2024 was an odd year for animation. Until the release of Inside Out 2 in June, there had barely been any animated features in theaters. Animators on strike and overall industry turmoil definitely had an effect here. Beyond the Spider-Verse ended up moving from its March 2024 release date, something studios would have been keen to avoid. To add insult to injury, this was the same year Pixar laid off 14% of its workforce and DreamWorks shifted away from in-house production. Hollywood’s biggest studios bet massively on streaming at the start of the pandemic, but audiences returning to the cinemas means they bet wrong, and animators are feeling the brunt of it.
On the bright side, this meant animation outside the major Hollywood studios could shine. International films like Flow and Memoir of a Snail have been able to build awards momentum, both of which recently earned 2025 Oscar nominations, and Japanese releases like The Imaginary and Look Back have been given more of a platform. Additionally, fans saw the return of British stop-motion institution Wallace & Gromit after a long 16-year hiatus.
Despite the times seeming increasingly bleak sometimes, these examples signaled necessary progress for the animation industry. We can no longer heavily rely on Disney and Universal for everything, and people have realized they can get their fix elsewhere. To honor last year’s achievements, we listed the 15 best animated movies of 2024. We gathered a healthy dose of Western and worldwide animation to celebrate the animated films we all know and love and hopefully bring your attention to movies that could become your future faves.
15 Best Animated Movies of 2024
15. Inside Out 2
Directed by Kelsey Mann.
Screenplay by Meg LeFauve & Dave Holstein.
Story by Meg LeFauve & Kelsey Mann.
Produced by Mark Nielsen.
Executive Producers: Pete Docter, Jonas Rivera, & Dan Scanlon.
Main Voice Cast: Amy Poehler, Phyllis Smith, Lewis Black, Tony Hale, Liza Lapira, Maya Hawke, Ayo Edebiri, Adèle Exarchopoulos, Paul Walter Hauser, Kensington Tallman, Diane Lane, Kyle MacLachlan, Lilimar, Paula Pell, Pete Docter, Sumayyah Nuriddin-Green, Grace Lu, Yvette Nicole Brown, John Ratzenberger, June Squibb, Ron Funches, & Yong Yea.
Cinematographers: Adam Habib & Jonathan Pytko.
Composer: Andrea Datzman.
Production Company: Pixar Animation Studios.
Distributor: Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures.
Runtime: 96 minutes
Rated PG.
Not much needs to be said about Inside Out 2 that isn’t already said by its box office, holding the new record as the first animated film ever to cross $1 billion worldwide. 2015’s Inside Out, directed by current Pixar chief creative officer Pete Docter, is a miracle of a movie; its concept is so fragile that it could have easily crumbled by taking a wrong turn in storytelling and worldbuilding. Taking on a sequel nearly a decade later doubles that risk, but the world of Inside Out 2 feels fresher and more layered because of that large gap in time.
Depicting our main human character, the young Riley (Kensington Tallman), hitting puberty at age 13 is not only a fantastic reason to bring Joy (Amy Poehler), Sadness (Phyllis Smith), Anger (Lewis Black), Disgust (Liza Lapira), and Fear (Tony Hale) back but also allows for Inside Out 2 to plunge into more complex emotional depths than the first film could. The modern media landscape is full of therapy speak and mental health awareness to the point where any surface-level explorations of it can come off as insincere and dismissable. This Pixar sequel is two steps ahead, though, with a narrative literally dealing with the trials of Anxiety (Maya Hawke) that is genuinely perceptive while never forgetting to be delightfully entertaining.
14. The Colors Within
Original Title: Kimi no iro.
Directed by Naoko Yamada.
Written by Reiko Yoshida.
Produced by Eunyoung Choi, Yoshihiro Furusawa, Genki Kawamura, & Kôhei Sakita.
Executive Producer: Wakana Okamura.
Japanese Voice Cast: Akari Takaishi, Sayu Suzukawa, Taisei Kido, Yui Aragaki, Yasuko, Aoi Yūki, Minako Kotobuki, & Keiko Toda.
English Voice Cast: Kylie McNeill, Libby Rue, Eddy Lee, Eileen Stevens, Hinano Kuzukawa, Eden Harker, Maxine Wanderer, & Lani Minella.
