Ranking the Disney Animated Films
Using the Wikipedia official filmography as a source.
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- DirectorJames AlgarSamuel ArmstrongDavid HandStarsHardie AlbrightStan AlexanderBobette AudreyThe story of a young deer growing up in the forest.Young fawn Bambi lives under the protection of his mother deep in the woods. Unknown to him, he is to be the new "prince" of the forest, a position currently held by his father. All the forest animals show up soon after his birth to greet him, including Thumper, a shy but lively rabbit, and Flower, a lazy but friendly skunk, who remain lifelong friends. After an idyllic first year, Bambi's mother is shot and killed by "man", portrayed off screen as an invading evil presence in the forest. Another year passes, and the trio of friends are now lovesick teenagers, with Bambi falling for a doe named Faline. However, a nearby campfire gets out of control and soon the forest is in flames. Bambi manages to escape with the help of his father. Disney's fifth, and best, animated feature is an incredible technical achievement in addition to being an emotional plea for the sanctity of the forest and its inhabitants.
- DirectorWilliam CottrellDavid HandWilfred JacksonStarsAdriana CaselottiHarry StockwellLucille La VerneExiled into the dangerous forest by her wicked stepmother, a princess is rescued by seven dwarf miners who make her part of their household.A young princess named Snow White is relegated to wearing shabby clothes and working as a maid by her jealous stepmother the Queen. When her "magic mirror" informs her that Snow White has become the fairest in the land, she sends her huntsman to murder her. He can't go through with it, but sends her into the forest to escape the Queen. She is befriended by the forest animals who lead her deep into the woods for shelter at a house inhabited by seven dwarfs who work in a nearby mine. After seeing the state of their household, Snow White mistakes them for children and proceeds to clean it up. After the initial shock, they accept her into their family. However, the Queen soon discovers her hideout and comes after her disguised as an old hag. Disney's first animated feature is still the best. The hand-drawn animation is simply astounding, with unparalleled attention to detail. The story can be dark when it needs to be, drawing on influences from silent horror films and German expressionism, with someone genuinely creepy moments.
- DirectorSamuel ArmstrongNorman FergusonWilfred JacksonStarsSterling HollowayEdward BrophyHerman BingRidiculed because of his enormous ears, a young circus elephant is assisted by a mouse to achieve his full potential.A baby elephant in a circus is ridiculed for his big ears. When his mother defends him from hecklers during a parade, she is deemed mad and locked up alone in wagon. The abandoned Dumbo is befriended by a mouse determined to cheer him up by making him the star of the show. He does just that after discovering his big ears allow him to fly. An early Disney animated classic which includes the psychedelic-tinged "pink elephants" segment. The animation is not up to par with the other Disney classics, but the simple style allows the characterizations to shine.
- DirectorNorman FergusonT. HeeWilfred JacksonStarsDickie JonesChristian RubMel BlancA living puppet, with the help of a cricket as his conscience, must prove himself worthy to become a real boy.Wood craftsman Geppetto wishes that his latest marionette creation Pinocchio was a real boy to end his loneliness. A "Blue Fairy" visits during the night and grants his wish. On his way to school the next morning, the living puppet is approached by a couple of scoundrels who convince him to perform for a local sideshow. A huge success, the owner of the show locks him up for the night, but the Blue Fairy sets him free. However, before he can get home he meets the same two scoundrels who convince him to take a "vacation" to Pleasure Island. It turns out to be anything but, and Pinocchio is almost turned into a donkey and sold as a slave. He manages to escape and gets home, only to discover Geppetto has gone in search of him and ended up in the belly of a whale. Pinocchio sets off to find him and set him free, leading to a spectacular finale against Monstro the whale. Disney's second animated feature after Snow White is another eye-popping animated masterpiece that has not dated at all. It works on multiple levels: the music, story and characters all combine to transform a simple morality tale into a timeless classic.
- DirectorJames AlgarSamuel ArmstrongFord Beebe Jr.StarsLeopold StokowskiDeems TaylorThe Philadelphia OrchestraA series of eight famous pieces of classical music, conducted by Leopold Stokowski and interpreted in animation by Walt Disney's team of artists.
- DirectorRoger AllersRob MinkoffStarsMatthew BroderickJeremy IronsJames Earl JonesLion prince Simba and his father are targeted by his bitter uncle, who wants to ascend the throne himself.Mufasa is a lion who rules over an animal Kingdom in Africa. He raises his son Simba to one day take over his role. However, Mufasa's brother "Scar", jealous from being deprived his line to the throne by the younger lion, devises a plan to kill them both with the help of hyenas. He succeeds in killing the older lion, but Simba is driven to the desert and assumed dead. Simba is saved by a wisecracking meerkat and warthog, who raise him in a nearby jungle with the creed, "no worries". Simba grows up to be carefree and apparently leaving his past behind him, until a lioness shows up and reminds him of his duty to the animal kingdom which has been taken over by hyenas and is suffering a devastating drought. Simba reluctantly returns to face his old nemesis Scar. Epic animated Disney story just gets better with age. Part Greek tragedy, with doses of comic relief and occasional breaks for songs, with stunning animation, the best from the Disney "renaissance" era, it is mostly hand drawn with some computer assistance.
- DirectorGary TrousdaleKirk WiseStarsDemi MooreJason AlexanderMary Kay BergmanA deformed bell-ringer must assert his independence from a vicious government minister in order to help his friend, a gypsy dancer.
