15 Best Animated Movies of the 2020s So Far, Ranked

The 2020s in animation have been defined by an increase in more stylized and experimental animation on even the highest scales. As 3D animated films reached levels of stagnation and familiarity in the 2010s, the 2020s have seen more and more animated movies taking a more stylistic and singular approach to their animation style to help stand out among the crowd. This has resulted in one of the most varied and dynamic decades when it comes to feature-length animation, with a great variety of different animation styles and types of stories being told at every level.

15 'The House' (2022)

Directed by Paloma Baeza, Niki Lindroth von Bahr, Emma De Swaef, and Marc James Roels

The House is a collection of three different short stories that span across different eras, yet all take place in a singular house as it haunts and terrifies its owners from across time. From a poor and struggling family to an anxious land developer to a fed-up landlady, the mysterious house continues to find ways to inflict pain and nightmares upon its hosts. The film, however, is as much a dark comedy as it is a horror film, so the proceeding events are as strangely hilarious in their execution as they are terrifying and dark in nature and conception.

The House is easily one of the most unique and singular films to be released during the decade, being a dark comedy horror anthology film animated in beautiful stop-motion animation. The film's biggest strengths are its surreal and otherworldly animation style, but the witty writing and engaging characters still make the film work effectively as well as a standalone dark comedy. The anthology design of the film also makes it incredibly easy and digestible to watch, which works in combination with the film's more abstract themes, storyline, and endings.

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14 'Encanto' (2021)

Directed by Byron Howard and Jared Bush

While Walt Disney Animation Studios has had a largely shaky time in the 2020s with failures like Strange World and Wish, their undeniable greatest hit of the decade has been the musical sensation, Encanto. Taking more inspiration from their classic musicals, Encanto is a vibrant and flourishing experience that follows Mirabel, the only member of her extended family who wasn't granted a superpower-styled gift. However, when a mysterious looming disaster threatens to upend the entire family, Mirabel may just be the only one who can save the family.

Encanto amplifies the strengths of the classic Disney musical style combined with the songwriting strengths of Lin Manuel Miranda to create an instantly iconic and deeply memorable animated musical experience. Even outside Encanto's extremely catchy songs like "Under Pressure" and "We Don't Talk About Bruno," the core story at the center and its themes of generational trauma are deeply effective and amplify the entire experience. Especially when compared to the array of underwhelming sequels that the studio has been releasing, Encanto stands out as their most iconic original film in a long time.

13 'The Mitchells vs. The Machines' (2021)

Directed by Mike Rianda

The Mitchells vs. The Machines follows the story of the quirky dysfunctional family of The Mitchells, who find themselves at the center of a robot uprising in the middle of their family road trip. The family soon ends up being the only humans that haven't been captured in the robot apocalypse, and they must put aside their differences and struggles if they want to have a chance at saving humanity.

The Mitchells vs. The Machines is defined by its highly stylized and energetic animation style, which combines a flurry of 2D sketches and doodles by the main character Katie Mitchell to emphasize action and other setpieces. On top of giving the film a highly unique and individual animation style, it also gives the animation a more intimate relationship with the story and themes at the center, directly connecting it with the characters and their struggles. The film is a love letter to not just those interested in filmmaking, but anyone with a desire and vision to create.

12 'Soul' (2020)

Directed by Pete Docter

One of the best modern movies from Pixar, Soul follows the story of middle school music teacher Joe Garnder, who has high aspirations of being a great jazz musician, but after finally making a breakthrough gets into an accident and falls down a manhole. With his soul now separated from his body, Joe goes on a spiritual journey while accompanied by soul-in-training 22 to return to his body and get back to Earth. While on his journey, Joe gains a greater appreciation and understanding of the intricacies and beauty of life, with its many ups and downs.

While Pixar's output has been far from its near-perfect legacy from its early years in recent memory, Soul is proof that the studio is still capable of creating powerful and emotionally resonant works of art. As is the case with every Pixar movie, Soul moves the needle when it comes to the possibilities and technology of animation on display, creating a perfect animated recreation of New York City. Soul also accomplishes what Pixar does best and sticks with its audience thanks to its timeless and emotional messages and themes that affect adults as much as it affects children.

11 'Nimona' (2023)

Directed by Troy Quane and Nick Bruno

Originally having been canceled as a part of the closure of Blue Sky Studios, Nimona found an unexpected second life at Netflix and managed to fully deliver on all the hype and potential of its original source material. The film follows Ballister Boldheart (Riz Ahmed) who is framed for the murder of a kingdom's glorious queen, leaving him to escape on his lonesome to come up with a plot to prove his innocence. He ends up fostering an unexpected friendship with another outsider, a shapeshifter named Nimona (Chloë Grace Moretz), as the duo forge a plot to create chaos and clear Ballister's name.

Nimona features all the charm and wit of the original graphic novel without diminishing or downplaying any of the groundbreaking queer themes and messaging that made it such a fan favorite in the first place. The film also has a stylish and electrifying animation style that serves to make the action sequences that much more enthralling and the character designs that much more likable. It easily stands out as one of the biggest highlights of animation to come out of Netflix and streaming service originals as a whole.

