This past year saw no shortage in animated content both streaming and on the big screen. While it might not be looked back on as one of the best years in the genre, it offered up quite a few gems and pleasant surprises. So, here’s our rundown of the top 5 best animated features (and honorable mentions) that 2022 had to offer.
Honorable Mentions:
Minions: The Rise of Gru
Minions: The Rise of Gru is far from the best film on this list but it deserves a spot in the honorable mentions simply because of how much fun it was for kids and parents alike. It injected some much-needed energy and life into the Despicable Me franchise after 2 middling installments, resulting in the best entry in the franchise in nearly a decade. The story isn’t anything special, but the laughs are consistent, it moves at a breezy pace, and adding Steve Carrell’s Gru to the mix only made the Minion shenanigans even funnier. It might not be a game changer but it’s perfect for families looking for some escapism for 90-minutes.
Apollo 10½: A Space Age Childhood
It’s not often a new Richard Linklater film comes and goes without much notice or talk about it but for some strange reason that’s what happened with Apollo 10½: A Space Age Childhood when it premiered on Netflix earlier this year. The film is a personal, heartfelt, and loving tribute to the 1960’s during the space race and to Richard Linklater’s own childhood that clearly holds a lot of nostalgia for him. It feels a lot different from Linklater’s past works but still features many of his signature trademarks. The film is lightly funny, vibrantly animated, and contains a great soundtrack. For those who missed this one, they should definitely go back and give it a look. It’s both the most underrated and most underseen entry on this list.
Beavis and Butt-Head Do the Universe
Beavis and Butt-Head Do the Universe feels like a warm hug from two of our favorite idiots which gave their fans everything they could want out of a new movie. It’s every bit as stupid, juvenile, and silly as one would hope for and that’s exactly what makes it so unexpectedly clever and laugh out loud hilarious. It might take some time for the laughs to really start coming but once they start, they don’t stop until the credits begin to roll. Meanwhile, the 2D animation looks great and thankfully the film doesn’t overstay its welcome running at a short 86 minutes. It’s also the perfect movie to watch on streaming and doesn’t try to be anything it’s not.
Top 5
The Bad Guys
The Bad Guys was a very pleasant surprise that started off the year of animation on a very strong note. It’s a fun, fast paced, heartfelt, stylish, and energetic animated caper that both kids and adults can enjoy equally. The animation is absolutely gorgeous, and the style director Pierre Perifel brought here makes it standout from so many other similar animations most notably from past DreamWorks projects and makes it feel so fresh in comparison. It’s clever, filled with big laughs throughout, and it features a terrific voice cast led by the always excellent Sam Rockwell. The action is also surprisingly solid as it dives a lot deeper into its themes than one would expect at first glance. It’s essentially an animated family version of Ocean’s Eleven which isn’t such a bad thing. It’s one of DreamWorks Animation’s best films in years and hopefully a sequel is greenlit sooner than later.
Turning Red
Usually, Disney or Pixar films would fill up a list like this in any given year but in 2022 they still got at least one on our list with Turning Red. The trailers weren’t great and many speculated this would be considered “lesser Pixar” leading up to its release, but it proved many people wrong as the film was merely another delightful, charming, and wonderfully creative winner for the studio. It tackles many different universal themes in mature and relatable ways while still offering a fun and entertaining adventure for kids. The mother/daughter dynamic is the heart and soul of the film and is by far the element most will connect with. It might not be as deep or impactful as the studios best work but it’s worth checking out for any who missed it as it has an important message at its core. It’s a shame this was another Pixar film that was released on Disney+ rather than a traditional theatrical release especially due to its Canadian setting.
The Bob’s Burgers Movie
Quite possibly the biggest surprise on this list. Whether one is a fan of the TV series or not, there’s a lot to enjoy and appreciate about The Bob’s Burgers Movie. This successfully brings the animated sitcom to the big screen in an energetic, hilarious, and extremely entertaining fashion that both newcomers and hardcore fans of the series can enjoy. The 2D animation is lovely to look at and the writing and humor are both very clever. The musical numbers might not be entirely necessary but they’re pretty catchy and only add to the enjoyment while both the returning and new voice cast all turn in wonderful work. The laughs are almost non-stop and there’s even a bit of heart in here as well. This comes highly recommended even if one has never seen a single second of the series.
Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio
Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio came incredibly close to finishing at the top of our list and if not for one film that released soon after, it would have. Nobody wanted or needed another Pinocchio film but luckily for audiences, Guillermo del Toro and Mark Gustafson gifted us with this absolutely beautiful version. It’s a dark, impeccably crafted and very imaginative retelling of the classic story that only Guillermo del Toro could’ve pulled off. It makes many welcome and unexpected changes that breathe new life into the story while still retaining the beating heart and strong emotional center of it. The opening 10-minutes are heartbreaking and set the tone very well for what’s to follow and of course the stop motion animation looks incredible with several shots that will have your jaw drop at the sheer beauty and skill of them. Alexandre Desplat composes another beautiful score, and the themes will likely resonate with both parents and children. Not only was it one of the best animated films of 2022 but it was one of the very best films of the year in general. Although it may be unlikely at this point, this film is very worthy of a Best Picture nomination.
Puss in Boots: The Last Wish
Coming in at #1 is Puss in Boots: The Last Wish. Not only is this the best animated film of the year and a big improvement over the already solid first film, it is also the best film in Shrek franchise since Shrek 2 almost 20 years ago. The film is a much darker and surprisingly more mature sequel that tackles themes of death and mortality all the while still being an insanely fun, hilarious, and fast paced adventure that audiences of all ages can enjoy. It takes its lead character in a completely new direction that doesn’t feel redundant and gives him actual growth as a character by the end. It’s great to see some returning faces from previous installments pop up as well and all the of the new characters are surprisingly fun and memorable especially a scene-stealing Harvey Guillén and one of the best villains this franchise has ever seen in Wagner Moura’s Big Bad Wolf. With an eye-popping new animation style to its cleverly-placed easter eggs throughout, the film is everything one could ask for in a sequel and our best animated feature of the year.
Stay tuned as we run down the best films in other genres as we finish our 2022 wrap-up. What animated films are you looking forward in 2023? Check out our interactive 2023 theatrical release calendar here.
*still courtesy of Universal Pictures*
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