Best Movies of 2016 – Ranking the Animated Movies

2016 was the year of animation.  So many animated movies came out and none of them, I’d consider, were bad.  In fact, I’d argue we got at least two or three that could be considered some of the best animated movies of this decade.  I didn’t get to see some of the foreign films that were released, nor some of the American releases (I happily skipped Norm of the North).  But with that, here is my ranking of all the animated movies I saw in 2016.

 

 

11 – THE ANGRY BIRDS MOVIE

This movie is last on the list, but it’s still not a horrible movie.  It’s a fun, brightly colored comedy that entertained me a little bit.  The biggest problem with the movie is that it came out five years too late.  Does anyone play Angry Birds anymore?  Does anyone care?

 

10 – THE SECRET LIFE OF PETS

Should really have been titled The Whacky Day of New York Pets.  The title and trailers for the movie promised an almost anthology-esque movie, showing what each pet does when their owners are gone at work.  That’s not the movie we got.  Sure there were some cute animals and some funny moments, particularly by Kevin Hart’s psychotic bunny, Snowball, but the movie just turns into ridiculousness and loses its fun.

 

9 – BATMAN: THE KILLING JOKE

Based on one of the greatest comic books ever, Batman: The Killing Joke had the distinct honor of getting an ‘R’ rating and given a small theatrical run.  Maybe it was the hype that ruined this movie, but it wasn’t anything spectacular.  The second half of the film, where we see Batman face Joker, was excellent.  But it was the off-putting, Barbara Gordon-heavy first half that threw off the movie’s tone and story.

 

8 – KUNG-FU PANDA 3

I enjoy the hell out of the Kung-Fu Panda films.  They’re incredibly entertaining with interesting themes and great action.  Did the series warrant a trilogy?  Probably not.  But we got one and this time it features Bryan Cranston as Poe’s father.  The movie is exactly like the other ones.  It’s entertaining and has great action.  I believe it is on Netflix right now.  Give it a whirl, you’ll have a blast.

 

7 – SING

Sing is pure joy.  From the moment the movie started, I had a smile on my face that wouldn’t leave.  With wonderful pop songs, relatable story, and adorable animals, it is impossible not to like it.  Great voice acting from the entire cast, especially Matthew McConaughey as a down-on-his-luck koala bear.  This is far and away the best thing Illumination Entertainment has ever put out.

 

6 – TROLLS

Probably the most unexpectedly weird movie I saw in 2016.  I went in to Trolls expecting something like Sing; a singing, dancing, easy-going movie.  What I got was insanity.  This is a trippy, psychedelic, dark movie disguised in bright colors, radio hits, and wild sets.  This is about people who want to eat trolls (and actually do) and a bizarre 2-D musical number that is a visual stunner.  Trolls is dark enough and funky enough to work.

 

5 – MOANA

This is where the list gets tough, because I love all of these movies.  Moana was the second Disney Animation Studio film released in 2016 and it continues their recent trend of success with these animated movies.  This is a classic tale of a princess finding her own away against the norm.  Our princess is a bad ass, water-loving islander and she teams up with an arrogant demigod, voiced perfectly by Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson.  This is classic Disney at it’s finest.

 

4 – SAUSAGE PARTY

Sausage Party is not only one of the best animated movies of the year, but it is also the funniest movies and one of the best overall comedies of 2016.  This is a vulgar, crude, uproarious hour and a half long sex joke that is incredibly quotable and wonderfully animated.  It features the most stoner idea Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg have ever come up with and a climax that will have your jaw on the floor.  Everything holds up on multiple viewings, which cements Sausage Party’s greatness.

 

3 – FINDING DORY

Finding Nemo is one of the greatest animated movies ever made.  It is perfect the way is and didn’t need a sequel.  So when Finding Dory was announced, I wasn’t super thrilled.  I should have know Pixar wouldn’t let me down.  This is the best Pixar film since Toy Story 3 back in 2010.  It’s funny, captivating, and moving, looking at themes of autism and family with subtly and heart.  This is a perfect sequel to a perfect movie.

 

2 – ZOOTOPIA

Zootopia is one of the most original and surprising movies of the year.  I went into the movie not expecting much, being a February release and all, and what I was given was a child version of The Wire.  This is a crime noir diving into such themes as racism, classical, and drugs.  And through this, Zootopia is still a great kids movie.  This is one of the smartest movies 2016 and the definition of a film for the whole family.

 

1 – KUBO AND THE TWO STRINGS 

What a mind blowing film.  This is without a doubt, one of the most beautifully animated movies I have ever seen.  Kubo and the Two Strings is an absolutely stunning movie in every way.  The action is exciting, the story is emotional, and, like I said, the animation is spectacular, especially when Kubo tells his floating paper stories.  The box office on this movie was far lower than it should have been, which is a damn tragedy.  Everyone needs to see this movie. It is one of the best movies of 2016 and the best animated movie of the year.

 

What were your favorite animated movies of the year?  Comment below or hit me up on Twitter and Instagram, @kevfix, or on Facebook and YouTube by searching Kevflix.