Top 10 Best Live Action Scenes in Animated Movies

“Playmobil: The Movie” (2019)
Considering other flicks that’ve been based on toys and games, it’s perhaps not too shocking that this musical comedy based on figurines was a bit of a box office failure and a critical disaster. But it’s not “Playmobil”’s story or premise that puts it here. Revolving around siblings Marla and Charlie as they’re taken into Playmobil’s computer-animated world, the English-language French production opens with a family-friendly musical number where big sis sings her way through the house with little bro in tow. Foreshadowing their big adventures while also showing off some of the German building toys in real-life, the live-action scene is one of the brighter and more subtle spots of a film that’s been otherwise called a “feature-length advertisement.”

“The Phantom Tollbooth” (1970)

We’re going old school with our next pick by travelling back to 1970 with “The Phantom Tollbooth.” Though seldom seen even upon release, if there’s one thing this Chuck Jones project is remembered for it’s its witty, erudite sense of humor that permeates the animated landscape. We get a brief taste of this early on when the disillusioned Milo comes across a mysterious package sitting in his living room. So bored he’ll investigate anything, Milo unwraps it only for a wacky-looking tollbooth to appear, complete with miniature car. Back in the day, we’re sure this funky little cinematic effect was quite neat for audiences, as it cleverly set the tone for what’s to come.

“Balto” (1995)

Much like this 1995 cult classic is regaling the audience with the legend of the real-life sled dog known as Balto, punctuating the animated core of the movie is a woman doing the same for her young granddaughter. Strolling through Central Park, they search for the statue erected in Balto’s honor to little avail, and it isn’t until the story is complete that they finally find it. With the little girl having now been acquainted with Balto’s heroics, the film ends on a reflectively appreciative note, especially when the grandmother is revealed to be the grown-up Rosy whom Balto saved from diphtheria. It’s at this point that we feel like we were entertained and learned a little something in the process.

“James and the Giant Peach” (1996)

Even when he’s just in the producer’s chair, we don’t think anyone would accuse a Tim Burton movie of being bright and cheerful. While “James and the Giant Peach” has plenty of amusement for kids, it doesn’t skimp on its darker elements, particularly in the beginning. Embodying the wicked stepsisters archetype to James’s Cinderella are his abusive aunts, Sponge and Spiker. Before James enters the stop-motion animated world of the peach, he is put through the emotional wringer when he is forced to perform an endless series of chores. The peach sequences are thus that much more enjoyable when juxtaposed with such a dreary live-action alternative, though of course the aunts receive their just desserts in the end.

“Happy Feet” (2006)

Back in 2006, “Happy Feet” was lauded for its breathtaking computer-generated imagery in depicting its Antarctic landscape and the penguins that inhabit it. However, where the film chooses to diverge from this practice is in the brief depiction of humans. While certain scenes use motion capture to create various researchers, a third-act segment set at an aquarium brings live-action actors into the fold. After Mumble is found and placed in an exhibit, he loses his sense of hope. Then a live-action girl interacts with him, prompting him to start dancing his way to freedom. The merged filmmaking styles can be a bit jarring, but adding live actors to the mix cements the film’s emotional resonance.

“Winnie the Pooh” (2011)

As the A. A. Milne biopic “Goodbye Christopher Robin” reminded us, the characters of the Hundred Acre Wood have a long and storied history dating back to the early 20th century when the majority of them were inspired by Milne’s son Christopher Robin’s toys. Of course when we think of Pooh and the gang now, we likely think of their various incarnations in animated media when underneath the Disney banner. However, the brisk and delightful 2011 adventure simply titled “Winnie the Pooh” does well to remember this colorful history, as we get a brief glimpse at the stuffed versions of the characters in Christopher Robin’s bedroom to start the film. In short, we can’t think of a more charming opening.

“Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie” (2017)

After years of being inundated with superhero adaptations, 2017’s “Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie” was a satirical breath of fresh air as it delightfully poked fun at the genre. Not only that, but it largely retained the zany humor found in Dav Pilkey’s book series. Just one such example is a scene earlier on in which George and Harold dread the prospect of being placed in separate classes as it will irrevocably ruin their friendship. Harold then acts out a dystopian future with sock puppets wherein the two are virtually strangers. However, since Harold is only the cartoonist half of their writing/artist duo, the daydream soon falls off the rails.

“WALL-E” (2008)

Even for a Pixar movie, there’s almost nothing conventional about “WALL-E,” as evidenced by its nearly dialogue-free first act. Set in the 29th century, the story picks up with an Earth that has been ravaged by human consumerism and waste. From there, we follow a trash compactor bot named WALL-E who tracks the human race to an intergalactic cruiseliner where people have become obese and lethargic with a lack of purpose. This chain of events leads the ship’s captain to uncover a centuries-old transmission from Shelby Forthright, Buy-N-Large’s CEO - played by Fred Willard - who orders Earth to be forgotten. It’s a humorous little scene, but one with thematic depth as we learn that people have lost their live-action features over time.

“The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie” (2004)

“Baywatch” was a show ripe for parody, but few have done it better than “The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie.” When SpongeBob and Patrick are captured by a scuba diver and stranded at a seaside gift shop, they find themselves with no way to get back to Bikini Bottom in time to save Mr. Krabs. Enter David Hasselhoff running in slow motion. Of course, that is the go-to “Baywatch” gag, but then seeing SpongeBob and Patrick ride Hasselhoff like a jetski is priceless. The superhero sequence in the sequel “Sponge Out of Water” is fun in its own right as is Keanu Reeves’ turn as Sage in “Sponge on the Run,”, but there’s just no beating being rescued by Mitch Buchannon himself. Ya done good, Hasselhoff.

“The Lego Movie” (2014)

With “The Lego Movie” being as meta as it is, it’s surprising that we didn’t see the revelation that all of Bricksburg and its surrounding realms are part of a child’s playset coming. So imagine our surprise when Emmet plummets into the abyss only to end up an actual Lego piece in a live-action basement. This of course begets the introduction of Finn, the young boy whose imagination drives the story, and “The Man Upstairs,” who is actually Finn’s father played by Will Ferrell. We knew Ferrell was in the movie, with him voicing President Business, but to see him suddenly in the flesh was a real treat. The sequel replicates this bit with Maya Rudolph as the mom, but there’s no topping the first.