- DirectorRobert CormackClyde GeronimiJack KinneyStarsNelson EddyDinah ShoreLaverne AndrewsAnimation done to contemporary popular music.A sequel of sorts to Fantasia, with a series of stories set to music, this time popular instead of classical. There are ballads, such as in the segment "Blue Bayou", set to incredible impressionistic animation; there are several jazz pieces with Benny Goodman which are more lighthearted; and then the finale, "The Whale Who Wanted to Sing at the Met", featuring an operatic whale who really does make it there, until a jealous impresario harpoons him and sends him to heaven. Very enjoyable, with some of Disney's best animation, if a bit lowbrow at times.
- DirectorClyde GeronimiWilfred JacksonJack KinneyStarsRoy RogersTriggerDennis DayAn anthology of animated vignettes set to contemporary music.Another Disney animated anthology film, this one consisting of seven segments set to popular music of the time. It is the most similar in style to Fantasia of all the anthology films. It does not shy from taking risks, occasionally incorporating abstractions, and has a vivid color palette. Stories range from the poetic Trees to the energetic Blame it on the Samba with Donald Duck. Even Roy Rogers and Trigger make an appearance in the final western-tinged story about Pecos Bill. Thoroughly enjoyable and somewhat underrated.
- DirectorClyde GeronimiWilfred JacksonHamilton LuskeStarsIlene WoodsJames MacDonaldEleanor AudleyWhen Cinderella's cruel stepmother prevents her from attending the Royal Ball, she gets some unexpected help from the lovable mice Gus and Jaq and from her Fairy Godmother.Orphaned Cinderella lives with her stepmother and stepsisters where she is relegated to the role of housemaid. Her only friends are the mice and birds that live around the estate. One day the King sends sends out an invitation to all eligible maids in the kingdom to a royal ball where he hopes his son will find a bride. Cinderella's stepsisters receive an invitation, but her stepmother will only allow her to go if she can finish all of the cleaning and find a suitable dress. When she accomplishes both, the stepsisters ruin her dress in a jealous fury, leaving Cinderella alone in the garden crying. Her "Fairy Godmother" appears out of nowhere, casting a spell which allows her to go the ball after all. She dances with the prince, who falls in love with her, only to leave abruptly at midnight when the spell ends. She leaves behind a glass slipper which, after much ado, reunites the couple. Disney's iconic story almost loses itself in the antics of the mice who have to contend with house cat Lucifer in Tom and Jerry fashion, but eventually finds itself when it returns to the main characters.
- DirectorClyde GeronimiWilfred JacksonHamilton LuskeStarsKathryn BeaumontEd WynnRichard HaydnAlice stumbles into the world of Wonderland. Will she get home? Not if the Queen of Hearts has her way.Alice follows the perennially late, hurried white rabbit down the rabbit hole, where she finds a dreamlike world inhabited by unusual characters. She changes her size by eating various things, from cookies to mushrooms, which allows her to pass through small doors. After some preliminary adventures involving Tweedledum and Tweedledee, some talking flowers and a Cheshire Cat, she ends up at a mad tea party hosted by the March Hare. They talk mostly nonsense about things such as unbirthdays, causing Alice to leave for home. However, she gets lost and ends up at the castle of the Queen of Hearts, where she plays a croquet match for her life. Colorful Disney adaptation of the Lewis Carroll classic, though it feels a bit watered down at times.
- DirectorClyde GeronimiWilfred JacksonHamilton LuskeStarsBarbara LuddyLarry RobertsPeggy LeeThe romantic tale of a sheltered uptown Cocker Spaniel dog and a streetwise downtown Mutt.Pampered cocker spaniel "Lady" has her life turned upside down when her owner's have a baby. One day while under the care of an Aunt who wants to muzzle her, she escapes to the rough streets. She is befriended by a carefree mongrel named "Tramp", who saves her from attacking strays then romances her on scraps from an Italian restaurant. She decides, however, that she belongs back home with her family, but before she can get there Tramp's antics land her in the dog pound. The Aunt releases them but a bad encounter with a rat almost ruins the homecoming. Classic animated Disney has well-developed characters and plot, but missing a lushness in the animation that keeps it from being in the top tier. Siamese cat sequence is memorable.
- DirectorLes ClarkClyde GeronimiEric LarsonStarsMary CostaBill ShirleyEleanor AudleyAfter being snubbed by the royal family, a malevolent fairy places a curse on a princess which only a prince can break, along with the help of three good fairies.At a royal celebration for the birth of their daughter, a snubbed "evil fairy" named Maleficent places a curse on the infant: she will be pricked by a spinning wheel and die before her sixteenth birthday. Three "good fairies" decide to hide her away in the forest and protect her from the curse. As her sixteenth birthday approaches, their location is given away as the fairies use magic to make a dress for the party. Maleficent appears and the curse is completed. However, the good fairies manage to keep her in a deep sleep rather than die, only to be awakened by the kiss of a true love. Enter one prince who had fallen in love with her shortly before. There is a mad dash to keep him from finding her, leading to a showdown with Maleficent who pulls out all the stops, including turning into a dragon. Good, if not great, animated Disney, with a few too many similarities to Snow White and a stereotyped good vs evil plot line.
- DirectorWolfgang ReithermanStarsPhil HarrisEva GaborSterling HollowayWith the help of a smooth talking tomcat, a family of Parisian felines set to inherit a fortune from their owner try to make it back home after a jealous butler kidnaps them and leaves them in the country.A pampered cat and her kittens live with their owner, a former opera diva, in turn-of-the-century Paris. As the aging woman dictates her will to her lawyer, the terms are overhead by her butler, who is outraged at being passed over by her cats. He kidnaps the cats and dumps them in the country. They spend the rest of the movie trying to get back home. They get help from a friendly tom cat, who introduces them to his carefree lifestyle and jazz loving friends back in Paris. The butler won't give up so easily, though, and they have to confront him one more time. Colorful, entertaining Disney, with memorable characters and some psychedelic jazz scenes that made it a hit on college campuses in the early 70s as a "head movie", much to the chagrin of the family oriented Walt Disney.
