Animation is a great medium to tell amazing stories. Remember friends, animation is not just for the kids. Here are our favorite animated movies in no particular order.
Thelma the Unicorn – With social media putting false expectations on what someone should be, Thelma the Unicorn shows how these expectations can be hurtful. Through this movie, kids can see how not being yourself can fracture friendships and they should focus on being themselves, not something else.
The Wild Robot – Family is not always blood-related. The Wild Robot shows us how important it is to have someone who will believe in you and be there for you.
Ultraman Rising – Being a parent and a superhero is not easy! Ultraman Rising beautifully shows us how values change once you become a parent and it is such a lovely thing to see!
Flow – Tell me if you heard this one before: A cat, a lemur, a capybara, and a secretary bird are on a boat trying to survive a world-shattering flood and none of them talk. The use of sound and emotion is incredible and Flow must be seen to be experienced.
Memoir of a Snail – The life of an orphan trying to survive is a sad one. Grace’s story is one of pain and triumph and not for kids. Memoir of a Snail gives us the best line said in an animated movie this year “Life is only understood backwards, but we have to live forwards.”
Piece by Piece – While Piece by Piece can be classified as a documentary, the style it is presented in makes it an animated movie. The life of Pharrell Williams can only be told in this way to truly understand his genius and how his music flows through him.
Robot Dreams – This Oscar-nominated movie deserves to have an audience with your family. The story of a friendship between a dog and a robot is heartwarming and will have you smiling the next time you hear “September” by Earth, Wind, & Fire.
Transformers One – Yes, this is another Transformers movie, but it is 10 times better than the recent live-action movies that have been released. Transformers One gives us the origin story of Optimus Prime and Megatron. The story is sharp, full of action and easter eggs. A must-see!
Star Wars: Tales of the Empire – Technically this is not a movie but this series really dove into what makes members of the Empire go bad. The story of Morgan Elsbeth is phenomenal and truly helps us understand her character in The Mandalorian & Ahsoka.
Jentry Chau vs The Underworld – Again, this is not a movie but plays like one. The 13 episodes are filled with heart, humor and action. Binge this one with your family.