Cinematographer: Yoshimitsu Tomita.
Composer: Kensuke Ushio.
Production Company: Science Saru.
Distributors: Toho (Japan) & GKIDS (North America).
Runtime: 100 minutes.
Rated PG.
When describing a film as “emotionally affecting,” we tend to use it as a synonym for “sad” or stories that explore harrowing subject matter. The Colors Within is emotionally affecting in the complete opposite direction. It can honestly be described as joy incarnate. We follow Totsuko, a Catholic schoolgirl whose specific type of synesthesia allows her to see the unique colors emitted by people’s auras. Upon meeting fellow students Kimi and Rui, she forms a band in a quest to amplify the beauty within herself and her friends.
The triumphs of friendship, music, and faith harmonize in The Colors Within. It’s a phenomenal animated achievement, even by the standards of famed Japanese director Naoko Yamada (Liz and the Blue Bird, A Silent Voice) and respected animation studio Science SARU’s past work. It’s easy for breezy, slice-of-life animated tales like this to be overlooked upon release. However, in time, it’s that same sense of comfort and glee that will have you returning to The Colors Within for years to come.
13. Chicken for Linda!
Original Title: Linda veut du poulet!
Directed by Chiara Malta & Sébastien Laudenbach.
Written by Chiara Malta & Sébastien Laudenbach.
Produced by Marc Irmer, Emmanuel-Alain Raynal, & Pierre Baussaron.
Main Voice Cast: Melinée Leclerc, Clotilde Hesme, Lætitia Dosch, Alenza Dus, Scarlett Cholleton, Anaïs Weller, Estéban, Patrick Pineau, Claudine Acs, Jean-Marie Fonbonne, Antoine Momey, Pietro Sermonti, Milan Cerisier, Nahil Mostefa, & Anna Parent.
Composer: Clément Ducol.
Production Companies: Dolce Vita Films, Miyu Productions, Palosanto Films, & France 3 Cinéma.
Distributor: Gebeka Films (France) & GKIDS (North America).
Runtime: 76 minutes.
Not Rated.
Chicken for Linda! is simply one of the best animated features to be released in the past decade. Its experimental art style sees chalky, thick black outlines barely containing the singular colors of the characters, who are also splashed with a distinct hue, giving the film an abstract, fluid look. When you push the visual barrier this much, it’s hard to make human characters feel and look relatable. Through surreality, though, Chicken for Linda! creates something that resonates as more human than the average CG animated movie.
Directed and written by the filmmaking duo of Chiara Malta and Sébastien Laudenbach, Chicken for Linda! looks deep into grief and memory. The narrative centers around Linda, a young girl being raised by a single mother whose father passed away when she was a baby. He exists only as a voice and a small spot of color in Linda’s mind, a light that was there briefly when she was small but has been dimmed for most of her life. Numerous musical sequences and comedies of errors aid in exploring this specific type of forgotten grief, resulting in an exuberant feast for the eyes.
12. Orion and the Dark
Directed by Sean Charmatz.
Written by Charlie Kaufman.
Based on Orion and the Dark by Emma Yarlett.
Additional Screenplay material by Lloyd Taylor & Brandon Sawyer.
Produced by Peter McCown.
Executive Producers: Bonnie Arnold, Adrianna A.J. Cohen, & Walt Dohrn.
Main Voice Cast: Jacob Tremblay, Paul Walter Hauser, Colin Hanks, Angela Bassett, Ike Barinholtz, Natasia Demetriou, Golda Rosheuvel, Nat Faxon, Aparna Nancherla, Carla Gugino, Matt Dellapina, Mia Akemi Brown, Shannon Chan-Kent, Shino Nakamichi, Ren Hanami, Jack Fisher, Nick Kishiyama, & Werner Herzog.
Composers: Robert Lydecker & Kevin Lax.
Production Companies: DreamWorks Animation & Mikros Animation.
Distributor: Netflix.
Runtime: 93 minutes.
Rated PG.
