10 Best Bingeable Animated Movies For The Entire Family! (Disney & DreamWorks Edition)
With the holidays comes a bundle of free time to spend with family. (Ideally, anyway!) Of course, there are cookies to bake and board games to play – but what about at the end of the night, when everyone is sleepy but not yet ready for bed?
Well, you could play Animal Crossing… or you could binge some fantastic animated movies from DreamWorks and Walt Disney Animation Studios! Watching family movies is an option we love because it’s the easiest recipe for quality time. All you need is a good film, snuggly blankets, and a big bowl of buttery popcorn.
But which movie should you pick??
A Definitive Guide to the Best Animated Movies of all Times
The choices are endless, but you can at least narrow the field with these ten options from Walt Disney Animation Studios and DreamWorks. We think some of these animated movies are criminally underrated, and we hope you’ll love them as much as we do!
Treasure Planet (Disney)
I’m an astronomer, not a doctor! I mean, I am a doctor, but I’m not that kind of doctor. I have a doctorate, it’s not the same thing.”
dr doppler, treasure planet
Yes, this is the movie we have in mind when we say “criminally underrated.”
Treasure Planet is an outer-space retelling of Robert Louis Stevenson’s Treasure Island… Do I really need to say more? Flying pirate ships, swashbuckling adventure, and an adorable pink blob named Morph are just a few things that make this movie so fantastic.
The characters are cleverly written and are instantly endearing. When voiced by the likes of Joseph Gordon Levitt, David Hyde Pierce, and Emma Thompson, how could they not be? The mix of traditional 2D animation and computer graphics gives the movie a bold and recognizable style.
Don’t even read the rest of this article. Go pop your corn and watch this one now!
How to Train Your Dragon Trilogy (DreamWorks)
I wouldn’t kill him, because he looked as frightened as I was. I looked at him…and I saw myself.”
hiccup, how to train your dragon
Oh, still reading, are you? Well, that’s good because I love talking about this trilogy.
From the story to the soundtrack to the characters – and especially to the dragons – this trilogy is one of the best out there. In fact, I’m feeling spicy, so I’ll say it: it’s better than the Star Wars trilogies. I love Star Wars, but those trilogies don’t bring the feels quite like Hiccup and Toothless. (Clone Wars season 7, however, is another story…)
Hiccup is a young Viking living in a society that loathes dragons. However, he comes to befriend a silly, sweet, and surprisingly relatable dragon named Toothless. His relationship with Toothless helps him overcome some of his insecurities – but can he help his clan overcome their fear of dragons?
Heartwarming and heartbreaking, these animated movies are worth watching again and again. I have one question – why do the Vikings sound like they’ve come straight from the Central Florida Scottish Highland Games? It’s not historically accurate for them to be Scottish, but it is a very cool accent.
Howl’s Moving Castle (Disney)
A heart’s a heavy burden.”
sophie to howl, howl’s moving castle
You’re right. Howl’s Moving Castle isn’t a Disney movie – it’s Studio Ghibli! However, it was distributed by Disney, so I’m sneaking it in. One can never have a truly good movie list without some Hayao Miyazaki!
Howl’s Moving Castle is Miyazaki’s take on the Dianna Wynne Jones novel of the same name. In his usual fashion, Miyazaki spins the source material into gorgeous and vibrant colors, poignant dialogue, and a truly magical story.
Sophie Hatter is a young shop assistant in an old-style European town who finds her quiet life upended by the wizard Howl. Jealous of Howl’s attention to Sophie, the Witch of the Waste casts a vengeful spell on her. Spirited to different lands in Howl’s moving castle – along with Howl’s apprentice, a fire demon, and a kindly, turnip-headed scarecrow – Sophie sets out on a quest to break the spell.
Excellently written female leads are a Miyazaki hallmark, and Sophie is the best of the best, blossoming into a confident, clever, and deeply compassionate character by the story’s end.
Shrek (DreamWorks)
…and in the morning, I’m makin’ waffles!”
donkey, shrek
All right, we’ve finally stooped to including a truly popular pick on our list of animated movies. But Shrek is popular for a reason – it’s iconic.
Not only is Shrek a truly creative take on classic fairytales, but it has a genuinely great message of befriending others despite appearances and being kind to yourself. Of course, it’s the eccentric characters like Gingy the gingerbread man and Donkey who make the film such a hit, while witty dialogue and a boppin’ soundtrack help take it to the next level.
Shrek is the perfect blend of fantasy and sarcasm, making for a relatable and hilarious journey. (Note that some jokes in Shrek might be considered crude, depending on the audience.)
Tangled (Disney)
Best. Day. Ever!”
rapunzel, tangled
Going with another classic, we had to include Tangled on our list of the best-animated movies of all time! As you all know by now, Pascal the chameleon is my favorite Disney animal companion. (Shout-out to my own lizard, Marmalade!)
