Film

The Emoji Movie

A cheerful animated film about an emoji trying to find his place in a digital world. It's a bright, fast-paced family movie with celebrity voice work, aimed at young children who love phones, apps, and colour. Gentle and earnest, if occasionally relentless in its product placement.

TMDb rating2.7

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Inside Out2015

A Pixar film that makes the inside of a head vivid and funny. Emotions are characters with genuine arcs, the jokes work for adults, and the emotional core lands hard. Smart family filmmaking at its best.

But It's been everywhere. Also, if you don't connect with Riley's story early on, the abstract concepts might feel thin rather than moving.

Inside Out poster

Zootopia2016

A colourful, densely animated city full of characters and gags. The mystery plot keeps moving, the voice cast is excellent, and it finds room for real satire about prejudice without ever feeling preachy to kids.

But The animal-population politics can feel didactic if you're looking for pure silliness. Some pacing lulls in the second act.

Zootopia poster

The Lego Movie2014

A film that understands the joy of building, chaos, and absurdity. Endlessly inventive animation, a cast having genuine fun, and a script that layers jokes for parents over the mayhem. It moves like a sugar rush.

But The relentless energy exhausts some viewers. If you need quiet moments or subtle humour, this isn't it. Also heavy on product tie-ins, like what you're watching here.

The Lego Movie poster

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Adventure Time: Distant Lands2020

Both are animated worlds full of distinct digital characters learning who they are within a system. Adventure Time starts playful and gets real; this stays playful but hints at structure and meaning underneath.

A Cartoon Network series that starts as goofy kid comedy and becomes something stranger and darker. Episodes layer surreal humour, genuine pathos, and character development across seasons. The voice performances are warm and the emotional payoffs are earned.

But The early seasons are very silly and can test patience before the show finds its depth. It's a big time commitment—ten seasons. Some viewers find the later mythology-heavy seasons harder to follow than the early adventures.

Adventure Time: Distant Lands poster
More like this (7)

Wreck-It Ralph2012

A film about video game characters that understands arcade culture from the inside. It's got genuine warmth beneath the game-world visuals, an excellent central friendship, and enough nostalgia jokes to keep adults engaged.

But The video-game world premise means constant pop-culture references. If you don't care about gaming, you'll miss half the charm and some jokes will feel hollow.

Wreck-It Ralph poster

Shrek2001

An early DreamWorks film that proves animated comedies can be genuinely clever. It layers jokes for kids and adults, has surprisingly strong character work, and uses its fairytale premise to land real character beats alongside the chaos.

But It's older now, and the pop-music soundtrack dates it. Some jokes rely on very early-2000s sensibilities. The ogre-bathroom humour is exactly as gross as it sounds.

Shrek poster

Despicable Me2010

A film that makes its villain protagonist genuinely likeable and funny. The minions are absurd and endearing, Steve Carell's accent work is perfect, and it balances slapstick with real character growth. Surprisingly warm.

But It's slight on plot—really just a series of funny character moments strung together. Also the minions can wear thin if you're not already charmed by gibberish comedy.

Despicable Me poster

Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted2012

Pure exuberant chaos wrapped in a circus premise. The animation is gorgeous, the voice cast is loose and playful, and it commits fully to maximalist absurdity. Unafraid to be very dumb in very entertaining ways.

But There is almost no plot to speak of. It's animation and jokes and motion, with character development taking a back seat. If you need narrative weight, this will feel empty.

Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted poster

Sing2016

A film that genuinely loves its large ensemble cast and gives them real moments. The animation is fluid and expressive, the music choices are solid, and it's built around characters finding their voices—both literally and metaphorically.

But With so many characters, none get deep development. The plot is predictable and a little thin. It can feel like a showcase reel rather than a cohesive story.

Sing poster

Monsters University2013

A Pixar prequel that justifies its own existence by exploring how two characters became best friends. Genuinely funny, warmly animated, and it understands what it means to be left out—the emotional core is real.

But It's a prequel, so there are no stakes. You know where it ends up. Some viewers find it too slight compared to the original, lacking that film's deeper emotional moments.

Monsters University poster

Her2013

Both are fundamentally about digital relationships and the feeling of connection through screens. This treats it as emotional complexity; that treats it as cheerful. Opposite registers, same core question.

A film about finding connection through technology, shot with warmth and loneliness. It's intimate and strange, visually beautiful, and genuinely thoughtful about what it means to fall in love with something digital. Joaquin Phoenix's performance is remarkable.

But It's a slow, quiet film. No action, minimal plot momentum. If you're expecting something lively or need external conflict, this will feel static. The love story is between a man and an operating system.

Her poster

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