10 Animated Movies Like In Your Dreams You Must See

Directed by Erik Benson and Alexander Woo, ‘In Your Dreams’ follows Stevie, a mature and responsible young girl, and her younger brother Elliot, a fun-loving magic enthusiast. At a time when the children are worried that their parents’ marriage is falling apart, they discover a book about the Sandman, a powerful entity that can make dreams come true. As they drift off to sleep, wishing that the story is true, they get whisked off to the land of dreams, with fantastical creatures and abstract landscapes. There, Elliot is reunited with the quippy Baloney Tony, his favorite stuffed animal from when he was a baby. Tony guides the children through the ever-changing dreamworld to meet the Sandman, who supposedly has the power to save their parents’ relationship. The Netflix animated adventure comedy film brings to life the fantastic dreams and nightmares shared by children everywhere. If you are in search of more films similar to ‘In Your Dreams,’ the following list will help you get started.

10. Wreck-It Ralph (2012)

Set in the world of arcade video games, the Rich Moore directorial ‘Wreck-It Ralph’ centers around the titular character, who is the antagonist of his game. Seeing the adoration bestowed upon the good guy in his game, Fix-It Felix, Ralph gets jealous and feels terrified of his own life. He decides to be a hero and sets out to win a medal, believing that it is what will turn his life around. Leaving his own game, he visits other games in the arcade and finally comes across Sugar Rush, a racing game where the world is made of confectionery and where it is supposedly easy to win a game. There, he comes across Vanellope von Schweetz, a glitching character who is also looking for a win. Like the children in ‘In Your Dreams,’ Ralph is also on a mission to get his life sorted as he travels through the fantasy worlds alongside Vanellope, who decides to join him.

9. Coco (2017)

Helmed by Lee Unkrich and Adrian Molina, ‘Coco’ follows Miguel, a young boy from Mexico who aspires to be a musician but is unfortunately born in a Mexican family where music is banned. However, that does not stop Miguel from practising in secret, hoping that one day his work will be as renowned as that of his idol, the legendary Ernesto de la Cruz. On the Day of the Dead, Miguel accidentally finds himself transported to the Land of the Dead and meets Héctor, a struggling musician who once performed with Ernesto. The two embark on a journey through the world beyond the mortal plane for Miguel to discover the true history of his family. The mission that the young boy and his companion undertake is reminiscent of the journey of the siblings through the dreamscape in ‘In Your Dreams.’

8. Alice in Wonderland (1951)

Based on the Lewis Carroll novels ‘Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland’ and ‘Through the Looking-Glass,’ the animated feature ‘Alice in Wonderland,’ directed by Clyde Geronimi, Wilfred Jackson, and Hamilton Luske, tells the familiar story of Alice, a daydreaming English girl who follows a sharply dressed white rabbit one day and falls down a rabbit hole. This leads her to be transported to a land of wonderful creatures, such as the Cheshire Cat and the Mad Hatter, as well as the tyrannical Queen of Hearts. Alice navigates her way through them all in order to find her way home. The highly impossible situations that she keeps finding herself in Wonderland are similar to what Stevie and Elliot encounter in the world of dreams in ‘In Your Dreams.’

7. Kubo and the Two Strings (2016)

Directed by Travis Knight, ‘Kubo and the Two Strings’ is set in feudal Japan and tells the story of Kubo, a young musician with a magical instrument. He is the son of a great samurai warrior who has long been missing, and the grandson of the ruthless Moon King, who stole one of his eyes as an infant. By accident, Kubo ends up summoning a vengeful spirit and sets out on a journey of self-discovery. An anthropomorphic snow monkey and a human-stag beetle hybrid accompany him on the fantasy adventure, which is similar to what the siblings undertake in ‘In Your Dreams.’

6. Over the Moon (2020)

‘Over the Moon,’ directed by Glen Keane and John Kahrs, centers around Fei Fei, a young girl who believes her mother’s stories of the moon goddess who lives on the Moon itself and pines for her lost lover. In the years following her mother’s death, Fei Fei has held on to the story as a fact, and gets hurt when her father does not back her claim during a family dinner. She decides to prove it on her own and builds a rocket to get to the Moon. However, her step-brother Chin gets on the rocket with her and tags along for the adventure. Similar to ‘In Your Dreams,’ the siblings embark on a wonderful journey surrounded by magical beings, which turns out to be a journey of self-discovery.

5. Monsters, Inc. (2001)

Helmed by Pete Docter, Lee Unkrich, and David Silverman, ‘Monsters, Inc.’ is set around the titular company that produces power in the monster world by scaring children into screaming. One of the best employees in the organization is James P. Sullivan, a big, blue, furry monster with purple spots and horns. He has an assistant, the green one-eyed monster Mike, who also happens to be his best friend. Things are going well for the two friends until one day a little human girl sneaks into the monster world, unleashing absolute mayhem. James and Mike’s attempts to return her to her home, overcoming all obstacles, make it similar to the adventure that the siblings have in ‘In Your Dreams.’

4. The Little Prince (2016)

Originally titled ‘Le petit prince,’ the Mark Osborne directorial ‘The Little Prince’ is based on the eponymous novella by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry. The narrative follows a young girl whose mother prepares a plan that accounts for every moment of her life, leaving nothing to chance or the child’s own free will. As such, the child expects nothing extraordinary to happen in her life. However, she is proven wrong by her neighbor, an old, kind-hearted aviator who befriends her and tells her the story of the Little Prince, whom he once met while on an adventure in the desert. As the story fires up the girl’s imagination, she goes on an adventure of her own, much like ‘In Your Dreams.’

3. Coraline (2009)

Adapted from Neil Gaiman’s novella of the same name by Henry Selick, ‘Coraline’ is about the titular young girl who moves into a new home with her family and discovers a small door in the wall of her living room. A curious Coraline crawls through it and discovers on the other side a world that is exactly like her own, but somehow even better. There is another set of parents waiting dotingly upon her, and a home that caters to all her needs. They want to keep Coraline with themselves forever, but according to the rules of the other world, she needs to sew her eyes shut with a button first. Similar to the children in ‘In Your Dreams,’ Coraline’s adventure turns into a nightmare, and she is forced to give her all to return home.

2. Spirited Away (2002)

Originally titled ‘Sen to Chihiro no kamikakushi,’ ‘Spirited Away’ by Hayao Miyazaki revolves around Chihiro, a young girl who moves to the Japanese countryside with her parents. While traveling to their new home, the family takes a wrong turn and arrives at an abandoned amusement park. While Chihiro is eager to leave the place, her parents decide to stay awhile. They find an empty restaurant and start eating, only to be magically transformed into a pig. A terrified Chihiro thus gets stranded in the place by herself and enters the spirit world, and much like the siblings in ‘In Your World,’ undertakes a journey through a mysterious plane to help her parents and get back home.

1. Inside Out (2015)

Directed by Ronnie Del Carmen and Pete Docter, ‘Inside Out’ is set around Riley, an 11-year-old girl who moves into a new home with her parents. The change leaves her emotions fumbling for control over her mind. The five emotions that reside in her mind are Joy, Fear, Anger, Disgust, and Sadness. While Joy has long been in charge, the turmoil in the Emotion HQ pushes her and Sadness into a distant corner of Riley’s mind, with suppressed and half-forgotten memories. Together with the memory of her childhood imaginary friend Bing Bong, the two feelings undertake the journey back to the HQ to help Riley cope with life. Like the dreamworld in ‘In Your Dreams,’ the mind of the young girl in Inside Out has her wildest dreams and fantasies come to life as part of her memories, both objectively real and real for her alone.