The Land Before Time

Right now you can watch The Land Before Time in Australia on BINGE and Foxtel Now, and in the US on Netflix — and the writing holds up regardless of the format's reputation. A tight runtime that never overstays its welcome. 2,771 viewers have already rated it on TMDB — the kind of consensus that does not happen by accident. The visual style is immediately recognisable, but the writing is what keeps you watching. There is no real reason to keep putting it off — it is right there on BINGE.

The Land Before Time arrived without much fanfare and built its audience the hard way — through word of mouth. The look of The Land Before Time gets people in the door, but the writing is what keeps them there. An orphaned brontosaurus named Littlefoot sets off in search of the legendary Great Valley. A land of lush vegetation where the dinosaurs can thrive and live in peace. Along the way he meets four other young dinosaurs, each one a different species, and they encounter several obstacles as they learn to work together in order to survive. Every line from Gabriel Damon and Candace Hutson lands with more craft than you'd expect. It was released in 1988. The Land Before Time uses the freedom of animation to tell stories live-action could not attempt. It delivers reliably on what it promises, which is more than most of its competition manages.

The Land Before Time belongs on any best-of list regardless of format. It has built its own audience without needing a direct comparison. The complete film is available and best experienced without too much prior knowledge of where it goes. Visually distinctive and narratively ambitious in ways that hold up regardless of format. Worth watching in order from the beginning.