Whether you agree with their marketing, business strategies or pricing for their amusement parks and other amenities, I think it cannot be denied that Walt Disney Feature Animation has left an indelible impact on all of us from the ages of 1 to 101. Whether your first film was Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (my Grandfathers), Cinderella (my Grandmothers), The Jungle Book (My Dads), Dumbo (My Sisters), 101 Dalmatians (My Moms), Aladdin (Mine) or Moana (My nephew's), this company has been a staple in the childhoods of millions upon millions of people from the United States to China. Some are richly woven tapestries of animation and music, others are heartfelt stories about growing up and being yourself. Some are tremendous undertakings, others are exceedingly simple. Some are good, some are...not so good. But the fact that we all can say without thinking much that we have a favorite Disney film isn't done so by mistake.
Walt Disney himself said that his movies were supposed to be for everyone to enjoy, but somewhere along the line people got it into their heads that these movies are supposed to be just for kids. Apparently, those people have never seen "Night on Bald Mountain" from Fantasia or...well...any of The Black Cauldron. Many like to tease these films being just for kids, but cannot help but bawl their eyes out when Widow Tweed let's Todd go or Mufasa dies trying to save his son from a thundering stampede. All of us look fondly on the roles that left indelible impacts on us as kids, whether it be Robin Williams as the Genie, James Woods as Hades or even Idina Menzel's Elsa. We all have one Disney memory we will never let ourselves forget because of how it made us feel. Cinderella's gown materializing out of thin air, Belle and the Beast's ballroom dance or the first time we see Peter Pan and the Darling children fly through London. All of them, some of them, or just one of them. We all have one either buried in our subconscious or wear it proudly on our sleeves. And we can do little more but tip the cap to Disney for leaving these imprints on us.
A long time ago, I did a list of these films I think that went as far back as Big Hero 6. Since then, Disney Animation has released five new films to add to the pantheon of animated classics with a sixth incoming with Encanto slated to come to theaters soon. Eventually, I'll have to give an updated list to tell you where that film will slot in, but I have a few big updates to the list.
As many of you know, I dealt with a long and painful battle with depression throughout most of 2019, the worst of my life that compelled me to go onto medication and seek therapy. But one of the few joys I got out of 2019 (apart from my trip to the Most Magical Place on Earth for my birthday) was watching the Disney movies I either already owned or added to my collection. Some films I looked at in completely different ways and adore now. Others have fallen very far out of my grace since I previously ranked them. Heck, some I still don't really know how to peg my feelings for. But when Panda and I snapped at one another over our sheer grossly different rankings for Disney Movies using TierMaker (I mean, the guy put Chicken Little as an A and Fantasia as an F for goodness sake), it got me to thinking exactly how much of my personal preference has changed since 2015. And I'd say a lot of it has. From the last time I ranked these films, only five or six of Disney's soon to be Sixty Animated Films remained in the same position they did previously. The rest have all shifted. Some higher up, some further down. And some of the rankings might surprise you.
But, before we get to the 30 Animated Films that occupy the top three tiers for me in terms of quality and likability, I'd like to list those that didn't quite make the cut and where they fall on my list:
59. Chicken Little (2005)
58. Home on the Range (2004)
57. The Rescuers (1977)
56. Ralph Breaks the Internet (2018)
55. Saludos Amigos (1942)
54. Fun and Fancy Free (1947)
53. Bolt (2008)
52. Frozen 2 (2019)
51. Melody Time (1948)
50. Dinosaur (2000)
49. Brother Bear (2003)
48. Winnie the Pooh (2011)
47. Fantasia 2000 (1999)
46. The Three Caballeros (1944)
45. The Sword in the Stone (1963)
44. Oliver and Company (1988)
43. Meet the Robinsons (2007)
42. Make Mine Music (1946)
41. The Aristocats (1970)
40. Wreck it Ralph (2012)
39. The Black Cauldron (1985)
38. The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad (1949)
37. Big Hero 6 (2014)
36. Atlantis: The Lost Empire (2001)
35. Zootopia (2016)
34. The Rescuers Down Under (1990)
33. Raya and the Last Dragon (2021)
32. Peter Pan (1953)
31. Pocahontas (1995)
And Now, the Main Attraction...
