When people visit Disneyland, one of the things they love to do is visit their favorite Disney characters. From Minnie and Mickey to Iron Man and Kylo Ren, Disney’s most popular characters can be spoken to, hugged (maybe not Kylo Ren), and photos can be taken to remember the experience. For some, no ride is as important as hugging their favorite Disney Princess.

But Disneyland guests got an even better experience recently when the actual Disney Princesses appeared and performed a live concert. As part of Disney’s World Princess Week, The Little Mermaid’s Jodi Benson, Beauty and the Beast’s Paige O’Hara, Moana’s Auliʻi Cravalho, and The Princess and the Frog’s Anika Noni Rose all performed together live in front of Sleeping Beauty Castle, captured on Twitter, and this is the Disney magic I live for:

Moments like this make the world feel just that little bit less like a dumpster fire. Something like this almost certainly won’t happen again, which makes the fact that it happened all quite special.

Two other members of Disney royalty, Hercules' Susan Egan and Ginnifer Goodwin, of both Once Upon a Time and Zootopia, hosted the event, making the entire experience quite special for those lucky enough to be in the park to see it. The full concert will be broadcast on YouTube starting August 29 and will be available with a Disney+ subscription at some point soon.

Being able to see any one of these great stars in person would be special. Being able to see all of them perform together, and in front of the iconic Disneyland castle, would be the most amazing thing I can think of. The only thing about this that isn’t perfect is that I wasn’t in the park to see it.

Seeing Paige O’Hara on stage to sing Belle's songs of from in Beauty and the Beast is an especially big deal. O’Hara hasn’t been the “official” voice of Belle since 2011. While she voiced the character for the Disney Princess appearances in Ralph Breaks the Internet and the recent Once Upon a Studio animated short, this is, as far as I know, the first time she has publicly performed Beauty and the Beast songs in a very long time.

On the flip side, this might be the second time this year that some fans may have seen Susan Egan at Disneyland. The voice of Meg from Hercules made an unannounced appearance during Disneyland’s ‘90s Nite After Hours event and even sang “I Won’t Say (I’m in Love)” during the karaoke at the Golden Horseshoe.

All-in-all, this was a truly royal experience, and honestly, seeing all these princesses together made my week.

I am both fascinated and horrified by the idea of being transformed into an animal. This is likely because I have seen numerous films and TV shows, such as the following, that depict human characters undergoing this process, either by choice or against their will.

Quick disclaimer: I wanted to keep this list exclusive to characters who, in most cases, fully metamorphosed into an Earthly non-human being, so there will be no half-human, half-creature hybrids like in The Fly or other body horror flicks of that nature, or mentions of werewolf movies, for instance. Without further ado, let’s get wild!

Wilby Daniels (The Shaggy Dog)

Some of the best movies about talking dogs involve a canine who started off as human, such as The Shaggy Dog. Disney's live-action fantasy from 1959, which later spawned a sequel called The Shaggy D.A. and a remake with Tim Allen, stars Tommy Kirk as Wilby Daniels, a teenager who is cursed with an affliction that periodically transforms him into a sheepdog.

Harry Limpet (The Incredible Mr. Limpet)

In 1964's The Incredible Mr. Limpet, Don Knotts plays the title character, who longs to live amongst the creatures of the sea. He receives his wish when he is magically transformed into an animated fish, which ends up giving him a better opportunity to assist the Navy during World War II than he had as a human.

Tiana And Naveen (The Princess And The Frog)

In the classic fairy tale that the 2009 Disney animated film The Princess and the Frog is based on, the prince returns to human form after receiving a kiss from the princess. However, in this reimaging, when New Orleans restaurant server Tiana (Anika Noni Rose) kisses Prince Naveen (Bruno Campos), she becomes a ribbiting amphibian as well.

The Kids From Animorphs (Animorphs)

From 1998 to 2000, Nickelodeon aired a TV show based on the Animorphs book series by Katherine Applegate and her husband, Michael Grant (writing together as K. A. Applegate). It follows a group of teens who are given the power to turn into any animal they touch by a group of aliens, in order to help them fight a war against a parasitic extraterrestrial race planning to infiltrate the human race.

Professor Minerva McGonagall (Harry Potter And The Sorcerer's Stone)

Maggie Smith's character from the Harry Potter movies, Professor Minerva McGonagall, frequently uses a spell that transforms her into a cat. She demonstrates this in 2000's Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, when the title hero (played by Daniel Radcliffe) and Ron Weasley (Rupert Grint) assume they have made it to the Hogwarts instructor's class before she arrives, only to discover she was the feline sitting atop her desk.

Beast Boy (Teen Titans)

To save his life from an illness that West African green monkeys are immune to, young Garfield Logan's father temporarily transformed him into the animal with an untested experiment that ended up giving him the ability to shapeshift into any creature he chooses. The DC Comics superhero, better known as Beast Boy, would become a fan favorite on the beloved animated series, Teen Titans, as voiced by Greg Cipes.

Kenai (Brother Bear)

In 2003's Oscar-nominated animated film Brother Bear, Joaquin Phoenix voices a post-ice age Alaskan hunter named Kenai, who is magically turned into his worst enemy, a brown bear, but learns to embrace his fate after befriending a cub named Koda (Jeremy Suarez).

Jayna (Super Friends)

Popular DC Comics heroes The Wonder Twins were created specifically for the animated precursor to Justice League, Super Friends. While the male sibling, Zan, can only turn into water (including in liquid, solid, or gaseous form), his sister, Jayna, can transform into any animal existing on any planet, even including mythological creatures.

Emperor Kuzco (The Emperor's New Groove)

In the funny cult favorite Disney animated film, The Emperor's New Groove, David Spade voices a selfish royal named Kuzco, who receives a much-needed crash course in humility in a most bizarre fashion. When he is mistakenly transformed into a llama by his vengeful former advisor, Yzma (Eartha Kitt), who really intended to poison him, he is forced to enlist the help of a peasant named Pacha (John Goodman) to return to normal.

Dr. Jonathan Chase (Manimal)

In the short-lived science-fiction TV show from the 1980s, Manimal, Simon MacCorkindale stars as Dr. Jonathan Chase, who possesses the ability to shapeshift into any animal of his choosing. He uses this power to help the police solve crimes.

Lampwick (Pinocchio)

In one of the most terrifying scenes from Disney's animated 1940 adaptation of Pinocchio, the sentient marionette befriends a troublemaker named Lampwick, who suffers the same fate as all boys who are sent to Pleasure Island and transforms into a donkey. One wild movie fan theory suggests that this is what happened to Eddie Murphy's character from Shrek.

Sabrina Spellman (Sabrina The Teenage Witch)

Melissa Joan Hart's young, eponymous spellcaster from Sabrina the Teenage Witch turned into an animal various times during the ABC fantasy sitcom's run. Her transformations would either be by her own doing or through a strange situation that she would need to figure out how to reverse.

Thomas P. Johnson (Fluke)

Fluke is an interesting movie about reincarnation, considering the main character is not resurrected into a new human body, but that of a dog. The 1995 film stars Matthew Modine as a selfish, workaholic family man who, after his untimely death, wakes up as Fluke, a dog named after his own breed, and struggles to reconnect with his family.

Wonder Woman (Justice League Unlimited)

In one of the weirder episodes of Justice League Unlimited, called "This Little Piggy," Wonder Woman (Susan Eisenberg) is turned into a swine by Circe (Rachel York). In order to turn her back, Batman (legendary Batman voice actor Kevin Conroy) must show an act of love toward her, and does so by serenading her at a club.

Meilin "Mei" Lee (Turning Red)

Roaslie Chiang voices the Chinese-Canadian teen Mei in the 2022 Pixar film, Turning Red, which is noted for its clever allusions to the struggles of female adolescence. The title refers to the unusual effects of a family curse that causes Mei to transform into a large Red Panda when she becomes flustered with strong emotions.

Thackery Binks (Hocus Pocus)

I don't think there is a single character from 1993's Hocus Pocus who has it worse than Thackery Binks (played in human form by Sean Murray and later voiced by Jason Marsden). Right after they drain the youth and life from his sister, Emily (Amanda Shepherd), the Sanderson Sisters (Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Kathy Najimy) curse the 17th-century boy with both the form of a black cat and eternal life.

Wallace Bryton (Tusk)

In writer and director Kevin Smith's absurdly quirky, but deeply unsettling 2014 A24 horror movie, Tusk, Justin Long plays an arrogant podcast host who is transformed into a walrus. Instead of by some strange witchcraft, the metamorphosis is achieved through a surgical procedure and psychological conditioning orchestrated against his will by a crazed former sailor played by Michael Parks.

Akio And Yūko (Spirited Away)

One of the most acclaimed Studio Ghibli films is Hayao Miyazaki's 2001 fantasy adventure, Spirited Away, in which young Chihiro finds herself trapped in a mystical realm where her parents are turned into pigs after greedily eating a feast not meant for them.

Queen Elinor (Brave)

In Pixar's Oscar-winning animated fantasy epic, Brave, Princess Merida (Kelly Macdonald) must rely on her boldness and her impeccable archery skills to find a cure for a curse that has turned her mother, Queen Elinor (Emma Thompson), into a bear.

Bob (The Lobster)

Yorgos Lanthimos' 2016 satirical fantasy The Lobster takes place in a dystopian society in which romantic partnerships are mandatory, and anyone still single by a certain time is required to be surgically transformed into the animal of their choosing. The recently divorced David (Colin Farrell) attends a retreat intended to help him find a mate, where he is accompanied by a dog, who is actually his brother, Bob, who "did not make it" through the same program.

Irena Gallier (Cat People)

Based on a 1942 horror movie classic of the same name, director Paul Schrader's 1982 thriller Cat People stars Nastassja Kinski and Malcolm McDowell as descendants of a people who turn into panthers after engaging in steamy encounters. The only way to revert back to their human form, however, is to commit murder.

Buffy Summers (Buffy The Vampire Slayer)

In a Season 2 episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, the teen paranormal activity hunter (played by Sarah Michelle Gellar) is accidentally transformed into a rat after her friend, Xander Harris (Nicholas Brendon), botches a spell.

Debbie Stevens (A Nightmare On Elm Street 4: The Dream Master)

Technically, teen athlete Debbie Stevens (Brooke Theiss) experiences a transformation into a cockroach before she is caught and crushed by Freddy Krueger (Robert Englund) in a dream sequence from the fourth A Nightmare on Elm Street movie. Then again, however, the burned boogeyman kills a victim from within their subconscious becomes how they die in reality, so I'll count it.

Benjamin Browning (Oh! Heavenly Dog)

In 1980's Oh! Heavenly Dog, Chevy Chase plays a recently deceased private investigator named Ben Browning who is given the chance to be sent back to Earth to solve his own murder case. However, he is reincarnated not in human form but in the body of a dog played by Benjean, who is the daughter of the original canine actor who played Benji, Higgins.

Peter Pettigrew (The Harry Potter Movies)

In Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Ron Weasley discovers that his pet rat, Scabbers, has been a disguised servant of Voldemort named Peter Pettigrew, played by Timothy Spall, the entire time.

Wart (The Sword In The Stone)

In Disney's 1963 animated fantasy film, The Sword in the Stone, Wart (voiced by Rickie Sorensen), the boy who would be King Arthur, is mentored by the powerful wizard, Merlin (Karl Swenson), through a series of lessons that involve being transformed into various animals, including fish and squirrels.

Edmond (Rock-A-Doodle)

In Don Bluth's 1991 animated musical fantasy, Rock-a-Doodle, an 8-year-old farm boy named Edmond (Toby Scott Ganger) is magically transformed into a cat by the Grand Duke of Owls (Christopher Plummer), leading him to seek the help of an anthropomorphic, singing rooster named Chanticleer (Glenn Campbell).

Luke Eveshim (The Witches)

In the 1990 not-so-scary witch movie based on Roald Dahl's novel, The Witches (which is still pretty traumatizing for younger audiences), young Luke Eveshim (Jasen Fisher) is caught spying on a group of malevolent spellcasters who punish him by turning him into a mouse.

Sheena (Sheena)

Tanya Roberts stars in the 1984 film, Sheena, which later spawned a series adaptation in the early 2000s, as an orphaned woman raised in the jungle since she was a child by a mystical woman who taught her the skill of shape-shifting into various wild beasts.

The Kids From DinoSquad (DinoSquad)

One might say that the unofficial animated companion to Animorphs is a short-lived series called DinoSquad, which brings back animals from a bit further back in Earth's history. Airing from 2007 to 2008, the show followed a group of teens who fight crime with their ability to transform into prehistoric creatures.

Tom Brand (Nine Lives)

Nine Lives is one of those movies in which a selfish workaholic who never has enough time for his family is transformed into an animal so he can learn how to be a better version of his human self. The 2016 comedy from director Barry Sonnenfeld stars Kevin Spacey as the animalistic metamorphosis victim in question, who is turned into a cat by an eccentric pet shop owner played by Christopher Walken.

Eddie McDowd (100 Deeds For Eddie McDowd)

The underrated Nickelodeon TV show 100 Deeds for Eddie McDowd is about a young troublemaker (voiced by Seth Green), who is transformed into a dog by a mystical drifter (played by Richard Moll). Before he can return to his human form, Eddie must complete 100 redemptive tasks, with help from the last kid he bullied (played by Brandon Gilberstadt), who is also the only one he can speak to, which is why he ends up adopting him into his family.

Disney+ has been a great place for many of the studio’s top franchises to grow, as has been the case with both Marvel and Star Wars. However, what has worked for live-action projects hasn’t been quite as successful in animation. Pixar just released the long-gestatingWin or Lose, which as been well received. Walt Disney Animation Studios’ two biggest attempts to turn its successful animated films into long-form series have now both ended without the series coming out. A planned Moana series became a theatrical sequel. And, now, the Tiana show that would have followed up The Princess and the Frog will not be so lucky.

Tiana, an animated series centered around the Disney Princess from The Princess and the Frog, was originally announced more than four years ago, Now, THR confirms that the show has officially been canceled. In addition to the project being scrapped, layoffs in the Vancouver Disney studio are expected due to what is actually a wholesale shift away from long-form content for WDAS. Collectively, this is an unfortunate development, but it's not surprising.

It Was Clear Tiana Was Having Problems

Animated projects of any kind always take years to develop, in all fairness. But the fact that so much time had passed without many updates regarding the Tiana series was a strong indication that the project was having some difficulties.

This notion of that is somewhat surprising, considering The Princess and the Frog as a franchise is arguably more popular now than it has ever been. The original movie wasn’t the massive hit that other Disney Princess movies of its era, like Tangled and Frozen, were. But Disney saw fit to open Tiana’s Bayou Adventure at both WDW and Disneyland, a move that will make Tiana part of Disney for decades to come.

I attended a media preview for Tiana’s Bayou Adventure last summer before the ride opened at Magic Kingdom, and the Tiana series was actually brought up during the presentation. It was indicated that the story of the ride itself would factor into the new series, which seemed to suggest that the show was still moving forward. Having said that, there was still no indication as to when fans might see the show.

Tiana Was A Show I Was Looking Forward To

Despite the fact that Tiana was clearly in development hell, I was hopeful that it would eventually find its way out. The Princess and the Frog is a great film, and Tiana’s Bayou Adventure made me fall in love with it all over again.

There is some good news, however as, apparently, Tiana's demise doesn't mean the end of the character herself. While no series is on the way, there is a “short-form special” inspired by the film that's currently in early development. It’s being called “all-new storytelling”, so it doesn’t appear that it is a project born from the failed series. Whatever it is, let's hope it actually ends up seeing the light of day. In the meantime, stream The Princess and the Frog with a Disney+ subscription.

For a good collection of people, Disney movies have been a staple of their childhoods. And for some of these fans, the idea of being in or working on one is a dream. That was the case for Princess and the Frog’s Anika Noni Rose, as she recently looked back at the emotional first steps she took to be Princess Tiana, revealing why her final audition for the role brought her to tears, in a good way.

While promoting her new children’s book Tiana’s Perfect Plan, Anika Noni Rose threw it back to her audition to play the princess in the 2009 film. She told People the story about the final stretch of her auditions, and she described how it felt to walk through the hallways that displayed artwork from movies like Bambi and Fantasia. She said the experience ultimately brought her to tears, and when asked why, she said:

If you ever had a dream job or something you've wanted to do since you were little, you can probably relate to how emotional this actress got when she landed the lead role in The Princess and the Frog. Personally, I shed a tear or two when I was at my first step toward my dream job, so I totally get where Rose is coming from.

She went on to explain that her emotions were also running high during that final audition because she had a feeling the role of Tiana was her's. Recalling that walk down those iconic halls again, she said:

While Rose felt the impact then, in the 15 years since The Princess and the Frog came out, it has continued to have an impact on countless viewers too. The movie marked the first time we saw a Black princess on screen, it has helped kids find their voice, and Tiana's passion and drive make her one of the best Disney princesses to look up to. So, I totally understand why the actress was so passionate and emotional during her audition.

To the point, Rose spoke about how uplifting it was to play Tiana and the influence she and her character have had on the lives of children. It's wonderful to know that she has been invested in playing her princess since those first auditions, and I absolutely love that she loves getting to be her.

Now, to go back and hear Anika Noni Rose as Tiana, you can stream The Princess and the Frog with a Disney+ subscription. If you want to learn about the princesses' latest adventure, you can get the actress's children's book, Tiana’s Perfect Plan, on Amazon.

If you know me, you'd know I like Disney. In fact, I'd say I'm a pretty big Disney lover in general, from the Disney Renaissance movies to the CGI films of the 2010s. But you want to know what Disney is also fearless in doing? To get dark, super dark, and today, we're going to talk about the times when Disney dared to walk down that path.

When Lampwick Turned Into A Donkey (Pinocchio)

Oh, you knew that I would put this scene on here. Pinocchio is a pretty dark movie in a lot of different parts. Still, I literally had nightmares as a kid when I watched Lampwick turn into a donkey in front of Pinocchio on Pleasure Island. I still don't like to think about it.

When Alex's Family Completely Forgot Who She Is (The Wizards Of Waverly Place Movie)

I'll be the first to say that Wizards of Waverly Place stands up even as an adult, and the hilarious Disney Channel series is beloved by most. Still, the fact that Alex's family basically forgot who she was at the very end of the Wizards of Waverly Place movie really sat with me. I mean, it was her own doing for the spell she cast, but it still hurts that the film went that far.

When Mufasa Is Dropped Into A Stampede (The Lion King)

I'm pretty sure that, as kids, we all had nightmares after Scar betrayed his brother. While it's based on Shakespeare's real works, I think we all emotionally connected more with a brother betraying a brother, and Mufasa getting dropped into a stampede in the middle of Africa will always not sit right with me.

When Phineas And Ferb Are Sent Off To Reform School (Phineas And Ferb)

Phineas and Ferb is a great kids show to watch on Disney+ but the darkest it ever got was when Phineas and Ferb actually got busted and sent to reform school. Now, I know, on the surface, that doesn't seem that bad, but it's the fact that they were literally brainwashed in this episode. When would Disney Channel go that far?

When Tod Is Attacked By A Bear (The Fox And The Hound)

The Fox and the Hound start cute enough, but obviously, as Tod and Copper get older, they end up becoming enemies because of the natural order of things. But the darkest moment of this kid's movie is watching Tod get chased down by a bear and attacked. Like, oh my goodness, I did not need to see this as a child.

When Bambi's Mother Was Killed (Bambi)

We have to put Bambi here somewhere. The way Bambi's mother dies is a sad reality of life and hunting, and it is really only a matter of time. But that doesn't make the moment any less tragic when we see Bambi calling out for his mother, but she's not there.

When Wendy Is Literally Almost Dragged Into The Water(Peter Pan)

Peter Pan is a film with plenty of problematic elements, but one of the darkest moments features Wendy when the mermaids of Neverland tease her and then nearly drag her into the water. Like, this is a literal child. And she was almost harassed by mermaids, of all things.

When That Crazy Drunken Elephants Scene Happened (Dumbo)

Dumbo is honestly one of the most normal Disney movies out there because it features the story of circus animals. The only weird thing is Dumbo having big ears. But the film features this dark moment of Dumbo getting drunk and visualizing the most scary-looking elephants marching around in vibrant technicolor – look, if you watched the movie, you know what I'm talking about, you know it's scary.

When Tinker Bell Essentially Comes Close To Dying (Peter Pan 2: Return To Neverland)

A lot of people forget about the sequel to Peter Pan, which is expected since it was direct-to-DVD. However, when Wendy's daughter, Jane, doesn't believe in the magic of Neverland when she's taken there, Tinker Bell literally begins to lose her magic—so much so that she nearly dies. It's an unfortunate part of this film that still sticks with me to this day.

When Claude Frollo Sings "Hellfire" (The Hunchback of Notre Dame)

When I talk about the best Disney villain songs, "Hellfire" ranks high on that list, but that doesn't make the moment any less dark. The song is essentially how Judge Claude Frollo is absolutely obsessed with Esmerelda and wants to be with her (if you catch my drift). Still, if she refuses his advances, then she will be burned at the stake for daring to be defiant against him. Like, dang, Disney.

When Flynn Takes A Knife To The Heart (Tangled)

In comparison to some of the moments on this list, Flynn getting stabbed in the heart in Tangled doesn't seem nearly as bad, but it's still a dark moment. The way he falls to the ground as Rapunzel cradles him always gets me – but at least they have their happy moment at the end.

When We All Sobbed During The First Ten Minutes Of Up (Up)

I don't even need to write a whole paragraph about this. You know what I'm talking about. The rise and fall of Carl and Ellie will sit with us for the rest of our lives, from miscarriages to death alike. I am already getting sad thinking about it.

When We Saw All Those Dead Rats (Ratatouille)

Ratatouille is an underrated gem and one of the best Pixar films. But a part of me sometimes forgets this super dark moment when Remy's father decides to bring him to a shop to show him rat poisoning and traps – where dead rats hang in the window. Granted, it was to try and convince Remy to give up on his dream of being a cook with the humans, but it's still a very dark scene.

When It's Revealed What Really Happened To Hector In Coco (Coco)

Coco is a film that connects me to my Spanish heritage in more ways than one. One of those instances that made me realize how special this film was is that it wasn't afraid to take a risk. This twist, where we know that Ernesto de la Cruz actually poisoned Hector so he could take credit for all his songs, is bonkers and will make any first-time viewer's mouth drop in shock.

When Tadashi Was Exploded (Big Hero 6)

I mean, yeah, I had to put Tadashi on here. Hiro had already lost his parents earlier in life and now his big brother is suddenly taken from him in this giant lab explosion that was caused out of pure selfishness (as we find out later in the film from the villain). It's so sad.

When Mulan Suddenly Stops It's Songs When It Reaches The Destroyed Village (Mulan)

Mulan is one of those movies that, when you watch it for the first time, will stick with you for the rest of your life. The film is filled with catchy songs for the first fifty minutes or so, and then "A Girl Worth Fighting For" suddenly cuts off at the very end as the army stumbles upon a destroyed village. It's chilling and perfectly well done but still so dark.

When The Literal Apocalypse Happened In The Finale (Gravity Falls)

I'll be honest and say that Gravity Falls was a show that was after my time of loving Disney Channel. Still, I had to put this moment – that the end of a Disney Channel animated series literally has the finale going through the apocalypse. I'm sorry, what? This is Disney, right?

When Jafar Was Blatently Attracted To A 15-Year-Old Girl (Aladdin)

We sometimes forget that a lot of the Disney princesses are literal teenagers in most of these movies because they're so mature half the time, but Jafar and Jasmine in Aladdin are the worst. Jafar is blatantly attracted to Jasmine in the film and wants to marry her for power, but she is actually fifteen. Someone call the police, please.

When The Toys Were About To Get Burned To Death (Toy Story 3)

Toy Story 3 was initially created as a cap to the Toy Story movies before the fourth film was conceived, so having this scene was wild. The toys, who are in a garbage plant thanks to Lotso, are nearly burned alive by an incinerator. They are all holding hands and waiting for their demise. Thankfully, at the last moment, the little green aliens come in and save them with the giant claw that picks up trash, but god, that was a close one, huh?

When Hades Wanted To Kill A Child (Hercules)

Look, Hercules is underrated in so many ways, and Hades is a hilarious villain, but there's a reason why he is a villain in this movie. He wants to kill Hercules at the beginning and gets his minions to do so by using a vial of poison, but Hercules ends up only drinking most of it, not all, so he just loses his godlike immortality.

When Belle Was Chased By Wolves (Beauty And The Beast)

We all glamorize Beauty and the Beast a little too much because there were plenty of dark moments in that movie, and one of the biggest was when wolves chased Belle. I know, in the grand scheme of things, that it’s not super dark, but it's still scary for a kid to watch a Disney princess get chased down by wolves and nearly die.

When We Saw All Of Sid's Horrifying Creations (Toy Story)

Toy Story featured probably some of the most disgusting creations I had ever seen when we first noticed Sid's fascination with destroying toys and molding them into new ones. As the movie continues, we do see that even these strange concoctions have souls of their own, but man, they are still freaky as heck.

When Dr. Facilier Was Dragged To Hell By Demons (The Princess And The Frog)

There's a lot that I love about The Princess and the Frog, including Tiana being the best Disney princess, but I think we sometimes forget just how dark Dr. Facilier was. This man works with the literal souls of the underworld to gain power, and when he falls flat on his deal, he is dragged through a grave down to hell. Yup, it can't really get darker than that.

When Gaston Fell To His Death (Beauty And The Beast)

There are plenty of great villain deaths in the world of Disney, but Gaston's is honestly one that is pretty dark. We don't necessarily see his head hit the pavement, but we do see Gaston fall to his death when he and the Beast are facing off.

When Esteban Gets Possessed (The Suite Life Of Zack And Cody)

The Suite Life of Zack and Cody is a great series overall, but even I'll admit that this episode, where Esteban (a hotel bellboy) and the twins are trying to contact the dead, is scary as hell and dark for Disney. They do so well in contacting the dead that a spirit takes over Esteban. What? That never happens.

When Wall-E Nearly Forgot Who Everyone Was (Wall-E)

Wall-E is a film that feels a little too real nowadays with how global warming has changed our world, and the movie itself can be super dark if you look at it. But to me, the darkest moment was at the very end when I thought Wall-E was reset to his factory settings and forgot all about Eve and everything that happened. Thankfully, her spark brings back his memory, so it all works out, but man, that was a close one!

When An Evil Force Begins To Take Over And Turn Everyone Into Monsters (Halloweentown)

Halloweentown is my favorite non-scary Halloween movie because it's so homey and rings in the season in a great way. Still, there's no denying that the idea of an evil force – not even just a spirit, but a malevolent force – taking over an entire town is dark for Disney Channel DCOM standards.

When Clayton Accidentally Hangs Himself (Tarzan)

Tarzan is a film that I think a lot of us forget about (except for Phil Collins' great score), but let's not forget the dark moment when the villain, Clayton, literally accidentally kills himself. He's struggling with vines as he's in the final fight but falls to the ground, and ultimately, we see the vines wrapped around his neck and the shadow of his hanging body not that long after.

When Bing Bong Sacrificed Himself (Inside Out)

The world has never forgiven Pixar for sacrificing Bing Bong in Inside Out. I mean, look at him. He didn't deserve that. Bing Bong deserves his freedom, but he lets himself get erased in Riley's mind so Joy can get out and make Riley happy again. Gosh, I'm getting tears thinking about it.

When Scar Is Eaten By His Own Followers (The Lion King)

Scar is a dastardly villain, but his demise is even darker than what he has done. The hyenas who have followed him for the whole movie turn on the lion at the very end, and we see them tear him apart in the shadows, bit by bit, eaten because they are hungry now.

When The House Turns Into A Prison (Smart House)

In a world where we live with Alexas and smart devices galore, the twist of Smart House feels all too real. The film itself was a Disney Channel film about a home with a robotic attendant who turns the house into a prison. I mean…not for nothing, but AI is scary, and this film feels a little too real.

When Marlan's Wife Was Killed In The Opening Minutes Of Finding Nemo (Finding Nemo)

I think everyone who saw Finding Nemo as a kid was shocked to death when they watched the first minutes. We don't actually see Marlan's wife getting eaten, but we know she's gone in the moments after, when there's just one egg left and Marlan is all alone.

These are just some of the dark moments I instantly think of when it comes to Disney – but trust me, there are plenty more. I think it's time for a Disney marathon – and for me to enjoy every second of it while also getting creeped out at these dark moments.

The Disney Princesses of the various animated movies come in all shapes and sizes. All hold special talents that better their respective worlds, whether it's their adventurous and bold spirits, their creativity and ingenuity or their gentle and patient demeanors. What’s also special is that the voice actors, who help bring these iconic royals to life, get to experience magic moments with the fans. Anika Rose Noni, who voices Tiana of The Princess and the Frog, had a very special experience with autistic child, who ended up finding her voice.

Anika Noni Rose was among the various princess actresses -- like The Little Mermaid's Jodi Benson and Aladdin's Linda Larkin -- at this year's Disney D23 Expo. Sometime after the event, the group caught up with The Hollywood Reporter to discuss some of the experiences they've had. Rose, who's well aware of how her beloved character represents an important step in representation, shared a truly sweet anecdote involving a non-verbal child:

Animation is a truly powerful tool, and this lovely story is definitely a testament to that fact. I also would've gotten "goosebumps" had I been in the Dreamgirls actresses' shoes. Honestly, it's also not hard to see why someone would relate to this particular Disney princess.

Tiana’s story, although it may seem humble, is powerful and something to look up to. With her hard work and ambition, she aher wish was granted, and she achieved her goal of being an entrepreneur. The fun and conflict come in when status and character are assumed by the characters, who happen to have been magically turned into frogs. Tiana and Prince Naveen learn from one another, and many others, as they search for the antidote.

Released in 2009, The Princess and the Frog is available to stream with a Disney+ subscription and remains a fan-favorite flick. It’s a movie that still stands out amongst the Princess catalog for multiple reasons—from its more contextual setting, down in various parts of Louisiana to Disney’s return to traditional animation styles.

All in all, it seems that for Anika Noni Rose, the child and the kid's family, The Princess and the Frog has been life-changing. Disney is no stranger to making changes to become a more inclusive and progressive place on screen and in its parks. One would hope that its creations have been a beacon for both neurotypical and neurodivergent kids and adults alike, and it's wonderful to hear of a true example of that.

Disney has created some of the greatest characters in movie history. The Disney Princesses are a brand unto themselves and Disney Villains include some of the most iconic characters ever conceived. However, there are also those other characters. Sometimes the characters you remember most coming out of the best animated Disney movies aren't the heroes or the villains.

Sometimes the character that steals a scene, or even an entire movie, are the sidekicks. Sometimes it's the characters that are barely in the movie at all, but are so memorable in their few moments of screen time that you want to see an entirely new movie based on them. Here are some of the best Disney side characters who have stolen scenes in our favorite films.

The Genie - Aladdin

There may be no Disney character who stole the show, who was designed to steal the show, like Aladdin's Genie. Voiced by the incomparable Robin Williams, the Genie owns every scene he's in even though the movie is never really about him.

Sebastian - The Little Mermaid

There's no better way to steal a scene in an animated Disney movie than with a great song, and Sebastian gets a great one in The Little Mermaid. "Under the Sea" won the Oscar for Best Original Song in 1990 and it's not hard to see why. Considering songwriter Howard Ashman specifically designed Sebastian with a Jamaican accent so that he could write a calypso song, clearly he knew this little crab would be one of the highlights of the film.

HeiHei - Moana

It takes a certain skill to steal a scene when you can't actually speak, and yet Moana's chicken HeiHei is somehow able to do exactly that. Alan Tudyk's great voice acting (voice clucking?) combined with perfect animation make Heihei unforgettable. It's a good thing Maui didn't eat him or we would have been robbed of some hilarious moments.

Maximus -Tangled

From sword-fighting Flynn Rider to breaking him out of prison, few horses are quite as capable as Maximus. Not simply a mount for the captain of the guard, Maximus himself ultimately becomes the captain of the guard, which is only fitting considering his importance. This horse deserves all the apples.

Kronk - The Emperor's New Groove

The Emperor's New Groove is one of Disney's funniest movies, and Kronk is absolutely the funniest part of it. The sidekick to villain Yzma, Kronk is big and dumb but it's impossible not to love him. He's just so earnest, and he tries so hard, how can you not love Kronk?

Lumiere - Beauty And The Beast

Even as a candelabra, there's something irresistible about Lumiere. Nothing phases him and he can get an entire dining room dancing. He's always sure that everything will work out in Beauty and the Beast, and he does eventually turn out to be right. Clearly, he knew something the rest of us did not.

Mr. Pleakly - Lilo & Stitch

Mr. Pleakly is the last alien who should be sent after experiment 626, but he certainly does give it his all in attempting to recapture the mischievous monster. From his numerous costume changes to his perpetual fear of basically everything, Pleakly is the perfect comic sidekick.

Rutt And Tuke - Brother Bear

Rutt and Tuke are minor characters in Brother Bear but of course, they steal every scene they're in. Why? They're voiced by Rick Moranis and Dave Thomas, and are basically just animated versions of The McKenzie Brothers, the hilariously Canadian duo of SCTV fame that the two played in live-action. Their appearance is almost more of an easter egg than anything else, but it's a welcome one.

Louis - The Princess And The Frog

Louis is a friendly alligator who plays the trumpet in a movie where jazz music plays a pivotal role. Of course, he's going to steal the show. He leads one of the best songs and gets some of the best jokes in The Princess and the Frog.

Vincenzo “Vinny” Santorini - Atlantis: The Lost Empire

Atlantis: The Lost Empire isn't a movie that a lot of people remember, but it had an incredible voice cast including Michael J. Fox, James Garner, and Leonard Nimoy. However, the character you likely remember most is explosives expert Vinny Santorini, who was voiced by Don Novello, best known for his character Father Guido Sarducci who would appear on SNL from time to time. Vinny is a simple man who just wants to blow things up. Is that too much to ask?

Tigger - The Many Adventures Of Winnie The Pooh

The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh is made up of three different stories, one of which doesn't even include the character of Tigger. And yet, today most people don't even realize that there was a time when there was no Tigger in Disney's Winnie the Pooh. He basically takes over the movie from the title bear from the moment he arrives and never gives it back.

Cheshire Cat - Alice In Wonderland

Wonderland is a strange place full of all sorts of strange characters, but the Cheshire Cat may be one of the weirdest of them all and one of the few who seems well aware of how strange he is. This makes him instantly memorable.

