Top 20 Stop Motion Animated Movies

The folks at Laika are the modern masters of stop-motion, and with “Missing Link,” they’re batting five for five. Costing upwards of $100 million, it’s the most expensive stop-motion movie to date, unfortunately bombing at the box office. It’s a shame for general audiences, as “Missing Link” is a wonderful movie about a Sasquatch traveling to the Himalayas to meet a Yeti. The talented voice cast delivers their witty lines with a great amount of humor, while the story contains many touching themes about friendship and acceptance. Above all, the movie is gorgeous, featuring some of the most impression stop-motion animation ever put to screen. Don’t miss out on “Missing Link.”

Director Mark Osborne had an enormous task in adapting Antoine de Saint-Exupéry’s “The Little Prince.” The iconic novella is beloved the world over, being translated into over 500 languages and selling 140 million copies. Luckily for us all, he did a bang-up job. The movie accurately captures the story’s mature tone, offering plenty of emotion and thoughtful themes. The visuals are astounding, with Osborne making the creative decision to blend two different animation styles to differentiate the main story and the framing narrative. While the CG segments are pleasant on the eyes, the stop-motion visuals are right out of a dream. Like the book, it’s a movie that anyone can enjoy.

A charming little British film, “Shaun the Sheep Movie” is based on the beloved children’s show of the same name. Thankfully, it delighted both fans of the show and general audiences, eventually grossing over $100 million at the global box office. Even if the movie doesn’t do anything new per se, it does everything just right. The adventurous story is well told, and the characters are delightfully endearing. The movie is also wickedly funny and contains a ton of heart, with themes centered around family, friendship, and self-discovery. This and its sequel, “Farmageddon,” make for a highly entertaining double feature.

Released as “My Life as a Courgette” outside of North America and Australia, “My Life as a Zucchini” is a colorful movie with a dark story. Audiences may expect a lighthearted romp with a silly title like that, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. The movie tackles some seriously dark subject matter, earning a PG-13 rating for heavy thematic elements. These include childhood trauma, necessary support systems, adult failures, and lack of self-worth. These poignant themes help “My Life as a Zucchini” stand out, as does the unique and colorful visual design. Beautiful in more ways than one, “My Life as a Zucchini” is a modern masterpiece.

We always salivate at the prospect of Wes Anderson doing a stop-motion movie. This one exceeded all of our wildest expectations. This isn’t only among Anderson’s best films, but one of the greatest stop-motion movies, about a dystopian Japanese city that banishes dogs to a distant island. Like all of Anderson’s work, “Isle of Dogs” is visually stimulating, with meticulous attention to detail and a gleefully unique aesthetic. The movie also offers an ingenious story and an all-star voice cast, all of whom give their respective characters warmth, humor, and humanity. Unlike its titular island, “Isle of Dogs” is certainly not for the dogs.

As we’ll learn throughout this list, there’s just no going wrong with Aardman Animations. Grossing over $120 million, “The Pirates! In an Adventure with Scientists!,” or “Band of Misfits” as it’s known in the U.S., was the company’s first stop-motion movie in seven years. And oh, how we missed them. The swashbuckling comedy is an Aardman production through and through, and it contains all of their beloved trademarks. There’s the irreverent wordplay and rapid-fire jokes, quirky but relatable characters, whimsical story, and top-notch voice acting. Most notably, the stop-motion animation is second to none, proving once again that Aardman’s technicians are absolute masters of the craft.

Inspired by the social commentary often seen in zombie films, writer-director Chris Butler hoped to make a smart horror movie for kids. The result is “ParaNorman,” and we’re proud to announce that Butler accomplished his mission. The movie pays homage to classic horror films and is often quite scary in its own right, allowing children to enjoy age-appropriate horror. It might even introduce the genre to younger audiences and inspire future filmmakers! And yes, it contains the typical Laika charm, including well-developed characters, a good amount of emotional depth, and eye-popping animation. “ParaNorman” is scary good.

If you want a different sort of stop-motion movie, may we suggest “Mary and Max?” Unlike many films on this list, this one is undoubtedly for grown-ups. Toni Collette is Mary Dinkle, a lonely Australian girl who is pen pals with Philip Seymour Hoffman’s Max, a much older American on the Autism spectrum. The characters’ unique quirks and unconventional friendship help endear them to audiences, and with Collette and Hoffman behind them, they are fantastically acted. The film is also rich with theme and meaning, delving into complex topics like mental health, social isolation, and distant friendships. “Mary and Max” is a stop-motion film unlike any other.

Speaking of stop-motion movies exclusively for grown-ups, how about Charlie Kaufman’s “Anomalisa?” Kaufman is universally acknowledged for his unique and distinct stories, writing gonzo movies like “Being John Malkovich” and “Synecdoche, New York.” Like most of Kaufman’s work, “Anomalisa” received widespread acclaim for its screenplay, with many viewers praising its thematic content, intelligence, and originality. The innovative storytelling blends perfectly with Kaufman’s pensive direction and the magnificent lead performance from David Thewlis. It’s yet another notch in Kaufman’s esteemed filmography and a brilliant piece of stop-motion animation.

Like Charlie Kaufman, Tim Burton is a visionary auteur, and his style resonates wonderfully with stop-motion animation. A loving parody of “Frankenstein,” “Frankenweenie” follows a young boy who causes pandemonium after raising his dog from the dead. Like all great family movies, “Frankenweenie” is enjoyable for both adults and children. Kids might not get every “Frankenstein” reference, but they will still enjoy the animation, humor, and relatable characters. Adults will revel in the movie’s retro style, various homages to classic horror films, and the nostalgic story centered around childhood. There’s a little something for everyone.