30. Robin Hood (1973)
This is one of those films that has seen a huge tick upwards over the last few years for me. Sure, it isn't a stylish or artsy animated film, but the fact that a film of this caliber was released during the period between Walt Disney's death in 1966 and the retirement of his trusted Nine Old Men by 1981 says something about the amount of dedication and work put into Disney to try and keep the whole thing floating without it's most charismatic leader. Originally based on the fable of Reynard the Fox, this story used the character ideas to incorporate one of England's greatest legends and bring him to life for a new generation to enjoy. It's funny, action packed and full of charm that so many films from the Dark Ages of Disney struggled to provide. Fortunately, this one is a bright spot in a sea of shadows.
29. 101 Dalmatians (1961)
A film that broke new grounds technically as well as aesthetically for Disney Animation,
101 Dalmatians was the first Disney Film to fully incorporate the use of the Xerox Process for photographing the animation directly onto cells and focused on a more rigid yet modern appeal to audiences, removing the costly yet wonderful ink lines of the past. This trend would continue until the CAPS Process was brought in to work on the films of the Disney Renaissance. But apart from being a technical breakthrough, this one is still a delight to romp through every time I watch it. Sure, it's plummeted down the rankings considerably since I made the first list several years ago, but this one is rescued by both it's unique style and having the most zany and bonkers Disney Villain of them all. Thanks for ruining this Disney Villain with a remake too, Disney...not the 1996 one. The stupid
Cruella movie I keep putting off reviewing.
28. The Emperor's New Groove (2000)I've held the original concepts for the film against this one for a very long time. As a kid, it was one of my favorites, but it has since fallen very far from grace in my opinions. The ideas for "Kingdom of the Sun" were some of the finest Disney has ever done, but the declining profits of the Renaissance Films made Disney completely 180 away from a big and bold musical and towards a zany Warner Bros. style comedy. I've come to live with this film for what it is: a comedy. It's not a deep or emotional movie. But it never sought to be. It's supposed to be a comedy film and there's nothing wrong with that. While I'm not the biggest David Spade fan, this was my official introduction to both Eartha Kitt and Patrick Warburton, both of whom I have since become huge fans of. This film has comedic timing down to such an art that I feel like this film is a worthy follow up to
Aladdin (albeit with less quality music and emotional backing).
27. The Princess and the Frog (2009)
In terms of structure, this is probably the weakest film of the John Musker and Ron Clements line. But that's certainly not the fault of them or the animation teams that worked for them. This film is still a special film to many in the world and I would like to give it the respect I feel it deserves. I feel that if this film had been more successful, Disney would have fully revived their 2D Department. The animation is wonderful, the songs are toe tapping and I feel there truly is a strong and emotionally exciting film in the woodworks for this film. But the whole is not equal to the sum of it's parts with this one. I recognize it's importance to the spectrum of Disney Animation, so here I am giving the film the love it deserves.
26. Lady and the Tramp (1955)
Maybe it's the fact that I never owned this one as a kid or perhaps it's something else, but I found myself watching this one the least of any of the films here in my Top 30. I just don't have a strong emotional connection to this one. That's not to say anything supremely negative resides in this one. This is a sheer classic. Breathtaking animation, well written characters and story lines and a heart the size of an apple tree, this one is about as solid a film as it comes. But it would be silly of me to disregard the dated "attitude" of this film. If I am going to hold it against
Peter Pan, I have to hold it against this film too. But boy did this movie's attitudes regarding race and stereotypes not age gracefully. I'm surprised this film,
Peter Pan and
Dumbo don't have the same reputation for Disney that
Song of the South does. Oh well, for what it is, this one is a classic. I just wish I had grown up with it so I could have a relationship with this one that I do other films like
Winnie the Pooh and
Sleeping Beauty.
25. Treasure Planet (2002)
Of all the Disney Animated Films made in the 2000's, I thought this one was going to age like a jug of milk. But it has surprisingly aged very well over time. Maybe it's because I'm growing a newfound respect for Steampunk, or maybe it's because the good elements of this film (like
The Jungle Book) outweigh the bad in every conceivable facet. And I think that's how I have to judge it. This film is far from a perfect movie, but it does things that most Disney Films of the time would have balked at. This and
Lilo and Stitch might very well be the most important movies Disney has made in the post-
Lion King era. The characters and the animation are what puts this one over the top. What it lacks for in the songs and a captivating villain it makes up for with a solid connection between characters, be it Jim and his Mother, Jim and Silver or even Doppler and the Captain. This movie has the finest cast of characters Musker and Clements have developed for their movies since
Aladdin, and it really shows just how much of a pet project this was for them. I hope they remake this one so it doesn't fade into the background alongside more mediocre 2000's Disney films like
Meet the Robinsons or
Brother Bear.