Scuttle - The Little Mermaid

Buddy Hackett was a great comic talent and he brings that incredible ability to the role of Scuttle in The Little Mermaid perfectly. The seagull's cluelessness is quite endearing, making every moment the bird is on screen hilarious.

Valentino - Wish

Alan Tudyk has voiced numerous Disney characters over the last several years, but one of his best is also one of his most recent. Valentino, the goat who gains the ability to speak in Wish does not let his new gift go to waste. He embraces his new speech and every line he speaks is another scene-stealing moment.

Rhino - Bolt

Disney movies teach us that we can do anything and one has to assume that Rhino, the hamster stuck in a ball from Bolt has seen more than his share of Disney movies. Rhino never lets his small stature stand in the way of whatever he believes he can accomplish, and while what he believes he can do is a great deal more than what's actually possible, you have to love the enthusiasm.

Archimedes - The Sword In The Stone

Sometimes in the middle of a bright and happy Disney movie, what you need is an angry curmudgeon who has no patience for any of it. That's the owl Archimedes in The Sword in the Stone. He doesn't like anybody or anything, and honestly, we've all been there.

Iago - Alddin

Voiced by the great Gilbert Gottfried it's literally impossible for Iago not to steal any scene he's in. How could you possibly ignore that voice? Still, Iago is hilariously fun with his endlessly sarcastic quips.

Sgt. Calhoun - Wreck-It Ralph

Most of Wreck-It Ralph takes place inside bright and colorful video games where the characters are all pretty laid back and fun. And then there's Sgt. Calhoun, the no-nonsense hardcore leader of Hero's Duty. She's so different than everything else in the movie that she instantly draws your attention whenever she's on screen.

Meg - Hercules

Oh all Disney heroines, Megara is one of the most overlooked. While she does eventually need rescuing from the hero, she never asks for help and spends a not insignificant amount of her time making fun of Hercules. She's such a shift from what we're used to it that you can't help but want more.

Allan-a-Dale - Robin Hood

Robin Hood isn't one of Disney's musicals, but it still has some great music thanks to Alan-A-Dale, the rooster minstrel voiced by the late great Roger Miller. He's the narrator of our story, but more than once his music becomes the story.

Boun - Raya And The Last Dragon

Raya and the Last Dragon is not lacking for memorable side characters, they're all quite impressive, but restaurant owner Boun, a kid pretending to be a businessman is the best of them. He commands the screen when he's being hilarious as much as when he's being vulnerable.

Olaf - Frozen

Olaf is one of those great Disney sidekicks that could have gone terribly wrong, but great writing and solid work from Josh Gad have continued to make Olaf incredible. There's a reason the little snowman has received his own holiday specials and animated short. The Frozen movies alone can't contain him.

Duke Weaselton - Zootopia

Duke Weaselton only appears in a couple of scenes in Zootopia but they're both quite memorable, with the first being one of the movie's great action sequences, and the second being one of the funniest parts of the film, where Weaselton is selling bootleg DVDs of animal-influenced Disney films.

Bruno - Encanto

They don't talk about Bruno, but after seeing Encanto Bruno was all most people could talk about. He may have gone slightly bonkers living in the walls of his house but the love he has for his family is palpable, making his brief appearance key to the story and the movie's emotional core.

Rafiki - The Lion King

Timon and Pumbaa often get all the credit for being scene-stealing sidekicks in The Lion King but Rafiki is the one who ultimately teaches Simba the lesson that he needs to understand, and he does it in a way that is equal parts magical and ridiculous. He has less screen time than almost any other voiced character in the film, but Rafiki makes it count.

Flora, Fauna And Merriweather - Sleeping Beauty

The master plan of the three fairies to keep Aurora safe for 16 years in Sleeping Beauty doesn't exactly work, but you certainly can't say that Flora, Fauna, and Meriweather don't give it their all. Even if they can't make a decent cake or decide what color to make a dress, these three are the aunts we all would be lucky if we had.

Jock And Trusty - Lady And The Tramp

Many Disney movies deal with incredible friendships but one of the best is happening on the sidelines of Lady and the Tramp. Trusty is an old bloodhound who has lost his ability to smell and Jock is his dear friend who will never tell him that he can't smell anything because Jock knows how heartbreaking that would be for his friend.

Jasper And Horace - 101 Dalmatians

Yes, Jasper and Horace are technically bad guys, but they're hilariously incompetent bad guys, and that makes them a great deal more fun and easier to love. If Cruela deVil had been able to hire anybody smarter she might have actually been dangerous.

Jaq And Gus - Cinderella

Cinderella's little mice friends are small but they are actually a big part of her movie. Jaq is (allegedly) the brains of the operation, but Gus is too cute to ignore. They are able to get the better of Lucifer the cat in a pair of sequences that are among the best in Cinderella.

Baymax - Big Hero 6

In a movie full of superheroes, the real hero is the one who would rather heal than hurt. Baymax is just so innocent and kind that it's impossible not to love him. Eventually, it's the robot who shows the biggest heart.

Scat Cat - The Aristocats

The Aristocats is not one of Walt Disney Animation's best movies, but it does have its moments. Or at least its moment. "Everybody Wants To Be A Cat" is a classic Disney song, even if it's in a largely forgotten movie. Scatman Cruthers is the voice of his namesake kitty, and he rocks the song and steals the show.

Dodger - Oliver And Company

How do you not steal the scene when you're literally Billy Joel? Dodger in Oliver and Company is the cool dog that everybody else wants to be, and he's got the best song in the movie. If you've ever seen this movie you probably don't remember anything else.

There are tons of great movies about the history and culture of the American South. They aren't all positive, because all histories and cultures are messy and the South is certainly no exception. Some of the movies are heartwarming in a way that only Southerners can be and some are heartbreaking for many reasons. Either way, they are important, powerful, and fun stories about everyone living below the Mason-Dixon line. 

Fried Green Tomatoes

There is nothing more quintessentially southern than the dish fried green tomatoes. Like the dish, the movie of the same name just oozes Southern culture. Kathy Bates stars alongside Jessica Tandy and listens as Tandy's character tells her life story, which is a microcosm of life in the South in the 20th Century, including all the highs and lows. 

My Cousin Vinny

Everyone loves a good fish out of water story and having Joe Pesci play a lawyer - or someone pretending to be a lawyer - in the South is just perfect for that. My Cousin Vinny doesn't really punch down at anyone, while still maintaining a humoristic look at both the South, and the North, and how the two cultures may clash at times, but ultimately are still the same people, under it all. 

Selma

The Civil Rights movement is one of the most consequential periods in United States history, and while the story has been told many times in movies, in many different ways, Selma is one of the best, and broadest, telling of the story. David Oyelowo's performance as Dr. Martin Luther King is mesmerizing. 

No Country For Old Men

In many ways, Texas is a culture apart from the rest of the Deep South, but it still does overlap quite a bit. There are a lot of movies set in Texas, but No Country For Old Men finds a way to really nail a lot of the culture, while still maintaining the fanciful nature of the plot. Not bad for a couple of directors like the Coen Brothers who hail from Minnesota. 

To Kill A Mockingbird

The book and movie To Kill A Mockingbird is without a doubt one of the most important stories told in the 20th Century. It captures small-town life in the South in the Depression era perfectly. It's also obviously not afraid to dig into the more disturbing parts of life in Alabama at the time, the terrible racism that hung over everything. 

The Outsiders

The Outsiders became a cultural phenomenon when the book was first published in the late '60s. Telling the story of working-class kids fighting with the rich kids in Tulsa in 1965. It took a decade-and-a-half for Francis Ford Coppola to put together the now-legendary cast of The Outsiders and make the movie, but it was worth the wait. 

O Brother Where Are Thou?

For a couple of guys from Minnesota, The Coen Brothers really know how to capture the essence of the American South. They set a few of their movies there, but O Brother Where Are Thou? really stands out as a great example of how to tell a wild story that is sarcastic, fantastical, and over-the-top, but grounded in realism. 

Smokey And The Bandit

When a guy needs a bunch of beer you can only buy west of the Mississippi for a party in Georgia, there's only one person to hire to smuggle the load. The Bandit (Burt Reynolds). The movie basically covers all of what we call the Deep South from Texarkana to Atlanta. Jackie Gleason's Texas sheriff, Buford T. Justice, is the icing on the cake. 

12 Years A Slave

Sometimes filmmakers need to tell stories we don't want to hear but need to hear. 12 Years A Slave is a movie you can only watch once, but one that everyone needs to see at least once. It's a powerful story about the ugliest part of American history that everyone has a difficult time confronting, but a time we all need to remember for exactly what it was. 

A Street Car Named Desire

Playwright Tennessee Williams did as much to define Southern culture as anyone else in the arts with his plays like The Glass Menagerie and Cat on a Hot Tin Roof. The most successful adaptation of one of his plays, A Streetcar Named Desire, is no exception, bringing the era of mid-20th Century New Orleans to life with a classic cast that included Marlon Brando, Vivien Leigh, and Karl Malden. 

Dazed And Confused

Being a teenager in Austin, TX in 1976 sure looks like a lot of fun in Dazed And Confused. The cult classic comedy by director Richard Linklater is loved all over the country, not only for its witty script, but for the monster cast of then-up-and-comers like Ben Affleck, Parker Posey, and Matthew McConaughey. 

A Time To Kill

Matthew McConaughey is a proud son of Texas, but he's not afraid to call out the troubled history in the Southern U.S. A Time To Kill is a perfect example, of confronting racism in rural Mississippi in the 1990s. It's also one of Samuel L. Jackson's most powerful performances as the accused Carl Lee Hailey. 

Baby Driver

Let's be honest, Baby Driver could have happened in any city, but it happens in Atlanta. Atlanta, as anyone who has driven there will tell you, is actually kind of the perfect city for a movie about car chases. Wide highways, big streets, elevation changes... it all makes for great car chases, and Baby Driver has some of the best car chases ever. 

Glory

The 54th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment was one of the very first Black units in the Union Army during the Civil War and while it may have Massachusetts in the name, and the movie Glory is based on the true story of the regiment, it takes place almost entirely in the South during the war. It's one of the best war movies ever made and one of the most powerful stories about the South ever told. 

Friday Night Lights

No matter where you are in the South, from Virginia to Texas, if it's Friday night in the fall, there is serious high school football being played. Friday Night Lights, which is based on a book of the same name telling the true story of a small Texas town's team is one of the best representations of that culture ever put on film. The story is so good, that they later fictionalized it on TV as well. 

The Color Purple

Steven Spielberg managed to surprise everyone when he directed The Color Purple. It was a big departure from the kind of summer blockbusters audiences were used to from the director. It's no surprise that his deft hand helped tell an amazing story about all the hardships of life for a Black woman in the South in the early 20th Century. 

Steel Magnolias

If you want a real slice of Southern life on the big screen, there is no better example than Steel Magnolias. It's not always pleasant, but it's real. The highs and lows of life burst off the screen, all while celebrating all that is great about small-town life in the South. 

Gone With The Wind

It may be the most famous movie set in the South, ever. While Gone With The Wind is not without some deserved controversy, it's still one of the greatest cinematic achievements in history. Of course, it tells the story of the hardships even the very rich faced in the South during the Civil War 

Hustle & Flow

Hip-hop may have developed in the streets of New York, but it didn't take long for the South to start putting its own unique spin on the genre. Hustle & Flow is a great way to experience the development of rap in Memphis. Memphis plays an important role in the history of all American music and it's great to see where hip-hop fits in. 

Midnight In The Garden Of Good And Evil

High society in the South is perfectly represented in Midnight In The Garden Of Good And Evil. Kevin Spacey, as problematic as he is, puts in his typically great performance here, as a member of Savannah, Georgia's elite. It's just a darn good crime story. 

Beasts of the Southern Wild

Magical realism, Louisana-style is what Beasts of the Southern Wild is. The fantasy elements tell the tale, but the harsh realities of living in the Bayou with rising sea levels set the backdrop for this incredible movie. A movie made on a tiny budget that made a fortune. 

Deliverance

There are a whole lot of negative stereotypes in Deliverance that have to be acknowledged off the top here. The portrayals of locals as inbred, violent hicks are offensive to many, but that doesn't mean the movie isn't really scary and exciting. It's legendary for a reason. 

Driving Miss Daisy

Sometimes people forget just was a massive hit Driving Miss Daisy was. It's easy to see why it's argued by some that it's not a great representation of the South, but it is pretty accurate in a lot of ways. This is especially true of Miss Daisy (Jessica Tandy) and her attitude towards her driver (Morgan Freeman) in the beginning. 

Norma Rae

Sally Field stars as Norma Rae Webster in Norma Rae, who is based on the real-life North Carolinian labor organizer Crystal Lee Sutton. While the struggles of African-American communities across the South have often (and deservedly) been highlighted, the struggle of poor, white Southerners is less represented. That's part of what makes Norma Rae important when telling the story of the South in the 20th Century. 

Nashville

Director Robert Altman's 1975 masterpiece Nashville is one of the best representations of the power of music, specifically country music, carries in the South. Rock and Roll, Blues, Jazz, and of course, Country music all have their roots somewhere in the South, so spreading the gospel (another genre of music born in the South) of music tells us much of what we want to know. 

The Green Mile

Frank Darabont might have directed the best movie of the 1990s with The Shawshank Redemption, but it's another prison movie by the director that lands on this list. The Green Mile, which like Shawshank, was based on a Steven King story tells a very different kind of story, in a very different kind of prison. Of all the places in the world you wouldn't want to get locked up in, Louisiana in the 1930s would have to be close to the top of the list. 

The Iron Claw

Professional wrestling really came into its own in the South in the 50s and 60s. Sure, it's always been popular everywhere in America, but the South is its home. The South, specifically Texas, was also home to the legendary Von Erich family. The Iron Claw wonderfully tells the family's tragic story, all with the backdrop of 1970s and 1980s Southern culture. 

Green Book

2018's Green Book is an uncompromising look at the Jim Crow South. It's raw and honest about what it was like to be a Black man, specifically a musician, traveling in the South in the early 1960s. Mahershala Ali plays Don Shirley, who was one of the greatest jazz pianists of his day, but still found little respect in many parts of the South because of the color of his skin. 

Cape Fear

Martin Scorsese's 1991 remake of Cape Fear could have been set anywhere, but it's set in North Carolina and there really wasn't a better choice. The unique Carolina coast is the perfect setting and watching Robert De Niro's excellent performance with a Southern accent makes it all the better. 

Moonlight

There's a common saying saying in Florida that the further south you travel, the further north you get. That's because northern Florida has far more in common with the deep south than Miami. Still, Miami is as far south as you can get on the mainland of the United States, so a movie like Moonlight fits in, despite being more about the gritty streets of Miami than say, high school football. 

Coal Miner's Daughter

Kentucky isn't often represented in movies, and when it is, it's usually a pretty depressing take on the state. Coal Miner's Daughter isn't all sunshine and lollipops, either, but it is a very fair representation of life in a coal town for a young girl named Loretta Lynn. Yep, that Loretta Lynn, who came up in a tough situation but found her way to huge fame as a country singer. 

The Princess And The Frog

We couldn't have this list without a little Disney flavor. While the company has smartly buried Song of the South deep in their vault, or maybe even under the vault, The Princess And The Frog is another story completely. There are few better representations of New Orleans in film. The culture, the food, and especially the music.

After years of anticipation, we’re now only a couple of weeks away from Walt Disney World’s opening of the new ride Tiana’s Bayou Adventure. The Southern-themed experience — which replaces Splash Mountain in both the Magic Kingdom and Disneyland — is inspired by one of Disney’s best animated features, 2009’s The Princess and the Frog, and in fact serves as a direct sequel to the movie. Guests will accompany Tiana down the bayou as she prepares to host a Mardi Gras party, and that sounds like a celebration I need an invite to. Previews have been running for Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, so let’s see what people are saying.

The re-themed dark ride is set to open to the public at Walt Disney World in Florida on June 28, but guests visiting Disneyland in California will have to wait a bit longer. No specific date has been announced yet, but it is expected to open sometime in 2024. Video of Tiana’s Bayou Adventure elicited strong opinions from fans, so let’s see what people are saying now that they’ve actually gotten to experience it. CinemaBlend’s own Dirk Libbey was one of the lucky riders, and he confirms on X (formerly known as Twitter) you will still get soaked. 

Dirk Libbey also reports that the ride was operating smoothly, though there were a couple of hiccups to be worked out, including a Mama Odie animatronic that wasn’t functional on his ride.

Meanwhile, WGN’s Marcus Leshock thinks the best experience comes from the back of the log, where riders get a little bit longer to enjoy the animatronics. Overall, he is pleased with the retheming, as he posts: 

The WGN reporter also shows a video of one of the oft-talked-about dark rooms, saying the experience is more impressive in person than he expected it to be. According to his social media:  

News about the revamped ride has caused disappointment in some, because The Princess and the Frog-themed experience won’t include the numerous animatronics that Splash Mountain was known for. Disney appears to be going with quality over quantity for animatronics on Tiana’s Big Adventure, and that's just fine with travel enthusiast Michelle McKnight. The fan shared some photos and video from her first go-round, posting that she loves the music, characters and everything else. 

ThrillGeek points out a military tribute in the line that shows the New Orleans princess with her father: 

The ride features The Princess and the Frog’s original voice cast, who reprised their roles for the dialogue played on the log flume, and riders will hear both songs from the movie and original music. In fact, New Orleans native and Maroon 5 member PJ Morton penned a song just for the occasion.

Park visitors in Florida don’t have long to wait before they get to experience Tiana’s Bayou Adventure for themselves, and hopefully Disneyland ticket-holders won’t have to wait long either. In the meantime, you can always re-experience the ride’s inspiration, with The Princess and the Frog available to stream with a Disney+ subscription. 

When it comes to Disney movies, there are plenty of instances where I’m sure we all look at the TV screen, look at our partner next, and sigh, wondering how our lives could never be as romantic as the couples in Disney movies. Alright, well, maybe that was a bit dramatic, but you get what I mean – and today, we’ll be going over some of the best romantic scenes in Disney movies that give me hope in true love. 

Ariel And Eric During “Kiss The Girl” (The Little Mermaid)

One of my favorite Disney scenes comes from The Little Mermaid. Not only does the “Kiss the Girl” scene provide one of the best Disney songs ever, but it’s also a significant turning point in Eric and Ariel’s relationship.

Hercules Literally Risking His Life To Save Meg (Hercules)

Hercules is such an underrated Disney classic, and while it has gotten plenty of praise in the last few years, including talk of a live-action remake, I will never forgive it for not being nearly as big as it should have been. Hercules and Meg were the definition of the ‘it’ couple, and I’m pretty sure not every man would dive into a river of death, risk losing their lives, and so much more to save their significant other—the definition of love. 

Lady And Tramp Sharing A Dinner (Lady And The Tramp)

It’s funny when I watch The Lady and the Tramp now as an adult because I can’t help but think that these dogs are getting celebrity treatment, getting fresh spaghetti and meatballs from a chef. But of course, I have to put down the two main characters swapping meatballs and spaghetti. 

Carl And Ellie’s Montage (Up)

I’m not crying; you are. 

Rewatching Up as an adult is always a hard-hitter, but you want to know what still hits just as hard? Watching Carl and Ellie’s montage of their love story. Heck, I recall seeing this film in the theater with my dad and remembering it as the first time I ever saw him cry. It’s profound love, people. 

Simba And Nala Reuniting (The Lion King)

There is literally nothing better than a friends-to-lovers romance, and I stand by that because now, we have a cemented foundation on which to start a new relationship. And nothing tells a better story than Nala and Simba when they reunite after years apart in The Lion King. Look at these two – they are so in love, and it’s so adorable. 

Eugene And Rapunzel In The Boat (Tangled)

Tangled is a better movie than Frozen, and one of the reasons is that the central relationship between Eugene and Rapunzel legit gives me butterflies even now. I could point out so many scenes between them, but for the sake of space, I’ll say the lantern scene. Eugene is renting out a boat for them on a lake to watch the lanterns in the sky – peak romance moves right there, my man. 

Kiara And Kovu’s Little Love Boat Ride (The Lion King 2)

A lot of people don’t really know that much about The Lion King 2: Simba’s Pride, considering that it was never released in theaters, but I have a soft spot for it. In the central love story, Kiara (Simba’s daughter) and Kovu (the son of a leader of outcast lions) are great enemies to lovers. One of their best moments is when they are on a love-boat ride, thanks to Rafiki, during the song “Upendi.” I still dance to it now. 

Eve Trying Her Best To Save Wall-E (WALL-E)

WALL-E is undoubtedly one of the best Pixar movies by far, and while it paints a dystopian view of the world (that almost feels like it’s slowly coming true), at its core is a love story between two robots. The final scene, where Wall-E has basically been destroyed and Eve is trying her absolute hardest to save him – brings tears to my eyes every time. 

Kristoff Getting Anna Home When The Coldness Spreads (Frozen)

Frozen is a great movie about sisterly love, but in terms of romance, Kristoff and Anna are pretty great, too. A great scene to point out is when Kristoff rides Sven home back to Arendelle for even a chance that Anna could live after the coldness in her spreads. He started off not even wanting to travel with her to save her. Adorable. 

Pongo And Perdita Literally Bringing Their Owners Together (101 Dalmatians)

I always say that there is no purer love than a dog’s love, and I think Pongo and Perdita perfectly exemplify that. But you want to know what’s better than them? The fact that these two were so enamored with each other that they literally brought their owners together, too. Talk about fate. 

Aladdin’s Carpet Ride (Aladdin)

I’m, like, 99% sure that “A Whole New World” has become one of the most iconic romance songs of all time, so of course, I have to include the scene from Aladdin that features him taking Jasmine out on a magic carpet ride. Haven’t we all wished for a prince to sweep us off our feet literally? 

Prince Charming Literally Going From Town To Town To Find His Love (Cinderella)

While Cinderella to me isn’t one of the best Disney films ever, there’s no denying its impact and the fact that the Prince did make a very romantic gesture. He’s so enamored with Cinderella, not knowing her name, that he uses a shoe going from town to town in order to find her. 

The Beast Gifting Belle A Library (Beauty And The Beast)

As someone who is counting down every upcoming book-to-screen adaptation that is coming out, do you know the things I would do to be gifted a library like Belle? The Beast in Beauty and the Beast just casually had this whole library in his castle and decided to give it to Belle when feelings began to arrive. I wish. That’s so sweet. 

Prince Phillip Fighting A LITERAL Dragon For Aurora (Sleeping Beauty)

I mean, you really can’t get a better protector than Prince Phillip, who literally went to defeat a dragon for Aurora in Sleeping Beauty. It’s not like he had a giant crossbow or anything like that – he went in with just a sword, and my god, I can’t help but admire that and also love that kind of energy for Aurora. 

Elizabeth And Nicholas Marry Again (The Parent Trap)

I always love second-chance romances in any of the best rom-com out there, and The Parent Trap is an excellent example of that. While we do see Elizabeth and Nicholas kiss at the very end of the film, it’s the pictures we see of their second wedding that make me swoon and awe and practically cry.

Eric Giving Ariel The Reigns (The Little Mermaid)

You know, upon watching The Little Mermaid as an adult, I’ve slowly come to realize that Eric and Ariel were actually a decent couple, considering it felt like everyone fell in love so quickly with older Disney movies. Eric, who barely even knows Ariel, takes her out on a journey into town for fun and lets her control the carriage of a horse because she showed interest. Was it necessarily wise? No, but it was still fun. 

Giselle And Robert Finally Kiss (Enchanted)

Rewatching Enchanted is always fun when you’re older, especially when you realize that the songs are incredible and I could jam to them every time. But after seeing Giselle and Robert dance around each other for an entire movie, their kiss at the very end is so fulfilling, and I always feel myself take a deep sigh of relief whenever it happens. 

Eugene Telling Rapunzel That She Was His New Dream (Tangled)

God, that's the gut punch that this scene always gives me. In Tangled, when Mother Goethel stabs Flynn, Eugene cuts off Rapunzel’s hair in order for Goethal to die, rendering her unable to heal him. As he dies, he says to Rapunzel that she has become his new dream, referencing a song earlier in the movie. Thankfully, she’s able to bring him back, but this moment is so beautifully sad. 

When Belle Danced With The Beast For The First Time (Beauty And The Beast)

I’m pretty sure Beauty and the Beast has some of the most iconic romantic scenes ever, and one of them is undoubtedly Belle and the Beast dancing for the first time. It’s slow at first; both are not used to the feelings that are there, but they eventually relax and have fun, and – ugh, I’m swooning thinking about it. 

Troy Decides To Do Both Theater And Basketball To Be Closer To Gabriella (High School Musical 3: Senior Year)

Okay, let’s not address the fact that Troy’s most significant issue in life was whether he wanted to play basketball or theater and that his friends were criticizing him for it – because my man did not deserve that pain. But what we can talk about is how Troy decides to follow his heart and go to a school closer to home so he can be closer to Gabriella at Stanford. I love it. 

Tiana Teaches Naveen How To Mince (The Princess And The Frog)

Tiana is an underrated Disney princess and a great role model. One of my favorite parts about her is that she can cook like no one is watching. When she and Prince Naveen are frogs and need food, she decides to teach Prince Naveen himself how to mince mushrooms. I don’t know what it is about this scene, but it makes me smile every time I see the look in his eyes when he’s impressed with her knife skills. 

Pocahontas Saving John Smith (Pocahontas)

Forget the historical inaccuracies of this film. Instead, let’s talk about how Pocahontas and John Smith were a decently good couple (in the movie) and that she threw herself against her people to save him. Only the fictional versions of these characters make me believe in love again – not the actual figures they are based on. But it’s still a good scene. 

Wade And Ember Finally Embrace (Elemental)

I don’t think you can really get better than fire and water finding a way to co-exist. It is a significant plot point in Elemental that both Wade and Ember wouldn’t be able to touch each other if romance ever entered the picture, but at the very end of the film, they embrace it. It’s a moving scene, and it is one I still love to watch. 

Kristoff Dressing Up For Anna (Frozen 2)

Kristoff is a very manly man – meaning his dressing up in a fancy suit with slicked-back hair isn’t really his style. However, he does do this for Anna’s coronation in Frozen 2, and it’s a charming gesture – although she does say she prefers him in leather after. 

Will And Elizabeth Marry In The Middle Of A Battle (Pirates Of The Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest)

Literally, how can you get more romantic than getting married in the middle of a battle? The Pirates of the Caribbean movies drop off with Will and Elizabeth’s romance in later films, but man, these first few were top-tier – and then tying the knot while fighting for their lives with that Hans Zimmer score in the background? Chills, every time. 

The Beast Lets Belle Go (Beauty And The Beast)

To lose something is to have loved something, and that phrase is thoroughly used in Beauty and the Beast. Despite falling for Belle, the Beast lets her go after their dance because she sees that her father is in trouble. He cares about her happiness more than anything else, and…that is true love right there. 

Jane Decides To Stay In The Jungle With Tarzan (Tarzan)

You know, I always wonder how Jane adapted to Tarzan because the fact that she stays behind to be with him is the most significant act of love on this list. Think about it – she left behind her entire world to stay with this man. I’d love to know how their interactions went once the movie was done. 

When Aladdin Stares At Jasmine For The First Time (Aladdin)

Everyone dreams of having someone stare at them the way that Aladdin does the first time he spots Jasmine in Aladdin. That look of utter infatuation and love at first sight – it gets me every time. He’s so down bad it’s not even funny. 

Opposites Truly Attract Between Sergeant Tamora Jean Calhoun And Felix (Wreck-It-Ralph)

Wreck-It Ralph is a great 2010s Disney movie with many great themes and relationships. One I never expected was between Sergeant Tamora Jean Calhoun and Felix, two people from two very different games who somehow find their way to each other through this crazy journey. Opposites truly do attract. 

Ariel Singing To Eric (The Little Mermaid)

I think everyone would love to wake up to a mermaid singing to them, but the way that Ariel does it is so ethereal – and it makes total sense why Eric would fall in love with that voice. I mean, come on – saving someone and then singing to them? Pure love, right there. 

Hercules Being The Absolute Cutest With Meg In The Garden (Hercules)

Hercules and Meg are one of my absolute favorite couples in all of Disney, and I can’t get over their date and walking in the garden afterward. I don’t know what it is – maybe it’s the fact that this super strong man who is so nerdy and silly in front of Meg, this headstrong girl, melts her defenses, and it makes me swoon. Either way, it’s adorable. 

Ben Getting A Sign From His Wife (Haunted Mansion)

2023’s Haunted Mansion had no right to be as emotional as it was, and it was made even more emotional when Ben, at the very end, received a sign from his wife from the beyond. His wife, who loved tater tots – and now Ben himself found a cat named Tater Tot. Shut up. Shut up. I am getting tears in my eyes just writing about it. 

This is making me excited for all the upcoming Disney movies and any romantic scenes that will make me swoon. I’m here for the tears, the laughs, and so much more. 

My friends, with Tiana’s Bayou Adventure’s opening date set for June 28th at the Magic Kingdom, we’re officially “Almost There.” So far we’ve gotten tons of tantalizing peeks at the impressive Princess and the Frog-based animatronics the ride will feature, as well as a ton of information on the new musical critters it introduces. But now I’ve learned what could be the tastiest update on this upcoming Disney attraction, and it’s making me very hungry.

In the run-up to this summer’s long-awaited activation of The Princess and the Frog’s new theme park presence, the good people at Disney Parks spoke with People. In that conversation, it was confirmed by a rep from the most magical place on Earth that the scent of Beignets will be present throughout the line for Tiana’s Bayou Adventure. 

This, of course, is the latest example of Disney Parks' "Smellitizers" at work. If you've ever wondered why you've randomly been struck with the smell of popcorn or other nose-pleasing scents at various rides and attractions at Disney locations, this is basically why. As fans waft specific scents into your personal space, it's supposed to invoke specific feelings.

In the case of beignets, that is a well-played reference to one of Tiana's culinary specialties in The Princess and the Frog. Now I don’t know if they’ll be selling those treats near the actual line at the Magic Kingdom’s long-awaited Splash Mountain replacement. However, I think they should totally look into doing so, as the lengthy wait times are going to only make people all the more eager to partake in those traditional New Orleans delights. 

Come to think of it, while we’re planning ahead, coffee should definitely be an offer as well. How can you have a beignet without some delicious caffeinated bliss? That’s like not using your Disney+ subscription to rewatch The Princess and the Frog, in honor of this new attraction and the film’s 15th anniversary. 

Of course, this news makes a lot of sense as Tiana’s Bayou Adventure is bringing this very delicious treat to the Disney Parks. Per further reporting from KLFY, Frontierland’s Golden Oak Outpost and Fantasyland’s The Friar’s Nook are the places parkgoers will want to hit up to fulfill their cravings. That first location is going to be your best bet for pre and post-ride munchies, as it's not too far from the location of the attraction.

Fittingly enough, no one was happier to help sell that fact than the woman who played Tiana’s friend Charlotte in The Princess and the Frog, actor Jennifer Cody! Watch her bust out her pitch-perfect performance yet again, in the video below:

I don’t know when I’ll be making my next visit to Walt Disney World, but one thing is for sure. If I don’t walk out of the Magic Kingdom with a beignet, some cute merch based on Tiana’s Bayou Adventure’s new musical critters, and at least five rides on the Tron Lightcycle/Run, I’m going to be a bit upset. Ok, so maybe the first two goals are more on the realistic side.

As for those of you heading to Walt Disney World this summer, Tiana’s Bayou Adventure will be opening to the public on June 28th. So if you’re looking to strategize when to hit other Disney attractions around this sure-fire traffic driver, you can plan accordingly. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to try and get through the rest of the workday without trying to order a heap of beignets. 

For over a century now, Walt Disney Animation Studios has given audiences some of the most beloved, groundbreaking, and majestic cinematic experiences. During that time, those timeless films have introduced us to unforgettable movie villains, sidekicks, and heroes that have withstood the test of time and found a permanent place in the hearts of billions of fans. But sometimes, those iconic princesses and knights in shining armor aren’t the real heroes of their respective stories.

That being said, here are the REAL heroes and unsung champions, from some of the best Disney animated movies…

Anna (Frozen)

There are countless reasons why Princess Anna is the true hero of Frozen, and a lot of those have to do with the younger sister of Queen Elsa actually being a great inspiration for younger viewers. She opens up about her feelings, accepts the call to adventure, and is willing to do anything and everything to help out those she cares about, even if it means sacrificing herself.

Abu (Aladdin)

In addition to being one of the best Disney sidekicks of all time, Abu is actually a pretty righteous hero in Aladdin, one who always stays true to himself and his friends. Sure, his greed nearly kills him and Aladdin, but he comes through moments later when he tricks Jafar and steals the magic lamp, which leads to Genie coming out of his lamp.

Baloo (The Jungle Book)

Baloo is not only one of the best Disney characters of all time, but he’s also a great hero throughout The Jungle Book. The iconic sloth bear goes above and beyond to help Mowgli on his journey to find the “Man-Village,” teaches him some great lessons and a legendary song along the way, and comes through for everyone time and time again.

Widow Tweed (The Fox And The Hound)

There’s a lot to love about the classic Disney animated film, The Fox and the Hound, but the character who continues to rise to the occasion is Widow Tweed. From finding and caring for a young Tod to saving multiple characters from certain death to being the voice of reason in some tense situations, this lovable elderly character is simply the best.

Nani Pelekai (Lilo & Stitch)

Go back and watch Lilo & Stitch as an adult and see if your opinions on Nani, Lilo’s older sister and guardian, have changed. Throughout this 2002 animated film, Nani does everything she can to make life better for her younger sister, even if that means pushing herself to the limit (and then some) or trying to pull off the impossible. She’s a hero, that’s for sure.

Rafiki (The Lion King)

Who never gives up hope for Simba in The Lion King? Rafiki, that’s who. The shaman and advisor for the late Mufasa is one of Simba’s biggest supporters and was there for him as a young cub and as an adult when he returned from his self-imposed exile away from the Pride Lands. And he puts a whooping on some hyenas, which never gets old.

Scuttle (The Little Mermaid)

Sure Scuttle doesn’t know what he’s talking about half the time in The Little Mermaid, but the seagull and friend of Ariel helps the young princess learn more about the human world before helping in a big way when he discovers that Vanessa is actually Ursula in disguise. 