A Netflix-exclusive DreamWorks movie adapted by prolific screenwriter Charlie Kaufman —best known for Being John Malkovich, Adaptation, and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind — came out in 2024, and it seems like very few people watched it. Despite that, it’s really good! Based on Emma Yarlett‘s beloved 2014 children’s book of the same name, Orion and the Dark is an admirable exploration of fear and how it develops from childhood to adulthood, manifesting in different forms of anxiety.
The film’s plot, which takes some turns and time jumps, centrally revolves around an 11-year-old boy named Orion, voiced by the young yet booked and busy Jacob Tremblay (Luca, My Father’s Dragon). Poor Orion is scared of everything from being eaten by sharks to saying harmless phrases like “good morning.” Of all his fears, the dark is the true bane of his existence, leading to the manifestation of darkness, voiced by Paul Walter Hauser (Black Bird, Richard Jewell), to take him on an adventure that will give Orion perspective on the nature of fear. While it runs through familiar story beats, Orion and The Dark still has much to say.
11. Piece by Piece
Directed by Morgan Neville.
Written by Morgan Neville, Jason Zeldes, Aaron Wickenden, & Oscar Vazquez.
Produced by Pharrell Williams, Morgan Neville, Mimi Valdés, Joshua Wexler, & Caitrin Rogers.
Executive Producers: James DeJulio, Sanjee Gupta, David Lawrence, Keith Malone, Shani Saxon, Jill Wilfert, & Lesley Worton.
Main Cast: Pharrell Williams, Morgan Neville, Gwen Stefani, Kendrick Lamar, Timbaland, Justin Timberlake, Busta Rhymes, Jay-Z, Snoop Dogg, Pusha T, Missy Elliott, Nigo, Teddy Riley, Tyler, the Creator, Chad Hugo, Shay Haley, N.O.R.E., Daft Punk, Jimmy Iovine, Tammy Lucas, Pharoah Williams, Carolyn Williams, & Helen Lasichanh.
Cinematographer: Chris Stover.
Music by Pharrell Williams (songs) & Michael Andrews (score).
Production Companies: The Lego Group, Tremolo Productions, & I Am Other.
Distributor: Focus Features (U.S.) & Universal Pictures (International).
Runtime: 93 minutes.
Rated PG.
Few movies display the flexibility of animation as a medium than Pharrell Williams’ documentary/biopic Piece By Piece. It’s not uncommon for a documentary to have animated sequences, but Piece By Piece makes the case for going all in. Even with a formidable documentary filmmaker like Morgan Neville at the helm (Roadrunner: A Film About Anthony Bourdain, Won’t You Be My Neighbor?), the multi-talented musician’s life journey would not be this entertaining and weighty without the stellar LEGO animation that brings it to life.
There’s a case to be made that Pharrell Williams is a “boring genius,” a pretty regular guy outside of his cunning musical abilities to make hit after hit. Thus, the LEGO animation in Piece by Piece has to do a lot of heavy lifting. It especially shines when visualizing Pharrell’s synesthesia, both as waves of musical notes and physical structures containing a beat. If anything, this out-of-the-ordinary documentary project proves that animation should be the home for more non-fiction stories.
10. ME
The latest from celebrated American animator Don Hertzfeldt is the only short film on this list, but to reference a famous review, exceptions must be made for the exceptional. Following his previous masterworks, It’s Such a Beautiful Day and World of Tomorrow, was a nearly impossible task. The filmmaking ingenuity hidden under the surface of the simple stick figures he controls through 2D animation has cemented him as one of the great animators of our time. However, ME changes the typical formula enough to feel like an evolution.
Told entirely through animation and music, ME starts out as a dialogue-free critique of the act of making art. Don Hertzfeldt paints self-expression as selfish, as artists toil away enclosed from society — blind to the ills of the world around them in hopes of crafting some mysterious, elusive piece. The film soon evolves into a dedication to human innovation and evil itself. Moreover, it’s about the capacity each of us has for horror and darkness. Its 22 minutes feel like the last thing you see before you die.
9. Ultraman: Rising
Directed by Shannon Tindle.
Written by Shannon Tindle & Marc Haimes.
Based on Ultraman by Tsuburaya Productions.
Produced by Tom Knott & Lisa M. Poole.
