Disney owns 15 major movie franchises, including Disney Animation, Pixar, the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Star Wars and Indiana Jones. They’ve also recently completed a deal with Fox, meaning they also have the rights to several new properties including the Ice Age Franchise and the X-Men. With so many territories under one umbrella, it might be easy to miss those hidden gems that are, in fact, criminally underrated. The Avengers are awesome; Star Wars is super cool (like, my absolute favorite), and there’s so much that can be done now that Disney has the rights to Professor X and his gang of mutants. However, let’s not forget the ones that came before. With that in mind, here is a short list of some of my favorite Disney movies that deserve way more recognition. In fact, some of these may be Avengers-level good…well, at least to me they are.
- The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1996)
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Based on a novel by Victor Hugo, this ’90s classic pulls on all the right heartstrings and makes you deeply sympathize with its main protagonists. Also, it has a killer soundtrack!
- Treasure Planet (2002)
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One of the absolute coolest, and most creative, Disney films I have ever seen. Come along with young James Hawkins as he literally sets sail throughout the galaxy, along with a ragtag pirate crew, who may or may not have ulterior motives.
- Atlantis: The Lost Empire (2001)
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Atlantis is a film that has flown under the radar for years, and I really can’t understand why. It’s aesthetically pleasing, the shots are gorgeous and the animation is truly impressive. Ever wanted to travel to the lost city of Atlantis? This is the perfect opportunity.
- The Great Mouse Detective (1986)
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The main character of this film was literally inspired by Sherlock Holmes, one of my all-time favorite literary characters. It’s billed as an animated mystery, and we follow the adventures of Basil as he tries to help the young Olivia find her toymaker father who was kidnapped by the notorious criminal Ratigan (a cute play on the word rat, which aptly describes his character).
- James and the Giant Peach (1996)
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This one is a bit of a trip. Inspired by the book of the same name by Roald Dahl, the film revolves around a young boy who stumbles upon a giant peach which he accidentally grew from glowing worm things. From there, he meets a dysfunctional group of giant insects who basically become his family. Yeah, so it sounds weird, but it’s incredibly charming.
Ever seen any of the films on the list? If not, then you know what you must do!
Did I miss any? What Disney films do you think are underrated?