Disney movies! There’s just something so lovable about them, isn’t there? They’re not books, which is what I usually talk about here, but they’re still stories, so I’ve decided to make a post talking about my personal favorites π
Just a warning, there will be unmarked spoilers for some of the movies in this post. I figure that probably won’t be much of an issue but wanted to mention it just in case!
Honorable Mention: The Rescuers
This movie doesn’t get enough attention. You want a real strong female protagonist who doesn’t need a man to save her? This one. Right here. This was a little girl, a child, who grew up in an orphanage and was finally adopted only to be forced to work in some skeleton-ridden cave thing to look for a gem—a cave that filled up with water every so often and nearly drowned her. And all she had was her teddy bear and then some rodents and insects who came to her aid. THAT is strength. Everybody else take notes.
5. Frozen
I honestly don’t understand why everyone thought Frozen was the greatest thing to ever happen on this earth and kept saying it was the first Disney movie to do this or that because it really wasn’t the first to do any of those things. BUT it was still an enjoyable movie with some great music, and Hans is actually my favorite Disney villain because I think he’s really complex, and I have this whole headcanon about him and his feelings for Anna. (I also saw an article recently about how he originally wasn’t meant to be the villain, so my theory may not be too far off π)
4. Hercules
Hercules is such an underrated Disney movie, in my opinion, and I’m not even saying that because of the Greek mythology aspect. It’s just got a lot of great messages and great characters. I mean, come on, Meg is one of the most relatable Disney characters ever created. Plus “I Can Go the Distance” is a wonderful song. It’s honestly inspiring to me, and if that last note doesn’t impress you, I don’t know what will.
3. The Nightmare Before Christmas
Do I even need to explain this one? This movie is weird and unique and a visual masterpiece, plus it’s got some great characters and music.
2. Pocahontas
You’ll have to excuse my raving because Pocahontas is possibly the most underrated Disney movie ever, and here is a list of reasons why it is fantastic.
– Total girl power. Pocahontas was no damsel in distress. People complain that Disney princesses are always being rescued by men and blah, blah, blah—she was the one who saved John Smith and prevented a war between her people and the Virginia Company men. Also, just look at how she holds herself, how she moves, how she acts, etc. She has so much confidence.
– Great messages. The whole movie is about prejudice and not judging or hurting people simply because they’re different. There’s also a message about appreciating the earth. Seriously, watching this movie reminds me to appreciate the earth and all the beauty in it more.
You think the only people who are people
Are the people who look and think like you
But if you walk the footsteps of a stranger
You’ll learn things you never knew, you never knew– Colors of the Wind
– The songs are great and beautiful and catchy.
– The characters are complex. Like Pocahontas’s father who actually listens to his daughter and realizes he’s not better than the white men if he kills John Smith. Like Pocahontas’s best friend who makes a mistake by telling Kocoum that Pocahontas is with John, but only because she’s genuinely worried about her friend. Like, Kocoum who I’m sure did care about his tribe but who let his own prejudice and jealousy get the best of him when he attacked John. And Thomas! He goes from young and naive and full of hope, to ashamed and downtrodden, to finally doing something right except it still ends up being wrong (he finally manages to shoot straight and saves John, but in doing so, he kills Kocoum), to eventually coming into his own by being the first to stand against Ratcliffe at the end.
See what I mean? This is just a great movie all around.
1. Tangled
I kid you not, when I finally got a copy of this one, I watched it every day, sometimes twice a day, for like a week straight. There are so, so, SO many reasons I love this movie. I can relate to Rapunzel in so many ways, Flynn is such a complex character, the story is so cute and fun but also shows a fairly realistic portrayal of abuse, the romance between Rapunzel and Flynn is so beautiful, there is so much meaning in the movie to me about inner strength, and I find something more to love every time I watch it. Plus, the healing song Rapunzel sings is so beautiful in an eerie kind of way. I just adore this movie and its characters.
I feel like the older non-princess movies don’t get enough hype. There were so many amazing Disney films from my youth, which are not lauded enough. Mary Poppins was my favorite, and enjoyed a little resurgence due to the remake/new adaptations, but what about Chitty Chitty Bang Bang? Bedknobs and Broomsticks? I grew up watching Disney movies every Sunday. I loved all the ones on your list, but Hercules is high up there for me. I laughed so much watching that one.
They really don’t! I forgot about Mary Poppins, that was one of the two movies I watched repeatedly as a kid, so that was definitely one of my childhood favorites!