Pacha (The Emperor's New Groove)

Pacha in The Emperor’s New Groove is an underappreciated hero if we’ve ever seen one, so it’s about time he receives some praise. Putting up with Kuzco is enough to earn Pacha a place in the halls of great Disney heroes, but he does so much more than that throughout the movie. Constantly putting himself before others, taking care of himself in a fight, and being a supportive friend are also admirable qualities.

Thumper (Bambi)

Besides the titular deer in Bambi, no character is more impactful or important than Thumper. More than 80 years after the film’s release, fans still celebrate the iconic rabbit for his go-getter personality, leadership skills, and seemingly limitless energy. If it weren’t for him, who knows what would have happened to Bambi.

Charlotte 'Lottie' La Bouff (The Princess And The Frog)

When it comes to best friends in Disney movies, few come close to Charlotte “Lottie” La Bouff in The Princess and the Frog. Instead of using her family’s wealth, power, and influence in menacing or vindictive ways, this southern belle uses her blessings to offer support and love for Tiana and her dreams. We could all use a friend like that.

The Mice (Cinderella)

When it comes to mico-heroes, no names carry as much weight as Jaq and Gus from Disney’s Cinderella. Throughout this 1950 animated classic, these two trusty mice help lead the show when it comes to fixing up Cinderella’s dress, supporting her, and helping make her dreams of attending the ball come true. And who helps save Cinderella from her stepmother’s captivity? Yep, these fearless mice.

Colonel, Sergeant Tibbs, And Other Animals (One Hundred And One Dalmatians)

Heroes come in all shapes and sizes in One Hundred and One Dalmatians, and some of the best examples of this can be found in Colonel, Sergeant Tibbs, and the other animals who help save the pups and defeat Curella Cruella de Vil by thwarting her masterplan. The way these four-legged (and sometimes winged) characters get everyone involved is nothing short of magical. 

Nana (Peter Pan)

One of the movie dogs we want to adopt, Nana in Peter Pan is a character that’s always down to offer some support. Though she doesn’t journey off to Never Land with Pan and the Darling children, she holds the fort down in their absence. Speaking of Wendy, John, and Michael Darling, who is it that takes care of the children every night and gives them much-needed medicine? Yep, it’s Nana, the trusty nursemaid St. Bernard.

The Dwarfs (Snow White And The Seven Dwarfs)

Doc, Grumpy, Happy, Sleepy, Bashful, Sneezy, and Dopey are some of the earliest examples of Disney heroes, and nearly 90 years later, they’re still some of the best. Sure, the Prince gets a lot of credit in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, but it’s these classic characters who take care of the young princess the rest of the time.

Pascal (Tangled)

Rapunzel is empowering and Flynn Rider is dashing, but let’s not forget the real hero of Tangled… Pascal. Despite his small size and stature (he is a chameleon, for crying out loud), this feisty and fearless lizard will do anything and everything to serve and protect the princess. Whether it means putting on a pink dress or tripping Gothel and sending her falling out of Rapunzel’s tower, he’s going to get it done.

The Fairies (Sleeping Beauty)

The Three Good Fairies (Flora, Fauna, and Merryweather) are crucial to Princess Aurora’s survival in Sleeping Beauty, and they don’t always receive enough credit. From altering Maleficent’s curse upon Aurora at her birth to planning her birthday dress later on, these three fairies get a lot done… once they stop fighting one another.

Archdeacon (The Hunchback Of Notre Dame)

If it wasn’t for Archdeacon in The Hunchback of Notre Dame, who knows what that loathsome and depraved Claude Frollo would have planned for everyone around him. The voice of reason with a heart and soul of pure gold, this clergyman saves multiple lives and thwarts diabolical plans like it’s nothing. 

Archimedes (The Sword In The Stone)

When it comes to heroes in The Sword in the Stone, the first names to come up are probably Arthur or Merlin. And while both of those characters are great, let’s not forget Archimedes, the talking and trustworthy owl who helps both legendary figures along the way. Seriously, this wise owl is constantly coming through for his king.

Fix-It Felix (Ralph Breaks The Internet)

Though he’s not in the movie all that much, Fix-It Felix is still heroic as can be in Ralph Breaks the Internet. But when he and Calhoun are on screen, they’re stealing the show and offering both hilarious and tender moments. Come on, who else would adopt all those orphaned Sugar Rush racers when they have no place to go?

Little Noi (Raya And The Last Dragon)

You could argue that every character in Raya and the Last Dragon is a hero in their own right, but Lille Noi, the toddler con artist who joins Raya on her journey, has to be at the top of the list. Though other characters do go through changes along the way, the adorable Noi has one of the most transformative and emotional arcs of them all.

The Enchantress (Beauty And The Beast)

The Enchantress could be seen as a villain in Beauty and the Beast, but the young and vain prince wouldn’t have learned his lesson if not for her lesson about true beauty in the opening chapter of the movie. A lot of people got turned into clocks, cups, and candelabras in the process, but sometimes tough love is all that’s needed.

Li Shang (Mulan)

Nothing against the titular heroine of Mulan, but let’s not act like Li Shang is some chump put in charge of a regiment of outcasts and misfits. He never gives up, he kicks a lot of butts, and gave us one of the best Disney songs of the late 20th century with “I’ll Make a Man out of You.” 

Kala (Tarzan)

If we could give this honor to Phil Collins for his Tarzan soundtrack, he’d be at the top of this list. But since he’s not in the movie, we can’t go without celebrating Kala, Tarzan’s adoptive gorilla mom. When everyone sees the young human as a freak or threat, this grieving mother rises to the occasion and takes him in as one of her own.

Olaf (Frozen 2)

There’s a case to be made for Olaf being the biggest hero of both Frozen movies as he’s constantly accepting the call of adventure, protecting his friends, and putting himself on the line to make sure the job is done. Sure, he’s mostly around for comedic relief during tense moments, but this snowman is the man!

Toby (The Great Mouse Detective)

The Great Mouse Detective is a Disney movie that doesn’t come up all that often these days, which is a shame because it features one of the best pooches of all time: Toby, Sherlock Holmes’ Basset Hound. This incredibly smart and crafty dog is key to Basil, Dawson and Olivia’s quest and provides for some impactful discoveries. But would you expect any less from the world’s greatest detective’s best friend?

Piglet (The Many Adventures Of Winnie The Pooh)

Piglet is pretty much the underdog of the Hundred Acre Wood in The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh and is often caught in the middle of some issue or misadventure. However, this doesn’t mean he’s any less heroic. In fact, there’s an argument to be made for him being an unsung hero of the group as he is often an inspiration for them all, as well as for us watching at home.

Princess Kida (Atlantis: The Lost Empire)

Atlantis: The Lost Empire isn’t one of the top Disney movies, but it is one that features a rather underappreciated hero, or heroine, as is the case with Kida. The princess of the lost city deep under the ocean, Kida proves time and time again she’s not a damsel in distress, but instead a fearless warrior with a heart of gold and nerves of steel.

Philoctetes (Hercules)

We’d all love to see Danny DeVito return for a live-action Hercules movie because we just can’t get enough of his satyr character, Philoctetes. Though he doesn’t have the strength or height of the movie’s titular hero, “Phil,” as he likes to be called, is a great teacher and trainer who helps the demigod prepare for his hero’s journey. And what good is a hero who doesn’t know how to make the most of his abilities?

Baymax (Big Hero 6)

One of the most fun and exciting Disney animated movies in recent memory, Big Hero 6 is a treat from top to bottom. A lot of that is because of Baymax, the childlike inflatable healthcare robot who helps Hiro Hamada find his place in the world and then go and save it. He doesn’t have great communication skills but this robot has a lot of tricks up his sleeve.

Flit (Pocahontas)

Flit, Pocahontas’ pet hummingbird, isn’t the biggest, strongest, or most intimidating hero in the Disney universe, but he’s definitely one of the most protective and courageous. Throughout Pocahontas, the colorful bird doesn’t let his size, or lack thereof, stop him from serving his best friend. Is he a little too overprotective? Yeah, but he’s got heart.

Jiminy Cricket (Pinocchio)

What would have happened to Pinocchio if Jiminy Cricket wasn’t around to keep him in line? Well, you could say that the classic character from Disney’s Pinocchio doesn’t always get the job done, but he tries, and that’s what really counts. And, he’s not big on lying.

Prince Philip (Sleeping Beauty)

From following his heart to saving Princess Aurora from an eternal rest to fighting Maleficent and her goons in Sleeping Beauty, there’s a lot to love about Prince Phillip. This courageous character helped set the standard for Disney heroes back in the 1950s.

These characters are heroes in their own way. While some are more courageous, stronger, or more eager than others, they all have a lot of heart and the best of intentions.

Black cinema is made up of a plethora of motion pictures that span various genres. Dramas, comedies, fantasy flicks and science fiction fare make up the beautiful tapestry of African American storytelling on the big screen. Some may not realize it, but there are plenty of excellent movies that an entire brood can enjoy together. On that note, we’re going to take some time and discuss 15 of the best Black family films. 

A Raisin In The Sun (1961)

Based on the play of the same name by Lorraine Hansberry, A Raisin in the Sun centers on the Chicago-based Younger family. The story chronicles the tight-knit brood’s daily tribulations and their aim to wisely utilize an insurance-related windfall they receive after the death of their patriarch. 

Hansberry uses the Younger family to touch on social topics like classism, racism and assimilation. This acclaimed movie is a well-written and well-directed piece of work. It also features winning performances from stars like Ruby Dee and Claudia McNeil, and it serves as a stunning showcase for the late Sidney Poitier. It’s not only one of Poitier’s best films but a masterful cinematic experience in general.

The Wiz (1978)

Another engaging play-to-film adaptation to check out is 1978’s The Wiz, one of the many credits of legendary director Sidney Lumet. Based on the 1974 Broadway production, this updated take on The Wonderful Wizard of Oz takes the character of Dorothy Gale (Diana Ross) and places her in a magical and unpredictable world. 

There are impeccable performances at play here from the likes of Nipsey Russell, Ted Ross and Michael Jackson. What makes this feature particularly unique, though, is the way in which it blends fantastical and urban iconography together. This is an eclectic musical you need to see at least once.

The Meteor Man (1993)

In the ‘90s, it was incredibly rare to see a Black superhero on the big screen, and the Robert Townsend-written and directed film, The Meteor Man, was a novelty when it hit theaters. Townsend plays the role of a teacher who gains superpowers after coming into contact with a cosmic rock. From there, he forges a heroic alter ego and seeks to fight crime, specifically taking on the gang terrorizing his Washington, D.C. community. 

This is a fun flick with a great cast and is filled with adventure, humor, heart and camp. You’ll come for the heroics, and you’ll leave with a better understanding of the importance of community.

Cool Runnings (1993)

There are a plethora of great sports movies out there, and I’d argue that Cool Runnings has carved out a solid legacy for itself. It’s inspired by a true story and focuses on the first Jamaican national bobsled team and their efforts to compete at the 1988 Winter Olympics. 

This story checks a lot of boxes when it comes to the typical tropes found in athletics-based films. However, it’s a sweet tale of resilience that’s hard not to love, and the comedic elements mostly work well, too. Also integral to the proceedings is the cast, including Leon, Malik Yoba and the prolific John Candy, who made an impact on his co-stars.

Crooklyn (1994)

Among Spike Lee’s most socially relevant movies is Crooklyn, which was inspired by the filmmaker’s childhood in New York. Set in the early ‘70s, the movie focuses on the daily exploits of a Bedford-Stuyvesant-based family. This acclaimed entry in Lee’s filmography paints a vivid and nuanced portrait of Black life, specifically the experiences of those in the inner city. With a warm story, great performances by Alfre Woodard and Delroy Lino and an awesome soundtrack, this is an excellent story that’s truly timeless.

Dr. Dolittle (1998)

Though Eddie Murphy isn’t the only actor to have played the role of Dr. John Dolittle, he’s likely the first star that comes to mind when fans think of the character. Dr. Dolittle sees the A-lister play the role of a surgeon and family man, who rediscovers his innate ability to talk to animals. A staple of Murphy’s filmography, the fun flick offers solid laughs and plenty of heart. And, quite frankly, it’s refreshing to see a Black family at the center of a somewhat fantastical story.

Akeelah And The Bee (2006)

Akeelah and the Bee marked the first starring movie role for a young Keke Palmer and, if you’ve seen it, then you’ll understand why her career has thrived since then. The drama centers around 11-year-old spelling savant Akeelah Anderson, who eventually finds herself competing in the Scripps National Spelling Bee. Palmer is nothing short of fantastic, as are co-stars Laurence Fishburne and Angela Bassett, who Palmer helped land the role of her on-screen mom. This is a sweet and inspiring story of determination and, while one can argue that it’s conventional in some ways, that makes it no less satisfying.

The Great Debaters (2007)

Another film that focuses on young Black excellence is The Great Debaters. Directed by and starring Denzel Washington, the film is about the Wiley College debate team from Texas, who sought to compete with their white peers in the 1930s. Washington puts a considerable amount of care into this production and it really shines through. His keen direction and winning performances from Jurnee Smollett and Denzel Whitaker keep this from simply being a by-the-book period piece.

The Princess And The Frog (2009)

For years, Disney fans waited for a Black princess, and they finally received one in 2009 when Tiana was introduced. The Princess and the Frog is a fairytale romp that puts a fresh spin on a classic story. This lauded film is beautifully brought to life with traditional animation reminiscent of the features from the Disney Renaissance. It also exudes the charm and warmth that’s present within the flicks of that era. To put it simply, this is a lovely film, and Anika Noni Rose’s ambitious Tiana proves to be a princess worth admiring.

Hidden Figures (2016)

Anyone looking for an enjoyable historical drama that anyone can enjoy should check out Hidden Figures. Those who tune in will be treated to the true stories of Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan and Mary Jackson. The trio were African American mathematicians who were crucial to the U.S.’ early space flights in the 1960s. 

Not only is the movie entertaining but insightful, as well. It also features strong performances from Taraji P. Henson, Janelle Monáe and Octavia Spencer. This is a particularly great film for Black History Month, but that shouldn’t be the only time you screen it.

Black Panther (2018)

The massive Marvel Cinematic Universe became a bit richer when Black Panther hit theaters in 2018. Ryan Coogler directs and co-writes this exciting movie, which follows superhero and newly named king of Wakanda, T’Challa, as he seeks to protect his nation from outside forces. 

Coogler injects this MCU entry with a distinctive sense of style, which is marked by lovely cinematography, excellent music and a loving focus on African iconography. One also can’t overlook the incredible performances from the cast, and it also marks one of the best performances of the late Chadwick Boseman.

See You Yesterday (2019)

A great Black-led science fiction movie worth checking out is Netflix’s See You Yesterday. This time travel tale, which names Spike Lee as a producer, centers around a young science prodigy who uses the time machine she’s created to prevent her brother’s death. The film flew under the radar when it was released, but it’s definitely worth your time. In addition to offering up some solid sci-fi trappings, it also conveys some keen social commentary. As you’d expect there are also shades of Back to the Future – and Michael J. Fox even has a role in it.

The Water Man (2020)

David Oyelowo isn’t just an accomplished actor, as he’s also proven himself to be a skilled director through his work on The Water Man. A coming-of-age drama, it sees a young boy embark on a quest to find a mythical being in an attempt to heal his ailing mother. This is one of the more imaginative motion pictures you might see. Oyelowo, who also stars as the protagonist’s father, ultimately crafts what feels like a modern-day fairytale, though it always feels grounded. 

Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey (2020)

Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey is a yuletide story that’s sure to leave you with plenty of holiday cheer. It’s about a curious little girl who – while staying with her estranged toy maker grandfather – tries to keep his latest invention out of his former apprentice’s clutches. 

Originally conceived as a stage production, this film features some ambitious musical numbers and stunning production design to boot. This is an instant classic, and it’s likely that after you watch it once you’ll want to make a showing an annual tradition.

The Color Purple (2023)

It goes without saying that a musical isn’t easy to craft, but Blitz Bazawule’s The Color Purple proves to be an impressive piece of work. Like Steven Spielberg’s Oscar-nominated take on Alice Walker’s novel, the film focuses on the tribulations of Celie Harris. 

However, Bazawule doesn’t dwell on the trauma but puts emphasis on how Celie uses her vivid imagination to process her circumstances. The result is an excellent film, which features show-stopping performances from Taraji P. Henson, Danielle Brooks and Fantasia Barrino.

As you can see, there are plenty of great options when it comes to Black family films. And, of course, this list doesn’t even cover all of them. So, do yourself a favor by grabbing your relatives (as well as some popcorn) and sitting down to check these movies, and more, out.

Yesterday, Walt Disney World confirmed that Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, the attraction replacing Splash Mountain, would open this summer, indicating the new Disney World attraction will arrive a bit earlier than previously anticipated. Along with that news came a look at the first full-motion animatronic that will appear on the ride, one of several versions of Tiana that riders will see. Fans have not been able to stop praising the character, because Tiana has a real face.

Depending on when an animatronic was built, it can look quite different compared to others. The previous generation of humanoid animatronics, while they had unparalleled physical movement, possessed projection-mapped faces, which theoretically allowed for greater expression. However, they didn’t actually look as “real” as the traditionally molded design and were, reportedly, more difficult than expected for Disney Parks to maintain. Fans breathed a sigh of relief that Tiana won’t be using the older design. As Disney character YouTuber Disney Dan put it...

The responses to Dan's now-viral tweet have echoed that sentiment. The difference in the two designs can most easily be seen in the two different versions of the Frozen Ever After attraction. The first version of the ride, which is at Walt Disney World’s Epcot, used the projection-mapped face, and fans didn’t love it. It doesn’t look as natural, it tends to malfunction, and while it looks worse in photographs than it does in person, there’s just a bit of an uncanny valley situation going on. Per another user on X: 

In contrast, the version of Frozen Ever After that opened late last year at Hong Kong Disneyland, and will open at Disneyland Paris, uses the newest model of animatronic. It includes a more advanced, but more traditionally molded, face, and Elsa looks absolutely incredible there.  It has caused many to ask Disney to replace the Epcot version with the new animatronic. @JohnTheMon2 said:

Disney Parks says there will be multiple Tiana animatronics at various points of the ride. Eagle-eyed viewers of the original Disney Parks TikTok also spied what appears to be an animatronic of Tiana’s mother, Eudora. We also know based on the Tiana's Bayou Adventure details that have been shared, that there will be several smaller animal animatronics. They may be repurposed parts of the original Splash Mountain attraction, which was itself largely made of recycled animatronics, or they could be entirely new. Either way, we expect they’ll look just as good. With that, @SRanger1071 posted the following:

Recent testing at Tiana’s Bayou Adventure indicates that work on the ride is moving fairly quickly. That might suggest that we could see an opening as early as May, which is “summer” based on the way Disney Parks look at the calendar. Disneyland’s version of the ride is still set to open later. Splash Mountain closed at Disney World about five months before the West Coast version, so that ride opening this fall seems likely. While there's still time left before the attraction opens its doors, the fact that this animatronic -- which contributes to a major aspect of the ride -- is being well received thus far.

When you think of Disney, I'm sure plenty of things could come to mind at first. Perhaps the incredible animation or the iconic characters, but to me? It's always been the signing. 

First and foremost, I love Disney songs. We could talk about the best Disney villain songs because, trust me, there are plenty I could sing for hours on end, but today, we are going to talk about the best uplifting Disney songs – the ones that make you smile, make you dance, make you want to go out and achieve something, or are just entertaining as heck to listen to. Let's get into it. 

“Let It Go” (Frozen)

There is literally no way we could have a Disney song list about uplifting songs without mentioning "Let It Go" from Frozen. The song, possibly one of the most successful Disney songs of all time, blew up on the charts and is all about Elsa learning to let go of her past fears and be who she wants to be, powers and all. 

And yes, I am sure that the songs in Frozen 3 – and apparently the upcoming Frozen 4 – will be just as catchy, if not more. 

“The Bare Necessities” (The Jungle Book)

The Jungle Book was one of Disney's first major successes in terms of animated movies, and the songs in it were decently well-known, but "The Bare Necessities" topped that list with its upbeat rhythm, simple lyrics, and fun animated sequences. I'm pretty sure we will forget about our worries and struggles after listening to this. 

“Almost There” (The Princess And The Frog)

Tiana is an underrated Disney princess because she worked to achieve her dreams in The Princess and the Frog. And "Almost There" is the best example of that. Watching her envision her perfect restaurant while singing about how she's so close to achieving it will make you want to get up and work for your dreams, too.

“Everybody Wants To Be A Cat” (The Aristocats)

The Aristocats was another classic Disney movie, and while I'm sure everyone knows the three kittens from that film, I love the older cats – and the song they sing, "Everybody Wants To Be a Cat." You hear that jazzy beat, and instantaneously, you want to get up and dance. I wish I could play the bass as well as they do. 

“I Saw A Dragon” (Pete’s Dragon)

Pete's Dragon was one of the few live-action Disney films with musical songs, and this one, "I Saw A Dragon," screams uplifting and upbeat to me. Watching the bar patrons get up and dance and sing about finding this dragon, swinging their drinks in the air – I mean, come on, it's so much fun. And the choreography is well done. 

“You Can Fly!” (Peter Pan)

How can you get more uplifting than a song about flying? "You Can Fly" from Peter Pan is about believing in your abilities to accomplish the seemingly impossible – in this case, flying. Watching the Darling children, alongside Peter, soaring across London fills your heart with joy and makes me want to pass, too. 

“Go The Distance” (Hercules)

Hercules is my personal under-the-radar Disney film because the music in it is so fantastic and deserves far more praise. And "Go The Distance" is the quintessential Disney hero "I want" song. It's all about Hercules wanting to prove himself out there, saying he is willing to "go the distance" to find out where he truly belongs. His grit, strength, and uplifting attitude about doing so make this song so good. 

“Under The Sea” (The Little Mermaid)

Both versions of "Under the Sea," in the animated film and the live-action The Little Mermaid, are excellent. But today we'll focus on the animated version. You can't help but smile as you watch Sebastian sing with the entire sea surrounding him, visions of color and beautiful musical theatre music making you smile, talking all about how awesome it is "under the water." It's meant to uplift Ariel's spirits about the ocean, but it doesn't work – still a great song. 

“Be Our Guest” (Beauty And The Beast)

Beauty and the Beast has so many amazing songs, but I would only consider one super uplifting: "Be Our Guest." The villain song, "Gaston," is fun but not uplifting, and the rest of the music feels a little too romantic or plot exposition-y ("Belle"). "Be Our Guest," however, is uplifting with how welcoming the objects of the castle are to Belle, and truthfully, I'd give anything to try that gray stuff. 

“Once Upon A Dream” (Sleeping Beauty)

Truthfully, Sleeping Beauty was never my go-to Disney film, but I've come to appreciate it a lot more as I've gotten older, and "Once Upon A Dream" makes me grin every time. It's uplifting and sweet as Aurora sings about a man she once met "in a dream," her one true love. And what makes it better is when Philip joins in not that long after, their two voices harmonizing so perfectly. 

“Seize The Day” (Newsies)

You can't get more uplifting than Newsies. The movie musical, which later became a stage production, had many uplifting songs, but "Seize The Day" takes the cake. It's all about trying to "seize the day" and make the most of your time while you have daylight. It's fun, upbeat, and has some incredible choreography. 

“Hakuna Matata" (The Lion King)

"It means no worries for the rest of your days." Uplifting is critical for "Hakuna Matata" from The Lion King. Watching Simba, Timon, and Pumbaa all sing this song and drown out their worries by living their life makes you want to get up and dance, too. Hakuna Matata is pretty much my life motto. 

“Friend Like Me” (Aladdin)

I mean, duh. How can we get more uplifting than the Genie, one of Robin Williams' best roles? The Genie's song in Aladdin, titled "Friend Like Me," is literally how the Genie is the best friend Aladdin could ever have and he could give him the world – and honestly, it means so much more down the line when Aladdin sets his friend free from the shackles of his lamp. 

“Stand Out” (A Goofy Movie)

I am here, standing up on my soapbox and openly saying why don't we discuss this movie more? A Goofy Movie is an excellent film with a fantastic soundtrack, and "Stand Out" is the best. Tevin Campbell performs the song as Powerline, which is all about learning how to stand out above the crowd, using anyway to do so, and not being afraid to get noticed. Now that's uplifting – and one stuck in my head. 

“Out There” (The Hunchback Of Notre Dame)

Poor Quasimodo. Another classic example of a Disney "I want" song, "Out There" is sung by Quasimodo in The Hunchback of Notre Dame, singing about how he wants to explore the world and leave the confines of Notre Dame, wishing that he didn't have to stay inside and serve his master. While sad in its lyrics, the song is full of inspiration from Quasi about his dreams and goals, and one that makes me smile all the same. 

“A Dream Is A Wish Your Heart Makes” (Cinderella)

Cinderella is the queen of uplifting stories, working every day against her will for her stepmother but getting her happy ending through kindness and love. Her song, "A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes," is possibly one of the most-known Disney songs of all time and is all about learning to believe in yourself so the dream that you make will come true – and for her, it did. Talk about uplifting. 

“Hawaiian Rollercoaster Ride” (Lilo & Stitch)

I rewatched Lilo & Stitch as an adult and didn't realize just how good it was, as well as the few songs that are featured there. The movie isn't a musical, but some songs are primarily soundtrack pieces, and "Hawaiian Rollercoaster Ride" is fun and uplifting. How can you not smile while listening to this and watching Lilo, Stitch, and her family have fun? 

“Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious” (Mary Poppins)

Look, the songs of Mary Poppins are also pretty iconic if we're being truthful, but "Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious" is one of those pieces that I'm pretty sure is so uplifting it could wake someone up from a deep sleep. It's so upbeat, so fast, and is the perfect way to describe the energy of Mary Poppins. Plus, if you know how to spell it, you get bonus points in my eyes. 

“This Is What Dreams Are Made Of” (The Lizzie McGuire Movie)

Of course, I had to put this here. It's The Lizzie McGuire Movie. The end sequence is the best part. When Lizzie sings, "This is What Dreams Are Made Of," how can you not smile and want to get up and accomplish your dreams? Plus, the upbeat dance beat in the back makes it all the better. 

“Here Comes The Sun” (The Parent Trap)

Okay, so maybe it's a little bit of a sin that in this fantastic Lindsay Lohan movie, The Parent Trap, "Here Comes The Sun" isn't sung by the Beatles. It's a cover from Bob Khaleel. But I love the scene that it's associated with – watching Hallie (pretending to be Annie) spend time with the mother she never knew and the smile on her face – it makes me grin every time I watch it. It's so heartwarming. 

“On My Way” (Brother Bear)

Brother Bear is one of those early 2000s Disney movies that no one ever talks about nearly as much as they should. It's not a musical, but the backing songs are so much fun, and "On My Way" stands out. The song, written by Phil Collins, is about going on an adventure, meeting new people, and having fun. 

“Show Yourself” (Frozen 2)

Frozen 2 had a bit of a different tone from the first Frozen, and in "Show Yourself," Elsa is singing directly to that mysterious voice that is luring her towards it, asking it to "show itself" so she can finally find that connection. And the reveal, when she finds out it was her mother guiding her the whole time – chills everywhere on my body. Idina Menzel knocks it out of the park every time. 

“I’ll Make A Man Out Of You” (Mulan)

There is no way you haven't screamed "I'll Make A Man Out Of You" from Mulan at least once in your life. I have memories of high school and college blasting this song in the car and singing at the top of my lungs. 

No song is more hyped up than Mulan and her fellow soldiers training in their army to become the best version they can be, along with Donny Osmond's great vocals in the background. It's simply the best. I’m still upset that it was cut from the live-action Mulan.

“One More Sleep ‘Till Christmas” (The Muppet Christmas Carol)

The Muppet Christmas Carol is one of the best Christmas movies out there, and "One More Sleep 'Till Christmas" perfectly captures that feeling. Sung by Kermit, it's the best song to sing when you're ready for the season and all you want is to see Santa come and be with family. 

“Life Is A Highway” (Cars)

While Cars isn't my favorite Pixar film, "Life Is A Highway" has risen to the top. The song was originally sung by Tom Cochrane but was covered by Rascal Flatts in the movie, and truthfully, I want to ride in my car to this song "all night long" because it makes me feel free. 

“How Does She Know?” (Enchanted)

Rewatching Enchanted is a delight, and the music is even better. Enchanted is one of Amy Adams' best movies, and her song, "How Does She Know?" is uplifting, energetic, and will make you get up and dance and think of true love out there. Heck, you'll want to go out and buy flowers for a random stranger after. 

“What’s This?” (The Nightmare Before Christmas)

The Nightmare Before Christmas is a classic Christmas/Halloween movie and one of my favorite stop-motion films. In it, Jack Skellington finally has joy in his eyes again when he stumbles upon Christmas Town, singing "What's This?" as he stares in wonder at everything around him. How can you not smile? 

“I Have A Dream” (Tangled)

Tangled is one of my favorite 2010s Disney films, and Rapunzel signing "I Have A Dream" with the pub crew she and Flynn are at is a core memory for me. Watching everyone admit that they all have a dream is uplifting, and I will sing it every time. 

“Lesson Number One” (Mulan II)

I don't care what anyone says; I enjoy Mulan II. It's not as good as the first, but I do like it, and I think "Lesson Number One" from the movie is quite uplifting. I didn't realize I needed to see Mulan training the next generation of little girl warriors as a kid, but now? I appreciate this song so much more. 

“Touch The Sky” (Brave)

Brave is a film I don't understand why people don't like as much because Merida is a great character. This isn't a musical movie, but the song "Touch The Sky" is played when we first meet her. The song is about adventure and going out to find your destiny – which is so uplifting that it makes me want to climb a mountain like Merida. 

“Try Everything” (Zootopia)

Zootopia is another Disney movie that isn't a musical, but the song that went along with it, "Try Everything," sung by Shakira, is excellent. It's all about wanting to learn and try all the new things you can get your hands on. It inspires people everywhere – and inspires me to watch the movie again before Zootopia 2.

“Un Poco Loco” (Coco)

Coco is one of my favorite Pixar films, and the song "Un Poco Loco" is so funny, cute, and uplifting. It's all about a man saying that his love is a little crazy but always keeps him guessing, and he loves it, but watching Miguel and Hector dance and sing together is always the uplifting part, and it makes me grin. 

I think it's time for a Disney marathon to sing all these songs. Anyone know where a karaoke machine is?

“When you wish upon a star,” a phrase first penned for Pinocchio more than 80 years ago, has been a major part of the Disney experience ever since, with multiple movies from the animation studio’s vast library featuring characters pleading to the heavens or some magical relic for help one way or another. Over the decades, classics like Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, The Little Mermaid, and Aladdin have all seen characters make wishes that are then granted, forever changing their lives.

As part of our partnership with AMC Theatres, where you can now purchase tickets to see Wish, Disney’s latest animated feature film about a princess named Asha wishing upon a star, we’ve gone back through the vault and found six Disney characters who got their wishes over the years, as well as how it worked out for them. Please enjoy…

Pinocchio 

After the longley toymaker and woodwork name Geppetto wishes upon a star for his puppet, Pinocchio, to come to life, the Blue Fairy makes the dream a reality in this 1940 Walt Disney classic. But that isn’t the only wish in Pinocchio, as the titular puppet wishes upon the same magical star to turn him from a wooden toy into a real boy. In order to do so, he is told he must be brave, truthful, and unselfish, a task that’s easier said than done.

While both Pinocchio and Geppetto get their wishes, they don’t become a reality until after a difficult journey that involves a trip to Pleasure Island, an iconic encounter with a massive whale named Monstro, and other ups and downs along the way.

Ariel 

Though she doesn’t wish upon a star in the 1989 animated gem that is The Little Mermaid, Ariel does have dreams of becoming a human and falling in love with Prince Eric, no matter the cost. When given the opportunity to have this wish fulfilled, the teenage mermaid makes a deal with the scheming Ursula, who gives the princess a pair of legs but with a cost: her voice.

In the end, after defeating Ursula, saving her father, and the rest of her kingdom, Ariel’s wish is fulfilled when she is turned into a human and marries Eric on a ship. But this time, the daughter of King Triton gets to enjoy life on land with her voice.

Cinderella

The 1950 animated fantasy film, Cinderella, one of the most magical and well-remembered titles in the studio’s extensive library, follows the young woman as she endures the constant verbal abuse and overabundance of chores from her evil stepmother and stepsisters after the death of her father. After her dreams of attending the Prince’s ball are thrown out the window by her evil family, Cinderella is greeted by the Fairy Godmother, who turns her rags into a beautiful dress and her animal companions into her footmen. And off to the ball she goes…

But like most Disney movies, the good fortune doesn’t last for the young Cinderella and she must flee before the stroke of midnight at which point her dress, assistants, and carriage go back to as they were before the magical wish. With the help of the glass slipper left behind in Cinderella's hasty escape, the Prince goes on a quest to find the mystery woman, eventually finding and marrying her.

Aladdin

The biggest movie of 1992, and one of most beloved titles in Disney’s animation renaissance in the ‘90s, Aladdin had not one, not two, but three wishes fulfilled before the credits rolled. After the street urchin named Aladdin is tricked into entering the Cave of Wonders by a disguised Jafar, the young man comes in possession of a magical lamp which houses a genie capable of granting three wishes for the person who finds him.

Aladdin first wishes to become a prince, which leads to him making a grand entrance and re-introducing himself to Jasmine. Next, a wish is used to save Aladdin from drowning in the sea. And after finally defeating Jafar and thwarting his plan, the hero uses his third and final wish to free the Genie from his lamp, fulfilling a promise he made earlier in the movie.

Tiana

In the underrated 2009 Disney animated film, The Princess and the Frog, a young Tiana wishes upon the evening star for her dad to get his own restaurant in New Orleans, a dream that never becomes a reality, at least not how she originally planned. As an adult, Tiana again wishes upon a star, this time to open a Big Easy restaurant of her own. And while that dream does ultimately become a reality, it only happens after a long, wild, and magical journey.

After being turned into a frog after kissing Prince Naveen, who thinks Tiana is a princess because of her costume, the two are forced to find a way to become human once more, putting the whole restaurant situation on the backburner. They are eventually able to reverse the curse, turn human, and start selling gumbo as Tiana had always wished.

Snow White

In 1937’s Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, the first feature film from Walt Disney Studios, the young titular character visits a wishing well where she asks to meet and fall in love with a Prince that will take her away from her evil stepmother, the Queen. And while she does meet the Prince, and they immediately fall for one another, Snow White is taken away by orders of the Queen and forced to live in the woods with those seven dwarfs.

