What animation software is used in animated movies today?
That depends on which movies you’re talking about. Pixar uses their own software called “Marionette”, but it isn’t available to the general public. 3ds max is a popular 3d animation program. Blender is the most popular though. Partially due to the cost (free), but also for the customization capabilities and large support forums(like http://www.blenderartists.org/forum ). LightWave 3D has been used for some very popular movies, such as “Jimmy Neutron” and “Ironman”. Maya is the most professional seeming program, and the most widely known.