The world cried out for it, DreamWorks listened. Ben Stiller and co are back, and Madagascar 3 proves a surprisingly enjoyable trip during a stellar month for animated releases. Things get weird as the homesick animals’ journey back to New York takes a detour through the old continent…

As we enter Oscar season it is easy to forget that, while cinema of course has a responsibility to impress and inform, it is ultimately at its best when making you laugh out loud at an anthropomorphised something-or-other in a screen shared by adults and children alike. When it’s a bit more animated, if you will. As such, here is a list of the ten most exciting animated movies heading to a cinema near you this year.