Top 21 Best Animated Movies of Each Year (2000 - 2020)

i'm at the top of my game i'm right up there with a big dog welcome to watch mojo and today we're counting down our picks for the top 21 best animated movies of each year you just sit there be all magical and awesome oh one legend to another for this list we're singling out the best animated feature of every year from 2000 to 2020 what's your favorite animated movie of the past 21 years let us know in the comments 2000 chicken run at the dawn of the 21st century the mouse house produced a couple of cult hits like the emperor's new groove however movies like chicken run proved that feature animation wasn't just disney's racket anymore nobody's life isn't right it's what makes the jungle world live distributed internationally by dreamworks this excellent comedy served as a showcase for the stop-motion masters at aardman animations with their first feature directors nick park and peter lorde produced a film that was as witty as the wallace and grommet shorts and as thrilling as the great escape from a technical standpoint the film took stop motion animation to new heights going above and beyond what many thought possible the chickens themselves are extremely empathetic heroes so you might reconsider picking up a pot pie for dinner something we agree on 2001 spirited away the introduction of the best animated feature oscar in 2001 made it a landmark year for animation shrek triumphed over monsters inc to win the first award i can't believe it oh my god the next recipient was spirited away which was released a year earlier in japan before reaching the states hayao miyazaki's masterpiece became the first japanese animated film to take home an academy award for good reason spirited away overflows with distinctive characters breathtaking backgrounds and rich artistry oh you want to come with us he'd like to come too please it's hard to believe one film could encompass so much magic for many westerners spirited away was their gateway into the endlessly creative world of studio ghibli it's not only considered miyazaki's best film and one of the best animated features ever but it's also been ranked among the century's best movies overall what's going on something you wouldn't recognize it's called love 2002 lilo and stitch 2002 saw the release of two notable disney animated films although it took a while for treasure planet to accumulate the following it deserved lilo and stitch was an immediate hit with critics and audiences chris sanders and dean deblois took a risk by putting the film in a modern hawaiian setting luckily the story still had the timeless appeal that the company is known for lilo and stitch told a touching story about a girl and her pet alien and the bonds of family ohana means family family means nobody gets left behind or forgotten the sisterly relationship between lilo and nanny is a surprisingly authentic one meanwhile stitch would go on to become one of the decade's most recognizable animated characters oh so cute unfluffy he easily stands alongside popular creatures like scrap the saber-toothed squirrel from ice age 2003 finding nemo finding nemo earned pixar their first best animated feature academy award by beating out brother bear and the triplets of belleville andrew stanton's film was also a winner at the box office becoming the highest grossing animated film at the time in a year that brought us a title wave of sequels nemo stood out as a brilliantly told original story about a clownfish's seemingly futile mission to rescue his lost son i am miles from home with a fish that can't even remember her own name boy but that's frustrating yeah meanwhile my son is out there your son chico nemo right got it water is one of the hardest things to get right in computer animation you can feel every ounce of sweat pixar put into generating each wave bubble and infinitesimal speck [Music] rogers while the underwater backgrounds and effects are still beyond impressive it was the film's comedy wonder and heart that made it an instant classic thank you wow i wish i could speak whale 2004 the incredibles shrek 2 may have topped finding nemo's box office record but pixar won another oscar with the incredibles settle down are you kidding i'm at the top of my game i'm right up there with a big dog although we had seen superhero satires and families before few were on par with the pars it shouldn't come as a surprise that writer director brad bird was a creative consultant for the simpsons this film possesses a similar fast-paced wit and a strong understanding of family dynamics i need you to intervene you want me to intervene okay like bird's debut feature the iron giant the incredibles is a splendid blend of humor action and emotion i'm going in wow what i watch helplessly from the sidelines i don't think so i'm asking you to wait with the kids and i'm telling you not a chance you're my husband i'm with you for better or worse i have to do this alone it was another example of how sophisticated feature animation had become while the incredibles shown with dialogue tailored towards adults the spongebob squarepants movie also reminded goofy goobers everywhere that there was nothing wrong with being a kid that year 2005 wallace and gromit the curse of the wear rabbit although wallace and gromit had already starred in three beloved shorts could the duo carry a full-length production the universal acclaimed curse of the wear rabbit attracted should answer your question [Music] hang while the film possessed the clever visual gags and dialogue we'd come to expect from aardman directors nick park and steve box stepped up their game to make this world feel