- DirectorTed BermanRichard RichArt StevensStarsMickey RooneyKurt RussellPearl BaileyA fox named Tod and a hound named Copper vow to be best friends forever. But as Copper grows into a hunting dog, their unlikely friendship faces the ultimate test.A young fox and hound dog become best friends while pups. After they grow up, their friendship is threatened by the fact that everyone around them expects them to be enemies. The hound's owner, a crotchety hunter voiced by Jack Albertson, vows to kill the fox after his older hound dog is injured in a chase. The fox's owner, a kindly older woman, tries to save him by releasing him in a game preserve. After adjusting to his new surroundings, the fox meets a female and it appears they will settle down, but the hunter has other ideas. More than just an animated talking animal picture, the story is not afraid to explore more adult themes like socialization and expected behavior. A climactic fight scene involving a bear is vividly illustrated.
- DirectorTed BermanRichard RichStarsGrant BardsleyFreddie JonesSusan SheridanA young boy and a group of misfit friends embark on a quest to find a dark magic item of ultimate power before a diabolical tyrant can.In a mythical land in the Middle Ages, a "pig boy" who works in the stables learns that his favorite pig has magical powers. The evil "Horned King" wants to use the pig to find the Black Cauldron which has the power to raise the dead. The boy, his pig and a new companion named Gurgi are lured to the Horned King's castle where the boy is captured and thrown in the dungeon while the pig and Gurgi escape. The boy befriends a pretty princess also in the dungeon and they manage to escape. Reunited with his friends, they find an underground kingdom which leads them to the Black Cauldron. They make a bargain with three witches protecting it, only to find out that the only way to destroy it is to commit suicide by jumping into it. Before anyone can, the Horned King and his army capture it, releasing an army of undead in the process. One of them commits an act of self-sacrifice, destroying the Horned King, his army and the Black Cauldron. Dark Disney tale has some fantastic animation, bu the complicated plot weighs it down. Still, quite good in the right frame of mind.
- DirectorHendel ButoyMike GabrielStarsBob NewhartEva GaborJohn CandyR.A.S. agents Miss Bianca and Bernard race to Australia to save a little boy and a rare golden eagle from a murderous poacher.
- DirectorMike GabrielEric GoldbergStarsMel GibsonLinda HuntChristian BaleAn English soldier and the daughter of an Algonquin chief share a romance when English colonists invade seventeenth century Virginia.
- DirectorChris BuckKevin LimaStarsTony GoldwynMinnie DriverBrian BlessedA man raised by gorillas must decide where he really belongs when he discovers he is a human.
- DirectorByron HowardChris WilliamsStarsJohn TravoltaMiley CyrusSusie EssmanThe canine star of a fictional sci-fi/action show that believes his powers are real embarks on a cross country trek to save his co-star from a threat he believes is just as real.A girl and her dog are stars in an action TV series. This fact is hidden from the dog, who believes he really has superpowers. One day he escapes from his trailer on the set and ends up being mailed to New York City. He gradually begins to learn that he does not have superpowers. He befriends and alley cat and they set out across the country to reunite with his owner. They have various misadventures along the way, but importantly the cat teaches him what it means to be a real dog. They eventually reach Hollywood, where he thinks his owner rejects him, but a fire in the studio gives him an opportunity to prove otherwise. A good variation on the old Disney boy and his dog plot, but comes dangerously close to breaking the unwritten rule of unconditional love between the two as well as the one that the dog never dies. There is, of course, a happy ending.
- DirectorDon HallChris WilliamsStarsRyan PotterScott AdsitJamie ChungA special bond develops between plus-sized inflatable robot Baymax and prodigy Hiro Hamada, who together team up with a group of friends to form a band of high-tech heroes.Bored teenager in the near future spends his time at backroom robot fights. His brother tricks him into visiting the university robotics lab where he works. The awestruck boy decides to enroll, but first must come up with an invention to impress the professor. He more than succeeds by coming up with "microbots" which he controls with his mind. However, a suspicious fire kills not only the professor and his brother, but all but one of the microbots. The depressed boy activates his brothers project, an inflatable healthcare robot, which leads him to suspect the fire may have not been an accident. The boy and the rest of the students at the university form an impromptu superhero team to track down the person responsible. Fast paced animation with an engaging story and likable characters, especially the bond between the boy, his brother, and the robot named "Baymax". However, it gets carried away a bit in the big action finale, where it succumbs to the expected cliches.
