When people think of animated movies, Disney and Pixar are most likely the first to come to mind, perhaps followed by something like Shrek or Kung Fu Panda from DreamWorks Animation. Netflix Original is probably much further down the list, but judging by the impressive recent output of its subsidiary animation studio, Netflix animationit looks like that’s all about to change.
While Netflix’s focus has shifted in recent years to producing more original and exclusive content, Netflix Animation erupted in 2019 (coincidentally, the same year Disney+ became available) with the release of its critically acclaimed Christmas feature Klaus. Klaus was a resounding success and stood next to it I lost my body the first animated film from a streaming service to be nominated for an Academy Award.
Since then, Netflix Animation has released another nine movies, created countless TV shows, and garnered a few more Oscar nominations along the way. Overall, the output was highly praised and the ratings matched it. With several high-profile projects in development or imminent release, such as Guillermo del Toro’s view Pinocchioand a collaboration with Aardman on the highly anticipated Chicken coop continued, the studio shows no signs of slowing down. Below is a roundup of the very best of what Netflix Animation has to offer, ranked.
7/7 Arlo the alligator boy
Arlo the alligator boy is a fantastically funny and thoroughly heartwarming musical adventure that follows a young gator as he embarks on a journey to reunite with his estranged father, meeting and making an all-new family of friends along the way. For an older audience, this movie will feel new and nostalgic at the same time. It’s full of the fun and frenetic humor we’ve become accustomed to in modern cartoons, but the 2D animation style harkens back to the classic era before CGI thus became ubiquitous. Younger audiences will love the wacky characters, colorful palette and catchy songs. In all honesty, there is not much to criticize Arlo the alligator boy, and it could very well be a few places higher on this list were it not for the fact that it is very clearly aimed at a much younger audience, potentially alienating the more casual viewers. It certainly achieves what it set out to achieve, as evidenced by its impressive 86% Rotten Tomatoes score.
6/7 About the moon
Loosely based on a classic Chinese myth but with a sci-fi twist, critics were overjoyed when the musical fantasy film was released on Netflix in 2020 and was named one of the best animated films of the year. The plot follows an adventurous and cute girl named Fei Fei, who builds a rocket so that she can travel into space and meet a mythical goddess on the moon. With a voice cast consisting of a plethora of talented actors, mostly of Asian descent, including Phillipa Soo, Ken Jeong, John Cho, Ruthie Ann Miles, Margaret Cho and Sandra Oh, About the moon received an Academy Award nomination for Best Animated Feature.
5/7 The Willoughbys
With a very impressive voice cast including Will Forte, Maya Rudolph, Alessia Cara, Terry Crews, Martin Short, Jane Krakowski, Seán Cullen and Ricky Gervais, The Willoughbys proved to be a huge hit for Netflix Animation, earning massive ratings and universal acclaim, with particular praise for the plot and premise, unique animation style, and score and soundtrack. Somewhat reminiscent of the Tim Burton/Henry Selick collaborations, with more focus on the whimsy and less on the macabre, it follows two young children as they search for new parents to replace their current neglectful parents.
4/7 Apollo 10 ½: A Childhood in the Space Age
Apollo 10 ½: A Childhood in the Space Age takes a bold and creative approach to storytelling as we witness a story loosely based on the first moon landing in 1969, but told from an entirely unique perspective. We are transported into the mind of 10-year-old Stanley (via the adult Stanley, voiced by Jack Black) as we explore his memories and emotions surrounding the event, many of which drift into fantastical new imaginings of the event, only with him on the pilot’s seat. With a 2D animation style as unique as its premise, it was a hit with critics at its SXSW Festival premiere before hitting Netflix earlier this year.
3/7 Wendell & Wild
In this Netflix Animation production, Selick directs a screenplay he co-wrote with Jordan Peele. Wendell & Wild is a macabre story of two diabolical demon brothers, who enlist a fear-ridden teenage girl, who is dealing with her own demons, to summon them to the land of the living. Without revealing too much about the plot, one can expect a lot of love, loss and betrayal in this laugh-out-loud but effectively gripping film. After 10 years of industry lull, according to The Hollywood Reporter, it was a fantastic return to form for Selick, with critics praising the beautiful stop-motion animation and array of multi-dimensional characters encountered along the way.
2/7 The sea beast
The sea beast is a beautifully animated adventure story of discovery and change from Netflix Animation and producer/director Chris Williams that made waves in the industry and received acclaim across the board when released earlier this year. Set in a fictional ocean and island world that reflects the romantic era of cannon-laden three-masted sailing ships that dared to explore and conquer the high seas. Voiced by Karl Urban in a starring role alongside newcomer Zaris-Angel Hator, The sea beast follows a fighter ship as it traverses the ocean and encounters a mythical beast that isn’t all that it seems.
1/7 Klaus
Released in 2019, Klaus was a bit of a revelation for Netflix Animation. This beautiful traditionally animated film depicts the origins of Santa Claus in a fictional 19th century setting, centering on a postman who befriends a reclusive toymaker while stationed in a remote island town in the Far North. Considered one of the best animated films of recent years, it became Netflix’s first animated film to be nominated for an Oscar. It received universal acclaim, earning an impressive 96% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, with particular praise for the animation, original story, and impressive voice performances from the likes of Joan Cusack, Jason Schwartzman, JK Simmons, and Norm Macdonald (in his final film role cast during his life).