10 'Flee' (2021)

Directed by Jonas Poher Rasmussen

Flee is an animated Danish documentary that tells the story of Amin, a man who arrived as an unaccompanied minor in Denmark as a refugee from Afghanistan, experiencing a great deal of life-changing events on his journey. Now a 36-year-old man, he is a successful academic and is getting married to his long-time boyfriend, but has been hiding his refugee past for nearly his entire life. For the first time, Amin plans to share the truths behind his painful past with his partner, threatening his livelihood and his entire life in the process.

It's rare for a documentary to be presented in the form of an animated film, yet the style and execution done by Flee makes an argument for all documentaries of this style to be done in this format from now on. The film uses animation in order to create a powerful visual of Amin's heartbreaking story in real-time, creating an even closer and more intimate retelling of his emotionally heartbreaking story. Even audiences that aren't as experienced with documentaries should check out Flee, as it's one of the most groundbreaking and memorable documentaries in recent memory.

9 'Evangelion 3.0 + 1.0: Thrice Upon a Time' (2021)

Directed by Hideaki Anno

Evangelion: 3.0 + 1.0 Thrice Upon a Time acts as the true finale to one of the most recognizable and iconic anime series of all time, Neon Genesis Evangelion. The film is a modern retelling and reimagining of the iconic final act of the series, better known as End of Evangelion, from the series' original creator Hideaki Anno. Especially for an anime finale so iconic and celebrated by audiences worldwide, Thrice Upon a Time was able to fully deliver and bring closure to the series in a way that had never truly been seen before.

Thrice Upon a Time accomplishes one of the most difficult feats in filmmaking and was able to deliver on decades' worth of buildup and hype in a way that did its original story justice while still telling the story in its own impactful way. The film balances a lot of the same powerful themes and symbolism that the original story did, while at the same time is able to reflect and comment on more modern and timeless themes with the hindsight of the original series in mind. Especially for fans of Evangelion as a whole, Thrice Upon a Time is about as perfect as a finale as one can get.

8 'Robot Dreams' (2023)

Directed by Pablo Berger

A beautifully crafted Spanish-French animated film that tells a story of friendship and connections without having a single word of dialogue, Robot Dreams is a one-of-a-kind animation achievement. The film follows a lonesome dog living in 1985 New York, who, in an attempt to solve his crippling loneliness, purchases a robot companion to act as his friend. The duo of Dog and Robot immediately become great friends, enjoying the limelight of what New York has to offer, but when an unexpected predicament separates them, they both face this newfound loneliness separately.

Robot Dreams never feels limited by its no-dialogue gimmick, instead feeling emboldened and enlightened with each beautiful animated sequence, weaving together its tale of true human emotion with no human characters. From breathtaking dream sequences to a grounded and powerful portrayal of self-isolating depression, Robot Dreams exceeds on all fronts as one of the most emotionally touching animated films of the decade.

7 'Marcel the Shell with Shoes On' (2022)

Directed by Dean Fleischer Camp

Marcel the Shell with Shoes On is a mockumentary that follows the quaint and simplistic life of Marcel, an adorable one-inch-tall shell who lives his life in the small crevices of a suburban home. Living with his grandmother Connie, he makes the most of his small life where he was sadly separated from his family of similar small shells, but keeps his spirits high and hopes even higher. After continued communication with the filmmaker Dean, the duo set out on a journey so that Marcel can hopefully be reunited with his long-lost family, exploring the dangers of the wide open world.

Marcel the Shell with Shoes On combines its simplistic and effective stop-motion animation with its realistic mockumentary style to create a hilarious yet grounded story of self-discovery and growth. For the same reasons that a character like Paddington is so beloved, Marcel and his story exude a great deal of wholesomeness and heartwarming feelings that make it difficult not to fall in love with his story. The film also isn't afraid to pull on the audience's heartstrings with its deep recollection and timeless themes of growing up and loss, conjuring up an emotional powerhouse on par with the best that animation has to offer.

6 'Wolfwalkers' (2020)

Directed by Tomm Moore and Ross Stewart

Wolfwalkers follow the story of Robyn, the daughter and young apprentice to her hunter father who has been hired to come to Ireland and wipe out the increasingly prevalent wolf population. However, after Robyn saves a wild native girl in the forest, their friendship leads to her discovery of the mysterious hidden world of the Wolfwalkers, a group of people with the ability to transform into wolves. After Robyn herself is transformed into a wolf, her entire life is soon brought into question, as the looming task of her father's destruction of the wolves looms closer and closer with each passing day.

Especially with the advent and prevalence of 3D animation, it's rare for a 2D animated movie to find a great deal of success in the modern era, yet Wolfwalkers proves that 2D animation will continue to thrive for years to come. The film uses a beautiful 2D animation style that finds inspiration from Irish folklore in being able to create a mesmerizing and jaw-dropping visual experience that enthralls with every frame of animation. On top of its animation style, the film also features a resonating and timeless story with powerful themes of persecution and isolation.