Executive Producers: Kei Minamitani, Masahiro Onda, & Takayuki Tsukagoshi.
English Voice Cast: Christopher Sean, Gedde Watanabe, Tamlyn Tomita, Keone Young, Julia Harriman, Karen Maruyama, Lee Shorten, Artt Butler, François Chau, Robert Yasumura, Mila O’Malley, Brittany Ishibashi, & Veronica Lapke.
Japanese Voice Cast: Yuki Yamada, Fumiyo Kohinata, Ayumi Tsunematsu, Fumihiko Tachiki, Akari Hayami, Hiroko Sakurai, Takaya Aoyagi, Taiten Kusunoki, Yu Kitada, Chie Gojo, & Kanae Amano.
Cinematographer: John Bermudes.
Composer: Scot Stafford.
Production Companies: Netflix Animation, Industrial Light & Magic, & Tsuburaya Productions.
Distributor: Netflix.
Runtime: 117 minutes.
Rated PG.
Ultraman’s major Western animated debut is ambitious, heartfelt, and full of infectious charm. Netflix’s Ultraman: Rising plays with so many tones and precisely executes all of them. It’s part superhero origin story and part lone wolf and cub tale, spectacularly woven with awesome kaiju set pieces. Ken Sato/Ultraman, voiced by Christopher Sean (Star Wars Resistance), is uniquely characterized as a damaged yet successful baseball player. This classic public superhero vs. secret identity dilemma is nailed superbly by directors Shannon Tindle (Lost Ollie, Kubo and the Two Strings) and John Aoshima (Gravity Falls), and the introduction of the adorable kaiju baby, Emi, brings comedy and warmth to balance out the excellent huge-scale action.
Ultraman Rising‘s fight scenes are where Industrial Light & Magic‘s vibrant 3D animation truly sings. The depiction of the iconic Japanese hero’s powers and limitations adds a lot of flare and stress to each battle. In kaiju cinema, it can be difficult to communicate scale when everything is so big. However, the way action is framed in Ultraman: Rising never lets you neglect its massive size, making for one of the best superhero movies of 2024.
8. Mars Express
Directed by Jérémie Périn.
Written by Jérémie Périn & Laurent Sarfati.
Produced by Didier Creste.
Main Voice Cast: Léa Drucker, Mathieu Amalric, Daniel Njo Lobé, Marie Bouvet, Sébastien Chassagne, Marthe Keller, Geneviève Doang, Thomas Roditi, & Usul.
Composers: Fred Avril & Philippe Monthaye.
Production Companies: Everybody on Deck, Je Suis Bien Content, EV.L Prod, Plume Finance, France 3 Cinéma, Shine Conseils, Gebeka Films, & Amopix.
Distributors: Gebeka Films (France) & GKIDs (North America).
Runtime: 89 minutes.
Not Rated.
More people need to see Mars Express. Of 2024’s European animated imports, it has the most mainstream appeal with its cyberpunk setting and visuals inspired equally by Blade Runner and ’90s sci-fi anime like Ghost in the Shell. The feature directorial debut of French animator Jérémie Périn, Mars Express sees a pair of detectives, one of whom is a human’s consciousness controlling the body of a robot, caught in an inexplicable mystery that involves the disappearance of a girl known to be jailbreaking androids.
The ideas presented in Mars Express align with classic sci-fi stories like Philip K. Dick‘s Do Androids Dream of Electric Sleep?, but unlike movies like The Creator that transplant these ideas without building further upon them, Mars Express heightens the existentialism and emotion of these philosophical questions. Its thrilling action scenes are depicted with colorful and impressively sleek 2D animation. Moreover, the film’s final moments will stick with you for months. Seek out Mars Express as soon as possible.
7. Kensuke’s Kingdom
Original Title: Le Royaume de Kensuké.
Directed by Neil Boyle & Kirk Hendry.
Screenplay by Frank Cottrell-Boyce.
Based on Kensuke’s Kingdom by Michael Morpurgo.
Produced by Camilla Deakin, Ruth Fielding, Stephan Roellants, Anne-Laure Labadie, Martin Metz, Adrian Politowski, Sarah Radclyffe, & Barnaby Spurrier.
