The Mouse House is literally overflowing with great films. Disney’s archives are the envy of its rivals thanks to the purchases of Pixar, Marvel, Lucasfilm, National Geographic, and 20th Century Fox. They contain both timeless children’s favorites and more contemporary crowd-pleasers.
Don’t be deceived even if Disney+ is the most family-friendly of the big streaming providers. Parents and kids are not the only viewers who can discover something to watch on their next movie night.
You may now enjoy Disney+’s expansive globe at your leisure. Here are 10 of the best movies on Disney Plus:
The Lion King (1994)
The Lion King, one of the first films many children of the 1990s recall seeing, is probably the pinnacle of Disney’s rebirth in the 1990s. The Lion King, which is loosely based on Hamlet, is about Simba (Matthew Broderick), who must overcome his evil uncle Scar’s schemes in order to succeed his father Mufasa (James Earl Jones) as “King of the Pride Lands” (Jeremy Irons).
With stunning settings and majestic animals, the film showcases some of the best and most original animations ever created. The movie’s original songs, such as “Hakuna Matata” and “Can You Feel The Love Tonight?” which continue to be popular choices for Disney karaoke nights, were written in part by Elton John, who also got praise for the soundtrack.
More than 20 years after its debut, The Lion King is still one of the most beautiful animated Disney films ever made. If you are more interested in live-action movies, Disney released a live-action Lion King in 2019.
The Pirates of the Caribbean trilogy (2003–2007)
The series focuses mostly on the exploits of scallywag pirate Jack Sparrow as he runs across characters like the fiercely independent Elizabeth Swann, the mutinous former first mate Barbossa, and her unremarkable but ultimately endearing love interest, Will Turner. To keep things interesting, add to that curses, krakens, maelstroms, British imperialism, and a tentacle-faced Davy Jones.
In comparison to the previous movie, people tend to argue about how good Dead Man’s Chest and At World’s End are (come on, how can you resist a huge Naomie Harris exploding into a thousand little crabs… It’s so oddly satisfying.
However, there is something to be said about the inventiveness of this brand, which produced vintage romanticism and vibrant characters from a 15-minute Disneyland trip. Let’s just stop talking about the fourth and fifth movies forever.
Soul (2020)
The movie follows Joe, a middle school teacher, and aspiring jazz musician when he unexpectedly passes away in an accident and has his spirit severed from his body. Joe is portrayed by Jamie Foxx. He is brought to the You Seminar, a place where newborn infants are born and their souls are grown. There, he makes an attempt to return to Earth and his body with the aid of a wayward soul 22 (Tina Fey).
From the summary alone, it seems to be Pixar’s most mature film, yet like all of their other works, it is suitable for audiences of all ages. A unique combination of both 2-D and 3-D animation gives the extraterrestrial sections of the movie a bizarre appearance while also rendering the abstract themes on exhibit in some of the best animations we’ve seen from the company.
On the other hand, New York City has been expertly animated to accurately depict how it appears in reality. The soul is considered one of the very greatest films Pixar has ever produced, thanks to its stunning animation and timely message about discovering your purpose in life.
Inside Out (2015)
There is more to Inside Out than merely a film. It serves as a manual for understanding one’s emotions and deepest self and provides one with a vocabulary to articulate those emotions.
It’s a recognition that life is about striking a good balance between conflicting emotions rather than crazily pursuing constant enjoyment.
Pete Docter shows us the wonderful universe that lives inside each of our thoughts by making use of all the creative power available to him in filmmaking. What an amazing gift he gave us.
Black Panther (2018)
Black Panther, the second-highest-grossing Marvel film of all time (behind Avengers: Endgame), was an instant success upon its release in 2018. Despite the fact that you’ve undoubtedly already watched it in theaters, it’s always enjoyable to see it again.
The story of Black Panther centers on Prince T’Challa (Chadwick Boseman), the king-to-be of the fictional African nation of Wakanda, who must take the throne following the passing of his father (who was killed by a rogue assassin who had been brainwashed in 2016’s Captain America: Civil War—it was a whole thing).
However, he is threatened by a mysterious mercenary named Killmonger (Michael B. Jordan). With each subsequent viewing, you can choose a different supporting performer to pay attention to, such as rising star Letitia Wright, Angela Bassett, or Forest Whitaker. One of the absolute best films to emerge from the Marvel Cinematic Universe is still Black Panther.
