5 Great Netflix Animated Movies to Watch Right Now (May 2025)

Nimona (Chloë Grace Moretz) looks like an ordinary girl, but she has an incredible power — she’s a shapeshifter who can turn into any animal. Rebellious and energetic, Nimona uses her power to cause chaos throughout the medieval-futuristic world in which she lives. When Ballister Boldheart (Riz Ahmed) is framed for killing the Queen, Nimona decides he’s an evil genius and demands to become his villainous sidekick. (Ballister, for his part, has no interest in villainy and just wants to prove his innocence.)

As Ballister and Nimona grow closer, more of her dark past is revealed, and with them are secrets about the kingdom and the very nature of their society. You’ll love the character Nimona for her humor, her bravery and her steadfast commitment to being herself. You’ll love the movie Nimona for its unique art style, its fun soundtrack and its profound message about prejudice and acceptance.

This animated fantasy film takes place in feudal Japan and comes from Coraline’s production company, Laika Studios. Kubo (Art Parkinson) is a young boy who lives with his mother in a small village and is able to create magic through music. When he is attacked by his mother’s evil sisters, he learns that he is the child of a goddess and a human warrior. With the help of a Monkey (Charlize Theron) and a humanoid stag Beetle (Matthew McConaughey), he must defeat his evil grandfather, the Moon King (Ralph Fiennes).

The animation in this film is stunningly beautiful, and it’s a moving story of family, love and bravery. Like all Laika films, it’s funny and occasionally spooky, and it takes its story seriously, never talking down to its audience. Kubo intricately weaves traditional Japanese folklore with modern cinematic techniques, creating a captivating story for audiences of all ages.

When PAL, a Siri-esque operating system voiced by Olivia Colman, rebels against her creators and turns every machine on earth into an evil robot, the world’s only hope is the Mitchell family. That’s unfortunate, because the Mitchells are weird, chaotic, and currently not getting along very well. Aspiring filmmaker Katie (Broad City’s Abbi Jacobson) is asserting her independence from her dad Rick (Danny McBride), while Rick’s eagerness to hold on tighter to his little girl is keeping him from understanding the woman she’s becoming. 

But due to a tech-free enforced family road trip, the Mitchells end up being the only humans who aren’t captured, and it’s up to them to stop PAL before every human is launched into space. This hilarious, heartwarming family film has profound themes of communication and understanding, as well as visual gags that will make you do a spit-take. 

The Sea Beast takes an intriguing concept — the sea monsters that were once depicted on maps in the unknown reaches of the ocean — and builds a whole world out of it, full of swashbuckling fun and poignant relationships. The story follows a young girl named Maisie Brumble (Zaris-Angel Hator), who stows away on the ship of the legendary monster hunter Jacob Holland (Karl Urban). Together, they embark on a thrilling adventure that makes them look at the sea “monsters” in a whole new way. The breathtaking animation and the inspirational narrative invite the audience to take a look at their own biases and examine what they think they know about “heroes” and “villains.” 

Maisie is a lovable protagonist and a great role model for kids. She’s smart, brave and thoughtful, and her determination and commitment to doing what’s right make her a heroine worth imitating. The Sea Beast is an entertaining and heartwarming story that captures the grandeur and excitement of pirate stories and blends that with thoughtful allegories for a modern audience. 

This stop-motion epic is a retelling of the story of the puppet who can’t lie as you’ve never heard it before. It’s de-sanitized, darker and more dramatic than the Disney version (although that version was pretty scary too!), set in fascist Italy during World War II. But the magnetically charming performance of Gregory Mann as the titular puppet gives it a sense of whimsy and fun, and the animation is a stunning sight to behold. The rest of the voice cast is full of well-known actors, including Ewan McGregor as Sebastian J. Cricket, Pinocchio’s conscience.

This version of Pinocchio has more in common with Guillermo Del Toro’s Pan’s Labyrinth than with any Disney film, but kids will still enjoy its clever storytelling. In the end, it’s probably the adults who will get the most out of the film. (There’s also a 20-minute documentary film about the making of Pinocchio, and if you’re interested in the animation process, it’s a fascinating watch.)