- CreatorWilliam BlinnStarsWalt DisneyPaul FreesClarence NashA Disney-produced anthology covering many different genres.Stand-in for Saludos Amigos (1942)
Walt Disney and a group of his artists and musicians travel to South America for inspiration and friendship. Lake Titicaca inspires a segment with Donald Duck as a tourist; their air travel inspires an anthropomorphic airplane that must overcome obstacles to deliver the mail across the Andes; gauchos in Argentina inspire a Goofy cartoon; and the Brazilian parrot inspires a new character named Jose Carioca. It's a hit or miss affair, with the watercolor backgrounds of the final segment the only standout. The live action connecting footage provides and opportunity to spot Walt continuously smoking and the appearance of some of the more obscure names in Disney lore such as Mary Blair and Pinto Colvig, the original voice of Goofy. An accompanying bonus feature has even more of this footage. - DirectorClyde GeronimiWilfred JacksonHamilton LuskeStarsBobby DriscollKathryn BeaumontHans ConriedWendy and her brothers are whisked away to the magical world of Neverland with the hero of their stories, Peter Pan.An older sister who spins tall-tales to her siblings in the nursery is visited one night by the real Peter Pan. He whisks them all away to Never Land with the help of some pixie dust from Tinker Bell. They tangle with Captain Hook, get kidnapped by Indians and befriend the Lost Boys. After all of that adventure, they get homesick and return to London with their new friends. It may or may not have been all a dream. Animated Disney classics gets bogged down in Never Land, but still has enough going for it to make it enjoyable, if not exactly a classic.
- DirectorClyde GeronimiHamilton LuskeWolfgang ReithermanStarsRod TaylorBetty Lou GersonJ. Pat O'MalleyWhen a litter of Dalmatian puppies are abducted by the minions of Cruella De Vil, the owners must find them before she uses them for a diabolical fashion statement.With the help of his pet dalmatian, a London bachelor meets the girl of his dreams and they get married. Her pet dalmatian has a large litter of puppies, which are coveted by an old schoolmate who offers to buy them. However, they refuse to sell any, so she hires a couple of bumbling henchmen to steal them. They hideout at a remote mansion where dozens of other dalmatians are kept, waiting to be killed for their fur. The two older dogs set out to rescue them, getting lots of help along the way. Entertaining if not quite classic animated Disney, hurt by an animation process that used cheap xerox techniques. Cruella De Vil, however, is one of the more memorable Disney villains.
- DirectorWolfgang ReithermanClyde GeronimiDavid HandStarsRickie SorensenSebastian CabotKarl SwensonA poor boy named Arthur learns the power of love, kindness, knowledge and bravery with the help of a wizard called Merlin in the path to become one of the most beloved kings in English history.Orphan Arthur befriends wizard Merlin one day in the woods. Merlin, who can visit the future, decides to become Arthur's teacher. In his first lesson he turns himself and the boy into fish to learn about physics, but they are almost eaten by a giant pike. For the next lesson, they are turned into squirrels to learn about gravity, but once again are attacked, this time by a wolf, then by an overly amorous female squirrel. In the final lesson, they become sparrows to learn about flying, this time getting attacked by a hawk. Arthur ends up in the hands of Merlin's nemesis Madam Mim, who fights Merlin in a duel. Arthur accompanies his step brother to London for a tournament to determine the next king of England, but accidentally pulls out the famous "sword in the stone" and ends up becoming king himself. Jovial if unmemorable animated Disney, with the animal lesson segments going on too long, and the magical moments with Merlin not long enough.
- DirectorNorman FergusonClyde GeronimiJack KinneyStarsAurora MirandaCarmen MolinaDora LuzDonald receives his birthday gifts, which include traditional gifts and information about Brazil (hosted by Zé Carioca) and Mexico (by Panchito, a Mexican Charro Rooster).It's Donald Duck's birthday and he is given a film projector by friends in Latin America. This provides the framework for the seven segments that make up the movie. Donald and friends have various misadventures set in Central and South America. The animation and music are up to the usual Disney standards. However, Donald's antics toward the end get a little out of hand. His girl chasing would make a human blush, and for modern audiences, it's downright offensive. Still, if you can put it in a time capsule, it's harmless enough.
- DirectorWolfgang ReithermanDavid HandStarsBrian BedfordPhil HarrisRoger MillerThe story of the legendary British outlaw portrayed with the characters as anthropomorphic animals.Robin Hood and Little John, here a fox and a bear, rob from the rich and give to the poor in the oppressed town of Nottingham. They are ruled by Prince John, a tiger, who pinches every penny from them via taxes. When he is targeted by the two outlaws himself, he cooks up a plan to catch and imprison them at an archery tournament. They initially elude him by disguises, but they are exposed and Robin Hood is caught. His friends and sweetheart Maid Marian must find a way to save him. Enjoyable fluff from Disney, if a bit overplotted, with catchy songs.
- DirectorJohn LounsberyWolfgang ReithermanBen SharpsteenStarsSebastian CabotJunius MatthewsBarbara LuddyIn this collection of animated shorts based on the stories and characters by A.A. Milne, Winnie the Pooh, a honey-loving teddy bear, embarks on some eccentric adventures.Disney cobbled together previously made featurettes, added some linking material and a new ending, to make this feature length film. The end result is naturally episodic, but the captures the spirit of the original A.A. Milne stories. Residents of the Hundred Acre Wood, a place created by a young boy named Christopher Robin, include Winnie the Pooh, a friendly, if not particularly bright, bear with an insatiable appetite for honey, which gets him into trouble in the first story. Then there is Tigger, a perpetually optimistic, and bouncy, tiger who clashes with the more level headed Rabbit in one of the stories. Other characters include a wise owl, a Kangaroo and her young soon, Piglet and let's not forget Eeyore. There is a memorable dream sequence featuring Heffalumps and Woozles.
