Top 30 DreamWorks Animated Movies

Monsters vs. Aliens is in the spirit of a classic B-movie. No, not that Bee Movie. Were talking about Attack of the 50 Foot Woman, The Blob, The Fly, and various other flicks that wouldve fit right at home on TNTs MonsterVision. Where the laughs in most B-movies derive from the cheap production values and hokey acting, Monsters vs. Aliens comes with state-of-the-art animation and an all-star cast. Theres still plenty of laughs to be had through an assortment of clever sight gags and in-jokes, which can admittedly overshadow the straightforward story. With a title like Monsters vs. Aliens, we think most people know where the priorities are going to lie: in the humor, action, and chemistry between these colorful characters.

Sinbad sometimes gets a bad rap because of its poor box office performance, which ultimately convinced DreamWorks to go all in on CG animation moving forward. We wouldnt say the film is an unsung masterpiece, as the characters and story are somewhat generic. That doesnt mean there isnt a sea of wonders to admire, namely in the animation and worldbuilding. Its a shame we didnt get to see much more of this universe, which overflows with stunning locales, creative monsters, and - in some cases - creative monsters that serve as stunning locales. The film also has one of DreamWorks most underappreciated villains in Eris, an ever-evolving visual marvel exquisitely paired with Michelle Pfeiffers deliciously malevolent voiceover performance. She steals the whole show.

There have been some odd DreamWorks animated movies. And then theres The Boss Baby, which is on a whole other level. It follows a young boy who helps his new baby brother, a secret agent of Baby Corp., to figure out why the love of adults has been more focused on puppies instead of babies lately. See? Odd. But its undeniably hilarious and never shies away from its strange concept. Alec Baldwins work as the baby Ted is so fantastic, it unsurprisingly led to a franchise. Hes not the only talented actor to turn in great work, as the cast also boasts Steve Buscemi, Lisa Kudrow, and Jimmy Kimmel.

Much like how the titular character is a fusion of dog and man, this adaptation of Dav Pilkeys book series strikes a balance between an animated feature and a Saturday morning cartoon. The aesthetic purposely mimics the sketchy simplicity of a childs comic book, but the imagery is brought to life with a seasoned team of animators. The plot is more or less an excuse to tell silly jokes and indulge in our inner immaturity. While Dog Man leans toward the grade school crowd, there is a surprisingly adult message about parenthood. Some parents will always disappoint you, others are deeply flawed but can surprise you, and the best are as reliable as a dog - or in this films case - a Dog Man.

After seeing the cute but deadly furball debut in Shrek 2, we were delighted this feline swordsman got the chance to star in his own film. The spin-off follows Puss before meeting Shrek and Donkey on an adventure to steal a Golden Egg-laying goose. The character is just as charming as he was before and voiced flawlessly again by Antonio Banderas. Given Puss talent with a sword and tendency for swashbuckling, it also has pretty stellar action sequences. Throw in some unique takes on popular fairytale characters to show that the well hadnt run dry, and youve got an awesome stand-alone story for one of Shreks best supporting characters.

We guess great minds think alike, as we wound up getting three Yeti-related animated movies in roughly a year. Coming out on the heels of Sonys Smallfoot and Laikas Missing Link, DreamWorks Abominable ran the risk of being too familiar. While the setup of a child befriending a cuddly monster is one weve heard before, Abominable brings several distinct touches with its hair-raising animation, strong sense of culture, and atmospheric music, which elevates the story in more ways than one. This is a film where the audience practically feels the music, just as they feel at one with the great outdoors on a road trip that will leave you with a newfound appreciation for the flowers, berries, and other natural pleasures we take for granted.

Before he was one of the key creative figures on Into the Spider-Verse, Peter Ramsey made his feature directorial debut with this adaptation of William Joyces book series. The same year the Avengers assembled, DreamWorks gave us another crossover event, bringing together Santa, the Tooth Fairy, Sandman, Easter Bunny, and Jack Frost in a battle against the Boogeyman. While the setup and characters are simple enough, Rise of the Guardians delves into nuanced themes about the importance of childhood. We see so many movies about young people coming of age, which were all for. Yet, theres also value to preserving ones innocence, as you only get to be a kid for so long. That doesnt mean your youthful imagination cant follow into adulthood.

