Your list of the best animated movies for children and adults alike, now streaming on Netflix.
There’s no limit to what the imagination can dream up — and, with animation, there’s no limit to what filmmakers can accomplish on screen. From stealing the moon, to exploring the sea, to traveling through time, the medium is one of pure potential. Visually gripping, with art rendered in 2-D, 3-D, motion graphics, or stop motion, animation is for all ages. And Netflix has curated an impressive collection, including comedies, cartoons, and a few of the platform’s original features.
The Greatest animated movies to watch as a family
Here are our picks for the best animated movies streaming on the site as of September 2024, including Nimona, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, and some underrated classics.
The best animated movies for kids will keep the whole family entertained—these movies are great for adults and children!
1.Despicable Me (2010)
Gru is awfully busy trying to steal the moon. However, his evil plan is uprooted when he becomes responsible for three orphan sisters. The wicked scientist doesn’t seem to mind his new role as a father, but how will this affect his evil, other-worldly ordeals? Stream on Netflix
2.Onward (2020)
This Pixar feature is set in a fairy tale land that’s losing its magic—the elves who live there would rather use their phones and other devices than spells. But then young Ian Lightfoot (voiced by Tom Holland) brings his dead father back to life. Or, rather, just his legs. He sets off with his brother Barley (Chris Pratt) to complete the spell so he can see his father one last time—and maybe bring magic back to the elves.
3.Lion King
Equal parts endearing and heartbreaking, the Disney classic rotates around young lion Simba, who must rise to power after the loss of his father, Mufasa. You would think the family would be supportive, but one evil uncle has it in for the cub. Hang in there, Simba! Remember: Hakuna matata! (Don’t forget to check out the 2019 live-action reboot!) Stream on Disney+
4.Inside Out (2015)
This family flick is one of Pixar’s most creative storylines—prepare for a roller coaster of emotions! The key characters of this sweet movie are actually a little girl’s feelings—Disgust, Joy and Sadness, to name a few—and accompany her on an unexpected move from the Midwest to the West Coast. Clever, charming and gut-busting funny, this is a movie the whole crew will love! Stream on Disney
5. The boss baby(2017)
Don’t worry about the strange setup–that all babies are sorted into two categories, and the ones who don’t become part of a family are trained as managers in Babycorp–because your kid will love it when the gravel-voiced Boss Baby (Alec Baldwin) goes undercover with the Templeton family. For some reason, the schtick of baby sounding like a cynical middle-aged manager doesn’t get old. This is a film that’s snarky, and funny, and deeply silly. Stream on Amazon Prime
