2024 has come and gone, and the guilds and awards shows have had their say, so it’s finally time for us to get all “nostalgic” by looking back at the year that was, with our picks for the best it had to offer in film, television and more. Plus you’ll get to learn what you decided your favorite animated movie was as we reveal the results of our annual Reader’s Choice poll!
The big story of the year, really, may have been Disney’s so-called “comeback” after a disappointing 2023 (which still brought them three profitable tentpole releases, but we digress). Inside Out 2 [right] was obviously the heavy hitter, shocking virtually everyone by becoming the biggest animated movie ever. Seriously, whoever would have seen that coming? Remember how some naysayers thought this was a sequel no one was asking for?
Then again, you could make a case that Inside Out 2 was as much a remake as it was a follow-up, as it felt like more or less the same story but with slightly lower stakes (or maybe we’re just saying that because we’re not over Bing Bong yet!). Not that there’s anything “wrong” with that, per se, when it was as funny and entertaining as it was. And audiences did flock to the familiar in droves this year.
There was no greater example of this than Moana 2, the textbook definition of a safe sequel which somehow became Disney Animation’s highest grossing film without Elsa as its star. If anything, it demonstrated just how much Hollywood is reconsidering the streaming era — why spend upwards of $100 million on something that isn’t going to bring in box office receipts? So the upgrade from home screens to big screens shouldn’t be condemned so much as it should be evaluated. And there’s no reason to assume the Mouse House won’t really deliver the goods for the now inevitable Moana 3.
Still, not every wish of Disney’s came true. The rushed “replacement” of a beloved Disney attraction with a new Princess And The Frog coat of paint [right] failed to make…well, a splash. Yes, Song Of The South is forever going to be controversial, but there is very real concern in pretending it never existed, which sadly seems to be the company’s goal, to the point where Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah! is being removed from theme park parades (also, c’mon, if you’re going to do a proper Tiana-themed ride, you should at the very least include The Shadow Man!).
Likewise, someone needs to speak with corporate about how Star Wars is being handled. It’s a myth to say fans are rejecting all new content from the franchise, as they’ve embraced shows like The Bad Batch and Skeleton Crew. But instead of focusing on them, marketing chose to put all its force behind The Acolyte, which felt like it was intentionally trying to divide audiences even more so than The Last Jedi (or at least that was the supposed consensus). No wonder it isn’t getting a second season. Here’s hoping The Mandalorian And Grogu successfully returns the galaxy far, far away to the multiplex where it belongs.
At the end of the day, people love their comfort food, especially during uncertain times. The “real world” felt so dreary that even South Park chose to avoid it (or that might have been due to legal reasons), and so audiences sought out old friends at the cinema.
Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, Twisters, and even the massive crowd-pleaser Deadpool And Wolverine [right] succeeded because they managed to avoid the self-importance often associated with legacy sequels, instead focusing on simply reuniting filmgoers with some old friends for a good time.
In fact, after a year in which Oppenheimer won the Oscar for Best Picture, it was kind of ironic that people chose to steer clear of politics as far as their escapism went (well, okay, there was the phenomenal turnout for the enjoyable if not overlong Wicked: Part One, which was about as subtle as a yellow brick with its social commentary).
As always, the year sadly gave us so many obituaries that we couldn’t possibly cover them all here, with the world losing some true legends. We had to say goodbye to Bob Newhart, James Earl Jones, Mary Poppins actress Glynis Johns, Maggie Smith, Donald Sutherland, Oogie Boogie voice actor and Broadway icon Ken Page, Kris Kristofferson, and Oscar-winning stop-motion director Mark Gustafson, among others. A special shout-out must be made for Disney Legend Richard Sherman, half of the iconic Sherman Brothers duo and responsible for some of the most famous songs ever written. It may be a small world after all, but it feels just a bit smaller now.
That wraps up the formalities, though. For now, we thank you once again for being loyal readers for all these years. We wouldn’t be where we are without you. And so, without any further delay, we present to you…
As has been said before, 2024 really was “the year of the robot” for animation, with Transformers One and The Wild Robot both being fantastic motion pictures deserving of all of the near-universal praise they have been getting. But I have a confession to make: I also really loved The Garfield Movie!
