I know some people will defend animation to the hilt, but these “films” look like cartoons to me. Yes, I know plenty of skill went into them, but to me they’re still just cartoons with some impressive backgrounds:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pkWWWKKA8jY
They are absolutely cartoons, but that’s the point. Miyazaki is very good about making family-friendly movies with life lessons. While I’m not big on the whole environmental movement, Princess Mononoke is a story about being good stewards while on this planet to make it a better place. Spirited Away and Castle in the Sky are also excellent family stories.