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140 Essential Animated Movies To Watch Now

The origins of the whiz-bang animated wonders we see today in the likes of Toy Story,Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, andHow to Train Your Dragon date back more than a hundred years. Flip books and zoetropes revealed the mesmerizing power of animation to humans before movies were even invented in the late 19th century. And if you really wanted to journey back in time, look to prehistoric cave art where animals drawn with excessive pairs of legs created the illusion of motion when illuminated by fire – it might be considered the first animation.

So it was inevitable, practically human nature, that animation grew in tandem with cinema from the beginning. And it was only inevitable in the Internet age that someone, somewhere would pile up all the best feature-length animated films from the 20th century and beyond, rank them, and call the guide something like the 140 Essential Animated Movies Ever to Watch Right Now! Which is what you'll find below.

All forms of the medium are featured here, from cel (Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, The Land Before Time) to 3-D (Toy Story, Shrek), rotoscoped (Tower, A Scanner Darkly) to stop-motion (Chicken Run, Fantastic Mr. Fox), and oil canvas (Loving Vincent) to mixed media (Waltz With Bashir). Animation is frequently associated with specific studios, and to that end we have represented Disney (Beauty and the Beast, Sleeping Beauty), Pixar (WALL-E, Finding Dory), DreamWorks (How to Train Your Dragon, Kung Fu Panda), Studio Ghibli (Princess Mononoke, Kiki's Delivery Service), and more.

How did we decide on the "Essential" 140? We looked at reviews, other "best of" lists, cultural impact, and applied some editorial discretion. They didn't have to just be good – in fact, some are not so Fresh at all! – but they had to play a part in the history of the medium. These are the movies that have been passed on for generations, no matter how much style and artistic tastes change year-to-year. They're the ones that parents and kids watch together, frequently becoming part of the family tradition. They're the movies that pushed animation forward, and that inspire people to pick up the pen, pencil, or stylus and try to make their own mark in history with their own colorful stories.

Tomatometer scores were not a factor in ranking (besides the fact that it needed to have one), only feature films were considered, and movies with some live-action thrown in (The LEGO Movie, James and the Giant Peach) were fine, as long as the majority of their runtime was animated.

Whatever tickles your 'toon, you'll find it's type here. Get drawn to the 140 essential animated movies ever!

• Check out the 140 Essential Animated TV Shows

#140

Adjusted Score: 32922%

Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.

Synopsis: A daredevil driver falls for an alluring woman as he tries to win a race that occurs only once every... [More]

#139

Adjusted Score: 30990%

Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.

Synopsis: Three gold orbs must shine from a minaret to keep ancient Baghdad safe from an evil warrior and his hordes.... [More]

#138

Adjusted Score: 81804%

Critics Consensus: Monster House welcoms kids and adults alike into a household full of smart, monstrous fun.

Synopsis: No adults believe three youths' (Mitchel Musso, Spencer Locke, Sam Lerner) assertion that a neighboring residence is a living creature... [More]

#137

Adjusted Score: 88190%

Critics Consensus: Beautiful animation, an affable take on Russian history, and strong voice performances make Anastasia a winning first film from Fox animation studios.

Synopsis: The evil wizard Rasputin (Christopher Lloyd) puts a hex on the royal Romanovs and young Anastasia (Meg Ryan) disappears when... [More]

#136

Adjusted Score: 95748%

Critics Consensus: Beautifully animated and solidly scripted, ParaNorman will entertain (and frighten) older children while providing surprisingly thoughtful fare for their parents.

Synopsis: Young Norman Babcock (Kodi Smit-McPhee) has the ability to speak with the dead -- and he often prefers their company... [More]

#135

Adjusted Score: 71885%

Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.

Synopsis: Two brothers wage an ongoing battle to protect their decaying city from villains.... [More]

#134

Adjusted Score: 105852%

Critics Consensus: Tower probes into a painful chapter of American history with sensitivity and grace -- and revisits its events from a valuable new perspective.

Synopsis: On Aug. 1, 1966, a sniper rode the elevator to the top floor of the University of Texas Tower and... [More]

#133

Adjusted Score: 66884%

Critics Consensus: An imaginative and thoughtfully engaging anime film with a highly effective visual design. This coming-of-age comedy drama has mad inventiveness to spare.

Synopsis: A teenage girl tries to use her newfound ability to travel through time to her advantage.... [More]

#132

Adjusted Score: 53270%

Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.

Synopsis: The movie "Jin-Roh" is about those in society who are predators among prey. But these "beasts" never bother to change... [More]

#131

Adjusted Score: 60740%

Critics Consensus: Fritz the Cat's gleeful embrace of bad taste can make for a queasy viewing experience, but Ralph Bakshi's idiosyncratic animation brings the satire and style of Robert Crumb's creation to vivid life.