5 'Puss in Boots: The Last Wish' (2022)

Directed by Joel Crawford

One of the latest films from the world-famous Shrek franchise, Puss in Boots: The Last Wish reinvigorated and brought life into the franchise in ways that hadn't been seen since its first entries in the early 2000s. The film follows the story of the legendary Puss in Boots, who finds himself in a downturn in his life after learning that he is on the last of his nine lives as a cat. In order to regain his eight lost lives, Puss embarks on a journey to find the mythical Last Wish, so that he can once again live his life as the frivolous hero that he was meant to be.

Puss in Boots: The Last Wish was easily one of the biggest animated movie surprises in recent memory, combining its beautiful stylized animation with a thematically rich story to create an experience beloved by audiences worldwide. The film proves that even long-running franchises that have long been considered to be past their prime can reinvent themselves and create fresh and powerful stories simply through great filmmaking and top-notch animation. Especially for an animated film in a massive franchise from a large studio, the film is a great sign for more inventive and creative animation in major animated films in the future.

4 'The Wild Robot' (2024)

Directed by Chris Sanders

A powerful story of found family bonding set in a mesmerizing cacophony of visual flairs, The Wild Robot has quickly cemented itself as the magnum opus of Dreamworks Animation. The film follows an intelligent robot who, after being shipwrecked on an island devoid of human life, attempts to survive the harsh environment and adapt to the wild animal surroundings. The robot soon finds an unexpected motivating factor when it is given the task of caring for an orphaned baby goose, raising it until it is ready to fly for the winter.

It's clear while watching The Wild Robot that Dreamworks Animation has completely reinvented itself for the modern era to be one of the strongest most exceptional modern animation studios. Between the breathtaking visuals, exceptional thematic resonance, and top-notch vocal performances from across the board, The Wild Robot has quickly become a new classic in the realm of 3D animation. As the decade continues, it is easy to imagine a world where this continues to stay among the most critically acclaimed and audience fan-favorite animated films of the 2020s.

3 'Guillermo del Toro's Pinnochio' (2022)

Directed by Guillermo del Toro and Mark Gustafson

From the landmark visionary director best known for his dark and enchanting worlds of Pan's Labyrinth and The Shape of Water, Guillermo del Toro's Pinnochio is one of the greatest modern retellings of the classic children's story. The film follows the classic story and characters of Pinocchio on the backdrop of Italy during the rise of Mussolini and fascism in the country, as the plucky and innocent wooden boy is brought to life and forced to navigate this terrifying world.

Guillermo del Toro has always had an expert ability to bring to life darkly creative stories with gothic features and magical creatures, making him the perfect fit as the director for an animated film. He brings his mastery of filmmaking as a whole to create a completely separate experience from any other Pinocchio adaptation that easily stands on its own merits and tells its own mature story. A big reason why the story works so well is thanks to the masterfully done stop-motion puppet animation, a style that further amplifies the darker themes of the story.

2 'Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse' (2023)

Directed by Joaquim Dos Santos, Justin K. Thompson, and Kemp Powers

The sequel to one of the most beloved animated movies of the 2010s, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse continues the story of Miles Morales as he continues his adventures as Spider-Man. After reuniting with friend Gwen Stacy, Miles is sent on an adventure across the multiverse where he must capture and put a stop to his new nemesis, the spot. While on his adventures, he meets the Spider Society, a team of spider people from across the multiverse tasked with keeping it safe, and after a miscommunication, Miles soon finds himself the society's next and biggest target.

It was a Herculean task in itself to follow up the groundbreaking masterpiece that was Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, yet Across the Spider-Verse was able to further add to what made that film so great and beloved to so many audiences. The film provides a great deal of mesmerizing and colorful animation styles which all work together to create one of the most beautiful animation experiences in recent memory, perfectly replicating the style and feel of the original Spider-Verse comics. Few animated series have been as consistently high quality and groundbreaking as the Spider-Verse films, as their hot streak is sure to continue with the upcoming Beyond the Spider-Verse.

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1 'The Boy and the Heron' (2023)

Directed by Hayao Miyazaki

Hayao Miyazaki is widely celebrated as one of the greatest creative visionaries in animation history, with countless masterpieces attributed to him before his retirement in 2013. However, with the announcement that he was exiting retirement to create a new film, all eyes were on The Boy and the Heron to see if it would live up to the gargantuan legacy of Miyazaki's prior work. Not only does the film live up to Hayao Miyazaki's legendary filmography, but it manages to at some points even surpass them to be what could be his greatest cinematic achievement.

The film follows a relatively similar structure to Miyazaki's other films, being about a young child who enters a mysterious fantasy world and learns to grow up and understand life in the process. However, where The Boy and the Heron differs from Miyazaki's other works is its ability to be self-reflective and comment on the notion of legacy in itself, acting as a love letter to Miyazaki's entire line of work in the process. It's still a deeply impactful and beautiful film even if one isn't familiar with Miyazaki's work, yet becomes one of the best animated films of all time with this context considered.

NEXT: Stylized Animated Movies to Watch If You Love 'Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse'