Atlantis – The Lost Empire

This Disney animated spectacular is cast as an adventure story in the Jules Verne mould and played commendably straight. It ditches musical numbers and flip contemporary references in favour of a strong storyline, genuine moral dilemmas and luxuriant 'Scope. Set in 1914, it's packed with delightfully old-fangled hardware as cartographer and linguistics expert Milo Thatch finds himself on the subaquatic expedition of a lifetime to trace the legendary civilisation of Atlantis. His expertise leads Commander Rourke and his battle-hardened team to their destination, where they find treasure beyond imagination, but also a living community needing the newcomers' help. Will the Americans embrace this alien culture, or trample over it for their own ends? As such, it's probably the most grown-up animated feature Disney has produced, and with its attuned vocal performances, elegant design and pulse-quickening finale, it sets a standard of sustained craftsmanship most live-action film-makers must envy.