Eventually, Snow White’s wish does come true and she and the prince do fall in love, but only after she’s put into a death-like sleep from a poisoned apple. Once awoken by “love’s first kiss,” the fairest in all of the land is whisked away by her Prince and they go off to live happily ever after.

Though each of these Disney characters had to go through quite a lot before their wishes came true, each ended their respective journeys better off than they started after learning a tremendous amount about themselves and the world around them. If you are interested in seeing how Asha’s dreams come true in Disney’s Wish, make sure to purchase your tickets at AMC Theatres prior to its November 22, 2023 release.

On October 16, 1923, The Disney Bros. Studio was incorporated as a business in California. Today, what is known as The Walt Disney Company celebrates its 100th birthday. Over the last century, Disney has provided us with some of the greatest pieces of entertainment ever produced. Picking the best Disney movie in the last 100 years is a nigh impossible task, so we’ll limit it to the best from each decade of the company’s existence.

100 years of movies means 10 decades of existence, if we use October 16, every 10 years, as the point where we make our break between each decade. For the record, while both animated and live-action films from Disney are in the running, we’re limiting the options to Walt Disney Animation Studios and Walt Disney Productions live-action films, so no Pixar, Marvel Studios or 20th Century Studios choices here. Honestly, it would be impossible to judge the later decades if we included everything. It was hard enough when just looking at this much, but here's what we have.

1923-1933: The Three Little Pigs 

Out of the gate, we, of course, have to cheat a little because the Walt Disney Studio didn’t produce a single feature film in the first 10 years of the company’s existence. It was exclusively in the business of animated shorts. Of course, it produced some of the most iconic animated shorts ever at that time, including the first cartoon with synchronized sound in Steamboat Willie, and the first Academy Award winner for an animated short, Flowers & Trees.

But if we’re going to pick the best, we have to consider the animated cartoon that was, without question, the most successful, and arguably the most important, in Disney’s history of animated shorts. The Three Little Pigs was a juggernaut of a film. It was not only critically well received, but a revolution in animation. It created characters with unique personalities in ways that had never been seen before, which paved the way for Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. 

1933-1943: Fantasia 

Disney’s second decade was the golden age of feature animation. It would be easy to give this spot to the movie that started it all, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. To be sure, it's one of the most important films ever made, but another movie came out just a few years later that was arguably just as important and possibly even more ambitious.

Fantasia was Walt Disney’s argument that animation was a medium that deserved just as much recognition as any other art form. So by combining it with classical music, Walt elevated animation. It’s not just the best Disney movie of this 10-year period, but in my opinion, the best animated Disney movie ever. 

1943-1953: Alice in Wonderland 

The early part of this decade of time was a difficult time for Walt Disney Studios. World War II closed off Europe to movie releases, which hampered the studio's attempts to make money. The result was the release of several “package movies,” i.e. collections of animated shorts strung together into a feature-length product. While many of the cartoons have their charms, as movies, most are not memorable.

Alice in Wonderland, by comparison, is quite memorable. Animation was clearly the right medium for a movie full of delightfully weird characters in an equally weird place. It was a big step toward returning Disney animation to its previous greatness. 

1953-1963: Sleeping Beauty

When Disneyland opened its doors in 1955, it contained numerous attractions based on Disney’s previous animated hit movies. However, at the end of Main Street U.S.A. stood the park’s icon, a structure based on a movie that wouldn’t open in theaters for another four years: Sleeping Beauty Castle.

Sleeping Beauty is a true work of art and the greatest of Disney’s classic “princess movies.” It has an art design that is unique among Disney features which makes it truly stand out. It’s the pinnacle of Disney animation for decades to come.

1963-1973: Mary Poppins 

As early as the 1940s, Walt Disney’s personal attention had begun to drift away from animation. While the studio continued making shorts and features, Walt was more focused on his theme park idea and making live-action movies. Among Disney’s live-action output, there is one film by which all others are measured.

Mary Poppins won Julie Andrews the Oscar for Best Actress, and it represented the only time Walt Disney, the man who has won more Oscars than anybody else, was nominated as producer of the Best Picture of the year. The soundtrack is one of the best in the history of film, and the movie has truly stood the test of time as one of the all-time greats.  

1973-1983: Tron 

The beginning of the second half of Disney’s century was, without question, the toughest the studio had ever seen. Walt and Roy O. Disney were both gone, but the studio pushed on, trying its best to do “what Walt would have wanted.” To be blunt, it’s difficult to find a great movie in this bunch. There are some fun movies from this era, like Pete’s Dragon, and some cult classics, like Freaky Friday, but few that feel truly great.

In the end, the honor needs to go to Tron. The movie wasn’t a critical or commercial smash, but it, like Steamboat Willie decades earlier, was a technological achievement that was still decades ahead of its time in its use of computer effects on film. And despite its challenges, Tron still spawned a franchise that exists to this day, with a brand-new Tron attraction at Magic Kingdom and a third feature film, Tron: Ares, on the way. 

1983-1993: Beauty and the Beast 

This decade of Disney's history includes the beginning of what would come to be known as the Disney Renaissance, and we certainly saw that rebirth here. The beginning of this decade is full of all the same struggles of the previous 10-year period, but with the benefit of hindsight, we can see the shift begin to happen. What began in 1989 with The Little Mermaid reached its pinnacle only a couple of years later with Beauty and the Beast.

Beauty and the Beast is the only Walt Disney Animation Studios film to be nominated for Best Picture, and while I might argue it deserves company, its own nomination is unquestionably deserved. If Fantasia didn’t prove that animation was art, then Beauty and the Beast truly does. 

1993-2003: The Lion King 

It’s difficult to pick just one great movie from the Disney Renaissance, and luckily, we don’t have to. While Pocahontas was supposed to be the movie that finally gave Disney Animation the Best Picture Oscar that Beauty and the Beast almost won, it would be the other movie in development around the same time that would ultimately be seen by many as the true heir apparent.

The Lion King wouldn’t win the Oscar or even be nominated, but it would break every conceivable box office record for an animated film. It’s fitting the story was inspired by Shakespeare since The Lion King is truly an epic. It’s unsurprising that the eventual remake would change so little, because original is near perfect. 

2003-2013: The Princess and the Frog 

Picking a great Disney movie from this period is tough. There are so many really good movies that it becomes hard to choose, but there are a pair of animated films that spring to the top of the list quickly: the last traditionally hand-drawn Disney movie, The Princess and the Frog, and the first computer-animated Disney Princess movie, Tangled.

In the end, we give the nod to Tiana. Considering that she is getting her own Disney+ animated series, and she’s also set to headline a revamped Splash Mountain attraction at Disneyland and Magic Kingdom, The Princess and the Frog is clearly the movie that has stood the test of time better. Add to that the beauty of its classic animation style, and we have to love it.

2013-2023 Moana 

In the final decade of Disney’s first 100 years, it is necessary to give credit where it’s due. Few movies produced by the house that Walt built have been as big as Frozen, and there’s a reason for that, it’s actually that good. But as with many movies on this list, there was the movie that walked so another could run, or in the case of Moana, so it could soar.

Moana is an incredible journey, not just the physical journey of Moana and Maui, but the emotional journey of discovery as the title character goes out into the world, only to find herself. It’s one of Disney’s most visually stunning films combined with one of its most epic soundtracks.

As The Walt Disney Company begins its second century, we can only wonder what other great films the studio has in store for us. Will Wish, with a release date only a month away, be the next truly great Disney movie? Or will there be something we’re not even aware of yet that comes along and blows us away the way these movies all did? Only time will tell.

Following a social media grassroots campaign calling for a revamp for Disney Parks’ Splash Mountain ride, the water attraction has since closed down and is currently en route to becoming Tiana’s Bayou Adventure. While Disney fans still have a little over a year to wait for the ride based on The Princess and the Frog, Disneyland got a jump on re-theming New Orleans Square with Princess Tiana’s flair with the upcoming opening of Tiana’s Palace. That’s right, her dream restaurant is coming to the Happiest Place on Earth and it looks amazing!

Disney Parks unveiled a first look at Tiana’s Palace to replace the former French Market and the attached Mint Julep Bar ahead of its opening on September 7. Check it:

Wow! Tiana’s Palace is looking absolutely swanky! The TikTok via the official Disney Parks showcases some really beautiful details about the latest dining experience at Disneyland in Anaheim, California. It really does look like The Princess and the Frog came to life, between the decor, cookbooks, pots and pans and gorgeous paintings. Most notably there is a portrait of a young Tiana and her father that has me in my feels already about one of the best Disney Princesses around joining the parks in a much bigger way. 

The food itself looks really good too! Disney Parks’ website showcased the menu early, and it seems like Tiana’s Palace is definitely going to be all about New Orleans food. There are going to be a few gumbo options (one of which is completely plant-based). Then there’s also a cajun spice half chicken plate with baked macaroni & cheese and coleslaw. There are also going to be sandwiches like the muffuletta sandwich for example, which has mortadella, salami, rosemary ham, cheddar, provolone and house-made olive relish on toasted New Orleans sesame seed bread.

Additionally, it wouldn’t be a New Orleans-themed spot without a po-boy sandwich which will have slow-cooked beef, with gravy, shredded lettuce, tomato and mayonnaise on French bread. Both sandwiches will come with a side of beans and a housemade pickle. There’s also a Shrimp and Grits dish along with sides like buttermilk cornbread. Obviously, Tiana’s Palace will serve beignets along with a signature drink: Joffrey’s Coffee Chicory Cold Brew, a coffee drink topped with sweet cream and a Ray Firefly Glow Cube! 

Is anyone else’s mouth watering? I absolutely cannot wait to see Tiana’s Palace at Disneyland, though one should manage their expectations of dining exactly like the restaurant in the movie, considering it’s expected to be a “quick serve” location. While we continue to wait for The Princess and the Frog ride to replace Splash Mountain officially in late 2024, it’s exciting that the 2009 Disney Princess movie is getting love already at Disneyland. 

You can check out The Princess and the Frog with a Disney+ subscription ahead of Tiana’s Palace opening on September 7. 

The Disney live-action remake train is showing no slowing down. The recent live-action Little Mermaid made over a half billion dollars at the global box office, and while that’s actually a number on the low side when compared to films like Aladdin and the Lion King, it’s certainly no small feat. Recent reports indicate that another Disney Princess, The Princess and the Frog’s Tiana, is currently in line to get her own live-action film. One assumes that if the movie happens it will include an original cast, but it sounds like Keith David would be more than willing to return.

Keith David voiced Dr. Facillier, aka the Shadowman, in the original The Princess and the Frog and he posted to Twitter following the news that Disney was reportedly looking at giving that film the live-action remake treatment. He doesn’t know anything about the project, including if it’s even real, but that’s because nobody has asked him to play the role in live-action. David said…

Disney has announced several live-action remakes that are in various states of development, from a live-action Snow White movie which will be out next year, to other projects that are still in the works from Lilo and Stitch to Tangled. However, the recent report from DisInsider that Princess and the Frog was getting the live-action treatment has not been confirmed. It’s unclear how far along such a project is or when we might see it.

A Princess and the Frog remake certainly makes a lot of sense. The movie is possibly more popular now than it has ever been before. The original animated film is also set to get some sort of sequel series on Disney+, though that has been delayed into next year. We’re also seeing The Princess and the Frog becoming a big part of Disney Parks with Tiana’s Bayou Aventure taking over Splash Mountain at both Disney Land and Walt Disney World. Based on what we know about Tiana's Bayou Adventure, its story will follow, not retell, the events of the movie. For the record, most of the original voice cast is returning for the new ride, but Keith David has yet to be announced. 

It’s not exactly a shock that nobody has called Keith David to reprise his role. As absolutely excellent as Keith David was in The Princess and the Frog, there has seemed to be little interest from Disney regarding using original voice actors in remakes. The only time that has happened so far was when James Earl Jones lent his epic voice to Mufasa in the Lion King remake as he had done in the original. 

The thing is, Keith David has an equally epic voice, and Disney could do a hell of a lot worse than casting him in live-action. While a lot of the original voice cast has likely “aged out” of the roles today, there’s no reason David couldn’t play Facilier in live-action. 

Of course, there could also be other reasons that nobody has reached out to Keith David. While we’re calling this reported film a live-action remake, not all of Disney’s “remakes” have actually been that. Some have been prequels, some have been sequels, and some have taken the original premise, but reframed it in some way. It’s possible that whatever live-action Princess and the Frog project might be in development might be, or could become, something like that.

While Disney has officially announced several of its live-action adaptations, it has yet to confirm The Princess and the Frog is one of them. Even if such a film is in development, it could end up getting scrapped for any number of reasons. If, and when Disney does confirm it, we’ll likely learn more about what it is, and whether there’s a chance Keith David could return. 

This story has been updated to reflect details that came out after the article was first published.

Theme park lovers have known for some time now that Disney Parks is planning to refurbish its long-operating Splash Mountain rides at both Walt Disney World and Disneyland. The Song of the South-themed attractions, which have complicated histories, are set to be reopened as Tiana's Bayou Adventure, which pays homage to The Princess and the Frog. WDW’s version of the OG ride – located within the Magic Kingdom – closed in January and is currently in the midst of its renovation. Its counterpart in California is still in operation, but a new report provided allege details regarding when the ride will close its doors for the imminent revamp.

It was reported by The Orange County Register that Disneyland's version of the ride would close on May 7, 2023. The attraction will ultimately reopen in 2024, by which time it will officially sport the Princess and the Frog motif.

Update: A Disneyland rep has confirmed to CinemaBlend that the information shared in regard to Splash Mountain's closing date is inaccurate and the ride will continue to operate through the date listed above.

Below is the rest of the story as written:

It was in the summer of 2020 that fans petitioned for Disney Parks to rebrand the Song of the South ride, with many suggesting that it be retrofitted as a salute to the 2009 animated movie starring Anika Noni Rose. By June, the House of Mouse announced the change, much to the delight of a number of fans. Imagineers later explained that the movie was a natural fit because the ride is positioned in proximity to New Orleans Square. (Louisiana is where the acclaimed flick is based.)

A number of aficionados have been monitoring progress on the Walt Disney World attraction, which closed up shop for renovations on January 23. Even before it stopped operation, many took note of fans’ observations of the ride. Just a few months ago, social media users took notice as the ride was drained of water amid its final few days. 

While plenty of fans seem jazzed (no pun intended) about the retheme, others haven’t been as enthusiastic. A group of people took issue with the initial petition set forth back in 2020, and that displeasure seemingly increased after the rebrand was confirmed. More recently, “Save Splash Mountain” trended on social media as a result of nostalgic patrons voicing their views.

The closings have also sparked some incredibly odd and unexpected developments. Chief among them is a trend that sees park attendees selling water from the ride online. This practice has garnered much attention, with even Universal Studios opting to roast folks for doing it. Clearly, some people want to hold onto the attraction – which opened in 1989 – but of course, change seems to be coming one way or another.

Those who want one last ride on Splash Mountain might want to do themselves a favor and journey to Disneyland before this coming May to do so. And anyone who has already said their proper goodbyes can simply look forward to what lies ahead with Tiana’s Bayou Adventure.

Disney movies have been a pretty big part of my life for some time, and I have to say that I’ve always quite enjoyed the music. From some of the best Disney princess songs to the awesome musicals on Broadway, you really can’t get enough of the company's music. I mean, even Coco is getting its own Broadway show with its amazing music. 

However, we need to go over a type of Disney song that is rarely talked about today, and that, my friends, are Disney villain songs. Arguably, they are some of the better songs you can hear in Disney movies, because they’re so funky and fun, and we’re going to rank the ten best.

10. “Love Is An Open Door” (Frozen)

I stand by this being a villain song. While it could be said to be a love song, the whole tune is about Hans agreeing and going along with whatever Anna says so he can trick her into thinking they have true love – and then in the end, he turns out to be the evil villain all along! 

Yes, “Love Is An Open Door” would have you fooled, but Hans is just being a manipulative butthole the entire time – and we don’t get another villain song in Frozen 2. Here’s hoping if Frozen 3 happens, we get the return of Hans – or a better villain. 

9. “Prince Ali (Reprise)” (Aladdin)

Aladdin isn’t really known for its villain songs because it’s such a quick one. We all know “Friend Like Me” from the Genie (voiced by the impeccably talented Robin Williams) or the ballad “A Whole New World,” but the only time we hear Jafar, the villain sing, is during “Prince Ali (Reprise).” 

It’s during this tune that he reveals Aladdin for who he actually is, and as the song continues, Jafar only grows in power, showing just how scary he can be. It’s actually quite a good reprise and switches up the words wonderfully – which is why it’s deserving of at least number nine. 

8. “Cruella De Vil” (101 Dalmatians)

Okay, I’ll be honest – I like the Emma Stone version of Cruella de Vil a heck of a lot more, just because there’s more background to her character. But, I will say that her villain song, “Cruella de Vil”  is so much fun. 

101 Dalmatians is one of those films I watched a ton of as a kid but haven’t really revisited it that much, and I don’t know why, because it’s a ton of fun, and Cruella is certainly one of the more realistic villains – an evil fashion designer who wants to steal the fur off puppies. To see her is to take a sudden chill – look out for Cruella de Vil. 

7. “Shiny” (Moana)

I freaking love Moana with all my whole heart, so I had to put Tamatoa on this list. 

His song, “Shiny,” written by the talented Lin-Manuel Miranda, is quite different from the rest of the songs in the movie, almost reminiscent of slow jams from the '70s or '80s, in my opinion, and it’s just done so well. Jemaine Clement’s excellent singing mixed with the graphics – it’s just an overall great tune. 

6. “Mother Knows Best” (Tangled)

Tangled is better than Frozen – and its villain is so much better, too. 

Mother Gothel did something to me as a kid – I just loved her. I was shocked at how manipulative she was and how she could put on a mask in front of Rapunzel before acting like the biggest jerk alive to someone else, and her song, “Mother Knows Best,” is proof of how amazing she is. 

Literally the whole song is just gaslighting Rapunzel about her desire to go out into the world beyond her tower, telling her of all the horrors she would face and that her mother “knew best.” And at the end of the song, Rapnuzel agrees – before Flynn Ryder comes along, that is. 

But, like, you can’t get over this song. That little shimmy when she does, “Motherrrrrr, knows best, hahaha!” Gets me every time. 

5. “Poor Unfortunate Souls” (The Little Mermaid)

I am praying that Melissa McCarthy brings the same amount of sass to Ursula in the live-action The Little Mermaid as the villain had in the animated movie, because “Poor Unfortunate Souls” is a banger. 

The shift in genres as the song goes on, from a fast-paced story about how Ursula helps these “unfortunate souls” and her explaining what happens when people don’t fulfill their bargains, to the very end during Ariel’s transformation – it's all a masterpiece. Howard Ashman and Alan Menken delivered something special with this one. 

4. “Gaston” (Beauty And The Beast)

“No one fights like Gaston, douses lights like Gaston, in a wrestling match nobody bites like Gaston.”

That song was, hands down, one of my favorites to listen to as a kid because it was just so catchy. “Gaston” is the theme song for the Beauty and the Beast character, and while he is literally the worst, his song is so much fun. I love the rhyme scheme throughout the whole tune, and the fact that the entire village joins in towards the end to sing his praises always gets me on my feet. 

3. “Hellfire” (The Hunchback Of Notre Dame)

The Hunchback of Notre Dame is an underrated masterpiece of a Disney film, and this song is a part of that. Claude Frollo is actually one of the worst Disney men ever because he feels a little too real – a man lusting after a woman and swearing to do whatever the hell he wants to get her, even going against God. 

This tune is certainly the most serious on this list, but the visuals are what do it for me. If you watch “Hellfire,” tell me how you feel afterwards – it’s unsettling, and it’s certainly one of the best Disney villain songs that more people need to hear.

2. “Friends On The Other Side” (The Princess And The Frog)

Another underrated movie from Disney is The Princess and the Frog, and the music in it is the absolute best. One of my favorite villain songs is sung by Dr. Facilier, called “Friends on the Other Side.” 

The song is the epitome of a jazzy tune, which means it’s catchy and upbeat, but it’s also the lyrics and visuals that get me. Obviously anything that talks about the afterlife in a Disney movie is going to be awesome in my eyes, but Dr. Facilier makes it so creepy near the end as the music swells more and more, and all you can do is just sit back and watch in awe. 

1. “Be Prepared” (The Lion King)

Was there ever any real competition? “Be Prepared” is the ultimate villain song. 

Not only is the song from The Lion King catchy and full of incredible voices, but the scene itself sets up the rest of the plotline of the movie - Scar’s takeover, the hyena’s swearing their loyalty to him – it’s the ultimate inciting incident that gets not only the story going, but the fans going as well. 

The Lion King is just one of the best Disney renaissance movies overall, but this song is one of the best from the soundtrack, period.

Disney hasn’t been giving us that many villain songs as of late – so I’m hoping that any new Disney movies will be able to fulfill my need for some catchy villain tunes. Maybe the upcoming Wish will do it next.  

I love Disney. 

I mean, I love a lot of things, but as someone who grew up with not only the Disney renaissance films in my tape library, but some awesome 2000s and 2010s Disney films, I can fully say Disney is a part of my personality. Not to the point where I’d call myself a Disney adult, but if you ask me about anything Disney movie related, I’ll most likely know the answer. 

Which is why I need to talk about a movie that I feel doesn’t get half the love it deserves, and that, my friends, is The Princess and the Frog. One of Disney’s last 2-D animated films before they made their focus on CG animated movies later on in the 2010s. But we also need to talk about the protagonist, Tiana, because why aren’t we talking about her instead of Elsa and Anna?

Look, I won’t downgrade any other Disney princess, but Tiana from Princess and the Frog is literally the best princess to look up to. And today, I’m going to get into the reasons why, because she needs more praise and more love. 

Her Backstory Is Something Anyone Can Relate To

There are so many Disney princesses, and their stories are all pretty unique. Many people can find ways to relate to their favorite Disney princesses in certain ways, like Belle's need for more in her life in Beauty and the Beast, or Moana wanting to explore the sea in Moana. But I just felt that I could relate to Tiana a whole lot more than any other Disney princess out there. 

She was a little girl who loved to cook, who lost her father in the war, and now, she wants to work hard to open up her own restaurant in honor of him. I mean, how freaking sweet is that? The fact that she continuously works hard towards this one direct goal is something anyone can relate to and the ways in which she gets there (by working two jobs) is admirable in every way. 

Her Entire Personality Is About Working Hard To Achieve Your Dreams

There is nothing quite like the Disney princess song, “Almost There.” I sing it on a daily basis. Or at least try to before my neighbors tell me to shut up. 

On a real note, Tiana is seriously one of the best Disney princesses because she is all about hard work. She is willing to put in the dirty work for anything as long as she achieves what she wants, and that’s what makes her so great. She is working two jobs to save up the money for her restaurant, while also buying rundown places just because she sees the potential in what it could bring. 

Think about that – it’s like saying that even if things might look dark to other people, you see the light that something could bring. That’s how she was with the place she bought for her restaurant, and how she knew she could make her dream come true. That kind of perseverance is rare in someone and it makes me love her even more. Also, Anika Noni Rose, the voice of Tiana, sings her vocal cords off in her Disney princess song, making me want to go out and achieve my goals. 

She Never Seeks To Make Naveen Fall For Her – She’s Too Focused On Her Goals

Disney princess love stories are, for lack of a better word, dull. There aren’t many that really captivate me except for maybe Mulan and Shang from Mulan, or maybe even Anna and Kristoff from Frozen, both of which were sort of unconventional approaches to love. But what makes me adore Tiana more is that she doesn’t care at all about men. 

In fact, she didn’t even want to kiss Naveen to turn him back into the prince – all she wanted was help financing her restaurant after her place that she bid for was outbid. She was so focused on her dreams and her goals that she was willing to do anything. But never during the movie did we once see her change who she was to make the guy fall for her, like Ariel obviously did in The Little Mermaid. She never actively searched for love – all she wanted was to make her dreams come true. 

That’s a great lesson for kids and adults to take away from the film. Never change yourself for someone unless you truly want to change. Besides that, be your authentic self and go out and chase your dreams. And you want to know what happened? Naveen ended up falling for her beautiful self anyway. That’s beautiful. 

She Doesn’t Take The Easy Way Out

Hands down, Dr. Facilier is one of my favorite Disney villains, just for how scary he truly. He literally is able to talk to legit demons on the other side and to me, that is one of the creepiest villains that is out there. And of course, because he has these special arrangements with the other side, he’s able to strike up deals for mortals – with a price. 

Dr. Facilier says to Tiana during The Princess and the Frog that if she gave him the talisman, he’d make her dreams come true, but she knows that’s wrong. She knows her father would never approve of that, and that she realizes she not only wants to be with Naveen, but to do this herself. And she directly goes against him, smashing his talisman into the ground. 

It’s a super powerful moment where you see just how determined she is to achieve her dreams, and that she doesn’t need an easy way out. 

But At The Same Time, She’s Open To Other People’s Advice 

Even so, Tiana is smart. She’s still open to accepting help from others and isn’t that tied up in her ways where she will refuse a helping hand. Obviously with Dr. Facilier, his deal was evil, but she was willing to work with Naveen earlier on in the film for financing for her restaurant. 

But what really shows her being open to advice is the fact that she seeks help from Mama Odie in asking her about life, and that she willingly listens to her advice, about having to “dig a little deeper” to find out what she really wants. It’s a beautiful moment where you really see how great of a person Tiana really is because she’s just looking for help even when she knows she wants to do this herself. It’s probably one of the most human experiences I’ve seen from a Disney princess and I love it. 

While I feel that The Princess and the Frog doesn't nearly get as much love as it deserves, it's still one of my favorite Disney princess movies. The soundtrack and animation is great, but Tiana is truly the character for any child to look up to. I know I do to this day, and I know if you haven’t seen the movie yet, you will look up to her too. 

Stream The Princess and the Frog on Disney+. 

We still don’t know when Disneyland’s version of Splash Mountain will close for business to make way for the Princess and the Frog themed Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, but Disneyland isn’t waiting for Splash Mountain to close down to give another part of the park a Princess and the Frog re-theme, as the French Market restaurant is set to close down next month in order to be transformed into Tiana’s Palace. 

Disneyland Resort has officially confirmed what had been previously rumored, that a Tiana's Palace restaurant is coming to Disneyland later this year. The French Market and the attached Mint Julep Bar, will see their last day of operation on February 16. Then they will close down for the refurb to begin, before reopening sometime later this year. The restaurant will remain a quick serve location.

The Princess and the Frog is a movie about food as much as it’s a movie about people being transformed into frogs, so it was almost a necessity that Tiana’s Palace be built someplace alongside the new version of Splash Mountain. I advocated for Tiana's Palace back when the log flume ride’s transformation was first confirmed. Although, I have to say I was hoping that a Tiana’s Palace restaurant would be a bit of a higher end affair.

Because the French Market is already a location with a New Orleans theme, it’s unlikely that the dining location will see significant changes beyond the aesthetics. There’s no real reason for the menu to significantly change, though that doesn’t mean they won’t come up with a new dish or two if only because they can. 

The news of Tiana’s Palace comes as we await news of the fate of Disneyland's Splash Mountain. We know the closure is coming, but an actual end date has yet to be announced. The Walt Disney World version of the ride is set to close later this month, and both versions of the ride are currently set for a late 2024 reopening, so expectations are that Disneyland’s Splash Mountain will be closing very soon. 

It’s possible the ride got a stay of execution because another E-ticket attraction close by, Indiana Jones Adventure is getting a major refurbishment right now, and the park doesn’t want to close both rides at once. Two E-ticket attractions close to each other in the park being closed at once would likely cause crowd control headaches elsewhere in the park.

If there’s a downside to the decision to close this spot, it's that it means no Mickey shaped beignets for the next few months. It’s sad, as that was one of my go to breakfast items at Disneyland rope drop. Luckily I still have the gloriousness that is the breakfast chimichanga. 

Ah Disney. Something that has held my heart for years, ever since I was a young one. From their delectable Disney rides, to their movies and everything else, I have always loved Disney, and one thing I most certainly love are the Disney princesses – specifically, their songs.

While many girls such as myself grow up loving the Disney princesses as a whole, I was also one of the many who grew up singing their songs at the top of my lungs for all to hear. And now, several years later, I feel inclined to make a list and rank my favorite those tunes. If you want to know about the best Disney princess songs, this is my ranking from worst to best.

Also, just a quick thing – I know we all want songs from Hercules or even The Hunchback of Notre Dame, but unfortunately, Meg and Esmerelda are not considered Disney princesses, so I can’t put those in. However, I will suggest you go and listen to “I Won’t Say I’m In Love” and “God Help The Outcasts.” Absolute bangers. 

Honorable Mention: Let It Go (Frozen)

Okay, Elsa isn’t a princess when she sings “Let It Go,” I know. But, it would be a sin to not at least mention this song because of how freaking popular it was. I mean, only 2021's “We Don’t Talk About Bruno” surpassed it, but no other Disney song has come close to the mayhem of this banger. 

It still slaps to this day and no matter how many more Frozen sequels come out, nothing is going to beat Elsa singing “Let It Go.” It’s just that good. 

12. Someday My Prince Will Come – Snow White And The Seven Dwarves

Okay, let’s get into the actual list. “Someday My Prince Will Come” from Snow White and the Seven Dwarves is boring as heck.

Granted, it’s a product of its time, I know that and acknowledge it. But in comparison to the great Disney princess songs that have been released, it’s last. Here’s hoping that Rachel Zegler’s version will be better in the live-action movie. 

11. Once Upon A Dream – Sleeping Beauty

“Once Upon a Dream” from Sleeping Beauty isn’t that much better than the previous entry on this list, but I have to put it a spot above, because I feel at least a little more connection to Aurora. The poor girl has lived in the woods her whole life and really knows nothing else beyond that, and she dreams of meeting someone.

You can also argue that the song doesn't even talk about meeting the love of her life, but just someone she cares about and wants love from. Also, Aurora’s voice could rock me to sleep. 

10. When Will My Life Begin? – Tangled

Ugh, I hate to put Tangled's “When Will My Life Begin?” so low, because I used to sing it all the time. But, there’s no substance to it. It’s really just Rapunzel talking to herself about how much she wants to leave the tower and start her life after doing the same mundane tasks over and over again. 

I mean, I feel the same, girl. But it’s just not worthy of being toward the top. I do love Tangled though – will forever be a Flynn Ryder girl. 

9. Speechless – Aladdin

“A Whole New World” is not a Disney princess song, it is a love song, and I stand by that. However, “Speechless” from the live-action Aladdin is a Disney princess song that is sung by Jasmine – and I kind of rock with it.

Naomi Scott has a brilliant voice, and the song itself is powerful, talking about how she refuses to go down without a fight even though the rest of the world wants her to be quiet. She really brings out the spunk of Jasmine that we saw in the animated film. I only wish that it wasn’t all in her head in the movie – we had musical moments in the film itself, why did this song have to be in her head?

8. A Dream Is A Wish Your Heart Makes – Cinderella

Say what you want about Cinderella, but this song still makes me feel at home when I listen to it. “A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes” is something I actually believe, and when I feel down on myself, I’ve genuinely listened to this to make myself feel better. 

Compared to other Disney songs down the line, it’s not the best, but the lyrics still hit. “No matter how your heart is grieving, if you keep on believing, the dream that you wish will come true.” Like, those are powerful words of perseverance for a kid’s song; to keep believing no matter what. 

7. Belle – Beauty And The Beast

Technically Belle isn’t a princess yet when she sings “Belle” in Beauty and the Beast, and she’s not the only person singing, but her voice stands out the most – as she doesn’t have a solo in the film. However, I do love it so much even now. 

It’s literally just Belle talking about how she feels unseen and left out amongst everyone else – literally just because she reads and is slightly more educated, but you can sense her wanting to find something better out there. “There must be more than this provincial life” indeed.

6. For The First Time In Forever – Frozen

Frozen had an incredible soundtrack, and one of the first songs featured was “For The First Time in Forever” where both Anna and (technically) Elsa are princesses. It was before she was crowned, even if Disney sees them as queens of Arendelle now. What I love about this song more than some of the others is the dichotomy between the two sisters. 

We sees how excited Anna is to finally open up the gates, giddy and literally jumping off the walls and tripping over herself, to Elsa’s fears about letting her powers go. The voices of Kristen Bell and Idina Menzel meld so well and I will forever love listening to them over and over again. It’s a great duet – one I have sung along to many times. 

5. Almost There – The Princess And The Frog

The Princess and the Frog is an underappreciated movie that deserves so much more love, and “Almost There” is a brilliant Disney princess song. Again, Tiana isn’t technically a princess when she sings it, but dang does she belt it out. 

Obviously, Anika Noni Rose was phenomenal, but the very premise of the song is what does it for me – that through hard work, Tiana is going to reach her dream, that she’s getting “closer and closer everyday” and she’s almost there – speaking to little girls everywhere to keep working towards their goals. You just have to love it. 

4. Reflection – Mulan

I always forget that Mulan only has, like, five songs in it before its tone shifts, but “Reflection” is brilliant. Talking about Mulan’s internal conflict, it’s all about her feeling bad and how she feels she has brought dishonor to her family. 

She doesn’t even recognize her own reflection because she puts on a mask to bring happiness to her family, but she can’t even do that, and she wants her reflection to be her again rather than the perfect doll everyone wants her to be. Perfection.

3. Part Of Your World – The Little Mermaid

I mean, it’s The Little Mermaid. One of the best Disney movies ever. It started the Disney renaissance – you knew it would be high up here. 

I’m not the hugest fan of Ariel, just because I don’t agree with her giving up her voice to be with a man she didn’t even know, but “Part Of Your World” is certainly one of the best, because I think anyone can relate to feeling like a literal fish out of water, but with her, she actually feels as if she doesn’t belong and wants to find somewhere else to be – wants to be part of someone else’s world that she finds so much more intriguing and interesting. 

I think anyone can relate to that message, and even if you don’t think Ariel is the best Disney princess, she certainly has one of the best songs. And yes, I can’t wait to hear Halle Bailey sing it, too. 

2. Colors Of The Wind – Pocahontas 

Okay, let’s ignore the fact that Pocahontas is incredibly, historically inaccurate. I know that. We all know that. And the music, if we’re being honest, is mostly forgettable. I think the only other song I remember from it is “Just Around the Riverbend,” and briefly, “Savages.”

But “Colors of the Wind” is something else. And you know it, too. 

It’s the perfect song to accurately describe how the Native Americans of the United States felt as the colonizers came, placing claim to land that they didn’t know. 

