Big-screen animation is starting to get more and more diverse. Gone are the days when every movie had the same style and was telling a pretty similar story. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem is just the latest example of the way this genre continues to reinvent itself.
The movie is set to hit theaters on August 4, and in honor of its debut, it seems like the perfect time to peruse a streaming service and see what animated movies there may evoke what Mutant Mayhem is bringing to theaters. These are three of the animated movies on Netflix that are most like Mutant Mayhem.
The Mitchells vs. the Machines (2021)
Set in the midst of a robot apocalypse, The Mitchells vs. the Machines tells the story of a family who is humanity’s last hope at staving off its own destruction. In spite of those seemingly high stakes, this movie is incredibly light on its feet, and filled with the kinds of smart animated jokes that more movies should attempt to replicate.
At its core, its really a story about a father and a daughter attempting to reconnect, only to discover that they’ve been closer to one another than they thought this whole time. It’s an animated treat that feels almost guaranteed to be pleasing to the whole family.
Puss in Boots: The Last Wish (2022)
The Shrek series may seem a little long in the tooth at this point, but The Last Wish reinvigorated the entire franchise. The movie follows its titular character after he discovers that he’s on the last of his nine lives, and must complete a quest in order to obtain another wish. The movie is a surprisingly tender look at Puss and what makes him tick, and it’s also one of the more stylishly animated movies in recent years. The action is sharp, it features genuinely interesting discussions of what it means to fear death, and a roster of great voice performers that includes Salma Hayek, Florence Pugh, and Heartstopper‘s Olivia Colman.
Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs (2009)
One of the most manic, entertaining animated movies ever made, Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs finds a really smart way to adapt this children’s story to the big screen. Telling the story of a failed inventor who tries to save his town from eating the same thing day after day by making food fall from the sky, the movie is exactly as silly as that premise makes it sound.
Featuring an outstanding central voice performance for from Barry‘s Bill Hader, and the sharp writing of Phil Lord and Chris Miller, Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs set the template for much of what great animation would look like over the next decade.
