Stop-motion animation is still a great art form to create cleverly executed, deeply thoughtful and thoroughly imaginative stories. The lifespan of stop-motion animated films has sadly felt its decline after the underperformance of Laika’s Missing Link and the release of Aardman’s A Shaun the Sheep Movie: Farmageddon in Netflix.

Nevertheless, stop-motion, both in movies and television, remains a visually interesting art form that pushes the envelope for animation. To honor this medium, here are the ten best stop-motion animated films of the 2010s, ranked according to their Rotten Tomatoes rating. Reflecting on these movies, each film is worth checking out.

The Pirates! Band Of Misfits (86%)

Though it is not close to Aardman’s finest works, The Pirates! Band of Misfits (or In An Adventure with Scientists!) is a dashing adventure from 2012. A breath of fresh air from the dominance of Pirates in the Caribbean in the subject matter of pirates in film, it is a clever and fun trek that relies on the kinetic animation, neat character designs and the classic British humor.

This is boosted by its talented voice cast that includes Hugh Grant as the vain Pirate Captain, David Tennant as an insecure Charles Darwin and Imelda Staunton as an evil Queen Victoria.

Frankenweenie (87%)

It should be reiterated that Tim Burton did not direct The Nightmare Before Christmas, only produce it, as Henry Selick directed the animated classic. But he did had two shots to direct stop-motion animated films. One is Corpse Bride from 2005, and the other is 2012’s Frankenweenie, based on his 1984 Disney short.

This tale of a boy wanting to bring his dog back to life is a deep dive to Burton’s flair for the macabre and Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein. It helps that the studio who helped catapult his career gave him the opportunity to direct this hidden horror-themed gem.

ParaNorman (88%)

2012 has really been a fruitful year for stop-motion animated films and horror-themed animation. And Laika made the best of them with ParaNorman. From its opening grindhouse-themed fake film to its thought-provoking look of acceptance, this has all the ingredients of a modern animated classic that deserves more attention.

This is the first stop-motion film to employ 3D-printed character models, which becomes a standard practice for Laika. And the attention of detail really shows on its character design, its character expressions, and its minimal visual effects. And the attention to aesthetics does not deter from its gratifying story and empathetic protagonist.

Speaking of Laika, here is one must-see animated film that may have failed in the box office but has received some attention during the recent awards season, especially with its surprising win in the Golden Globes for Best Animated Film. It seems peculiar that it received that pedigree, considering the saturation of animated films centered on Bigfoot.

Yet Missing Link (2019) is also a fun-filled adventure with intricate details plastered on its animated movements, the creatures’ fur, and the colorful environments. The voice cast is also great with Hugh Jackman, Zoe Saldana, Timothy Olyphant, and Zach Galifianakis as the titular character.

Isle Of Dogs (90%)

For his second animated effort in 2018, Wes Anderson brought his own version of a dystopian post-imperialist Japan to life. It was not without controversy with its stereotypical depiction of Japanese culture and the unorthodox mishmash of English and Japanese language.

Regardless, it was a fun black comedy that follows a boy named Atari who teamed up with five dogs (with main dog Chief, voiced by Bryan Cranston) to search for his dog Spots, who is dumped in a toxic island (along with other dogs). As usual, Anderson’s attention to detail is incredible, and his signature use of symmetry is everpresent. 

Anomalisa (92%)

This is one that every cinephile remembers by the end of the decade as one of the best animated film of the 2010s. And it truly deserves more attention for being raw and powerful. Based on his own teleplay, writer Charlie Kaufman directed this heartbreaking romance about a lonely motivational speaker who found his worth from his encounter of a woman named Lisa, Everyone else looks the same for Michael Stone, but Lisa is the most extraordinary of all.

Done by the same team who created Community’s stop-motion segments, Anomalisa engaged well on its simplistic animation but earnest human story.

Kubo And The Two Strings (97%)

For animation fans, Kubo and the Two Strings (2016) may be the best stop-motion animated film of the 2010s, and Laika at their creative zenith. With a captivating story that almost feels native to Japanese culture, the film excels on both aesthetic and narrative level. 

Laika raised the standard on stop-motion animation with the advancement of special effects, the heavy scale on sets (including a 16-foot puppet) and the intricacy of its animation. And it helps with its powerful story of family, heroism and legacy, backed by a terrific voice cast that includes Charlize Theron, Art Parkinson, and Matthew McConaughey. 

A Shaun the Sheep Movie: Farmageddon (98%)

It is of great pleasure to report that the second Shaun the Sheep movie, subtitled Farmageddon (2019), is a worthy sequel. Like the first movie, this flick about the playful Shaun continued the charm of the titular sheep and his herd as they encounter a mischievous female alien and goes through lengths to send her back to her planet.

While the movie almost goes in the same steps as E.T. The Extraterrestrial, its true strengths are on the charming animation that continued the visual storytelling that Shaun the Sheep is best at. Give it a watch on Netflix for this month.

My Life As A Zucchini (Ma Vie De Courgette) (98%)

Not every animated film is for everyone. Take the aforementioned Anomalisa and the next entry, My Life as a Zucchini (2016), which will not only tug on the heartstrings but also shed light on the importance of helping each other in dealing with heavy emotions.

A Swiss entry for Best Animated Film for the 2017 Oscars, this film centers on a young boy who grapples on the loss of a parent by learning to trust and appreciate kids in his orphanage. In every scene, it will be hard to let go off the emotional baggage. Yet, it helps deal with it.

Shaun The Sheep Movie (99%)

Finally, the highest-rated stop-motion film is about the misadventures of a playful sheep and his equally playful herd as they search for their missing farmer. It really is gratifying that this film was stemmed from a Wallace & Gromit short that spawned off a charming animated series, which produced two quality animated films.

But that is the enduring appeal of Shaun the Sheep Movie that is wholly present in his first film outing. With its strength on visual storytelling, funny gags, lovable characters and emotional moments, it is hard not to root for Shaun, Bitzer, Timmy and the herd.