In fact, I’m the weird person who might’ve preferred it over Inside Out 2. Full disclosure: Garfield was my favorite cartoon character growing up, and I think I must have been smiling throughout the whole film, feeling like a kid watching Garfield And Friends on a Saturday morning once again.
On the small screen, Bluey [right] once again cemented itself among the best shows out there, and there was no greater example of this than the special extended episode The Sign, arguably even better for adults than it was for its target audience. With an ending that left few who experienced it with dry eyes, it was a simply beautiful half hour of television, and there’s no reason to not have confidence the upcoming feature film won’t be just as wonderful.
As far as blockbusters go, there were plenty I greatly enjoyed. In fact, this was the first time since Covid that I saw the top ten highest-grossing films of the year in theaters. Deadpool And Wolverine turned fan service into an art, a gloriously violent, raunchy, yet bizarrely wholesome extravaganza which proved that the MCU (and Madonna’s Like A Prayer) still has plenty of life left in it.
Gladiator II left me — I am so sorry — very “entertained”, and while it won’t become as beloved as the original, it was still a fun ride with plenty of dazzling sword fights, plus how can you go wrong when you’re watching Denzel Washington having the time of his life as a scenery-chewing villain who left audiences just as charmed as they were rooting for his downfall?
But the most satisfying popcorn cruncher, surprisingly, may have been Sonic The Hedgehog 3 [right]. Yes, you read that correctly. Easily the best in a very fun trilogy, Sonic 3 gets a high score when it comes to explosive action, comedy, and tragic emotional depth (yes, I’m being serious!), blending them together in a way that never provides tonal whiplash. Let’s hope these films don’t reach a game over anytime soon and continue for a long time to come.
2024 was also a great year for horror movies, with many of the most memorable performances coming from those playing bad guys. Whether it was James McAvoy terrorizing an upper class family in a nail-bitingly polite manner in Speak No Evil, or Hugh Grant absolutely dominating the wicked Heretic with a devilish sense of humor (he even references Jar Jar Binks without it being jarring), fans of the genre were treated to sides of their favorite actors they hadn’t seen before.
Likewise, Nicolas Cage demonstrated he was capable of making the spines of filmgoers tremble with dread in Longlegs, while Bill Skarsgard was downright chilling as the titular Nosferatu, which really did make vampires terrifying again in a feast of the macabre. Among the Oscar nominations, I dug the heck out of Conclave, a sinfully compelling papal soap opera with something important to say, and I was as amazed by the monumental (if not sometimes oddly restrained) spectacle of Dune: Part Two as much as everyone else was.
That being said, my favorite awards contender only got one nomination from the Academy, and it was in the Visual Effects category. Not that it isn’t worthy of that category but, wow, as a playful yet artistically masterful take on the musical biopic, Better Man is simply sublime, delivering exhilarating musical numbers with equally powerful gut punches.
I’m an American. I had never heard of Robbie Williams before. But Better Man floored me with its cheeky humor and overwhelming sense of empathy. It made me want to be, and I say this with complete sincerity, a “better man”.
For me, 2024 turned out to be extremely exhausting. This was in large part due to being overworked at my day job through the latter half of the year, to the point that I really had very little energy to do more than just shutting my brain down and letting YouTube videos loop endlessly whenever I got home and my sleeping habits getting all messed up.
Simply put, there wasn’t a whole lot I was able to check out in 2024. I never even went to the movie theater. I was that tired. Still, I did manage to catch some bright spots in an otherwise quiet year.
The returning seasons of Arcane [right] and The Legend Of Vox Machina made for some quality television.
Both pulled no punches, subverting expectations and dialing up the intensity to such a degree that it was breathtaking.
Arcane took no prisoners in delivering heartbreaking drama. Vox Machina put long-time Critical Role fans on their heels with surprise turns that veered “off script”, as it were. And this was all done while continuing to showcase phenomenal animation, incredible storytelling, and characters to fall in love and cry over.
Another series that returned in the form of a revival was the classic X-Men animated series from the 1990s as X-Men ’97. Staying true to the original while going down some bold and daring directions, X-Men ’97 would win over fans both old and new with quality storytelling, excellent animation, and outstanding character development.
