The phrase “best animated movie” means different things to different people. Some will automatically think of classic Disney movies or similar family-friendly feature-length cartoons from their childhood, while others will automatically gravitate toward adaptations of their favorite comic-book stories. Others still may consider the exotic appeal of anime or the avant-garde style of artists outside of the mainstream as the “best” animation has to offer. The only thing these disparate features have in common is that they’re devoid of live-action components; anything else goes.

With this broad range of animated movies in mind, we’ve combed through the available features streaming on Netflix to bring you the best of the best. There’s something here for everyone, including classics and contemporary movies alike, all representing a stunning variety of animation styles. Whether you’re a casual fan or a longtime devotee of animation, you're guaranteed to find something worth your time.


Shrek

Director: Andrew Adamson and Vicky Jenson

Writer: Ted Elliott, Terry Rossio, Joe Stillman, Roger S. H. Schulman

Cast: Mike Myers, Cameron Diaz, Eddie Murphy, John Lithgow

Believe it or not, the original 2001 Shrek is one of the most influential films of the 21st Century. Pixar had been dominating the new field of 3D computer generated animation since the success of Toy Story in 1995, but Dreamworks’ fairy tale farce proved that other studios could make high-quality family films. Shrek even earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay, and it leaves behind a vast cultural legacy that’s more than just Smash Mouth’s “All-Star.” The idea of a grotesque, grumpy ogre as the hero of a kid’s film could have been disastrous if it was improperly handled, but Mike Myers turned Shrek into a sympathetic character.- Liam Gaughan


Shrek 2

Director: Andrew Adamson, Kelly Asbury andConrad Vernon

Writer: Andrew Adamson, Joe Stillman, J. David Stem, David N. Weiss

Cast: Mike Myers, Cameron Diaz, Eddie Murphy, Antonio Banderas, John Cleese

Did you ever think that the Shrek franchise would end up turning into a parody of Guess Who’s Coming To Dinner? Shrek 2 is one of the rare animated sequels that doesn’t just feel like a complete cash grab; in fact, the second installment in the parodical fantasy adventure series is funnier, more heartfelt, and features more visual gags than the 2001 original. More importantly than anything, Shrek 2 introduced the feline hero Puss in Boots; Antonio Banderas created a caricature of the western swordsman that he’d portrayed in Desperado. Shrek 2 also featured a hilarious supporting turn from Monty Python star John Cleese as Shrek’s father-in-law, as well as Rupert Everett as a more villainous imagining of Prince Charming.- Liam Gaughan


Rise of the Guardians

Director: Peter Ramsey

Writer: David Lindsay-Abaire

Cast: Chris Pine, Hugh Jackman, Alec Baldwin, Jude Law, Isla Fisher

Have you ever wanted to see The Avengers with all your favorite holiday heroes? The underrated winter favorite imagined a superhero team-up featuring Santa Claus (Alec Baldwin), the Easter Bunny (Hugh Jackman), the Tooth Fairy (Isla Fisher), and the Sandman recruiting the trickster Jack Frost (Chris Pine) to join them in a battle against the Nightmare King (Jude Law), who threatens to make all children stop believing in magic. There’s more action than your typical family adventure, but Rise of the Guardians is heartfelt thanks to the optimistic message about belief. Seriously, if you haven’t heard Hugh Jackman growl “I’m a bunny,” you’re really missing out. -Liam Gaughan


I Lost My Body

Director: Jérémy Clapin

Writers: Jérémy Clapin, Guillaume Laurant

Cast: Hakim Faris, Victoire De Bois, Patrick d'Assumcao, Alfonso Arfi

One of the most stunning and imaginative works of animation of recent memory, I Lost My Body tells the strange yet deeply moving story of a severed hand that has escaped from where it is being held in a lab. This is only the beginning, as the hand must now go on a quest to find its body again. Flashing back and forth through time, we come to learn how this horrible injury happened while also following the hand’s perilous journey at the same time. What it becomes is a gorgeous fable whose beautiful animation takes on both a surreal and sentimental quality that is only further complemented by its amazing score and outstanding performances. It is a love story wrapped in the embrace of animated body horror that becomes something far more profound. It is a film that defies easy categorization and becomes all the better for it, pushing the boundaries of what is possible in storytelling to remarkable effect. - Chase Hutchinson