Tangled is such a fun and comforting movie all at once (while also being moving enough to make me cry at the end every. single. time.) The musical numbers are phenomenal, Flynn Rider is the best and sassiest Disney hero, and Rapunzel is so darn endearing it makes you want to watch an entire spin-off series about her. Oh, wait – you can!
Every time I watch Tangled, I want to go have an adventure, be it floating out on a lake, exploring the wilderness, or find a new favorite hang-out like the Snuggly Duckling. If you happen to be visiting Walt Disney World, you can enjoy some Tangled-themed moments by having a character meet-and-greet with Rapunzel or catching sight of her float in a parade!
Megamind (DreamWorks)
In case you haven’t noticed, you’ve fallen right into my trap!”
megamind, megamind
Another animated movie that isn’t talked about enough: Megamind. This absolute masterpiece explores the man behind the villain (not unlike Despicable Me).
With well-timed humor, the film explores what made Megamind into a supervillain, following him on a journey that ultimately leads to the deconstruction of his “bad guy” persona. Uplifting, fun, and fresh, you’re sure to fall in love with Megamind and his fish pal, Minion. Rooting for the bad guy? Yeah, it can happen.
And yes, I quote this movie a lot. Which is to say, I refer to school as “shool.”
Atlantis (Disney)
You…have disturbed…the dirt!“
mole, atlantis: the lost empire
Back at it again with some underrated Disney, we’ve got Atlantis on our list of animated movies!
I absolutely adore the main character Milo (Michael J. Fox). His big, round glasses, his bowtie, his nerdiness. He’s like a lanky Indiana Jones who discovers the world of Pandora from Avatar. How does a film get any better than that?
It adds a character named Mole, who’s obsessed with dirt.
But it’s not just Mole – there’s a whole cast of distinct and endearing characters at your fingertips when you reach for a DVD of Atlantis. (Or your phone because, you know, streaming is a thing.)
As intrepid explorers set out to find the lost city of Atlantis, they have to decide what’s most important: discovery and fame or loyalty and friendship.
Spirit (DreamWorks)
They say the mustang is the spirit of the West.”
spirit, spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron
I had a major Spirit phase growing up, and I’m pleased to report the movie stands the test of time. Even as an adult, this movie is great! After all, you’re never too old to love horses.
Spirit is a wild horse living in the 19th-century American West. He enjoys running free before being captured by the US cavalry. A strong and majestic creature, he’s seen fit for service, and the harsh Colonel begins the inhumane process of taming him. Around the same time, a Lakota Native American is also captured.
Spirit and his fellow captive, Little Creek, eventually forge a bond, adventuring together – along with Little Creek’s beautiful horse, Rain – for much of the movie. Through even the darkest moments of adversity, Spirit always rises above, making for a truly touching and uplifting film.
With a soaring Hans Zimmer soundtrack and less dialogue than some other films, it’s refreshingly contemplative.
Little Mermaid (Disney)
I don’t see how a world that makes such wonderful things could be bad.”
ariel, the little mermaid
It wouldn’t be a true movie list without something from Disney’s “renaissance period.”
With a broadway worthy soundtrack, colorful animation, and memorable characters, Little Mermaid is always a fun option for movie night. The fantastical underwater setting with dancing mermaids and singing fish is so vibrant and enjoyable! And Flounder is downright adorable.
Ariel’s struggle of feeling like she doesn’t belong in her world is so relatable, and Ursula is a top-tier Disney villain. Although, I’ve gotta say, the older I get, the more I side with Ariel’s father! Young girls shouldn’t trade their voices for young men they’ve only just met!
Prince of Egypt (DreamWorks)
God will not abandon you.”
miriam, the prince of egypt
Speaking of broadway worthy soundtracks, Prince of Egypt has one of the best scores in animated movie history. With songs like “All I Ever Wanted,” “Through Heaven’s Eyes,” and “When You Believe,” it may just be the best retelling of the Exodus to date. (And with Ralph Fiennes plays Ramses, you’re essentially getting to hear Voldemort from Harry Potter sing. And that’s pretty great.)
While the historic matters tackled by the Prince of Egypt are rather dark – like Pharaoh’s oppression of the Hebrews and the ten plagues – it is an excellent film for those old enough to handle it. As Moses leads his people into the promised land, we are reminded to hope in something greater than ourselves.
That’s it for our animated movie list, Walt Disney Animation Studios and DreamWorks edition! Did we get some of your favorites? Let us know what your go-to family movie is in the comments below and if you’d like to see more lists like this in the future!
Ah, I think the popcorn’s done!
Cover Image
Photo: Unsplash
