15 Best Movies About Animals That You Should Watching Update 04/2024

Movies About Animals

People adore movies with animals in them and these are the ones that remain popular with audiences of all ages.

It’s not hard to see why moviegoers are so fond of animals. When they’re the focus of the plot, they seem to light up the screen. It doesn’t matter if it’s an animated fantasy film with talking animals, or if it’s a real-life critter on a wild journey.

A good tale or message was paired with the on-screen antics in the best animal flicks, and they’ve rated well on IMDb because of it. The eternal appeal of these instant classics can be enjoyed by audiences of all ages. At the very least, they can heighten one’s appreciation for all of life’s facets.

As of September 14, 2021, Derek Draven has added: The number of films that feature animals is a cause for celebration for animal-lovers. Animal-driven films may both enthrall and scare the viewer. Whatever type of movies you prefer: animal-love stories or terrifying tales of savaged creatures, everyone can find something to like. More classic animal films have been added to this list, all of which have a unique significance. While each film has its own unique message, they all share a sense of pleasure and excitement that is impossible to produce if the tale is driven solely by human actors.

15. The Adventures Of Milo & Otis (1986) – 7.0

The Adventures Of Milo & Otis (1986)

In the 1980s, Milo & Otis is still one of the most memorable animal-centric films, because to its adorableness and touching tale. Cat and pug-nosed pups get separated and try to find each other in Dudley Moore’s narrated film about their search for each other.

There are some bumps in the road for both kitten and puppy as they grow up and mature into adults. The film’s sole drawbacks are allegations of animal maltreatment during filming (from multiple Australian newspapers), none of which have been proven. Despite its flaws, this is a fantastic film.

14. Lady And The Tramp (1955) – 7.3

Lady and the Tramp is definitely one of Disney’s most popular animated classics, boasting some of the company’s best animation and a timeless love story. For the price of admission alone, the spaghetti and meatball dinner scene has become a pop cultural legend.

When two dogs from very different backgrounds meet and begin on adventures together, they fall in love. In a word, it’s everything of the above: funny, exciting, heartwarming and romantic.

13. Bambi (1942) – 7.3

Bambi, one of Disney’s most cherished early animated flicks, premiered in the West in 1942. Animation, magnificent hand-painted backgrounds, and an emotionally powerful story about the cycle of life make this film a piece of art.

When Bambi’s mother is shot by hunters and he has to grow up to be a leader in his own right, the film follows. Some of the most heartwarming sequences are a young Bambi skating on a frozen lake with his rabbit pal Thumper.

12. March of the Penguins (2005) – 7.5

March of the Penguins (2005)

March of the Penguins, a 2005 documentary narrated by Morgan Freeman, illustrates this point. At the conclusion of summer in Antarctica, a group of emperor penguins begin their lives in the video.

It’s a delight for the eyes to see the penguins’ mating rituals and the journey from egg to hatchling as they migrate to nesting grounds.

One of nature’s most mysterious creatures is the subject of this fascinating and delightful documentary.

11. Rise of the Planet of the Apes (2011) – 7.6

Prequel to 1968’s original Planet of the Apes, which featured Charlton Heston, Rise of the Planet of the Apes is one of the best prequels in cinematic history. When a geneticist is seeking to treat Alzheimer’s disease, she unintentionally sets off a series of events that will have catastrophic ramifications for the entire human species.

By developing great cognitive and intellectual abilities, Caesar sets out to release the other members of his kind from their cages. This is the beginning of a dystopian sci-fi series that will have you gripped from beginning to end.

10. The Birds (1963) – 7.7

Alfred Hitchcock’s 1963 horror masterpieceThe Birds isn’t the first great film to include creatures that aren’t friendly or cuddly.

It’s a plausible video that makes you wonder what might happen if all of Earth’s bird species turned violent overnight.

As a result of their sheer numbers, the birds of prey are able to overrun humans with frightening ease. It’s Hitchcock’s characteristic suspense building at work in this film, generating an immediate horror classic that hits very, very close to home.”

9. The Bear (1988) – 7.7

The Bear (1988)

The Bear, a 1988 film by Jean-Jacques Annaud, tells the story of an orphaned bear cub who stumbles from misadventure to misadventure. With the help of live-action bears, the film was able to achieve a level of authenticity that its peers could only dream of.

As a father figure to the newborn youngster, Bart, a gigantic Alaskan Kodiak bear, also appeared in the film. At one point in the film, a massive Kodiak bear threatens to kill an unsuspecting hunter, only to save him and use the opportunity to demonstrate the need of conservation to the hunter.

8. Paddington 2 (2017) – 7.8

With Paddington 2, the family-friendly story of Paddington bear and his adventures with his new friends the Browns, the sequel to the original film managed to beat the previous film in every way. All the best parts of the first film are used to create a sequel that is just as enjoyable.

Paddington is now a part of the family and the town where he lives in the sequel. Paddington goes to tremendous and wonderful measures to get the book he wants to buy for his aunt’s birthday before the big day arrives. This is a great story for the whole family.

7. Life of Pi (2012) – 7.9

Ang Lee directed Life of Pi, a film based on Yann Martel’s best-selling novel of the same name, and it was one of his most ambitious endeavors. When their boat bringing his family and their animals from India to Canada sinks, we follow Pi, a teenage boy.

Only Pi and his Bengal tiger, as well as an orangutan, zebra, and hyena, made it out alive. The Tiger eventually swallows the others, leaving only Pi to accept their circumstances and work together to endure the awful ordeal.

6. Zootopia (2016) – 8.0

Zootopia (2016)

The story of Judy Hopps, a police rabbit in the city of Zootopia, is told through the eyes of a group of anthropomorphized animals. Nick Wilde, a cunning fox, helps her prove her mettle as a police officer in the large metropolis.

Comedy and animated action combine to make for an entertaining film that also serves as a humorous morality story about acceptance and making judgments about individuals based on their character traits. It serves as a sobering lesson for people of all ages, not just youngsters.

5. Jaws (1975) – 8.0

To this day, audiences are still scared by the original summer blockbuster, Jaws. During the height of summer, a great white shark threatens the residents of a tiny tourist town, causing true fear in the hearts of the people who live there. The local police chief, a marine biologist, and a blue-collar fisherman set out to eliminate it after it had eaten numerous victims.

While there isn’t much in the way of gore or action, there is plenty of humour and a cast that has been around for decades who are easy to root for. There’s also a terrifying, believable animal opponent to keep things interesting. Great white sharks were treated unfairly in the film, but it was still a fantastic piece of work.

4. Hachi: A Dog’s Tale (2009) – 8.1

A professor who finds an abandoned Akita and decides to take it home tells the story of Richard Gere in an uncommonly different style of film for the actor. It turns out that Professor Kobayashi has died after having suffered a deadly stroke, leaving Hachi to mourn the loss of his best friend.

There is a lot of symbolism in this film, but the emotional weight is what makes it stick with you long after the credits have rolled. If you’ve ever had a close relationship with an animal, Hachi is a film you’ll definitely want to see.

3. Finding Nemo (2003) – 8.1

Finding Nemo (2003)

A beautiful and timeless narrative of family and friendship and the ties that bind, Finding Nemo remains one of Pixar’s crowning efforts. Nemo, a small fish, gets separated from his family and is forced to embark on a dangerous quest to find them.

Pixar’s signature humor is also evident in the picture, making audiences plenty of laugh-out-loud moments in the midst of the heartfelt and affecting story. Finding Dori, a follow-up to Finding Nemo, is full of memorable and amusing lines from the original film.

2. Jurassic Park (1993) – 8.1

Before 1993, Hollywood had previously used dinosaurs in a number of films, but Jurassic Park revolutionized everything. This film, based on a Michael Crichton novel, is one of Steven Spielberg’s greatest. It depicts an island theme park invaded by prehistoric animals.

The dinosaurs in Jurassic Park were brought to life using Spielberg’s combination of early CGI and animatronics. Fans couldn’t get enough of witnessing Earth’s early residents devour poor human victims, and it was thrilling, overpowering, and exhausting in the best conceivable manner.

1. The Lion King (1994) – 8.5

The Lion King (1994)

Regardless of how impressive Pixar’s CGI is, hand-drawn animation will always be superior. A live-action version of the story of Simba and Mufasa was released in 2019, albeit with less fanfare than the original.

For Disney, The Lion King served as the last hurrah before the company shifted its concentration to computer-generated imagery (CG). It was a seminal film of the 1990s, and a resounding success for Disney even today.