24. Mulan (1998)
I'm going to go out on a limb and say some of the rankings on this list will shock you. Considering how heavily critical I've always been towards this film, you would think that I would be the last one to finally turn the corner for this one. But I did a rewatch of this a few months ago and it hit me in ways I didn't think a post-
Hunchback Disney Film could. This whole list has been changed as I take a closer look at the films made from 1997-2002. And
Mulan got probably the biggest bump up of any of the Disney Films on this list. The animation is still a little lacking in some areas and the villain is one of the weakest Disney has ever put out, but the characters were what drew me on this current go around. Even those I thought were a little basic like Shang got to me with how well the movie visually tells it's story. The songs still don't work that well for me with two well known exceptions to the rule, but hey, this film does belong in the same conversation as the films made before it. Just, not as dramatically high as some put it on.
23. Frozen (2013)
Whereas both
Treasure Planet and
Mulan have begun to age far more gracefully than I thought they ever would, this film has proven to only get weaker as it ages. Sure, it's songs are still bangers, it's animation is breathtaking and it's themes are still fairly strong, but the characters and the story have definitely not improved over time. With the exception of Elsa (who is the poster child for kids of this generation in expressing themselves), the other characters all either fall by the wayside, prove to be dumber and more naïve than I remember, or are just flat out terribly written. I feel I was too kind to Hans in previous attempts to look over this film, as he has aged far too poorly. In fact, all of the Disney Villains of this era are not only forgettable, they're just lousy villains. Even the relatively good ones like King Candy just slide backwards for me. The good unfortunately cannot outweigh the bad here, but hey, not every film can hold the same grace as the Renaissance Films.
22. Sleeping Beauty (1959)
Sleeping Beauty has been the weakest link of the Original Six Disney Fairy Tales for it's entire existence. While it's buoyed by memorable Fairy Characters and a tremendous villain, the rest of the characters are either completely inconsequential or unlikeable, with even the main alleged leads in Aurora and Prince Phillip. The songs aren't particularly anything special, either. What does make this film float though, is it's impeccable art style. Eyvind Earle truly knew what he was doing in adapting medieval artistry for this one to make it stand out in some way from both
Snow White and
Cinderella. If this film didn't have the fantastic animation and art styling behind it, it might have been the most forgettable Disney Film in a catalog that includes such wonderfully beloved films as
Saludos Amigos and
Make Mine Music. But as it stands, the overtime work for the villain and the art more than make up for the rest of it's shortcomings.
21. Hercules (1997)
Another one who's art style has definitely grown on me over the years. But what made
Hercules stand out this time around wasn't just the art by Gerald Scarfe. It was the heart the film possesses. While James Woods all but steals the show from the rest of the cast as Hades, the other characters are finally getting to me after I found them little more than cookie cutter from other more successful movies previously. I pariticularly felt something for Hercules and Megara in my last viewing and I can see what my Mom and Sister love about this one. Not enough for it to remove one of the other Top 20, but definitely to see that this film deserves another serious look for those who have rejected it for some time. The songs are still bangers, the characters are growing on me and the art style works for a film like this. I just wish the story wasn't so completely bonkers.
20. Tarzan (1999)
Every single day, I feel differently towards this movie than I did the day before. One day, I love it. Other days, I think it's a bloated mess. Right now, I feel I've reached a fair equilibrium we can all be happy with. It has heart, charm and brilliant animation. It's side characters are largely forgettable and it's villain one of the weakest in the Disney Pantheon. It's songs are either seen as headbangers (in that you cannot help but rock out to them) or headbangers (in that you cannot help but smash your head into a wall when you hear Phil Collins sing). But whereas I feel the story of
Hercules missed out a lot on the lead character not being able to fit in with the rest of Ancient Greece, I feel they really get the whole fish out of water thing well here, as Tarzan literally has to learn how to become a gorilla and then how to be a man again. The story is fairly strong and the morals are some of the better ones Disney has come out with. But, like with
The Princess and the Frog, there really is just no way to compute the sum of this film's parts into something that can be as all around appealing as the other Disney Movies of it's time. Good, but not good enough.
