The Best Disney Movies of All Time

A family of superheroes come out of hiding in this computer-animated adventure. Incorporating retro-futuristic influences, director Brad Bird strikes a perfect balance between modernity and nostalgia. It was the first Pixar movie to focus primarily on human beings.

Released over a decade after its acclaimed predecessor, this action-packed sequel sends Elastigirl (voiced by Holly Hunter) on the trail of a new supervillain. It set a record as the biggest-animated debut at the domestic box office before going on to make over a billion dollars worldwide.

Disney Studios puts a comedic twist on a classic fairy tale in this musical smash. Confined to a solitary tower by a wicked abductor, the long-haired Repunzel (voiced by Mandy Moore) craves outside experience. With the arrival of a runaway thief (voiced by Zachary Levi) comes the perfect opportunity to escape.

One of Disney’s better latter-day remakes, “The Jungle Book” mixes live action and CGI and includes motion capture performances. Raised by wolves in the wilderness, a young man-cub embarks on a life-changing journey to the nearest village.

Produced by Disney’s UTV Studios, this Bollywood dramedy tells the story of a deaf-mute boy named Murphy “Barfi” Johnson (Ranbir Kapoor). It kicks off in the 1970s and spans decades, chronicling an atypical love triangle. Critic Rachit Gupta called it “that rare film that can make you smile and make you cry in the same scene.”

This biographical drama stars Madina Nalwanga as Phiona Mutesi, who surmounts dire poverty to become a Ugandan chess master. Solid performances and a classic underdog story drive home all kinds of feel-good vibes.

Christopher Nolan’s taut drama centers on two warring magicians (Christian Bale and Hugh Jackman) in late 19th-century London. A labyrinthian plot reveals some tricks of its own as it builds toward a mind-bending finale. The film was produced and distributed by Disney-owned companies Touchstone Pictures and Buena Vista.

What was once a critical and commercial disappointment is now considered one of Walt Disney’s finest hours. Untethered from formulas or expectations, the studio’s animators let their imaginations run wild to the sound of a shifting classical score. The resulting anthology of short films remains experimental in spirit, even by today’s standards.

Based on Nick Hornby’s best-selling novel, this beloved comedy depicts the romantic exploits of music geek Rob Gordon (John Cusack). A versatile and indisputably hip soundtrack helps carry the story. It was later followed by a short-lived TV series starring Zoe Kravitz.

The feature debut from (former) Studio Ghibli animator Hiromasa Yonebayashi was Japan’s highest-grossing film in 2010. Adapted from Mary Norton’s classic book “The Borrowers,” it tells the story of a tiny family named The Clocks. Disney’s dubbed international version contains a final monologue that wasn’t included in the original.

Angela Bassett and Laurence Fishburne received Oscar nominations for the roles of Tina and Ike Turner in this gripping biopic. It chronicles their torrid marriage and Tina’s struggle to break free as an independent woman and artist. Watch this and then catch the recent “Tina” documentary on HBO Max.

Set in a world where anything is possible, this Pixar adventure follows two elfin brothers on a search for their deceased father. Its theatrical run was cut short by the COVID-19 pandemic, prompting a rapid pivot onto streaming platforms. This was Disney’s first animated film to feature an openly gay character.

A dark Danish fairy tale gets the Disney treatment in this blockbuster musical, which kicked off an animated renaissance. Journey to a wondrous kingdom deep below the sea, where a young mermaid pines to be human. Enter the evil sea witch Ursula, who can make dreams come true for a deadly price.

The sophomore feature from director Wes Anderson introduced his signature style to wider audiences. It takes place at a prestigious private school, where an ambitious student (Jason Schwartzman) and rich older man (Bill Murray) square off over the same woman (Olivia Williams).

An Avengers film in all but name, this Marvel blockbuster depicts the escalating feud between Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.) and Captain America (Chris Evans). As fellow superheroes are forced to choose a side, it paves the way for a truly epic showdown.

Robert Redford directs this Oscar-nominated docudrama about the real-life quiz show scandals of the 1950s. At the heart of the story is contestant Charles Van Doren (Ralph Fiennes), whose rigged winning streak turns him into a national star. The film opened to generally wide acclaim but underperformed at the box office.

