Collider has compiled a feature spotlighting ten "near-perfect" animated short films released over the past five years, celebrating a format the article argues is chronically overlooked despite its ability to convey powerful emotion in a brief runtime. The piece highlights how these projects, often made by students or small teams, demonstrate that both stop-motion and 2D animation remain vital and inventive art forms even as major studios lean towards computer-generated features.

Among the shorts singled out are Black Eyed Dog (2023), a stop-motion piece with a Tim Burton-esque style about a man's childhood obsession with a monster; Farewell, a Studio Ghibli-inspired 2D college thesis film from 2026 praised for its painterly backgrounds; Under the Thicket, a dialogue-free work by Caleb Worcester made over the course of a year; Boy, I'm Scared, a poignant depiction of friendship by Lindsey Tenaglia; and Snubbed, a lighter tale from directors Jesse Braak and Kian Sherritt about squabbling performers angering a local deity.

– Feature celebrates ten standout animated shorts from the last five years, not strictly ranked
– Stop-motion entry Black Eyed Dog (2023) draws comparisons to Tim Burton's style
– Farewell (2026) is a Ghibli-inspired 2D thesis film praised for its artistry
– Under the Thicket and Boy, I'm Scared showcase emotional storytelling without heavy dialogue