Best-Reviewed Animated Movies 2020

Critics Consensus: A film as beautiful to contemplate as it is to behold, Soul proves Pixar's power to deliver outstanding all-ages entertainment remains undimmed.

Synopsis: Joe is a middle-school band teacher whose life hasn't quite gone the way he expected. His true passion is jazz -- and he's good. But... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Jamie Foxx, Tina Fey, Phylicia Rashad, Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson

Directed By: Pete Docter

Critics Consensus: A mesmerizing Celtic-inspired adventure, Wolfwalkers offers an epic ethereal fantasy matched by profound philosophies and stellar voice work.

Synopsis: In a time of superstition and magic, a young apprentice hunter, Robyn Goodfellowe, journeys to Ireland with her father to wipe out the last wolf... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Sean Bean, Honor Kneafsey, Eva Whittaker, Simon McBurney

Directed By: Ross Stewart

Critics Consensus: It may suffer in comparison to Pixar's classics, but Onward makes effective use of the studio's formula -- and stands on its own merits as a funny, heartwarming, dazzlingly animated adventure.

Synopsis: Teenage elf brothers Ian and Barley embark on a magical quest to spend one more day with their late father. Like any good adventure, their... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Tom Holland, Chris Pratt, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Octavia Spencer

Directed By: Dan Scanlon

Critics Consensus: A Shaun the Sheep Movie: Farmageddon retains the charm of its small-screen source material while engagingly expanding the title character's world.

Synopsis: When a UFO crash-lands near Mossy Bottom Farm, it's up to Shaun the sheep and his animal friends to help a stranded extraterrestrial find its... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Justin Fletcher, John Sparkes, Amalia Vitale, Kate Harbour

Directed By: Richard Phelan, Will Becher

Critics Consensus: Surreal, unsettling, and finally haunting, The Wolf House is a stunning outpouring of creativity whose striking visuals queasily complement its disturbing story.

Synopsis: A young woman takes refuge in a strange house in the woods after escaping from a German colony in southern Chile.

Starring: Amalia Kassai, Rainer Krause

Directed By: Joaquín Cociña, Cristóbal León

Critics Consensus: Beautifully animated and narratively engaging, Weathering with You further establishes writer-director Makoto Shinkai as a singularly talented filmmaker.

Synopsis: The summer of his high school freshman year, Hodaka runs away from his remote island home to Tokyo, and quickly finds himself pushed to his... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Kotaro Daigo, Nana Mori, Tsubasa Honda, Sakura Kiryu

Directed By: Makoto Shinkai

Critics Consensus: An appealing animated adventure whose silliness is anchored in genuine emotion, The Willoughbys offers fanciful fun the entire family can enjoy.

Synopsis: Neglected by their parents, four old-fashioned siblings venture out into the modern world with their new nanny.

Starring: Will Forte, Maya Rudolph, Alessia Cara, Terry Crews

Directed By: Kris Pearn

Critics Consensus: My Hero Academia: Heroes Rising sends fans of the saga on an exhilarating adventure that ends the series on a beautifully animated high note.

Synopsis: Deku and the rest of Class 1-A must save a group of islanders from a villain with an unfathomable quirk.

Starring: Justin Briner, Clifford Chapin, Johnny Yong Bosch, Maxey Whitehead

Directed By: Kenji Nagasaki

Critics Consensus: Although many of Over the Moon's narrative ingredients will seem familiar, the film's absorbing animation offers colorful compensation.

Synopsis: An adventurous girl builds a rocket ship to meet a mythical goddess on the moon.

Starring: John Cho, Ken Jeong, Sandra Oh, Margaret Cho

Directed By: Glen Keane, John Kahrs

Critics Consensus: Another agreeable outing for the titular prehistoric clan, The Croods: A New Age may be the missing link for parents between more elevated family-friendly fare.

Synopsis: Searching for a safer habitat, the prehistoric Crood family discovers an idyllic, walled-in paradise that meets all of its needs. Unfortunately, they must also learn... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Nicolas Cage, Emma Stone, Ryan Reynolds, Catherine Keener

Directed By: Joel Crawford