Curator Watchlist
A fast, funny, and genuinely heartfelt animated adventure that turns a family road trip into a big, colorful apocalypse. It stands out for its visual invention, emotional honesty, and a smart balance of chaos and warmth.
Where to watch: Buy
Thu · 1h 54m
Director: Mike Rianda
Starring: Abbi Jacobson, Danny McBride, Maya Rudolph
A quirky, dysfunctional family's road trip is upended when they find themselves in the middle of the robot apocalypse and suddenly become humanity's unlikeliest last hope.
Mike Rianda
Abbi Jacobson, Danny McBride, Maya Rudolph
A fast, funny, and genuinely heartfelt animated adventure that turns a family road trip into a big, colorful apocalypse. It stands out for its visual invention, emotional honesty, and a smart balance of chaos and warmth.
The Mitchells vs. the Machines is one of the rare animated studio movies that feels both wildly commercial and weirdly personal. It uses a robot-apocalypse premise as a delivery system for a very familiar family story: a daughter trying to outrun her father’s expectations, and a father learning how to listen before it’s too late.
What makes it pop is the filmmaking. The movie is packed with visual jokes, internet-age collage energy, and expressive animation that keeps finding new ways to surprise you. It’s chaotic in a deliberate way, but the emotion underneath is clear and sincere, which keeps the comedy from feeling disposable.
It can be a little broad in its messaging, and some of the tech satire is more enthusiastic than sharp. But the movie’s warmth, sincerity, and sheer creative confidence make those rough edges easy to forgive. It’s a crowd-pleaser with personality, and one of the better family animations of its era.
Sabrina 🏳️🌈🏳️⚧️ (4★) · 11873 likes
Most relatable character in fiction: a gay pretentious film bitch who hates their dad!
Katie Mitchell (5★) · 9038 likes
Imma go full Paul Schrader on this and rate my OWN movie five stars. *Also why isn't this listed in documentary? Gotta talk to the mods.
dselwyns (3.5★) · 8504 likes
For those of you saying this wasn't clearly gay enough: - Columbia logo literally shoots rainbows - what appears to be a parody of a Subaru - daddy issues - car lands in the dashcon ballpit - Le Tigre song - Y tu mama tambien parody dvd - Portrait of a Lady on Fire themed short film - "my parents haven't figured me out yet" - performative femininity/cowboy/ska phases - asks a girl to prom - pride pin - voiced
James (Schaffrillas) (4★) · 6823 likes
WHY IS SONY PICTURES ANIMATION SO GOOD AT MAKING MOVIES NOW
˗ˏˋ suspirliam ˊˎ˗ (4★) · 5311 likes
i think tarantino and scorsese could learn a thing or two from future best director winner katie mitchell
Shares the same sense of visual experimentation, pop-energy, and emotional sincerity wrapped in comic-book chaos.
A similarly manic, joke-dense animated adventure that hides a surprisingly tender family-and-identity core.
Another inventive studio animation about a young outsider pursuing self-expression against family expectations.
Matches the mix of superhero spectacle, family dysfunction, and brisk comic timing.
A close tonal cousin in its loud, affectionate depiction of a girl negotiating family pressure and selfhood.
A colorful, high-energy family adventure built around generational tension and adaptation to change.
For viewers who like animated absurdity, visual invention, and a sincere undercurrent about family support.
Combines slick action, emotional warmth, and a tech-forward setting with a strong found-family spirit.
A heartfelt sci-fi story where technology, empathy, and family healing intersect.
Shares the playful digital-age sensibility and a lead character wrestling with belonging and self-worth.
A crowd-pleasing adventure about a misfit child, a complicated parent relationship, and emotional growth.
For its sunny coming-of-age energy, friendship-centered warmth, and gentle outsider perspective.
family reconciliation, father-daughter conflict, coming-of-age, technology and connection, road trip, robot apocalypse, queer-coded identity, creative self-expression
animated comedy, family adventure, sci-fi chaos, coming-of-age, dysfunctional family, queer-friendly, internet-age humor, high-energy, heartfelt, visual invention