Best Disney Movies of All Time

Director Jon Favreau scored critical acclaim with this part-CGI/part live-action remake of the Disney 1967 classic animated feature. Both the original and remake are based on Rudyard Kipling’s 1894 short story collection of the same name and follow a “man-cub” named Mowgli who is forced out of the jungle after being raised by wolves.

Barbara Luddy and Larry Roberts lend their voices to the titular roles of this beloved 1955 Disney romance about a pampered uptown spaniel and a gruff downtown mutt who find an unexpected connection. This film’s classic animation holds up well with current critics, earning a 93% fresh score on Rotten Tomatoes. It was the first animated film shot using the ultra-wide CinemaScope lens.

This 1961 animated classic introduced one of the all-time great Disney villains — Cruella De Vil voiced by Betty Lou Gerson. After Cruella kidnaps a litter of 15 puppies, canine parents Pongo (Rod Taylor) and Perdita (Cate Bauer) launch a harrowing plan to get them back. Based on the children’s story by Dodie Smith, “One Hundred and One Dalmatians” scores an impressive 98% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes but falls behind in audience score at 76%.

Daniel Day-Lewis won an Academy Award for his portrayal of the 16th president of the United States in this Steven Spielberg-directed 2012 biopic. Sally Field was also nominated as Best Actress in a Supporting Role for her portrayal of Mary Todd Lincoln. The film focuses on Abraham Lincoln’s final months in office as he struggles to unite the fractured nation and end slavery.

Walt Disney and company adapted “Cinderella” from a folk tale with roots dating back as far as ancient Greece. This version is a comparatively whimsical tale to the original story. At the time of its release, critics lauded Disney’s lush animation. Reviewing the movie for The Chicago Tribune, Mae Tinee said it has “glowing colors to bedeck the old fairy tale.”

Centering on a robotics prodigy and his best friend, an oversized robot named Baymax, “Big Hero 6” is an animated feature for the new generation. The film was produced after Disney acquired Marvel Entertainment in 2009 and went in search of a lesser-known comic title the studio could adapt with a signature style. It was a hit with critics and viewers alike, scoring an 87% fresh score and 91% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes.

An early live-action classic for Disney, “Old Yeller” was based on the Newbery Honor-winning children’s book of the same name by Fred Gipson. In the film, a teenage boy named Travis Coates (Tommy Kirk) is helping to manage his family’s farm when a haggard dog shows up uninvited. The yellow Labrador soon wins over the entire family, and the film has won over 100% of critics on Rotten Tomatoes.

“Frozen” was not only one of the biggest box office smashes of 2013, but also the highest grossing animated film of all time, raking in an eye-popping $1.3 billion worldwide. Kristin Bell lends her voice to the lead character, Princess Anna, who is joined by a motley crew on an adventure to save her frozen kingdom from her older sister Elsa (Idina Menzel). It rates 7.5 out of 10 stars on IMDB and has a 90% fresh rating at Rotten Tomatoes.

With 2010’s “Tangled,” Disney Animation Studios flexed its fairy tale muscles again, this time taking on the story of Rapunzel. Zachary Levi’s Flynn Rider is on the lam in an abandoned tower when he’s captured by Mandy Moore’s Rapunzel. He ends up helping her escape in this adventure and romance story. Though animated with computers, “Tangled” was designed to visually resemble the look of paintings.

“Monsters, Inc.” was the fourth feature release for Pixar and follows 1999’s “Toy Story 2.” John Goodman and Billy Crystal star in the leading roles of James P. “Sulley” Sullivan and Michael “Mike” Wazowski, two professional monsters who are tasked with returning a two-year-old human girl to the human world. Bill Murray had initially won the Sully role, but director Pete Docter had trouble reaching Murray after his screen test and eventually moved on to Goodman.

Marvel’s “Black Panther” has grossed over $700 million ar the domestic box office since its 2018 release, but it’s actually the second time the beloved comic was developed for film. Wesley Snipes initially signed on to produce and star as the king of Wakanda in the 1990s but that project collapsed due to Snipes’ commitment to the “Blade” franchise. Director Ryan Coogler finally brought the comic to life, and it currently has a 97% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

With 2016’s “Moana,” Disney takes on the lesser-known mythology of the ancient Polynesian explorers. Auli’i Cravalho voices the film’s titular character as she ventures off from her native island in search of Dwayne Johnson’s mighty demigod Maui. Having raked in $643 million worldwide since its release, “Moana” spotlights Disney’s ability to bring diverse stories to a global audience.

“Thor: Ragnarok” marks Chris Hemsworth’s fourth turn as the Norse superhero. Hemsworth felt the character was starting to grow stale before production started, and director Taika Waititi responded by recasting Thor as a prisoner, stripped of his mythic hammer and desperate to return home to and defend his homeland from Cate Blanchett’s villainous Hela. Fans and critics embraced the fresh take on Thor, and the movie currently has an 87% audience score and 93% freshness on Rotten Tomatoes.

