Stitch Head (2025)

Stitch Head is built from spare parts, and not just the title character: a little Frankenstein, a little of every misfit-monster cartoon you’ve already seen. The new piece is a good one, though. Stitch Head, voiced by Asa Butterfield, is the first monster the Professor ever made, long since forgotten, and he spends his days looking after the newer creations at Castle Grotteskew, drilling manners into them and hiding them from the village below. Then a circus ringmaster named Fulbert Freakfinder shows up promising fame, and a guy who’s been ignored his whole life finally hears applause. That’s a sweet, simple lesson for kids, and the offbeat humor and quirky monster designs give it charm. The slapstick mostly lands, too. Critics landed at 69%, and it made $8.2 million worldwide on a reported $30 million. A 5.6 because the heart is real even when the parts are borrowed. $35.95 says you dig out the very first thing you ever drew or built and give it a place of honor.

What works: The offbeat humor and quirky monster designs give it charm, and the lesson about feeling overlooked is sweet for kids.

What doesn’t: Almost every piece feels borrowed from better animated films, and the story rarely surprises anyone over the age of eight.

Who it’s for: Families with kids who like their monsters goofy instead of scary, especially around Halloween.