19. Moana (2016)
As Lindsay Ellis put it in her look back at this film a few years back, this film is about as fully realized an improved version of
Pocahontas as Disney could make. The films have surprisingly a lot in common, but where
Pocahontas tried to ignore the cultural and factual understandings of the time to make a Romeo and Juliet story to win them an Oscar. They follow similar plots (albeit with a more mythological threat to Moana's world than a physical settlement from outsiders), they take the character on a journey where she has to find her place with her people and in the world and they have to clean up the mess of the main male character in her life. No, this film is not flawless. It's lack of a villain can feel weird in some instances and refreshing in other parts (I do not count Tamatoa as a real villain but more along the lines of being like The Pink Elephants from
Dumbo). But I feel Moana is an excellent female lead, Maui is an arrogant yet likeable character and the their adventure is one I will certainly not forget anytime soon. It's definitely Disney's best film since 2015, and it's not even close.
18. Alice in Wonderland (1951)
There is just so much charm and imagination in this one that I cannot help but feel content whenever I revisit this one. In fact, I feel it could have even been more imaginative than the finished product was, but Disney was more inclined to keep to his fixed budgets after years of financial turmoil at the studio and with still many plans to make Disneyland a thing. One of the things I have to admire about this trip back to Wonderland was just how wonderful a character Alice is in this story. She isn't always a straight man in a world of nonsense. You can tell she's trying to get into this world as best as she can, but even all of the nonsense she had wished books could be filled with in the beginning is too much for her to take. The characters are a treasure to watch, even the more passive ones like the Dodo or the Flowers all stand out in the few moments they've been given. There's actually a lot in common this film has with
The Jungle Book, but I feel that the one strength that film has over this one (the relationships) is something they could not have possibly put into this one to make it work. As this one stands, it is the best and most faithful adaptation of Lewis Carroll's work I've seen.
17. The Great Mouse Detective (1986)
It truly is amazing that of all the adaptations and versions of Sherlock Holmes that exist in the media hell scape we call life, that the best version of him isn't even supposed to be Sherlock Holmes. Basil of Baker Street (or as plebs call it:
The Great Mouse Detective) was truly a breath of fresh air for Disney after a long and difficult time for the studio which included a complete turnover in command, a tremendous box office disaster in
The Black Cauldron and many in the studio believing animation was just not feasible for them at this time and considering it's elimination. The film is, once again, far from perfect. It has numerous animation mistakes (due to a severely cramped budget), but the film's characters are it's strengths. Olivia is an adorable damsel in distress, Dawson being the bumbling Watson to Basil's Sherlock is impressive, but the best relationship in the film is clearly the one between hero Basil and villain Professor Ratigan. You can tell both get joy out of outwitting and defeating the other and even feel at some points that their lives might be incomplete without the other menacing them. With it's strong c characters, yet easy to solve mystery, if this was a child's introduction to mystery movies, I think Disney did an excellent job with this one.
16. The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh (1977)
For some inexplicable reason, it has become cool in the mainstream of Disney Animation to look down at this film being released when it was and being as packaged together as it was when Disney could have used that time to make more films. I don't understand why this would compel people to take their feelings out on a film that is otherwise a perfect little jaunt and probably the smartest Disney Film to introduce to your kids as their first. All of the characters are endearing, the stories are simple and character focused and there aren't any real scares or frights for anyone in the audience. Maybe it's just the affinity I've always had for Winnie the Pooh and the characters of the 100 Acre Wood, but Winnie the Pooh is always a film I will fondly sit down for if it's the time to watch it. I personally just cannot find a way to criticize this movie. It's a perfect beginner movie for a little child and also a quaint look back for all of us to remember what it feels like to be a kid again. Winnie the Pooh is one of the franchises Disney has done the most justice towards, if you ask me.
15. The Fox and the Hound (1981)
I personally feel that if more adults had been introduced to this movie as kids, we would have a society that hates each other just a little less. Maybe not extraordinarily, but enough for there to be a noticeable difference. It's a far cry from the original story, but it takes a unique and somber take on childhood friendships and how the forces of society tend to drive innocent relationships apart. It's definitely a family favorite, as it treats children with such respect that one could be very surprised Disney would do with one of their films. We know that Tod and Copper should still be friends, but we also understand why they can't really be as close as they used to be. It's probably the perfect film in educating kids against prejudices that isn't too preachy with it's lesson as
Zootopia is. The songs are still meh and the animation is good but still in the midst of Disney's transition from cells to digital compilation, but the story's heart is just too strong for me to put it at any position lesser than this one.
