TV Shows & Movies
Childhood Cartoons You Didn't Know Were Canadian
20. Blood Tea and Red String (2006)
Imagine if the Mad Hatter’s tea party got hijacked by stop-motion puppets crafted from a fever dream, and you’ve got Blood Tea and Red String. This beautifully bizarre, hand-made passion project by Christiane Cegavske feels like a lost fairy tale whispered through eerie, almost wordless storytelling. It’s a film where aristocratic white mice steal a doll from raggedy crow-like creatures, and things only get stranger from there. There’s no A-list voice cast here – just pure, handcrafted weirdness, which, honestly, is a flex. Every frame oozes with delicate, unsettling beauty, making it one of those “Wait, how have I never heard of this?” gems of stop-motion. It’s eerie, poetic, and utterly hypnotic, like a bedtime story that might actually keep you up at night. | © Stop-Motion Animation Laboratories
19. Frankenweenie (2012)
Tim Burton returning to his gothic, black-and-white, monster-movie roots? Yes, please! Frankenweenie takes the short film that young Burton made in the ‘80s and reanimates it into a full-length, stop-motion love letter to classic horror. When young Victor Frankenstein (played by Charlie Tahan) brings his beloved pup, Sparky, back to life, the whole town of weirdos – including a wonderfully morbid Winona Ryder and Martin Short – gets involved in the monstrous mayhem. The film is both an adorable pet story and a wonderfully spooky homage to old-school horror, with Burton’s signature mix of heart and creepiness. Also, Catherine O’Hara as a deranged teacher? Yes, more of that, please. It’s proof that sometimes, digging up the past can be a very good thing. | © Walt Disney Pictures / Tim Burton Productions
18. ParaNorman (2012)
Zombies? Check. Ghosts? Check. A weird kid who talks to the dead and saves his town from a 300-year-old witch’s curse? Double check. ParaNorman is the quirky, spooky, hilarious stop-motion adventure that cemented LAIKA as the modern kings of this painstaking craft. With Kodi Smit-McPhee voicing Norman, and Anna Kendrick as his over-it sister, the film is packed with clever horror nods and a surprisingly heartfelt message about understanding the misunderstood. Plus, John Goodman as a ghost-hunting weirdo? Sign us up. The animation is insanely detailed (seriously, look at Norman’s hair – it’s made of 200,000 individual strands!), and the humor lands just as well as the scares. If you like your Halloween movies with both heart and brains (and, uh, brain-eating zombies), this one’s a must-watch. | © LAIKA
17. Marcel The Shell With Shoes On (2021)
A sentient, one-inch-tall shell voiced by Jenny Slate? A stop-motion mockumentary that somehow makes you cry over a googly-eyed mollusk? Welcome to Marcel The Shell With Shoes On, the most absurdly touching movie you didn’t know you needed. Based on the viral shorts, this expanded feature turns Marcel’s tiny world into something profoundly big. With Isabella Rossellini as his loving Nana Connie, and a live-action turn from director Dean Fleischer Camp, the film blends reality and animation in a way that makes you believe Marcel could actually be living in your house, under your couch. It’s quirky, it’s existential, and it might just be the most wholesome thing ever put on screen. Don’t let the size fool you – Marcel’s little sneakers carry a whole lot of heart. | © A24
16. Kubo and the Two Strings (2016)
If Kubo and the Two Strings were a painting, it would belong in a museum. LAIKA pulled out all the stops with this jaw-droppingly gorgeous samurai epic, filled with origami magic, mythical creatures, and more emotional gut punches than you’d expect from a stop-motion flick. Art Parkinson (aka little Rickon Stark from Game of Thrones) voices Kubo, who embarks on a perilous journey with a talking monkey (Charlize Theron, effortlessly cool) and a giant beetle warrior (Matthew McConaughey, in full charming mode). The visuals are unreal – just knowing the massive skeleton puppet was actually built makes it even more impressive. It’s adventurous, melancholic, and proof that LAIKA never settles for anything less than breathtaking. Also, if you don’t cry during Regina Spektor’s cover of While My Guitar Gently Weeps, do you even have a heart? | © LAIKA
15. Mad God (2021)
If nightmares had a creative director, it would be Mad God. Phil Tippett, the legendary visual effects wizard behind Star Wars and Jurassic Park, spent 30 years crafting this wordless, grotesque, and utterly mesmerizing stop-motion fever dream. It’s not so much a movie as it is a descent into a beautifully horrifying hellscape, where mutated creatures, abandoned civilizations, and creepy little men in gas masks roam. There are no celebrity voices here – just Tippett’s sheer madness in motion, proving that stop-motion can be as unsettling as any horror film. It’s weird, it’s grimy, and it feels like peering into the subconscious of a genius who’s seen too much. Basically, it’s The Nightmare Before Christmas for people who think The Nightmare Before Christmas is too cheerful. | © Tippett Studio
14. Wallace & Gromit films (1989 - 2024)
Cracking good time, indeed! Wallace, the cheese-obsessed, slightly clueless inventor, and Gromit, his infinitely more competent dog, have been charming audiences since 1989 with their delightful, absurdly British antics. Created by the legendary Nick Park and brought to life by Aardman Animations, the duo’s adventures – whether facing off against a sinister penguin (The Wrong Trousers, 1993), a mechanical sheep-shearing menace (A Close Shave, 1995), or an entire vegetable-growing contest in jeopardy (The Curse of the Were-Rabbit, 2005) – are pure stop-motion magic. Peter Sallis (and later Ben Whitehead) gives Wallace his endearing voice, while Gromit, in classic silent film tradition, says everything with a single, exasperated glance. These films are a warm cup of tea on a rainy day, with a side of Wensleydale cheese. | © Aardman Animations
13. James and the Giant Peach (1996)
Before Henry Selick terrified an entire generation with Coraline, he gifted us this wonderfully weird adaptation of Roald Dahl’s James and the Giant Peach. Mixing live-action and stop-motion, the film follows James (Paul Terry) as he escapes his miserable life with his terrible aunts and sails across the Atlantic inside a – well, a giant peach, obviously. Along for the ride are a stylish spider (Susan Sarandon), a dapper grasshopper (Simon Callow), and a delightfully theatrical centipede (Richard Dreyfuss). Oh, and Randy Newman’s musical numbers? Absolute earworms. It’s a little creepy, a little sweet, and totally magical, proving that stop-motion could make even a fruit-based voyage feel like an epic adventure. | © Walt Disney Pictures / Skellington Productions
12. Anomalisa (2015)
Charlie Kaufman making a stop-motion movie? Of course, it was never going to be just another quirky animated flick. Anomalisa is existential dread in puppet form – a deeply human (and deeply unsettling) story about loneliness, identity, and the terrifying monotony of life. David Thewlis voices Michael, a man who sees and hears everyone around him as the same person (all voiced by Tom Noonan) until he meets Lisa (Jennifer Jason Leigh), the only person who sounds different. The animation is astonishingly realistic, making the film’s exploration of love and self-perception all the more haunting. It’s hilarious, devastating, and, at times, so painfully awkward you’ll want to crawl out of your skin – just like any good Kaufman story should be. | © Starburns Industries
11. My Life as a Zucchini (2016)
Don’t let the cutesy character designs fool you – My Life as a Zucchini is an emotional gut-punch wrapped in charming stop-motion. This Swiss-French animated film follows a young orphan named Icare (nicknamed "Zucchini") as he navigates life in a foster home filled with other kids carrying heavy pasts. It’s tender, funny, and heartbreakingly real, proving that animation can tell complex, deeply human stories just as well as live-action. The English dub features Will Forte and Nick Offerman, but honestly, the original French version is where the emotions hit hardest. It’s one of those rare films that makes you cry but also leaves you feeling warm and hopeful – like a hug in stop-motion form. | © Blue Spirit Productions
10. Memoir of a Snail (2024)
In Memoir of a Snail, director Adam Elliot invites us into the peculiar life of Grace Pudel, a woman whose affinity for snails is matched only by the quirks of her existence. Voiced by the talented Sarah Snook, Grace navigates a series of misadventures in 1970s Australia, from a childhood marked by loss to an adulthood filled with eccentric companions. The film boasts a stellar Australian cast, including Kodi Smit-McPhee as her twin brother Gilbert, and the legendary Jacki Weaver as Pinky, Grace's spirited confidante. Eric Bana lends his voice to James, adding depth to this richly textured narrative. Elliot's signature stop-motion style brings a tactile authenticity to the story, making every frame a testament to handcrafted artistry. It's a poignant exploration of human frailty, resilience, and the unexpected bonds that shape our lives. | © Screen Australia / Arenamedia
9. Tim Burton's Corpse Bride (2005)
Only Tim Burton could make necromancy look this charming. In Corpse Bride, we follow Victor (voiced by Johnny Depp) as he accidentally proposes to a deceased bride, Emily (voiced by Helena Bonham Carter), and gets whisked away to the Land of the Dead – a place far more lively than the dreary world of the living. The film showcases Burton's signature gothic whimsy, with Danny Elfman's musical numbers adding a macabre sparkle. The stop-motion animation is so fluid you'd think the puppets were alive – well, more alive than usual. It's a tale of love, loss, and the occasional dancing skeleton, reminding us that sometimes, the afterlife is where the party's at. | © Warner Bros. Pictures / Tim Burton Productions
8. The Wolf House (2018)
The Wolf House is what happens when a fairy tale gets trapped in a Salvador Dalí painting and decides to make a horror movie. This Chilean-German stop-motion masterpiece tells the story of María, a young woman who escapes a German colony in Chile and finds refuge in a house that’s as unstable as her psyche. The film's animation style is a constantly morphing dreamscape, with walls and characters that transform in real-time, creating an unsettling yet mesmerizing experience. It's less about celebrity voices and more about the art, immersing you in a world where the boundaries of reality are as fluid as the paint used to create it. Watching it feels like stepping into someone else's haunting, beautiful nightmare – and not wanting to leave. | © Diluvio / Globo Rojo Films
7. Isle of Dogs (2018)
Wes Anderson's Isle of Dogs is a quirky, meticulously crafted love letter to canines and Japanese cinema. Set in a dystopian future where dogs are exiled to Trash Island due to a canine flu, the film follows a young boy, Atari, on his quest to find his loyal dog, Spots. The star-studded voice cast includes Bryan Cranston as the gruff stray Chief, along with Edward Norton, Bill Murray, and Jeff Goldblum lending their voices to the island's furry inhabitants. Scarlett Johansson voices Nutmeg, a show-dog with a mysterious past, adding a touch of glamour to the motley crew. Anderson's signature symmetrical visuals and dry humor are on full display, making this stop-motion adventure both a visual and emotional treat. It's a testament to the unbreakable bond between humans and their four-legged friends, all wrapped up in a package that's as meticulously groomed as a prize-winning poodle. | © American Empirical Pictures / Indian Paintbrush
6. Chicken Run (2000)
Who knew a poultry prison break could be so clucking entertaining? Chicken Run introduces us to a group of hens plotting their escape from Tweedy's Egg Farm before they become the main ingredient in chicken pies. Leading the charge is Ginger (voiced by Julia Sawalha), who teams up with Rocky, a flying rooster voiced by Mel Gibson, bringing his signature bravado to the barnyard. The film's stop-motion animation is classic Aardman, with expressive characters and a distinctly British wit. It's a delightful romp that combines the tension of a prison escape movie with the charm of a farmyard fable, proving once and for all that chickens are anything but, well, chicken. | © DreamWorks Animation / Aardman Animations
5. Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009)