Those who read the Captain Underpants books when they first hit shelves were old enough to have kids of their own by the time the first epic movie came along. Thus, theres plenty for kids and adults to enjoy in this animated adventure, which we think everyone can agree would not have worked in live-action. DreamWorks foray into the Dav Pilkey-verse captures the spirit of the books, championing youthful rebellion while taking a stand against authority. It does so with fast-paced animation, fun voiceover performances, and potty humor thats smarter than it sounds. While the film was released in 2017, it just as easily couldve come out in 1997. It goes to show that the source material has endured like a pair of tighty whities.

It mightve been sent straight to Netflix, but that doesnt mean you should sleep on Orion and the Dark. Being afraid of the dark is a universal phenomenon that sounds cliche at this point. When you have Charlie Kaufman as a writer, though, the execution is one of a kind. The film merges Kaufmans signature wit and anxiety-riddled characters with DreamWorks spirited animation and adult edge. Not too adult, as the film is best described as Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind for beginners. Like that film, this adaptation of Emma Yarletts book plays with reality and abstract concepts in inventive ways. What starts with a basic idea snowballs into something far more complex, much like a dream you want to see the outcome of.

When making a movie about a famous lost city of gold, you have to really capture the sense of adventure. Thankfully, for its third animated outing, DreamWorks nailed it. El Dorado follows two Spanish con artists who find their way to the city, only for its citizens to mistake them for gods. The chemistry between Miguel and Tulio, voiced by Kenneth Branagh and Kevin Kline respectively, is incredible. While the story plays out pretty much how youd expect, theres no denying how fun of a ride it is. Plus, its elevated by a great soundtrack, with Hans Zimmer contributing to the score and Elton John and Tim Rice writing some of the songs.

Plenty of films have been made about the American West, but not many are from the perspective of a horse. Spirit follows the titular rambunctious stallion as hes stolen from his herd during the American Indian Wars. Unlike most animated films, the plot is played rather seriously with no cute sidekicks and an overall lack of humor. Its rather commendable, instead putting all the focus on Spirits refusal to be tamed by ruthless humans. The film is gorgeously animated and its themes of freedom and staying true to yourself are something any audience member can relate to and appreciate.

DreamWorks 2022 crime-comedy is another wonderful achievement. Based on the beloved book series by Aaron Blabey, it follows a group of criminal animals that try to redeem themselves in the publics eye after being caught. Its plot and theme of striving to be good may be simple, but the rest of the movie makes up for it. The voice cast is firing on all cylinders and includes the likes of Sam Rockwell, Awkwafina, Craig Robinson, and Marc Maron. Their talent could make even the lamest jokes soar, but were grateful that the script is genuinely funny. Additionally, the animation is sleek and stylish, fitting nicely with its heist-centric plot.

With a title like that, one might expect that Flushed Away would be a low-brow feature only the youngest of kids could enjoy. But that thankfully isnt the case. When the spoiled mouse Roddy St. James is flushed down the toilet by a sewer rat, he goes on an adventure with the seasoned Rita to find his way home. Only, he also has a villainous toad to contend with. Every character is more entertaining than the last, voiced impressively by Hugh Jackman, Kate Winslet, Andy Serkis, and Sir Ian McKellen. It was the first CGI animated movie from DreamWorks partner studio Aardman Animations, which still kept the charm and appeal of its previous stop-motion features.

Leave it to DreamWorks to create a movie based on a decades-old toyline and have it be a smash hit. The jukebox musical chronicles the liberation of the Trolls, who have been in hiding for 20 years from the nasty Bergens who once kept them imprisoned and ate them. Despite its dark premise, the film is exceptionally bright and colorful. Anna Kendrick and Justin Timberlake shine in the main roles, but theres a bevy of fantastic supporters like Zooey Deschanel and Gwen Stefani. Among the recreations of popular songs like Earth, Wind & Fires September are insanely catchy original songs like the Oscar-nominated Cant Stop The Feeling! And now its stuck in our heads again.

The Madagascar series had a solid start, but it didnt quite reach its full potential until the third entry. Europes Most Wanted follows our heroes as they leave Africa, joining a traveling circus in Europe and fleeing a merciless Animal Control officer. As it turns out, the circus was the perfect setting for them. The various circus acts make for some marvelous sequences. And the new voices, which include Jessica Chastain, Frances McDormand, and Bryan Cranston, are delightful additions to the already zany animal cast. A sequel surpassing the original is almost unheard of. But with its manic humor and delightful plot, this one pulled it off.