The voice cast, most notably the returning members like Lenore Zann as Rogue, were at the top of their game and had perhaps some of the best performances in animation in 2024.
As for new shows in 2024, the year brought about the long-awaited full debut of Hazbin Hotel. Vivienne Medrano’s wildly successful animated pilot from five years prior was picked up by A24 and became one of Amazon’s best performing shows to date.
It showcased the kind of heart and soul few would have, being an animated musical set in Hell and addressing some very serious subjects that added depth to its colorful cast of characters. Featuring some wonderful animation and a killer ensemble cast, Hazbin Hotel was a devilishly good time to be had.
Outside of animation, from the depths of a floundering comic book industry was the revival of the Ultimate Marvel Universe. Going in unique directions, these books offered some fresh air that had been sorely missing.
None was more beloved than Ultimate Spider-Man [above right]. Writer Jonathan Hickman, artist Marco Checchetto, and the rest of the team would present some much appreciated Spider-Man tales with strong storytelling and pure heart, such that every issue was a treat — so much so that all twelve issues were among the top 50 selling books of the year.
On the video game front, some titles would emerge through a tumultuous period. The beautiful animation accentuated the emotional storytelling of Final Fantasy VII Rebirth [right], the storybook aesthetic of The Plucky Squire was wonderfully executed, and Marvel Rivals rejuvenated competitive gaming with stylish art and fun gameplay. Arguably the game that rose above them all was Astro Bot. With sleek animation, great use of the PlayStation 5’s features, and delightful gameplay, it hearkened back to when video games were pure joy.
While I felt worn down through 2024, I did attend some delightful events. As my reports on the San Diego Comic Con and D23 Expo showed, I had a grand time meeting the cast of X-Men ’97, go to a stupendous LiSA concert, and experience the spectacle of the Disney showcases. I also checked out LA Comic Con to meet the cast of Back To The Future, Ewan McGregor and Hayden Christensen, and Vivienne Medrano. And in the lead up to my birthday, I met Briana White, the current English voice of my favorite character Aerith Gainsborough from Final Fantasy VII.
On home video, Warner Archive continues to lead the way. With multiple delightful volumes of restored Looney Tunes, and a reinvigoration of their classic Hanna-Barbera line (Top Cat [below right], Frankenstein Junior And The Impossibles, and a Jonny Quest double feature), I am still catching up!
Speaking of Hanna-Barbera, it was pretty awesome to see the sentimental favorite Super Friends get not only a complete series set on DVD from Warners, but also a remastered high-def Blu-ray that makes the cartoons look better than they probably deserve. DC and Warner also put out an ambitious trilogy adapting the legendary comic book Crisis On Infinite Earths to mixed results, plus a Watchmen duology that was well done but frankly unnecessary given the previous motion comic, live-action adaptation, and of course the best-selling graphic novel.
Elsewhere, the superb label Deaf Crocodile continued to offer amazing international fare in terrific collector’s editions, including animated features like Bubble Bath, and – released on the last day of the year – an actual 4K edition of the cat crime fantasy Felidae [below right]. They also started releasing the works of Bill Plympton, starting with The Tune. I will also mention that I finally watched Claydream, which came out on Blu-ray from Oscilloscope in 2023. I’m late in saying so, but it deserves to be stated that it’s a terrific, revealing documentary looking at the Will Vinton Claymation studio (which morphed into Laika under questionable circumstances), and the Blu-ray also has a dozen other Vinton films of various lengths on the disc. It’s a doozy, not to be missed by Claymation fans.
I suspect that the year’s most interesting theatrical animated films haven’t reached me yet, as the American market was largely flooded with prequels and sequels once again. That’s not entirely bad, as last year’s Spider-Verse sequel was absolutely phenomenal (though it was robbed at the Oscars by Miyazaki’s latest). And, in 2024, we got another very strong sequel that became my top pick of the year.
DreamWorks’ Kung Fu Panda 4 was not that film, squeaking by with a mild “thumbs up”. With no Furious Five involved, it felt like a cheap cash-in, though still boasted some of the beautiful imagery the franchise is known for. The story was, well, fine, but the film just felt small, almost as if it was a TV show modified to become a big screen release. Of course, that’s exactly what we got with Disney’s Moana 2, which went from Disney+ to the big screen after the company saw financial potential, following the previous year’s disastrous 100th anniversary film, Wish. To be sure, Moana 2 managed to become successful for the much-relieved Mouse, as it passed the $1bn mark internationally, but was critically underwhelming. Disney also put out the unasked-for Lion King prequel Mufasa, which has thus far managed to get to $700m worldwide, proving the franchise still has legs. Illumination brought out another cute but tired film in the Gru/Minions franchise, Despicable Me 4, which certainly paid the bills well enough, as it neared a billion-dollar gross. Of the major studios, Illumination continues to get the best bang for their buck, producing films of relatively smaller budgets, while pulling in big numbers at the box office.
Looking over the list of films that came out in 2024, I see that the USA was not alone in producing sequels. I may never see Australia’s Captain Wombat: Back 2 Back, but I naturally had to tune in to Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl when it came to Netflix. It was as charming and humorous as ever, though with a sense of sameness when compared to what’s been done with the duo previously – even recycling a past villain – with epic chases and inventive inventions, but a small cast and simple story. Basically, I thought it was just another good “episode” in the life of the weird inventor and his dog. There’s nothing wrong with that, but it’s not a Top 3 pick for me.
The word on the street is that I must catch Latvia’s Flow, so I’ll need to do that, though the trailer I saw struggled to give me a reason to see it. Maybe I just don’t like cats, but I am also told that it’s difficult to capture the magic of the film in a trailer, so I’ll have to check it out when Criterion puts it out on disc later this year.
Meanwhile, In the pleasant surprise category, Paramount’s Transformers One [right] was a prequel film that was more entertaining and heartfelt than anyone anticipated, landing in my number three spot. Yeah, I never thought I’d see the day either, but here we are. Bright, shiny colors, fun battles, and nicely achieved character development salvaged a franchise not always known for quality on the big screen.
With all that prequel/sequel action, many of us craved something truly original. To that end, despite initially giving out Iron Giant vibes, DreamWorks came through and premiered perhaps the surprise of the year: the superb and much appreciated The Wild Robot [below right]. This could have easily been my number one pick, and it has certainly garnered such praise from any number of places during the awards season, but its unconventional pacing had me trying to decide if it was delightfully unpredictable or just plain clunky. The film’s first climax came in the middle of what was a tenderly quiet but funny and pleasant film, then it felt like the film would end fifteen or twenty minutes later in the midst of higher stakes, before ramping up into a sci-fi action spectacle that was thrilling, but also left me with a bit of tonal whiplash.
However, I was entertained from beginning to end, finding the gentle humor engaging and the messages to be relatable. It was a beautiful film to enjoy visually too, and I appreciated DreamWorks making the images a little more “low-res”, eschewing reality for a more nuanced, artistic look that not only likely saved valuable rendering time, but also allowed an animated film to look like a work of art without trying to look so darn “realistic”.
Ultimately, though, it was Inside Out 2 that ranked as not only easily the best of the sequels this year, but it became my pick for best animated film of 2024. Yes, it hit some of the same notes as its predecessor (my favorite Pixar film ever), but it felt more like a welcome continuation than a rehash. It was another triumph for the studio, a film which gave me chills for being so brilliant and amazingly clever, not to mention well-constructed and totally relatable. Put me down for a threequel!
After a few years of animated doldrums, 2024 actually offered up several good theatrical films. The one that seemed to be getting the most buzz until running into a wall at the Oscars was the latest from DreamWorks, The Wild Robot. While I agree it definitely deserved a lot of the praise it was getting and the story was very engaging, overall it wasn’t as deep as many were giving it credit for and the emotional beats felt more forced than earned. But the animation was wonderful and Lupita Nyong’o and Pedro Pascal gave great performances.
Chris Sanders was due for an Oscar after losing in his previous three attempts — two of which he really should have won. So I would have had no problem if The Wild Robot was the trophy he finally took home — though it didn’t crack my top three and admittedly the two others he should have won for were leaps and bounds better than this.
