In the ’80’s, Hollywood movies became high-concept pinball machines. But WHO FRAMED ROGER RABBIT? has a soul. Its seamless mix of live-action and animation was groundbreaking in 1988 and still works today. Maybe that’s because every other element–while less flashy than a Daffy-Donald piano duel–is a prime example of craftsmanship: the 1940’s period detail, the jazzy score, and Bob Hoskins’ boozy private eye. It has a point, too: A riff on CHINATOWN, its villain is a greedy developer who wants to build freeways through Toontown and erect “a string of gas stations, inexpensive motels, restaurants that serve rapidly prepared food”. You know, the real enemy.

– Jon Meyer