Migration
The Super Mario Bros. Movie might have gotten all of the attention for Illumination in 2023, but the studio’s best feature last year was Migration.
This adventure follows a family of mallard ducks, led by an anxiety-riddled and insecure father, who leave their pond for winter for the very first time. Things get turned upside down when they get redirected into the city instead, and they have to battle unexpected elements to get where they’re trying to go.
Onward
Between The Garfield Movie and The Super Mario Bros. Movie, Chris Pratt has been on a strong run with animated movies. His best vocal performance, though, can be found in Onward. Pixar’s Dungeons & Dragons inspired movie about two brothers trying to connect with their late father came out at a horrible time. The film was one of the very last to hit theaters before the start of the pandemic in 2020, so it didn’t sell a lot of tickets.
Don’t let that sway you, though, because Onward is relentlessly delightful. It’s got as much heart as it does humor, which says a lot because it’s hilarious. Pratt voices Barley, the older of the two brothers, in what is probably his best performance as a voice actor. The younger brother, Ian, is voiced by Tom Holland.
The Peanuts Movie
Like The Garfield Movie, The Peanuts Movie is another iconic comic strip adapted into an animated feature for the big screen.
The Peanuts TV specials from decades prior are much better than the CG animated film that came out in 2015, but it’s still a fun movie that brings the nostalgia of those beloved newspaper cartoons.
The Emperor’s New Groove
If you want a family-friendly animated movie that really prioritizes comedy, you can’t do much better than The Emperor’s New Groove.
This is a movie that was misunderstood when it first came out, largely because it came at the end of the Disney renaissance. That era was defined by big, moving musicals, which is originally what The Emperor’s New Groove was intended to be. It was supposed to be a movie called Kingdom of the Sun and would’ve had a lot in common with The Lion King. When it became clear the film wasn’t working, there was a hard pivot to focus on the sillier, comedic elements of the adventure that were consistently bringing big laughs. The result was a big departure from what Disney was doing at the time and a true comedy that has kept fans entertained for more than 20 years.
Lilo & Stitch
Lilo & Stitch’s new movie is almost here!
– Disney)
The Garfield Movie, at its core, is a movie about family figuring out how to care for one another, though it doesn’t exactly do a great job of telling that story. Lilo & Stitch, however, is a perfect depiction of family learning what it means to stick together.
This is another post-renaissance comedy from Disney, but unlike The Emperor’s New Groove, Lilo & Stitch has a very touching story about family at its center.
The Secret Life of Pets 2
If part of what you loved about The Garfield Movie were the domesticated animals at the center of the story, Illumination’s Secret Life of Pets sequel is full of them.
And yes, this suggestion is specific to The Secret Life of Pets 2. The first movie is just not very good, often feeling like a retread of Toy Story but with dogs and cats. The sequel branches out into some new territory and, more importantly, has Harrison Ford.
Orion and the Dark
If you caught The Garfield Movie on Netflix and are looking for something else on the service to throw on or put in your watchlist, there’s a solid chance Orion and the Dark is a new one for you.
It didn’t get a ton of attention when it was released earlier this year, but Orion and the Dark is a wonderful animated adventure from Netflix that will resonate with both kids and adults.
