The average to good of Disney's animated flicks.
40.) Robin Hood (1973)
Robin Hood is just sort of okay, with a few exceptions. Prince John and Sir Hiss are really funny and the action scenes are very good- but everything else is just sort of average. The story is the typical Robin Hood story not really anything new. And Robin Hood himself is the basic good-natured hero, Little John is the basic fun sidekick, is the basic pretty maiden. It’s got some good scenes, but the animation isn’t impressive- and a lot of it is recycled. But there are good action, comedy, and musical scenes, and if nothing else, Robin Hood works as an adventure, so there’s that.
39.) The Rescuers (1977)
The Rescuers is a sweet little adventure with two adorable mice, Bernard and Mrs. Bianca. But really, that’s all it is. The mice have to save a little girl from a crazy woman named Madame Medusa, who is, admittedly, the most enjoyable character in the film. It’s a cute movie with a few comedic and emotional scenes. The comedy with Madame Medusa, and the emotion with the little girl. But, at the end of the day, the film isn’t very engaging.
38.) Pocahontas (1995)
Pocahontas is the perfect example of style over substance. It’s a beautiful film with gorgeous music and animation. Yet, the characters, aside from Pocahontas herself, are fairly uninteresting. The story is pretty generic and the message is really predictable. But, aside from that, Pocahontas is pretty enjoyable- but again, more for the beautiful nature of the film.
37.) Dinosaur (2000)
Dinosaur is a visual and technological marvel, which combines both live-action backgrounds with computer animated characters. Aside from the stunning aesthetics, the story and the characters lack the same wow factor. There are some good characters, though, like the two elderly dinosaurs, Eema and Baylene, and Aladar’s (the protagonist’s) mother, Plio. The story and the rest of the characters are just sort of okay, not anything special. It’s Disney’s take on the Dinosaur film, and it’s kind of tired, but a few good characters and some stunning visuals makes it worth at least a viewing.
36.) Brother Bear (2003)
Brother Bear is one of Disney’s least talked about films, but actually there’s a lot of good stuff in it. The characters, and their relationship with one another, i.e., Koda and Kenai, Kenai and his brothers. These relationships are the driving force of Brother Bear. The concept is engaging and the Phil Collins music is pretty good. Yet, the film seems tacky, what with the moose and the modern way the animal talk, it really takes you out of this pretty engaging story. But, the good elements in Brother Bear, still makes it worth looking at and talking about.
35.) Bambi (1942)
The truth is that Bambi isn’t the masterpiece that you remember it as. Although the animation is unbelievably atmospheric, and the death of Bambi’s mother is one of the most tragic scenes in Disney history- the rest of the film is pretty boring. Most of it is just Bambi and his friends looking cute and the music isn’t that memorable. But the animation and the tragedy of Bambi doesn’t make it one of Disney’s finest.
34.) Melody Time (1948)
Melody Time is definitely one of the better films. The movie has some wonderful music and shorts. By far the best short, though is “The Legend of Johnny Appleseed”. “Pecos Bill” and “Bumble Boogie” are also really fun. As I previously mentioned, the music is so good, as well as the animation and the atmosphere. The only thing that Melody Time really has against it, is that it’s a package film, with maybe one too many shorts, and some shorts i.e., “Johnny Appleseed” should have gotten more focus. But aside from that, Melody Time is very enjoyable.
33.) The Rescuers Down Under (1990)
The Rescuers Down Under is a hidden gem in the Disney line-up. It’s got a great adventure, phenomenal animation, the return of two likable mice, and an entertaining villain, Mcleach. It’s also captivating that the film takes place in Australia, and has voice talents like JOHN CANDY and GEORGE C. SCOTT!!! Aside from that, there isn’t too much here, but I think the elements that I mentioned before make pull the film through, and make Down Under a place I want to be.
32.) Treasure Planet (2002)
Let me put it this way, Treasure Planet boasts some great characters and a great story, yet misses the mark. It misses because the visuals are tacky and distracting. The blending of futuristic and 19th century elements is really confused and takes you out of the classic story. Yet, there are some great moments. Pretty much any scene with the protagonist, Jim Hawkins and John Silver, are very tender and emotional. So, the overall story is captivating and there are a lot of interesting elements, despite of the awkward visuals and environment.
31.) 101 Dalmatians (1961)
The biggest issue with 101 Dalmatians is that the human characters are better than the animal characters. Cruella DeVille, her bumbling sidekicks and the couple, Roger and Anita, are much more fun than any of the do characters. The animation is good, and there aren’t really any songs, aside from “Cruella DeVille”, which is fun. The only things that stand out about 101 Dalmatians are the villain, and a few enjoyable/comedic scenes. It’s a fairly basic kid’s film, but not one of the better Disney films.
30.) The Emperor’s New Groove (2000)
The best element of The Emperor’s New Groove is the comedy. And the comedy lives through the funny characters, particularly Yzma and Kronk. Aside from that, this is your basic buddy road trip movie. But, for the Disney version of that- it’s much better than you’d think. The animation and the journey to make Kuzco a human again, as well as the adult humor, both work fairly well, making the film one of Disney’s cult classics.
29.) The Fox and the Hound (1981)
This is one of Disney’s most emotional stories. The friendship between Copper (the Hound) and Todd (the fox) is both inspiring and tragic. The Fox and the Hound proves to be a bittersweet story that also helps kids understand that life isn’t always fair, ad that sometimes circumstances hinder good situations. These are rare themes in a children’s film, which makes the film even more poignant. This film also teaches these concepts in a gentle way, but doesn’t sugarcoat anything. The Fox and the Hound is a tender story sure to touch kids and adults alike.
27.) Bolt (2008)
Bolt is a fun adventure with a clever concept at its core. The idea of a dog that believes the TV show is on is completely real, is enough to suck the audience in. The characters are also pretty likable and funny as well, and their journey is a fun one to be on, considering the film’s concept. What Bolt has against it, however, is that it doesn’t feel like a Disney film. It feels a little to action and irony based to match the worth of a Disney feature. Bolt is very clever, but feels a little cold.
26.) The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh (1997)
This is one of Disney’s most character-driven films. That is both the strength and the weakness of this film. The classic characters like Winnie the Pooh, Piglet Tigger and so forth, are all memorable and fun, and the animation style matches the tone of the film perfectly. Yet, the film is made up of three separate stories, making it feel very disjointed. But that’s not to say the shorts are bad, quite the opposite. I just wish the film would have more of a clear-cut story because the characters are just so good. Aside from that though, The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh is a classic just as lovable as the titular character.
25.) Fantasia (1940)
Fantasia is a hard one to peg down. It’s got a very interesting idea, setting various animated shorts to classical music, but I think the idea of the film is more engaging than the film itself. Fantasia also seems a little too pretentious to reach a wide scope, especially kids. The animation is spectacular, but the live-action bits with the host seem to drag on. Fantasia is innovative, has a good concept, and a few really good shorts, but, aside from all that, it’s an upscale grind.
More to come!