With every strict family comes a rebellious teen, even in prehistoric times. The Croods follows a family of cave-people who must venture into the unknown after an earthquake destroys their home. But when his daughter seeks to explore a different life, thanks to the arrival of the intelligent and charming Guy, patriarch Grug struggles with getting stuck in the past. The Croods is both funny and silly for kids to enjoy, but also focuses on the vital themes of acceptance and willingness to change. It naturally features a smaller cast than many other DreamWorks Animation movies, but Nicolas Cage, Emma Stone, and Ryan Reynolds all crush it.

Sequels are hit and miss, but the How to Train Your Dragon trilogy had the most consistent run in DreamWorks library. Where so many animated characters forever remain the same age, Hiccup is a protagonist we saw mature over nearly a decade. We also grew during this period, mirroring the heroes journey to an extent. Part of growing up is accepting change, which has become a common message in animated sequels as of late. Few stuck the landing better than The Hidden World, though, bringing Hiccup and Toothless journeys to a natural conclusion. It isnt an easy goodbye, but it feels just right for these characters. Of course, every flight into the sunset brings a new beginning.

Who couldve guessed that something as silly as a panda martial artist would spawn a heartfelt franchise? Following the 2008 original, this sequel followed Po now working with the Furious Five to stop a villainous peacock named Shen. The plot may be a bit of a retread; stop another evil animal from causing chaos. But everything else about it is stellar. The voice acting, particularly Jack Black as Po and Gary Oldman as Shen, is just as strong as it was in the original. The fight sequences are even more impressive thanks to improved animation and choreography. And it isnt afraid to get a bit darker, offering emotional weight. It made us ecstatic for a third outing, which released in 2016.

In a time where only superheroes were shining on-screen, DreamWorks decided to make a movie from the perspective of a villain. The result is one of the best animated comedies the studio ever put out. Will Ferrell plays the lead perfectly, an evil alien who seemingly defeats his arch-nemesis only to feel purposeless after. He then creates a superhero to fight, only for the hero to enjoy playing a villain much more. Although some of its elements still felt a bit overdone, the voice cast and jokes never miss. Theres plenty of superheroic action and flair to keep audiences of all ages entertained.

DreamWorks Animation began with a bang, but also with a much more serious tone and a heavy dose of existentialism. Antz chronicles the life of Z, a nervous worker ant who becomes a soldier despite being small and pessimistic. It was a technical marvel at the time it was released and boasted an incredible cast with the likes of Gene Hackman, Christopher Walken, and Sylvester Stallone. Although it had some darker elements, it was also incredibly funny and managed to steal some thunder from Disney and Pixars A Bugs Life, which released the same year. More importantly, it imparted lessons about preconceived notions and believing in yourself; important for kids to learn and vital for adults to remember.

The Dragon trilogy went out on a high note, with The Hidden World. But this is still our favorite of the sequels. With the citizens of Berk now living harmoniously with dragons, Hiccup then has to deal with his fathers plans for the future, the return of his mother, and a bloodthirsty warlord with a dragon army behind him. The animation is jaw-dropping, particularly in flying scenes. The plot offers plenty of emotionally resonant moments, never flinching when it comes to the heavier elements. But there is still plenty of fun to be had. The relationship between Hiccup and Toothless is so strong, it makes us wish that we had a dragon companion even more than we usually do.

While we enjoyed the first Puss in Boots, it was a dress rehearsal compared to this sequel, which takes every element to new heights, from the stylized animation, to the laugh-a-minute comedy, to themes thatll resonate more with adults than kids. Our hero might be a talking, swashbuckling cat, but The Last Wish is a surprisingly mature meditation on mortality, anxiety, and what makes life worth living. The filmmakers mix the fantasy setting with the nuances of a classic Western as our aging hero chases a horizon, when what hes truly looking for is riding beside him. We dont know how many more lives the Shrek franchise has, but The Last Wish is living it to the fullest.

