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.
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 concides 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 of 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
In This Corner of the World
Director: Sunao Katabuchi
Writers: Sunao Katabuchi, Fumiyo Kono (manga)
Cast: Non, Ava Pickard, Kenna Pickard
While Netflix’s Original series and features get a lot of attention, the platform’s acquired material is often stellar, too. One example is In This Corner of the World, an award-winning anime film that arrived in U.S. theaters last year courtesy of Funimation Films. Now, audiences everywhere can check it out on Netflix. The story follows Suzu Urano, a young lady who moves to the small town of Kure in Hiroshima to live with her husband’s family in 1944. When her town is bombed during World War II, Suzu’s perseverance and courage are put to the test, underpinning this heart-warming and inspirational tale of the everyday challenges faced by the Japanese in the midst of a violent, war-torn country. This beautiful yet poignant tale shows that even in the face of adversity and loss, people can come together and rebuild their lives. — Dave Trumbore
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 of the 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 though 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