The film I believe was the best of the year was one I didn’t see coming. Literally! I’d never heard of it before, it was made in Latvia, and it didn’t have a wide release. Despite all that, Flow [above] was far and beyond anything by the major Hollywood studios this year.
Following a cat during a flood, the plot is about as simple as can be and contains no dialogue, but is beautifully told despite those limitations. I found the animation to be unique and charming, though I know others disagree. While it’s completely appropriate for the younger set, I’m not sure how it will play with them since it’s not as loud and flashy as what short-attention-spanned kids are used to these days. But maybe that’s all the more reason to expose them to a film like this. If you want a very pleasant change of pace, give Flow a go.
I’m a sucker for Wallace & Gromit, so it’s no surprise that their latest outing, Vengeance Most Fowl [below], is second on my list of best films of 2024. Sure, it’s definitely more of the same, but with such a winning formula why change things up too much?
The rubegoldbergian inventor is, however, keeping up with the times, including AI and a virtual assistant in his latest contraptions. Updating the story with current technology makes for a fun new take without feeling too different.
The humor is one of the two big draws with Wallace & Gromit and here it is, as usual, very well done indeed. The other highlight of these films is the amazing stop-motion animation done by hand and feeling so much warmer and alive than anything computer graphics can provide. And kudos to Ben Whitehead for the unenviable task of filling in for the late Peter Sallis, and doing such a cracking job.
The final movie in my top three is the first home grown film on the list, Inside Out 2 [below]. I didn’t love the original as much as most other people, but it was very good. Thankfully, in this sequel, what people loved about the first was successfully carried over, while some things were even improved upon. We get to spend more time with Riley herself who, instead of being a child controlled by her emotions, is now her own person with her beliefs guiding her, actively fighting against her emotions when she doesn’t find them appropriate. Joy, who perhaps was a little too one-note in the original, gets a chance to shine with a more wide-ranging performance. And a new more complex emotion deepens the story, driven by standout Maya Hawke who almost carries the film by herself and is more than up to the challenge.
While not a contender for the top three (but maybe making a top five list?), I thought Transformers One was actually a pretty solid film. As someone who has literally never seen anything in the franchise or even played with the toys, I was coming into this movie fairly blind.
Truthfully? I wasn’t expecting much! And having big name actors in the lead roles felt more like a ploy to sell tickets to a film they were expecting to be a bust. However, as it turns out I really enjoyed it. The story was more serious than I expected for a movie about alien robots that turn into vehicles for some reason. And Chris Hemsworth and company weren’t just phoning it in for a paycheck but actually put in the work. I’d be happy to go along for the ride if Transformers Two gets the greenlight.
I have to admit, I’m worried that 2025 won’t be able to live up to the slate we had in 2024. But like my top pick this year, maybe something will surprise us from where we least expect it.
Reader’s Choice Results
In the thirteen years we’ve been asking you, the reader, to rank the best animated movies of the year, your top film has come from only three different studios: Pixar (five times), Disney (four times), and Sony (three times). But in 2024, a new studio breaks into the ranks of AV’s Readers’ Choice winners!
DreamWorks’ The Wild Robot easily secured the top spot with a score of 55 out of a perfect 100. The film received 46% of the first place votes, and appeared on 61% of all ballots.
Inside Out 2 was a not-so-close second with a score of 32/100. It picked up 10% of the first place votes and was on just over half the ballots at 51%.
Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl came in third with a score of 19/100. It received 8% of the top votes and appeared on 31% ballots.
In fourth place was indie favorite and Oscar winner Flow with a score of 14/100. The film took 7% of the first place votes and showed up on 20% of all ballots.
There was a tie for the last spot in the top five, with both Kung Fu Panda 4 and Look Back scoring an 8/100. The Japanese anime won the tie-breaker, most first place votes, with 5% of them – just a single vote more than the DreamWorks sequel. It appeared on 12% of ballots.
Well, in the oft-quoted words of a certain cartoon pig (and a star of the upcoming The Day The Earth Blew Up), “That’s all, folks!” — at least for wrapping up 2024! There’s loads more animated news and views to come so, as usual, “stay tooned”, and we wish you all the very best for the rest of 2025!
— Dacey and the entire Animated Views Team!
