When most people think of animated films, industry heavyweights like Disney, Pixar and Dreamworks almost immediately come to mind. However, not every movie gets the fame and fortune of classics like “Shrek” and “Toy Story,” but there are people out there who adore them all the same. It seems there are more seeking out these hidden gems every day. 

Here is a list of five unbelievably great animated movies that definitely deserve more attention:

5. “Hop” (2011)

This might be cheating a little considering it’s a blend of live action and animation, but I still think there’s fun to be had with this movie. It stars a rabbit who’s next in line to become the Easter bunny, but he wants to be a drummer instead. He goes to Hollywood to make it big, all the while making a new friend who himself wants to become the first human Easter bunny. Despite its mixed critical reception, it’s a really fun movie if viewers don’t pay too much attention to its flaws. It’s an Easter tradition for many to watch this movie at least once on DVD each year.

4. “Meet The Robinsons” (2007)

As Walt Disney Animation Studios’ second fully CG film in their polarizing 2000s era, this movie felt like the first in a new age for the studio, especially with its theme of letting go of the past and looking to the future. The film is about an orphaned boy named Louis, who is about to give up on inventing after his latest creation fails. But then a boy from the future named Wilbur has to convince him otherwise. They time travel several decades later to meet his quirky family, all the while the villainous Bowler Hat Guy trails them. This movie has a good message, engaging characters and great music from Rufus Wainwright, Rob Thomas and prolific composer Danny Elfman. Plus, it technically has the only twist villain I ever cared for.

3. “Balto” (1995)

Loosely based on the true story of the 1925 Serum Run, the movie follows a wolf dog named Balto, who’s ostracized from the town of Nome because of his heritage. But when an outbreak of diphtheria strikes the town’s children, it’s up to Balto to lead the sled team and bring the medicine, all the while learning to accept himself. When it was initially released in theaters, it had the worst possible luck, being released at exactly the same time as the original “Toy Story.” Not only that, but its box office earnings were so poor that it ended up shutting down the studio, Steven Spielberg’s Amblimation, which was eventually restructured into what we know today as Dreamworks Animation. Bad luck aside, it’s a really sweet film with incredible performances from Kevin Bacon, Bob Hoskins, Bridget Fonda and Jim Cummings. Combined with beautiful animation and a magnificent score by the late, great James Horner, it’s the perfect treat for a winter’s day in.

2. “The Iron Giant” (1999)

Oh, boy, do I remember this one! I actually used to have the VHS and would watch it religiously as a kid, being one of the few non-Disney or Dreamworks movies I’d watch consistently. It’s the story of a boy named Hogarth who discovers and befriends a giant alien robot. With the help of a beatnik artist named Dean, Hogarth tries to keep the military and agent Kent Mansley from finding and destroying the giant. If the Oscar for Best Animated Feature were around in 1999, this would definitely be a strong contender, if not winner, of what has become disparagingly referred to as “The Disney Award” (because for the longest time either Disney or Pixar won every time). What I love about the film the most is the core concept of it all. During production of the film, director Brad Bird was coping with the death of his sister, who was shot and killed by her estranged husband. In researching the book the movie is based on, he discovered that the author, Ted Hughes, wrote it as means of comforting his children after his wife, Sylvia Plath, died by suicide. The metaphor of the title character being able to reassemble itself after being damaged formed the basis of Bird’s pitch to Warner Bros., which was based around the idea, “What if a gun had a soul, and didn’t want to be a gun?” It’s a classic story that’s sure to reignite your faith in humanity when you’re down, and is easily one of Warner Bros.’ best animated films.

1. “The Secret of NIMH” (1982)

I couldn’t make a list like this without putting this one at the top. It’s the story of a widowed mouse named Mrs. Brisby, who must move her house since the farmer will plow the field any day now. Her gravely ill son, Timothy, must stay inside, so she seeks the help of the rats who live in the rose bush. Unbeknownst to her, they hold a secret that involves her late husband, Jonathan. Now she must find the courage to save her family and the rats. It’s a beautifully dark tale of courage, faith and the moral responsibility that comes with intelligence. Perfectly accentuated with the gorgeous animation, excellent writing and sweeping score by Jerry Goldsmith, it’s a miracle to me that a movie like this even exists. It’s one that proves animation isn’t just a children’s genre, but rather a robust and all-encompassing art form for all ages. This was Don Bluth’s directorial debut after leaving Disney in 1979. He was dissatisfied with the rampant cost cutting and much less emotion driven films they were putting out at the time. Bluth wanted to bring back the masterful craftsmanship and storytelling of the golden age, and he absolutely succeeded. He’d later give us classics like “An American Tail,” “The Land Before Time” and “All Dogs Go To Heaven.” If there were a movie I would recommend to everyone, this is definitely it. It’s easily available to watch for free on Tubi, so I’d say go watch it if you haven’t already. Without a doubt, it’s one of the greatest underrated animated movies of all time.