Executive Producers: Bizzy Day, Sierra Garcia, Stephen Kelliher, Nadia Khamlichi, Alice Labadie, Nessa McGill, Thomas Pibarot, Courtney Pledger, & Kim Warner.
Main Voice Cast: Cillian Murphy, Sally Hawkins, Ken Watanabe, Aaron MacGregor, Raffey Cassidy, Kotoko Wertheim, & Alfred Kodai Berglund.
Composer: Stuart Hancock.
Production Companies: Lupus Films, Luxembourg Film Fund, Ffilm Cymru Wales, Bumpybox, BFI, Align, Mésuline Productions, Jigsaw Films, & Le Pacte.
Distributors: Blue Fox Entertainment (U.S.) & Modern Films (UK).
Runtime: 85 minutes.
Rated PG.
Slow, quiet, and meditative, Kensuke’s Kingdom serves as a counterbalance to the typical Western animated film. Made by British studio Lupus Films and adapted from Michael Morpurgo‘s children’s novel of the same name, Kensuke’s Kingdom follows 11-year-old boy Michael (Aaron MacGregor) as he and his dog are washed up on an island populated by only wildlife and an old Japanese man, Kensuke (the great Ken Watanabe).
Their journey of overcoming language barriers as Michael observes and grows to understand Kensuke’s life, rituals, and history is rendered in beautiful 2D animation. Plus, the island setting allows for gorgeous backgrounds, even if some of the character movement isn’t as lush. The real cherry on top is Kensuke’s backstory, brought to life through oil painting-like drawings. This makes Kensuke’s Kingdom a splendid technical showcase for the flexibility of 2D animation.
6. Look Back
Original Title: Rukku Bakku.
Directed by Kiyotaka Oshiyama.
Screenplay by Kiyotaka Oshiyama.
Based on Look Back by Tatsuki Fujimoto.
Produced by Kazuto Matsumura.
Japanese Voice Cast: Yumi Kawai, Mizuki Yoshida, Yôichirô Saitô, Kôta Oka, Kureha Maki, Kôya Yoshihashi, Takeshi Miyajima, Daisuke Takahashi, Jun Itô, Kaori Takeuchi, Masumi Taira, Rina Endô, Taisei Miyagishi, Minori Takanami, Shinnosuke Tokudome, Nanaka Shôgaki, Haruto Shima, Sakura Tsutsumi, Seira Ina, Toshiyuki Morikawa, Maaya Sakamoto, Ryan Colt Levy, Valerie Rose Lohman, & Grace Lu.
Cinematographer: Kazuto Izumida.
Composer: Haruka Nakamura.
Production Company: Studio Durian.
Distributors: Avex Pictures (Japan) & GKIDS (North America).
Runtime: 58 minutes.
Rated 13+.
Look Back is best experienced cold. There are no mind-blowing twists or anything like that, the plot unfolds carefully and naturally in a way that works best when you’re not placing any expectations on it. If you need more convincing, then Look Back, based on the one-shot manga of the same name by Chainsaw Man and Goodbye, Eri creator Tatsuki Fujimoto, is one of the most gut-wrenching films of 2024. Following middle school manga artists Fujino and Kyomoto, the movie depicts how friendships can be formed on uneven ground and still blossom. Likewise, it shows how happy friendships can be contorted with time as well.
Coming in at barely under an hour and spanning over a decade, Look Back has to tell heavy swathes of story in such little time. It’s a testament to director Kiyotaka Oshimaya (who worked on various Studio Ghibli works and Neon Genesis Evangelion) that single images alone are powerful enough to communicate an entire week, month, or year of someone’s life. Regardless of it being less than an hour long, Look Back is easily among the top animated movies of 2024.
5. Transformers One
Directed by Josh Cooley.
Screenplay by Eric Pearson, Andrew Barrer, & Gabriel Ferrari.
Story by Andrew Barrer & Gabriel Ferrari.
Based on Hasbro’s Transformers action figures.
Produced by Lorenzo di Bonaventura, Aaron Dem, Mark Vahradian, Don Murphy, Tom DeSanto, & Michael Bay.