Following 2011’s “Captain America: The First Avenger,” this Marvel blockbuster finds Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) teamed with an unlikely partner in fellow S.H.I.E.L.D. member Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson). They must eliminate a deadly assassin known as the Winter Soldier, a task that hits close to home for Captain America. A favorite entry into the Marvel Cinematic Universe, “Captain America: The Winter Soldier” is certified 90% fresh on Rotten Tomatoes with a 92% audience score.

Director Brad Bird faced a momentous challenge — creating a worthy sequel to 2004’s “The Incredibles” — but he pulled it off with flying colors. Time magazine called this sequel “rapturously entertaining,” and it has earned a 94% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes. In addition to directing both Incredibles films, Bird also helmed Pixar’s 2007 smash “Ratatouille.”

This Disney animated classic tells the story of Princess Aurora (Mary Costa), who is cast into an unending sleep by the evil fairy Maleficent (Eleanor Audley). Only Prince Philip (Bill Shirley) can break the spell, but he must defeat Maleficent first. “Sleeping Beauty” had a production budget of $6 million, making it the most expensive animated film ever at the time.

“Captain America: Civil War” is a high-action affair that finds Chris Evans’ Steve Rogers/Captain America squaring off with Robert Downey Jr.’s Tony Stark/Iron Man in a dispute over the Avengers’ future. Since its release, the film has grossed an epic $1.15 billion worldwide, and it has a 91% Freshness rating among critics on Rotten Tomatoes.

“Finding Nemo” was the No. 1 box office earner during its opening weekend in 2003, and it remains a Disney/Pixar favorite with a 99% Freshness rating among critics on Rotten Tomatoes. Albert Brooks voices the film’s lead character, a clownfish named Marlin. When his son Nemo disappears in the Great Barrier Reef, Marlin and his royal blue tang friend Dory (Ellen DeGeneres) stretch their limits to find the youngster.

The film that paved the way for Disney’s future groundbreaking work, “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” took three years and $1.5 million to finish. This was an unimaginable sum for an animated film in the 1930s, but the studio saw a massive return on the investment, and critics hailed the film as an achievement. A New York Daily News reviewer at an early screening wrote: “The entire audience seemed to fall under the magic spell which Walt Disney and his staff of clever magicians wove with great artistry on the screen.”

“Pinocchio” was the second animated feature release from Walt Disney Productions following the success of 1937’s “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.” It tells the story of a partially animate puppet (Dickie Jones) who can only become a real boy by adhering to a strict moral code. It was the first animated film to win competitive Academy Awards in 1941, taking the prizes for Best Original Score and Best Original Song.

This 1977 classic combined four previously released Winnie the Pooh shorts based on books by A.A. Milne. Sterling Holloway lends his voice to the lovable, honey-eating bear and is joined by Ralph Wright as Eeyore and Paul Winchell as Tigger. The film has been praised for its commitment to the original books and maintains a perfect 100% Freshness rating among critics on Rotten Tomatoes.

“The Little Mermaid” was a project of Walt Disney’s long before it became a box office hit in 1989. Initially conceived in the 1930s, Disney put the project aside to push ahead with “The Ugly Duckling,” and it stayed on the shelf until studio execs revived it in 1984. Jodi Benson provides the voice of Princess Ariel as she squares off against evil sea witch Ursula, voiced by Pat Carroll.

This 1999 David Lynch drama tells the true story of Alvin Straight (Richard Farnsworth), who embarked on a long, slow drive from Iowa to Wisconsin on a John Deere lawn mower to reconnect with his estranged brother. The film didn’t achieve the same financial success as many of Disney’s, hits but it was a critical success and holds an impressive 96% Freshness rating from critics and 91% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes.

Julie Andrews made her feature film debut in “Mary Poppins” and found immediate screen success, winning the Oscar for Best Actress at the 37th Academy Awards. This picture uses a combination of live action and animation to tell the story of a magical nanny who teaches the Banks family that every day can be its own adventure. The beloved family classic has grossed $102.3 million at the box office since premiering in 1964.

“The Lion King” was an instant hit with viewers and critics in 1994, with Rolling Stone’s Peter Travers praising its music and “fun, eye-popping thrills.” It has remained a fan favorite, and currently has a 93% score in both Freshness Freshness from critics and audience score on Rotten Tomatoes. Matthew Broderick leads this loaded voice cast in the role of Simba, with Jeremy Irons voicing the scheming Scar.

When “Zootopia” premiered in 2016, it became Disney Animation Studios’ biggest hit since 2013’s “Frozen.” Raking in $1.02 billion at box offices around the world, it became the fourth animated film ever to crest the billion dollar mark. It has also shown impressive staying power since release day, holding a 97% Freshness rating from critics and 92% audience rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

This 2007 Pixar hit centers around Remy (Patton Oswalt), a rat with the unlikely ambition of becoming a great chef. He strikes up a friendship with restaurant worker Alfredo Linguini (Lou Romano), and they hatch a plan to see his dreams come to life. The film was initially conceived by animator Jan Pinkava, but Pixar chose Brad Bird as director after losing faith in Pinkava’s direction for the project.

