What will be the best animated films of 2011 ?

I thought I'd do an entry on the animated films of this upcoming year, even though it's by far a favorite movie genre of mine, I figured since this was a pretty good year for animated movies, I'd take a peak into this year.

Rango-

Release Date: March 4, 2011
Director: Gore Verbinski
Screenwriter: Gore Verbinski, John Logan, James Byrkit
Voice talent: Johnny Depp, Isla Fisher, Abigail Breslin, Bill Nighy, Stephen Root, Ray Winstone, Beth Grant, Ned Beatty, Harry Dean Stanton, Alfred Molina
Rated: PG (for rude humor, language, action and smoking)

Plot: A chameleon ( Depp ) that aspires to be a swashbuckling hero finds himself in a Western town plagued by bandits and is forced to literally play the role in order to protect it.

Kung Fu Panda 2-

Release Date: May 26, 2011
Director: Jennifer Yuh Nelson
Voice talent: Jack Black, Angelina Jolie, Dustin Hoffman, Jackie Chan, Seth Rogen, Lucy Liu, David Cross, James Hong, Gary Oldman, Michelle Yeoh, Jean-Claude Van Damme, Victor Garber

Plot: Po is now living his dream as The Dragon Warrior, protecting the Valley of Peace alongside his friends and fellow kung fu masters, The Furious Five - Tigress, Crane, Mantis, Viper and Monkey. But Po's new life of awesomeness is threatened by the emergence of a formidable villain, who plans to use a secret, unstoppable weapon to conquer China and destroy kung fu. It is up to Po and The Furious Five to journey across China to face this threat and vanquish it. But how can Po stop a weapon that can stop kung fu? He must look to his past and uncover the secrets of his mysterious origins; only then will he be able to unlock the strength he needs to succeed.

The Adventures Of Tintin: Secret Of The Unicorn-

Release Date: December 23, 2011 (2D/3D theaters and IMAX 3D)
Director: Steven Spielberg
Voice talent: Jamie Bell, Daniel Craig, Andy Serkis, Simon Pegg, Nick Frost, Gad Elmaleh, Toby Jones, Mackenzie Crook

Plot Summary: "The Adventures of Tintin: Secret of the Unicorn" ( co-produced by Peter Jackson ) is the first in the series of 3D motion capture films based on the iconic character created by Georges Remi, better known to the world by his pen name "Herge" and is due for release in 2011. The film stars Jamie Bell as Tintin, the intrepid young reporter whose relentless pursuit of a good story thrusts him into a world of high adventure, and Daniel Craig as the nefarious Red Rackham.

Gnomeo and Juliet-
Release Date: February 11, 2011
Director: Kelly Asbury
Voice talent: James McAvoy, Emily Blunt, Michael Caine, Maggie Smith, Jason Statham, Patrick Stewart, Ashley Jensen, Stephen Merchant, Matt Lucas, Jim Cummings, Julie Walters, Richard Wilson, Ozzy Osbourne, Dolly Parton, Hulk Hogan.
MPAA Rating: G

Plot: The greatest love story ever told, starring... garden gnomes? In the upcoming "Gnomeo & Juliet," Shakespeare's revered tale gets a comical, off-thewall makeover. Directed by Kelly Asbury ("Shrek 2") and showcasing both classic and original songs by Elton John, the film features the voices of James McAvoy and Emily Blunt as Gnomeo and Juliet, who have as many obstacles to overcome as their quasi namesakes when they are caught up in a feud between neighbors. But with plastic pink flamingos and thrilling lawnmower races in the mix, can this young couple find lasting happiness?

Arthur Christmas-
Release Date: November 23, 2011 (3D/2D theaters)
Director: Sarah Smith, Barry Cook
Voice talent: James McAvoy, Hugh Laurie, Jim Broadbent, Bill Nighy, Imelda Staunton, Ashley Jensen
Plot: Set on Christmas night, the story of Arthur Christmas at last reveals the incredible, never-before seen answer to every child's question: 'So how does Santa deliver all those presents in one night?' The answer: Santa's exhilarating, ultra-high-tech operation hidden beneath the North Pole. But at the heart of the film is a story with the ingredients of a Christmas classic – a family in a state of comic dysfunction and an unlikely hero, Arthur, with an urgent mission that must be completed before Christmas morning dawns.

Rio-
Release Date: April 15, 2011
Director: Carlos Saldanha
Voice talent: Anne Hathaway, Jesse Eisenberg, George Lopez, Tracy Morgan, Jemaine Clement, Leslie Mann, will.i.am, Jamie Foxx

Plot: "Rio" is a 3-D animation feature from the makers of the "Ice Age" films. Set in the magnificent city of Rio de Janeiro and the lush rainforest of Brazil, the comedy-adventure centers on Blu, a rare macaw who thinks he is the last of his kind. When Blu discovers there's another — and that she's a she — he leaves the comforts of his cage in small town Minnesota and heads to Rio. But it's far from love at first sight between the domesticated and flight-challenged Blu and the fiercely independent, high-flying female, Jewel. Unexpectedly thrown together, they embark on an adventure of a lifetime, where they learn about friendship, love, courage, and being open to life's many wonders. "Rio" brings together a menagerie of vivid characters, a heart-warming story, colorful backdrops, energizing Latin and contemporary music, and family-friendly song and dance.

Happy Feet 2-
Release Date: November 18, 2011 (3D/2D theaters and IMAX 3D)
Director: George Miller
Voice talent: Elijah Wood, Robin Williams, Brad Pitt, Hank Azaria, Matt Damon, Alecia Moore (Pink), EG Daily

Plot: The sequel to the Academy Award®-winning animated smash hit, "Happy Feet 2" returns audiences to the magnificent landscape of Antarctica, reuniting us with the world's most famous tap-dancing penguin, Mumble (Elijah Wood), the love of his life, Gloria (Alecia Moore {Pink}) and their old friends Ramon and Lovelace (Robin Williams). Mumble and Gloria now have a son of their own, Erik (EG Daily), who is struggling to find his own particular talents in the Emperor Penguin world. But new dangers are threatening the penguin nation, and it's going to take everyone working--and dancing--together to save them.

Doesn't seem on paper to be as strong of a year as 2010, but I guess we'll just have to wait and see.