Pocahontas urges John Smith to think with all the colors of the wind, to recognize that there are other people who live on this planet that don’t look like him. That the Earth is a beautiful place that deserves to be worshiped and held sacred, not conquered. We can’t keep cutting down trees or killing animals because they are a part of the cycle of nature – the beauty of the world around us. 

I’m pretty sure I became such a stickler for preserving nature because of this movie, and now, I go on walks and runs all the time to enjoy it as much as I can, because there is so much out there to love. Pocahontas says it best – we must paint with all the colors of the wind.

1. How Far I’ll Go – Moana

I literally just did an article about how much I love Moana, but I’ll go into it again – I love Moana. And I adore “How Far I’ll Go.” With a passion so deep I can barely hold it in. 

Not only do I love Lin-Manuel Miranda’s lyrics, the song is fantastic in every way, both in its melodies and its meaning. Think about it – it’s almost like another version of “Part of Your World,” but this time, focused on fulfilling one's deepest desires instead of wanting to be a part of someone else’s world.

All Moana wants to do is sail out on the sea, because she feels as if it’s calling her. She feels as if this is what she is meant to do and while she knows she has responsibilities back home, she can’t stop this urge to go, to see just “how far” she can go, but she knows the moment she leaves, there’s no turning back. 

But in the end, it’s too much – she pushes herself to go to the sea, despite her fears and judgements, because she trusts herself to go on this adventure – even if at first, it doesn’t go as planned. 

Moana technically isn’t a princess in the movie, but Disney considers her one – so she gets the number one spot in my heart and on this list. 

Disney is coming out with another movie this year that seems to feature another female protagonist – Wish, and she might be a princess. So, maybe we’ll get a new song to add to this list. For now, I’m happy with what we have, and hope you are, too. Now, go and watch Frozen again.  

Princess Tiana has been a beloved and constant staple for many Disney fans since The Princess and the Frog premiered in 2009. While many fans have loved and enjoyed the aspiring chef-turned-princess, she holds a special place in the hearts of young Black children (and adults). She was the first Black princess in a Disney film (predating Halle Bailey's Ariel in the live-action The Little Mermaid). Since then, she’s appeared in multiple Disney content with Dreamgirls alum Anika Noni Rose providing her sweet southern accent. A decade out from the underrated Disney animated classic, Rose opened up about voicing the Disney princess and what the role has done for representation.

A Dreamgirls reunion happened as Rose was being interviewed on The Jennifer Hudson Show. The former co-stars reminisced about their time on the Oscar-nominated musical before their conversation turned toward her historic role in the Disney animated feature. While the character was special to millions of young Black girls, Jennifer Hudson asked the Tony-winning actress what being Disney’s first Black princess meant to her. In her words:

Princess Tiana was a nice change up from the more traditional Disney princesses as the first African American lead. Compared to other princesses, she came from humble beginnings and worked as a waitress before marrying Prince Naveen. It allowed young Black girls to see themselves in the Disney canon after being consumers for decades. Of course, Tiana wasn’t the first BIPOC Disney princess as Aladdin’s Princess Jasmine, Pocahontas, and Mulan were already part of the Disney fairytale legacy. But audiences had never seen a Black princess before The Princess and the Frog was released. So, Rose, and Princess Tiana, in turn, fulfilled a necessary need and want for Black Disney fans.

While viewers love Princess Tiana, the film’s announcement was met with pushback from the Black community over the original story and character description. Tiana (originally named Maddie) was set to be a chambermaid rather than a skilled chef. The inclusion of Dr. Facilier and New Orleans being the film’s setting faced some of the gripes against the original concept. Eventually, Tiana’s name and occupation were changed.

When the Disney animated film premiered in 2009, it served as a return to 2D animation after the House of Mouse ventured into 3D territory. The 49th Disney animated film not only returned to traditional animation but the Broadway-style musical of the Disney Renaissance. Rose’s Princess Tiana was surrounded by an all-star voice cast, including John Goodman, Oprah Winfrey, and Oscar nominee Terrance Howard. The Princess and the Frog went on to gross $271 million worldwide and scored multiple Oscar nominations, including Best Animated Feature. Voicing the Disney princess led to Rose being named a Disney Legend in 2011.

The character is scheduled to receive a Disney+ animated series entitled Tiana, which will premiere on the streamer in 2024. Fans will be able to interact with the Disney princess in real life as Splash Mountain is rethemed to reflect The Princess and the Frog. Until the spinoff series and the theme park ride premiere, there are other ways to revisit Princess Tiana and her various appearances, including Ralph Wrecks the Internet, through a Disney+ subscription. You can also see where the Disney animated film ranked amongst the Disney Princess movies. 

During the Disney Parks D23 Expo panel over this past weekend we learned a bit more about the ride set to replace Splash Mountain, Tiana’s Bayou Adventure. We got some details on the story of the ride, that will see guests riding through a mine recently taken over by Tiana’s burgeoning food empire, and the technology that will be used to tell the story. We also learned that four major Princess and the Frog characters, Tiana, Naveen, Louis, and Mama Odie, will appear, and be voiced by their original voice actors. 

However, with the specific enumeration of those four characters and their voice actors, Anika Noni Rose, Bruno Campos, Michael-Leon Wooley, and Jennifer Louis, a fifth voice actor and character, has become conspicuous by its absence. There was no reference to Keith David coming back to voice Dr. Facilier, aka the Shadow Man. However, there are two different reasons why that may be the case. 

Dr. Facilier Did Not Appear To Survive The Princess And The Frog 

The most obvious reason that Dr. Facilier may not appear in Tiana’s Bayou Adventure is because we’ve been specifically told that the story of the attraction will follow the events of The Princess and the Frog, and the events of The Princess and the Frog were not kind to the old Shadow Man. He’s probably very dead.

Dr. Facilier uses magic that has been given to him by “the other side.” While details are vague, there are beings that are allowing him to have the power he has, on the condition that he does their bidding, and pays back his debt. The entire plot of the film is based around Facilier trying to obtain the wealth and power of Prince Naveen so he can pay the debt he owes for the power he has, which is why he changes the prince into a frog in the first place.

In the end of the movie, when Tiana breaks the amulet holding the dark magic, and Facilier loses his ability to pay back his debt, he’s pulled through a gateway to the other side. What exactly happened to him isn’t clear, but he’s clearly not even on the same plane of existence as the other characters at the end of the movie.

The Full Story For Tiana’s Bayou Adventure Has Not Been Revealed 

But even that doesn’t mean that we won’t see the Shadow Man in Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, it simply means that we haven’t been told yet if he will appear. While we were given a basic understanding of what the story of Bayou Adventure will be, it was only in broad strokes. We still have very little in the way of specifics, and that leaves a lot of room for more to be announced later. 

We have to remember that Tiana’s Bayou Adventure is still two years away, and Disney is going to want to keep some secrets now so that they can be revealed later when the attraction is getting closer to becoming a reality. At this point, we can’t assume that just because Keith David hasn’t been mentioned, that he won’t appear. Because the events of the movie make his appearance perhaps less likely, that would make the announcement of his return potentially huge. Disney may want to save it for a later date.

Dr. Facilier is a quite popular villain and fans would love to see him appear in the new attraction, and Disney knows this. It’s not like an explanation for his return can’t be created in a story that already includes the existence of magic. If we don’t see him at all, it’s not that shocking, but the fact that he has yet to be revealed does not mean that it might not still happen. 

When I did my article on all 10 movies in the Disney Renaissance era, ranked, the first thing I thought was, well, I need to do the second renaissance from Disney Animation Studios next. You know, the one that started with 2010’s Tangled and wound its way all the way up to 2021’s Encanto. But, then I thought, you know what, if I do that, then I’d be skipping a whole ton of films, some excellent, and some…well, not so excellent, but all of them appearing in-between those two critically acclaimed periods of the 1990s and the 2010s.   

I definitely wouldn’t want to do that, since I think that all of them are worthy of your time. That’s why I decided to write this list about all of the Walt Disney Animation Studio movies BEFORE what some might consider the second Disney Renaissance, with movies like Frozen and Moana. Some of these Disney movies underperformed at the box office, and a lot of these Disney animated movies are now considered underrated classics today. Either way, all of these movies exist, and you should definitely watch them on Disney+ if you haven’t seen them already.   

13. Home On The Range (2004) 

Three dairy cows essentially become bounty hunters in order to save their farm. There’s also a horse and a rabbit. It takes place in the west, and…well, that’s about it. 

Okay, I know how I said earlier that all of these films are worthy, and they are. But, Home on the Range is just not for me. The jokes don’t land, I don’t like the music (even though it all fits), and overall, I find it rather boring. Don’t get me wrong. I like the idea of a Disney animated western, especially one that isn’t traditional at all, but Home on the Range just doesn’t do it for me. Sorry!   

12. Chicken Little (2005) 

Chicken Little is like the story you read as a child about a chicken who thinks the sky is falling, but in this story, the “sky” that’s falling is actually from aliens. Aliens!

Honestly, I love Chicken Little, but in the same way that I love a movie like Troll 2 in that it’s so bad it’s good. Visually, it’s definitely the worst-looking Disney animated film of this period (I mean, even 1995’s Toy Story looks better than this) and the jokes are absolutely TERRIBLE. All of the characters are also pretty annoying. But again, I love dumpster fires, so I enjoy it, though I understand why most people wouldn't.   

11. Brother Bear (2003) 

The story of a man who kills a bear, only to then become a bear himself (How do you like them apples?), our hero must reach the Northern lights in order to transform back into his human self, and he travels with a bear cub to accompany him. This is like some deep cut Disney stuff right here.

And I’m a fan! That said, I’m well aware that a lot of people find the plot to be a little predictable, and even mawkish at times, but I enjoy it. I also like the Phil Collins soundtrack, as well as the overall message of treating nature with respect. It’s not the greatest Disney animated film, and most people I talk to usually tend to forget that it even exists, but on a personal level, I enjoy it. If The Little Mermaid is “Billie Jean,” and The Lion King is “Thriller,” then Brother Bear is “Baby Be Mine.” And if you get that reference, I love you.  

10. Dinosaur (2000) 

Dinosaur is about an Iguanodon that finds a new family with lemurs after a meteor shower, and they all travel together to a new, safer territory along with other herbivores. Look out for those carnivores, though. They spoil all the fun.  

Not quite as good as The Land Before Time, but way better than The Good Dinosaur, which, when ranking every Pixar movie is way down at the bottom, Dinosaur still looks pretty good, even today. The story itself is pretty run-of-the-mill, but it’s a perfectly competent film, and enjoyable for the entire family.  

9. Meet The Robinsons (2007) 

A boy searching for his mother travels to the future and meets a family in the far-far-far off year of…2037. A man with a bowler hat is the main antagonist. It's quirky. 

And it's fun! Meet the Robinsons has a great twist with its time travel story, and there are some tender moments. I like the film, and I understand how some people LOVE this movie, but for all its charm and uniqueness, I'm not in love with the actual Robinson family. I also find the story a bit too frenetic at times. Overall, a good film with the potential to be somebody's favorite.  

8. Fantasia 2000 (2000)

Fantasia 2000, which had its wide release on IMAX in January of 2000, is much like the original 1940 movie, featuring lights, sounds, and colors all set to a symphony orchestra. It's more a visual feast than anything else, but the stories are somewhat loosely connected. I guess.  

I say I guess because, like the original Fantasia, I just don't get it. It's kind of like one of my least favorite Stanley Kubrick movies, 2001: A Space Odyssey, in that I know I should like it, but it's just too artsy fartsy for my taste. Still, I can understand its greatness, which is why it ends up here on this list.    

7. Bolt (2008) 

The Truman Show, but with a dog. That’s pretty much the plot of this fun, CGI animated feature. Bolt, voiced by John Travolta, thinks he’s living a life of explosions and bad guys, but he’s actually just being filmed for a TV show with his owner, Penny (voiced by Miley Cyrus). But, when he manages to get separated from her, he has to reach her again. Fun stuff.

Bolt is a strange one for me. I love the idea of the story, but the execution doesn’t always land for me. I’m not a huge fan of the characters, either, and it has more slow parts than I would like. That said, it’s an enjoyable film, and I’ve had it on in the background on a number of occasions, but overall, I’m pretty mixed on it. Sometimes, I love it, and other times, I just think it's fine. I really need to be in the mood for it. 

6. Treasure Planet (2002)

Treasure Planet is Treasure Island, but set in space. End of plot description. 

Treasure Planet was a box office BOMB, and I guess audiences weren't really impressed by flying pirate ships and hover surfboards at the time, but Treasure Planet is really fun! The sense of adventure is enthralling at times, and the film did the impossible - it made me LIKE Treasure Island, which is one of the most boring books I've ever read in my entire life.  

Sure, the sci-fi influence feels gimmicky, and I don't think anybody is putting it on their list of the best sci-fi movies of all time, but it's an enjoyable enough film, and it's pretty. What else could you possibly want?  

5. Atlantis: The Lost Empire (2001) 

A linguist who desires to see Atlantis gets his wish as he goes on a journey to the deep with a few others. Adventure awaits!

Like Treasure Planet, Atlantis puts action and thrills at the heart of its story. It's like a Jules Verne tale, but from Disney! The animation is top notch, and the sense of adventure is even stronger here for me than it is with Treasure Planet. But, that might just be because the ocean fascinates me more than space. Either way, Atlantis: The Lost Empire is a hidden gem, and I'm happy that it's finally found a cult following. It deserves it.  

4. The Emperor's New Groove (2000) 

A pompous emperor is transformed into a llama and must learn humility if he wants to reclaim his throne.

The Emperor's New Groove is, in my mind, the funniest Disney animated movie ever. The characters are all over-the-top and unique, the plot is bouncy and never boring, and it never, ever takes itself seriously. It didn't do too great at the box office, but like Atlantis, I'm pretty sure it's now found its audience, and I couldn't be happier. This one’s a keeper.  

3. Lilo & Stitch (2002) 

The story of a girl and her dog, or rather, her extraterrestrial fugitive that she thinks is a dog, Lilo & Stitch is all about family, both the members you’re born with, and also the members that you choose to take in. Oh, and always remember: Ohana means family.  

Lilo & Stitch is many things for me. Sure, it’s really funny and engaging, and the hand-drawn animation is amazing. And yes, the Hawaiian setting was unique for the time, but if anything, Lilo & Stitch reminds me of just how hard it is to be a parent. Nani, voiced by the great Filipino actress, Tia Carrere, is struggling. Nani is Lilo’s older sister, but she has taken on the role of her parents as their actual parents have died, and I can empathize with her stress levels. I love the whole alien story, as it’s fun and entertaining, but Nani is the character I’m really following throughout the film. She makes the movie for me.   

2. The Princess And The Frog (2009) 

The very last traditionally hand-drawn animated feature from Disney Animation Studios, The Princess and the Frog, is loosely based on the novel, The Frog Princess. In the movie, a hard-working waitress ends up kissing a frog, thinking she’d turn him into a prince, only to end up turning into a frog herself. It’s cute. 

The Princess and the Frog is notable for many things (one of which is having the very first Black Disney princess in Tiana), but everything about it just feels so classic, and yet, so modern at the same time. It has one of my all-time favorite Disney villains with Dr. Facillier, some of the best musical numbers, and it’s just gorgeous to look at. I’ve come back to this movie several times, and I’m always just enraptured by it. I mean, I love Splash Mountain and all, but I’m overjoyed that if any movie was going to be its redesign, that it’s The Princess and the Frog. I’d say that it’s my favorite Disney animated movie from this period if not for one other.    

1. Tangled (2010) 

Rapunzel, Rapunzel, let down your hair! That was the basis for this modern Disney classic (that I would argue is even better than Frozen), but it then evolves into something else entirely involving everything from a kidnapping, a selfish surrogate mother, and a handsome rogue who goes on the adventure of a lifetime with our wonderful heroine.   

It’s only fitting that the first Disney animation studio film in the 2010’s is also arguably the first film in the second Disney renaissance. But, everything just works in this stunner. The music is exceptional, the art is luxuriously beautiful, and the story is top notch, both funny, but also serious. I’ve raved enough about how much I love Tangled (Our very own Mack Rawden also believes that Tangled is better than Frozen. Deal with it.), but there really is no other way to put it. Tangled is the best Disney Animation Studios movie from 2000 to 2010. It just is.   

What’s YOUR favorite Disney animated feature within this time period? For more news on everything Disney, make sure to swing around here often.  

Alexandra Daddario is always dropping jaws with her fashion choices. Whether she’s twinning with JLo in plaid or getting creative to hide a wardrobe malfunction, the woman who inspired us to live the pants-free lifestyle is a knockout on a regular day, so why would we expect anything different on her wedding day? The White Lotus actress married producer Andrew Form in a swanky affair down in New Orleans, Louisiana, and it was as if she stepped right out of a Disney cartoon, because the princess vibes were strong. 

Check out the gorgeous photos the actress shared on Instagram:

Hopefully this princess didn’t have to kiss any frogs in the Big Easy before she found her prince! Rather than going for big and poofy, Alexandra Daddario opted for something a little more appropriate for summer in South Louisiana. The Danielle Frankel design felt like it belonged in New Orleans, the actress said. She was spot-on with the whole ensemble, especially with the white lace parasol in the photo of the wedding party second-lining through the French Quarter

The dress, called the Scarlet and retailing for $9,990 (per People), is pleated silk wool with lace appliqués, spaghetti straps, and a tulle train. Daddario said that she and Andrew Form were going for a laid-back aesthetic, so she didn’t want anything “too heavy or serious,” she told Vogue. The couple were literally picture perfect, as the groom’s Brunello Cucinelli pinstripe suit was light and regal all at the same time to complement his bride.

Alexandra Daddario shared multiple posts of the wedding festivities, which — along with the second line brass band through the streets of New Orleans — included tarot card readings, dancing, drinking, and cheeseburgers. In addition to their wedding attire, Daddario shared a romantic photo with her husband, in which she’s wearing a gorgeous orange gown (not necessarily an easy color to pull off). The billowy skirt on this dress was even larger than her dress for the ceremony. How beautiful is this?

The couple had apparently originally hoped to get married in Italy, but the venue was changed to New Orleans when Alexandra Daddario got a job there. She is set to star as Rowan Mayfair in Anne Rice’s Mayfair Witches — an eight-episode series that will air on AMC and be available for streaming to AMC+ subscribers later this year. The series is based on the popular books The Lives of Mayfair Witches, which features three novels and some crossovers with Anne Rice's famous vampire novels.

While The White Lotus is returning to HBO for Season 2, it is getting the anthology treatment, and will feature a (mostly) all-new cast of characters. However, you can rewatch Alexandra Daddario in Season 1 — hopefully her honeymoon with Andrew Form goes better than Rachel and Shane’s did on the show! — which is available to stream with a subscription to HBO Max. Be sure to also check out our 2022 TV schedule to see what new and returning shows are premiering soon on television and streaming.

It’s been a little over two years since it was first announced that Splash Mountain is getting an overhaul themed to the 2009 animated musical The Princess and the Frog. While there have been pieces of information revealed here and there, no concrete timeframe had been officially given to when this new ride would open. The most we’ve had is the voice of Tiana herself, Anika Noni Rose, supposedly “leaking” news of a 2024 opening. 

Well, it looks like she was spot on, as Splash Mountain’s successor finally has an opening set, as well as a new name! Announced during the ESSENCE Festival in New Orleans, this brand-new experience is entitled Tiana’s Bayou Adventure. The attraction is slated to come to both Disneyland Resort and Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom in late 2024.

What’s even better is that not only did the Disney Parks blog break these details for those that couldn’t attend the event, there was even an informative video included for added texture. Showing off the research trip that Disney Imagineers went on for Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, you can watch that extended look for yourself below:

Introduced by Charita Carter, the Executive Producer of Relevancy Activations for Walt Disney Imagineering, this field trip is a crucial part to the re-theming in Tiana’s Bayou Adventure. Sending its team of Imagineers through cultural touchstones and the bayous of New Orleans, authenticity is the name of the game. 

From the look of this quick clip, Walt Disney Imagineering certainly has done its homework. While this video doesn’t share the concept art for Tiana’s Bayou Adventure that you can spot in the official blog, we do get to see this logo treatment for the ride:

Intense public pressure, as well as a Change.org petition, led to Disney’s big retheming of Splash Mountain. Thanks to the attraction’s historic roots in the controversial and complicated legacy of Song of the South, the outcry to transform the ride into a Princess and the Frog-centric experience became a reality. Now that we’ve got an official timeframe to expect the opening of Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, let’s hope it’s not too much longer before we get our next update on what this grand undertaking will include. 

It won't be long before Tiana's Bayou Adventure invites us along to tell a new Princess and the Frog story. In the meantime, you can already see how Song of the South is being removed from the Disney Parks in preparation for the planned late 2024 debut staked out for the Disneyland and Magic Kingdom. Which, as luck would have it, is after Disney+'s planned 2023 premiere of the Tiana series. Research for this attraction sure does look like it's going to be a breeze.

Love is in the air - at least that’s what it feels like when we watch these amazing weddings from movies. 

You just have to love some of these movie weddings, from the decorations to the dresses to the attendance, everything just seems to always fit so perfectly and run so well. But, let’s not forget about the pure love and adoration we see between the couples we love. 

From some recent picks to films from the 1960s, movie weddings have given us some wonderful inspiration - here are the ten most beautiful.

Colin And Araminta’s Wedding (Crazy Rich Asians)

While there are plenty of awesome Crazy Rich Asians behind the scenes facts and the movie itself is so funny and a lot of fun, no one can quite forget that wedding scene between Colin and Araminta - specifically, her dress.

It was so simple yet elevated to the max. It felt like Araminta had this perfect combination of wanting to stand out with the gold embroidering but also trying to make that dress look as realistic as possible. It feels like a princess wedding from beginning to end. And no one can quite forget those beautiful flowers that are all around the venue, adding a few pops of color. 

Jenna And Matty’s Wedding (13 Going On 30)

While Jennifer Garner and Mark Ruffalo reunited in The Adam Project in 2022, I’ll always remember these two in their wedding in 13 Going On 30. While it’s not a flashy wedding by any means, I think what makes this one of the most beautiful weddings is just the emotion behind it. 

We just watched an entire movie about Jenna finally learning that Matty is such a great guy, and when she thinks its too late, she’s transported back to the past and kisses him, and this one moment changes the course of her life forever and they end up getting their happily ever after in the end. It’s sweet and heartwarming and makes me smile every time. Plus, that camera moment is so adorable. 

Fleur And Bill’s Wedding (Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows: Part 1)

Okay, okay, I’m a little biased as a huge Harry Potter fan but you cannot deny that their wedding was gorgeous. Or at the very least, the wedding reception. 

Having it held in a simple tent only added to the intimate feeling between both close family friends and loved ones. Fleur’s wedding dress is just such a freaking beautiful combination of black and white, and her dance with Bill, showing just how much they truly loved each other, under the lights and with everyone else clapping, is just *chef’s kiss.*

Toula And Ian’s Wedding (My Big Fat Greek Wedding)

While I was never a big fan of Toula’s wedding dress (as I’m not a huge puffy dress person), I know that her and Ian’s wedding was one to remember. There was no crazy drama, no intense in-laws making lives miserable - it was a simple exchange love and vows. 

Sometimes, that’s really all you need. While the rest of the film has its crazy hilarious moments, their wedding ran so perfectly. 

Bella And Edward’s Wedding (Breaking Dawn: Part 1)

There are so many things I would change about Twilight, but thankfully, Edward and Belle’s wedding in Breaking Dawn: Part 1 is not one of them. I mean, look at that venue. Those flowers are just beautiful, and that paired with the flower arch and the forest setting is so perfect. 

I think what also makes this wedding work wonders is Bella’s dress. It’s so simple. You don’t need big puffy dresses or crazy gold embroidery - sometimes, all you need is a simple silk dress, and for Bella, it was perfect. Everything fit together so well that it gave me so many ideas for my future wedding - and I’m not even a huge fan of Twilight. 

Donna And Sam’s Wedding (Mamma Mia!)

Mamma Mia! is my ultimate comfort movie, and you can catch me supporting the Mamma Mia! cast whenever I can in whatever they do. And, this film truly took destination weddings to a whole new level. 

Getting married in Greece already sounds like paradise, but adding on that little extra bit of drama to this wedding made it even better. While Sophie and Sky were set to get married, they back out at the last minute, wanting to travel the world instead, and push forward Donna and Sam to get married - the real true lovers there. 

In an impromptu ceremony, the two declare their love for each other and get married with the sun setting in the background. Truly beautiful.

Annie And Bryan’s Wedding (Father Of The Bride)

I think every father at one point has watched Father of the Bride and cried, because they know their little girl is going to get married one day and they’ll be just like Steve Martin’s character. But, despite all the hilarious moments of this movie, the wedding was honestly stunning. 

The dress was amazing, the ceremony even better, and what really made it all the best is Steve Martin letting his little girl go to marry her true love. I cry every time. Maybe the upcoming remake will make me cry just as much. 

Queen Clarisse And Joe’s Wedding (The Princess Diaries 2)

This is another case where two people was supposed to get married and it ended up being a completely different couple. While Mia and Nicholas were set to marry, Mia changes her mind last minute, thinking she can rule as Queen on her own and instead, wishes for her grandmother, Queen Clarisse, to marry her long-time bodyguard, Joe, with the two having been in love for some time. 

It’s a sudden change, but one that’s welcome in every way, as these two were truly made for each other. That, paired with the absolutely stunning venue, makes this wedding perfect. It’s crazy that this film series has turned 20. 

Maria And Captain Von Trapp’s Wedding (The Sound Of Music)

There is just something about this wedding that makes me happy every single time I watch it. The Sound of Music deserves a modern reamake, but no one can quite replace the original, especially with this wedding scene. 

It’s a beautiful church, a simple dress for the time, the music is wonderful - everything fits together so perfectly that I'd be able understand if many people had their wedding dress made to look like Maria’s. Plus, that veil is so pretty and I want one of my own. 

Tiana And Naveen’s Wedding (The Princess And The Frog) 

Last but not least, we’re stepping into the animated realm. While I could talk about the multitude of Disney weddings, nothing quite stands out to me more than Tiana and Naveen’s wedding from The Princess and the Frog. 

I mean, the obvious is there - everything is green, since they were both frogs for a majority of the movie and turned back to humans during their first wedding. But, it just fits so well for them and they look so beautiful - and then of course it cuts to the normal wedding between them as a prince and princess, but those green outfits, paired with that amazing music, is better in my personal opinion. I guess you can only get that down in New Orleans. 

I’m sure there will be plenty more to come in the future, but these are my favorite movie weddings so far. Until I find more, I'm going to have to use these as inspiration.

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Disney Parks made a lot of people happy, and a few people a little upset, when it was revealed that the popular Splash Mountain attraction was going to get a major overhaul. While the ride itself would remain largely intact, the story being told was set to be completely replaced, with the current Song of the South story going away and a new Princess and the Frog story taking its place. We were told at first that the new ride would act as a sequel, taking place after the events of the film, but now we have a few more details about what exactly will happen when guests get on board their boats and go floating down the bayou.

In a video released by Disney, several members of the teams that produced both The Princess and the Frog film and who are working on the new ride came together at Dooky Chase's Restaurant in New Orleans. Founder Leah Chase was one of the inspirations for Tiana. As part of a round table discussion, Charita Carter, Senior Creative Producer at Walt Disney Imagineering, who is leading the the project, explained the story of the new ride, saying...

The piece of art above is one of the early pieces of concept art showing what the attraction will be like. We see the characters in canoes, which ts seems will replace the logs that are the current ride vehicles. We see Tiana, Naveen, and Louis the alligator, showing us we'll see these familiar friends. The art work does apparently also include some of the new characters that will be introduced. While it's not being specified, I'm guessing the animals holding musical instruments, that we only see in shadow, may be the new characters in question.

With the expectation that the route of the ride itself will remain more or less intact, it's easy to see how the new ride will work. Guests will board their boats and be taken on this adventure. We'll float through various scenes with the voice of Tiana leading us through the bayou. The ending scene showing the ultimate Mardi Gras already has its place as a similar scene ends the current version of the ride.

Disney fans can re-watch The Princess and the Frog movie on Disney+. You can use this link to sign up for the streaming service.

What we don't know yet, is how the big splash down moment will work and how that will fit into the story. There will likely be some sort of drama that gets in the way of the adventure, but apparently Disney isn't going to reveal that part of the story just yet.

This certainly sounds exciting, and the ride itself might not be all we're going to get. When it was brought up that any great Mardi Gras celebration would need great food, Carmen Smith, Vice President for Inclusive Strategies at Walt Disney Imagineering said simply...

I'm certainly hopeful that the shift to The Princess and the Frog at Splash Mountain doesn't stop there and includes a Tiana's Place restaurant as well. Disneyland needs another fine dining location inside the park and something like that would be perfect.

The only big question now is when exactly we'll actually see this new ride. The redesign has not begun yet at either Disneyland or Magic Kingdom in Disney World and there's no indication it's going to start any time soon. This new attraction sounds amazing and hopefully we won't need to wait too much longer for it.

Disney fans are a loyal bunch -- and with decades of classic movies to enjoy, it’s not hard to see why. Even after the credits roll, some fans still find a way to engage with their favorite Disney characters by making awesome fan art. One artist has even gone so far as to show us what happens after happily ever after with pictures of Disney Princesses that depict them as pregnant and as new moms.

An Instagram artist that goes by the name goldoxi21 is a devout Disney fan, who frequently draws iconic villains and heroes alike in different contexts than we’re used to. That includes creating images that show what some characters might look like if they were pregnant or new moms. To date, goldoxi21 has tackled numerous Disney properties, from 101 Dalmations to Peter Pan. They’ve drawn villains and sidekicks alike, but they often focus on Disney Princesses.

The artist often commissions pieces from fans all over the world. This isn’t new in fandom spaces, but there’s a unique twist to what the artist is doing. After fans send in pictures of themselves and their families, the artist uses them as inspiration to draw Disney characters and what their families might look like.

One such image shows The Princess and the Frog’s Tiana and Prince Naveen posing together in front of the Saint Louis Cathedral in their hometown of New Orleans. Tiana is very pregnant, but her maternity dress is still that iconic green:

Another image, this one commissioned by a fan from Minnesota, shows Tiana sitting on a lily pad. In one arm, she holds her beautiful newborn daughter. In the other, she holds a frog, in case anyone had any question as to what movie inspired the drawing:

Aladdin seems to be a popular film for the artist to cover. They’ve tackled it several times, including this image -- inspired by an expecting couple in Texas -- of Aladdin embracing a very pregnant Jasmine, seemingly inside their palace:

An equally adorable Aladdin homage was based on a family portrait sent in from the UK. It shows the happy couple on another magic carpet ride, this time with their two young children, who may or may not be cosplaying as Rajah and Abu:

Sometimes the artist even takes the Disney princesses out of their home territory and puts them in more places we might not expect to see them. One Beauty and the Beast-inspired portrait, requested by an Instagram user in Washington D.C., shows a pregnant Belle posting with her prince and another toddler in front of the Washington monument:

The artist also gave us a chance to see another version of Belle holding a young daughter, this time in a more familiar setting -- a lush rose garden:

Each Instagram post shows both the final drawing and, if applicable, the photos that they based their artwork off of. The result are portraits that capture the essence of Disney fairytales while still adapting them for a modern, diverse audience.

If someone was going to draw you as a Disney character, who do you think it would be? Let us know in the comments!

Disney and Pixar planned to release the new animated film Soul in 2020, but the fate of the movie's release is now unknown. Pixar’s Soul is about a teacher who loves jazz and dreams of becoming a jazz musician. He finally got his big break only to have his soul separated from his body after an accident. He then arrives at The Great Before, where he must work to try to reunite his soul with his body. Soul features the voice acting of Jamie Foxx, Tina Fey, Angela Bassett, Daveed Diggs, and many more.

Soul is set to be Pixar’s first animated feature with a black lead character. This is exciting because Pixar is known for making really heartfelt and captivating animated features, and seeing more diversity from Pixar may inspire other companies to follow its example. As revolutionary as Soul is for the world of Pixar, it’s far from the first animated film with a Black lead. There are many entertaining animated TV shows and movies with black main characters. Let’s take a look at some of them.

The Princess And The Frog

The Princess and the Frog is Disney’s first animated film featuring a Black princess. Tiana (Anika Noni Rose) dreams of opening a restaurant in New Orleans, but she gets drawn into the world of magic and princes when she meets Prince Naveen (Bruno Campos). He gets turned into a frog and believes she’s the princess who can save him. He kisses her and they both become frogs.

The film also features voiceovers by Keith David, Jenifer Lewis, and Oprah Winfrey. It’s a vibrant animated film that pays tribute to the bold and lively nature of New Orleans, while also adding a unique spin to The Frog Princess tale. Tiana is a charismatic, hardworking, and intelligent princess that gives little girls, especially ones of color, someone to admire.

Stream it on Disney+ here.

Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse

Miles Morales (Shameik Moore) is bitten by a radioactive spider, and then he encounters the Spider-Man of his world, voiced by Chris Pine. Soon, he meets various Spider-men and women from various universes. The Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse voice cast includes Jake Johnson, Hailee Steinfeld, Mahershala Ali, Brian Tyree Henry, Nicolas Cage, Kimiko Glenn, and John Mulaney.

Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse won the 2019 Academy Award for Best Animated Feature. Anyone who has seen the film can see why it is engaging, with an effortless blend of comedy and drama, and visually compelling animation. Miles Morales is a biracial character who has African-American and Puerto Rican heritage. Miles’ race and identity don’t play a huge part in his storyline in the movie (at least not on a surface level), but I’m sure little kids of all ages and races loved seeing such a diverse hero on the screen.

Stream it on Netflix here.

The Proud Family

The Proud Family is a Disney Channel animated series that aired from 2001 to 2005. It followed the Proud family, with the main focus on Penny Proud (Kyla Pratt). It included the adventures of all the family members, but mainly Penny dealing with the woes of being a teenage girl, friends, school, and family. The Proud Family voice cast includes Karen Malina White, Tommy Davidson, Soleil Moon, and Paula Jai Parker.

The Proud Family also had a movie that served as the series official finale. In 2020, Disney+ announced plans to bring the series back for a continuation series. The Proud Family was full of wacky characters and life lessons, which made it a must-see animated show for those growing up in the early 2000s.

Stream it on Disney+ here.