more cinematic than ever before they were not afraid to experiment with different tones either drawing inspiration from hammer horror films and other classics of the monster [Music] genre [Music] naturally the movie has more in common with abbott and costello meet frankenstein this mix of sharp comedy and as the filmmakers described it vegetarian horror scored park his fourth academy award what kind of bullet a bullet a pure ghost gold yes 24 carrot 2006 paprika while the oscar winning happy feet delighted audiences of all ages 2006 was an especially strong year for animation exclusively aimed at adults the rotoscoped adaptation of a scanner darkly was great but paprika was easily the most mind-blowing film are you planning to take over the whole world of dreams i am merely protecting them for i am the only true guardian of all dreams this japanese psychological thriller marked the fourth and sadly final feature from director satoshi khon who passed away four years later like cohn's perfect blue and millennium actress paprika plays with reality in thought-provoking ways there are no boundaries in dreams no restrictions from one's own physical body you have entered a new world where the spirit is free and that freedom is limitless even for someone like me with a plot involving a machine that can take people inside dreams paprika showcases some of the most awe-inspiring imagery ever put on screen what is all this is this inside my head paprika all the dreams are starting to merge into just one just as anything is possible in dreams the same can be said about animation making it the ideal medium to tell this surreal story 2007 persepolis persepolis could also be described as an example of adult animation but it's a coming-of-age story above all else based on marjan satrapi's graphic novel persepolis is a universal tale i loved eating french fries with ketchup bruce lee was my idol i wore adidas sneakers and had two major obsessions being able to shave my legs one day and becoming the last prophet in the galaxy even so the film will especially resonate with those who grew up during the iranian revolution the narrative follows marjan or margie from her early days in tehran to her adulthood in europe [Music] the film remains mostly faithful to the aesthetic of its source material with margie's upbringing being draped in black and white by taking this simplistic yet stylish approach the animators are able to emphasize every emotion our protagonist experiences aside from capturing its source materials look the themes of identity and feminism that made satrapy's story so special are perfectly portrayed on screen fear is what loves our mind to sleep and makes us lose our conscience fear is also what turns us into cowards but what you did took courage i'm so proud of you 2008 wally in 2008 kung fu panda won the most annie awards and waltz with bashir became the first animated film to receive an oscar nomination for best foreign language film but when it came to pushing the boundaries of animation wally went to infinity and beyond [Music] yeah we know different pixar movie nevertheless there's a reason why film critic ao scott declared wally breaks new ground wally took full advantage of the medium with a practically dialogue free beginning that relied on sound design music and emotive characters to tell the story while the second half is more exposition heavy characters still speak in a timeless manner while touching upon timely themes i can't just sit here and and do nothing that's all i've ever done that's all any one of this blasted ship has ever done nothing only axiom will survive i don't want to survive i want to live the film's portrayal of the future is eerily more relevant today than it was in 2008 2009 up even in a year that gave us the creepy coral line and the energetic cloudy with a chance of meatballs there's no denying that up was 2009's greatest animated achievement yes alpha i am not alpha he is oh not only did it win the oscar for best animated feature but up became the first animated film since beauty and the beast to be nominated for best picture the opening sequence alone is a tour de force of animation and music which helped secure michael g aquino score an oscar from there up juggles many elements you wouldn't expect to complement one another a giant bird talking dogs flying planes and a house carried by balloons for instance against all the odds pixar ties all of these fantastical elements together in hilarious meaningful and tear-jerking ways ready 2010 toy story 3 as well as giving us the slick animation of a cat in paris 2010 was a launching point for several prominent animated franchises such as how to train your dragon and despicable me but few franchises have the staying power of toy story coming out 11 years after the second film toy story 3 appropriately grew up with its audience as our plastic protagonists and andy find themselves at a major turning point this is no time to be hysterical it's the perfect time to be hysterical should we be hysterical no yes maybe but not right now with college on the horizon will andy hold on to his old playthings or will they all start a new chapter well whatever happens at least we'll all be together for infinity and beyond our journey to the film's heartfelt resolution hits all the right notes it's hilarious thrilling and in one particular scene downright unsettling while more toy story projects would follow this best picture winner was the perfect way to cap off the end of an era rango in a year heavy on franchises like cars 2 and puss in boots the nickelodeon movies production rango was a creative breath of fresh air you're funny looking oh yeah