When you hear the word animation, you probably think of the classic 2D hand drawn style or the newer 3D style, but a lot of people forget about stop-motion animation. Stop-motion animation is a filmmaking technique where you move objects in small increments and photograph each movement so it looks like they’re moving on their own when you put all of the pictures together.
It takes a lot of time and patience to make stop-motion animated films, but when it’s finished, the end result is beautiful. There’s definitely something magical about seeing pictures come to life and becoming real characters. There aren’t as many stop-motion animated movies as there are 2D and 3D ones, so each one is special. Here are the top 10 stop-motion animated movies.
10 'Shaun The Sheep Movie' (2015) - 7.3 Stars
The first stop-motion animated movie on our list is the Shaun the Sheep Movie, which is based on the British TV series with the same name. “Shaun the Sheep Movie featured its titular character and flock galavanting across London to find their owner who is under the effects of amnesia,” according to ScreenRant. The movie didn’t have that much sound to it, but it didn’t really need it anyway since the animation captures the audience’s attention.
9 'Corpse Bride' (2005) - 7.3 Stars
Corpse Bride is one of the most popular stop-motion animated movies. It was directed by Tim Burton who is known for creating creepy, but interesting and beautiful films. “When a shy groom practices his wedding vows in the inadvertent presence of a deceased young woman, she rises from the grave assuming he has married her,” according to IMDb. The movie might sound creepy at first, but once you watch it, it’s really beautiful and moving.
8 'Wallace & Gromit: The Curse Of The Were-Rabbit' (2005) - 7.4 Stars
Just like the Shaun the Sheep Movie, Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit is also based on a British TV show. It’s based on the show, Wallace & Gromit, which is about an inventor and his dog who go on adventures to defeat evil villains’ plans. According to IMDb, the movie is about “Wallace and his loyal dog, Gromit, set out to discover the mystery behind the garden sabotage that plagues their village and threatens the annual giant vegetable growing contest.” At first the villain seems to be the were-rabbit, but at the end, we find out who the real villain is.
7 'Coraline' (2009) - 7.7 Stars
Coraline has kind of a similar creepy style to it like Corpse Bride, but it was directed by Henry Selick instead of Tim Burton. According to Stacker, “Based on a book by Neil Gaiman, the movie follows its 11-year-old title character into a parallel world. What at first seems like a dream come true turns out to be something far more sinister.” It definitely showed Henry Selick’s talent—the story is meaningful and sweet while the creepy animation keeps you on the edge of your seat.
6 'My Life As A Zucchini' (2016) - 7.8 Stars
My Life as a Zucchini is an adorable movie with a lot of colorful animation in it. Ironically, the story isn't as happy as the animation though. “After losing his mother, a young boy is sent to a foster home with other orphans his age where he begins to learn the meaning of trust and true love,” according to IMDb. It took 60 sets and 54 different puppets to make this sweet animated film. And even though it has a tragic beginning to it, it has a lot of meaning to it and will leave you smiling after you watch it.
5 'Kubo And The Two Strings' (2016) - 7.8 Stars
Kubo and the Two Strings is about a boy named Kubo who goes on a quest to find the armor worn by his dad who passed away in order to defeat an evil spirit that’s after him. The film is based on the Feudal Japan era and although many people loved its style, others criticized it for the choices the filmmakers made. According to ScreenRant, “While the film was criticized for casting mostly Caucasian actors to portray the characters it was praised for its innovative animation (including the construction of a 16ft tall puppet which was the largest at its time), decently choreographed action and whimsical music.”
4 'Fantastic Mr. Fox' (2009) - 7.9 Stars
Fantastic Mr. Fox follows the adventure of Mr. Fox who gets into trouble when he goes against his wife’s wishes and has to fix what he’s done. According to IMDb, the movie is about “an urbane fox cannot resist returning to his farm raiding ways and then must help his community survive the farmers' retaliation.” It might not sound like much, but it will keep you laughing the whole time you watch it.
3 'Isle Of Dogs' (2018) - 7.9 Stars
Isle of Dogs is the newest stop-motion animated film and got a lot of people’s attention with its unique style. “The movie followed a pack of wild dogs who have been designated to Trash Island following a bout of dog flu when they come across a Japanese boy who is looking for his dog. The film is acknowledged as an artistic feat (including intricacy and creativity involved in the sushi scene) and excelled in its music score and witty dialogue,” according to ScreenRant. Although it has 7.9 stars on IMDb, critics have felt indifferent about its portrayal of Japanese culture.
2 'The Nightmare Before Christmas' (1993) - 8 Stars
The Nightmare Before Christmas is the most famous stop-motion animated movie ever made and a holiday classic that fans watch every year. According to IMDb, this iconic movie is about “Jack Skellington, king of Halloween Town, discovers Christmas Town, but his attempts to bring Christmas to his home causes confusion.” When the movie was first made, Disney thought it was too scary and dark for kids to watch. But now it’s a classic that fans of all ages love. Surprisingly, it wasn’t the top stop-motion animated film though.
Related: 10 Best Disney Animated Movies (According to IMDb)
1 'Mary And Max' (2009) - 8.1 Stars
Mary and Max isn’t a well-known animated movie, but it still beat The Nightmare Before Christmas. It’s about an unlikely friendship between an eight-year-old girl from Australia and a 44-year-old man from New York who become pen-pals. It’s actually based on a true story. “As comically overstated as parts of it can seem, Elliot says Mary and Max is based on a true story—and in fact, the Australian filmmaker has enjoyed a 20-year pen-pal friendship with a New Yorker who, like Max, has Asperger syndrome,” according to Collider. Maybe the reason it beat the legendary film, The Nightmare Before Christmas, is because it’s based on a real friendship and you can feel the connection between the two characters.