- DirectorJohn LounsberyWolfgang ReithermanArt StevensStarsBob NewhartEva GaborGeraldine PageTwo mice of the Rescue Aid Society search for a little girl kidnapped by unscrupulous treasure hunters.At the UN in New York, a parallel group consisting of mice from around the world have their own meeting. They respond to a message for help found in a bottle by organizing a rescue, headed by the glamorous Eva Gabor, who chooses mild mannered janitor Bob Newhart to accompany her. They track down clues at a local orphanage and pawn shop, which lead them to the bayous of Louisiana and an old broken down paddle wheeler. A little girl has been kidnapped by the outrageous Madame Medusa, voiced with aplomb and glee by Geraldine Page, and forced to help find a diamond hidden by pirates inside a cave. The two mice get help from the local wildlife to defeat Medusa and her minions, including a memorable pair of alligators named Brutus and Nero. Far-fetched Disney never quite takes off like you want it to, perhaps Newhart is too meek, or Gabor too aloof, but probably due more to the declining standards of Disney animation in the late 1970s, despite the presence of Don Bluth and others.
- DirectorJack KinneyHamilton LuskeWilliam MorganStarsEdgar BergenDinah ShoreLuana PattenJiminy Cricket hosts two Disney animated shorts: "Bongo," about a circus bear escaping to the wild, and "Mickey and the Beanstalk," a take on the famous fairy tale.Disney animated anthology of two stories with connecting segments featuring Jiminy Cricket. The first story, narrated and featuring songs by Dinah Shore, concerns a circus bear named "Bongo" who escapes his train to live in the wild. His joy turns to sorrow when he realizes that life in the wild is no circus. He falls in love with another bear, but runs into trouble when he misinterprets her slap as a rejection instead of a sign of affection. Eventually he figures it out but must fight another bear to win her. In the second story, Mickey and pals Donald and Goofy are peasants who get a hold of some magic beans that grow a giant beanstalk. They find an unfriendly giant at the top and must get back home with the help of a singing harp. Edgar Bergen hosts this segment and there is a mix of animation and live action for the ending. Fairly unmemorable Disney, sorely missing the usual character and plot development, but still entertaining for buffs.
- DirectorJames AlgarClyde GeronimiJack KinneyStarsBing CrosbyBasil RathboneEric BloreAn animated adaptation of "The Wind in the Willows" followed by an adaptation of "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow".Two-part animated anthology from Disney. In the first, based on The Wind in the Willows, a wealthy British toad, prone to the latest fad, becomes enamored by motor cars. He is accused of stealing one and wreaking havoc on the countryside. He is arrested, but at the trial it turns out that he didn't steal it after all and is set free, only to see an airplane flying nearby. In the second part, based on The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, a gangly schoolteacher arrives in a small town. Despite his appearance and mannerisms, he turns out to be popular with the local women, eventually falling for the daughter of the town's richest man. More interested in her money, he accompanies her to a dance where her other brutish suitor plants the seeds for a nightmarish ride home pursued by the Headless Horseman. Rather dull and routine until that final ride, vividly animated by Wolfgang Reitherman.
- DirectorWolfgang ReithermanStarsPhil HarrisSebastian CabotLouis PrimaBagheera the Panther and Baloo the Bear have a difficult time trying to convince a boy to leave the jungle for human civilization.An orphan boy is raised by wolves in the jungle. Ten years later, a tiger threatens the pack and he is banished to the "man village". The panther who found him as an infant agrees to escort him, but he resists and runs away. He barely survives a python attack and is unable to care for himself. He does, however, make one good friend, the affable Baloo, a carefree bear. However, he is kidnapped by monkeys who take them to their village. Baloo shows up to rescue him, but they still have to deal with the tiger. Popular Disney film has become somewhat dated. Baloo is a hippie and even Mowgli is an outsider who refuses to conform. Kipling's dark story has been transformed into sugar coated Disney. I still like it, but it is far from classic Disney.
- DirectorRon ClementsBurny MattinsonDave MichenerStarsVincent PriceBarrie InghamVal BettinBasil, the rodent Sherlock Holmes, investigates the kidnapping of a toy maker and uncovers its link to his archenemy, Professor Ratigan.When a toy maker is kidnapped by a bat from his shop, his young daughter searches for a famous detective to help find him. Becoming lost herself, she gets help from a passing gentleman who escorts her the rest of the way. The reluctant detective mouse, living in the same building as one Sherlock Holmes, eventually realizes her father has been kidnapped by Ratigan, a master criminal he has been seeking, and agrees to help. They follow clues to a toy shop where the girl is kidnapped. Basil and his sidekick find more clues which lead them to Ratigan's hideout, but are ambushed and left to die in an elaborate trap. They manage to escape and pursue Ratigan through the air on a dirigible, crashing into London's Big Ben clock for the final confrontation. Winning Disney entry with Vincent Price particularly enjoyable as the villain Ratigan. Famous clock sequence made very early use of computer assisted graphics.
- DirectorGeorge ScribnerStarsJoey LawrenceBilly JoelCheech MarinA lost and alone kitten joins a gang of dogs engaged in petty larceny in New York City.A stray kitten on the streets of New York City is befriended by a carefree mongrel and taken to a barge where he lives with a thief and other dogs. The thief owes money to loan shark and has only a few days to come up with it. During an attempted robbery, the kitten gets adopted by a wealthy little girl ignored by her parents. Thinking the cat has been kidnapped, the dogs stage a rescue. The thief hatches the idea to ransom the kitten to pay off his debts, but it falls apart when he realizes the owner is the little girl. She ends up getting kidnapped instead by the loan shark, and it is up to Oliver and company to rescue her. Entertaining reworking of Oliver Twist, with stylish animation from George Scribner. However, the music badly dates it (Huey Lewis and Billy Joel), getting in the way rather than complementing the story. Cheech Marin steals every scene as the voice of a feisty Chihuahua.