A Whisker Away

Directors: Jun'ichi Satô, Tomotaka Shibayama

Writer: Mari Okada

Cast: Mirai Shida, Natsuki Hanae, Johnny Yong Bosch

A story of love and cats, the anime A Whisker Away is a pure cinematic treat from beginning to end that will leave you smiling from ear to ear and purring in contentment. The original Japanese title translates to Wanting to Cry, I Pretend to Be a Cat, a poetic encapsulation of the playful spirit of this fantasy adventure that may leave you wishing you too could become part of the feline world. Overflowing with whimsy, it centers on young Miyo Sasaki who tries to get the attention of a classmate by turning into a cat. However, this ends up becoming less about young love and more about her own personal exploration of how she wants to live her life. As Miyo tries to escape the sad feelings of her life through this transformation, the animation ensures that there is joy and beauty to be found there as well. It all becomes a unique experience that speaks to the pains of growing up and how we all must try to find a way to work through the inevitable challenges of life, even if it means turning into a cat now and again. - Chase Hutchinson


Invader Zim: Enter the Florpus

Director: Hae Young Jung, Young Kyun Park, and Jhonen Vasquez

Writer: Jhonen Vasquez

Cast: Richard Steven Horvitz, Rosearik Rikki Simons, Andy Berman, Melissa Fahn, Rodger Bumpass, Wally Wingert, Kevin McDonald, Jhonen Vasquez, Olivia d'Abo, and Paul Greenberg

A blast from the past for those who grew up watching the original show, Invader Zim: Enter the Florpus is a hilarious continuation of the series, with praise-worthy voice casting and animation. When Zim (Richard Steven Horvitz) suddenly reappears from a long absence and reveals that he is ready to start phase two of his plan to take over the world, it’s up to Dib (Andy Berman) and his sister, Gaz (Melissa Fahn), to figure out a way to stop him. Invader Zim: Enter the Florpus does an incredible job of not only capturing the essence of the original show, but also ups the stakes, along with the excitement, to create something new and entertaining all on its own. Quality animation and artwork only add to this movie’s greatness, and, all around, it is an amazing and nostalgic piece of work. - Olivia Fitzpatrick


Home (2015)

Director: Tim Johnson

Writer: Tom J. Astle, Matt Ember

Cast: Jim Parsons, Rihanna, Steve Martin, Jennifer Lopez

Home is wherever your loved ones are. Based on Adam Rex’s children’s book The True Meaning of Smekday, the DreamWorks Animation movie Home tells the tale of Tip Tucci (Rihanna), a bold teenage girl who is determined to find her mother Lucy (Jennifer Lopez) who was, along with many other humans, captured by the invading alien race known as Boov. On her travels, Tip meets Oh (Jim Parsons), a quirky Boov on the run, and initially wants nothing to do with him. But, the two realize they might have more in common than they originally thought, and decide to team up to save Lucy, forming an unbreakable bond in the process. -Emily Bernard


Kung Fu Panda

Director: John Stevenson, Mark Osborne

Writer: Jonathan Aibel, Glenn Berger

Cast: Jack Black, Dustin Hoffman, Angelina Jolie, Ian McShane, Seth Rogen, Lucy Liu, David Cross, James Hong, Randall Duk Kim, Dan Fogler, Michael Clarke Duncan and Jackie Chan

While it may just seem like a silly movie about kung-fu fighting animals, Kung Fu Panda is a surprisingly deep and uplifting story about self reflection and acceptance. Starring Jack Black as Po, a clumsy panda who loves kung-fu almost as much as he loves food, the movie is the perfect balance of comedy and action. Despite his less than stellar entrance into the world of Kung-fu, literally crashing onto the scene and accidentally being named the fated Dragon Warrior of legend, Po’s journey towards becoming the very thing he has always dreamed of being is inspiring without being cliche. Jack Black’s performance is one that both tickles your funny bone and breaks your heart, and the film’s music score will make you feel as if you’re floating down a peaceful river, readying yourself to become the Kung-Fu Master you’ve always wanted to be. — Olivia Fitzpatrick


The Mitchells vs. The Machines

Director: Mike Rianda

Writers: Mike Rianda and Jeff Rowe

Cast: Abbi Jacobson, Danny McBride, Maya Rudolph, Mike Rianda, Olivia Colman, Fred Armisen, and Beck Bennett

