The Forgotten Sci-Fi Comedy That's Crushing It On Netflix

Once there was a time when animated movies were just for children. The writing was simple, the jokes were juvenile, and the themes were akin to fairy tales with vague morals. Nowadays, there are more animated movies than ever that cater to audiences of all ages, and adults can enjoy watching them right along with their kids.

With the founding of Pixar, computer animation became a breakthrough technology that astounded both kids and grown-ups alike. Movies like "Toy Story" blew audiences away not only with its top level artistry, but also with its thought-provoking storytelling. Following Pixar's success, more and more studios joined the ranks of companies producing high-quality computer-animated features. DreamWorks became another huge contender with the release of "Shrek," the hilarious family-friendly comedy that became so popular, it spawned three sequels, a spin-off film, and even a Broadway musical.

The success of "Shrek" inspired many more animated comedies from DreamWorks, though some were more successful than others. There's one DreamWorks movie in particular that deserves more attention — and now that it's streaming on Netflix, everyone can see why this underrated comedy deserves a second look.

The 2009 DreamWorks animated comedy "Monsters vs. Aliens" is a tribute to the monster movies of early cinema. Films like "The Attack of the 50 Foot Woman," "The Blob," and "The Creature from the Black Lagoon" were all inspirations for the characters in the film (via the New York Times). These monsters aren't mindless killers, though — they have dreams and ambitions and quirky personalities all their own.

Featuring the voice talents of Seth Rogen, Will Arnett, Hugh Laurie, and Reese Witherspoon, "Monsters vs. Aliens" is a fun-filled action adventure that delivers a heaping helping of clever satirical humor. Witherspoon is the voice of Susan Murphy, a normal human who grows to enormous size when a meteorite hits Earth. The U.S. government takes Susan into custody and brings her to a secret facility. There, she meets a team of bizarre creatures. There's Link (Arnett), the actual "missing link" of human evolution; Dr. Cockroach (Laurie), a mad scientist who accidentally turned himself into a human-insect hybrid; and B.O.B. (Rogen), a gelatinous mass with one eye and a very outgoing personality. When an evil alien threatens the planet, the team of monsters step up to defend Earth and become humanity's heroes.

Although "Monsters vs. Aliens" may not have been a big hit at its initial release (via Rotten Tomatoes), the movie is getting a lot more attention now, with Netflix subscribers flocking to the title. The film's top-notch comedic cast could have a little something to do with it. "The Office" alum Rainn Wilson is hilarious as Gallaxhar, the evil alien who invades Earth, and Stephen Colbert has a cameo as the President of the United States, and even his brief time on screen gets lots of laughs. 

If you're looking for something that's both unexpectedly funny and family-friendly, you should definitely add "Monsters vs. Aliens" to your Netflix watch list.