Animated films have always been a place where you can find some of the most impressive visual storytelling around and experience emotional highs and lows. Some even include great music, award-winning performances, and so much more, which was especially true during the revolutionary 2010s.
By this point, almost every kind of animated movie has been seen from hand-drawn to stop motion to CGI and everything in between. That means that the animated films of the 2010s had to sometimes get extra creative to wow audiences. Thankfully, a handful of movies did just that and scored the highest ratings of their given year on Letterboxd.
2010 - Toy Story 3 (3.98)
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There was concern over the release of Toy Story 3 in 2010. It had been over a decade since the second installment and most of its fans were now adults. Wisely, Pixar used that in the narrative as Andy was heading into college and his toys hadn't been played with for many years.
The film sees them accidentally donated to a daycare and they must decide if they want to stay or return to Andy. Toy Story 3 closes on a highly emotional note that some consider a perfect ending to the point where Toy Story 4 wasn't even needed. It became just the third animated film nominated for Best Picture at the Oscars, while also winning Best Animated Feature and Best Original Song.
2011 - K-On! The Movie (3.99)
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Some of the most impressive animated movies come from Japan and are based on popular manga series. That's the case with K-On! The Movie, which works as a continuation of the well-received anime series.
K-On! is about a quartet of girls who make music together and the film adaptation focuses on their trip to London to celebrate their graduation. Reviews praise it for being an accurate depiction of high school life in post-war Japan, having great music, and featuring some gorgeous animation.
2012 - Wolf Children (4.03)
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For the second straight year, a Japanese movie scored the highest rated among animated films on Letterboxd. This time around it's Wolf Children, the second feature directorial effort from Mamoru Hosoda. It tells a heartwarming tale about a mother and her children.
Of course, there's much more to it than just that. The mother finds difficulties raising the children alone after her werewolf lover dies and the kids inherit his traits. Wolf Children never shies away from the emotional stuff but still manages to make you laugh and is an intriguing look at single parenthood.
2013 - The Tale Of Princess Kaguya (4.16)
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Once again, it's a Japanese film atop the rankings. There actually aren't many movies to score better from 2013, regardless of genre. The Tale of Princess Kaguya comes from Studio Ghibli, who has been behind some of the most noteworthy and well-received animated pictures ever.
The Tale of Princess Kaguya continues that trend, scoring a Best Animated Feature nomination at the Academy Awards but losing out to Big Hero 6. The film centers on a tiny girl who grows into an enthralling woman with plenty of suitors, including the Emperor of Japan.
2014 - Song Of The Sea (4.08)
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Another Oscar nominated film that lost out to Big Hero 6 is Song of the Sea. This Irish movie is actually part of a larger trilogy that not a lot of people know about yet it remains one of the best reviewed in recent memory. Each entry comes from director Tomm Moore.
First up was 2009's The Secret of Kelis and things ended with 2020's Wolfwalkers but the middle leg, Song of the Sea, is likely the best of the bunch. It follows a boy who finds out that his mute sister is the key to freeing faerie creatures from the sea. The film was met with widespread acclaim for almost every aspect.
2015 - Inside Out (3.89)
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It took a few years but Pixar ended up back atop the animated movie rankings on Letterboxd. Inside Out was right up their alley, telling a totally heartwarming story filled with emotion while doing so in a creative and unique manner.
The film mostly takes place inside the head of a young girl as her various emotions work together to help her deal with moving to a new home. It secured a Best Animated Feature Oscar win and was up for Best Original Screenplay. Inside Out also has tremendous voice actors including the perfectly cast Amy Poehler as Joy.
2016 - Your Name. (4.19)
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It's time to return to Japan for another annual winner. This one is written and directed by Makoto Shinkai and is considered by many to be one of, if not the best animated romance ever made. It's set in a Tokyo high school and sees the two main characters swap bodies.
Unlike a lot of other body swap movies, this one sees a case where it happens consistently for the characters, so they must adjust their lives to the unexpected changes. The film won awards at various ceremonies and has left an impact to the point where an American adaptation is in development.
2017 - Coco (4.18)
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Pixar strikes again with a movie that is somehow possibly even more emotional than the aforementioned Inside Out. The story of Coco sees young Miguel transported to the land of the dead in his attempts to play music despite it being forbidden within his family.
The gorgeous animation is to be expected but then the movie hits you on an emotional level when you're not ready for it. Along with a Best Animated Feature Oscar win, it also took home the statue for Best Original Song thanks to the heartwarming "Remember Me."
2018 - Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse (4.44)
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Not only is Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse the highest rated animated film of its year but it's also the top rated movie of any genre from 2018 and one of the highest overall for the decade. That's telling of just how special this movie is, even ranking as the best Spider-Man film ever.
The story focuses on Miles Morales, an Afro-Latino teen who gets the powers of Spider-Man and must learn to become a hero with the help of various Spider-People from other dimensions. The Best Animated Feature Oscar winner was lauded for the voice acting, humor, screenplay, soundtrack, and especially the unique animation style.
2019 - Klaus (4.05)
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Origin stories happen all the time in superhero movies but you'd be hard-pressed to find someone who expected to get one for Santa Claus. However, that was the case with Klaus, which takes an interesting approach to setting up a story that leads to the beginning of Santa.
The plot first follows the lazy son of the Postmaster General who is sent to a remote town of angry people as a mailman to learn a lesson. While there, he befriends a toymaker named Klaus and the rest is history. With a cool animation style, heartwarming story, and creativity in every aspect, it's no wonder this scored so well.