Top Cat’s Tuesday Top 10: Disney Movies

Someone asked my son what his favorite Disney movie was and he in turn asked me what my favorite one was. I honestly couldn’t tell him a definitive answer. Growing up, I watched all kinds of movies; but it was with my female cousin Kristen (who was more like my sister since we were both only children) whom I would watch Disney movies with. I guess we watched Disney movies together because she didn’t exactly want to watch Kickboxer or Rambo like I did. So after all these years, I still have an appreciation for the classic Disney movies; as well as the newly released gems. Since I am about to be a father again, it looks like we will be revisiting Disney movies more frequently. Even though I know that Marvel Studios and the Lucasfilm movie franchises were acquired (along with Fox recently) I shall not be including those in the lists. So with that being said, I am offering to you – Top Cat’s Tuesday Top 10: Disney Movies –

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Honorable Mention – The Little Mermaid (1989)

Teenage rebellion even applies to mermaids. Even mermaid princesses from under the sea. Love is a concept that also seems to know no bounds, as the rebellious teen princess falls in love with a handsome human prince. She will do whatever it takes to get her man. Even if that means completely disobeying everything her father tells her. The movie is memorable and one of my favorites but I have a feeling that some of the rebellion of the 90s generation might be thanks to The Little Mermaid. Maybe? Naw.

10. Cars (2006)

It is my humble opinion that the Cars movie should be appreciated for more than the over the top voice work of Larry the Cable Guy in his portrayal of the old tow truck Mater in the Cars movie franchise. The Cars movie franchise allows true personification to shine through and we the viewer find ourselves getting lost in this world where it seems that humans do not exist but cars are the dominant ruler of the world.

9. Monsters Inc (2001)

What else do you need to know besides the main characters are voiced by Billy Crystal and John Goodman? That should be enough for you but the fact that this story gives us a view at what goes bump in the night; and the fact that to them its just a job. The monsters have found a way to use the screams of scared children to power their hidden world.

8. Mary Poppins (1964)

What might be an unlikely placement on my list; but the tale of the magical nanny who takes the children on exciting adventures is one of my favorites. From the music to the message; the movie is enough to enjoy even after all of these years.

7. Big Hero 6 (2014)

I have never denied that I am a crier. Did I cry when Baymax died (spoiler) at the end of Big Hero 6? Yes. Did I die tear up about 4 or 5 other times during the movie? Yes. Do I still want to watch the action movie which shows robotics prodigy Hiro upgrading his murdered brother’s personal healthcare companion robot Baymax to get revenge on the villain who killed his brother? Most definitely yes!

6. Finding Nemo (2003)

So, again we see Disney showcasing what bad things can happen when you disobey your parents. We see what happens when a determined dad does whatever it takes to get to his son who was caught by a diver. The little clown fish, Marlin, goes through a host of oceanic dangers to get his son back. And even better Marlin befriends a blue reef fish (voiced by Ellen DeGeneres) who has no short term memory. If you have not seen the movie, yes it is that funny.

5. The Jungle Book (1967)

In my childhood, I had not read and began to love the writing of Rudyard Kipling but I did love a movie based on one of his most famous books. The story centers around Mowgli, an abandoned child raised by wolves must brave the jungle’s many perils to get back to the ‘man-village’. He is accompanied by many jungle creatures, including the lovable bear Baloo. The soundtrack and music just could possibly be just as memorable as the movie itself though. 

4. Toy Story (1995)

Though the movie provided a confirmation to my childhood suspicions that all of my toys were really alive and had feelings; Toy Story also shows a true representation of love, devotion and determination. Besides all of that the toys (voiced by extremely noticeable actors) have some extremely memorable (and extremely funny) lines and scenes.

3. The Incredibles (2004)

I have talked about my love of comic books and superheroes on this blog many times, so a movie about family of superheroes who try to live the quiet suburban life after all superheroes are deemed illegal but are forced out of retirement to once again save the world is right up my alley.

2. Moana (2016)

Moana shows us a view inside the Ancient Polynesian world and what happens when a terrible curse incurred by the Demigod Maui is literally killing the world? Well Moana answers the Ocean’s call to seek out the Demigod and set things right. Along the way, we hear some amazing music (yes I know), witness some hilarious hijinks but see what can be accomplished when you are truly determined. And besides, Maui is voiced by the Rock Dwayne Johnson.

1. Wall-E (2008)

The year is 2105 and the Earth is an abandoned, garbage-covered planet. The population of the Earth was evacuated by the Buy-N-Large mega-corporation aboard their giant starliners (giant Cruise ships that can go into space). The only thing left on Earth were these trash compactor robots. Well 700 years goes by and only one robot is left in operation and he just happens to have gained sentience after all of these years. He’s scavenging parts to repair himself and continues to clean up the world, bit by bit. WALL-E discovers a plant that is growing and a probe from one of the ships collects it. Well this robot who came down to find a plant. Low and behold, she finds WALL-E and his plant. WALL-E follows EVE (whom he is now in love with) to her motorship (the starliner Axiom). We see that the passengers aboard the Axiom have become extremely fat and immobile due to inactivity, their literal reliance on an automated lifestyle and the microgravity. Well to make a long story short, the humans realize that life can be sustained on planet Earth again and WALL-E AND Eve live happily ever after. Its a truly beautiful movie which incorporates laughter and tears.

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Images:

Disney Movie theater by frankieleon from Maffle Ath, Belgium – Who goes to the movies at Disney? I do, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=47350679

Cars movie poster by Source, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=14283875

Mary Poppins screenshot by Trailer screenshot – w:en:Mary Poppins (film) Trailer, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=5388192

Disney All-Star Movies Resort Toy Story image by Fadesga – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=25795961

Moana movie poster By Source, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=50759197

WALL-E movie poster by Source, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=34074540