In addition to its many live-action properties, Disney+ is home to many animated movies - and here are the best ones to watch. The highly-anticipated service, which is currently available in the United States, Canada, and the Netherlands, includes productions from several of the properties the media empire has obtained over the last decade, such as 20th Century Fox, Pixar, Marvel Studios, and the Star Wars franchise through Lucasfilm.
Through its launch in North America, Disney opened up its iconic vault to its millions of fans, orchestrating reunions around the world with films and shows that have defined childhoods, memories, and camaraderie. But with such a large library of animated movies, it can be difficult to decide which film to watch and which ones are better than the rest.
What’s interesting is that Disney+ also includes animated movies that the Mouse House didn’t have previously, thanks to the 21st Century Fox acquisition. So there’s much more to Disney+’s library of animated movies (and TV shows, for that matter) than just those from Disney Animation and Pixar Animation - two of the most famous companies in the animated world. With that in mind, here are the best animated movies on Disney+.
Coco
While this Pixar film is a relatively new addition to the company’s catalogue, it’s already become one of its most memorable and impressive achievements. Gorgeously crafted and poignantly penned, Coco follows a young musician’s crusade through the Land of the Dead. Along the way, he develops a newfound appreciation for both his humble family on Earth, and the pack of deceased ancestors he had more or less abandoned.
Winner of two Academy Awards, including Best Animated Feature, Coco is not only a miraculous technological achievement, but a cultural one as well, inserting a proper celebration of Mexican life and heritage into the mainstream.
Beauty and the Beast
The story of Beauty and the Beast extends far beyond Disney’s 1991 film. But it’s certainly safe to say that the success and grandeur of the animated movie has more or less hijacked the 1740 fairy tale’s reputation. The film, which was the first animated feature to ever be nominated in the Best Picture category at the Oscars, is both gothic and romantic, following a cursed prince whose hideous form is accepted and relieved by the love of a beautiful girl. It is a tale as old as time indeed, one that will hopefully accompany the human experience as long as it’s able.
The Incredibles
In the 15 years since The Incredibles first hit theaters, superhero movies’ place in pop culture have increased tenfold. With that said, it’s quite the compliment to say that Brad Bird’s quintessential animated film still holds its place among the best of the genre. Following a family of “supers” who must learn to work together once the malicious Syndrome comes to power, The Incredibles is packed with comedy and heart, as well as action and excitement.
Inside Out
The moral of Inside Out - one of acceptance and understanding - is invigorating for children and adults alike. Teaching viewers to validate and have faith in all of their emotions, both good and bad, is a nearly invaluable act; and Pixar, by literally exploring the mind of a young girl, found the perfect classroom. Across the emotional spectrum are Amy Poehler as Joy, Phyllis Smith as Sadness, Bill Hader as Fear, Mindy Kaling as Disgust, and Lewis Black as Anger. Together, they form both the mental backbone of young Riley as well as the host to one of Pixar’s most important stories.
The Simpsons Movie
Not that many people who ordered Disney+ did so with the intent of ignoring their inner child; The Simpsons Movie offers the service’s older subscribers an entertaining and gruffer film to enjoy. Released nearly twenty years after the show premiered - 30 seasons of which are also available on Disney+ - it follows the iconic animated family on an extended series of antics as Springfield is quarantined in a giant dome. Its universal pleasures, laughs, and ideas can be consumed by fans and fresh-faces alike.
Toy Story 2
Each of the Toy Story films could have found their own spot here, but as the franchise drew to a close earlier this year, it was Toy Story 2 that stood tall as the best of the bunch. Among Andy’s toys’ attempt to rescue Woody from an overly-ambitious and cheeky collector, director John Lasseter’s own rescue mission for the film from a tumultuous early draft has itself become a cinematic legend. Its stressful conception and creative genius validated Pixar’s ingenuity, and solidified the franchise’s comfortable place near the hearts of its viewers.
Wall-E
Wall-E is set in the distant future, and despite its frightening message of that future, it’s ultimately a story of hope - one that doesn’t look down, but up. Set beyond Earth’s decimation, the titular trash-collecting robot finds his way onto the spacecraft where humanity has harbored itself. Beyond cutting several onions right under the viewer’s eyes, the film is one of Pixar’s most aesthetically pleasing productions. Sensual, gorgeous, and transformative, it is simply astounding.
Monsters, Inc.
After Pete Docter’s beloved classic, Monsters, Inc., first hit theaters in 2001, children around the world didn’t cower away from the monsters under their bed, they chased around the room looking for them. Composing a lovable and relatable band of monster employees, whose sole jobs are to collect the screams of little kids, doesn’t sound like the easiest job in the world, but nevertheless, the team at Pixar succeeded in doing just that.
Nominated for four Academy Awards in 2002 and winning one (Best Original Song), Monsters, Inc. has since spawned one of the company’s better-received sequels - which was, in fact, a prequel. But it is Mike, Sully, and Boo’s initial romp that has resonated with audiences for so long.
The Lion King
While Jon Favreau’s 2019 retelling of The Lion King was, if nothing else, an impressive technical achievement, it is Disney’s 1994 classic that remains not only among the best of the Mouse vault, but among the greatest of all animated movies. Featuring the voice talents of Matthew Broderick, James Earl Jones, and Jeremy Irons, among others, its story is harrowing and rich, following a young lion cub who’s deceived by his uncle into believing he had killed his royal father. With a beautifully drawn Saharan atmosphere and deeply rooted in Shakespeare’s Hamlet, Simba’s vengeful conquest is humorous, heroic, and for the last 25 years, heralded.
Fantasia
Providing Disney with some of its most iconic and imaginative images, 1940’s Fantasia is among the most influential and important works the House of Mouse has ever produced. A collection of animated interpretations to some of the great pieces of classical music, the film includes such momentous achievements as The Sorcerer’s Apprentice, The Nutcracker Suite, and the prehistoric-set Rite of Spring. Orchestral and translucent, Fantasia acts as a sort of time capsule to the first generation of Disney at the peak of its animated and creative powers.
Next: All The Best Movies Streaming On Disney+ Right Now