Leave it to Wes Anderson to take a classic Roald Dahl story and turn it into a meticulously crafted, autumn-hued stop-motion feast. Fantastic Mr. Fox follows the cunning Mr. Fox (voiced by George Clooney, oozing charm as always) as he tries to outwit three villainous farmers – Boggis, Bunce, and Bean – while keeping his wild instincts in check. Meryl Streep brings wisdom and warmth as Mrs. Fox, while Bill Murray, Jason Schwartzman, and Willem Dafoe round out the delightfully quirky cast. Every frame of this film looks like it belongs in an art museum, with Anderson’s signature symmetrical compositions and deadpan humor making even a heist story about woodland creatures feel impossibly elegant. And let’s not forget the iconic “Whack-Bat” game – does anyone actually understand the rules? No. Does it matter? Absolutely not. | © Indian Paintbrush / 20th Century Fox
4. Mary and Max (2009)
Heartbreaking yet darkly funny, Mary and Max is a love letter to odd friendships and beautifully imperfect people. This Australian stop-motion gem tells the story of Mary, a lonely girl in Melbourne, and Max, an overweight man with Asperger’s living in New York, who form a lifelong pen-pal friendship. The late, great Philip Seymour Hoffman voices Max with heartbreaking sincerity, while Toni Collette lends her voice to the grown-up Mary, making the film an emotional rollercoaster of innocence, isolation, and unexpected connection. Director Adam Elliot crafts a world of muted browns and grays, mirroring the melancholy of its characters, but don’t be fooled – there’s plenty of dark humor sprinkled in. It’s weird, it’s touching, and it’ll leave you a sobbing mess (in the best way possible). | © Melodrama Pictures
3. Coraline (2009)
What if Alice in Wonderland was a horror movie? Enter Coraline, the deliciously creepy adaptation of Neil Gaiman’s novel that made an entire generation terrified of buttons. Dakota Fanning voices Coraline, an adventurous girl who discovers a parallel world that seems too good to be true – because it is. Teri Hatcher absolutely slays (literally) as the Other Mother, who starts off as the perfect mom but quickly morphs into a nightmarish spider-woman with needle fingers. LAIKA’s first feature film set the gold standard for modern stop-motion, with incredibly detailed puppetry, spooky-yet-beautiful visuals, and a genuinely unsettling atmosphere. The ghost children? The hand-scuttling like a spider? The feeling of “Wait, was this really meant for kids?” – all absolute perfection. | © LAIKA
2. Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio (2022)
Did the world need another Pinocchio adaptation? Before 2022, probably not. But then Guillermo del Toro came along, sprinkled in some fascism, existential dread, and stop-motion wizardry, and suddenly, yes, we needed this Pinocchio. Voiced by Gregory Mann, this version of the wooden boy is much wilder, more chaotic, and far more emotionally complex than the Disney versions. David Bradley lends a heartbreakingly gruff performance as Geppetto, while Ewan McGregor’s Sebastian J. Cricket steals scenes with his suave, overly philosophical musings. Oh, and Cate Blanchett voices a monkey – because, why not? Del Toro’s Pinocchio is visually stunning, deeply poignant, and a testament to the fact that stop-motion can be just as powerful – if not more so – than any live-action epic. | © Netflix / ShadowMachine
1. Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)
Was there ever any doubt? The Nightmare Before Christmas isn’t just a stop-motion classic – it’s a cultural phenomenon. Directed by Henry Selick (though forever associated with Tim Burton), this Halloween-meets-Christmas masterpiece follows Jack Skellington (voiced by Chris Sarandon, with Danny Elfman providing the singing voice), the Pumpkin King of Halloween Town, who decides to hijack Christmas with disastrous results. Catherine O’Hara is pitch-perfect as Sally, the ragdoll with a crush on Jack, while Ken Page’s Oogie Boogie remains one of the most delightfully evil villains in animation history. Every frame is dripping with gothic beauty, every song is an earworm, and the animation – crafted frame by painstaking frame – still looks breathtaking 30 years later. This is Halloween? No, this is stop-motion perfection. | © Touchstone Pictures / Skellington Productions
