Undoubtedly, Bambi is one of the most heartbreaking animated movies ever made. This Disney classic was nominated for three Academy Awards and went on to be considered one of the best animated movies ever made - and it still holds this title in many critic reviews and publications writing about it.
Obviously, Bambi has its own dedicated fanbase much like many other Disney masterpieces do. But the issue is that not all fans would be satisfied by Bambi alone, and they'll surely be looking for more movies to watch. Luckily, there are some great options to check out.
10 Dinosaur (2000) Focuses On Animals Trying To Survive In The Wilderness
At first glance, Dinosaur is very different from Bambi. However, both movies have a storyline focused on survival in the wilderness which raises the stakes quite well and makes it easier to root for the characters.
Despite being a box office success, Dinosaur is largely forgotten nowadays. Perhaps, this is the result of the CGI being outdated, but it is still a watchable movie that is worth checking out.
9 Oliver & Company (1988) Also Features Anthropomorphic Animals
An adaptation of Charles Dickens' Oliver Twist, Oliver & Company features anthropomorphic animals just like Bambi does even though the stories are quite different in other senses.
The animated movie was released on the same day as The Land Before Time and was unfavorable compared to it, but it still did well at the box office and is now remembered as a decent children's movie.
8 Brother Bear (2003) Is About Animal Life & Nature
Brother Bear is an unusual movie when it comes to anthropomorphic animals. Instead of just having animals as main characters, the protagonist is actually a human who is turned into a bear as punishment for his actions. But what really makes Brother Bear similar to Bambi is its focus on animal life and particularly nature.
Interestingly, Brother Bear was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature while also receiving mixed to negative reviews from critics. That being said, it was well-received by audiences and was a financial success.
7 Spirit: Stallion Of The Cimarron (2002) Is Concerned With The Relationship Between Humans & Wild Animals
Unlike other characters from the movies on this list, Spirit from Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron doesn't speak at all, though he does have an inner monologue that serves as narration for the movie. Like Bambi, Spirit is concerned with the relationship between humans and wild animals.
Though it performed decently at the box office and was nominated for the Best Animated Feature Academy Award, Spirit is often considered to be an underrated traditionally-animated modern classic.
6 Dumbo (1941) Also Features A Young Animal With A Tragic Backstory
To some extent, Bambi and Dumbo are very similar. Both of them have an animal kid as the lead character who has a very tragic backstory. The difference is that Dumbo is way more surreal in some scenes, making it stand out so much.
In fact, Dumbo was released only a year before Bambi. After the losses of Pinocchio and Fantasia, Dumbo was an attempt to compensate for their commercial failure, which is why the movie was made to be so simple in storyline and short in length.
5 The Land Before Time (1988) Was Intended To Be Bambi But With Dinosaurs
Perhaps the most obvious reason why The Land Before Time and Bambi are so similar is that it was intended to be Bambi but with dinosaurs. In fact, the protagonist's mother dies early on in the movie just like Bambi's mother does. Then, the main character struggles to survive just like Bambi does.
On the other hand, The Land Before Time is much darker than Bambi in so many scenes. Yet, it was a critical and commercial success and even spawned numerous direct-to-video sequels.
4 Ice Age (2002) Explores The Relationship Between Humans & Animals In The Pre-Historic Context
Of course, Ice Age is a way more lighthearted movie than Bambi, but it does have some serious themes and messages. In fact, it explores the relationship between humans and animals in the pre-historic context which is also applicable to modern times.
A huge hit both critically and commercially, Ice Age was nominated for the Best Animated Feature Academy Award and went on to develop an entire media franchise with multiple sequels, holiday specials, and so on.
3 The Secret Of NIMH (1982) Is About The Survival Of The Central Animal Characters
The Secret of NIMH is a way more complicated story than Bambi, but at its core, it is always about the survival of the animal characters at the center of the story.
Don Bluth's directorial debut, The Secret of NIMH was a moderate success at the box office and was well-received by critics. It also won the Saturn Award for the Best Animated Film, and there is a live-action remake currently in the works with the Russo brothers being executive producers on it.
2 Zootopia (2016) Depicts A World Where Violence Has Been Seemingly Ended
While Bambi focuses on the destructive consequences of war and violence, Zootopia depicts a world where such violence (namely, the natural relations between animals) has seemingly ended. And yet, there are still issues underneath the surface that society wishes to ignore.
A massive hit at the box office, Zootopia was praised by critics and won multiple accolades including the Academy Award, the Golden Globe, and the Annie Award for Best Animated Feature.
1 Finding Nemo (2003) Is About The Relationship Between A Father & His Son
At the center of Finding Nemo is the relationship between a father and his son much like in Bambi the accent is sometimes shifted to Bambi's relationship with his mother and father respectively.
Becoming the highest-grossing animated movie at the time of its release, Finding Nemo was nominated for three Academy Awards including Best Original Screenplay. It won for Best Animated Feature becoming the first Pixar movie to do so. Moreover, it is also the best-selling DVD title of all time.
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