#130

Adjusted Score: 97013%

Critics Consensus: Featuring a stellar voice cast, technically dazzling animation, and loads of good humor, Antz should delight both children and adults.

Synopsis: Z the worker ant (Woody Allen) strives to reconcile his own individuality with the communal work-ethic of the ant colony.... [More]

#129

Adjusted Score: 96794%

Critics Consensus: It may not be as fresh as the original, but topical humor and colorful secondary characters make Shrek 2 a winner in its own right.

Synopsis: After returning from their honeymoon and showing home movies to their friends, Shrek and Fiona learn that her parents have... [More]

#128

Adjusted Score: 61010%

Critics Consensus: Its central metaphor is a bit too on the nose, but Wizards is an otherwise psychedelic, freaky trip into an alternate version of our world.

Synopsis: After the death of his mother, the evil mutant wizard Blackwolf (Steve Gravers) discovers some long-lost military technologies. Full of... [More]

#127

Adjusted Score: 96627%

Critics Consensus: The Simpsons Movie contains the hearty laughs, biting satire, and honest portrayal of an American family that makes the show so popular. And it boasts slicker animation and polished writing that hearkens back to the show's glory days.

Synopsis: The combination of Homer (Dan Castellaneta), his new pet pig, and a leaky silo full of excrement triggers a disaster... [More]

#126

Adjusted Score: 87503%

Critics Consensus: A remarkable technical achievement, Metropolis' eye-popping visuals more than compensate for its relatively routine story.

Synopsis: Visually stunning Japanese anime interpretation of Fritz Lang's classic film, also based on Osamu Tezuka's outstanding 1945 illustrations. A Japanese... [More]

#125

Adjusted Score: 94820%

Critics Consensus: The Peanuts Movie offers a colorful gateway into the world of its classic characters and a sweetly nostalgic -- if relatively unambitious -- treat for the adults who grew up with them.

Synopsis: Life always seems complicated for good ol' Charlie Brown (Noah Schnapp), the boy who always tries his best against seemingly... [More]

#124

Adjusted Score: 96754%

Critics Consensus: A Bug's Life is a rousing adventure that blends animated thrills with witty dialogue and memorable characters - and another smashing early success for Pixar.

Synopsis: Flik (Dave Foley) is an inventive ant who's always messing things up for his colony. His latest mishap was destroying... [More]

#123

Adjusted Score: 98658%

Critics Consensus: Agreeably entertaining and brilliantly animated, Big Hero 6 is briskly-paced, action-packed, and often touching.

Synopsis: Robotics prodigy Hiro (Ryan Potter) lives in the city of San Fransokyo. Next to his older brother, Tadashi, Hiro's closest... [More]

#122

Adjusted Score: 63022%

Critics Consensus: It's sexist, juvenile, and dated, but Heavy Metal makes up for its flaws with eye-popping animation and a classic, smartly used soundtrack.

Synopsis: Adventures from deep space to futuristic New York, and beyond. Each world and story is dominated by the presence of... [More]

#121

Adjusted Score: 79939%

Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.

Synopsis: Hana marries a wolf man and raises their two children alone after he dies. They move to the countryside and... [More]

#120

Adjusted Score: 94371%

Critics Consensus: The arresting and dynamic visuals, offbeat details and light-as-air storytelling make James and the Giant Peach solid family entertainment.

Synopsis: Featuring stop-motion animation and live action, this inventive adaptation of Roald Dahl's beloved children's tale follows the adventures of James... [More]

#119

Adjusted Score: 73235%

Critics Consensus: The Last Unicorn lacks the fluid animation to truly sparkle as an animated epic, but offbeat characters and an affecting story make it one of a kind for the true believers.

Synopsis: In this animated musical, the villainous King Haggard (Christopher Lee) plots to destroy all the world's unicorns. When a young... [More]

#118

Adjusted Score: 107758%

Critics Consensus: My Life as a Zucchini's silly title and adorable characters belie a sober story whose colorful visuals delight the senses even as it braves dark emotional depths.

Synopsis: A police officer (Nick Offerman) and some new friends help an orphan adjust to life at a foster home.... [More]

#117

Adjusted Score: 88308%

Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.

Synopsis: In this animated feature, Arsene Lupin III, the world's most daring thief, pulls off a heist at a Monte Carlo... [More]

#116

Adjusted Score: 82995%

Critics Consensus: Visually dazzling, with a thoughtful storyline and catchy musical numbers, Happy Feet marks a successful animated debut from the makers of Babe.