you're funny too that's a funny-looking shirt it's a funny-looking dress you got funny-looking eyes you got a funny-looking face you're a stranger strangers don't last long here the film follows a pet chameleon stranded in the mojave desert when he finds himself named the new sheriff of the local town both rango and the audience are swept along on a ride straight out of a classic hollywood western complete with bank robbers posse gangs and a dramatic face-off at high noon with its distinctive animation style and stacked vocal cast rango charmed audiences and critics alike it would go on to become the first non-disney non-pixar property to win an academy award since 2006 and the last to hold that distinction until 2018. i tip my head to one legend to another 2012 wreck-it ralph speaking of indie treasures don hertzfeldt's it's such a beautiful day is as simple as it is profound it's one of several contenders that would have been worthy of this spot but wreck-it ralph was 2012's most re-watchable animated feature it's amazing flattery don't charge these batteries civilian the film's various easter eggs and cameos are sure to inspire multiple viewings for video game lovers how often do you see bowser eggman and m bison in the same room what really keeps us coming back is the strength of the film's characters and world building what is this dump i think it's some sort of unfinished bonus level yeah it's pretty cool huh gamers will appreciate the parallels between ralph and donkey kong who also turned out to be a not so bad guy i'm bad and that's good i will never be good and that's not bad [Music] there's no one i'd rather be than me even if you've never picked up a controller you'll still be enchanted by the film's visuals humor and depth 2013 frozen between the princess and the frog and tangled disney fairy tales were making a comeback by adding contemporary twists nothing could have prepared disney however for the avalanche of a claim that was frozen watching this lovingly crafted feat of music and storytelling made us feel like disney had officially recaptured the magic of their 90s renaissance some people are worth melting for at the same time frozen brought disney animation into the 21st century in ways that felt natural with an emphasis on sisterly love a self-aware sense of humor and a princess who actually becomes a queen the film marked a watershed moment for the mouse house i knew you could do it hands down this is the best day of my life it did all of this while still delivering the lovable characters and enchanting songs that made the disney brand perennial in the first place [Music] 2014 the lego movie after seeing big hero 6 we all wanted to cuddle up with a baymax doll based on an iconic toy line the lego movie also inspired plenty of merchandise those who were expecting a feature-length commercial were amazed to find just how funny touching and wise the film was the prophecy is made up but it's also true it's about all of us right now it's about you and you still can change everything like who framed roger rabbit the lego movie works on two levels seeing familiar faces like batman han solo and gandalf together is sure to bring out one's inner child my fellow master builders including but not limited to robin hood mermaid lady gandalf swamp creature 1980 something space guy 2002 nba all-stars and wonder woman you have traveled far to be here for a moment of great import meanwhile original characters like emmett and wild style have become new staples of childhood directors phil lord and christopher miller pack in all the silliness one would anticipate while also weaving in poignant messages about creativity challenging conformity and communication between parents and children what i see are people inspired by each other and by you people taking what you made and making something new out of it 2015 inside out while anomalisa got inside our heads with its psychological themes inside out literally took us inside a young person's mind pixar might not have been the first studio to play with the idea of personified emotions but this premise had never before been executed with such vivid colors inventive ideas and identifiable characters right ship islands expanded glad they finally opened that friendly argument section i like tragic vampire romance island fashion island everyone shut up boyband island hope that's just a phase say what you want i think it's all beautiful the story of an 11 year old moving from minnesota to san francisco might not sound like anything special at first but as is often the case with people going through a transitional period there's a whirlwind of complex feelings to explore under the surface you need me to be happy but i want my old friends and my hockey team [Music] i wanna go home as such inside out is not only essential viewing for animation fans but for anybody on the verge of growing [Applause] save up take her to the moon for me 2016 your name disney released a slew of instant classics in 2016 like zootopia studio leica also outdid themselves with kubo and the two strings which drew heavily from japanese culture speaking of japan makoto shinkai is a name well worthy of comparison to hayao miyazaki and satoshi kong it was almost like seeing something out of a dream nothing more or less than a breathtaking view shinkai has solidified his status as a modern master of animation and your name is his finest film to date audiences fell in love with this innovative romance about two teenagers separated by distance time and logic i guess we won't meet but there's one thing i'm certain of if we see each other we'll definitely know right away will their connection triumph