Hair Love

Hair Love is a short animated film by Matthew A. Cherry. It won the 2020 Academy Award for Best Animated Short. It follows a father as he tries to tackle the complicated world of doing his daughter’s hair. It’s a tribute to the beauty of black hair and the love between a father and daughter. Issa Rae is the only voiceover in this film as the little girl’s mother.

Hair Love is only six-minutes long but it tells a very captivating story of a family who is dealing with a major turmoil and coping with it to the best of their ability. It also speaks to the Black culture in its depiction of Black hair and teaching young girls to love and not fear it. Their hair is a part of their culture, identity, and uniqueness.

Stream it on YouTube here.

Bebe’s Kids

This 1992 animated feature is based on comedian Robin Harris’ stand-up comedy act. He’s voiced in the film by Faizon Love. The Bebe’s Kids voice cast includes Vanessa Bell Calloway, Marques Houston, Tone Loc, and Nell Carter. It’s a movie about a man who takes his girlfriend, her son, and her friend Bebe’s kids to a day at the amusement park. Bebe’s kids are little terrors so they create havoc the entire day.

Bebe’s Kids is an adult cartoon that’s both really funny and heartfelt. Bebe’s kids create destruction wherever they go, but the movie explains why they’re so dysfunctional, and like Robin, you start to care about these kids and their happiness. It’s also partly a musical, so it includes some really fun tunes like “I Ain't’ Havin’ It.”

Stream it on Pluto TV here.

The Cleveland Show

The Cleveland Show is a spin-off of Family Guy and follows Cleveland Brown as he moves back to his hometown and marries his high school crush Donna Tubbs. The show follows the blended family of Donna and Cleveland. It’s created by Seth MacFarlane, Richard Appel, and Mike Henry. The voice cast includes Sanaa Lathan, Nia Long, Reagan Gomez-Preston, and Mike Henry.

If you like Family Guy and American Dad, basically any of Seth MacFarlane’s animated shows, then likely you’ll enjoy The Cleveland Show because it falls right into that genre of dysfunctional families with outrageous characters and a dad who is a bit dimwitted. The Cleveland Show aired from 2009 to 2013, and the character then returned to The Family Guy.

Stream it on Hulu here.

The Boondocks

The Boondocks is an animated series created by Aaron McGruder. It follows the Freemans as they live in Woodcrest, an overall white suburb. The Boondocks satirized social classes, stereotypes, and Black culture. It aired from 2005 to 2014. The main voice cast included Regina King and John Witherspoon.

The Boondocks was a hilarious Adult Swim series that discussed American culture in a way that criticized it and showed how it’s viewed from a Black perspective. It often parodied major Black films or figures, like the movie Juice and the R. Kelly trials. HBO recently announced plans to reboot the series and already gave it a two-season order.

Stream it on HBO Max here.

The PJs

Eddie Murphy, Larry Wilmore, and Steve Tompkins created this stop-motion sitcom about life in a public housing project (PJs for short). Eddie Murphy starred as Thurgood Orenthal Stubbs, the superintendent of the Hilton-Jacobs projects. The PJs got most of its comedy from Thurgood and the weird and wonderful tenants. The PJs voice cast also included Loretta Devine, Ja’net Dubois, Shawn Michael, and Cheryl Francis Harrington.

The PJs aired from 1999 to 2001, it was produced by Ron Howard and Brian Grazer. The show was controversial because social activities, like Spike Lee, accused the series of racist stereotypes of those living in the projects.

Stream it on Pluto TV here.

Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales For Every Child

Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales For Every Child is an HBO anthology series that aired from 1995 to 2000. Robert Guillaume acted as the narrator. The series followed different fairy tales and folklore with different cultural twists, and it included voiceovers by a variety of celebrities.

Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child was HBO's attempt of diversifying the world of fairy tales by depicting them under a different culture landscape and included a diverse body of actors. For example, the Rumpelstiltskin episode had a Jamaican twist and included voiceovers by Jasmine Guy, Robert Townsend, and Denzel Washington. Among the many actors that appeared in episodes are BD Wong, Danny Glover, Rosie Perez, Nestor Carbonell, Margaret Cho, Will Smith, and Maya Angelou.

Stream it on HBO Max here.

Kirikou And The Sorceress

Kirikou and the Sorceress is a French animated feature directed and written by Michel Ocelot. It takes inspiration from West African folklore. The film starts with the birth of Kirikou and follows his journey as a newborn who constantly finds ways to help and save his village from the evil witch Karaba. It’s because of Kirikou’s small stature that he’s able to fix many of the village’s problems, but it is his brave heart that pushes him through.

I don’t know much about West African culture, so I cannot say if the film is a fair, accurate, or flattering portrayal of it. I can say that the film is unique and brings some attention to West African folklore. It’s not a kid-friendly film as all the female characters are nude, as is baby Kirikou, but most of the messages about being kind to others, not judging people by their size, and forgiveness, are all messages that appeal to younger audiences.

Stream it on Amazon Prime here.

The future of Pixar’s Soul is still to-be-determined, but right now it’s still set for a November 20, 2020 release date. Even if it is moved to 2021, hopefully, some of these animated films keep your attention until its release.

There are few people who have not been inspired by Oprah Winfrey in some way, shape, or form. It could have come from a segment on her long-running syndicated day time talk show, her Academy Award-nominated starring role in The Color Purple, or even in the many times Drake & Josh hilariously paid homage to her.

Jokes aside, the strength of Oprah Winfrey’s presence in said hit Nickelodeon sitcom, despite never actually appearing on it, is good enough evidence to me of how influential the 66-year-old American icon is by her name alone. In fact, the amount of films, TV shows, works of literature, and other media that may not have received the same level of attention and/or praise without her involvement is undeniable. Whether she is serving as a producer, a cast member, or simply appearing as a “Special Thanks” credit is, typically, all you need to get excited for a project.

In case all this talk has suddenly gotten you excited for an all-day Oprah marathon, we got your covered. The following are 12 examples of movies and TV shows that Oprah Winfrey put her name on in some way that you can stream right now, starting with the first acting gig she ever landed before becoming a quintessential face of modern media.

The Color Purple (Hulu)

A portrait of the life of a Black, Southern woman (Whoopi Goldberg) suffering the abuse of her father, her eventual husband (Danny Glover), and others in the early 1900s.

Why It Is A Great Option For Oprah Fans: Eleven Academy Award nominations were given to director Steven Spielberg’s 1985 adaptation of Alice Walker’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel The Color Purple, including for Oprah Winfrey’s supporting role as the fiercely independent Sofia, giving audiences a taste of own persevering personality.

Stream The Color Purple on Hulu here.

Greenleaf (Netflix)

Sinful secrets and damning lies threaten to tear apart a well-to-do family and ruin their reputation as the owners a popular megachurch in Memphis.

Why It Is A Great Option For Oprah Fans: In addition to serving as executive producer, Oprah Winfrey appears in the recurring role of Mavis McCready an extended member of the titular Greenleaf family, in this acclaimed hit soap opera, which is also an original series from her cable channel, OWN.

Stream Greenleaf on Netflix here.

A Wrinkle In Time (Disney+)

Years after the mysterious disappearance of her scientist father (Chris Pine), a young girl (Storm Reid), along with her younger brother (Deric McCabe) and neighbor (Levi Miller), is given the chance to find him in a place that exists outside of space and time by a trio of mystical beings (Oprah Winfrey, Reese Witherspoon, and Mindy Kaling) as their guides.

Why It Is A Great Option For Oprah Fans: Excluding her extravagant costume design, Oprah Winfrey’s performance in director Ava DuVernay’s visually stunning adaptation of Madeleine L’Engle’s iconic fantasy novel A Wrinkle in Time as the omnipotent and often, literally, larger than life Mrs. Which is only a slight exaggeration from her true nature.

Stream A Wrinkle in Time on Disney+ here.

The Princess And The Frog (Netflix, Disney+)

Thinking a kiss will change a talking frog (Bruno Campos) back into the prince he claims to be, a New Orleans restaurant server (Anika Noni Rose) instead turns into the amphibious creature herself and must work with His Royal Arrogance in order to figure out how to break the spell.

Why It Is A Great Option For Oprah Fans: Before teaming with Disney for its take on A Wrinkle in Time, Oprah Winfrey provided the voice of Eudora, the mother of protagonist Tiana, in its animated, unique reinterpretation of the classic story of The Princess and the Frog, which was nominated for three Academy Awards including Best Animated Feature.

Stream The Princess and the Frog on Netflix here or on Disney+ here.

Bee Movie (Netflix)

After leaving the hive to go on his own for the first time, a disillusioned bee (Jerry Seinfeld) discovers how humans have been profiting off his species’ honey and makes an attempt to sue them for it.

Why It Is A Great Option For Oprah Fans: While her time in Jerry Seinfeld’s charming animated adventure Bee Movie is relatively small, Oprah Winfrey’s character Judge Bumbleton (who, despite what her name may suggest, is not an insect herself) is very crucial as her verdict in Barry B. Benson’s case is what decides the future of honey industry.

Stream Bee Movie on Netflix here.

Charlotte’s Web (Netflix, Tubi)

After a runty pig named Wilbur (Dominic Scott Kay) is devastated to learn that he will be slaughtered for bacon by the end of the season, a kind spider (Julia Roberts) who resides in his pen hatches a plan to save his life.

Why It Is A Great Option For Oprah Fans: Directed by the late Gary Winick, this charming, live-action adaptation of the E.B. White novel Charlotte’s Web from 2006 features a slew of big names as Wilbur’s barn animal friends, including Oprah Winfrey as the voice of Gussy - a wise, stern, and often funny goose.

Stream Charlotte’s Web on Netflix here or on Tubi here.

The Immortal Life Of Henrietta Lacks (HBO Max)

With the help of a journalist conducting research for a book on the subject, a woman delves into the history of her late mother, whose cancerous cells were harnessed and used in the development of groundbreaking advancements in medicine without her authorization in the early 1950s.

Why It Is A Great Option For Oprah Fans: Based on the book by Rebecca Skloot (portrayed by Rose Byrne), The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks tells the fascinating true story of a woman (Renée Elise Goldsberry) who unwittingly contributed to the first immortal human cell line told through the eyes of her daughter Deborah Lacks, played by Oprah Winfrey, who also serves as executive producer on the 2017 HBO original film.

Stream The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks on HBO Max here.

When They See Us (Netflix)

A group of five Harlem natives fight to defend their innocence in the case of a white, female jogger’s brutal assault, which begins when they are just teens and ends far into their adult years.

Why It Is A Great Option For Oprah Fans: In one of her most powerful, yet heart-wrenching, collaborations with developer and director Ava Duvernay, Oprah Winfrey also executive produced 2019’s When They See Us, a four-part miniseries based on the true court case that lasted from 1989 until 2014, for Netflix, on which you can also find her special interview with the real Central Park Five called When They See Us Now.

Stream When They See Us on Netflix here.

Precious: Based On The Novel Push By Sapphire (HBO Max)

Illiterate, overweight, abused by her hateful mother (Mo’Nique), and currently pregnant with her second child by her rapist father, a teen nicknamed Precious (Gabourey Sidibe) receives much-needed hope for a better life from an alternative school teacher (Paula Patton) in late 1980s Harlem.

Why It Is A Great Option For Oprah Fans: While not based on fact, Precious is a deeply emotional, grounded, and, arguably, just as brutal story as our previous entry and made director Lee Daniels an Oscar-nominated household name with help from producer Oprah Winfrey, whom he would cast in 2013’s Lee Daniels’ The Butler.

Stream Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire on HBO Max here.

Running From Crazy (Tubi)

A chronicle of the infamous history of mental illness within the descendants of Ernest Hemingway, told through the eyes of his great-granddaughter - Oscar-nominated model and actress Mariel Hemingway - as she struggles to outlive her family’s tragic legacy.

Why It Is A Great Option For Oprah Fans: The Emmy-nominated documentary Running from Crazy, which originally aired on OWN in 2013, is yet another intriguing and heartbreaking true story of overcoming great odds that producer Oprah Winfrey helped bring to light.

Stream Running from Crazy on Tubi here.

The Handmaid’s Tale (Hulu)

In a male-dominated dystopian society, a woman (Elisabeth Moss) forced to bear children for infertile government officials is determined to rebel against patriarchal oppression consuming what used to the United States.

Why It Is A Great Option For Oprah Fans: In a surprise cameo, Oprah Winfrey made two uncredited vocal appearances as a radio news announcer in the second and third seasons of the Emmy-winning The Handmaid’s Tale, based on Margaret Atwood’s novel, which is right up her alley as she got her start as a Nashville news anchor.

Stream The Handmaid’s Tale on Hulu here.

Ellen And Her BFF Oprah (Amazon Prime)

A collection of clips from The Ellen DeGeneres Show featuring visits from America’s other favorite daytime talk show icon.

Why It Is A Great Option For Oprah Fans: It is a beautiful thing to see two women in the same industry join forces as comrades instead of fighting over popularity and Ellen and her BFF Oprah, which sees the host in some of her greatest moments with the woman who practically made her show possible, Oprah Winfrey, is a testament to that.

Stream Ellen and Her BFF Oprah on Amazon Prime here.

What do you think? Have we provided you with the ultimate Oprah binge by suggesting the above titles, or will nothing ever beat her award-winning talk show? Let us know in the comments and be sure to check back for additional information and updates on the inspirational public figure, as well as even more of own suggestions of what you can stream today, here on CinemaBlend.

There are plenty of streaming platforms to turn to when looking for animated movies, but there are few that have as large of a library of the latest and greatest in the world of animation than Netflix. In addition to having an ever-expanding collection of reality television, original movies, and some of the best sitcoms in the history of the format, Netflix also boasts a robust list of animated features like the eye-catching Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse, the criminally underrated Batman: The Mask of the Phantasm, and Academy Award nominees like The Breadwinner. And that's barely scratching the surface…

Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse (2018)

Two years ago, who would have thought that an animated Spider-Man movie not in the Marvel Cinematic Universe would become one of the most highly decorated depictions of the friendly webslinger? Well, that's exactly what happened with 2018's Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, which featured not one, but a half-dozen different versions of the character teaming up to save the multiverse from total collapse. Add some amazing writing, an animation style that seems like a strange mashup of stop-motion, computer-generated, and comic-book animation, and some of the best performances in a Marvel movie yet, and you have a recipe for success. And let's not even get started about the hyped-up sequel and its wild visuals coming out in the next couple of years.

Stream it on Netflix here.

Song Of The Sea (2014)

The art of hand-drawn animation seems to be lost a little more with each passing year, but the studio behind the Academy Award-nominated Song of the Sea not only paid tribute to the great animation houses of the past with their 2014 fantasy epic, but they also paid tribute to their ancestry. Centered around a 10-year-old Irish boy who discovers his mute sister can do some pretty remarkable things, the story follows the pair as they set out to find her missing voice. If the touching story and meaningful cultural references aren't enough, the painstaking animation that went into this feature should hold anyone's attention. And plus, it also happens to be one of the best movies on Netflix right now.

Stream it on Netflix here.

The Little Prince (2015)

The 2015 animated film The Little Prince isn't the typical film adaptation of a beloved children's book, and that's part of what makes this ambitious feat in animation so extraordinary. There are two animation styles utilized throughout the movie with traditional CGI being used for the main narrative revolving around a young girl and her new neighbor who reads about a "Little Prince," and then stop-motion for what happens in the book. By mixing these two very distinct styles, The Little Prince offers something new for audiences, even those who grew up reading Antoine de Saint-Exupéry's timeless novella.

Stream it on Netflix here.

Lupin The Third: The Castle Of Cagliostro (1979)

Before Hayao Miyazaki made a name for himself with gems like Spirited Away, My Neighbor Totoro, or any of his other projects with animation house Studio Ghibli, the acclaimed director got his start with Lupin The Third: The Castle of Cagliostro, a 1979 film adaptation of the iconic manga series. Centered around legendary thief Lupin III, the film follows the crook as he tracks down the source of counterfeit money that he stole from a casino, only to find himself part of something much larger. Full of thievery, action, and some light romance, this classic Japanese animated movie is as fun as it gets.

Stream it on Netflix here.

The Princess And The Frog (2009)

Disney doesn't make nearly as many hand-drawn movies as it used to, but that doesn't mean that the studio's efforts are for nothing when its animation team goes back to the basics. That's exactly what happened with the 2009 release of The Princess and the Frog, a reimagining of the classic fairy tale set in the swampy marshes of southern Louisiana. Everything from the depiction of New Orleans and its surrounding areas to the culture (all that gumbo) and even the songs made this an instant classic. It's just a shame that there haven't been any sequels or spinoffs from this breath of fresh air.

Stream it on Netflix here.

Despicable Me (2010)

There are few films that have had as much of an impact on animated movies as Despicable Me, and it's not just because of the Minions (though they don't hurt). Since the release of the 2010 animated juggernaut, Illumination has gone on to release some of the most successful franchises, but it all comes back to Gru and his army of tiny yellow Minions. With clever writing, an impressive voice cast led by Steve Carrell as the evil genius, and some of the best revolutionary animation practices outside of Pixar, it's no wonder this little movie because one of the hottest properties in show business.

Stream it on Netflix here.

Batman: Mask Of The Phantasm (1993)

Since Batman: The Animated Series, aka, the greatest version of the Dark Knight, isn't streaming on Netflix, the next best thing is the 1993 theatrical release from the iconic franchise, Batman: The Mask of the Phantasm. The movie essentially plays like an extended episode of the classic 1990s cartoon series, which should be enough for any diehard fan of the series to enjoy. There are some darker elements to the story which centers around Batman taking on the mysterious Phantasm (as well as The Joker), but those familiar with The Animated Series should be used to that by now.

Stream it on Netflix here.

Mirai (2018)

This next movie probably isn't one that too many people have heard about despite it being nominated for an Academy Award for Best Animated Feature in 2018, but the Japanese film Mirai is one that you should watch. Centered around a young boy who feels forgotten by a family, the story picks up when he runs away and stumbles into a magical garden with the power to transport people through time. Add in some emotional elements about connecting with your family through space and time and you have yourself a new way of seeing the world.

Stream it on Netflix here.

All Dogs Go To Heaven (1989)

There are few movies that pull on your heartstrings more than the 1989 animated fantasy All Dogs Go to Heaven. This funny, yet emotionally grueling story about a canine casino owner who sets out for revenge against his killer after returning from the afterlife makes you wonder how this was passed off as a children's movie when it was first released. Nonetheless, this true classic has withstood the test of time and remains just as enjoyable and poignant as it was on that worn-out VHS tape back in the 1990s.

Stream it on Netflix here.

Ralph Breaks The Internet (2018)

Anyone who thought Wreck-It Ralph was a one-hit-wonder for Disney was in for some bad news when the film's 2018 sequel, Ralph Breaks the Internet stormed into theaters, bringing in a ton of cash and stellar reviews for the video game baddie and pint-size sidekick. The movie packs a similar punch as its predecessor in terms of cultural references but it turns it up a notch with the embodiment of the internet which looks like a sophisticated civilization on crazy pills. The varying styles of animation for each of the core characters is a nice touch and the movie has plenty of eye candy to keep even the most jaded parents entertained.

Stream it on Netflix here.

The Breadwinner (2017)

There are a lot of funny and exciting animated movies on Netflix, but there are also poignant and emotional explorations of the human spirit like 2017's The Breadwinner. Despite its basic animation style, this feature is rich and full of life in its depiction of a young Afghani girl who resorts to cutting her hair and dressing up like a boy in order to support her family after her father is arrested by the Taliban. Nominated for an Academy Award for Best Animated Feature in 2018, The Breadwinner is a raw, yet empowering story of the bond shared between a family and how far a family will go to protect their own.

Stream it on Netflix here.

Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatballs (2009)

Since we started with a movie from the minds of Phil Lord and Chris Miller, why not end it with one of their first projects, the 2009 big-screen adaptation of the 1978 beloved children's book Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs. Watching how Lord, Miller, and their animation team translated the story about a strange event where food fell from the sky like rain and snow. In the film version, the event is caused by a failed science experiment, which does nothing but help push the plot forward and provide for some highly entertaining and inventive situations. Seriously, this movie is a lot of fun, even for those who lost touch with the wonder of their childhood.

Stream it on Netflix here.

That is just a dozen of the great animated movies available for streaming on Netflix. With more titles getting added each day, there is surely something for everyone (well, at least everyone who likes to have a little fun). If there was something you think I should have included, make sure to drop the title in the comments below.

It has been a wild ride worthy of a Disneyland attraction. After a groundswell of support built up for the idea of re-theming Splash Mountain at both Disneyland and Walt Disney World, Disney responded by announcing that the parks would do exactly that. While no timeline has been given, both parks' Splash Mountain rides will be replacing the existing Song of the South theme with The Princess and the Frog at some point down the road.

The decision to turn Splash Mountain into a Princess and the Frog attraction makes particular sense at Disneyland, as the ride is located on the edge of New Orleans Square. So rather than simply changing the attraction, the new Splash Mountain can be incorporated into a new, larger New Orleans Square. However, if that is done, then that leaves Critter Country as a small land with only a Winnie the Pooh-themed dark ride and a canoe attraction, neither of which are particularly popular in the grand scheme of things. So is it time for a complete redesign and replacement of Critter Country?

The History of Bear Country

To be fair, when the area that is now Critter Country first opened in 1972, all it had was the Davy Crockett's Explorer Canoes and one other attraction, the Country Bear Jamboree. It was called Bear Country back then because the Country Bears had proved so popular at Walt Disney World that the land was built specifically to house that one attraction. It was with the addition of Splash Mountain in the late 1980s that the land was renamed Critter Country, to reflect the fact that more than bears were in residence.

In 2001, the Country Bear Jamboree was showing its age at Disneyland, and the long-running performance was replaced with a simple dark ride that took you through the events of The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh. Thus, the ride would be given the same name. It's a somewhat unusual place for such a ride, as the attraction is very much the sort of thing you'd expect to find in Fantasyland. In fact, at Walt Disney World, that's exactly where you'll find it. It's certainly not out of place in Critter Country, but it also doesn't feel entirely at home.

Critter Country has always felt like something of an afterthought at the park. It's in the back of Disneyland, and before the opening of Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge, it was a dead end that led nowhere. The fact that Galaxy's Edge is there now means the land can see a lot more traffic than it used to, but that's all the more reason that Walt Disney Imagineering should take a good hard look at Critter Country as a whole.

Certainly the new Splash Mountain can still technically fit as part of Critter Country. Most of the characters in The Princess and the Frog are talking animals, not entirely unlike the characters that they'll be replacing from the previous version. And ultimately, which land Splash Mountain falls into is somewhat semantic. It won't change the attraction itself if it exists in New Orleans Square or Critter Country.

New Orleans Square Should Expand Even More

But because Splash Mountain is literally next door to the Haunted Mansion, it makes too much sense not to make both of them part of New Orleans Square. The new version of the ride needs to exist in one place or the other, and putting Tiana in New Orleans makes too much sense. When Princess Tiana is found as a walk-around character at Disneyland, New Orleans Square is where she can be found. As a human, she belongs there rather than moving her into Critter Country.

But if Splash Mountain does become part of New Orleans Square, then we have to ask the question, is The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh enough of an attraction to anchor the now smaller Critter Country?

Probably not, and as such, Imagineers should consider looking at Critter Country as a whole for potential redevelopment. Specifically, they should consider giving the entire area over to New Orleans Square.

The biggest problem is that because Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge has taken over most of what little available space existed on that edge of the park, there's just no place for the existing land, or any new land, to go. Whether you keep Winnie the Pooh or look to replace the ride as part of a new land, you basically only have space for one attraction, so any new land that you come up with is going to be small and will only have one attraction to anchor it.

Tiana's Palace

And so, perhaps the solution is to just let New Orleans Square annex all of Critter Country. I see one really exciting opportunity if we go that route, as we could turn the major food location in Critter Country, the Hungry Bear Restaurant, into Tiana's Palace. However, I'm thinking this isn't just about changing the menu and changing the sign out front. Let's really go all out.

Disneyland is missing a high end restaurant inside the park itself. The Blue Bayou has possibly the greatest location of any theme park restaurant ever, but the menu really lets it down when you compare it something like Carthay Circle Restaurant at Disney's California Adventure. To that end, let's completely redesign the Hungry Bear into a restaurant worthy of the name Tiana's Palace. Think of it: a beautiful New Orleans-themed location with table service, high quality food and great music. Perhaps there could even be live jazz music.

A location like this is going to need more space than the Hungry Bear Restaurant has. As such, a complete redesign of the rest of Critter Country would likely be needed. This means a chain reaction of updates and changes that likely means removing Winnie the Pooh. While I'm sure there are people who love the ride and I don't have anything against it, I'm just not sure it's necessary under the circumstances.

With a complete redesign of the area, there's still room for another small attraction. Since there aren't really any other New Orleans themed Disney films, maybe Imagineering could come up with something entirely original. There are a lot of people who would be excited by an idea like that.

This is only one idea for the change, and there are numerous other directions this part of Disneyland could go down, but it does seem like this change to Splash Mountain could ultimately spell the end of Critter Country. Much like Splash Mountain itself, the possibilities for the future are quite exciting, and I can't wait to see what happens.

After people started a petition online asking for Disneyland and Disney World’s Splash Mountain to be rebranded from Song of the South to The Princess and the Frog, Disney answered fairly quickly, agreeing to do just that. Now, actress Anika Noni Rose is expressing her thoughts on the rebranding.

Anika Noni Rose, who played Tiana in the 2009 animated movie The Princess and the Frog which featured Disney’s first Black princess, spoke a bit about Splash Mountain’s theme change. Here’s what she said during a clip aired on Good Morning America:

This isn’t the first time The Princess and the Frog’s Anika Noni Rose has spoken out on a controversial topic. Back in 2018, the actress approached Disney about Ralph Breaks the Internet’s depiction of Tiana, noting that they lightened her skin color and sharpened her nose. Disney ultimately agreed and promised to adjust her appearance for the movie.

Splash Mountain has a complicated history at Disneyland that goes back to the 1980s. At the time, Disney needed to update Bear Country and decided to do it with characters from Song of the South. It was originally called Zip-a-Dee River Run, but CEO Michael Eisner changed it to Splash Mountain to match other attractions like Space Mountain.

While Splash Mountain doesn’t include the most controversial character from Song of the South -- Uncle Remus -- and focuses on animal characters like Brer Rabbit, Brer Fox, and Brer Bear, it’s still tied to the movie all the same.

Song of the South first released in 1946 and has seen a lot of controversy since then. At the time, it received high acclaim, winning an Oscar for Best Original Song. Actor James Baskett also won an honorary Oscar for his portrayal as Uncle Remus. But in the decades that have followed, contemporary audiences have frequently called out the film for perpetuating racial stereotypes.

Due to this controversy, it hasn’t been released on VHS or DVD. And when it was announced that Disney+ would house the studios' entire library, then-CEO Bob Iger had to clarify that the company would not be releasing Song of the South, calling the film “fairly offensive.”

With an attraction as popular as Splash Mountain, it’s no surprise that Disney fans have strong opinions about the rebranding idea. Some think it’s an over-reaction, while others are demanding it happen right away. And some people are sure to still have ideas about what it could have been rebranded to. But with plans already underway for the updated attraction, those ideas are now moot. And despite some of the negativity, the response to a The Princess and the Frog ride replacing Splash Mountain has been mostly positive.

Recently, it was suggested that Splash Mountain, the popular attraction found at three different Disney theme parks around the world, could perhaps use a bit of an update. The log flume ride uses the controversial Disney movie Song of the South as its theme, and while choices were made at the time to avoid the overt racial problems that the movie suffers from, in today's day and age, there are those who don't think that's enough anymore, and that Splash Mountain could use a new theme.

One particular new idea has picked up a lot of support among those who want, or at least are accepting of, a new theme, but that one idea is by no means the only potential concept for a Splash Mountain redesign. In fact, with multiple Splash Mountain attractions, the opportunity for multiple redesigns is technically possible. Here are a few possible suggestions that could work for a brand new Splash Mountain.

The Princess and the Frog

It makes the most sense to start off with the really popular idea. The Princess and the Frog is an exciting idea for a lot of reasons. First off, it would give Tiana, an underrepresented Disney Princess, her own attraction, and it would be the first Princess attraction to be a thrill ride. Beyond that, the fact that much of the movie involves the main characters floating down a river means that the structure of Splash Mountain isn't out of place with this new theme.

But even beyond that, there's the fact that Splash Mountain resides at Disneyland on the edge of New Orleans Square, and The Princess and the Frog takes place in New Orleans. You could easily make the new version of the attraction part of New Orleans Square, or some sort of transition space between the Square and Critter Country. Walt Disney World and Tokyo Disneyland don't have this same built-in opportunity, but that's why we might want to consider a different redesign for them.

The Emperor's New Groove

If we're going to consider retheming Splash Mountain with a franchise that is underutilized in the parks, then how about we give some love to Kuzco? The Emperor's New Groove is one of Disney's most unique films. It's a straight up animated buddy comedy, and a legitimately hilarious one. David Spade and John Goodman are the perfect pair in this film that wasn't a massive hit in its day, but has built up an audience in the years since.

And the best part? The Emperor's New Groove actually contains a scene where the characters go off a massive waterfall, so the whole point of Splash Mountain, the big drop at the end, is built into the story. Building the rest of the attraction around that might take some work, but it's not like it would be the first time Walt Disney Imagineering had to do something similar. It could certainly work, and any excuse to get Kuzco and Pacha in the parks is a worthy one. This ride could be hilarious.

Zootopia

Zootopia was a massive success at the box office, and while a new land is currently under construction at Shanghai Disneyland, the domestic parks have had little from the film beyond character appearances. Zootopia maybe isn't the most obvious choice for a new Splash Mountain, as there's no real connection to the ride concept, but there are other reasons that this could potentially work. First and foremost, at Disneyland in both Anaheim and Tokyo, Splash Mountain is located in the land called Critter Country, and so having the anthropomorphic animal characters both in the land and on the attraction would make a lot of sense.

There's also a lot about the world of Zootopia that we don't know which could be useful for the attraction. In the movie, we're told the town has 12 districts, but we see fewer than half of them over the course of the story. So perhaps a place like Splash Mountain could fit in perfectly with a part of Zootopia we've never seen. This would allow Imagineers to create an entirely new story for the attraction, using characters that people love, but without being tied to a specific plot. We could follow Judy and Nick on a new case that takes them to a part of the city filled with water, and eventually down a massive waterfall.

Moana

If we're talking about a water-based ride, it's difficult to not think about Moana. Water is sort of her thing. Moana's first theme park attraction is currently in the middle of construction at Epcot, so this would feel like a less likely choice, especially at Walt Disney World, but that doesn't make it any less fitting. Just change the log flume ride vehicles into canoes, and give us an adventure that has us sailing alongside Moana's quest for a new island, that will, of course, include some very rough seas at one point, resulting in us dropping down from a huge wave.

The biggest hurdle to this idea would be the placement. A Moana attraction certainly doesn't fit well in Critter Country. There's an argument that it fits in Walt Disney World's Frontierland, where Magic Kingdom's Splash Mountain is found. The oceans are Moana's frontie after all, but at the same time, it's not the same wild west frontier that Frontierland is supposed to represent, so even that is a bit of a stretch.

Pocahontas

We'll end where we started, with a Disney heroine who doesn't get as much love inside the parks as she probably should. Pocahontas wasn't the revolutionary game-changer of a movie that many within Disney apparently thought it would be, but that doesn't make it a bad movie. The movie is fairly popular and the character certainly doesn't get a lot of love, and a Pocahontas-themed attraction certainly would fit in quite well inside Walt Disney World's Frontierland.

Having said that, one of the major dings against Pocahontas is that it maybe isn't quite as enlightened a film as it probably should be, which makes it potentially not the right choice to fix an attraction that already has that problem. But that doesn't mean that the ride can't fix some of the issues that the movie has. Perhaps by bringing in the right voices to assist in the design, we can get a Disney attraction that is able to balance respect for Native American cultures with a fun and thrilling ride. It's a nice thought anyway.

At this point, it's impossible to know whether a retheme of Splash Mountain will ever happen. The theme parks have much more immediate concerns with the parks reopening and several other construction projects half-done. It will likely be some time before the parks would have a chance to change anything, and by then, the demand might not be around anymore.

Would you like to see Splash Mountain changed? Let us know which idea you prefer in the poll below.

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For the longest time, it seemed like Netflix was the place to turn whenever you or your kids were in need of a great Disney movie, but all of that changed with the introduction of Disney+ in November 2019. Ever since then, the number of Disney titles appearing on Netflix has turned from a flow of new animated movies and live-action films to a slow trickle. Fear not, as movies like The Incredibles 2, Mary Poppins Returns, and The Princess And The Frog can all be enjoyed through your Netflix account, at least for now.

To make things easier for everyone (myself included), I've put together a list of 10 great Disney movies that are still available to stream on Netflix. So if you're part of the minority and haven't signed up for a subscription from the House of Mouse, these titles are your best bet.

The Incredibles 2 (2018)

This may come as a surprise, but The Incredibles 2 is the highest grossing Pixar movie to date, bringing in $1.2 billion worldwide upon its release in 2018. Even more surprising is the fact that the followup to the studio's 2004 superhero flick about a reversal of roles in the Parr/Incredible house is still available to stream on Netflix. But act soon as The Incredible family will be moving to Disney+ on July 30, 2020.

Stream it on Netflix here.

The Princess And The Frog (2009)

Fans of The Princess And The Frog have plenty of options to choose from when trying to find the best place to watch the 2009 animated Disney animated feature. This reimagining of the classic fairy tale takes place in the swampy marshes and seedy underbelly of New Orleans, and features a superb supporting cast of characters as well as one of Disney's best villain songs, "Are You Ready?" so there are plenty of reasons to revisit this one on Netflix before it's too late. You can also watch Tiana and Prince Naveen on Disney+ where its currently streaming as well.

Stream it on Netflix here.

Mary Poppins Returns (2018)

A sequel more than 60 years in the making, the 2018 Christmastime hit Mary Poppins Returns traded Julie Andrews for Emily Blunt, who is phenomenal in the titular role as the magical nanny for the Banks family. With a story, songs, and animation that is on par with the original 1964 musical, the new and improved variation of Mary Poppins is one to remember. Watch it now before it moves to Disney+ in January 2021.

Stream it on Netflix here.

Tarzan (1999)

Disney's Tarzan will forever be one of my favorite animated films from the studio. The Phil Collins soundtrack, the detailed animation, and the fact that my parents found my childhood cat the night the movie hit theaters all bring the movie up a few spots on my list. Tarzan and Jane will be taking up residence on Disney+ on June 23. 2020.

