Disney Really Touched Me

Before I begin, I just want to state to you that I have written numerous articles over the course of...a long time. There were many good articles posted on this site, some of which I've done myself. No, I'm not just saying that from an egotistical point of view, I really have gotten a lot of compliments saying that my articles were really good, but THEY WEREN'T ALWAYS THAT WAY! Sadly, as many of you know, pretty much all of my most recent articles...SUCKED! My eyes were just spinning as I saw one article flop right after another. It was just flop after flop after flop. It's like, once they got approved, they all got sent to the back page faster than you can say, "G.I. Joe"! I cannot count the number of times I received a notification on article approvals but only to find out that my article has been banished to obscurity before I can even check it out. Well, after all that experience, I've decided to do like what Disney did and try to go back to the style you all know me by rather than trying something new.

Now, as it states in the summary, this article is going to list my favorite Disney films. You saw my article for what I thought were the most overrated ones, but I'm sure you're all curious as to what my favorite ones are, being that I'm a big Disney fan. After seeing plenty of articles on here from other people who love classics, I felt it was time for me to express my own personal interests. After all, that's what these Retrojunk articles are for. Now, I'm going to start by listing my Top 5 favorite Pixar movies, and then I'm going to go into my Top 10 Disney Animated Classics. I'm sure that disneyfan886 has been waiting for me to do this, but now, I'm glad to say that the wait is finally over. I'm going to begin listing them now, so just sit back, relax, and shut your yap.

First off, here are my Top 5 Pixar movies:

Coming in at #5 is...

The Incredibles (2004)
This is a really fun movie to watch. It has great characters, a creative plot, and lots of awesome action. Not to mention, the animation also kicks ass. The movie's only real flaws are the fact that it's a little too long, and there's a lot of material in here that isn't very kid-friendly. The villain is also pretty insane. If Pixar decides to make a sequel to this movie, I'd probably go see it for sure, mainly because I love the characters so much.

Now, my #4 choice is...

Up (2009)
Yeah, I know what a lot of you are thinking. It doesn't seem fair to put this movie on my list because it's nowhere near retro, but I had to put it on here because, after all, it is one of my Top 5. What I love about this movie was how the whole thing was developed. The main character is likable, and I really enjoyed how they showed his back story in great detail at the beginning of the film. The supporting characters are also pretty fun, but I especially love the dogs. Another key aspect of this movie is the animation. Disney's animation just keeps getting better and better at making things look as realistic as possible. "Up" is no masterpiece, but it's definitely a fun movie, and it's worth checking out.

My #3 favorite is...

Finding Nemo (2003)
I'm a fan of marine life, so this movie is right up my alley. The animation looks really cool, and the characters are all really funny. I remember saying that "Cars" was not a film I'd want to watch over and over again, but "Finding Nemo" is like the polar opposite of that! This movie did very well in theaters (one of the highest-grossing animated films in history), and I'm glad it did. One thing that I really regret in my life is not seeing this film theatrically.

Coming in at #2 is...

Toy Story (1995)
We had to start somewhere, and this movie gave a fresh example of what kind of stuff Pixar had to offer. I've always loved this movie ever since I first saw it at the theaters when I was 10. I don't know why, but watching this movie always makes me feel like a kid again. I know most people like the sequel better, but this was the movie that started it all, and I've grown to love it. Great acting, great story, memorable quotes, what more can you ask for?

And finally, my #1 favorite Pixar movie is...

Wall-E (2008)
I remember seeing trailers for this movie, and it looked boring at first. I was thinking, "Oh man, this movie's going to suck!" I was surprised, however, when I saw it theatrically, that it actually went way beyond my expectations! The title character is a very lovable character, the story plays out so well, it's a great love story with a lot of memorable action, and I gotta be flat out honest with you: I have never seen a movie with a severe lack of dialogue deliver so much charm! Everybody who works at Pixar is a complete genius! There is certainly no doubt that "Wall-E" is an absolute masterpiece!

Now that I'm done with the Pixar films, let's move on to the real stuff: The Disney Animated Classics.

Starting with #10, we've got...

Oliver and Company (1988)
This was a pretty unique Disney film as it was a real story disguised as an original concept. I'm always a sucker for talking animals, and when dogs are involved, you can't go wrong. The thing that really made this movie worthwhile was the music. 80's pop music performed by some of the hottest artists of the time. I wouldn't call it a hands down masterpiece, but it's a nice movie to watch on a rainy day or when you're at home not going anywhere.

My #9 pick is kind of a weird choice, but I had to include...

Make Mine Music (1946)
One of the Package Films that Walt Disney made in the 1940's around the time of World War II. Of all the Package Films, this one was my favorite. It includes a lot of segments like "Casey at the Bat", "Peter and the Wolf", "Johnny Fedora and Alice Blue Bonnet" and "The Whale Who Wanted to Sing at the Met", which are all classic Disney. I don't know why, but this film really intrigues me a lot, since I happen to be a big music buff; however, I think it's supposed sequel, "Melody Time", is not quite as good.

For #8, I have...