Wanting to make a movie about samurais, Laika crafted the magnificent “Kubo and the Two Strings,” about a young boy who embarks on a personal quest. Laika made a visual wonder, populating their masterpiece with stunning vistas, gorgeous character models, and wonderful sets, capturing the physical essence of feudal Japan. The animation was partly inspired by Japanese traditions, including the use of origami, giving it an undeniable personality centered around Japanese history and culture. Personality aside, the movie also contains memorable characters, a strong emotional story, and exciting action sequences, turning “Kubo and the Two Strings” into an unmissable feature.

The third stop-motion feature produced by Tim Burton, “Corpse Bride” was also the first he directed, having helmed the film with longtime collaborator Mike Johnson. Along for the ride are Burton regulars Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham Carter, the latter of whom voices the titular Corpse Bride. This is a Tim Burton movie through and through, complete with a macabre aesthetic, a bittersweet story centered around love and companionship, and beautiful music written by Danny Elfman. The gothic Victorian setting is superb and visually magnificent, and all the Burton-isms make “Corpse Bride” a must-watch for fans of the legendary director.

Roald Dahl’s whimsical writing lends itself perfectly to the fanciful style of stop-motion, resulting in the brilliant “James and the Giant Peach.” Co-produced by Tim Burton, the movie is adapted from Dahl’s classic novel and accurately captures its fantastical essence. Populated with unique characters, tons of eccentric whimsy, and surprisingly emotional themes, the movie is a wonderful adaptation not only of Dahl’s specific book, but his general style of storytelling. Being helmed by the stop-motion master Henry Selick, “James and the Giant Peach” is also a stunning visual wonder. Take a bite and enjoy the sweetness.

Earning an Oscar nomination for Best Animated Feature, “Marcel the Shell with Shoes On” may be a mouthful to say, but it’s a lot easier to watch. A stop-motion mockumentary about an anthropomorphic seashell, the movie is unlike anything you’ve ever seen. Marcel himself is a cute and lovable character, and we enjoy spending a brisk ninety minutes in his company. The movie also has a unique visual identity, blending live-action with stop-motion and partly telling its story through the perspective of tiny Marcel. We’d be remiss if we didn’t mention the story, which is brilliantly told and guaranteed to make you cry.

Aardman strikes again, with “Chicken Run” being their first feature-length movie. And what a debut it was. Following a delightful group of Yorkshire chickens, the movie steamrolled the box office and ended its run with $227 million, making it the highest-grossing stop-motion movie ever made. The film resonated with millions of moviegoers, offering exciting action sequences, a clever script filled with witty wordplay, and uproarious slapstick humor. The cast is also fantastic, and if you want to dig a little deeper, the movie offers some profound themes on freedom, revolution, and feminism.

Aardman was on an absolute tear in the early 2000s, dropping all-time classics like it was nobody’s business. Immediately following “Chicken Run” came “Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit,” a glorious film that plays on the tropes of old horror movies. With a story involving a giant crop-eating rabbit, the movie pays great homage to classic monster movies, with the titular Wallace and Gromit proving incredible companions for the journey. The sharp humor appeals to parents and children, deftly blending a thrilling adventure with tantalizing mystery. Add in some genuinely touching moments and you have a film we’re all crackers about.

Age-old stories can still be fresh, provided they’re handled by a master storyteller. There are countless “Pinocchio” movies out there, and it seemed like the well was long dry. In came Guillermo del Toro to prove us all wrong. Along with the late Mark Gustafson, del Toro imbued his adaptation with his trademark style and charm. The visuals are astounding, as is typical of a del Toro film, and he makes the story much darker than we’re used to, with adult themes, violence, and the setting of fascist Italy lending the movie a very morose tone. Accompanying the gorgeous style is heartfelt storytelling and a brilliant score from Alexandre Desplat, resulting in an Oscar win for Best Animated Feature.

This was Laika’s first major movie, and it’s arguably their best. Adapted from Neil Gaiman’s novella, “Coraline” is about its titular character finding a creepy alternate universe behind the walls of her new house. Like most of the work done by Henry Selick, “Coraline” is an absolute treat for the eyes, featuring impeccable stop-motion animation and imaginative character designs, including the wickedly nightmarish Other Mother. The movie also carries a delightfully eerie atmosphere aided by Bruno Coulais’ creepy and unsettling score. Then there’s Neil Gaiman, who crafted a rich and engaging story that was perfectly captured for the film. Venture behind the cinematic wall and enter another dimension.

Roald Dahl meets Wes Anderson - surely cinema doesn’t get any better than this? Even if it does, “Fantastic Mr. Fox” is an undeniable milestone and one of Mr. Anderson’s greatest accomplishments. Naturally, it’s spellbinding, blending Anderson’s quirky style with state-of-the-art stop-motion animation. The story is also engaging for children and adults, with the cunning and resourceful Mr. Fox being a highly entertaining protagonist. That’s to say nothing of the superb voice cast, including Anderson alums like Jason Schwartzman, Bill Murray, and Owen Wilson. It may be cliche to say, but “Fantastic Mr. Fox” is, you guessed it, fantastic.

Is it a Halloween movie? Is it a Christmas movie? We don’t know, but we do know one thing - it’s a brilliant movie. The stop-motion film to end them all, “The Nightmare Before Christmas” has virtually everything going for it. The visuals are breathtaking and inventive, resulting in the animation genre’s first Oscar nom for Best Visual Effects. Then there’s the gothic atmosphere, the brilliant score from Danny Elfman, the catchy tunes, the fun and original story, the unforgettable characters, the touching themes - it’s all here, and it’s all magnificent. It could very well be the best stop-motion movie of all time.