14. Lilo and Stitch (2002)
Talk about a movie that gets better with age. This movie, like fellow 2002 release in
Treasure Planet, has gone from being a good but overplayed film in Disney's library to being the one of, if not the most important release Disney Animation had after
The Lion King. Who would have thought that a movie inspired by
ET would have skyrocketed in likeability as time has passed. I think it's because the heart of the story truly isn't with the alien characters or their technology driven world. It's more a story about Lilo and Nani, two sisters who are doing everything they can to understand, nurture and love one another in a world that would rather see them torn apart after their parents die. Nani is doing everything she can to be there for Lilo, while Lilo is doing her best to fit in with a world that just doesn't understand who she is. You can make your own interpretations for whether or not Lilo is a child with special needs or not, but the fact is that the heart is there for all two of them and the little alien they adopt into their households. This is a movie I feel I need to put on whenever I begin to feel a little down, joining
Winnie the Pooh and
The Jungle Book in those regards. Everything from the moment we cut from space to Lilo swimming in the ocean to it's rip-roaring ending makes this film on par with Disney's best.
13. Dumbo (1941)
By all counts,
Dumbo can barely be qualified as a motion picture. It has an extremely short run time, goes on multiple different stylistic and story telling tangents and was not known for breaking grounds in terms of either story or animation after
Snow White,
Pinocchio and
Fantasia all definitely did. But this film is 63 entire minutes of charm, cuteness and outstanding animation in one small package. Who would have guessed Disney was capable of ruining this one? Oh well, we're not talking about THAT film. We're talking about this one. While it also shares
Lady and the Tramp's issues with having very stereotypical looks at race relations, I feel that it's a little more forgiving here because the movie's big and welcoming heart has sucked you into it's world that you could probably ignore the crows for what Disney made them out to be. And if you can't, you can't. It happens. I feel, personally, that this film succeeds where
Lady and the Tramp failed in having it's charming story and loveable lead character carry the picture and not just let the picture run it's course as that film does. All I can say is, this one is charming.
12. Bambi (1942)
While I prefer movies with more of a plot behind them, I can respect a movie like this that simply a slice of life movie. It's not as powerfully moving as
The Lion King or as emotionally evocative as
Dumbo, but
Bambi is naturalism in it's finest form. After the deer in
Snow White looked more like bags of flour than actual animals, to have a turn around of getting realistic deer and forest animal anatomy so quickly is nothing short of impeccable. Not to mention the film is incredibly memorable to many, if not for one incredibly dark and tragic moment. But parental death aside, I feel like
Bambi is the perfect last act for the Golden Age of Disney Feature Animation that ended once the United States entered World War II. It has the charm of
Dumbo and the outstanding animation of both
Fantasia and
Pinocchio. And while it also has a very short run time, it feels like a full length movie thanks to it's immersive animation, it's heartfelt story and another fine dose of charm that Disney has since become well known for.
11. Cinderella (1950)
Cinderella has constantly gotten the short end of the stick when it comes to the way people treat it. Some revere it as a solid animated film, but not as emotional as
Snow White or as artistic as
Sleeping Beauty. Others see it as an antiquated and very sexist film that insists a woman can simply sit around and wait for something magical or a man to come and rescue her. But they all tend to neglect the things that truly make this film stand out. For one thing, Cinderella herself is a much better protagonist than Snow White. She actually shows an intense work ethic and drive to actually find a way to get her own dreams to come true. Not only that, but she was under the mental, physical and emotional manipulation of one of Disney's finest villains in the Wicked Stepmother. The animation for this movie is superb, with the film taking full advantage of the ink lines that Walt and his company had become famous for, as the characters look like they could fit right into the fairy tale books Walt based them off of. This one is no exception. Excellent animation, a compelling lead and extremely catchy music, what else could you ask for from a prototypical Disney Classic?
10. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937)
When someone asked me how best to describe a movie like
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, I told them the best thing to call this film was to call it "The Ultimate Fairy Tale Adaptation". And I stick to it. While four more Disney Fairy Tales are on the list before this one, I feel that this one is probably the best and perfect blueprint for how to adapt a fairy tale into a feature length movie. It doesn't add anything pointless or dry, it even cuts down the story a bit by eliminating the two previous attempts the Queen made on Snow White's life to just the poisoned apple. And most importantly, it doesn't just serve as a flat reread of the classic Brothers Grimm Fairy Tale. Disney Animation added their fully realized charm, some truly outstanding animation and delightful music to tell a story we all knew in a completely different and never before seen way. And, to be fair, without
Snow White, there would be no rest of this list. So I feel we all need to keep showing this film the endless praise and respect it deserves. Because this one is not just one of the greatest movies ever made, it might be the most important Disney was ever attached to.