- DirectorRon ClementsJohn MuskerStarsJodi BensonSamuel E. WrightRene AuberjonoisA mermaid princess makes a Faustian bargain in an attempt to become human and win a prince's love.A teenage mermaid obsessed with human culture eventually falls in love with a man she saves from a shipwreck. She makes a bargain with a sea witch to become human so she can be with him, little realizing that the witch wants the powerful trident of her father the king. After three days as a human, she returns to mermaid form and is heartbroken to leave her newfound love. Imprisoned by the sea witch, her father is tricked into taking her place, giving full power to the witch as a result. It is up to the human to defeat the witch and win back the mermaid amidst a chaotic ocean storm. Hugely successful film for Disney set the stage for the resurgence of its animated films in the 1990s. However, it is really nothing more than teenage melodrama interspersed with Broadway-style songs and comic relief from anthropomorphic sea creatures.
- DirectorGary TrousdaleKirk WiseStarsPaige O'HaraRobby BensonJesse CortiA prince cursed to spend his days as a hideous monster sets out to regain his humanity by earning a young woman's love.A cold-hearted prince is turned into a beast after refusing shelter to a peasant woman. He is cursed to stay that way unless he learns to love and is loved in return by the time the last petal falls on a hexed rose. Years later, a woman ventures into his castle looking for her lost father. Could she be the one? The angry beast imprisons her in exchange for releasing her father. She befriends the animated objects in the house, themselves once human, and cautiously tries to break through to the beast. They eventually hit it off after he shows her his library and they share a dance in the ballroom. However, an old admirer from the village arrives to try to take her away, forcing the beast to fight for her. Despite dying in the process, there is a happy ending. This is Disney. The animation is not all that good, and the CGI even worse, but it is buoyed by Alan Menken's Broadway-style songs.
- DirectorRon ClementsJohn MuskerStarsScott WeingerRobin WilliamsLinda LarkinA kind-hearted street urchin and a power-hungry Grand Vizier vie for a magic lamp that has the power to make their deepest wishes come true.Street smart homeless boy in fictional Arabian town befriends a disguised princess running away from her palace. He gets sent to prison by overzealous prison guards, but set free by the evil Jafar, who has been told that Aladdin is the only person who can retrieve a powerful lamp deep in a desert cave. The boy fulfills the prophecy with the help of a magic carpet and finds out the lamp contains a powerful genie who will grant him three wishes. After using up one to save his life, he uses another to become a prince and hopefully win the hand of the princess. Jafar has other designs and manages to steal the lamp and become the genie's new master. However, his quest for power eventually becomes his undoing and Aladdin's final act of kindness towards the genie allows him to marry the princess. Disney's animated musical Arabian adventure has become dated. Robin William's as the genie is fun for awhile but he threatens to take over the entire film. Some of his impersonations just don't fit the story (Jack Nicholson?). The songs are unmemorable. It's not all bad, Disney's animation is impressive as usual, but it's not enough to overcome the other shortcomings.
- DirectorJames AlgarGaëtan BrizziPaul BrizziStarsJames LevineSteve MartinItzhak PerlmanAn update of the original film with new interpretations of great works of classical music.Not so much a sequel but rather another installment of Fantasia, in which classical music pieces are interpreted by Disney animators. In the intervening 60 years, animation has come to rely more on computer assistance, and this was made right around the transition. As a result, the animation can be a bit clunky at times. Between animated segments are live-action bridges featuring various hosts, such as Steve Martin, Bette Midler, Angela Lansbury and others, some of which are embarrassingly bad. Still, the music soars, and occasionally even the animation manages to keep pace.
- DirectorGary TrousdaleKirk WiseStarsMichael J. FoxJim VarneyCorey BurtonA young linguist named Milo Thatch joins an intrepid group of explorers to find the mysterious lost continent of Atlantis.Young scientist at the Smithsonian at the turn of the century can't get funding for his expedition to Atlantis, but gets help from a wealthy old man who was friends with his grandfather. They build a submarine and assemble a crew for the journey. They have to abandon ship rather quickly when attacked by a giant mechanical monster guarding the entrance to the lost civilization, but manage to get in via escape vehicles. They are greeted by mask wearing natives, but are soon accepted. He helps the young princess decipher some engravings which hold the secret to the power of the underwater city, in ruins since a cataclysm a century ago. However, his crew rebels and he must fight to save the city, and win the heart of the princess. This animated Disney adventure is louder than most, with a hokey new age-ish crystal angle, but still manages to entertain.
- DirectorDean DeBloisChris SandersStarsDaveigh ChaseChris SandersTia CarrereA young and parentless girl adopts a 'dog' from the local pound, completely unaware that it's supposedly a dangerous scientific experiment that's taken refuge on Earth and is now hiding from its creator and those who see it as a menace.Alien experiment escapes to Hawaii where it is adopted by a lonely, rebellious girl. It causes chaos wherever it goes, straining the relationship with her sister and putting her guardianship in jeopardy. Galactic bounty hunters cause more chaos and destruction, but "family" wins out, as it usually does in a Disney film. Lively, entertaining, if occasionally overbearing.
