Best Animated Movies of the 2000s

The best animated movies from 2000-2009. The decade that gave us Pixar's greatest hits. Our expert curated list features the best picks with streaming links, ratings, and honest reviews. Updated for 2026 with the latest releases and classic favorites.

What are the best animated movies of the 2000s?

Our curated list of best animated movies of the 2000s features the highest-rated and most popular picks. Updated for 2026 with streaming links.

Last Updated: March 2026

A Fox's Tale

2008★ 1.8

The film is about Little Vuk, the son of the legendary fox who proves its excellent mind and courage.

Spirited Away

2001★ 8.5

A young girl, Chihiro, becomes trapped in a strange new world of spirits. When her parents undergo a mysterious transformation, she must call upon the courage she never knew she had to free her family.

Shrek

2001★ 7.8

It ain't easy bein' green -- especially if you're a likable (albeit smelly) ogre named Shrek. On a mission to retrieve a gorgeous princess from the clutches of a fire-breathing dragon, Shrek teams up with an unlikely compatriot -- a wisecracking donkey.

Howl's Moving Castle

2004★ 8.4

Sophie, a young milliner, is turned into an elderly woman by a witch who enters her shop and curses her. She encounters a wizard named Howl and gets caught up in his resistance to fighting for the king.

The Lion King 1½

2004★ 6.6

Timon the meerkat and Pumbaa the warthog are best pals and the unsung heroes of the African savanna. This prequel to the smash Disney animated adventure takes you back -- way back -- before Simba's adventure began. You'll find out all about Timon and Pumbaa and tag along as they search for the perfect home and attempt to raise a rambunctious lion cub.

Up

2009★ 8.0

Carl Fredricksen spent his entire life dreaming of exploring the globe and experiencing life to its fullest. But at age 78, life seems to have passed him by, until a twist of fate (and a persistent 8-year old Wilderness Explorer named Russell) gives him a new lease on life.

Coraline

2009★ 7.9

Wandering her rambling old house in her boring new town, 11-year-old Coraline discovers a hidden door to a strangely idealized version of her life. In order to stay in the fantasy, she must make a frighteningly real sacrifice.

Monsters, Inc.

2001★ 7.8

Lovable Sulley and his wisecracking sidekick Mike Wazowski are the top scare team at Monsters, Inc., the scream-processing factory in Monstropolis. When a little girl named Boo wanders into their world, it's the monsters who are scared silly, and it's up to Sulley and Mike to keep her out of sight and get her back home.

Finding Nemo

2003★ 7.8

Nemo, an adventurous young clownfish, is unexpectedly taken from his Great Barrier Reef home to a dentist's office aquarium. It's up to his worrisome father Marlin and a friendly but forgetful fish Dory to bring Nemo home -- meeting vegetarian sharks, surfer dude turtles, hypnotic jellyfish, hungry seagulls, and more along the way.

WALL·E

2008★ 8.1

After hundreds of years doing what he was built for, WALL•E— a robot designed to clean up the earth—discovers a new purpose in life when he meets a sleek search robot named EVE. EVE comes to realize that WALL•E has inadvertently stumbled upon the key to the planet's future, and races back to space to report to the humans. Meanwhile, WALL•E chases EVE across the galaxy and sets into motion one of the most imaginative adventures ever brought to the big screen.

Ice Age

2002★ 7.4

Manny the mammoth, Sid the loquacious sloth, and Diego the sabre-toothed tiger go on a comical quest to return a human baby back to his father, across a world on the brink of an ice age.

Ratatouille

2007★ 7.8

Remy, a rat living in Paris, possesses a palate far more refined than that of his fellow comrades. He dreams of becoming a chef, determined to create culinary masterpieces rather than scavenge for scraps. When fate deposits him in the sewers beneath one of Paris’s most famous restaurants, he finds himself ideally placed to fulfill his dream. Forming an unusual alliance with a bumbling young kitchen worker, Remy begins a daring culinary double life. Together, they must outwit the scheming Head Chef Skinner, evade Remy’s disapproving colony, and impress renowned food critic Anton Ego, who strikes fear in the hearts of chefs all throughout France.

The Emperor's New Groove

2000★ 7.6

Emperor Kuzco is turned into a llama by his ex-administrator Yzma, and must now regain his throne and his human form with the help of Pacha, a gentle llama herder.

The Incredibles

2004★ 7.7

Bob Parr has given up his superhero days to log in time as an insurance adjuster and raise his three children with his formerly heroic wife in suburbia. But when he receives a mysterious assignment, it's time to get back into costume.

Madagascar

2005★ 6.9

Four animal friends get a taste of the wild life when they break out of captivity at the Central Park Zoo and wash ashore on the island of Madagascar.

Kung Fu Panda

2008★ 7.3

Chosen by prophecy but doubted by all, Po is an unlikely Dragon Warrior—a clumsy panda thrust into the world of kung fu as a deadly enemy threatens the Valley of Peace. Under reluctant guidance by Master Shifu and the Furious Five, Po must embrace who he is to unlock the power that no scroll can teach.

Shrek 2

2004★ 7.3

Happily ever after never seemed so far far away when a trip to meet the in-laws turns into a hilariously twisted adventure for Shrek and Fiona. With the help of his faithful Donkey, Shrek takes on a potion-brewing Fairy Godmother, the pompous Prince Charming, and the ogre-killer, Puss In Boots.

Cars

2006★ 7.0

Lightning McQueen, a hotshot rookie race car driven to succeed, discovers that life is about the journey, not the finish line, when he finds himself unexpectedly detoured in the sleepy Route 66 town of Radiator Springs. On route across the country to the big Piston Cup Championship in California to compete against two seasoned pros, McQueen gets to know the town's offbeat characters.

Ponyo

2008★ 7.8

When Sosuke, a young boy who lives on a clifftop overlooking the sea, rescues a stranded goldfish named Ponyo, he discovers more than he bargained for. Ponyo is a curious, energetic young creature who yearns to be human, but even as she causes chaos around the house, her father, a powerful sorcerer, schemes to return Ponyo to the sea.

Lilo & Stitch

2002★ 7.6

As Stitch, a runaway genetic experiment from a faraway planet, wreaks havoc on the Hawaiian Islands, he becomes the mischievous adopted alien "puppy" of an independent little girl named Lilo and learns about loyalty, friendship, and ʻohana, the Hawaiian tradition of family.

Frequently Asked Questions

You can stream them on Netflix, Amazon Prime, Disney+, Hotstar, Apple TV+ and more. Click "Watch Free" for direct links.

We update our movie lists regularly based on new releases, ratings, and streaming availability. Last updated March 2026.

Many of these movies are available on free trials of streaming platforms. Click Watch Free for the best available option.

The #1 pick is our top recommendation based on ratings, popularity, and critical acclaim. Check the full ranking above.

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