Beauty and the Beast (1991)
Everything about Beauty and the Beast is a work of art. The movie was the first animated movie ever to be nominated for Best Picture, which was a great honor. It has some of Disney’s most beautiful animations to date and is very operatic and romantic at heart.
Even though technology has changed a lot over the years, it still can’t compare to the iconic images that Gary Trousdale and Kirk Wise created in Beauty and the Beast. The animators knew the power of the silhouette that would be seen all over the Beast’s dark and lonely castle. The main theme of Beauty and the Beast is being on the outside looking in and wanting more out of life.
However, the heart of the movie is the romantic relationship between Belle and the Beast and how perfectly it is done to give Belle a voice. It’s grand, emotional, and fun, and as the song says, it’s a story as old as time. As a result, it’s a story that everyone can relate to.
The Toy Story trilogy (1995–2010)
Pixar quickly established a reputation as a company concerned with ambitious ideas. Toy Story, their debut film, advances the notion that all your toys are alive and move around your room when you’re not looking. It was oddly adorable rather than giving kids nightmares.
As a result, the studio persisted until Toy Story 3 was released, in which Woody and Buzz Lightyear are burned alive and forced to confront their own mortality. Some sick geniuses are at work in this situation.
Toy Story actually did set the trademarks that have made Pixar a dominant animation studio straight from the start. Adults can study and analyze its odd premise’s intellectual and moral foundations endlessly. Kids in the audience are kept enthralled by the show’s vibrant colors, animated characters, and clever humor. Although it serves as a wonderful conclusion to the trilogy, Toy Story 4 doesn’t quite measure up to the other three films.
Finding Nemo (2003)
Finding Nemo is a Pixar masterpiece. The film recounts Marlin’s journey to retrieve his offspring, Nemo, who was abducted by a diver and placed in a dentist’s aquarium. We travel from the Great Barrier Reef to risky and funny deep-sea encounters.
Nemo and his new friends plan to escape the aquarium, leap out of the dentist’s window, and cross a motorway. Finding Nemo has amazing visuals. The animators go beyond simple CGI trickery to create amazing images with great detail and brilliant color. These characters are brought to life in the movie by their voices, which are provided by Albert Brooks as the neurotic Marlin and Ellen DeGeneres as the frantic and forgetful Dory.
The script is clever, and the pace keeps the audience interested. The movie’s themes center on friendship and family, particularly the difficult balance between a father and son’s dependence and independence. The timeless film Finding Nemo is incredibly enjoyable.
10 Things I Hate About You (1999)
You may be aware that William Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew served as the inspiration for the movie 10 Things I Hate About You. And to some extent, it is. But this isn’t pure Shakespeare if that’s what you were hoping for. It’s a great young romantic comedy instead.
Until her older sister, Katarina “Kat” Stratford (Julia Stiles), starts dating on her own, Walter Stratford (Larry Miller) won’t permit his youngest daughter, Bianca Stratford (Larisa Oleynik), to date. Joseph’s Gordon character, Levitt’s Cameron James, is so desperate for Bianca that he sets up Patrick Verona (Heath Ledger) and Kat to date.
What Cameron doesn’t realize is that Joey Donner (Andrew Keegan) is the guy Bianca genuinely wants, which could put an end to Cameron’s romantic intentions before they even get off the ground.
Atlantis: The Lost Empire (2001)
Atlantis: The Lost Empire was an attempt by Disney Animation to create something more robust and action-oriented. It was released following the so-called Disney Renaissance. In Atlantis, a brave cartographer named Milo (voiced by a screeching Michael J. Fox) sets out to unearth the long-lost Atlantean civilization. Milo and his traveling party, led by the evil James Garner, instead find a bustling city teeming with people, magic, and creatures.
The project, which was helmed by the directors of Beauty and the Beast, Kirk Wise and Gary Trousdale, started out with a harder edge, but even as it softened, Atlantis managed to stand out from other Disney animated films (or any other animated films, for that matter), thanks to its strong design work (some of which came from Hellboy creator Mike Mignola), brisk pacing, and the glaring absence of musical numbers. (Wise and Trousdale drew influence from works like Hayao Miyazaki’s Castle in the Sky and Walt Disney’s 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea.)
Although it wasn’t the company’s biggest hit when it was first released, it has progressively gained a cult following and is now regarded as a hidden gem. (Or perhaps a brilliant Atlantean crystal that is unseen.)
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