Stream it on Netflix here.

Ralph Breaks The Internet (2018)

Audiences fell in love with the video game villain turned hero Wreck-It Ralph in his theatrical debut, but they fell a little deeper with the clumsy and misunderstood character in the 2018 followup Ralph Breaks The Internet, which sees the titular character escape from the safety of an arcade cabinet into the uncharted waters of the World Wide Web. Netflix is the best place to watch this movie now as it won't debut on Disney+ until December 11, 2020.

Stream it on Netflix here.

Chicken Little (2005)

Chicken Little is one of those movies that proves that the even the smallest and craziest of us can sometimes be right and actually know how to save the day. This 2005 animated feature from Disney might often get forgotten when discussing the studio's output in the 21st Century, so why not revisit it for old time's sake. You can watch Chicken Little in his attempt to save the world from what appears to be an alien threat on Netflix and Disney+ right now.

Stream it on Netflix here.

Bolt (2008)

Like Chicken Little three years earlier, the 2008 Disney animated film Bolt is another theatrical release that often gets overshadowed by more prominent movies that were released the year it came out. But answer me this, does Wall-E feature a dog voiced by John Travolta who is convinced that he is a superhero and not just a canine actor? You can watch Bolt on Netflix and Disney+ right now.

Stream it on Netflix here.

Christopher Robin (2018)

If you're looking for a new take on Winnie The Pooh, then the 2018 family drama Christopher Robin is going to be the way to go. Set decades after the titular character left the Hundred Acre Wood for the hustle and bustle of London, this charming film follows Winnie The Pooh as he searches for his long-lost friend. Netflix will be your best option to continue the adventures of Winnie and Christopher Robin as it won't hit Disney+ until September 5, 2020.

Stream it on Netflix here.

Walt Disney Animation Studios Short Films Collection (2015)

Disney Animation Studios has always done a tremendous job with its animated shorts, and now you have a place to watch 12 of those short stories with the Walt Disney Animation Studios Short Films Collection. With a dozen shorts and introductions from the animators who brought them to life, there is a little bit of something for viewers of all shapes, sizes, and ages. And as far as I can tell, this title is not available on Disney+, so Netflix is the place to catch up on your Disney shorts.

Stream it on Netflix here.

The Nutcracker And The Four Realms (2018)

The Tchaikovsky ballet The Nutcracker is brought to life like never before in the 2018 reimagining, The Nutcracker And The Four Realms. When Clara (Mackenzie Foy) receives a mysterious gift, the young girl embarks on a journey to four secret realms in order to discover her greatest strength. The title won't appear on Disney+ until November 28, 2020.

Stream it on Netflix here.

Those are just 10 of the great Disney movies you can watch on Netflix before they move over to the Disney+ later this year and 2021. Which of these is your favorite Disney movie? Make sure to let us know in the comments, and make sure to check back on all things Disney here at CinemaBlend.

From the moment that Walt Disney animated its first feature film, Disney and princesses were permanently linked together. From 1937 and 1959 Disney would release three films based around princess characters and during the Disney Renaissance of the 1990s we would get five more. In the years since Princesses would continue to be a key part of Disney’s animated world. 

The Disney Princess is an actual brand name now. To be called a Disney Princess means achieving a level of cultural and merchandising significance. Several upcoming Disney live-action remakes are planned around Princess movies because the movies that have already been made have been successful.  But just where do the Disney Princess movies rank among the best Disney animated movies? We decided to take a look at all of Disney's animated princess films, that anybody with a Disney+ subscription can watch, and rank the efforts, considering the princesses the flicks introduce and how good the movie is as a whole. This isn't about who is the best Disney Princess, that’s an entirely different debate. This is about which movie that contains a princess is the best. Let's dive in and figure it out.

The Disney Princess is an actual brand name now. It's an official club with memberships and everything. While Disney has recently seemed to be drawing less attention to the concept of a Disney Princess, they're still quite popular with fans.

15. Pocahontas

Pocahontas is unique among the Disney Princess movies for being the only one based on an actual person rather than a classic fairy tale or an original concept. While this was an intriguing idea, in practice, we can see why Disney hasn't gone down this road again. Disney-fying a well-known fictional story is one thing, doing it to an actual person is something else.

Pretty much everything in Pocahontas is forgettable. The villain is generic. Most of the music isn't memorable. Pocahontas herself isn't a bad character, but the story surrounding her is simplistic. And crowbarring in a fake romance to the life of a real person, who was actually forced into marriage, just leaves a bad taste in the mouth. 

14. Cinderella

Cinderella was Disney's second princess movie, hitting theaters in 1950. If there's a single princess that is the Disney Princess it might be Cinderella. Her castle stands in the middle of Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom and the story itself may be the best-known of all Western fairy tales. Cinderella's Wicked Stepmother gets her due as one of the nastiest Disney villains in history. The movie even has a nice twist at the very end which audiences in 1950 likely didn't see coming.

However, all that I just described is maybe half of the runtime of Disney's Cinderella. A lot of the movie is dedicated to the family cat's attempts to catch Cinderella's mouse friends. If these were animated shorts they'd be cute, but they take the focus of Cinderella away from the characters we're supposed to care about for far too long; because of this, the flick ranks lower than you might guess.

13. Brave

Merida from Brave is the one Disney Princess who was never in a movie from Walt Disney Animation Studios. However, she is still considered a part of the Disney Princess crew, at least for marketing purposes. Merida is Pixar's only princess to date, but she's a pretty significant representative.

Brave suffers a bit from the fact that Merida's want/need dynamic never changes over the course of the story. It's unclear how much she truly grows, which makes for a somewhat unsatisfying character arc. However, what does happen that causes growth for Merida is a deep understanding of her mother that wasn't there before, and that's certainly a story worth telling and a message worth embracing.

12. Frozen II

Considering the unending popularity of the original Frozen, it’s little surprise that the first theatrical animated sequel in decades from Disney was Frozen II. The movie continued the story of Anna and Elsa, expanding on the franchise mythology, and giving us a new batch of great songs.

The plot of Frozen II is honestly a bit disjointed and doesn’t entirely work. However, the emotional journey that each character goes on is powerful. There’s a lot to love about Frozen II even if it doesn’t quite live up to the original.

11. Snow White And The Seven Dwarfs

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs is an iconic film and one of the most important movies of the 20th century. It launched Disney's feature animation division with a movie that shocked the public simply for existing. It will forever be an important part of film history.

Yet, while Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs has some great music and the Wicked Queen was apparently so legitimately terrifying for little kids that things had a tendency to get messy in the theaters, this movie also is only of middling rank. That's because Snow White isn't the most proactive main character in Disney history, although the seven dwarfs that surround her do a great job to make up for that.

10. The Princess and the Frog

The Princess and the Frog is the last traditionally animated princess movie Disney ever made. The fact that the movie wasn't a box office draw was the major reason this form of animation is essentially dead. In the years since however, the film has received a serious reevaluation. The Princess and the Frog is more popular now than ever, 

Tiana is up there with Cinderella as the hardest-working woman in a Disney Princess movie. The jazz soundtrack is top-notch. Dr. Facilier is one of the most underrated Disney villains. Plus, yeah, the loss of hand-drawn animation is a travesty and this movie is evidence of that.

9. Raya And The Last Dragon

Raya and the Last Dragon saw its release during the global pandemic, and as such, it’s a film that had to fight to find its audience. The good news is that Raya has no problem fighting, it’s actually what she does best. 

The only Disney animated movie on this list that is not a musical, Raya and the Last Dragon still sings. It’s got the best action animation of any Disney film ever made, making Raya a Princess who truly is in a class by herself. It’s a gorgeously animated movie inspired by South East Asian culture 

8. Tangled

Tangled has got pretty much everything you want from an animated Disney movie. It's funny, it's got action, it's got romance. Really, what else do you need? The animation on Rapunzel's hair is worth checking out Tangled for the technical mastery alone.

Most Disney villains have magical powers they use to exert their will. Tangled's Mother Gothel is so much worse than any of that. Her only ability is to be able to psychologically manipulate Rapunzel, in the way that only the worst sort of mother can. Tangled also has the best modern love song in all of Disney. 

7. The Little Mermaid

The Little Mermaid was Disney's first princess movie in 30 years. By modern standards, Ariel is maybe still a bit "classic" in her sensibilities, but in 1989 she was a breath of fresh air. This was the movie that launched the Disney Renaissance in animation and proved that Disney still had a lot to offer the medium that made the studio a household name.

It's easy to see why The Little Mermaid was so successful. Ariel is easy to love, the soundtrack is one of the best that Disney produced. The ending leaves a little something to be desired, though. Ariel doesn't really grow as a character in any meaningful way, but when you've fallen in love with her dream, it's hard to want her to get anything less.

6. Aladdin

Jasmine is an official Disney Princess, and so her movie will be on this list, even if the movie itself isn't truly about her. While Jasmine may not be the focus of the story, there's no denying that Aladdin is an excellent film.

You can't talk about Aladdin without talking about Robin Williams. His Genie is what makes Aladdin. Without question, this is the funniest movie on this list for him alone. On top of that, you have great music and an exciting adventure featuring a princess, combined into a near-perfect movie.

5. Sleeping Beauty

The third of Disney's classic princess movies shows everything that Disney had learned about animation up to that point in a near perfect way. The art style, which combines Art Deco elements and classic medieval art, gives Sleeping Beauty a look no other Disney film had before or has had since.

Aurora falls somewhat into the Snow White trap of mostly being the victim of a plot in which she takes no active part. The bickering fairies also have a tendency to be more annoying than entertaining. However, in the end, Sleeping Beauty does have one of the most memorable antagonists in film history, along with an action-packed finale and a truly beautiful look.

4. Mulan

Mulan is unique among the Disney Princesses because she's not technically a princess. She is neither of royal blood nor does she marry anybody who is. However, according to the rules of being a Disney Princess (yes there are rules for this), you can also become one if you perform an act of heroism and Mulan certainly did that.

Mulan is Disney's action-hero movie among the princess titles and that, along with its Chinese history, puts it in a class very much by itself. Mulan is possibly the most proactive princess of the lot which makes for a character that you truly root for. Eddie Murphy's comedic sidekick is no Genie, but he's truly funny. 

3. Frozen

Yes, we all know just how popular Frozen is. We've all heard "Let It Go" more times than we can count. The sheer volume of Frozen at Walt Disney World is difficult to fathom, But there's a reason for the film's insane popularity. It's actually that good.

In Frozen, Disney made a film that is both a welcome addition to its history of princess movies, while also making a conscious concession to the way those earlier films have become, a bit more complicated, over time. It's a perfect balancing act. There's a reason these princesses -- and yes, there are two -- were the first to ever get a full animated theatrical sequel.

2. Moana

In her movie, Moana claims she's not a princess, but Moana is the daughter of the chief, and that basically makes her a princess. Most fans would certainly agree.

As the modern Disney princess movies go, it's hard to beat Moana. The animation is absolutely beautiful. The movie's backgrounds are lush, the ocean feels as wide here as it does in reality. Moana as a character is more complex than your average princess, truly torn between her duties and her desires, making her more compelling, and her adventure is one of the most purely exciting. Add to that the best modern Disney soundtrack, and you have a big winner.

1. Beauty and the Beast

What else is there that can be said about the first animated feature to be nominated for Best Picture at the Academy Awards? The movie is near perfection. beautifully drawn using the best techniques of both traditional animation and computers, and some of the most memorable songs that Disney, a studio known for music as much as animation, ever created. There's a reason that the live-action remake was too scared to make too many changes to this one.

While the remake may not have changed much, there's no replacing the original. Belle has all the grace of a classic Disney Princess while having an energy and a drive that is unique to her. Beauty and the Beast is one of the greatest examples of hand-drawn animation ever, and the music is without equal. There's just no topping Beauty and the Beast.

Whether adored for their beauty, their romantic relationships, or their adventures, the Disney Princess is one of the most well-known and popular archetypes in fiction. Most of these characters are so old they're public domain, but the Disney version has largely replaced any other as the definitive version of these centuries-old characters.

With a Moana 2 movie on the way in the list of upcoming Disney movies, we have yet another Disney Princess movie on the horizon. But we know even that won’t be the last. There will be more Disney Princesses and we can only hope they will mean as much to us as those that came before. 

Over the past few years, conversation surrounding the filmmaking industry has evolved-- especially when it comes to on screen representation. Advocacy groups and moviegoers have been calling for more onscreen diversity and inclusion, allowing to see their experience shown to the masses. Disney has been producing a diverse set of animated features, with movies like Moana and The Princess and the Frog introducing princesses of color into the Disney catalogue. The latter starred Dreamgirls actress Anika Noni Rose as Princess Tiana-- a role she briefly reprise for the big Princess crossover in Ralph Breaks the Internet. But as footage was for the scene began being released, fans noticed Tiana's skin color appeared lighter, and her features (especially her nose) were made sharper. After Disney revealed the character would be reanimated for the movie, Rose finally spoke up about her thoughts, and how the situation went down from the inside. Check it out:

Well, this is interesting. It looks like Anika Noni Rose and those involved with the beloved Princess and the Frog movie noticed the physical changes made to Princess Tiana's appearance, and leapt into action to have it rectified. Disney seemed to be open to these conversation, and heard Rose and animator Mark Henn in order to fix Tiana's 3-D rendering.

As a reminder, you can check out a shot of Princess Tiana in Ralph Breaks the Internet below.

In her same Instagram post, Anika Noni Rose spoke to how Disney and the Ralph Breaks the Internet folks ultimately responded, including a presentation about how they were going to adjust Tiana appearance. Rose wrote:

While the Ralph Breaks the Internet may have offended some by changing Tiana's appearance in its first trailer, the issue was ultimately rectified before the animated blockbuster hit theaters. And if Anika Noni Rose's comments are to be believed, the studio is really trying to make things right.

Ralph Breaks the Internet will arrive in theaters on November 21, 2018. In the meantime, check out our 2018 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.

Walt Disney Animation Studios has existed for over 100 years and from day one it has been a global leader in animation. Disney has produced 62 feature films over the last century, many of which are still considered some of the greatest animated movies of all time. But which one is the best?

With the recent release of Moana 2, we take a fresh look at the history of Disney animation. Where does the studio's newest endeavor rank among the greats? Read on to find out.

63. Home On The Range (2004)

Home on the Range is a movie that there's a very good chance you forget even existed, and there's a reason for that. It's the single most forgettable Disney animated movie. It's an absolute shame that the one time Judi Dench lent her voice to a Disney film, it was this dull and lifeless story. The fact that she plays second fiddle to Roseanne Barr is all the more confusing. Barr's appearance might have made sense if this movie came out in 1992, but in 2004, it's far too late for anything in this film to be relevant.

62. The Black Cauldron (1985)

The Black Cauldron nearly single-handedly killed Disney animation, and that's just the beginning of this one. The story crams together details from several different fantasy novels, and it's clear, as the various bits and pieces of the movie feel crammed together with little to no connective tissue explaining anything that happens. It has a protagonist who is utterly unlikeable from start to finish and side characters that are actually worse. The film had such potential as a more mature Disney feature, and in another era, this would have been handled properly with an eye toward making this a franchise in its own right. Instead, we get an adventure made up of characters you'd never want to go on an adventure with in the first place.

61. The Aristocats (1970)

The Aristocats was the first feature released by the studio without Walt Disney and it shows. It's got quite possibly the most useless villain in Disney history, and that's a fatal flaw when you're talking about films that include some of the best villains in all of cinema. The plot, overall, is utterly nonsensical, with a butler who attempts to kill his employer's cats after he learns they will inherit her fortune before the butler does. Not that the employer expects to be dead anytime soon, making the whole thing bizarre. Frequent Disney voice actor Phil Harris has done better work for the company, and so has Eva Gabor, for that matter.

60. The Fox And The Hound (1981)

The Fox and the Hound isn't a bad movie, but if the idea were proposed today, there's no way it would get the green light. There just isn't enough of a story here. Disney has done small-scale stories before, but the emotional core of those is missing here. There just isn't enough to get a hold of and get invested in with The Fox and the Hound. No characters get fleshed out enough to become liked or hated, and that includes the characters in the title. It's a movie starring cute animals, and that's not nothing, but it's hardly enough.

59. Oliver And Company (1988)

While Disney was trying to find its way in the '80s, the studio released a version of Oliver Twist that saw the characters reimagined as animals in New York City. The premise isn't terrible, but the story gets so reimagined that little of the classic remains. Billy Joel’s inclusion as both the voice of Dodger and part of the ‘80s pop soundtrack is about all you need to know.. The movie desperately wants to be cool, and as is usually the case, when you try too hard, you end up having the opposite impact. There are some fun moments in Oliver and Company, but the film is mostly forgettable overall.

58. Chicken Little (2005)

Chicken Little was one of Disney's early forays into computer animation, and like a lot of animation from that era, it doesn’t hold up the way classically drawn animation does. The story that goes along with it has just enough of a plot to be considered a movie. Much like Oliver and Company, it tries far too hard to be hip, which, especially now, has the effect of dating the material terribly. There's a kernel of a good idea in here, as the first part of the movie focuses on a son trying desperately to be accepted by his father, and that part works, but that story is pretty much over by the midpoint and all you have left are the space aliens.

57. Dinosaur (2000)

Dinosaur was Disney's first foray into a computer-animated movie which opens with a fantastic sequence that sees a dinosaur egg get separated from its nest and go on a silent (except for the score) journey across a beautiful prehistoric Earth. It's quite stunning. And then characters start talking and it all goes to hell. While Dinosaur's animation is clearly dated, it holds up acceptably. What doesn't hold up is the story, which is essentially The Land Before Time, but with less interesting characters.

56. The Sword In The Stone (1963)

The Sword in the Stone is a strange film because one wonders why they bothered to make it a King Arthur story in the first place. The titular object only appears at the tail end of the story and instead, the film focuses on a teenage Arthur and Merlin running around as different animals in some sort of bizarre attempt at educating the future king. Outside of the final moments, this could have been a different story, and probably should have been. It's more like a collection of shorts than a cohesive story. The actor playing Arthur apparently went through puberty during recording as the character's voice changes from high pitched to low and back again throughout the film. Clearly, nobody was paying much attention to this movie.

55. Melody Time (1948)

During World War II, Disney Studios stopped producing the fairy tale films they were known for and instead focused on "package films," collections of shorter animations that were cheaper to produce during what was a lean time in America overall. Melody Time was one of the final films produced like this. While there's nothing wrong with any of the shorts in it — they're all fine — there aren't any that are of particular note either, which makes Melody Time really the least interesting of the package films. There's no cohesive narrative or even theme between the shorts and it feels even more thrown together than the rest of the collections.

54. Meet The Robinsons (2007)

A story that nobody was looking for based on a book that few were familiar with, Meet the Robinsons takes a simple idea from a children's picture book and expands on it to reach a theatrical length. The story we end up with, dealing with time travel, alternate timelines, and other such sci-fi elements — but in only the simplest possible way — feels utterly contrived and not nearly as creative as we know Disney can be. The entire movie feels like a set-up for a big reveal that is telegraphed from the beginning.

53. Brother Bear (2003)

Brother Bear features one of the most irritating Disney sidekicks in history, which is saying something. The heartfelt message at the center of the story is a worthy one, but every time the film gets close to building some real emotion, the Phil Collins soundtrack jumps in to steal all the thunder and kill any feeling that might have been building in the audience. If the music was particularly good that would be one thing, but when it plays over one of the most heartbreaking conversations ever in an animated film, hearing what the characters say could have made Brother Bear one of the all-time greats.

52. Ralph Breaks The Internet (2018)

Ralph Breaks The Internet works as a sort of inverse of Brother Bear. The movie has a solid ending that includes some really emotional moments and some important themes. Unfortunately, it takes a really long time to get there, and doesn’t seem quite sure what to do with itself while it's waiting. There are some great jokes, including a hilarious musical number and a great bit with all the Disney princesses brought together, but it’s such a product of its time, one wonders how long it will be relevant.

51. Make Mine Music (1946)

Make Mine Music was the first short collection released by Disney as a feature film. It's essentially Fantasia, by another name. One of the segments, Blue Bayou, was actually originally created for that film, but with all different sorts of music, not simply classical. There's no connective tissue between the shorts, which Fantasia has, which makes some of the jumps between them feel really disjointed. Shifting from the calm and peaceful Blue Bayou into All the Cats Join In (with music by the Benny Goodman Orchestra) could give you whiplash. Still, it does contain a couple of classics in Disney's version of Peter and the Wolf and Casey at the Bat.

50. Fun And Fancy Free (1947)

Fun and Fancy Free is another package film, only this one contains a pair of longer stories, rather than multiple shorts. First is Little Bear Bongo, about a circus bear that escapes to the wild and falls in love, and second is Mickey and the Beanstalk, about Mickey Mouse...and a beanstalk. It's one you've more than likely seen, though it's less likely you've seen the feature film version that includes narration from ventriloquist Edgar Bergen and his dummy Charlie McCarthy. If their style of humor works for you (and it does for this writer), it's actually pretty great.

49. The Rescuers (1977)

The Rescuers was one of those 1970s Disney films where it was clear the studio wasn't quite sure what to do with itself. The film sees a collection of mice who have made it their job to help out humans, including, in this case, a little orphan girl who has been kidnapped because she's small enough to fit down a hole where the remains of a treasure from a sunken ship can be found. Yeah, the plot is rough. Bob Newhart and Eva Gabor voice Bernard and Miss Bianca, our two rodent leads, and they work well together. Everyone working on this one must have done something right, as they got a sequel.

48. Hercules (1997)

This movie is a beautiful mess. Hercules is about finding your place in the world. Or perhaps it's a movie about the problems with celebrity culture? A classic “chosen one” hero's journey? Hercules doesn't know what it wants to be. Still, there is something oddly charming about everything in the film that isn't Danny DeVito. Amongst the film's issues, there are a couple of standout performances, including an all-time great villain in James Woods' Hades and female lead in Susan Egan's Megara, who will be forever criminally overlooked because she was in a movie that wasn't a smash.

47. Pocahontas (1995)

Once upon a time, Disney believed Pocahontas was the movie that would win the Animation Studio the coveted Best Picture Oscar. Needless to say, that didn't happen. It's clear from the beginning that Pocahontas wants to be something grand and important, but the execution of the idea never quite works. It's false equivalency of both Native Americans and European settlers as "savages" tries desperately to be insightful, but it's not. The music is also off-key, as there's almost nothing memorable about the soundtrack. It's a visually stunning film, but that's about all that makes Pocahontas special.

46. Strange World (2022)

The most recent Disney animated feature, as of this writing in June 2023, Strange World was certainly not one of the studio’s biggest hits. And while the movie does have a lot going for it, including colorful and inventive animation, and a story inspired by classic pulp adventure stories, there’s not a great deal of substance surrounding all that. It’s a fun movie, but not a great one.

45. The Three Caballeros (1944)

The Three Caballeros was the follow up to Saludos Amigos and another Disney package film. It's essentially a sequel to one of the shorts from Amigos (more on that in a moment) that sees Donald Duck receiving birthday gifts, that take the form of animated shorts, from friends in South America. The shorts are fine, and they at least have a related theme. But watching an animated duck lust after human women on a beach is just disconcerting, which is something that occurs multiple times throughout the film. You might learn something here, though, which is always worthwhile, as each short focuses on a different part of Central or South America.

44. Saludos Amigos (1942)

Saludos Amigos was the first Disney package film and it comes out the better for it. This is unique among these collections because in addition to the animated shorts, it includes a look at the animators who created them, in the form of documentary-style footage of Disney animators on a trip to Central and South America so that they can learn about the sorts of things they'll need to animate. This makes Amigos feel a bit more like a coherent feature than most of the other collections.

43. The Many Adventures Of Winnie The Pooh (1977)

As the title implies, The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh is more a collection of stories than a single film, though there is enough connective tissue to make this feel like a movie. The Heffalumps and Woozles bit is likely what most people remember, if only for the sheer bizarreness of the segment, and from a purely creative standpoint, it is the highlight of the film. Beyond that, we have classic segments like "Winnie the Pooh and the Blustery Day" and "Winnie the Pooh and the Honey Tree" that have become classics in their own right.

42. The Rescuers Down Under (1990)

The Rescuers Down Under is often overlooked in Disney's canon, as the film was a somewhat surprising sequel to a movie that was a favorite to very few. It exceeds its predecessor by virtue of being beautifully animated, something that can't really be as easily said of the original. The film's setting of the Australian outback is something that's lovely to look at. While the story itself is about on par with the original, this movie does have the benefit of George C. Scott voicing a Disney villain, which means it can't be all bad.

41. The Jungle Book (1967)

The Jungle Book was the last animated Disney feature that Walt was involved with before his death. The movie started a sort of trilogy (which includes the Aristocats and Robin Hood) of animal-focused stories with a similar stable of voice actors and the use of a significant musical act in one of the voice roles. In this case, it was Louie Prima as King Louie. The Jungle Book is a solid story, and the film actually has one of the better soundtracks, as many Disney musicals are lucky to have a single breakout song, and The Jungle Book has three (Bear Necessities, I Wanna Be Like You, and Trust in Me) that have gone down in history.

40. Winnie The Pooh (2011)

The second Winnie the Pooh movie probably wasn't what people were expecting from Disney in 2011, which explains why it wasn't particularly successful, but the film is actually solid. It's silly, to be sure, with the entire plot revolving around a simple misunderstanding of language, but the silliness is part of the charm of Winnie the Pooh as a character, and the more recent film still captures this near perfectly. Add in a perfectly cast John Cleese as the narrator and the songwriting team behind Frozen all before we knew what "Let it Go" was, and this one is worth going back to see.

39. Atlantis: The Lost Empire (2001)

Atlantis: The Lost Empire was an obvious attempt to try something very new, as the art style and the more action-adventure focus of the plot was not what the studio had been known for up to that point. The film's performance made it clear that this wasn't what audiences were looking for from Disney, but the film makes for an enjoyable enough pulp adventure in its own right. The action works in what is essentially Disney's version of an Indiana Jones movie, and one that's better than Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.

38. Bolt (2008)

Bolt's premise is one of the odder ones here. A dog is the star of a TV show, but doesn't know that he doesn't really have superpowers. It's a silly set up, but the movie itself is really just a road trip with a handful of entertaining characters. While it doesn't quite reach the level of some of Disney's more recent films, there's more fun to be had here than you'd expect at first, and it's got surprising heart considering its off-the-wall setup.

37. The Adventures Of Ichabod And Mr. Toad (1949)

The best of Disney's package films is clearly The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad. The movie combines two stories, The Legend of Sleepy Hollow and The Wind in the Willows. While this is clearly two separate stories crammed together, they work remarkably well as a unit, with the first being mostly upbeat, with surprising moments of darkness, and the latter being mostly dark with some surprising humor. The fact that the films contain two of the most famous voices ever, Basil Rathbone and Bing Crosby, certainly doesn't hurt. Each of these stories is a classic in its own right; together they're a joy.

36. Robin Hood (1973)

Disney in the 1970s was going through a bit of a rough patch, and the movies were not, overall, fantastic, but there's fun to be had with Robin Hood, even if a lot of the film's animation was recycled from The Jungle Book. This is the classic version of the tale, where Robin robs Prince John to give to the poor, only with animals playing the parts of the leads. Think of this as a prequel to Zootopia, as Robin Hood was a large part of the inspiration for the movie that came 40 years later.

35. Moana 2

Moana 2 is the rare Disney sequel that has allowed its main character to grow between films. Disney's animation has also grown, as the movie has some of the most beautiful scenes we've ever seen from Walt Disney Animation Studio. Unfortunately, without Lin-Manuel Miranda, the movie's music suffers and the story, which was originally written as a TV series, has not survived the transition to a theatrical presentation well.

34. Treasure Planet (2002)

Treasure Planet is famous for being Disney's biggest animated flop. The movie was a failure as soon as it came out and Disney never tried to make it more than that. This is too bad because the movie isn't nearly as bad as its box office would imply. It has issues, sure. The Martin Short-voiced sidekick is one of the most annoying in the history of Disney, and little interesting is done with the Treasure Island-based plot, but the sci-fi animation is something different and unique for Disney and fans of swashbuckling adventure could certainly do worse.

33. Dumbo (1941)

Dumbo is a unique film in many ways, not the least of which is that the title character has no voice actor. This fact makes Dumbo one of the most sympathetic characters in all of Disney animation, he has a minimal character of his own, and the audience is forced to interpret his experience themselves. While the film is fairly short (barely over 70 minutes) in that time we see some creative animation in the form of the Pink Elephants on parade, as well as what might be the first of many truly tear-jerking Disney moments in "Baby Mine." Dumbo isn't without problems, however. "The Song of the Roustabouts" has not aged well and is more than a little uncomfortable to listen to today.

32. Fantasia 2000 (2000)

Fantasia was supposed to be a regular occurrence, being released in theaters every few years with minor changes each time. Unfortunately, the original film's overall lack of success prevented this from happening until the turn of the millennium. However, Fantasia 2000's failure means we're unlikely to see another, even though a new Fantasia has the potential to be amazing. The animated sequences are more hit or miss than the original, and the interstitial bits with celebrities doing the introductions are absolutely unbearable, even though some great talent is involved. Still, at its best moments, such as "Pines of Rome" and "The Firebird," it is everything great about Disney animation.

31. Alice In Wonderland (1951)

A lot of the early Disney features feel more like a series of loosely connected shorts than a single story. This is the case with Alice in Wonderland, though the idea works by virtue of the fact that the source material is little more than Alice stumbling into one bizarre situation after another. Walt Disney wanted to be sure that the "nonsense" of Lewis Carrol's original story was properly captured, and it's difficult to argue he didn't succeed. The movie is weird but in a good way.

30. The Emperor's New Groove (2000)

The Emperor's New Groove was originally going to be a very different movie and one wonders what things would have been like if the original version had come to be. Instead, we got what turned out to be Disney's most comedic animated film to date. Everything from the premise to the tone feels less like a Disney movie and more like screwball body swap comedy. The comedy duo of David Spade and John Goodman make it work, although the supporting performances of Eartha Kitt and Patrick Warburton are what put it over the top.

29. Tarzan (1999)

Disney often gets criticized for Disney-fying classic fairy tales, but the same is also true of the studio's version of Tarzan. The original text is... problematic. In many ways. But the animated version skirts those issues for a much more family-friendly adventure. The combination of hand-drawn and computer animation gives the action a life it likely would not have had otherwise and foreshadowed some of the computer-animated films to come. The Phil Collins soundtrack is used here to enhance the story rather than hinder it, as it did in Brother Bear.

28. The Great Mouse Detective (1986)

The Great Mouse Detective isn't the beginning of the Disney Renaissance, but it is the movie that allowed that rebirth to happen. Two of the film’s directors, John Musker and Ron Clements, were able to use their modest success here to get the job directing The Little Mermaid, and the rest is history. And, we do see the beginning of something magical here, as the first use of computers by Disney animation makes the Big Ben finale something special. Also, Vincent Price's turn as the villain is exactly as deliciously fun and you'd expect it to be.

27. Wish (2023)

A movie in the grand Disney tradition. A strong and determined heroine for a new generation, combined with a diabolical villain and absolutely beautiful animation come together to tell a story that, while it may not be anything new for Disney, hits all the familiar beats in a satisfying way. It's difficult not to get swept up in the adventure, or the catchy music.

26. Big Hero 6 (2014)

Comic book movies are more popular than they've ever been, and with Disney owning Marvel, it was only a matter of time before we got a superhero movie from the studio. Surprisingly, what we got was the little known, manga-inspired Big Hero 6. As a superhero origin story it's an acceptable enough movie. Unfortunately, it seems designed to give us sequels that we'll likely never get on the big screen. Most of the six heroes are little more than set dressing, which is too bad, because what we get of them seems more interesting than the main character, Hiro. Luckily, Scott Adsit's Baymax is there to save the day and make the movie an overall solid experience.

25. Raya And The Last Dragon (2021)

Raya and the Last Dragon was a movie that was swallowed, and largely forgotten thanks to the global pandemic, which is a crime, because it’s, without question, one of Disney’s best efforts. Raya has some of the best action animation this side of the Spider-Verse. It’s the only animated Disney film you could also class as a pure action movie, and it’s a title the film absolutely deserves.

24. Wreck-It Ralph (2012)

Quite possibly the most modern Disney film, since everything takes place within the world of video games, Disney successfully made one of the best "video game movies" of all time with Wreck-It Ralph, mostly because it's not actually based on a real game. Each world we visit in the film is uniquely designed, from the 8-bit aesthetic of Fix-it Felix Jr to the bright and colorful, and far more modern, Sugar Rush. It makes you wish you could fire up your game console to play these games for real. John C. Reilly is the perfect voice for an oversized bad guy unhappy with his place in his world.

23. Cinderella (1950)

As one of the classic Disney princesses, Cinderella has a place among true Disney, well, royalty. Having said that, the film that brought her to life is a bit of a mixed bag. Much has been made about the fact that the princesses weren't necessarily the greatest characters when it came to depth or agency. The issue with Cinderella is that these problems probably could have been avoided if the feature didn't dedicate a significant portion of its runtime to the mice and the cat, meaning Cinderella is less of a lead character in her own movie. It's not the first time side characters will get too much exposure in Disney films, but it may be the most disappointing.

22. Frozen II (2019)

It was little surprise to anybody that the global blockbuster that was Frozen became one of the few Disney animated movies to get a sequel. And, it has to be said, in a lot of ways Frozen II meets the challenge. The plot is certainly the weak link, acting mostly as a delivery mechanism for the songs and the characters’ emotional journeys, but the songs are incredible and every character, from Elsa and Anna, to Kristof and even Olaf, go on incredibly emotional journeys. It’s rare to see an animated film handle so many characters so well.

21. Tangled (2010)

Tangled has a more pop-focused soundtrack that might not work for everybody, but it's got some fantastic music overall, including one of Disney's most underrated love songs in "I See the Light." It also showed how far Disney's computer animation had come at the time. Rapunzel's hair is a character unto itself, and the animation to bring it to life was no small task. Rapunzel's childlike innocence is infectious and it carries you through to the end. Tangled also has some of the best action sequences ever put on screen by Disney animation, and a villain who is unique in her ability to mentally manipulate, rather than physically intimidate.