over these astronomical barriers we won't dare give the answer away but the journey and final destination couldn't be more gratifying if you haven't seen it yet definitely remember this movie's name who who did i come to see someone precious someone i don't want to forget someone i shouldn't 2017 coco on that note coco is a name that will be remembered for some time and not just because of that oscar-winning song for even if i'm far away i hold you in my heart i sing a secret song to you each night we are apart [Music] remember me this pixar film is a love letter to the day of the dead and the beautiful country of mexico it's also about the universal language of music and how it connects us both in life and in death i wrote her a song once we used to sing it every night at the same time no matter how far apart we were what i wouldn't give to sing it to her one last time the film's toe tapping soundtrack is matched by its visual splendor painting a dazzling portrait of the afterlife that strangely feels livelier than real life the film's themes of redemption forgiveness and the power of listening are sure to resonate with multiple generations [Music] with coco and the bread winner 2017 was a truly great year for animated movies about the importance of family and culture 2018 spider-man into the spider-verse in an era full of superhero origin stories team-ups and heroes in general you wouldn't think an animated spider-man movie would stick out however this master stroke lives up to its tagline what makes you different is what makes you spider-man when do i know i'm spider-man he won't that's all it is miles a leap of faith into the spider verse manages to differ from all other incarnations of spider-man while also being a celebration of everything spidey i never thought i'd be able to do any of this stuff but i can't anyone can wear the mask you could wear the max if you didn't know that before i hope you do now while we all know the name peter parker this film helped turn miles morales and several other lesser-known characters into pop culture icons it did so with a strong emotional core mind-blowing action and a distinctive style that brings the comics to life in unprecedented ways you're not stopping not today i am stopping this right now along with wes anderson's isle of dogs into the spiderverse is a revelation of imagination and originality 2019 klaus although cg may rule the market nowadays animation offers a wide palette of different techniques leica continues to evolve stop-motion animation with films like missing link meanwhile netflix has shined a spotlight on 2d methods with the xylem animations i lost my body and sergio pablo's clouds this is a story about letters and it began with this one pablos worked on several traditionally animated disney classics back in the 90s and early 2000s the warmth of those films is present throughout klaus a movie that also brings out the warmth of the holidays what happens not a word you just sit there be all magical and awesome providing a unique backstory for santa this is a film that we can see many audiences revisiting every christmas whether you watch it during the winter or the summer you can appreciate klaus year-round for its storybook aesthetic and message of goodwill a true selfless act always sparks another want more mojo ms mojo produces original high quality pop culture related videos on all your favorite movies and shows plus celebrity news fashion lifestyle and more hey guys it's phoebe with ms mojo my name is sam my name is eliza and i'm emily i'm rebecca and welcome to mizmojo you want videos on all the best reality shows team dramas disney movies and sitcoms be sure to check out ms mojo for new videos every day 2020 soul over the moon was another winner for netflix but pixar managed to touch our souls once again on the animation front pixar is frequently regarded as the best of the best while it may have been tempting to award our top spot to another studio co-directors pete docter and kemp powers truly outdid themselves with seoul following its premiere at the bfi london film festival the film was met with perfect scores from the hollywood reporter the guardian and the playlist yes you know what that's gonna say joe gardner much like coco the film provides a vivid portrayal of the afterlife with music adding an essential component music is all i think about from the moment i wake up in the morning to the moment i fall asleep at night i was born to play but seoul is just as much about the impact we leave on earth and why life is worth living okay look i already know everything about earth and i don't want anything to do with it you're missing out on the joys of life like pizza with its soulful sound diverse cast and meaningful story the film not only has the potential to change your perception of animation but your entire world view life is full of possibilities you just need to know where to look do you agree with our picks check out this other recent clip from watchmojo and be sure to subscribe and ring the bell to be notified about our latest videos [Music] you

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Keywords: best animated movies of each year, best animated movies of the century, best animated movies of all time, best animated movies, animated movies, best animated movies of the 2000s, best animated movies of the 2010s, chicken run, frozen, toy story 3, soul, spider-man: into the spiderverse, wall-e, the incredibles, spirited away, finding nemo, up, rango, wreck-it ralph, klaus, Animated, Cartoon, Movies, watchmojo, watch mojo, top 10, list, mojo

Id: tHBm4wOlQ3E

Length: 27min 57sec (1677 seconds)

Published: Thu Jan 07 2021