9. Tangled (2010)
Whereas
Snow White is the ultimate adaptation of a Fairy Tale,
Tangled is an example of how to make an otherwise short and antiquated story in a modern time. Let's be fair, something like
Snow White could never be made at this time. This film takes a more modern take on a classic fairy tale and updates it. Rapunzel is no longer just confined to the tower until being banished from it by the witch. Instead, she actively goes out and sees the world for what it has to offer, with Rapunzel herself being more of a Quasimodo styled character who fears the outside world yet longs for it, while also having far greater worth to someone like Mother Gothel than as just a daughter of some guy who stole from her garden. Disney takes one of the least memorable fairy tales and gives it a good heave ho by introducing new characters, updating the villain and making the romance one less geared towards "love at first sight" and more towards learning to trust one another and care for each other. Add into that some truly sensational CGI animation (which I don't usually care for as I'm a 2D guy all the way) and some admittedly catchy Disney tunes and you've got a Fairy Tale that safely fits in alongside the elite of the company.
8. Pinocchio (1940)
It would have been impossible for the Disney Animation team to replicate completely the success they had with
Snow White. So, Walt encourages his animators to not try at all to replicate their first film and do things in animation that had never been attempted before. The results bore one of the most technically perfect motion pictures ever drawn to life.
Pinocchio doesn't try anything to replicate what had been done in it's predecessor. It follows a much more episodic style of writing, let's characters actions guide the story instead of allowing the story to tell itself. And above all, the center and the heart of the movie come from two different characters. Pinocchio may be the center of the story as it's protagonist, but it's heart comes from Jiminy Cricket, played brilliantly by Cliff Edwards. Intricate art stylized by Gustaf Tenggren that evokes European art, characters that are allowed to be themselves and one of the most beautiful musical scores and song lists ever put into a film, I don't think Walt Disney helmed a film that was technically superior than
Pinocchio. Yet, two more films he helmed personally are above it? Well, there's always a reason for it...
7. The Jungle Book (1967)
While the film has almost nothing to do with the original Rudyard Kipling story, I feel that Walt Disney never released a better narrative driven movie than this one. Why? Well, let's delve into it. The film is just oozing in that old fashioned Disney Charm. There isn't a single character or scene that goes on longer than it has to. The animation, while a bit less storybookish than some other films on here, is still top notch for a heartfelt comedy taking place in the jungle. The songs are easily some of the greatest ever put into a Disney Film. But what makes
The Jungle Book stand out is the cast of characters Disney assembled. There isn't a single character who isn't a welcoming addition to the story. Kaa is a comedic and devious villain, King Louie is completely bonkers, the Elephants are funny, Shere Khan is a menacing monster and the heart of the story, Baloo and Mowgli, is the most powerful relationship in any Disney Movie apart from two films just ahead of this one on the list. This one is truly a masterful sendoff for the legacy and career of one Walter Elias Disney.
6. Fantasia (1940)
Fantasia isn't so much a motion picture as it is an experience. I mean, my god how is this film not revered along the likes of other films? I get it, it's a little too artsy for some people (ahem, Panda). But it's just so gorgeous a movie that I feel I cannot in good faith say anything negative about it. After all, it's a combination of two of my all time favorite things in the world in Disney Animation and Classical Music. This film alone is the reason why I love both, believe it or not. I love movies like the next five because of how well their stories are told and the morals ring true. This one is purely an artistic experience unlike anything Disney has done before or since. The impressionistic moments of Toccata and Fugue in D Minor, the wondrous animation in The Sorcerer's Apprentice, all the way down to the hellish interpretations of the profane and the angelic lights of the sacred from it's finale of Night on Bald Mountain and Ave Maria, this film is something so gorgeous that I cannot help but shed a tear whenever I watch it. If I did not love the remaining five films as much as I do, this one would have easily had a chance to edge itself into the Top 5, if not the Top 3. But there are five superior Disney Films to this one and I think you all know which five they are.