Adapted from Farley Mowat’s 1963 autobiography, this live-action adventure follows a research scientist (Charles Martin Smith) into the freezing Canadian wilderness. With help from a local Intuit (Zachary Ittimangnaq), he discovers the truth about wolves. It currently holds a score of 100% on Rotten Tomatoes.

Robin Williams exhibits serious acting chops as private school professor John Keating in this historical drama. Through the power of poetry, Keating inspires his students to break free from the ties that bind them. It won an Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay.

The movie that put M. Night Shyamalan on the map generated massive word-of-mouth through its iconic twist ending. Haley Joel Osment plays Cole Sear, a young boy who can communicate with the dead. It remains the director’s highest-grossing effort to date.

While not the first film to blend live action and animation, this 1988 smash arguably makes best use of the concept. Its adjoining mix of zany comedy and classic noir has likewise fueled an enduring legacy. Framed for murder, toon star Roger Rabbit turns to a disgruntled P.I. (Bob Hoskins) for help.

Behold the story of Edward D. Wood Jr. (played by Johnny Depp), one of cinema’s most disastrous filmmakers. Shot in black-and-white, the biopic represented a stark departure from director Tim Burton’s standard output. It won two Academy Awards, including Best Supporting Actor for Martin Landau.

The “Star Wars” film franchise came roaring back to life with this blockbuster reboot from director J.J. Abrams. Despite accusations of retreading previous storylines, the movie was a critical and commercial hit. Witness the intergalactic battle between the forces of good and evil.

Incorporating elements of a classic conspiracy thriller, this Marvel saga plays out against the backdrop of political corruption. Now based in Washington, D.C., Captain America takes on a deadly supervillain named The Winter Soldier.

Disney’s first animated film to feature Marvel characters takes place in the fictional city of San Fransokyo. Under siege from an unknown attacker, a young boy and his inflatable robot assemble a group of high-tech superheroes.

The Thor saga took on a new tonality with this hyper-colored installment from director Taika Waititi. Big on action and humor alike, it puts the mighty superhero in a race against time. Hanging in the balance is the fate of his entire home planet.

Polynesian origin myths helped inspire this computer-animated adventure, in which an island village is plagued by an ancient curse. Heeding the ocean’s call, an intrepid explorer (voiced by Auli’i Cravalho) embarks on a perilous journey to set things right. Lin Manuel-Miranda contributed songs, including the Oscar-nominated “”How Far I’ll Go.”

Thanos is on a course of catastrophic destruction and only the Avengers can stop him in this sprawling Marvel epic. Its $640.5 million opening weekend broke a box office record that was later bested by “Endgame.”

The highest-grossing Disney film at the time of its release (unadjusted for inflation), this charming musical introduces magical nanny Mary Poppins (Julie Andrews). Upon her descent from the sky, Poppins whips the Banks family into shape. It won five Academy Awards and spawned a hit soundtrack.

Phase One of the Marvel Cinematic Universe concluded with this superhero spectacle, which became the first Marvel film to pass the $1 billion mark at the worldwide box office. In order to stop Loki and his alien army, the Avengers must overcome their outsized egos and work as a team.

Japanese icon Hayao Miyazaki followed “Spirited Away” with this fantasy-based adventure. Set in a world where magic and technology collide, it centers on the impactful friendship between a young woman and an eccentric wizard. Characters and backgrounds were drawn by hand and then digitally rendered, lending the film its illustrative style.

Pixar creatives ate quite well when preparing for this culinary-themed comedy, which tells the story of a rat named Remy (voiced by Patton Oswalt). Believing that anyone can cook, Remy arrives in Paris and pursues his passion. Brad Bird co-wrote and co-directed.

The Marvel smash that few saw coming, this sci-fi actioner trails a ragtag group of misfits on their quest to save the galaxy. Come for the comic relief and timeless characters, stay for the hit soundtrack.

Author A.A. Milne’s iconic stories leap onto the screen in this anthology of animated shorts. Brought to life by Xerox-style animation, the movie follows a honey-loving bear and his closest friends on three separate adventures.