Executive Producers: Olivier Dumont, B.J. Farmer, Bradley J. Fischer, Zev Foreman, Greg Mooradian, Matt Quigg, & Steven Spielberg.
Main Voice Cast: Chris Hemsworth, Brian Tyree Henry, Scarlett Johansson, Keegan-Michael Key, Steve Buscemi, Laurence Fishburne, Jon Hamm, Isaac C. Singleton Jr., Vanessa Liguori, Jason Konopisos-Alvarez, Jon Bailey, & Evan Michael Lee.
Cinematographer: Christopher Batty.
Composer: Brian Tyler.
Production Companies: Paramount Animation, Hasbro Entertainment, New Republic Pictures, Di Bonaventura Pictures, & Bayhem Films.
Distributor: Paramount Pictures.
Runtime: 104 minutes.
Rated PG.
Despite the efforts of dedicated online fans, Transformers One sadly didn’t get its due. The first animated feature in the franchise since 1986’s The Transformers: The Movie, Transformers One is designed to be a crowd-pleasing blockbuster down to its smallest elements. It’s a shame that Paramount didn’t seem to believe in its ability to reignite interest in an admittedly rocky franchise, as there’s no debate that this is the strongest Transformers movie in years.
Detailing the origins of Optimus Prime, known as Orion Pax (Chris Hemsworth), and Megatron, known as D-16 (Brian Tyree Henry), Transformers One has an unbeatable charm. Any beats that may appear predictable in telling the tale of how Optimus Prime and Megatron became arch-enemies are easy to take in because of just how much fun you have along the way. The animation is eye-catching and varied as the various Transformers move through a range of expertly designed environments. Director Josh Cooley (Toy Story 4) elevates what could have been another standard origin story into a genuine throwback to old-school Transformers — something the franchise had tried but failed to replicate before.
4. Memoir of a Snail
Directed by Adam Elliot.
Written by Adam Elliot.
Produced by Adam Elliot & Liz Kearney.
Executive Producers: Grace Adams, Michael Agar, Louis Balsan, Carole Baraton, Yohann Comte, Robert Connolly, Jean-Félix Dealberto, Ester Harding, Tony King, Pierre Mazars, Shaun Miller, Robert Patterson, Sébastien Raybaud, Roger Savage, Ricci Swart, Paul Wiegard, & Mark Woods.
Main Voice Cast: Sarah Snook, Charlotte Belsey, Kodi Smit-McPhee, Mason Litsos, Jacki Weaver, Eric Bana, Magda Szubanski, Dominique Pinon, Tony Armstrong, Paul Capsis, Bernie Clifford, Davey Thompson, & Nick Cave.
Cinematographer: Gerald Thompson.
Composer: Elena Kats-Chernin.
Production Companies: Arenamedia & Snails Pace Films.
Distributor: Madman Entertainment.
Runtime: 94 minutes.
Rated R.
Adam Elliott’s follow-up to 2009’s Mary and Max is an astonishing stop-motion drama. Memoir of a Snail is unassuming, telling the life story of an ordinary person’s journey through poverty, grief, and an obsession with snails. Even its visual style constantly refrains from blasting you with color and light, often opting for shades of beige and olive to bathe the scenes in the sense of stagnation.
What Memoir of a Snail highlights through its depiction of mundanity is the amount of devastating loss and sparks of joy we experience just from moving through life as a regular person. Happiness is found in the absolute depths of Memoir of a Snail, a dedication to human resilience. This is the rare kind of animated movie whose brilliance sneaks up on you the longer it stays lodged in your mind.
3. Wallace and Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl
Directed by Nick Park & Merlin Crossingham.
Screenplay by Mark Burton.
Story by Nick Park & Mark Burton.
Based on Wallace & Gromit by Nick Park.
Produced by Richard Beek & Claire Jennings.
Executive Producers: Peter Lord & Javier Hernáez.
Main Voice Cast: Ben Whitehead, Peter Kay, Reece Shearsmith, Lauren Patel, Diane Morgan, Muzz Khan, John Sparkes, Adjoa Andoh, & Lenny Henry.
Cinematographer: Dave Alex Riddett.
Composers: Lorne Balfe (score) & Julian Nott (themes).