If you liked The LEGO Movie and/or are into goofy sci-fi, you'll love The Mitchells vs. The Machines. Produced by Sony Pictures Animation and released as a Netflix original film, this is a family road trip comedy with a science-fiction twist. It all begins when the film's protagonist, an aspiring filmmaker, has a disagreement with her father that spurs her dad to drive her to college himself instead of letting her fly there, as a last-ditch effort to bring the family together. As it turns out, their road trip coincides with a full-on robot uprising, and the Mitchell family — with all its quirks and problems — must rise to the occasion as humanity's last hope. This movie is hilarious, heartwarming, and visually stunning. — Adam Chitwood


ParaNorman

Directors: Sam Fell and Chris Butler

Writer: Chris Butler

Cast: Kodi Smit-McPhee, Casey Affleck, Anna Kendrick, John Goodman, Alex Borstein, Leslie Man, Jeff Garlin, Elaine Stritch, and Tucker Albrizzi

Stop-motion animation is an increasingly rare medium, but it's still alive largely thanks to the good folks at LAIKA. Their 2012 film ParaNorman remains one of their best films thus far, as it blends the beautiful stop-motion artistry with a spooky tale of Halloween haunts that has a resonant twist. The story takes place on Halloween and follows Norman, a young boy who can see and speak with the dead. That comes in handy when a curse hits his sleepy town, and ghouls rise from their graves and begin terrorizing its citizens. There's a surprisingly emotional reason for said curse, and the film hits upon some really strong themes about bullying and feeling "othered" as a kid that come into full view in the third act. But it's also just a lot of fun. — Adam Chitwood


Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs

Directors/Writers: Phil Lord, Christopher Miller

Cast: Anna Faris, Bill Hader, Bruce Campbell, James Caan, Bobb’e J. Thompson, Andy Samberg, Mr. T, Benjamin Bratt, Neil Patrick Harris, Al Roker, Lauren Graham, Will Forte

Even if there weren’t a montage in this movie set to the song “Sunshine and Lollipops”, Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs would still put a gigantic smile on your face. It has all the anarchic silliness of directors Phil Lord and Christopher Miller (I still have no idea how they got away with the snowball scene), but it’s also got a lot of heart to go along with the story of food raining down from the sky. There’s a nice father-son bonding subplot, there’s a good love story, and there’s a talking monkey who rips the heart out of a sentient gummi bear. It’s also the only film in cinema history with a Welcome to Mooseport joke. What’s not to like? – Matt Goldberg


MFKZ

Directors: Shôjirô Nishimi, Guillaume Renard

Writers: Amanda Céline Miller, Baljeet Rai, Guillaume Renard

Cast: Orelsan, Gringe, Redouanne Harjane

Let me start by saying, the less you know about MFKZ going into it, the better. It’s one of those rare movies–about as rare as snow in Southern California–that defies any sort of logical explanation. However, it falls to me to try to explain what makes this adaptation of Guillaume “Run” Renard‘s “Mutafukaz” comics so compelling, so unique in a saturated market, and so worth your time and money to check out.

In short, MFKZ is a highly stylized hero’s journey that sees a down-on-his-luck orphan forced to flee his dangerous neighborhood and go on the run from even more deadly forces in order to discover his place in the world and exact vengeance for his parents’ death. It’s got incredible character and setting design, animation that moves at a breakneck pace, and a thumping soundtrack that perfectly complements the madness. - Dave Trumbore


Monster House

Director: Gil Kenan

Writers: Dan Harmon, Rob Schrab, Pamela Pettler

Cast: Mitchel Musso, Sam Lerner, Spencer Locke

While a haunted house is a classic setting for many a horror film over the years, rarely is this seen in the medium of animation. Enter Monster House, a computer-generated scare-fest that has some truly disturbing ghost stories haunting its foundation. Without getting into spoiler territory, Monster House sees a crabby old man as caretaker of a creaky old house, but when health issues take him away, the house itself is revealed to be a source of terror for the neighborhood. A trio of kids risk their necks to explore the abandoned home and the secrets that lie buried within it. There’s enough comedy to keep the kids from getting too scared, but this is one haunted house story that actually improves with age. — Dave Trumbore


Klaus

Directors: Sergio Pablos, Carlos Martínez López (co-director)

