The Academy Award for best animated feature is often one of the most reliable sources for high-quality family films. And 2025 is no different. But not every animated feature film is appropriate for children. What should you know about this year’s nominees?
‘Flow’
The most beautiful of this year’s nominees is a modern fairy tale about a menagerie of animals surviving a post apocalyptic flood on a wooden dinghy. The twist is the animals act largely like animals.
The film teaches lessons on friendship, loyalty and overcoming our lesser natures.
The film has a gorgeous soundscape, but there is no talking. Which could make it more difficult for confused younger kids, but the film is appropriate for all ages. But it gave me the most gasps per minute of any film of the year, animated or otherwise.
‘The Wild Robot’
The runaway success story and most likely winner was also the most crowd-pleasing animated film of the year.
The story about a robot learning to love and parent not only entertained the children who saw it, but emotionally resonated with their parents watching along.
It taught lessons about perseverance, humanity, community and finding your place. And it avoided the anti-family tropes that films like this often fall into.
The final act is very tense, and probably too scary for kids under 5. But my 7-year-old reported he loved the movie: “It was so emotional.”
‘Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl’
The villain of “Wallace & Gromit” is a penguin with a glove on its head pretending to be a chicken. This is not what you usually think of when you imagine award-winning fare — it’s silly. And for kids, who will appreciate the expressive claymation characters, it’s lots of fun.
For this adventure, the dependable duo run into trouble with AI robots trying to replace the real relationships. It’s a timely lesson that could benefit many of us, kids included.
If you love dry, absurd humor, this will be an enjoyable watch for people of every age.
‘Inside Out 2’
The most commercially successful animated picture of the year is a bit of a mixed bag for families. It has positive lessons about managing anxiety and having control over your core identity.
But its themes tend to resonate more with older kids, and it implies our agency can be co-opted by strong emotions.
Nonetheless it is gorgeously rendered in classic Pixar style. It gives a glimpse into the next chapter for the beloved character Riley, and delivers a lot of the fun mind puns that made the first film such a big hit. For the right families it will certainly delight.
‘Memoir of a Snail’
The only R-rated nominee this year, “Memoir of a Snail” is an Australian stop-motion film that delves into the life of Grace Pudel, a snail who reflects on her tumultuous childhood and the traumas she endured.
The narrative addresses heavy subjects such as loss, abuse and personal struggle, making it a poignant (if perhaps indulgent) film for adult audiences. While the animation is creative and visually striking, due to its intense themes and somber tone, it’s not recommended for children.