10 Underrated Animated Movies of the 2010s That Deserve a Second Look

Please note that some of these animated movies are very much not for kids – although it doesn't make them any less deserving a watch.

1. "The Book of Life" (2014)
Rotten Tomatoes score: 83%
Manolo is a young Mexican man torn between fulfilling his family's expectations and following his heart. He's in love with the spirited Maria, but so is his best friend, Joaquin. Enter two mystical figures, La Muerte and Xibalba, who make a wager on who will win Maria's heart.

Manolo finds himself on an incredible journey through magical lands, including the Land of the Remembered and the Land of the Forgotten. He meets his deceased ancestors and faces his deepest fears.

2. "Song of the Sea" (2014)
Rotten Tomatoes score: 99%
This tale swims in Irish folklore where Ben, a young boy, discovers that his mute sister Saoirse is a selkie – a seal that can turn into a human. After their mother's disappearance, their father is a broken man, and their grandmother whisks them away to the city.

But Saoirse's seal coat calls her to the sea. When she falls ill, Ben realizes the only way to save her is to embrace the world of magic, ruled by a witch who wants to turn everyone to stone to protect them from suffering.

3. "Kubo and the Two Strings" (2016)
Rotten Tomatoes score: 97%
Kubo, a one-eyed boy in ancient Japan, cares for his mother and tells stories with magical origami that moves to music. But he must not stay out after dark; his grandfather, the Moon King, seeks to take his other eye.

One night, Kubo stays out too late, and his aunts, eerie masked warriors, attack. He flees with a charm from his mother, which brings his origami to life, including a monkey protector. They set off on a quest for a magical suit of armor to defeat the Moon King, joined by a forgetful samurai-turned-beetle.

4. "The Red Turtle" (2016)
Rotten Tomatoes score: 93%
No dialogue, just pure, unadulterated visual storytelling. A man is shipwrecked on a deserted island, filled with crabs, bamboo forests, and relentless solitude. His repeated attempts to escape are thwarted by a mystical red turtle.

In a twist of events, the turtle transforms into a woman, and they start a life together on the island. They have a child, and the film gracefully flows through their family life on this isolated paradise. Seasons change, tsunamis hit, and their son grows up and leaves on a turtle of his own.

5. "The Breadwinner" (2017)
Rotten Tomatoes score: 95%
Set in Taliban-controlled Afghanistan, this is the story of Parvana, an 11-year-old girl. When her father is unjustly arrested, Parvana cuts her hair and disguises herself as a boy to provide for her family, as women and girls are not allowed to be outside without a male relative.

The family's struggles are heart-wrenching, and Parvana's strength is inspiring. She meets another girl, Shauzia, in a similar disguise. Together, they navigate the dangerous streets, bartering and telling stories to survive. Parvana is determined to find and rescue her father from prison.

6. "Loving Vincent" (2017)
Rotten Tomatoes score: 84%
Ever heard of a movie where each frame is a literal oil painting? This one's all about the life and mysterious death of Vincent van Gogh. A young man, Armand, is tasked with delivering Vincent's last letter. He ends up playing detective, interviewing people who knew Vincent in his final days.

It's like a jigsaw puzzle, with each person giving a piece of Vincent's story. Some say suicide, others hint at murder. Armand gets sucked into these tales, each painted in Van Gogh's style.

7. "Mirai" (2018)
Rotten Tomatoes score: 91%
A story about a little boy, Kun, who's not too happy about his new baby sister, Mirai. He throws tantrums, feeling ignored by his parents. Then, suddenly, the family garden turns into a time-traveling hub. Kun meets various family members at different ages: his mom as a rebellious teen, his great-grandfather as a young man, and even Mirai as a teenager from the future.

These adventures teach him about his family's history and his place in it.

8. "I Lost My Body" (2019)
Rotten Tomatoes score: 97%
A severed hand escapes a lab in Paris and embarks on a quest to find its body. Meanwhile, there's Naoufel, a pizza delivery guy with a lackluster life and a love for recording sounds. Through flashbacks, we learn this hand belongs to him, lost in an accident. The hand's journey is wild – dodging pigeons, rats, and the cold, hard streets of Paris.

Then there's Naoufel's side of things – his crush on a librarian, his dreams of becoming an astronaut, and ultimately, how he loses his hand.

9. "The Willoughbys" (2020)
Rotten Tomatoes score: 91%
The Willoughby kids are convinced they'd be better off raising themselves. Why? Because their parents are hilariously selfish and neglectful. So, they hatch a plan to send their parents on a dangerous vacation, hoping they'll never come back. With the parents gone, they learn the grass isn't always greener on the other side.

They deal with a zany nanny, a candy factory, and a baby they find on their doorstep – and there's a singing cat narrating the whole shebang.

10. "Wolfwalkers" (2020)
Rotten Tomatoes score: 99%
Welcome to Ireland, where English girl Robyn and her dad are tasked with wiping out the last wolf pack. But Robyn befriends Mebh, a wild girl from the pack. Plot twist – Mebh is a Wolfwalker, who becomes a wolf when she sleeps. Robyn gets bitten, turning into a Wolfwalker too.

There's this whole tension between the puritanical townfolk and the free-spirited wolf pack. Robyn's dad, tasked with hunting the wolves, struggles between duty and his daughter's new identity.