Though the history of cinema is filled with classic animated movies that everyone remembers, these gems don't get the praise that they deserve. Animation is not necessarily a genre, but more of a medium through which stories are told. This means that animated movies can come in all shapes and sizes, and a range of genres like action, horror, and comedy.
However, the best animated flicks use the unrestrained nature of their medium to tell stories that can only be told outside the realm of live-action. They transcend expectations and offer unlimited potential for imagination and creativity. Most classics have interesting visuals, but keep the storytelling in familiar territory, while others are completely untethered from the restraints of conventionality.
In most parts of the West, animation is viewed as a children's medium, but other parts of the world don't see it that way. Countries like Japan produce countless animated films that touch nearly every genre. While other nations develop new ways to tell age-old stories through the lens of animation. Because so much is being produced worldwide, plenty of amazing movies slip through the cracks each year.
This list of praiseworthy animated films is a rich mix of styles and national origins. Some use stop-motion techniques, while others feature opulent painted art that rivals classical works. The only thing that truly links them is a boundless sense of creativity, and the fact that they are all wildly underrated. These movies prove that some of the greatest films ever made are animated.
10 Seoul Station (2016)
Train to Busan is perhaps the most popular zombie film in recent memory, but its animated prequel is almost completely forgotten. Seoul Station takes place during the outbreak in Train to Busan, and concerns a sex worker, her father, and her boyfriend as they try to survive and reunite during the zombie apocalypse. Despite using a different medium, the prequel is thematically linked.
The film unabashedly tackles pressing social issues in South Korea, and is a bit more upfront with its themes. The zombies work well in animated form, and the movie still has a lot of tension despite not being live-action. Even though it's attached to such a popular horror flick, Seoul Station is often overlooked for precisely the same reasons it's a strong prequel.
9 Mad Monster Party? (1967)
The duo of Rankin and Bass are known for their Christmas specials that have entertained generations, but their lone Halloween effort is a praiseworthy gem. The "Animagic" stop-motion chiller concerns Dr. Frankenstein as he calls monsters from all around the globe to vote for his successor. Horror movie icon Boris Karloff lends his voice to the main character.
Overall, Mad Monster Party? is a campy tribute to classic horror. It has all the charming cheesiness of the other Rankin/Bass productions, but it's tailor-made for monster kids. Though it will always be overshadowed by their Christmas specials, the feature-length Mad Monster Party? deserves to be a Halloween staple.
8 Missing Link (2019)
Missing Link is remembered for one thing, though probably not the reason the filmmakers intended. Mr. Link is a sasquatch who hires an explorer to help him locate his long-lost relatives in Shangri-La. The Laika stop-motion movie is known for its exorbitant costs, and for the fact that it likely lost upwards of $100 million at the box office.
Putting that aside, Missing Link is a beautifully-crafted and heartwarming adventure story. Laika's films often go unnoticed by the public, despite being some of the best animated movies of the 21st century. Missing Link is one such praiseworthy movie, and it's still waiting for the renaissance it so rightly deserves.
7 Mad God (2021)
Phil Tippett's Mad God is a passion project for the ages, and proof that animation is truly the most unrestrained medium to tell a story. A mysterious masked figure descends into the bowels of hell, dying along the way and being brought back to start his journey again. Mad God is a horrific nightmare with Sisyphean themes.
Painstakingly animated via stop-motion, the film also incorporates live-action footage for a surreal viewing experience. Mad God isn't for the faint of heart, nor is it a disposable piece of idle entertainment. Because it's so challenging, Tippett's masterpiece is never going to be as popular as mainstream animated films, but it is certainly worth seeking out.
6 Anomalisa (2015)
Animation can make even the most mundane situations seem beautiful, and never is that more clear than in 2015's Anomalisa. A motivational speaker is at the end of his rope, but a short-lived affair gives him a new lease on life. Charlie Kaufman wrote and directed the stop-motion film, and it has all the creator's brilliant quirks.
Small touches of surrealism divorce Anomalisa from the real world, but it never loses touch with the universal meaning of the story. The soft glow of the movie's photography is in stark contrast to the abundant vibrancy of other animated films. Kaufman's movies are an acquired taste, but Anomalisa is a praiseworthy effort that shows the filmmaker is the master of multiple mediums.
5 The Illusionist (2010)
French filmmaker Jacques Tati passed away before he could make The Illusionist, and Sylvain Chomet finally brought Tati's vision to life in 2010. In the 1950s, an elderly magician befriends a young woman in Scotland who comes to believe he really can work miracles. Tati's tottering hero, Mr. Hulot, is the inspiration for the main character, and the cartoon recreates a bit of Hulot's comedic genius.
The earnest and heartfelt story is pure Tati, and Chomet clearly understands what makes the late filmmaker so special. The art is illustrative and whimsical, with just the right mix of exaggeration and realism. Overall, The Illusionist isn't just a fitting tribute to Tati, but a cap on an iconic career that helped shape the trajectory of comedy around the world.
4 Fantastic Planet (1972)
The vibrant pastel colors of Fantastic Planet are instantly recognizable, but the praiseworthy animated movie isn't talked about enough. On a bizarre alien world, the gigantic blue Daags keep the miniature Oms as pets, but an Om uprising upsets the balance of society. It's important to note that Fantastic Planet represents the tumultuous political climate of the early 1970s, and is rich with historical symbolism.
Even ignoring the plot's significance, the film's amazing color choices and static animation style is a feast for the eyes. It's a stellar example of surrealist science fiction, incorporating elements of psychedelia into its storytelling and look. The French/Czech co-production is one of the most beloved international animated movies, but it has yet to crack the mainstream in the United States.
3 My Life As A Zucchini (2016)
Known as My Life as a Courgette everywhere but the US and Australia, My Life as a Zucchini is a modern animation classic that is sorely overlooked. After a young boy loses his mother, he is sent to an orphanage that teaches him hard lessons about life and love. There's a dour catharsis to My Life as a Zucchini, which is ironic because the film is so bright and sunny.
The Swiss stop-motion movie intentionally juxtaposes its complex and emotionally-challenging subject with a playful visual style. This doesn't soften the blow, but instead reminds the viewer that there is beauty even in the darkest moments. It may look like a silly little children's film, but My Life as a Zucchini handles drama better than even the most popular live-action movies.
2 Tokyo Godfathers (2003)
Satoshi Kon is one of the most celebrated anime directors of all time, and his tragically brief career peaked with Tokyo Godfathers. Three unhoused individuals find an abandoned baby, and they spend a hectic Christmas Eve trying to find the child a home. Simultaneously warm and oppressively dark, Tokyo Godfathers is cinema in a nutshell.
The characters are crafted to perfection, with the eponymous heroes each having their own rich backgrounds and dynamic personalities. There is obvious care put into every moment, and the many social tragedies of the story are given appropriate gravity. Despite being such a transformative experience, Tokyo Godfathers is overlooked even among anime aficionados.
1 Loving Vincent (2017)
Just making an animated film is a challenge, and Loving Vincent commits to the artistic side of its storytelling medium. A man travels to the city where Vincent van Gogh died in order to piece together the final days of the artist. Animation is the logical medium for such a story, and Loving Vincent uses van Gogh's own style in its illustrations.
While the story pays fitting tribute to a man who was disrespected and ignored in his lifetime, Loving Vincent paints its picture the way van Gogh saw the world. It scored an Oscar nomination, but is quickly fading into the background. Just on visuals alone, it would be an unforgettable animated movie, but it also weaves a narrative that makes it worth revisiting again and again.
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