Synopsis: Mumble (Elijah Wood), a young emperor penguin, lives in Antarctica. Like others of his kind, he needs to be able... [More]

#115

Adjusted Score: 93145%

Critics Consensus: The warmth of traditional Disney animation makes this occasionally lightweight fairy-tale update a lively and captivating confection for the holidays.

Synopsis: Hardworking and ambitious, Tiana (Anika Noni Rose) dreams of one day opening the finest restaurant in New Orleans. Her dream... [More]

#114

Adjusted Score: 82334%

Critics Consensus: Even though Ice Age is treading over the same grounds as Monsters, Inc. and Shrek, it has enough wit and laughs to stand on its own.

Synopsis: Twenty-thousand years ago, Earth is a wondrous, prehistoric world filled with great danger, not the least of which is the... [More]

#113

Adjusted Score: 85080%

Critics Consensus: A good introduction to Lewis Carroll's classic, Alice in Wonderland boasts some of the Disney canon's most surreal and twisted images.

Synopsis: Lewis Carroll's beloved fantasy tale is brought to life in this Disney animated classic. When Alice (Kathryn Beaumont), a restless... [More]

#112

Adjusted Score: 80517%

Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.

Synopsis: Based on the manga with the same title, this animated film follows Shizuku, an inquisitive young girl and a voracious... [More]

#111

Adjusted Score: 87896%

Critics Consensus: Brave offers young audiences and fairy tale fans a rousing, funny fantasy adventure with a distaff twist and surprising depth.

Synopsis: Merida (Kelly Macdonald), the impetuous but courageous daughter of Scottish King Fergus (Billy Connolly) and Queen Elinor (Emma Thompson), is... [More]

#110

Adjusted Score: 85502%

Critics Consensus: Waking Life's inventive animated aesthetic adds a distinctive visual component to a film that could easily have rested on its smart screenplay and talented ensemble cast.

Synopsis: Transcending the boundaries of technology and imagination, "Waking Life" is a revolutionary breakthrough in film animation. In "Waking Life," Wiley... [More]

#109

Adjusted Score: 81575%

Critics Consensus: Though it doesn't delve deeply into the darkness of J.M. Barrie's tale, Peter Pan is a heartwarming, exuberant film with some great tunes.

Synopsis: In this Disney animated film, Wendy (Kathryn Beaumont) and her two brothers are amazed when a magical boy named Peter... [More]

#108

Adjusted Score: 91585%

Critics Consensus: A beautifully animated diversion, My Dog Tulip is as comforting and delightful as cuddling with your own canine companion.

Synopsis: Despite a lack of affinity for dogs, a confirmed bachelor (Christopher Plummer) adopts an Alsatian and forms a close bond... [More]

#107

Adjusted Score: 84670%

Critics Consensus: Dragon Ball Super: Broly may seem like colorful chaos to newcomers, but for longtime fans, it represents this long-running franchise near its action-packed apogee.

Synopsis: Goku and Vegeta encounter Broly, a Saiyan warrior.... [More]

#106

Adjusted Score: 101240%

Critics Consensus: Smart and refreshingly free of sentimentality, Long Way North takes viewers on a beautifully animated adventure grounded in fully realized characters and genuine emotion.

Synopsis: In the 19th century, a young Russian girl (Christa Théret) embarks on an adventure-filled quest to find her grandfather at... [More]

#105

Adjusted Score: 83877%

Critics Consensus: Its jokes are profoundly bold and rude but incredibly funny at the same time.

Synopsis: In this feature film based on the hit animated series, the third graders of South Park sneak into an R-rated... [More]

#104

Adjusted Score: 87567%

Critics Consensus: Borrowing heavily (and intelligently) from Pixar and Looney Tunes, Despicable Me is a surprisingly thoughtful, family-friendly treat with a few surprises of its own.

Synopsis: A man who delights in all things wicked, supervillain Gru (Steve Carell) hatches a plan to steal the moon. Surrounded... [More]

#103

Adjusted Score: 91554%

Critics Consensus: Quirky humor, plucky characters and solid slapstick make this family comedy a frenetically tasty time at the movies.

Synopsis: When hard times hit Swallow Falls, its townspeople can only afford to eat sardines. Flint Lockwood, a failed inventor, thinks... [More]

#102

Adjusted Score: 86115%

Critics Consensus: Fast-paced and packed with dozens of pop culture references, Hercules might not measure up with the true classics of the Disney pantheon, but it's still plenty of fun.

Synopsis: Disney tackles Greek mythology in this animated feature. Hercules (Tate Donovan), a son of gods, was snatched as a baby... [More]

#101

Adjusted Score: 16531%

Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.