Michael Mann’s fact-based drama was produced by Touchstone Pictures and distributed by Buena Vista, both being Disney-owned companies. Russell Crowe plays whistleblower Jeffrey Wigand, who ultimately exposes the tobacco industry on national television.

Initially conceived as a straight-to-video release, this theatrical sequel surpassed its predecessor at both the domestic and international box office. When Woody (voiced by Tom Hanks) is kidnapped by a devious toy collector, his cohorts enact a bold rescue mission.

Surrealist auteur David Lynch played it relatively straight for this quirky G-rated drama. Based on a true story, it follows an elderly man (Richard Farnsworth) across state lines aboard his riding lawn mower.

From the mind of Tim Burton comes this macabre twist on the standard holiday musical. Hoping to inject Halloween Town with some Christmas spirit, Jack Skellington (voiced by Chris Sarandon) unleashes all kinds of chaos. Danny Elfman wrote the songs and score and also sang Jack’s parts.

In this Pixar smash, an overprotective clownfish (voiced by Albert Brooks) crosses the sea to find his missing son (voiced by Alexander Gould). It opened to rave reviews and went on to become the highest-grossing animated movie of its time (unadjusted for inflation).

This biographical sports drama is loosely based on the true story of Mahavir Singh Phogat (played by Aamir Khan). Up against past failures and social disadvantages, Phogat trains his two daughters to become international wrestling stars. It remains one of the highest-grossing sports dramas ever made.

This Pixar classic welcomes viewers to the city of Monstropolis, where children’s screams keep the power on. Professional scarers Sully (voiced by John Goodman) and Mike (voiced by Billy Crystal) wreak havoc when they accidentally bring a young human into their world. A prequel would later follow.

Woody and the gang return for another coming-of-age adventure in this fourth installment. Now in the possession of a new owner, the toys embark on an epic road trip with soul-searching consequences. The characters might be computer animated, but their emotional journeys are all too real.

Described by critic Leonard Maltin as an “extraordinary and unprecedented film,” this one alternates between the interior and exterior worlds of a young girl named Riley. When her life is uprooted by a new move, Riley’s personified emotions must likewise learn to adapt. Never have Pixar’s traditional themes been as literal as they are here.

Clocking in at just over three hours, this action-packed epic somehow managed to exceed most expectations. Picking up after the disastrous events of “Infinity War,” it opens with the remaining Avengers at their respective low points. But with a time travel loophole comes the opportunity to set things right.

This seminal Pixar outing takes place in a dystopian future, where human waste has rendered the planet uninhabitable. What begins as the mostly silent adventures of a trash-collecting robot becomes a space-based journey with themes of companionship and salvation.

Anthropomorphic animals occupy the eponymous city of this computer-animated hit with socio-political themes. Aided by a devious fox (voiced by Jason Bateman), rookie bunny cop Judy Hops (voiced by Ginnifer Goodwin) cracks open a grave conspiracy.

This computer-animated classic opens as an absolute tearjerker before giving way to the story of a man and his floating house. Pixar makes subtle use of color to drive home the emotional arcs in different scenes. It won two Academy Awards, including Best Animated Film.

Andy’s heading off to college and leaving his toys behind in the third installment of this popular franchise. Due to a grave mishap, Woody and the gang end up in the hostile terrain of a local daycare center. Adored by critics, it was also Quentin Tarantino’s favorite film of the year.

Pixar’s feature debut is arguably the most influential family film of the modern era, sparking a computer-animated revolution that’s still underway. When humans aren’t paying attention, toys spring to life and engage in various adventures. Nothing was ever quite the same.

Bursting with sight and sound, this Pixar adventure follows an aspiring Mexican musician (voiced by Anthony Gonzalez) into the Land of the Dead. “What makes the film so heartfelt and resonant is its rich exploration of family, love and memory,” wrote critic Jason Best. It won two Academy Awards.

“It is a story in which the heroine will be thrown into a place where the good and the bad dwell together, and there she will experience the world,” director Hayao Miyazaki once said of this animated masterpiece. Disney financed a percentage of the film’s production and also handled North American distribution. It opened in Japan to instant critical and commercial success, spending 16 weeks on top of the Japanese box office.