The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1996)
This was probably one of Disney's most powerful films of the 90's. It has the charm of most Disney films from the Renaissance Era, but unlike the others, this one was really dark and gothic. Alan Menken really worked his heart out when composing the score to this film. It also has a lot of strong development in story and characters. It's easy to tell that this film almost got a PG rating, and it was the gargoyles who made it all kid-friendly, but that's far from a bad thing. Overall, it's still a great movie. If your a fan of the Disney films from the Renaissance Era and haven't seen this one yet, I'd say it's worth your time.

Coming in at #7 is...

Robin Hood (1973)
When it comes to Disney films, this one is an often overlooked gem. That's saying a lot, because I think this was the most popular Disney film from the Post-Walt era (1970-1988). This film is entertaining, comical, and it's even better than I remember it looking back on it and how often I watched it during my childhood. Well, of course, it's one of my favorites. I included it in my list of Top 10 70's Movies! Anyway, for all you Disney fans out there, if you haven't seen "Robin Hood" yet, it's definitely one to add to your collection.

At #6, I've got the classic...

Sleeping Beauty (1959)
If I can choose just one word to describe "Sleeping Beauty", it would have to be "epic". This movie has beautiful animation, great characters, a clever plotline, and of course, the most awesome Disney villain ever created! Like most Disney movies, I enjoyed this one a lot as a kid, and looking back on it now, it's actually better than I remember it. If you actually watch it, there are a lot of moments that are really breathtaking. Walt Disney himself even stated once that this was the most beautiful movie his company has ever made. This is undeniably my favorite of the Disney Princess movies, and it definitely earns my recommendation.

Now, I have a unique choice for #5, which is...

The Black Cauldron (1985)
I once claimed this one to be the Disney Animated Classic that time forgot. Most people who have discovered this film loved it, and I happened to be one of those people. "The Black Cauldron" is extremely unique as far as Disney standards. For one thing, it's really dark, in fact, so dark that it was the first Disney film to receive a PG rating. It's also one of those eerie animated epics kinda like "The Secret of NIMH" and "The Last Unicorn". It's also quite interesting seeing as it contains no songs, which is unusual for Disney. There are even some moments where you would expect a song cue to come up, which doesn't happen, and uniqueness is one thing that makes a film so special. Maybe some hardcore Disney fans may not enjoy it so much, but it has some charm to it similar to other previous Disney epics.

My pick for #4 is...

Lilo & Stitch (2002)
Most people think this film is overrated, but I find it to be unfairly underrated. A lot of my friends and family members didn't even bother to check out this movie thinking immediately that it was going to be a flop, which I don't think sounds fair. After finally giving this movie a chance, I found "Lilo & Stitch" to actually be a pretty darn good movie. This movie, as well as everything else in the franchise, has a lot of heart, and heart is something that I love the most when it comes to a movie or TV show. I don't care how others may see it, but I love this movie, and giving the films Disney made in the early 2000's, that's saying a lot. I strongly recommend any Disney fan to see this movie, if you haven't yet. The story may not make a lot of sense, but the animation and the charm are amongst it's redeeming factors.

Now, here's another one I had to include on my list and put at #3...

Bolt (2008)
Again, I know, this movie is nowhere near retro, but it is one of my absolute favorites. I know, this one is computer-animated, but according to some sources, it's part of the Disney Animated Classics library. Throughout the 2000's, it seemed like Disney was always trying something new, which is why most of their films in that time period sucked. However, it seems that in 2008, they were trying to be more like the Disney we all know and love. "Wall-E" began to gave us that impression, but "Bolt" made it official. While most CGI movies focus more on jokes than story and characters, "Bolt" focuses on story and characters as well as jokes making the film flow more evenly, plus the charm can really steal one's heart. It's a shame that not very many people seem to talk about this one very often. I think this movie deserves a little more appreciation than what it has been getting.

Coming in at #2 is a no-brainer...

The Lion King (1994)
This is one of the quintessential Disney movies. "The Lion King" has "masterpiece" written all over it! Top notch animation, powerful music, an outstanding cast, "The Lion King" has got it all! I was blown away by this film when I saw it theatrically, and when I saw it rereleased in the IMAX theaters in 2002, I was blown away even more! Even the Broadway play is awesome! I just love everything about "The Lion King", and it will always be high in my list of top Disney films! I'm sure many people would agree with me too.

And finally, my #1 favorite Disney Animated Classic is...
(Everybody say it with me!)

101 Dalmatians (1961)
This is, without a doubt, my favorite Disney movie of all time. I know, most people would pick "Aladdin" or "Beauty and the Beast", but for me, it's "101 Dalmatians". I love dogs, and I'm a sucker for animated films with talking animals. (Did I say that already?) "Lady and the Tramp" may have set the standards for movies with a dog cast, but "101 Dalmatians" perfected it. This one has a lot of heart and lovable characters. It also introduced a new technology in animation: xerography. What really surprises me is that I would think that this movie would have a really big fan base, but nobody ever seems to put it in their top 10 Disney movies; I don't know why. Overall, despite it's lack of songs, "101 Dalmatians" will always hold a special place in my heart for as long as I live, thus making it my #1 favorite Disney movie of all time.

And that concludes my list of favorite Disney Animated Classics as well as Disney/Pixar films. I hope you all enjoyed it, and I hope you were all intrigued by this rather-unique list. Have a wonderful day, everyone.