Sunday afternoons have their own particular quality of light and stillness. The right film slots into that feeling perfectly - unhurried, absorbing, a reason to stay on the sofa a little longer.
In retrospect, the 2010s were a decade of quiet excellence - films doing serious work without demanding credit for it.
The best animated films don't talk down to anyone. They trust that emotion has no age requirement.
The journey of Manolo, a young man who is torn between fulfilling the expectations of his family and following his heart. Before choosing which path to follow, he embarks on an incredible adventure that spans fantastical worlds where he must face his greatest fears.
Traveling in search of the rare ingredient, "sky fish" Meliodas and Hawk arrive at a palace that floats above the clouds. The people there are busy preparing a ceremony, meant to protect their home from a ferocious beast that awakens once every 3,000 years. But before the ritual is complete, the Six Knights of Black-a Demon Clan army-removes the seal on the beast, threatening the lives of everyone in the Sky Palace.
The comedic modern-day quintet takes on their 2003 counterparts when villains from each of their worlds join forces to pit the two Titan teams against each other. They'll need to set aside their differences and work together to combat Trigon, Hexagon, Santa Claus (that's right, Santa!) and time itself in order to save the multiverse.
Yokohama, 1963. Japan is picking itself up from the devastation of World War II and preparing to host the 1964 Olympics-and the mood is one of both optimism and conflict as the young generation struggles to throw off the shackles of a troubled past. Against this backdrop of hope and change, a friendship begins to blossom between high school students Umi and Shun-but a buried secret from their past emerges to cast a shadow on the future and pull them apart.
It is just another evening commute until the rain starts to fall, and the city comes alive to the sound of dripping rain pipes, whistling awnings and gurgling gutters.
The animated films that last are the ones that never condescend. They trust their audience - child or adult - to handle complexity, loss, and wonder in equal measure.
When their latest scheme goes awry, Mayor Humdinger and his nephew Harold accidentally divert a meteor towards Adventure Bay. The meteor's golden energy grants the PAW Patrol superpowers. The heroic Mighty Pups are on a roll to super-save the day.
Zephyr, now known as Z, rides the seas with only one goal: Destroy all pirates and their dreams at becoming King of Pirates. When Luffy and his crew encounter him at sea, not only are they utterly defeated by the man with an arm made of Seastone, Nami, Robin, and Chopper are turned 10 years younger due to Z's minion Ain. Luffy is so determined to win against him that he does not even notice Z's master plan that could sacrifice thousands of lives.
A story of Naoufel, a young man who is in love with Gabrielle. In another part of town, a severed hand escapes from a dissection lab, determined to find its body again.
Two years after the events of the Fourth Great Ninja War, the moon that Hagoromo Otsutsuki created long ago to seal away the Gedo Statue begins to descend towards the world, threatening to become a meteor that would destroy everything on impact. Amidst this crisis, a direct descendant of Kaguya Otsutsuki named Toneri Otsutsuki attempts to kidnap Hinata Hyuga but ends up abducting her younger sister Hanabi. Naruto and his allies now mount a rescue mission before finding themselves embroiled in a final battle to decide the fate of everything.
Woody has always been confident about his place in the world, devoted to taking care of his kid-whether that's Andy or Bonnie. But after Bonnie creates a reluctant new toy called "Forky", a road trip adventure alongside old and new friends challenges everything Woody believes about loyalty, purpose, and what it truly means to be a toy.
The twist endings that hold up aren't tricks - they're revelations. Everything was there. You just didn't see it yet.
These films prove that animation is not a lesser form of cinema. It's a different one - capable of its own kind of greatness.