Writer: Sergio Pablos

Cast: Jason Schwartzman, J.K. Simmons, Rashida Jones

Klaus stands apart by its animation style. Pablos’ SPA Studios has delivered an absolutely gorgeous tale that delights in environmental storytelling, from the dark shores and dangerous piers of Smeerensburg, to the desolate frozen wilderness of Klaus’ home in the woods, to the eventually bright and cheerful locale that the Christmas spirit brings. The character design is wonderful; it ranges from the slight and spindly Jesper, to the broad and brooding Klaus, to the absolutely massive and imposing Pumpkin and Olaf. Their use of light and shadow adds levels of depth to the visual storytelling, and the overall movie’s progression from a place of light, to darkness, to light again is masterfully done.


Flavors of Youth

Directors: Li Haoling, Jiaoshou Yi Xiaoxing, Yoshitaka Takeuchi

Writers: Li Haoling, Jiaoshou Yi Xiaoxing, Yoshitaka Takeuchi

Cast: Taito Ban, Minako Kotobuki, Takeo Ōtsuka / Crispin Freeman, Evan Rachel Wood, Ross Butler

The first thing you need to know about Flavors of Youth is that it is co-produced by CoMix Wave Films, the studio that brought us Your Name. But while the CGI animation and all the background artwork in Flavors of Youth remains as beautiful as in Your Name, this film actually has more in common with CoMix Wave Film’s second feature – 5 Centimeters Per Second. Both movies are anthologies consisting of three short films with an overarching theme of growing up and having to leave things behind. What sets Flavors of Youth apart is that the three segments follow different people, and not all are about romantic love. There is a feeling of nostalgia that connects the three segments, of how the passage of time changes us and how looking back makes the past seem much brighter than what it may have actually been. The film being set in China adds a more personal dimension to the segments and allows the audience to visit new locations not commonly seen in anime. — Dave Trumbore


A Silent Voice

Director: Naoko Yamada

Writers: Yoshitoki Oima (manga), Reiko Yoshida (screenplay), Kiyoshi Shigematsu (original author: "Curry Rice")

Cast: Miyu Irino, Saori Hayami / Robbie Daymond, Lexi Cowden

Perhaps the best-animated movie of 2017, this teen drama was made all the more tragic after the news of the suspected arson attack of Kyoto Animation’s studio offices. A Silent Voice is a beautiful and meticulously crafted story of bullying, as we follow the story of a young girl with impaired hearing who is bullied mercilessly, and what happens after her former tormentor reaches out many years later to make amends. What makes A Silent Voice more than just a teen drama is the filmmaking at hand. Kyoto Animation really outdid themselves with this movie, as the subtle yet quick changes in body language, together with the excellent dialogue make this a movie worth several viewings just to experience all the little details. This is a hard-hitting look at bullying that should be required viewing at every school. Most people will inevitably compare this movie to Your Name just because both will make you cry. While there aren’t many similarities between the two films, one thing is for sure – you will cry. Don’t have a tissue at hand, have a whole box ready. — Rafael Motamayor


Berserk: The Golden Age Arc

Director: Toshiyuki Kubooka

Writer: Kentara Miura, Ichirô Ôkôchi

Cast: Hiroaki Iwanaga/Marc Diraison, Takahiro Sakurai/Kevin T. Collins, Toa Yukinari/Carrie Keranen

Netflix is decidedly light on anime features as compared to some other streaming platforms out there—though it does have a pretty impressive roster of anime series—but this one should make for a decent introduction. It’s a dark fantasy story inspired by Medieval Europe that features bloody battles, over-the-top heroes and villains, and a more extensive mythology than you’ll find in most contemporary animated features. There’s also quite the twisting, turning evolution of political machinations and personal aspirations that runs through it all. Based on the long-running manga series from Miura, the story follows a lone mercenary named Guts and his relationship with Griffith, the leader of a company of mercenaries known as the Band of the Hawk. However, I’ll forewarn you that this feature is only part of the Berserk story. It’s a good retelling of the introduction of these two characters, but if you find yourself wanting more, you can seek out the two follow-up sequels, the 1997s animated series, or the new 2016 series. As of this writing, Berserk: The Golden Age Arc II - The Battle for Doldrey and Berserk: The Golden Age Arc III - The Advent are available now! - Dave Trumbore


Source - https://collider.com/best-animated-movies-on-netflix/