- DirectorAaron BlaiseRobert WalkerStarsJoaquin PhoenixJeremy SuarezRick MoranisWhen a young Inuit hunter needlessly kills a bear, he is magically changed into a bear himself as punishment with a talkative cub being his only guide to changing back.The youngest of three brothers in an Alaskan tribe receives his totem, a bear representing love, which causes him much embarrassment. However, when his eldest brother is killed shortly afterwards in a fight with a bear he rejects his totem entirely and sets out to kill the bear. He does so, but the spirits change him into the bear instead. The last remaining brother sets out to avenge his death, little realizing the bear is actually his brother. As a bear, he befriends an orphaned cub and they make a long trek to a river where other bears are feeding on salmon. There is a surprising revelation about the cub, then his human brother shows up to kill him, leading to more soul searching. He eventually must choose between life as a bear or a human. Vivid animation, one of the last by Disney in the traditional style, is let down by a confusing story and unnecessary comic relief by a couple of Canadian moose (Rick Moranis and Dave Thomas).
- DirectorWill FinnJohn SanfordStarsJudi DenchCuba Gooding Jr.Jennifer TillyTo save their farm, the resident animals go bounty hunting for a notorious outlaw.Three cows band together to save their owner's farm by going after an outlaw for the bounty money. A vain horse also is trying to go after the same outlaw and they must contend with him along the way. Clues eventually lead to an abandoned mine shaft where the cattle rustler is hiding his herds. A few surprise identities are revealed and there is a final exciting chase involving a steam locomotive, but the ending is never in doubt. Entertaining, fast paced Disney spoof of the western genre, with enough in-jokes for fans to keep it interesting.
- DirectorRon ClementsJohn MuskerStarsAnika Noni RoseKeith DavidOprah WinfreyA waitress, desperate to fulfill her dreams as a restaurant owner, is set on a journey to turn a frog prince back into a human being, but she has to face the same problem after she kisses him.While I applaud Disney's return to hand-drawn animation, this still has problems. My main beef is the overload of New Orleans cliches, at times this resembles an ad for tourists. They include everything, I mean everything, that typically defines New Orleans: an alligator named Louis that plays the trumpet, a Cajun firefly, frogs in the bayou, a voodoo villain, endless pots of gumbo, Riverboats, restaurants, Dixieland, cemeteries, mansions on the Avenue, and on and on. The plot is the standard "group on a mission": main characters are turned into frogs and end up in the swamp, they must get back to New Orleans by midnight and be kissed by a princess or remain frogs forever. They pick up a few buddies along the way and have some diverting adventures.
- DirectorStephen J. AndersonDon HallStarsJim CummingsCraig FergusonJohn CleeseWhile searching for honey, Pooh and his friends embark on an adventure to find Eeyore's missing tail and rescue Christopher Robin from an unknown monster called The Backson.Disney revisits the make-believe world of Christopher Robin in this imaginative, if breezy, film. The look of the classic Pooh movie and books is captured perfectly by the hand-drawn animation. A rather plotty and episodic story is the weak link: it starts off as a search for Eeyore's missing tail, then a note from Christopher Robin is misinterpreted, leading to the group's attempt to capture a fictional monster called the "backson". Pooh gives up a chance for honey to return Eeyore's tail, which provides the only "lesson" of the movie: putting his friend before his self, although he gets rewarded with a giant pot of honey afterwards. Pretty weak. Nonetheless, there are some fun moments: like the wordplay with piglet and his "knots", Pooh's honey fantasy sequence and the way the words from the story are incorporated into the setting.
- DirectorChris BuckJennifer LeeStarsKristen BellIdina MenzelJonathan GroffFearless optimist Anna teams up with rugged mountain man Kristoff and his loyal reindeer Sven in an epic journey to find Anna's sister Elsa, whose icy powers have trapped the kingdom of Arendelle in eternal winter.In a rushed opening, two young sisters live a privileged life in a castle as daughters of the King and Queen. Th elder sister possesses some kind of magical power which she struggles to control, leading to her inadvertently injuring the younger sister. She is admonished by her parents to conceal the power for the rest of her life, effectively ending the relationship with her sister. As young adults, they still struggle to connect, even on the day the older sister is to be crowned the new queen. They get into a tiff over her new boyfriend, unleashing an unending winter on the entire country and sending the queen into hiding in the mountains. The younger sister goes after her, getting help from a friendly mountaineer, his reindeer and a goofy living snowman. They find her but quarrel, with the younger sister's heart being turned to ice that only an act of "true love" can reverse. They rush her back to her boyfriend for a life-saving kiss, but he turns out to be a heel. She thinks she might love her mountaineering friend, but instead sacrifices herself to save her sister, thus fulfilling the act of true love and thawing her heart. Her sister also learns to control her powers and frees the country from its icy grip. Over-plotted bad sister versus good sister nonsense, with terrible comedy relief and songs that belong on one of those reality TV competition shows.
- DirectorTony BancroftBarry CookStarsMing-Na WenEddie MurphyBD WongTo save her father from death in the army, a young maiden secretly goes in his place and becomes one of China's greatest heroines in the process.When the Huns invade China, one male member of each family is forced to join the army. A teenage girl poses as a boy to take the place of her aging, and wounded, father. She goes to boot camp, along with an outspoken dragon as a protector, and somehow manages to avoid revealing her sex, even while swimming naked. Later, she saves the entire army with a well-placed cannon shot which causes and avalanche. Injured, her real identity is revealed and she is shunned by the very people she just saved. However, back in the city she is celebrated as a hero, but must defeat a few surviving Huns who launch a surprise attack. An uneasy mix of songs and adventure, not to mention the annoying antics of Eddie Murphy as the dragon, threaten to sink this animated Disney film.
