians will tell you is much closer to what the Salem Witch Trials were actually like), but the modern townspeople, when confronted with forces they don't understand, become a mob that executed her out of fear rather than pure hatred. However, it ultimately avoids condemning its characters by showing that almost all of them reflexively lash out and do terrible things not because they are evil, but because they are ignorant and afraid. Moreover, it shows that even people who do terrible things can, with enough time, repent for what they did, when the cruel, fanatical Puritan zombies help the protagonists to undo the Witch's curse, and consequently, to let her pass on.
• Batman: Mask of the Phantasm is blisteringly cynical for a kids' superhero cartoon. (The major theme is that Batman's life always takes a turn for the worse and that he is damned to sadness and loneliness).
• Pocahontas seems like it's on the cynical end of the scale. The entire film builds towards a war and bloodshed that seems inevitable. Even Pocahontas despairs after one of her people is killed. But she's motivated to do something anyway and is able to stop an execution and potential genocide - all by appealing to her father simply as a daughter. Although the ending is bittersweet, it's still on the Idealistic end.
• Likewise, The LEGO Movie does dabble in a bit of cynicism, primarily at the beginning of the film, where most of the townspeople of Bricksberg seem creatively inept and are happy running on Bread and Circuses, much to the delight of Big Bad President Business. However, the film ultimately hits hard on the side of idealism, as it becomes apparent that everyone has a spark of creativity in them and can use it for good, but especially because of Finn's dad embracing his son's creativity and making a Heel–Face Turn along with his Expy President Business.
  • Its sequels and spinoffs are equally idealistic, if more explicitly so
• Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse has both Miles and Miguel's philosophies on the Multiverse and how all Spider-Men are connected. While Miguel believes that everyone should follow the rules and story as the others to prevent dimensions from being destroyed, Miles chooses to follow his own path.

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