2022 finally saw the film industry return in a huge way, and what has been arguably the best year for movies in a long time, with tons of fantastic movies gracing our screens. Whether you’re a fan of horror movies, action movies, rom-coms, and even superhero movies, 2022 has without a doubt, delivered in spades. But one genre that has simply knocked it out of the park, were animated movies. Animated movies have returned in a big way, and although Across The Spider-verse was delayed, we still saw some utterly breathtaking animated movies throughout the year, from Lightyear to Guillermo Del Toro’s Pinocchio, and even Bob’s Burgers. Here are some of the best animated movies 2022 had to offer.
12 The Bob’s Burgers Movie
After many delays and five years of waiting, fans of the Fox animated series Bob’s Burgers finally got a chance to sit down with the first feature-length movie of the franchise, and it's safe to say that the movie did not disappoint. Delivering a hilarious and charming experience that captures the magic of the show, satisfying fans and introducing new fans to the hit Fox animated show.
Related: Bob's Burgers: Every Season, Ranked
11 Chip N Dale Rescue Rangers
Although technically speaking, Chip N Dale Rescue Rangers is a live-action affair, due to its heavy use of CG and animation, we can class it as an animated flick, at least for now. Chip N Dale Rescue Rangers, offers an experience unlike anything the year had to offer. Although simple, with an unfortunate lack of heart, Rescue Rangers delivered plenty of laughs, but most surprisingly of all, is the sheer number of brilliant cameos and references that appeared in the movie. From My Little Pony, Jurassic Park, The Little Mermaid, Roger Rabbit, Harry Potter, and of course, Ugly Sonic, who plays a surprisingly pivotal part of the film. The legal team deserves many thanks for the crazy amount of cameos from every part of pop culture.
10 Minions: The Rise of Gru
The sequel to the 2015 animated classic Minions, turns the dial up to 11, and presents an action-packed adventure that is sure to make you smile from cheek-to-cheek. Oddly centering around a theme of '80s martial arts lays the groundwork for many hilarious moments and an incredible and surprising role from Michelle Yeoh. Similarly, they are still their hilarious and mischievous selves; Minions: The Rise of Gru will undoubtedly make you care for the naive and adorable little yellow minions. Rise of Gru caps the year off as being the most financially successful animated flick of the year.
9 Lightyear
One of the most anticipated animated releases of 2022, came Pixar’s Lightyear, which offered a story based on the toy Buzz Lightyear from the Toy Story franchise. Lightyear thankfully delivers a truly fun and entertaining ride, tackling time travel incredibly well, as well as delivering many explosive and exhilarating action scenes. However, the film’s best asset is its impressive voice cast, with Chris Evans as Buzz Lightyear himself, as well as Keke Palmer and Taika Waititi, who all bounce off each other with ease, making their relationships and characters feel real and instantly lovable. Not to mention, the ever-so adorable and endearing android cat, Sox.
Related: Tim Allen or Chris Evans: Who Played a Better Buzz Lightyear?
8 Wendell and Wild
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Legendary filmmaker Henry Selick (Coraline, The Nightmare Before Christmas) returns to the stop-motion fold, delivering another gothic and dark tale and once again exploring childhood trauma. Never shying away from its dark and adult themes, Wendell and Wild brilliantly uses comedians Keegan-Michael Key and Jordan Peele to provide gut-busting comedy, as well as elevating the tone ever-so slightly. Although not the best or most heartfelt stop-motion flick of the year, Wendell and Wild is still a worthy addition to Henry Selick's impressive and nightmare-fueled filmography.
7 The Bad Guys
A very welcome surprise to the year was the stylish, animated heist movie, The Bad Guys took much inspiration from Steven Soderbergh’s Ocean’s Eleven remake. Dreamworks similarly took much inspiration from Into the Spider-Verse, with its snappy animation style, which greatly benefited the film. Likewise, the cast was an absolute delight, with the likes of Sam Rockwell, Zazie Beetz, Anthony Ramos, Richard Ayoade, Awkwafina, and Craig Robinson, just to name a few. The Bad Guys came with a surprising amount of heart, a compelling story, and a great cast that sells the film's humor and emotion, making The Bad Guys a must-watch for everyone.