Fun post! I’m a big fan of Tangled and Frozen, although not sure I want to see Frozen 2. It’s been quite a while since I’ve watched a Disney movie. I’m tempted to get their new streaming service so I can watch whenever I want toπ
Sometimes sequels to animated Disney movies are not the best, but I do want to see Frozen 2, I’m curious what it’s about!
My favorite is The Little Mermaid, but I love all the ones from that time – Beauty and the Beast, The Lion King, etc. They all have such great music! My sister loves Tangled, but I haven’t seen it yet! My niece loves Frozen; she’s only 3 but she was explaining to me the other day that “Hans is a bad boy.”
The older classic ones are great and all have some great songs. Ahh, no, you have to see Tangled! That’s so cute about your niece lol.
As a kid I adored The Rescuers and The Rescuers Down Under!
Tbh I don’t know if I even saw them as a kid, but I love The Rescuers now as an adult lol.
Huge yes to Frozen and Tangled – I think Frozen is rightly hyped, because the sister relationship was so well done and complex, imo, and I laughed at a lot of scenes of it. It also has the best soundtrack, in my opinion. Tangled, though, might be a bit under-appreciated, imo – the romance is SO CUTE oh my god. The Nightmare Before Christmas is incredible, I’m happy it made your list. π
Frozen is great, and it really does have some awesome songs! But ugh, yes, the romance between Rapunzel and Flynn is my favorite Disney romance.
My husband and I have an ongoing debate about Hans and his motives in the movie Frozen. LOL I think I appreciate Tangled more now than I did when I first saw it. I think my favorite Disney animated film though is Moana. I can’t get enough of that one. The Nightmare Before Christmas is another favorite in our house.
Wait, so who’s on what side of the Hans argument?? Lol. Moana is a fun one!
Tangled and Frozen are some of my favorite Disney movies as well! π I have watched Tangled countless times, and it still remains my favorite to this day, and it usually still makes me cry a little. I also do enjoy Hercules, but I never watched it growing up, so I’ve only recently been introduced to it! Some of my older favorites are The Little Mermaid and Sleeping Beauty π
Yay, a fellow Tangled lover! I still get emotional sometimes too. Ugh, the way Flynn hugs her at the end is the best <3 Tbh, none of these were the ones I loved and repeatedly watched as a kid lol.
Tangled is one of my favorites <3 And The Lion King <3 And I could keep listing movies forever haha so I will stop at 2! Great post π Disney is the best!!!! <3
Yay Tangled love! The Lion King is great too. Disney really is the best XD
I haven’t seen Hercules or Pocahontas yet but *whispers* – I hate Frozen. the songs make my ears bleed lol I liked Tangled though. I can’t remember what I’ve seen but I used to watch the REAL old ones and tend to like the smaller ones that don’t do as well.
As long as you like Tangled, you’re welcome here lol. But omgosh, how have you not seen Pocahontas?! You hve to try it!
I always wanted to see The Rescuers and never did! I still haven’t! Ack I should correct that I guess. Also I love Tangled- definitely one of my favorites if not my fave. I like Frozen a lot.
I kinda want to check out Moana because I don’t really know what it’s about but the whole South Pacific vibe appeals to me big time. I hear good things about Mulan too- another one I never saw. I should do a Disney marathon of movies I’ve never seen…
You should! The Rescuers is great. I know a lot of people love Moana, but I’m not super in love with it. Mulan is great though.
Ah, The Nightmare Before Christmas is definitely a favorite. I really like Frozen too, and Pocahontas. Such a good one, and amazing music. My favorite Disney movie is Mulan though!
-Lauren
Mulan is a great one too!
Hercules is one of my favourites but I haven’t seen it in so long! I should really do a Disney marathon soon
Yay, I’m glad you love that one too!
Fun post! As much as I love all of the newer Disney movies, the older ones like The Rescuers, The Fox and the Hound, The jungle Book, and The Lady and the Tramp will always have a special place in my heart.
Yes! Some of the old ones are so great and underrated!
Ahh, I had a long comment but then the blog ate it. I mentioned how Hercule is one of my favourites. With a brilliant soundtrack and also the best Disney villain in my opinion. Hades is a hilarious. I still need to watch The Nightmare Before Christmas. I love the song Colours of the Wind. And Tangled is fantastic. I love Flynn so much, and the horse. Their interactions crack me up!
I’m so sorry about the blog eating your comments π But yay, I’m glad you agree with some of my choices! Hercules is underrated. Hades is a really fun villain, I agree. And just everything about Tangled is great lol.