Synopsis: A scientist tries to revive a comatose friend, as a cataclysmic war threatens the world.... [More]

#100

Adjusted Score: 91054%

Critics Consensus: Big Fish & Begonia's richly rendered blend of animation styles perfectly complements its bighearted, surprisingly complex cautionary fish tale.

Synopsis: A 16-year-old girl embarks on a fantastical and dangerous adventure after transforming into a dolphin. When a boy sacrifices himself... [More]

#99

Adjusted Score: 66947%

Critics Consensus: This may be strictly for anime junkies, but they'll find much to like about Cowboy Bebop's casual violence and cool dialogue.

Synopsis: Cocky Spike Spiegel and the crew of his spaceship, Bebop, an intrepid band of bounty hunters, land on Mars in... [More]

#98

Adjusted Score: 23380%

Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.

#97

Adjusted Score: 91031%

Critics Consensus: Inventively animated, boldly creative, and refreshingly ambitious, The Night Is Short, Walk On Girl should resonate deeply with fans of outré anime.

Synopsis: A young girl embarks on an insanely long night of partying where she interacts with an increasingly eccentric cast of... [More]

#96

Adjusted Score: 93269%

Critics Consensus: Loving Vincent's dazzling visual achievements make this Van Gogh biopic well worth seeking out -- even if its narrative is far less effectively composed.

Synopsis: Mystery surrounds the death of famed painter Vincent van Gogh in 1890 France.... [More]

#95

Adjusted Score: 97628%

Critics Consensus: While far from Disney's greatest film, Tangled is a visually stunning, thoroughly entertaining addition to the studio's classic animated canon.

Synopsis: When the kingdom's most-wanted bandit, Flynn Rider (Zachary Levi), hides in a convenient tower, he immediately becomes a captive of... [More]

#94

Adjusted Score: 70962%

Critics Consensus: Beautifully animated and genuinely endearing, The Land Before Time is sure to please dino-obsessed tykes, even if it's a little too cutesy for older viewers.

Synopsis: Littlefoot (Gabriel Damon), a young plant-eating dinosaur, is orphaned after his mother (Helen Shaver) perishes while protecting him from a... [More]

#93

Adjusted Score: 81395%

Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.

Synopsis: King Lion orders Master Fox arrested for tricking animals.... [More]

#92

Adjusted Score: 72199%

Critics Consensus: Exquisitely animated, An American Tail is a sweet, melancholy, immigrants story.

Synopsis: A young mouse named Fievel Mousekewitz (Phillip Glasser) and his family emigrate from Russia to the United States by boat... [More]

#91

Adjusted Score: 67709%

Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.

Synopsis: In this animated film, the future is bleak for the world's remaining humans, who inhabit a vast wasteland and spend... [More]

#90

Adjusted Score: 110023%

Critics Consensus: Kubo and the Two Strings matches its incredible animation with an absorbing -- and bravely melancholy -- story that has something to offer audiences of all ages.

Synopsis: Young Kubo's (Art Parkinson) peaceful existence comes crashing down when he accidentally summons a vengeful spirit from the past. Now... [More]

#89

Adjusted Score: 108413%

Critics Consensus: Anomalisa marks another brilliant and utterly distinctive highlight in Charlie Kaufman's filmography, and a thought-provoking treat for fans of introspective cinema.

Synopsis: An inspirational speaker (David Thewlis) becomes reinvigorated after meeting a lively woman (Jennifer Jason Leigh) who shakes up his mundane... [More]

#88

Adjusted Score: 78529%

Critics Consensus: Family drama mixes with virtual online action in the breezy and entertaining Summer Wars.

Synopsis: A young math genius solves a complex equation and inadvertently puts a virtual world's artificial intelligence in a position to... [More]

#87

Adjusted Score: 82015%

Critics Consensus: Perfect Blue is overstylized, but its core mystery is always compelling, as are the visual theatrics.

Synopsis: A mysterious figure stalks a pop star when she becomes an actor on a television show.... [More]

#86

Adjusted Score: 89043%

Critics Consensus: Exploring themes of family duty and honor, Mulan breaks new ground as a Disney film, while still bringing vibrant animation and sprightly characters to the screen.

Synopsis: Fearful that her ailing father will be drafted into the Chinese military, Mulan (Ming-Na Wen) takes his spot -- though,... [More]

#85

Adjusted Score: 84939%

Critics Consensus: Aimed at adults perhaps more than children, this is a respectful, beautifully animated adaptation of Richard Adams' beloved book.

