3 Most Underrated Animated Films of the Last Decade

Animated movies are getting a lot more attention and accolades than they used to, and thank goodness for that. These films are often an art form in themselves, creating fantastical adventures that never would have worked in a live-action format. While society is getting better at giving these animated films the attention they deserve, some films do still slip through the cracks. Sometimes, it’s a matter of poor timing, while other times it can be all about the marketing strategies or competition at the time. Realistically, everyone has a cherished movie that has faced odds like those, and they gave it the chance anyway.

When it comes to the last decade, animated films are really getting their chance to shine. It helps that the internet allows fandoms and communities to come together about content they love so much. Sadly, that doesn’t help protect movies from poor box office numbers or impossible standards, but at least it can increase the turnaround time for a cult classic.

3) Kubo and the Two Strings (2016)

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 97%

Kubo and the Two Strings is a stop-motion film that was released in 2016. The film beautifully combined the art of stop-motion with a fantasy setting, telling a musical story set in feudal Japan. The story follows Kubo, a young boy infatuated with his father’s stories. He keeps his father alive through these tales. When Kubo was very young, he lost his eye. Now, years later, two witches have come to steal the remaining eye.

What follows is a magical and musical journey, as Kubo is accompanied by a Beetle samurai and a talking monkey. This journey not only helps protect Kubo from the witches but opens a door to his past, answering the questions he had dared not ask.

Kubo and the Two Strings stars the voices of Charlize Theron, Art Parkinson, Ralph Fiennes, Rooney Mara, George Takei, and Matthew McConaughey. While it received a lot of acclaim for its musical score, the film fell short of its box office goals.

Kubo and the Two Strings is available to stream on Netflix.

2) Onward (2020)

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 88%

Disney and Pixar love a good feel-good story about a family, and Onward was one of many attempts made on this theme. The story follows two brothers, Ian and Barley Lightfoot, who have set out on a daring and dramatic quest, all with the hopes of seeing their father one last time. With any luck, their quest will pull up a mysterious item that will temporarily revive their father, Wilden.

At a glance, it looked like Onward was primed to take the top seat in theaters; it had a big cast, emotional appeal, and real heart in the writing. However, unfortunate timing ruined this movie’s potential. Onward was released in 2020, meaning that the pandemic took its toll on this film.

Onward had decent reviews from critics, but painfully underperformed at the box office. It failed to make back what it cost, though most attribute the problem with the pox office to the pandemic. Onward starred the voices of Tom Holland, Chris Pratt, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, and Octavia Spencer.

Onward is available to stream on Disney+.

1) Wendell & Wild (2022)

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 80%

Wendell & Wild is a 2022 film that made solid use of claymation and vibrant color palettes. Admittedly, claymation is somewhat divided, with people either adoring or abhorring the style. Notably, Wendell & Wild’s director was also part of Coraline, so that should have helped this movie along quite a bit.

Wendell & Wild follows young Katherine “Kat” Elliot, a girl who was born and raised in a small town called Rust Bank. Her parents used to own a root beer brewery, but that was five years ago, before they died in a car crash. Now, Kat has become disillusioned with the world, and in response to her more delinquent ways, Kat has been sent to Rust Bank’s all-girls Catholic school. One thing leads to another, and Kat finds a way to connect with the underworld, meaning there’s a chance she can get her parents back. She may not want, but needs, the help of another student, at least if she wants to have a chance of surviving what is to come.

Netflix optioned the rights to Wendell & Wild, so while the film had a limited theatrical release, it largely went streaming on the streaming platform. Anybody with a Netflix account can speak of how easy it is to lose content, even new content, on the streaming service, which may explain how quickly Wendell & Wild faded into obscurity. Wendell & Wild starred the voices of Keegan-Michael Key, Jordan Peele, Angela Bassett, Lyric Ross, Ving Rhames, and James Hong.

Wendell & Wild is available to stream on Netflix.

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