6 Entergalactic
From American Rapper Kid Cudi, comes this 90-minute animated feature film, Entergalactic, which sports some truly outstanding, painterly animation, and of course, brilliant music from the acclaimed rapper. While mostly being a movie that accommodates Kid Cudi’s eighth studio album, Entergalactic similarly offers up a cute and compelling romantic comedy. The music accentuates the vibrancy of the colors, and the film's story and characters keep the film engaging. Entergalactic feels like a vivid and immersive concert.
5 DC’s League of Super-Pets
League of Super-Pets isn’t just one of the most underrated and underappreciated animated movies of the year, but one of the most underrated movies of all genres from 2022. Sporting a simply perfect cast, with Dwayne Johnson, Kevin Hart, Diego Luna, Vanessa Bayer, Kate McKinnon, and John Krasinksi, as well as a Batman casting we never knew we wanted, but we certainly needed, with Keanu Reeves taking on the iconic cowl, especially when he teams up with Kevin Hart's Ace. With a cast as comedically talented as this, League of Super-Pets is hilarious. Though the film does lack originality and heart, the film's comedy and impeccable cast still makes League of Super-Pets one of the most entertaining watches of the year.
4 Puss In Boots: The Last Wish
Just when we thought we wouldn’t see another film in the Shrek universe, here comes one of the best movies in said universe, with Puss in Boots: The Last Wish. After more than a decade since the first film, The Last Wish offers up a new animation style, more in line with Dreamworks' other animated flick of 2022, The Bad Guys, with its snappy, cel-shaded, comic book-esque animation that provided for a more exhilarating animated adventure. Antonio Banderas once again kills it as Puss in Boots, who is supported by an all-star cast, with the likes of Florence Pugh, Salma Hayek, Olivia Colman, and John Mulaney. Dreamworks has truly killed it this year.
3 Marcel the Shell with Shoes On
Despite the odd title and premise, Marcel the Shell with Shoes On offers one of the most profound, real, and grounded tales of recent memory, and it makes you stop and appreciate the little things in life. Marcel is simply adorable, as is the movie as a whole, and comedian Jenny Slate sells Marcel’s adorable and inquisitive nature with perfection, making audiences instantly fall in love with little Marcel. The story and characters are simple, but the film's simplicity is not to be understated, as Marcel the Shell with Shoes On deals with profound issues like family, grief, and perseverance. Adorable, poignant, and layered, Marcel the Shell with Shoes On will warm, melt and lift your heart in equal measures.
2 Turning Red
In one of Pixar’s most energetic and hilarious outings yet, Turning Red embraces all of its Anime-esque charm, while providing a perfect mainstream way of normalizing the menstrual cycle. Not many movies dare to tackle the topic of menstruation, but Turning Red takes this challenge and relishes in it, normalizing the concept, as well as providing a heartwarming coming-of-age story about family and family expectations. The film is full of risqué jokes that are implemented and handled brilliantly, as the jokes never get too crude or get too adult for kids. Turning Red is no doubt one of the most important and poignant films of the year, and deserves to be watched by everyone.
1 Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio
Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio is simply beautiful. With a smattering of needless Pinocchio remakes, much like the Robert Zemeckis one that released on Disney+ back in September, it feels like we didn’t need yet another one. However, we were all wrong. As Guillermo del Toro takes the familiar tale and makes it feel completely fresh, bringing so much heart and soul to the film, you can't help but tear up at the end. The animation is so incredibly rich and detailed, and it brings the world to life, making GDT’s Pinocchio feel authentic and alive, while still delivering on del Toro’s usual horror aesthetic. Del Toro’s Pinocchio is a necessary, fresh, and beautiful take on “the wooden boy”, and provides the best animated feature of 2022.