20. Peter Pan (1953)

While Peter Pan is one of Disney's most iconic characters, the movie doesn't actually hold up as well as some of the studio's other classic stories. The use of the Native Americans generally, and their musical moment specifically, is one that hasn't aged well. The movie seems to assume you know the story of Pan already as it doesn't build any of the characters beyond the surface level. It's also not entirely clear who this movie is about. Is it about Peter, or is it about Wendy? Peter Pan is still a classic and kids will love it for generations, though there's not as much there for older children.

19. Zootopia (2016)

Leave it to Disney, somewhere among all the musicals and princess movies, to create one of the most compelling stories about the importance of diversity and acceptance that has been put on film. Zootopia may be one of the newer Disney animated films, but it has everything that makes them great. Strong characters, a compelling and fun story, and a message that is important to all audiences. It's as great a buddy cop movie as it is a parable, and the world has continued to provide more stories, as we’ve seen a series of Disney+ Zootopia shorts, and Zootopia 2 is also on the way.

18. Aladdin (1992)

There's not a lot to say about Aladdin that doesn't focus on the revolutionary performance of Robin William as the Genie. The comedian absolutely changed the way that voice acting talent is handled for all animated films. Only in an animated movie could Williams' rapid-fire, non-stop delivery truly come alive, as anything he could do, animators could draw. If that was all the movie had, however, Aladdin would be little more than a footnote, but it also includes a fantastic soundtrack by Alan Menken and Howard Ashman, which makes it a truly beautiful experience.

17. 101 Dalmatians (1961)

Cruella de Vil may not be one of Disney's biggest villains, but her name is well known and with good reason. She steals every scene she's in in 101 Dalmatians. She's like a smaller scale Maleficent, as she's pure evil, but for no explained reason. Often this is an issue, but De Vil is so delicious that you find yourself charmed by her. The same can be said for the film as a whole, as 101 Dalmatians is undeniably charming. So many of Disney's films focus on animals as the protagonists, but this is one of the best.

16. Lilo & Stitch (2002)

While one of the title characters in Lilo & Stitch is a space alien, the film itself may be the most grounded in Disney's history. Music is important to the story, but it isn't a musical. The plot focuses on a pair of sisters who are just trying to get through life following the death of their parents. It's a heartfelt and emotional journey and one that many may have missed if they judged the movie by its marketing. Stitch is fine, but Lilo is who the movie is really about, and her story is a worthy one. This is when a smaller, more personal story from the studio really works.

15. Mulan (1998)

Mulan is a unique Disney film in many ways. It deals with an eastern myth rather than a western one, the heroine is the most proactive in Disney's history to this point in time, and while the film does include a romantic element, it’s not the driving force of the story. Disney had to change their own rules in order to include Mulan in the class of "Disney Princesses" and it's no wonder, because the character resonated with so many. This is their fighting princess, and Mulan will always be embraced if for that reason alone.

14. The Princess And The Frog (2009)

The final Disney Princess feature that consisted of hand-drawn animation, The Princess and the Frog, wasn't a massive hit when it debuted in theaters, which is too bad, because the film is actually pretty impressive. It balances dark elements with slapstick humor well. It's got a fantastic jazz soundtrack, and it's got one of Disney's most unique heroines. Maybe this is why the movie is finally getting a Disneyland ride. Tiana is a working-class woman chasing a simple dream. She's not looking for a prince; she wants to open her own business. Her simple goals could have been what turned some people off, but that's actually what makes the character, and the movie, special.

13. Encanto (2021)

What is there to say about Encanto that has not been said. It’s got an incredible cast of characters who are brought to life thanks to one of the most incredible soundtracks ever put on screen. But Mirabel’s story clearly touched people on a personal level. It’s that heart that makes Disney movies truly special, and this one wears it on its sleeve.

12. Frozen (2013)

There's a reason that Frozen became so insanely popular and it is, quite simply, that the movie is just that good. Also, "Let it Go" is just that great a song. The way it turns the traditional Disney princess tropes on their head without losing the underlying magic is perfect. Even the sidekick snowman is legitimately funny, something that could have gone drastically wrong in so many ways. Frozen doesn't break every mold, but it does fracture several, and it was a hint at what was to come with some of Disney's future movies.

11. The Little Mermaid (1989)

The Little Mermaid is the movie that ushered in Disney's Renaissance in the 1990s, which means it has a place in film history forever. The team of Howard Ashman and Alan Menken brought Broadway to these movies in a way we had never seen before, and the influence of Ashman that began with The Little Mermaid is still felt in Disney musicals today. It’s beautifully animated and it has one of the absolute best Disney soundtracks ever created.

10. The Lion King (1994)

The Lion King is one of the most successful Disney animated films of all time. It's got a great villain, and a great villain song in Scar's "Be Prepared," and "Hakuna Matata" is one of those songs that gets stuck in your head, no matter how much you wish it would not. It's also got one of the most epic Disney openings of all time, which carries it through for quite a long way. It's got heartbreaking loss and heroic redemption. Disney didn't expect The Lion King to be the hit that it was, which just goes to show that sometimes they don't even know how good they can be.

9. The Hunchback Of Notre Dame (1996)

The Hunchback of Notre Dame is three gargoyles away from being a perfect film, which is to say that if the three gargoyles weren't in it, it would be fantastic. Hunchback is the most mature film created by Disney animation. It's dark and violent, and deals with very adult themes. It's only when the comic relief shows up that things fall apart; the tone shift will give you whiplash. It's clear they were added to make the movie more kid-friendly, and it makes you wonder what could have been if they had just made a movie for an older audience. It's almost unbelievable that Disney actually made The Hunchback of Notre Dame, but thank god they did.

8. Lady And The Tramp (1955)

Lady and the Tramp doesn't get a great deal of time or attention in the grand scheme of Disney movies, but it's actually a remarkably solid film. Everything about it is lovely. It's beautifully animated entirely from a pet's point of view, and we rarely see humans above the knees. The characters are charming and the relationship between the titular leads is just one of the sweetest created by Disney. The Siamese Cat song, like many aspects of Disney, influenced by stereotypes and hits a sour note, but the characters exit the film as quickly as they enter and what’s left is surprisingly emotional.

7. Moana (2016)

Moana does so many things so well. It's beautifully animated, and has one of the best soundtracks of any Disney musical. In large part, this is due to the way that the film embraced Polynesian culture in its story and its music. Dwayne Johnson's turn as Maui wasn't music to the ears of everybody, but there's little argument that his performance of "You're Welcome" became the ear-worm of the film that many couldn't stop singing. It's got great action and the lead character is a much more nuanced and complex heroine than any that came before. Moana is a modern classic. It’s little surprise Disney is moving so fast to remake Moana in live-action.

6. Snow White And The Seven Dwarfs (1937)

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs made history when the film debuted at the end of 1937. Disney's first feature-length animated movie is every bit as special today as it was back then. With a modern eye, there are clearly elements that don't work as well as they could, like the story seemingly starting in the middle with a lot of text exposition rather than actually giving us character development, making Snow White less fleshed out than you'd like. However, as the template from which everything was built, it needs to receive its due.

5. Bambi (1942)

Disney has made countless films with animals as the primary characters, but usually, they're stylized and drawn in creative ways so they feel more like people. Bambi feels like you might be truly looking in on real animals in a forest. The movie will always be known for one scene alone, as the death of Bambi's mother is one of the most heartbreaking moments in film history, leading generations of children to tears. Everything else about it is equally beautiful, and this film deserves its place in film history.

4. Pinocchio (1940)

Disney's second feature holds up remarkably well to a modern viewing. It's got a compelling and emotional story, memorable songs (including the one that went on to become the theme song for all of Disney), and great characters. In many ways, Pinocchio could be made today, and it's unlikely a great deal would even change. Jiminy Cricket, with his one-liners and audience asides, feels like an inspiration for Robin Williams’ Genie decades later. Pinocchio has everything you'd expect from a Disney animated feature today, which makes the fact that it was only the studio's second film remarkable.

3. Sleeping Beauty (1959)

Of all the early Disney Princess movies, Sleeping Beauty is by far the standout. Both Aurora and Prince Philip are actual characters, and while the film's brief runtime doesn't exactly let them breathe as much as you might like, we at least get to know them. It also has one of the greatest, if not the greatest, of Disney's villains in Maleficent. Sleeping Beauty was, in many ways, the end of an era for Disney, as we didn't see another storybook princess movie for 40 years. Everything the fimmakers had learned was on display here.

2. Beauty And The Beast (1991)

If Sleeping Beauty was the culmination of Disney's first great era, Beauty and the Beast was the result of an additional four decades of learning how to tell stories. There's a reason this became the first animated film nominated for a Best Picture Oscar. The characters feel more real than any that have come before, and the music is absolute perfection. Hand drawn animation assisted with computers has also been taken to a new level here, making the classic ballroom scene a moment that nobody will forget.

1. Fantasia (1940)

Fantasia was a financial bomb when it was first released, but over the decades the film has come to be appreciated for the artistic achievement that it is. Animation is put together with music in a way that elevates both art forms. This was the movie that made it clear that cartoons weren't simply for kids. While it may not be a film with a narrative or deep characters, it shows Disney animation at its absolute greatest, and it doesn't lack an emotional punch, as the best music, as well as the best animation, can always make you feel something.

With Zootopia 2, Frozen 3, and an as-yet-unnamed original animated story on the slate of upcoming Disney movies, there is a lot to look forward to when it comes to the future of Disney animation. Time will tell where these endeavors fit among the best films of all time.

While Disney is having massive film success these days thanks to superheroes and Jedi, they owe a lot of their ability to provide those movies to the success of the succession of Disney Princess movies that came before. Now, a few of them are coming back to theaters. Today Disney and AMC Theaters have announced a limited engagement that will see five great Disney Princess movies come back to the screen. Beginning September 15 and running until October 19, you'll have a chance to see Beauty and the Beast, Mulan, Tangled, The Princess and the Frog, and Brave.

If you're a Disney fan then you may have seen a collection of online videos and other promotional material from Disney since last year that carried the tagline "Dream big, princess." Now, the idea has spawned the Dream Big, Princess marathon which will bring five classic Disney Princesses back to the screen. Tickets are now on sale for all five films at select AMC theaters around the country. Each movie will be in theaters for a week, with two showings per day. Beauty and the Beast will run September 15-21, Mulan will screen September 22-28, Tangled will be available September 29-October 5, The Princess and the Frog runs October 6-12, and finally you can see Brave October 13-19. Each film will screen at 2:00 PM and 6:00 PM each day.

In addition to the screenings at AMC Theaters, there will also be a slightly smaller version of the marathon screening at Disney's El Capitan Theater in Southern California. That marathon will not include Beauty and the Beast or Mulan, but it will add Moana. The dates are also slightly different.

Needless to say, if you're a fan of any one of these movies, never mind all of them, this is a great marathon. The most recent movie in the AMC marathon, Brave, is five years old so it's been at least that long since most people have seen it on the big screen. Everything else has been out of circulation even longer. If the recent live-action version of Beauty and the Beast made you long to see the original on the big screen again, this is your chance to do so. Want to check out Mulan again before that movie gets the live-action treatment as well? Now you have a chance.

Though not every AMC theater will be running the marathon, AMC is one of the larger theater chains in the country there's a good chance there's one close to you. Although, this writer would have to travel about 60 miles to see the films, which doesn't mean that won't happen, at least to see Tangled again on the big screen. If there was an all-day marathon of all five movies, it would be a done deal.

Disney has an extensive back catalog so hopefully, this will be the first of many more re-releases. There's a lot that would be nice to see back on a movie screen again.

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One of the things that has made Disney animation great is the multitude of fantastic villains the studio has created over the years. Of course, the reason it's wonderful to have a great villain is that it's incredibly satisfying to see them defeated. Disney villains always lose, but sometimes they aren't simply beaten. Sometimes they're straight up killed.

Sometimes they're bested in a fight, sometimes their own hubris leads to their defeat, but regardless of how it happens, it can still be incredibly satisfying to see them killed. Here are 10 times that it felt good to see an animated bad guy die in a Disney flick.

10. Ursula

Ursula from The Little Mermaid is one of the great Disney villains. She's deliciously evil to the point of being fun. In fact, she's so much fun that we almost hate to see her die, but the way she dies is so great that it needed to be included here. After taking King Triton's power, Ursula makes herself a massive creature to show off that she's the new ruler of the sea. Unfortunately, this just makes her a bigger target for Eric, who expertly pilots a ship through stormy seas to impale her with the bow.

9. Scar

Scar kills his brother and convinces his nephew that the child is responsible for the death, driving him away from his home. Scar is a grade-A asshole. His death is also one of the all-time best. Simba throws him off of Pride Rock, and while that would be enough to kill many Disney villains, Scar survives the fall, only to find himself surrounded by angry jackals. We see the terror in his eyes as he realizes what's about to happen to him. We only see the death in shadow, but that's all we need. We don't need to see the viciousness of the attack, it can't beat our imagination.

8. Sykes

Oliver & Company is not one of Disney's crowning achievements. However, it does have an utterly despicable villain in Sykes, a man who resorts to kidnapping and ransom of a small child as a way to make money. He's certainly a guy who needs to receive his comeuppance, and man does he. In one of the most brutal Disney villain deaths of all time, Sykes is run down by a damn train. Most Disney villains still had enough of their body left to give them a proper funeral. Sykes, however, is likely obliterated.

7. Lyle T. Rourke

Lyle T. Rourke is not the most famous Disney villain. Atlantis: The Lost Empire is probably not the favorite film of many Disney fans. Still, Rourke is a significant villain, mainly because we spend most of the movie believing him to be on our team of heroes before he stabs them (and us) in the back. This turncoat behavior is justifiably punished after our hero Milo scratches him with a shard of the Atlantian relic that turns him into a crystalline creature before he gets shattered into pieces by the propeller on his hot air balloon.

6. Maleficent

Maleficent is pure evil and is quite possibly the greatest Disney villain of all time. With evil that great, you almost can't help but have the death be equally great, and Sleeping Beauty does not disappoint. With the help of a little fairy magic, Prince Philip lets his sword fly and he stabs the dragon in the chest. She takes one final lunge at the hero, but only succeeds in plummeting to her doom. It's one of the few times that a hero actively causes the death of a villain, but it's the only way that Maleficent could possibly go down.

5. Frollo

While The Hunchback of Notre Dame came out while the Disney Renaissance was coming to a close, there's a lot to love about this movie. Frollo is an absolutely diabolical villain in what is actually one of Disney's darkest films ever. His death is no less twisted. Once again, we have the standard "fall from great heights" death, but this one happens into a pool of molten lead. It's an absolutely awful way to die, but it's hard to say that it's not a just way for this villain to meet his end.

4. Dr. Facilier

The Princess and the Frog is an overlooked gem of a movie. One of the reasons it turned out to be a great movie was Keith David's Dr. Facilier, aka Shadowman. Without a doubt the smoothest Disney villain ever. He's got a rock-solid Disney song and an equally satisfying death. After losing control of the forces of magic that have given him all his power, he falls victim to them. They overwhelm him and take hold of him, then proceed to drag him, literally kicking and screaming, into their word, where one assumes things will not be pleasant. Bye Shadowman, have a nice trip.

3. Shan Yu

Shan Yu doesn't get an awful lot of screen time in Mulan which limits his effectiveness as a villain overall. However, this is made up for by making him one of the most physically imposing villains ever. This makes the finale, where Mulan not only outsmarts him but out fights him, an incredibly satisfying battle. Their brief rooftop fight ends when Mushu, strapped to a large firework, sends himself flying at Shan Yu. Mushu stops, Shan Yu keeps going, and the villain is sent crashing into even more fireworks, leading to his end in an epic explosion.

2. The Evil Queen

Disney's Evil Queen from Snow White is the prototype for all Disney villains that followed her. She also started the trend of having Disney villains die by falling extreme distances. However, this one gets bonus points because, in addition to the Queen falling to her doom off a mountain top, the rock that she's trying to dislodge in order to smash the seven dwarves follows her off the cliff, implying that she was squashed shortly after she hit the ground. Even if she somehow survived the fall, the rock certainly finished the job.

1. Clayton

Disney's Tarzan is a solid movie although it likely won't be on most peoples' lists of the best ever. It's villain, the hunter Clayton, isn't nearly as evil as some, though he has no problem hunting and killing for no other reason than his own enjoyment of it. However, if he had known how he would meet his end, he likely would have stayed home. Clayton looks like he's going to meet his demise the same way many do in Disney movies, by falling from a great height following a battle with Tarzan. Except that Clayton falls among a collection of vines which get tangled around his neck as he falls, resulting in them becoming a makeshift noose around his neck. He would have kept falling had the vines not stopped short of the ground. We even get to see him hanging there, though only in shadow. Brutal.

Over its history, Disney animation has gone in cycles. You have high points, like the classic era that brought us Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs and Pinocchio, and the Disney Renaissance that delivered Beauty and the Beast and The Lion King. With the recent success that Disney is having with movies like Frozen, Wreck-It Ralph, and currently with Zootopia, it feels like we may be going through another strong period of quality Disney animation.

But what about those eras in between? If Disney has high points, that means it also has lows. However, not everything that Disney made in those down stretches is truly bad. When you’ve been making animated features for the better part of a century, even your lesser quality work is better than most attempts. In that spirit, here are ten Disney animated movies that you should give a second look. Or possibly a first.

The Emperor's New Groove

We’ll start off with one of the most unique films that Disney ever produced. There may not be a movie in Disney’s history that relies so completely on humor as The Emperor’s New Groove. Ultimately, the entire feature is a standard buddy comedy, with John Goodman playing the straight man, peasant Pacha, to David Spade’s self-centered Emperor Kuzco. The true highlight is the other pairing, however, with Patrick Warburton as the dim-witted Krunk, side kick to the delightfully evil Yzma, voiced by the perfectly cast Eartha Kitt. Disney movies always have some humor, but you’d rarely classify one as a straight comedy, though this one you certainly would.

The Rescuers Down Under

Disney put itself back on the map in 1989 with the instant classic The Little Mermaid. Then they put Hollywood notice when Beauty and the Beast was nominated for Best Picture in 1991. And you probably completely forgot that Disney released a movie in between. IfThe Rescuers seems like a strange choice for one of Disney’s few theatrical sequels, that's because it is a very curious one. Still, this movie delivers. It has some of the most visually stunning hand drawn animation that Disney has ever produced. The flight sequences are breathtaking. And, of course, it also has Bob Newhart and Eva Gabor, in her last film role.

Bolt

Bolt was the first directorial effort by Zootopia co-director Byron Howard, and was probably the first step toward getting Disney back to its current level of greatness. It was the first Disney feature completely under the guidance of John Lasseter, who can be given much of the credit for Disney's recent success. John Travolta voices Bolt, a dog who doesn’t realize he’s the star of a TV show and not actually a superhero. A pre-tabloid-mainstay Miley Cyrus plays Bolt’s owner, Penny. Bolt has some fantastic action sequences and some real heart. It’s also Disney’s best computer animation up to this point. Buying Pixar two years previously probably didn’t hurt.

Fantasia 2000

When Walt Disney released the first Fantasia back in 1940, it was supposed to be the first in a regular occurrence. New Fantasia’s were going to come out every few years, all featuring fresh animation and music. Unfortunately, the first one bombed pretty hard, so it would be 60 years before we saw Fantasia 2000. Unfortunately, it bombed too, so here’s hoping I live long enough to see Fantasia 2060. Much as the original is now considered a classic, the sequel should be too. The interstitial bits with celebrities doing introductions can be excised, but the music and the animation are a wonder to behold. Especially the "Pines of Rome" and "The Firebird."

The Princess And The Frog

Generally speaking "overlooked" is not a word that is used when describing a Disney musical starring a princess. However, The Princess and the Frog is the definition of overlooked. After four computer animated features, Disney went back to their classic hand drawn style with The Princess and the Frog in 2009. For whatever reason, the movie did not resonate with audiences and eventually convinced Disney that people didn’t want this style of animation anymore. It’s unfortunate if that’s the case. The movie has a fantastic New Orleans jazz inspired soundtrack which is worth watching the movie just to hear. Tiana is also one of the hardest working Disney Princesses ever and deserves her place among her better remembered sisters.

Atlantis: The Lost Empire

Six months after Disney tried their hand a straightforward comedy with The Emperor’s New Groove they would try their hand at a pulp action-adventure tale with Atlantis: The Lost Empire. This movie, along with Treasure Planet, which followed suit a year later, changed up the art style quite a bit and went for something with much more of an edge. Atlantis is a fun story that feels like Disney’s take on Indiana Jones, plus it has the voice talents of Michael J. Fox, as well as James Garner in one of his few roles playing (spoiler alert) the bad guy.

Meet The Robinsons

If Bolt was the beginning of Disney’s latest resurgence, then Meet the Robinsons has the dubious distinction of being the end of whatever era came before. It’s too bad, too, because It’s a fun little movie. The time travel narrative has an interesting story to tell that should make you think. The cast of characters is vast, and each one is entertaining in their own right. The computer animation is a little rough by today’s standards, but call it an educational moment and an illustration of just how far we’ve come. While you’re there, enjoy the Danny Elfman score.

The Great Mouse Detective

Two Words: Vincent Price. If there’s no other reason to see The Great Mouse Detective (and there are a number of them) Vincent Price as the villain, Ratigan, is worth it all by himself. You can hear the smile on the man’s face with every evil line he reads. It’s glorious. The Great Mouse Detective follows Basil of Baker Street, the mouse version of Sherlock Holmes, as he attempts to solve a case in Victorian London. Holmes himself makes a brief appearance via some pre-recorded Basil Rathbone dialogue. It’s an exciting film that also includes a great climactic scene set in the inner workings of Big Ben, which showcases Disney’s first ever use of a computer to do animation. Not bad for 1986.

Tarzan

If there’s a perfect combination of hand drawn animation with computer effects, it may very well be Tarzan. Disney’s 1999 take on the classic story of a man raised by gorillas is still primarily done in a hand drawn style, though it includes action sequences, such as Tarzan’s movement through the jungle, which are greatly aided by the use of computers. Tarzan also sets itself apart from most of the rest of Disney’s work by being a fairly dark affair. People die in Tarzan and, while it doesn’t happen on screen, it’s not sugar coated either. It’s more than a little shocking if you don’t expect it. You’ve been warned.

The Sword In The Stone

It wouldn’t be right if we didn’t take a look back into Disney’s deep catalog for at least one entry. For that one, we’ll take The Sword in the Stone. It had been four years since Sleeping Beauty, and it would be 25 before The Little Mermaid. While the narrative of The Sword in the Stone is a little slap dash, it deals with interesting ideas and has solid animation which is showcased well. Ultimately, it’s worth seeing if only for the wizard battle between Merlin and Mad Madam Mim near the end of the film. It’s the highlight of the movie's humor and shows off the skill of the animators.

Thing all of those animated Disney princes are the ultimate dream-come-true for any single gal? Think again. The video below depicts classic Disney prince characters as they might be presented in our reality. In short: with a lot of baggage and some serious quirkiness... to put it mildly:

BuzzFeed shared the above video, which takes one single lady and puts her in the company of a number of eligible Disney princes. After a series of really weird dates, this princess is taking a page out of Elsa's book in going her own way, because "being single never bothered me anyway."

In addition to offering live-action portrayals of classic Disney princes, the video also includes dating profiles for each of the eligible bachelors. Let's appreciate the attention to detail here by taking a closer look at them, and and add some commentary on how these dates went. It all begins with Cinderella's Prince Charming...

He's the kind of guy whose dad throws him a party so he can meet the (rich and beautiful) woman of his dreams. But this Cinderella's quick to make an excuse and bolt, leaving one soon-to-be Instagrammed photo behind.

And then there's Florian...

As it turns out, he's kind of creepy as he seems really eager to kiss Snow White when he thinks she's dead. Fortunately for Snow White, she's got a cell phone full of texts from seven other guys. 26 messages from sneezy? Either he's a bit over possessive or more than likely, frequent sneezing makes for a lot of accidental text-sends.

Moving on to Beauty and the Beast's Adam...

This Beast needs his space. Stay out of the bedroom, and don't mind the fact that he sometimes talks to a candle. The all-caps in his profile should be a big red flag that this guy likes to yell.

Next up, Prince Eric of The Little Mermaid...

I don't know, he seems way more familiar with and interested in his dog than he is his supposed girlfriend.

What's the problem with The Princess and the Frog's Naveen?

He just wants to work on his music. Naveen has an easier time pleasing the admirers sitting nearby than he does impressing the girl. (But he earns points in my book for the Salt-n-Pepa nod in his profile.)

Next up, there's Aladdin - aka Ali...

Ok, he's a compulsive liar who sometimes plunders, but he puts on a good show, and not a lot of guys can pull off the open-cardigan shirtless look. He loses points by making "cave of wonder" sound like it means something else.

Mulan's Shang wraps it up...

Let's get down to business here, because what girl doesn't want a guy to make a man out of her? Guess not.

Welcome back to FlixWorthy, your guide to Netflix streaming! Yet again we're bringing you a handful of new or notable selections from Netflix's Instant Watch catalogue. Some will be classics, some will be little-seen gems, some will be shows you might have missed, and some...some will be crap so awful they simply has to be seen to be believed. Here's what's FlixWorthy this week, kids.

Hobo with a Shotgun

(2011, Not Rated, 86 min., HD)

The whole grindhouse renaissance has been sort of a strange phenomenon when you think about it. Filmmakers who fell in love with shitty to semi-shitty moves in their youth are making new movies in the same style, intentionally imitating the piss-poor budgets, paper-thin characters, and ridiculously over-the-top violence that had relegated the genre to a historical footnote in the first place. Then again, where else can you watch Danny Trejo rappel down the side of a building using a guy's intestines? (Aside from Danny Trejo's house parties, where I presume this sort of thing happens all the time.) And so now, the new-wave grinders have reached perhaps their most distilled essence and brought to us the simple story of an angry hobo who kills bad people with a shotgun. Because, well, why not? Even better, the Hobo is played by Rutger Hauer, so bonus points if you watch the movie imagining that he's actually a time-lost version of Roy Batty who got more life, fell through a wormhole, then went senile when his positronic matrix began to malfunction and became a violent homeless man. He's seen things you people wouldn't believe. And shot them in the face.

Double-Feature It With:

Pulp Fiction

(1994, Rated R, 154 min., HD)

If Grindhouse were streaming, that would be the ideal double (triple) feature, since that's where Hobo with a Shotgun originated in a roundabout way, having won Rodriguez's South by Southwest trailers contest. So we'll take it back a few steps, to the movie that made Quentin Tarantino a household name, and without which I almost certainly would not be writing about a movie called Hobo with a Shotgun right now.

Tangled

(2010, Rated PG, 100 min.)

Feel free to follow up your grindhouse excursion with Tangled if you are curious as to how it would flow and/or are chemically altered. At any rate, we now move on to Disney's recent tongue-in-cheek spin on the Rapunzel legend, Tangled. A movie that looked imminently forgettable in the trailers, but which went on to apparently prove me wrong, if the reviews are to be believed. (And why wouldn't you believe them? Katey and Jessica have honest faces.) Tangled casts Chuck's Zachary Levi as a dashing bandit who discovers the infamous tower, and the impressively coifed girl within, and decides to help Rapunzel foil her cronish captor and escape. Naturally, there will be banter, there will be annoyance with each other that will soon blossom into romance, and possibly there will be a musical number. Honestly, I don't know because I haven't seen it. But I will now, because it's on Netflix. Now if only this partnership between Starz and Netflix would actually give us these new-ish releases in freakin' HD...

Double-Feature It With:

The Princess and the Frog

(2009, Rated G, 97 min.)

Another well-reviewed recent Disney outing that proves that not everything of quality from their studios these days has to come stamped with "Pixar." (And that's ignoring the fact that Cars 2 may have thrown that theory out altogether.) Besides, how many animated movies have you seen set in New Orleans? Or in the Jazz age, for that matter?

Hunter Prey

(2010, Not Rated, 88 min., HD)

You can read my full review of the Hunter Prey DVD right here, but here's the short version: a starship crashes on a barren world, in the process freeing a dangerous prisoner. The three surviving crew members must hunt the prisoner across the alien desert, with the stakes being no less than the survival of their entire species. Hunter Prey was directed and co-written by Sandy Collora, whose stylish Batman short film, Batman: Dead End, set tongues a-wagging back in 2003. I won't lie: Hunter Prey is not a great movie. But it is a good movie, and it earns extra points for the sheer amount of passion on display. The entire production is a tribute to the look and feel of the classic SF movies of the '70s and '80s, and while Hunter Prey never ascends to those heights, it's definitely worth a viewing. If nothing else, it's an impressive demonstration of what can be accomplished these days with a relatively paltry budget (an estimated $425K according to IMDb).

Double-Feature It With:

Oblivion

(1994, Rated PG-13, 93 min.)

Every once in a while I have to recommend something not because it's good, but because it's such a train wreck that it simply demands to be seen. Such is the case with Oblivion, a flick that beat Cowboys and Aliens to the whole cowboys & aliens thing by a good decade and a half. And that's just about the only bragging point Oblivion has to hold over anybody. Here's a good test to see if Oblivion is for you: Does this trailer make you groan with laughter, or just groan? It's also worth mentioning that Oblivion features George Takei's greatest performance ever, as demonstrated at the 45-second mark above.

Masters of Science Fiction

(2007, Not Rated, Six episodes)

A friend and I were talking recently about how anthology series are almost always a hit-or-miss affair, and that's certainly true of the ill-fated Masters of Science Fiction series. Created by the same folks who brought us the equally uneven Masters of Horror, MoSF serves up adaptations of short stories by some of SF literature's brightest talents. Only four of the six episodes actually aired on ABC back in 2007, but now they're all available for your perusal. The end result...well, it depends on the episode, but there's certainly no faulting the source material. The show adapts, in order: John Kessel's "A Clean Escape," Howard Fast's "The Awakening," Robert Heinlein's "Jerry Was a Man," Harlan Ellison's "The Discarded," Walter Mosley's "Little Brother," and Robert Sheckley's "Watchbird." If you're not familiar with the stories, just know that over the course of six episodes the show will explore everything from a man who can only remember the previous 40 minutes of his life to a starship full of society's cast-offs.

Double-Feature It With:

Fear Itself

(2008, TV-14, 13 episodes, HD)

If you prefer your anthological narratives a bit more spooky and less spaceship-y, Netflix also has the full run of this series that ran during the summer of 2008. Talents involved include directors Breck Eisner (The Crazies), Brad Anderson (Session 9), John Landis (An American Werewolf in London), Stuart Gordon (Re-Animator), Darren Lynn Bousman (the Saw films), and more.

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The Princess and the Frog has been touted repeatedly as Disney's return to hand-drawn animation, with the not-so-veiled suggestion their their non-Pixar output will be as good as 90s classics like Beauty and the Beast and The Lion King. And while Princess and the Frog apparently is pretty great, the studio doesn't exactly seem to have all its eggs in the hand-drawn basket.

Slashfilm writer Brendon Connelly was on the Disney lot recently doing research for a documentary on Princess, and got producer Peter del Vecho to spill a few details about movies they have coming up, including a Winnie the Pooh feature and another called Snow Queen, which has been in development for years now at Disney. Ron Clements and John Musker, who co-directed The Princess and the Frog, are also working on something fairly top-secret. The studio has plenty of animated projects coming up, of course, including Rapunzel and the full Pixar slate, but that's it for hand-drawn.

It seems pretty clear that they'll wait to see how Princess and the Frog performs before committing to more hand-drawn projects, and you can't blame them for that. They've got some room to fiddle with Pixar consistently bringing home the dough, but I'm not even convinced that people want more hand-drawn animation. Winnie the Pooh, sure, that's a classic. But anything else with cel animation needs to have a very, very good reason to exist that way, otherwise risking being ignored entirely. Their caution doesn't exactly fit in line with the studio's talk of a hand-drawn renaissance, but it's also the safest way to go at this point.

Vampires in J. Crew and werewolves in ripped blue jeans ruled the holiday box office this Thanksgiving. Audiences sated their teen-lust thirst for New Moon to the tune of $42 million over the three-day weekend, bringing the five-day holiday weekend total to $66 million.

The sales were enough to put the Twilight saga in first place for a second weekend in a row, though the movie took a massive hit from last weekend's record breaking debut. Not that anyone at Summit cares about a sales decline. At $230 million in domestic sales and nearly $500 million in international sales to date, the movie has already enjoyed more success than most movies dream, especially when you consider the film's budget was a mere $50 million.

The warmth of the holidays also apparently spurred the hearts of feel-good fans. The Blind Side, the latest based-on-a-true-triumph flick, actually increased its sales from last weekend, an extremely rare feat for a movie not expanding its distribution. The movie jumped 20% to $40 million for the three-day weekend, sending the movie just over the $100 million mark in total sales.

New entry Old Dogs saw a mediocre holiday welcome, banking $24 million over the five-day holiday weekend for a fourth place finish. Apparently Robin Williams and John Travolta come pretty cheap these days, as the movie only ran a $35 million tab. The other debut, Ninja Assassin, earned sixth place at $21 million in its first five days. Also running a minimal budget of $40 million, the movie is on track to near breaking even.

Fantastic Mr. Fox expanded in to wide release but no one seemed to notice. With very little for which to give thanks, it creeped up to eighth place with barely $10 million total sales since its opening, leaving the film hurting to make-up for its $40 million budget. Maybe if the animation reflected what modern stop-motion artists can actually do instead of what they could do forty years ago when they were making cheap Christmas specials people might bother showing up to buy a ticket. Where's a new Wallace and Gromit feature when you want one?

Disney launched its first hand-drawn animated feature film in five years into two theaters this weekend. The Princess and the Frog had a chance to stretch its legs, raking in over one million dollars over the five-day holiday. If that's any indication, the film is poised to absolutely dominate the scene when it opens wide in two weeks.

For the full weekend top ten as well as the five-day holiday weekend top ten, check out the chart below.

The first five minutes of Disney’s The Princess and the Frog is online, and here’s the great thing about it: It’s better than the trailers. It’s not an entirely finished five minutes, some of it is temporary footage composed of storyboards or missing color, but watching it really does feel like stepping into the past when Disney still dominated animation with fairy tale retreads which had a magic all their own. In particular there’s a great scene at the beginning involving a cat that just feels right. It doesn’t hurt either that the Tiana we see in the first five minutes is not the one you’re used to from the trailer. This appears to be a flashback, with Tiana as a little girl learning the story of the Frog prince for the first time, and sticking up her nose at the notion of kissing an amphibian.

If like me you’ve been waffling on The Princess and the Frog, then maybe this will help. The movie’s entire first five minutes are embedded in the two clips below.