61. SPIRITED AWAY
 
Japan
dir. Hayao Miyazaki
world premiere 2001
U.S. release 2002
 

 
Because it promptly converted a huge passel of no-account anime avoiders like myself into fervent fans, remaining a benchmark against which almost all animated features, and a number of fantasy films and children's adventures, would later be compared. Yet Miyazaki achieves this prominence (and an Oscar to boot) without visibly trying to curry favor with anyone but himself.