Get ready for a cinematic adventure through the best animated features of 2024! From heartwarming tales to thrilling adventures, we're counting down the top animated films that captivated audiences this year. Join us as we explore stunning visuals, unforgettable characters, and stories that touched our hearts.
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00:00Welcome to Ms. Mojo, and today we're looking at the best animated features that 2024 had
00:10to offer.
00:11We're including films that premiered in 2023, but didn't receive a wider release until
00:16this year.
00:17This is what I want though, P. I'm waiting on a hit record, you feel what I'm saying?
00:21One of them bad mad magemas.
00:25Number 10.
00:26Orion and the Dark
00:37Orion and the Dark may be more family-friendly than the last animated film that Charlie Kaufman
00:42wrote, Anomalisa.
00:44Being a Kaufman production though, the narrative is never straightforward, the humor is endlessly
00:49inventive, and the protagonist is a highly relatable neurotic.
00:52The school counselor told me to document my fears in some form.
00:56That's why I keep a sketchbook.
00:58It's my way of trying to manage my issues.
01:00While Orion is too young to endure a midlife crisis like some of Kaufman's other protagonists,
01:05his universal fear of the dark is something we've all endured, albeit perhaps not to such
01:10hysterical extremes.
01:12Although much of the film is draped in the literal dark, director Sean Charmatz also
01:16injects vibrant colors that cleverly personify the entities of night.
01:20Based on Emma Yarlett's picture book, Orion and the Dark has the essence of a bedtime
01:24story sure to offer sweet, and occasionally surreal, dreams.
01:40Moana's latest voyage was conceived as a Disney Plus series.
01:50To the surprise of fans, it was announced that the project had been modified into a
01:53full-fledged sequel, making a splash in theaters nine months later.
01:57While Moana 2 has an episodic feel, we're glad Disney gave it the big screen treatment.
02:02On a technical level, the water effects are beyond realistic, plunging the audience into
02:14a high-seas adventure worthy of a theme park experience.
02:18While much of the creative talent has changed hands, the animation is as stunning as ever,
02:22the songs are still catchy enough, and the voice work remains top-notch.
02:27Auli'i Cravalho and Dwayne Johnson are again at the story's heart.
02:30What could be better than having these two back?
02:398.
02:40The Day the Earth Blew Up – A Looney Tunes Movie
02:49Premiering to praise at NC in June 2024 before receiving an Oscar-qualifying run during awards
02:55season, this fully animated Looney Tunes movie deserves to blow up at the box office upon
03:00expanding to more theaters next year.
03:02A love letter to Termite Terrace alumni like Bob Clampett, The Day the Earth Blew Up is
03:06also a fun buddy picture, a charming love story, and a laugh-a-minute comedy.
03:22Every frame is packed with ingenious references to sci-fi and classic cartoons, but the Easter
03:27eggs never overshadow the character dynamics.
03:30Eric Bause's ability to transition between channeling Daffy Duck and Porky Pig is a voice-acting
03:35feat.
03:36Director Peter Braungart has made a testament to why these characters are timeless and deserve
03:40more respect in today's world.
03:467.
03:54Transformers 1 – The Future's End
04:05With biblical undertones, Transformers 1 is best described as the Prince of Egypt with
04:09giant robots.
04:11This origin story centers on two friends as close as brothers.
04:14That makes it all the more tragic knowing these future leaders are headed down opposite
04:18paths, bound to become mortal enemies.
04:30Director Josh Cooley is no stranger to action figures, having won an Oscar for Toy Story
04:354.
04:36He's made a film that'll not only resonate with viewers who grew up with the toys, but
04:40Transformers shows as well.
04:41It's closer to Beast Wars than the live-action movies.
04:44While the film may awaken your inner child, it's also a reminder that Transformers can
04:48be surprisingly adult, even Shakespearean.
04:51In every sense, it's more than meets, well, you know.
05:036.
05:06Chicken for Linda
05:17This French animated film seems simple on the surface, both aesthetically and thematically.
05:22Following a misunderstanding, a mother tries to make amends with her young daughter by
05:25cooking a special chicken dish.
05:28Making the meal is one thing, but acquiring the most crucial ingredient turns into a literal
05:32wild chicken chase.
05:33What starts as a mother-daughter story spirals into a tale about community, with everyone
05:38becoming unusually invested in Linda's supper.
05:47The vibrant use of colors highlights how food can bring a diverse group of people together.
05:52Food can also be therapeutic, as this chicken dish guides Linda and her mother through their
05:57grief.
05:58Like a bowl of hot chicken soup, Chiara Malta and Sébastien Laudenbach have made a film
06:03that's good for the soul.
06:145.
06:16Flow
06:17With zero dialogue, Flow is a masterclass of visual storytelling.
06:22Director Ginz Zylbalodas immerses us in a naturalistic environment that looks like our
06:26world, yet feels mystical.
