8 Most Underrated Movies From Summer 2016

I'm as surprised as you are for this one being here. Illumination as a studio personifies everything wrong with modern animation, right down to their logo of an insufferable Minion screaming the company's name in a desperate attempt to force something approaching Pixar's recognition onto kids. But The Secret Life Of Pets wound up being a solid, affable kids movie and promises the studio may eventually get on the right track.

What they really get spot on is the visuals - their angular New York City looks astounding, from the base of the Brooklyn Bridge up to the heights of Manhattan's skyscrapers - and it makes a great backdrop for the eclectic animals provided by a solid voice-cast. It ain't Pixar (heck, it ain't Dreamworks), but as a 90 minute divergence it's totally suitable.

A major problem in how it's regarded, especially by audiences, was the marketing. The adverts pitched it as Toy Story with pets, and while the lost-while-owner-is-away story is a direct parallel, many were instead expecting a more cohesive, definitive look at what animals did while we were away, something I'm willing to bet didn't include Kevin Hart as a manic bunny.