There is never a bad time to watch an animated movie.
The concept that animated movies are only for children couldn’t be further from the truth. The stories in these films are profound and heartfelt and the truth is a lot of us turn to them when we need something comforting to watch.
Everyone has a go-to comforting animated movie and these are our team’s top picks.
Meet the Robinsons
Disney’s Meet the Robinsons follows a teenage inventor who wants to create the time machine to find his mother who abandoned him at an orphanage. That logline alone would make anyone cry.
“Disney never gives it the recognition it deserves. Science nerd, Jonas Brothers AND Rob Thomas soundtrack? Recipe for success IMO” – Lavender Baj (Writer/Producer – Gizmodo and Kotaku Australia).
Where to watch: Disney+
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse
Animated superhero movies are the underdogs of comic book films but Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse changed all that.
“Into the Spider-verse is so beautifully created, features fantastic art and has such an important, wholesome message about being a hero and confronting danger with confidence” – Leah Williams (Writer/Producer – Kotaku, Gizmodo and Lifehacker Australia).
Where to watch: Netflix
Mary Poppins
Mary Poppins is an absolute timeless classic and was one of the first movies to introduce a hybrid of animation and live-action.
“The animation sequence in Mary Poppins still makes me smile even as an adult,” – Melissa Matheson (Head of Editorial – Business Insider, Lifehacker, Gizmodo, Kotaku Australia).
Where to watch: Disney+
Ratatouille
Ratatouille is the epitome of everything an animated movie strives to be and proves that anyone, yes even you, can cook!
“A beautiful showcase of food, animated design and heart, with one of the best voice over performances to date (Ego/Peter O’Toole).
The best movies and stories make you connect and love things you ordinarily hate, and the idea of lovingly connecting a carrier of parasites and plagues with haute cuisine is the kind of magic that honestly only Pixar could accomplish. (And it really is only Pixar – the amount of technology required, and the tech that Pixar had to spend all of the ’00s building, is so expensive and requires so much skill that literally no other company in the world had the talent or money to do it.)” – Alex Walker (Editor – Kotaku Australia).
Where to watch: Disney+
Neon Genesis Evangelion: End of Evangelion
Sci-fi, action and robots all wrapped in a stunning anime package? End of Evangelion has it all.
“It’s become a tradition for me to rewatch Eva every year, and I think the film which caps off the original series is extremely beautiful. The last time I caught it was during last year’s extended lockdown in Melbourne, so the film’s focus on togetherness, and the distance we put between ourselves and others, really stood out. Also the battle scenes rock,” – David Adams (Writer – Business Insider Australia).
Where to watch: Netflix
Monsters, Inc.
20 years on and Monsters Inc is the movie that keeps on giving. It hasn’t aged a day and we’re even getting a sequel on Disney+ with Monsters at Work coming soon.
“It’s clever, it’s funny and it’s damn adorable. While this film has a tendency to make me cry – damn you Pixar with your touching storylines – Monsters Inc has this incredible ability to always leave me feeling lighter. Also, if watching Sully and Boo build a bond doesn’t melt your heart, something’s the matter with you.” – Stephanie Nuzzo (Editor – Lifehacker Australia)
Where to watch: Disney+
Big Hero 6
Disney’s Animated Studios strike again with the animated superhero film Big Hero 6 and give us an iconic new character to fawn over in Baymax.
“Big Hero 6 expertly balances action, technology and heart, from the art style of San Fransokyo to the adorable awkwardness of Baymax. It also explores adult concepts like grief and vengeance in such a beautiful way,” – Lauren Rouse (Writer/Producer – Lifehacker, Gizmodo, Kotaku Australia).
Where to watch: Disney+
Please excuse us while we grab a blanket and a box of tissues and settle in to watch all of these gems.
If you’ve already seen all of the above, don’t forget to check out Disney’s latest release Luca!
Do you have a go-to animated movie for when times are tough? Shout it out in the comments so we can all find new heartwarming animated movies to cry over.
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