Animated movies have a long history of enchanting children and adults alike. While many fans of the genre may instantly think of Disney films (they have dominated the field), there are other studios creating fun and engaging content. Warner Animation Group, DreamWorks Animation, and Illumination Animation Studios are heavy hitters in the genre.
From Minions behaving badly to Trolls singing their hearts out, a handful of animated films stand out from the rest. With memorable characters and clever storylines, these films are shining examples of the craft. Take a deep dive to see which non-Disney animated movies are destined to become classics.
15
‘Tom & Jerry: The Movie’ (2021)
The epic battle between cat and mouse continues in Tom & Jerry: The Movie. Fans of the cartoon will be happy to know that everyone’s favorite duo is still going at it. The chase unfolds at The Royal Gate Hotel in New York City, where Jerry Mouse has taken up residence. The hotel hires Tom Cat to remove the unwanted mouse before an important wedding.
The cartoon is a combo of live-action and classic animation, which makes for a fun watch. It features an all-star cast. Chloë Grace Moretz and Michael Peña take the lead. Filled with high-jinks and plenty of action, Tom & Jerry: The Movie is just as much fun as the cartoon everyone remembers from childhood.
14
‘The Angry Birds Movie 2’ (2019)
It’s hard to believe that a movie about talking birds and pigs could be good, but The Angry Birds Movie proves that possible. The premise continues to be hilarious in The Angry Birds Movie 2. The story continues after Red (played by funny man Jason Sudeikis) saves Bird Island from the pigs. The tyrant Zeta now threatens both Bird and Pig Islands with icy projectiles, and the unlikely team must join forces to save the day.
What makes the computer-animated film shine is the stellar cast of characters. Josh Gad, Leslie Jones, and Bill Hader round out the cast. Clever and cute, The Angry Birds Movie 2 is a solid contender to become a modern classic.
13
‘The Bad Guys’ (2022)
The Bad Guys is about a notorious group of thieving animals caught in the act. To avoid serving time, they pretend to want to change their ways until their leader has a real change of heart. Pierre Perifel (of Kung Fu Panda 2 and Rise of the Guardians) directed this animated film based on a children’s graphic novel series.
It features a talented ensemble cast. Sam Rockwell stands out as Mr. Wolf, and Craig Robinson is comical as Mr. Shark. Yet, the true magic of this film lies in the message: everyone deserves a second chance. Heartwarming, funny, and inspiring, The Bad Guys will entertain viewers for years.
12
‘Minions: The Rise of Gru’ (2022)
Despicable Me premiered in 2010, creating a behemoth franchise. Gru and the Minions are featured in several spin-offs and sequels, including Minions: The Rise of Gru. The story takes viewers back to the 1970s to meet an 11-year-old Gru who aspires to be a supervillain and is on the run from the evil super group, the Vicious 6.
The movie features an A-list cast. Steve Carell is back at it as Gru, while Alan Arkin voices the supervillain, Wild Knuckles. Michelle Yeoh voices Master Chow. Don’t worry, there is no shortage of Minion shenanigans in this modern classic.
11
‘Trolls World Tour’ (2020)
Trolls took the world by storm in 2016, and Trolls World Tour has all the elements to be an awesome sequel. Of course, everyone’s favorite characters return (Anna Kendrick is peppy as ever as Poppy), and fun new characters are introduced (Kenan Thompson vibes as Tiny Diamond).
Poppy and Branch (Justine Timberlake) learn there are six different troll lands beyond Troll Village, each devoted to six different kinds of music. They set off on a quest to stop Queen Barb (voiced by Rachel Bloom) from stealing all the melodies. The colors are vibrant, their world is adorable, and Trolls World Tour is wholly unforgettable.
10
‘Croods: A New Age’ (2020)
A sequel is rarely as good as its predecessor, but that’s the case with Croods: A New Age. The prehistoric family discovers a walled-in paradise and competes with a more evolved family, the Bettermans. The original impressive cast reunites (with heavy hitters like Nicolas Cage, Emma Stone, and Ryan Reynolds), and there’s no shortage of laughs.
Directed by Joel Crawford (the creative mind behind Puss in Boots: The Last Wish and Kung Fu Panda), the animated feature is filled with slapstick action that’s sure to entertain the entire family. It’s the wholesome storytelling fans need and fits the bill to be a classic in the making.
9
‘Wolfwalkers’ (2020)
Cartoon Saloon has become Ireland’s most recognized and beloved animation studio, thanks especially to their Irish Folklore Trilogy. It started in 2009 with The Secret of Kells, then continued into 2014’s Song of the Sea, before concluding with 2020’s Wolfwalkers. It follows Robyn Goodfellowe (Honor Kneafsey), the daughter of a wolf hunter played by Sean Bean, as she learns about and becomes a wolfwalker: a person whose spirit can leave their body as they sleep and become a wolf.
Directed by Tomm Moore and Ross Stewart, Wolfwalkers paints a breathtaking picture of a modern folktale. The forest comes alive with vibrant colors that contrast with the more muted ones chosen for the city, and the animation style makes everything feel all the more magical. The best parts come from when the characters turn into wolves, from how gracefully they run to how they visualize the world through scent. —Tyler B. Searle
8
‘KPop Demon Hunters’ (2025)
Netflix has released a number of animated films over the years, but none of them had the same global impact as KPop Demon Hunters. Directed by Maggie Kang and Chris Appelhans, it follows a trio of K-pop idols who secretly save the world from soul-sucking demons. Things become more complicated when the demon king assembles a demon boy band to steal their fans away, and things just become more chaotic from there.
The movie is chock-full of hilarious jokes based on anime gags, which complements its fast-paced attitude and bright colors. Yet when the story needs to get serious, it knows when to slow down and delve into issues like self-loathing, acceptance, and the dangers of sticking too much in the past. Finally, it’s got a ton of catchy songs, which proved so popular that Netflix made a sing-a-long version. —Tyler B. Searle
7
‘The Wild Robot’ (2024)
DreamWorks has worked hard to establish itself as a solid contender when it comes to best animation company, and one of their best recent classics has to be The Wild Robot. Based on the book by Peter Brown, and directed by Lilo & Stitch and How to Train Your Dragon co-director Chris Sanders, it follows a robot voiced by Lupita Nyong’o who is stranded on an island inhabited by forest animals. She ends up adopting a goose egg and makes an unlikely friendship with a sly fox played by Pedro Pascal.
The film is sadly DreamWorks’ last project to be animated fully in-house, but boy did they make sure it would be a good one. It boasts some of the most beautiful 3D forest landscapes in film, especially as the forest goes through the four seasons and the animators get to go wild with colors and shadows. It’s also got a great story about cooperation and found family, so what’s not to love? —Tyler B. Searle
6
‘Flow’ (2024)
Flow is a truly one-of-a-kind film because it’s basically a modern silent film. Directed by Gints Zilbalodis, it’s set in a world where humans vanish, and the land is drowned beneath a great flood. A group of animals finds themselves gathering on a boat to survive, and must work together to find land.
The reason it can be compared to a silent film is that there is not a single line of dialogue. The animal characters only make the expected sounds for their species, and aside from the necessary levels of anthropomorphism for this kind of story, they also act like you’d expect them to. Thankfully, the animation is detailed enough to capture every bit of non-verbal acting, allowing each animal to have a unique personality and develop fun banter and friendships. —Tyler B. Searle
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