- DirectorEric LeightonRalph ZondagStarsD.B. SweeneyJulianna MarguliesSamuel E. WrightAn orphaned dinosaur raised by lemurs joins an arduous trek to a sanctuary after a meteorite shower destroys his family home.An abandoned dinosaur egg is carried to a family of lemurs, where it is hatched and brought up with other lemurs. Their idealistic life is interrupted by a meteor impact which destroys their island. They join other dinosaurs who are on a trek across the destroyed landscape in search of the "nesting grounds". They are lead by an aggressive male dinosaur who conflicts with the friendlier Aladar raised by the lemurs. When they reach their destination they find all the water gone, except for some buried under the mud. Attacking dinosaurs splinter the group and Aladar and friends hide in a cave, which ends up leading them to the true nesting grounds. However, he has to convince the other group that it really exists, leading to a showdown with the leader. It's Disney, it ends happily. Now dated computer graphics are blended with backdrops filmed around the world in scenic locations to mostly good effect, I just wish the story and characters were more involving.
- DirectorMark DindalStarsDavid SpadeJohn GoodmanEartha KittEmperor Kuzco is turned into a llama by his ex-administrator Yzma, and must now regain his throne with the help of Pacha, the gentle llama herder.A spoiled teenage Incan king is turned into a llama by a recently fired assistant. He ends up at the home of a peasant that he had planned to demolish in order to build his own personal vacation getaway. The king promises to save his neighborhood if the peasant takes him back to the palace, and they set out together for the long trek. They overcome many obstacles, eventually ending up at a diner where they meet the assistant that tried to poison him and fight to turn him back into a human. David Spade as the Incan king Kuzco is almost as irritating as his character. The irreverent asides and breaking of the fourth wall to talk directly to the audience is cumbersome and distracting. John Goodman as the good-natured peasant is a little more tolerable. Still, this is a lesser Disney work which is already beginning to age.
- DirectorRon ClementsJohn MuskerStarsJoseph Gordon-LevittEmma ThompsonMartin ShortJim Hawkins is a teenager who finds the map of a great treasure hidden by a space pirate. Together with some friends, he sets off in a large spaceship, shaped like a caravel, on his quest.Rebellious and moody teenager Jim Hawkins helps his mother run a remote restaurant on a distant planet. When a spaceship crashes nearby, he comes into possession of a map which leads to a treasure stashed by a dead pirate. Along with his mom's scholarly friend, he commissions a ship to find the treasure. The motley crew includes a half-cyborg named John Silver. They at first develop a strong father-son bond, but it sours when Hawkins finds out he is really a pirate planning to take over the ship by mutiny and steal the treasure. They survive a supernova explosion and black hole before finally ending up on the treasure planet. After the mutiny, Jim goes on the run and meets a wisecracking robot (Martin Short), who helps him unlock the map and find the treasure. John Silver and friends are not far behind, leading to the final showdown. Disney's attempt to rework Treasure Island for the hip generation misses the mark. Skysurfing and songs by the Goo Goo Doll's John Rzeznik uneasily mix with scowling cyborgs and other sci fi elements.
- DirectorRon ClementsJohn MuskerStarsTate DonovanSusan EganJames WoodsThe son of Zeus and Hera is stripped of his immortality as an infant and must become a true hero in order to reclaim it.
- DirectorMark DindalStarsZach BraffJoan CusackGarry MarshallAfter ruining his reputation with the town, a courageous chicken must come to the rescue of his fellow citizens when aliens start an invasion.Chicken Little thinks the sky is falling and sends his town into a panic. However, when he can't find the piece that fell he is ostracized by the citizens and embarrasses his father. The piece of sky turns out to be part of an alien spacecraft that blends into its surroundings. A year later the aliens attack and it is up to Chicken Little to save them by returning an abandoned alien child to its parents. Loud, over the top action sequences and cloying story line relegates this one to the barnyard of computer animated Disney films.
- DirectorStephen J. AndersonStarsDaniel HansenWesley SingermanAngela BassettLewis is a brilliant inventor who meets mysterious stranger named Wilbur Robinson, whisking Lewis away in a time machine and together they team up to track down Bowler Hat Guy in a showdown that ends with an unexpected twist of fate.*unrated - have not seen
- DirectorByron HowardRich MooreJared BushStarsGinnifer GoodwinJason BatemanIdris ElbaIn a city of anthropomorphic animals, a rookie bunny cop and a cynical con artist fox must work together to uncover a conspiracy.*unrated - have not seen
- DirectorNathan GrenoByron HowardStarsMandy MooreZachary LeviDonna MurphyThe magically long-haired Rapunzel has spent her entire life in a tower, but now that a runaway thief has stumbled upon her, she is about to discover the world for the first time, and who she really is.*unrated - have not seen
- DirectorRich MooreStarsJohn C. ReillyJack McBrayerJane LynchA video game villain wants to be a hero and sets out to fulfill his dream, but his quest brings havoc to the whole arcade where he lives.*unrated - have not seen
- DirectorRon ClementsJohn MuskerDon HallStarsAuli'i CravalhoDwayne JohnsonRachel HouseIn ancient Polynesia, when a terrible curse incurred by the demigod Maui reaches Moana's island, she answers the Ocean's call to seek out Maui to set things right.*unrated - have not seen
- DirectorPhil JohnstonRich MooreStarsJohn C. ReillySarah SilvermanGal GadotSix years after the events of "Wreck-It Ralph," Ralph and Vanellope, now friends, discover a wi-fi router in their arcade, leading them into a new adventure.*unrated - have not seen
- DirectorChris BuckJennifer LeeStarsKristen BellIdina MenzelJosh GadAnna, Elsa, Kristoff, Olaf and Sven leave Arendelle to travel to an ancient, autumn-bound forest of an enchanted land. They set out to find the origin of Elsa's powers in order to save their kingdom.*unrated - have not seen