WALL-E (2008)

WALL-E (2008) holds a 95% score on Rotten Tomatoes and won the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature. The film is known for its almost wordless first act — roughly the opening 40 minutes rely on sound design, music, and physical animation rather than dialogue to tell WALL-E's story on an abandoned Earth. Thomas Newman's score plays a central role in carrying that section emotionally. It's remembered as one of the boldest mainstream animated films for addressing themes like environmental collapse and consumerism without sacrificing its sense of wonder.