For years, animation was considered a cinematic genre aimed at entertaining children, while adults mostly endured it. That notion can’t be further from the truth, though. Through the work of visionaries like Hayao Miyazaki, Guillermo del Toro, and the late Satoshi Kon, animation is seen as a proper medium nowadays, perfect for exploring daring and imaginative storylines with endless possibilities. Animation is the place where true dreams are realized, allowing for far more creativity than a live-action picture.
We’re halfway through the 2020s, but the decade has already produced a few animated efforts that have defied all expectations and proven themselves absolute masterworks of the medium. Whether they’re surreal fantasy tales, reinventions of the classic fairy tale, or minimalistic stories full of heart, these animated movies of the 2020s are true masterpieces. They inspire audiences, provoking all manner of emotions and, most importantly, staying in our hearts and minds long after the credits roll, in the unique and beautiful way that only genuine works of art can.
‘Puss in Boots: The Last Wish’ (2022)
Puss in Boots: The Last Wish follows the legendary feline swordsman Puss (Antonio Banderas) as he realizes he is down to his last life after wasting the previous eight. After a near-death encounter with a dangerous wolf (Wagner Moura), Puss settles for a boring life as a domestic cat. Things change when he learns about the mythical last wish, which has the power to restore his nine lives. Joined by his former lover, Kitty Softpaws (Salma Hayek), Puss embarks on the adventure, but he’s not the only one looking for the last wish.
Who would’ve thought that a sequel to a mostly forgotten 2011 animated movie would turn out to be one of the greatest animated triumphs of the last decade? Indeed, Puss in Boots: The Last Wish far surpasses its predecessor in every possible way. The storyline is complex, the animation is truly stunning, and the emotional payoff is among the most emotionally powerful and cathartic in any animated feature. The film’s handling of heavy themes, most notably anxiety and death, is commendable, presenting them in a way that younger audiences can understand without dumbing them down. Puss in Boots: The Last Wish is perfect proof that animation can be colorful, funny, and whimsical while still delivering poignant and layered narratives about some of life’s tougher issues.
‘The Boy and the Heron’ (2023)
Speaking of heavier narratives in animated form, it’s time to discuss Hayao Miyazaki‘s latest effort. The Boy and the Heron follows Mahito (Luca Padovan), a young boy dealing with his mom’s passing and his father’s new marriage to his aunt. While at his new home, Mahito meets a mysterious grey heron (Robert Pattinson), who convinces him to enter a new and mystical world full of danger and confusion. There, Mahito will have the adventure of a lifetime and will come to terms with some of the most complicated emotions battling inside of him.
A fantasy masterpiece of the 2020s, The Boy and the Heron is one of Miyazaki’s most personal efforts, containing several autobiographical elements, thus serving as an intimate portrayal of one of animation’s most defining figures. It’s all in favor of an introspective and highly symbolic story about the nature of creation and the sacrifices it demands. The visual style complements this elusive but engaging narrative, with some of the most fluid and striking animation in Studio Ghibli’s already impressive library. Many might find The Boy and the Heron‘s allegorical and almost oneiric approach unyielding and perhaps a tad challenging. However, all those who are willing to engage with its admittedly distant nature will find a powerful tale that engages on an emotional and psychological level.
‘Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse’ (2023)
In 2018, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse reinvented the rules of animation with its distinct and highly influential visual language and gentle exploration of the nature of heroism and the expectations of legacy. Five years later, its sequel not only reached the same levels but arguably surpassed them. In Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse. Miles Morales (Shameik Moore) meets a team of Spider-People, the Spider-Society, led by Spider-Man 2099 (Oscar Isaac). The young hero soon finds himself at odds with them over a difference of opinions about how to best deal with a new multiversal threat, The Spot (Jason Schwartzman).
Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse does everything the original did, including just as much wildly inventive action enhanced by some of the most beautiful and jaw-dropping visuals in modern cinema. Where it arguably surpasses it is in its treatment of the traditional superhero tale: whereas Into the Spider-Verse perfects it, Across the Spider-Verse subverses it by challenging its ideas about what it truly means to be a hero. The film is full of something sorely missing from many other superhero movies: something to say about the action-driven characters at the center of its story. Here, superheroes are not defined by their suit or affiliations, and the story is about more than just action sequences and setup. Yes, it does end on a cliffhanger, but Across the Spider-Verse never sacrifices storytelling for spectacle.
‘Robot Dreams’ (2023)
2023 might just be one of the best years for cinema, because not one or two but three animated masterpieces came out during those now-iconic twelve months. The last one in this list is the Spanish tragicomedy Robot Dreams, about the lovely and powerful connection born between a lonely Dog and his Robot companion. The two spend an unforgettable summer together, but when circumstances separate them, these two unlikely companions will need to find a way back to each other.
I won’t lie: Robot Dreams is one of the most heartbreaking animated movies you will ever experience. The film pulls no punches in its depiction of sorrow and how life’s unpredictability can lead to unspeakable emotional tragedy. Through Robot and Dog’s relationship, the film explores ideas of connection, loss, the nature of love, and the importance of letting go of the past. Here, life is something you endure, but in between the pain and misery, there are moments of beauty and joy that make it all worth it. Robot Dreams doesn’t reinvent the formula, but it presents it with such emotional intelligence that it makes it seem novel, not to mention genuinely heart-wrenching. The final moments are as great a representation of catharsis as has ever been depicted on the silver screen. You’ll laugh through the tears, and you’ll surely never forget this delightfully sad gem.
‘Flow’ (2024)
No movie was a bigger surprise in 2024 than Flow, the Latvian animated feature that defied all expectations to become a runaway critical and commercial success. It features no dialogue and is set in a seemingly apocalyptic world, focusing on a black cat who joins forces with other animals — including a capybara, a dog, a lemur, and a whale— to survive as the water level rises dramatically.
Dialogue-less movies can be challenging for modern audiences. Luckily, Flow offers more than enough visual marvel to not only engage but genuinely compel. It’s truly astounding just how riveting this tale of survival is, as we follow the cat and his friends trying to stay afloat, literally. It’s not about making sense out of the situation — these are, after all, animals acting on instinct and not at all concerned with the “why” of their predicament. Thus, Flow becomes an exercise in specificity, allowing us to connect to it on a deeper, more visceral level. More impressively, it was made using Blender, a free and open-source software, proving that animation is truly limited only by the creator’s imagination. The result is one of the most beautiful and unforgettable animated movies of the last decade, a genuine step forward for the venerable medium.