5. The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1996)
Fantasia will likely be the gustiest artistic choice Walt Disney ever made for a film. The most gutsy story take the company ever took on was turning one of the darkest and most tragic novels Victor Hugo ever wrote into something that could appeal to audiences of all ages. They failed. While there might be things in this film that make kids laugh and feel welcome,
The Hunchback of Notre Dame is almost an exclusively adult Disney Animated film. And there isn't anything wrong with that, but Disney is unfortunately not the company to make another gutsy move like this anytime soon. In one 93 minute package, Disney tackles persecution, prejudice, genocide, religious corruption, sexual desire and societal acceptance. The melodrama of Quasimodo, Esmeralda and Frollo is some of the most compelling storylines in any Disney that has since only been made better through stage adaptations. Stellar animation, impeccable casting and some of the finest and darkest storylines Disney has ever tackled, this film truly deserves it's spot in the Top 5.
4. The Little Mermaid (1989)
Not gonna lie to you guys. I almost put this film in the Top 2. This film has had such a profound impact on me and my love for storytelling, animation and music that it almost upended two of the greatest animated films ever made by Disney. But why this one and not
Hunchback? Well, there's a lot of reasons. For one thing, this film is probably the most tightly written motion picture Disney has ever done. It has brilliant dialogue and some of the best musical work to come from Howard Ashman and Alan Menken in their entire careers. Add into that some of the most beautiful animation Disney has ever put out and an entire cast of compelling characters and one of the boldest steps Disney ever took that people blasted for years (and ironically praised
Mad Max: Fury Road for) in choosing to make the character that goes through the most transformative change not be Ariel herself, but her father the King. Considering how many have railed against this movie for so long with unsubstantiated arguments, is it a wonder why I have come to adore this movie this much? It has everything someone could ever ask for in a Disney Animated movie and set up the ground work for the next three films that succeeded it (not including
The Rescuers Down Under)
3. Beauty and the Beast (1991)
I think I underestimate just how brilliant this film is every time I watch it (and we're pushing on at least a thousand or so times). I mean, my god does everything in this movie work. The animation is gorgeous, the characters charming and engaging, the cinematography breathtaking and the songs without a doubt the finest ever written for a Disney Film. I've tried to be a cynic and find flaws in this film, but none of them hold any water, not even the flimsy as all hell argument that Belle has Stockholm Syndrome. This is about as close to flawless an entire product that Disney has ever come up with. I'm still trying to figure out to this day how both Walt himself and the production team behind this film had a hard time adapting this film because it seems so fluid and well structured that I cannot help but feel they had this planned from the beginning. This movie is just...wow...I still can't believe a movie this good came out from the same studio that now is creatively bankrupt...
2. Aladdin (1992)
How can I justify putting
Aladdin over a movie that is considered about as perfect as Disney Animation could possibly go? Well, I find that sometimes, if an element of a movie is so jaw droopingly brilliant, that I can't help but throw praise the way of one street rat and his blue friend. And while this equally beloved classic may not have the perfection behind it that
Beauty and the Beast has, the things
Aladdin does do right are nothing short of miracles. I don't think much more can be said of Robin Williams as the Genie, but if that wasn't the perfect casting for a role in my life, I will never know. And he certainly made up for any slight shortcomings the overall film had, which are few and far between. The animation is so quick yet vibrant that I'm amazed Disney did this so quickly after
Beauty and the Beast. Aside from that, the movie is a bucket full of laughs, has songs that rival those of it's predecessor and is full to the top with that good old fashioned Disney Charm that has made so many of these films as memorable as they are. This one is just sheer brilliance.
1. The Lion King (1994)
There will never be another film quite like
The Lion King. Many studios have tried and even come close to replicating the brilliance of this film, but none have done it better, not even Disney themselves. This film was a perfect storm that happened to fall in just such a way that it went from being a project nobody had any faith in into becoming a phenomenon the likes of which Disney has never had before or since. Any one element of this film being changed makes it not work. Disney had to learn this the hard way with the remake, but at least this was what that soulless cash grab came from. Something that is theatrical in it's telling, epic in it's scope and meaningful to everyone who crosses it. It's more than just a movie. It's an experience. A story that deals with love, loss, murder, betrayal, redemption and community, all while having a central character who's main gimmick is burping and farting. With the greatest Musical Score ever written for a film, some of the most iconic songs in world history and animation that puts all other films to shame,
The Lion King truly was an event unlike anything before it or since. I never grow tired of heaping praise onto this masterpiece, because it deserves every second of it.
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