Synopsis: When a young rabbit named Fiver (Richard Briers) has a prophetic vision that the end of his warren is near,... [More]

#84

Adjusted Score: 87373%

Critics Consensus: Following its own brand of logic, Paprika is an eye-opening mind trip that is difficult to follow but never fails to dazzle.

Synopsis: Dr. Atsuko Chiba works as a scientist by day and, under the code name "Paprika," is a dream detective at... [More]

#83

Adjusted Score: 90573%

Critics Consensus: Edgier than traditional Disney fare, Lilo and Stitch explores issues of family while providing a fun and charming story.

Synopsis: A tale of a young girl's close encounter with the galaxy's most wanted extraterrestrial. Lilo is a lonely Hawaiian girl... [More]

#82

Adjusted Score: 90118%

Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.

Synopsis: Italy's response to the Disney classical music/animation hybrid "Fantasia," this film features a series of cartoon shorts set to the... [More]

#81

Adjusted Score: 67428%

Critics Consensus: A decent take on the legend of King Arthur, The Sword in the Stone suffers from relatively indifferent animation, but its characters are still memorable and appealing.

Synopsis: This Disney adaptation of the classic fable chronicles King Arthur's humble beginnings. As an orphaned child, Arthur, who was then... [More]

#80

Adjusted Score: 91725%

Critics Consensus: Belladonna of Sadness has more than enough brilliant visual artistry to keep audiences enraptured even as the film's narrative reach slightly exceeds its grasp.

Synopsis: A peasant woman is banished from her village and makes a deal with the devil to gain magical powers.... [More]

#79

Adjusted Score: 74994%

Critics Consensus: A faithful adaptation of Philip K. Dick's novel, A Scanner Darkly takes the viewer on a visual and mind-blowing journey into the author's conception of a drug-addled and politically unstable world.

Synopsis: In the near future, as America virtually loses the war on drugs, Robert Arctor, a narcotics cop in Orange County,... [More]

#78

Adjusted Score: 90408%

Critics Consensus: With expressive animation, fun characters, and catchy songs, The Jungle Book endures as a crowd-pleasing Disney classic.

Synopsis: In this classic Walt Disney animation based on Rudyard Kipling's book, Mowgli, an abandoned child raised by wolves, has his... [More]

#77

Adjusted Score: 90532%

Critics Consensus: Fantastic Planet is an animated epic that is by turns surreal and lovely, fantastic and graceful.

Synopsis: This animated tale follows the relationship between the small human-like Oms and their much larger blue-skinned oppressors, the Draags, who... [More]

#76

Adjusted Score: 81709%

Critics Consensus: The Great Mouse Detective may not rank with Disney's classics, but it's an amiable, entertaining picture with some stylishly dark visuals.

Synopsis: Rodent supersleuth Basil and his bumbling partner must thwart evil Ratigan's plot to depose the Mouse Queen.... [More]

#75

Adjusted Score: 92521%

Critics Consensus: Beautifully drawn and refreshingly calm, The Secret of Kells hearkens back to animation's golden age with an enchanting tale inspired by Irish mythology.

Synopsis: In the remote Irish woods, Cellach (Brendan Gleeson) prepares a fortress for an impending attack by a Viking war party.... [More]

#74

Adjusted Score: 93889%

Critics Consensus: Equally entertaining for both kids and parents old enough to catch the references, Wreck-It Ralph is a clever, colorful adventure built on familiar themes and joyful nostalgia.

Synopsis: Arcade-game character Wreck-It Ralph (John C. Reilly) is tired of always being the "bad guy" and losing to his "good... [More]

#73

Adjusted Score: 105841%

Critics Consensus: The rare trilogy capper that really works, How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World brings its saga to a visually dazzling and emotionally affecting conclusion.

Synopsis: When the sudden appearance of a female Light Fury coincides with the darkest threat their village has ever faced, Hiccup... [More]

#72

Adjusted Score: 95855%

Critics Consensus: Boy and the World's distinctive animation is visually thrilling -- and it's backed up with a daring, refreshingly different storyline that should enthrall younger viewers while resonating deeply with adults.

Synopsis: A boy without a father leaves his village and explores a strange world.... [More]

#71

Adjusted Score: 95424%

Critics Consensus: As beautifully crafted as it is powerfully written, A Silent Voice looks at teen bullying from a soberingly hard-hitting perspective that's uncommon for the animated medium.

Synopsis: After being bullied mercilessly, a grade school student transfers to another school. Years later, one of her former tormentors sets... [More]

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Woman Stealing Book of Light Movie Disney

Source: https://editorial.rottentomatoes.com/guide/essential-animated-movies/

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