5. Coco (dir. Lee Unkrich)
This film that won the Golden Globe Award for Best Animated Film is truly another great Pixar film.
“Coco” is a movie that follows the story of Miguel, an aspiring musician who enters the Land of the Dead and tries to find his great-great-grandfather, a legendary musician, and this incredible journey will change Miguel forever.
One of the most sensible animations of the last few years, “Coco” has such an interesting approach on Mexican culture – the film is based on the Mexican holiday Day of the Dead – and also on life and family, that its a story that should definitely be checked out.
“Coco” is one of the most intriguing and emotional movies of 2017, and should without a doubt be watched by any fan of animated films.
4. Your Name (dir. Makoto Shinkai)
Makoto Shinkai is one of the most acclaimed and brilliant directors of animated films working today, and with “Your Name” he delivers one of his best works.
Following the story of two teenagers who share a truly intriguing connection, mysteriously waking up with their bodies swapped, “Your Name” is a very complex film that approaches a cosmic connection with amazing imagery and a great script.
The relationship between the lead characters with the people who surround them, and their relationship with the place they live, is explored deeply in this film that without a doubt deserves a place among the best made by Shinkai.
“Your Name” is a brilliant animated film and another great work by Shinkai that should definitely be watched.
3. The LEGO Batman Movie (dir. Chris McKay)
If you thought the “Justice League” movie was too funny, you should definitely watch “The LEGO Batman Movie.”
In this film that features amazing voice work by Will Arnett, Rosario Dawson, Michael Cera, Zach Galifianakis and Ralph Fiennes, among others, we follow the story of a Bruce Wayne with even more ego than we normally see, who needs to fight the criminals that want to take over Gotham City while dealing with the fact that he has just adopted an orphan that now wants to be Batman’s sidekick.
With an intriguing character arc that follows Bruce Wayne trying to be a part of a family again, and many jokes that never, ever end, “The LEGO Batman Movie” is not only one of the funniest films of 2017, but also one of the best Batman movies ever made.
“The LEGO Batman Movie” is a great adventure comedy that without a doubt should be watched by any cinephile.
2. The Red Turtle (dir. Michael Dudok de Wit)
This co-production between Studio Ghibli and the Wild Bunch follows the story of a castaway. A man living in a deserted island where he meets a giant red turtle.
With no dialogue, “The Red Turtle” is a true lesson of how amazing visual storytelling can work without having to rely on words. The amazing work conducted by Dutch animator Michael Dudok de Wit is without a doubt one of the most remarkable of this century.
It is fascinating how every emotion and nuance is transmited visually, allied with the exquisite artwork of this film. This movie really deserves to be considered a contemporary classic.
“The Red Turtle” is a masterpiece that should certainly be watched by any cinephile, and is truly among the best animated feature films made in the 21st century. Definitely worth watching!
1. Loving Vincent (dir. Dorota Kobiela & Hugh Welchman)
The first film to be fully animated with oil painting, although not being as great narratively as it is visually, “Loving Vincent” deserves to be considered on this list. One of the best animated films of this decade, the movie follows the story of Armand, a man who needs to deliver Van Gogh his final letter.
Although the narrative has its problems, the captivating visual of the film and the way it approaches the last days of the Van Gogh, a man truly as complex as his works, make “Loving Vincent” a film that definitely needs to be checked out.
With great voice work by actors such as Douglas Booth, Saoirse Ronan and Jerome Flynn, “Loving Vincent” dives into the psyche of Vincent Van Gogh at the end of his life by approaching the people who surrounded him in his last days, and exploring the place where he was living as it explores his artwork.
“Loving Vincent” is truly an amazing visual work that is without a doubt one of the best animated movies from 2017.
Author bio: Vítor Guima is a filmmaker, writer and musician from São Paulo, Brazil. Every day he watches a movie, reads a few pages from a book, listens to an album and freaks out with the feeling of not having enough time to see everything. You can follow him on Instagram on @ovitorguima.