06:28Among the forest's animal population is a stray black cat who walks alone.
06:33Walking becomes next to impossible as a flood submerges the land, putting the cat in the
06:37same boat as several other animal castaways.
06:40While much of the film takes place on the water, Flow is a gravity-defying experience
06:44that practically lifts the audience from their chairs.
06:47As transcendent as Flow may be, it tells an easy-to-follow story about a found family.
06:52Despite being different species, the characters come to see each other as a pack.
06:56Together, they're a force greater than nature itself.
07:004.
07:01Inside Out 2
07:02Sadness, you won't hurt it, I promise.
07:05Have I ever steered you wrong before?
07:07Yeah, many times.
07:09As much as we yearn for original stories, especially from studios like Pixar, some cinematic
07:14worlds demand to be expanded upon.
07:16Since the original Inside Out was about growing pains, it only makes sense that Riley's story
07:21would continue.
07:22Whether or not you grew up with the first film, the sequel's portrayal of anxiety struck
07:26a chord with viewers of all ages.
07:28Orange?
07:29Who made the console orange?
07:30Do I look orange?
07:31I didn't touch it.
07:32Orange is not my color.
07:33Not me.
07:34Hello, everybody!
07:37Maya Hawke's wonderfully anxious performance is just one way that Inside Out 2 evolves
07:41the franchise's themes, with a mix of humor, honesty, and limitless creativity.
07:47Anxiety summed up what many of us felt in 2024.
07:50That might be one of the reasons Inside Out 2 became the highest-grossing animated feature
07:55bringing comfort when we needed it most.
07:58Yes, I agree completely.
07:59We need new friends or else we'll be totally alone in high school.
08:03Right, Joey?
08:04Well, I mean, maybe.
08:05Here we go!
08:06Wait up!
08:07Number 3.
08:08Wallace and Gromit, Vengeance Most Foul
08:11Who could possibly be behind all this?
08:19Technology has helped animation get to where it is today.
08:22However, artificial intelligence can't replace an artist's touch, despite what Silicon Valley
08:27and various CEOs think.
08:29This is apparent through Wallace and Gromit's second feature, which was meticulously crafted
08:33by hand.
08:34Taking a nuanced approach, Vengeance Most Foul explores the advantages of technology
08:39in innovative and efficient hands.
08:41Yet the film is just as much about what happens when tech is used irresponsibly.
08:45He's a household gnome.
08:48What could possibly go wrong?
08:50Enter Feathers McGraw, a villain who can be menacing and hilarious without ever changing
08:55the blank expression on his face.
08:57The return of this fan-favorite foe offers something old for longtime viewers, while
09:01bringing plenty of new ideas to the table.
09:03Nick Park proves again that he does not miss.
09:15Number 2.
09:16Memoir of a Snail
09:21From the Oscar-winning Harvey Crumpet to the tragically underrated Mary and Max, those
09:26who have been following Adam Elliot's career will immediately recognize his signature in
09:30Memoir of a Snail.
09:31Like Elliot's past works, this stop-motion film is depressingly funny, bleakly whimsical,
09:37and deeply personal.
09:46Memoir of a Snail is something more, though, traversing the cycle of loss and abuse, as
09:51well as how to escape it.
09:53Sarah Snook's narration infuses the protagonist with empathy, making you laugh one minute
09:58and bawl your eyes out the next.
10:00Although Memoir of a Snail will break you down, it unexpectedly builds you up again
10:04with inspiring moments that feel earned.
10:08Just when you think you have the film figured out, there's more going on underneath the
10:11shell.
10:16Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.
10:20Kung Fu Panda 4, Poe still packs a powerful paw of fury.
10:42Ultraman Rising, Kaiju, robots, superheroes, and baseball.
10:46What's not to like?
10:59The Imaginary.
11:01Like one's imagination, the animation here is boundless.
11:14Look Back, a bittersweet story of friendship, regret, and the creative drive.
11:32Piece by Piece, a Pharrell documentary told with Legos that's sure to leave you feeling
11:37happy.
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12:09The Wild Robot
12:102024 gave us a few animated films about parenting and technology.
12:22None struck a balance like The Wild Robot.
12:24Speaking of balance, the film's aesthetic seamlessly blends cutting-edge animation and
12:29the warmth of the illustrated novels that inspired it.
12:32While the visual storytelling makes us feel one with nature, the voiceover performances
12:36from Lupita Nyong'o, Pedro Pascal, and everyone else are at the root of the film's humanity.
12:51We know the characters are primarily animals and machines, yet The Wild Robot is a timely
12:56reflection of our society.
12:58It's a vicious world, but if wildlife and a wild robot can learn the value of community,
13:03maybe people can too.
13:05It's a personal best from director Chris Sanders and one of the year's best movies, period.
13:20What's your favorite animated movie of the year?
13:23Let us know in the comments.