Welcome! Today is part 2 of the countdown of my twenty all-time favorite movies! Yesterday the choices were...

20. Spider-Man 2

19. Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog

18. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

17. Blade Runner

16. Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street

And now for part 2...

15. Fantasia (1940)

This is a really hard movie to rank, because in many ways, it's not even a movie. Walt Disney didn't really intend it to be a movie-the film was supposed to be a hybrid of cinematic animation and symphonic music, and, like a concert, it was envisioned to return year after year with new pieces. That didn't pan out, but that's okay, because Fantasia is an absolute masterpiece. Though it runs a solid two hours, it holds the viewer's attention throughout for a number of reasons. The visuals are lush, gorgeous, and incredibly detailed, and the music is sweeping and powerful. But it's the way these two elements combine that really makes Fantasia so special. Watching Disney's extraordinary animation perfectly synced up with some of history's greatest musical compositions is a wonder to behold, and something that still impresses me to no end even though I've seen the movie many times. The movie starts small, with abstract rendering of musical instruments, and builds until the epic climax which juxtaposes Night on Bald Mountain with Ave Maria. The Ave Maria portion of the film is probably the most hauntingly beautiful piece of animation ever to come out of Hollywood.

14. Pulp Fiction (1994)

Pulp Fiction is a movie that is both about nothing and about everything, usually at the same time. Since its release, people have interpreted the movie in hundreds of ways, and it's certainly one of the most influential and discussed movies of the last twenty years. Like all of Tarantino's works, the movie is incredibly well written, and the story does have a lot of things to say about popular culture-even if we're not always sure just what the film is trying to say. It's easy to take the movie's non-linear storytelling style for granted nowadays because of how many times the style has been imitated in modern filmmaking, but the way Tarantino told his story was truly revolutionary, and still amazes me in the year 2009.

But for me, the biggest joys in Pulp Fiction come from the laugher. At heart, this is a black comedy. There's plenty of laugh-out-loud moments throughout, and even the super-dark, death-filled moments are actually pretty funny. Plus, it's just fun to spend time with the characters. They're all so well written and acted (Samuel L. Jackson kicks butt in this movie) that, even when they're just sitting around talking about burgers, you're hooked.

13. Ratatouille (2007)

I had to have at least one Pixar movie on this list; over the last fifteen years, they have easily been the most consistent, in terms of quality, studio in the business, releasing instant classic after instant classic. While all of their films are remarkable achievements, when the dust settles I always find myself loving Brad Bird's Ratatouille the most. The Toy Story films are flawless, WALL-E was groundbreaking, and Up could be their best film to date (though it's too new for me to make a definitive judgment), but there's something about Ratatouille that makes me feel it's the studio's best work.

It all starts with the flawless story, which takes the simple concept of a rat working as a chef (okay, maybe not so simple) and runs with it in dozens of different creative and inventive ways. The message of the story, that it's important to be yourself, isn't anything new, but the way the film presents it makes it feel like a moral we've never been taught. The animation is astounding while retaining a stylized style that makes the medium appealing, and Michael Giacchino's musical score is out of this world. One of the most endearing elements of the film is Patton Oswalt's excellent performance as protagonist Remy; it's one of those perfect match-ups between voice actor and animated character that really sells the entire movie. Ratatouille makes me feel like I'm watching an old, classic Disney film...only more creative, more inventive, and more meaningful. It's a practically perfect film, and my favorite from a studio that just won't quit.

12. Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)

As much as I love Tim Burton, I think he gets a bit too much credit for this one. Sure, he wrote the excellent poem the movie is based on, and his fingerprints as a producer are apparent. Despite that, the underappreciated genius behind this film is director Henry Selick, the man behind the brilliant stop-motion animation. The visuals of The Nightmare Before Christmas are a wonder to behold; they're endlessly detailed and creative, the movement of the characters is fluid and realistic, and there's always something new to be discovered while watching the movie.

As with any good film, however, it's the story and characters that make this a modern classic. Jack Skellington, the protagonist, isn't necessarily someone we should be rooting for, but it can't be helped. He's loveable and endearing, and his curiosity about the world beyond the world of Halloween is infectious. The rest of the characters-and there are many of them-are just as fun to watch. Danny Elfman's amazing songs are truly the best stuff of the composer's career, always driving the story forward in big, fun ways. The moral of the story is a complex one-it's preaches the virtues and dangers of curiosity, and demonstrates how doing the same thing day-in day-out doesn't have to be a drag if you look in the right places. I like messages like that-ones that take some thought to decipher. The Nightmare Before Christmas is a widely beloved movie with a huge cult following, and I'm proud to be among those who count themselves as fans.

11. Princess Mononoke (1997)

This is one of those movies that just left me speechless when I first saw it. The power and majesty of the story and visuals is simply staggering; in fact, it could very well be the best animated movie ever made. Still, I'm guessing most of my readers are unfamiliar with this one. Created by Hayao Miyazaki, a much loved master Japanese filmmaker whose eye for detail and beauty in animation is unparalleled, Princess Mononoke tells the story of Ash*taka, a warrior who is slowly dying from a demonic disease. On a quest to find a cure, Ash*taka becomes involved in the battle between IronTown and the spirits of the forest the town is exploiting.

Mononoke is a poignant meditation on the effects of hatred and greed on humanity-but it's also a forceful dedication to the power of the human spirit. Miyazaki examines how humans interact both with each other and with nature, and while the message is powerful and moving, it never becomes heavy handed. All of the thematic material is set against the backdrop of an epic fantasy, one with thrilling, non-stop action and awe-inspiring visuals. Princess Mononoke is perfect in nearly every way, and can be enjoyed on many levels. If you're unfamiliar with the works of Miyazaki, then seek out his films-but if you only have the chance to see one, make it this.