“Fantasia,” Disney’s third animated feature, includes eight vignettes set to classical music performed by the Philadelphia Orchestra and conducted by Leopold Stokowski. The sections combine surreal imagery, including dancing monsters, humanoid house tools, and regal unicorns, with Mickey Mouse serving as a wizard-like conductor. It was groundbreaking at the time, and reviewer Edwin Schallert, writing for the Los Angeles Times, called the work “courageous beyond belief.”

The role of Genie was created specifically for Robin Williams, and “Aladdin” is credited as one of the first animated features to use a major star as a voice talent. It was a financial and critical success, winning Academy Awards for Best Original Score and Best Song. Fans and critics still love “Aladdin,” and it has a 94% Freshness rating from critics and 92% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes.

“The Force Awakens” marked the start of the new Star Wars trilogy, and it was the first film under the Disney brand. George Lucas was not highly involved with the production but said he was comfortable handing Star Wars off to Kathleen Kennedy and her team at Disney for the future. The new arrangement was a huge success, bringing in $2.07 billion worldwide since opening.

“Toy Story” was a groundbreaking achievement in computer animation, but it almost died on the vine. In an earlier version of the picture, Tom Hanks’s Woody was less likable, and Disney execs were ready to pull the plug on Pixar’s dream of releasing the first fully-CGI animated feature ever. With a reworked script and a kinder version of Woody, the film outpaced Disney and Pixar’s box office expectations, pulling in over $370 million.

In the second edition of the franchise, Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen) takes center stage in a rescue mission to save Woody (Tom Hanks) after he is kidnapped by a toy collector. Disney initially planned “Toy Story 2” as a direct-to-video sequel, but the picture outpaced its predecessor at the box office and has since grossed nearly $500 million worldwide. It currently has an impressive 100% Freshness rating from critics and an 86% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes.

The stop motion animation used in “The Nightmare Before Christmas,” with characters realized by Tim Burton, gives this picture a distinct identity among Disney’s many animated hits. With a darker twist on the animated feature, the company feared this project would be too dark for kids and elected to release it under the Touchstone imprint. Chris Sarandon provides the speaking voice for lead character Jack Skellington, while Danny Elfman handles his singing voice.

Disney’s 1991 animated adaptation of “Beauty and the Beast” is the studio’s 30th animated feature and came during the 10-year period known as the Disney Renaissance. Other films released at the time include “The Little Mermaid,” “Aladdin,” “The Lion King,” and “Mulan.” Fans and critics continue to love “Beauty and the Beast,” and it currently has a 94% Freshness rating from critics and 92% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes.

In “Up,” Ed Asner lends his voice to leading character Carl Fredricksen, an aging balloon salesman with a dream to travel and experience far-off lands. Jordan Nagai stars opposite Asner in the role of Russell, an adventure scout who unwittingly joins Fredricksen’s adventure.

“WALL-E” was an instant success for Disney and Pixar, piling up over $63 million in its first weekend of its release — it was the No.1 film that weekend. The film follows a lonely trash-cleaning robot on a desolate, future Planet Earth as he falls in love with a visiting robot named EVE. The picture was also a hit with critics, winning the Oscar for Best Animated Feature in 2009.

Hollywood newcomer Anthony Gonzalez voices the lead character Miguel in Disney and Pixar’s 2017 feature “Coco.” Against his family’s wishes, he dreams of becoming a musician and ventures into the world of the dead to meet a musical ancestor. The movie was a hit among critics, 97% of whom gave it a positive review on Rotten Tomatoes.

This 2019 addition to the enormously successful “Toy Story” franchise finds Woody (Tom Hanks), Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen), and the crew packing up for a road trip with their owner Bonnie and her family. Woody helps pump up Bonnie’s new favorite toy Forkie (Tony Hale) and crosses paths with a long-lost acquaintance Bo Peep (Annie Potts). It’s a favorite on Rotten Tomatoes, landing a 98% Freshness rating from critics and a 94% audience score.

The animated comedy “Inside Out” gets inside the head of Riley Anderson (Kaitlyn Dias), a pre-teen girl struggling to adjust to life in San Francisco after moving from Minnesota. Riley’s emotions, played by Amy Poehler, Bill Hader, Lewis Black, Phyliss Smith, and Mindy Kaling, live within her head and help her find balance. The film opened at No. 2 in box offices, grossing more than $90 million in its first weekend.

With the massive success of “Toy Story” and “Toy Story 2,” director Lee Unkrich admitted that he felt huge pressure to deliver on “Toy Story 3.” The third installment went on to gross more than the first two combined and was named the Best Movie of 2010 by Time magazine. It still holds up on Rotten Tomatoes, with a 98% Freshness rating among critics and an 89% audience score.