Production Company: Aardman Animations.
Distributors: Netflix (worldwide) & BBC (UK).
Runtime: 79 minutes.
Rated PG.
The 16-year gap between Vengeance Most Fowl and the last Wallace & Gromit outing, A Matter of Loaf and Death, is completely thrown out the window the moment Nick Park’s latest effort illuminates the screen. Any fears of Vengeance Most Fowl being a hollow retread are put to bed; it’s not just one of the very best to feature Britain’s iconic stop-motion duo but one of the best in Aardman‘s entire catalog, period.
When Wallace’s latest invention, a robot gardening gnome called Norbot, is corrupted by the twisted, unholy flippers of Feathers McGraw, the man and his loyal dog companion Gromit are tasked with stopping the dastardly penguin from once again stealing the precious blue diamond. The ensuing hijinks are nonstop, giving Vengeance Most Fowl a gag rate like a machine gun clip. Original Wallace & Gromit creator Nick Park is always guaranteed to produce magic. Hopefully, we don’t have to wait 16 years for their next adventure.
2. The Wild Robot
Directed by Chris Sanders.
Written by Chris Sanders.
Based on The Wild Robot by Peter Brown.
Produced by Jeff Hermann.
Executive Producer: Dean DeBlois.
Main Voice Cast: Lupita Nyong’o, Pedro Pascal, Kit Connor, Catherine O’Hara, Bill Nighy, Stephanie Hsu, Mark Hamill, Matt Berry, Ving Rhames, & Randy Thom.
Cinematographer: Chris Stover.
Composer: Kris Bowers.
Production Company: DreamWorks Animation.
Distributor: Universal Pictures.
Runtime: 102 minutes.
Rated PG.
An undeniable standout of 2024, DreamWorks’ The Wild Robot has broken new records in the ongoing awards race, becoming one of the most nominated animated films at both the 2025 Oscars and Golden Globes. The latest from Lilo & Stitch and How to Train Your Dragon director Chris Sanders sees him double down on his thematic preoccupations. Ideas of found family and loneliness arise when ROZZUM unit 7134, Roz (Lupita Nyong’o) for short, finds herself abandoned on a luscious, remote forest island with no way of connecting with the vast wildlife population.
Roz’s eventual adoption of a gosling runt named Brightbill (Kit Connor) leads to a heartwarming adventure that evokes the best of Western animation. What Chris Sanders does to expand upon DreamWorks’ prolific legacy is drench The Wild Robot in some of the most awe-inspiring paintbrush animation produced by an American studio. Every surface has so much detail, with minute brushstrokes compositing a wide variety of rich greenery, mountain ranges, and lively animals. If The Wild Robot was six hours long, you wouldn’t see anyone complaining.
1. Flow
Latvian Title: Straume.
Directed by Gints Zilbalodis.
Written by Gints Zilbalodis & Matīss Kaža.
Produced by Gints Zilbalodis, Matīss Kaža, Ron Dyens, & Gregory Zalcman.
Cinematographer: Gints Zilbalodis.
Composers: Gints Zilbalodis & Rihards Zalupe.
Production Companies: Dream Well Studio, Sacrebleu Productions, & Take Five.
Distributors: Janus Films & Sideshow (U.S.), UFO Distribution (France), & Baltic Content Media (Latvia).
Runtime: 85 minutes.
Rated PG.
This silent Latvian film has quietly blown the majority of 2024’s animated features out of the water. Flow is mesmerizing, a fascinating trip through a familiar landscape through the eyes of a non-speaking, small black cat. In order to survive a biblical flood in an overgrown world void of all human life, it must learn to work with an oddball group of animals with whom it shares its unfortunate circumstances rather than fearing them.
Flow forces you to ask a series of questions ranging from “How on earth did they animate this on an independent budget?” to “Why am I crying so much at this silent movie about animals?” The most compelling aspect achieved by writer-director Gints Zilbalodis — aside from assembling an incredibly minimal $3.8 million budget from financiers in Latvia, France, and Belgium — is taking audiences to locations that are simultaneously distinctly earthly and almost non-human. Flow engages you not with constant gags and action but through unbelievable animation and lingering mysteries.
