2023 Animated: Movies

Love it or hate it, you couldn't escape it. The Super Mario Bros. Movie became a juggernaut, proving that Illumination knows exactly how to push our childhood buttons. Critics were mixed (the plot is paper-thin), but audiences packed theaters for the "Peaches" song and Chris Pratt’s surprisingly fine Mario. It wasn't high art, but it was a celebration of video game iconography that worked exactly as intended.

If you only watch one: Spider-Verse . If you want to cry: The Boy and the Heron or Robot Dreams . If you need a laugh with the family: Mutant Mayhem . 2023 animated movies

Let’s break down the animated movies that defined 2023—the box office giants, the underrated gems, and the ones that pushed the visual envelope. Love it or hate it, you couldn't escape it

We have to start here. The sequel to Into the Spider-Verse didn't just meet expectations; it redefined what a cartoon can look like. Every frame is a painting from a different artist. The story is darker, the stakes are higher, and the cliffhanger ending left the entire audience gasping. Even if you don't like superheroes, watch this for the watercolor backgrounds, the live-action textures, and the Lego universe cameo. It set the visual standard for the next decade. Critics were mixed (the plot is paper-thin), but

Hayao Miyazaki supposedly "retired" again, only to return with a Studio Ghibli masterpiece. This film is weird, philosophical, and deeply personal. Don’t go in expecting Spirited Away 2.0. Go in expecting a dreamlike meditation on grief, legacy, and fantasy worlds. It won the Oscar for a reason: it’s a reminder that animation can be serious literature.

Beyond Spider-Verse: The Best (and Most Surprising) Animated Movies of 2023

If you think animation is just for kids, 2023 came along and proved you spectacularly wrong. From hyper-stylized superhero epics to tear-jerking original stories, this year was a banner one for the medium. While the box office saw its ups and downs, the sheer artistry on display was undeniable.