We love a good animated horror parody and The Curse of the Were-Rabbit may just be the very best one. Based on the Wallace & Gromit shorts of Aardman Animation, the film follows the unusual inventor and his highly intelligent dog as they attempt to stop an oversized rabbit from destroying their towns crops. That sounds very simplistic, but its actually surprising how heartwarming and hilarious the film is. It has as much charm as the stop-motion shorts that inspired it and then some, showcasing how magnificent the art form is. Its no wonder it earned DreamWorks the Best Animated Feature Oscar, its second following Shrek.

By far one of DreamWorks Animations most successful movies, Shrek took the world by storm when it released in 2001. It focused on an ogres rescue of a princess in order to get his swampland back from displaced fairytale characters. It was unlike any other animated film at the time, with incredibly witty dialogue, wonderful spoofs on stories we all knew, and a soundtrack of modern music that somehow blended ridiculously well with the story. While it was lovely seeing so many beloved characters in one movie, it was Shrek, Fiona, and Donkey, as well as the moral about looking past appearances, that truly made it worthwhile.

The original film that kickstarted the franchise followed a clumsy panda with larger-than-life dreams of becoming a renowned martial artist. Similar to other films in the DreamWorks Animation catalog, it expertly navigates themes of believing in yourself and living up to your potential in a way kids can appreciate. It helps that it has a lovable goof at its center and some dazzling fight sequences to keep everyone entertained. Beyond that, it features stunning art direction that was brought to life supremely well thanks to the animators. Of course, none of it would have worked quite so well if not for the pitch-perfect casting of Jack Black as Po.

In all honesty, an animated retelling of Moses life has no right to be this good. For those unfamiliar with the Book of Exodus, the film follows the Hebrew Moses after he was adopted by Egypts Pharaoh following a mass infanticide. Raised as a Prince, Moses grows to accept his true purpose from God: freeing all the Hebrew slaves. As only the second theatrically released animated movie from the studio, its remarkable how gorgeous the hand-drawn animation is, putting it on par with Disney. It brought one of the Bibles most famous tales to the big-screen in a highly unique way and earned an Oscar for Best Original Song in the process.

The first partnership between DreamWorks and Aardman Animation is equal parts animated family comedy and thrilling prison escape film. After a rooster crashlands inside an egg farm, the anthropomorphic chickens inside see him as their ticket out. With the owners planning to turn them all into meat pies, the stakes are pretty high. Chicken Run brings the simple but brilliant slapstick humor from the Wallace & Gromit shorts, which is enhanced by brilliant voice acting and exciting action sequences. Not only was it a critical darling, but it also became the highest-grossing stop motion animation film; a record that it still holds.

Early in its genesis, Lilo & Stitch was going to be about an alien that crash-lands on Earth and interacts with forest animals. Things came full circle almost twenty years later when Chris Sanders adapted Peter Browns illustrated novel. Instead of an alien, though, its a robot who finds a purpose and soul among wildlife. Despite the lack of human characters, The Wild Robot bursts with humanity in every frame of animation and heartfelt line of dialogue. Its anything but artificial, serving as a reminder that while technology can be our friend if used responsibly, nothing can replace the personal touch of an artist. Humorous, uplifting, and calling a living painting to mind, its the stuff that DreamWorks is made of.

It was no surprise to hear that the fabulous Shrek was getting a sequel. What was surprising, however, was how incredible it turned out to be. The sequel obviously shared some similarities with the first, including pop culture references and fairy tale parodies. But everything Shrek did, the follow-up did just a bit better. It followed Shrek meeting his in-laws for the first time at Fionas magical home of Far Far Away. The humor pleased both children and adults, with new characters like Puss in Boots and the arrogant Prince Charming stealing the show. It also managed to one-up the originals soundtrack thanks to one of the best covers of all time: the Fairy Godmothers Holding Out For A Hero.

Martin Scorsese as a pufferfish? Now this is cinema! Its not really our top pick, though.

How to Train Your Dragon is not only the best DreamWorks Animation movie, its one of the best animated movies period. Reluctant to become a dragon-slaying warrior like the rest of his peers, young Hiccup discovers that theres more to the feared creatures than anyone thought. Its a timeless tale of a misunderstood hero and his bond with an unbelievable creature. That bond is magnificently explored through charming voice work, endearing characters, beautiful animation, and an extraordinary score from John Powell. At times touching, at others amusing, and heartwarming throughout, How to Train Your Dragon is a movie that makes our hearts soar just as high as its characters.

Ya like our picks? How about jazz? Let us know in the comments.