Alongside the wealth of mega-blockbusters and beloved animated staples, Disney+ boasts
hundreds of shows and films. These include films you may have loved as a child — especially
if you grew up in the '80s and '90s — as well as a host of gems you likely haven't
seen yet.
For anyone whose adult life bears little resemblance to the person you thought you'd be when you
grew up, Disney's The Kid is for you. The Kid follows Russ Duritz, played by Bruce Willis
in one of his rare comedic roles that's completely free of action. Duritz is a jaded image consultant
whose sense of morality, ethics, and childlike wonder are all buried deep beneath his drive
for success at all costs. But when a young boy named Rusty shows up uninvited in his
house, both are horrified to realize that they're the same person at different ages.
Rusty is particularly disappointed that Russ hasn't fulfilled any of the hopes and dreams
he had for himself as a child.
Predictably, Russ and Rusty go on to learn valuable lessons from each other throughout
The Kid, and each comes out of their magical encounter better than when they began. But
although there's a lot to appreciate here thematically, the main reason to watch The
Kid is for the enchanting chemistry between Willis and his younger counterpart, Spencer
Breslin, who play wonderfully off each other and do a great job convincing us that they're
the same person.
"How old are you?"
"Forty, in a couple of days."
"That. Is. Old.
It's especially fun to watch their shared mannerisms and expressions, and their reactions
to discovering they have the same weird habits and ticks.
The '90s were a golden age for high-concept comedies. Case in point: Sister Act, the story
of a rough-around-the-edges Reno nightclub singer who goes into hiding in a San Francisco
convent after witnessing a murder, and winds up revitalizing the nuns' struggling choir
in the process. Whoopi Goldberg stars as Deloris, who assumes the identity of reluctant nun
Sister Mary Clarence. She's joined by Harry Potter's own Maggie Smith as the Reverend
Mother and Harvey Keitel as Deloris' murderous ex-boyfriend Vince, with an incredible supporting
cast rounding out the colorful choir members.
The story of Deloris hiding out in the convent choir and bonding with the community of nuns
is amusing enough, but what really elevates Sister Act are the songs. Not only does Deloris'
presence inject new vitality into the music the choir performs, but she also livens up
both the singers and the church itself, drawing in new parishioners who are curious about
the energetic music they've heard drifting out of the sanctuary doors. Thanks to its
endearing characters and toe-tapping tunes, Sister Act was successful enough to inspire
an entertaining 1993 sequel that's also on Disney Plus, and a third in the works for
the streaming platform.
If what you're looking for most in a new streaming service are heartwarming stories of friendship
between humans and dogs, look no further than the 1991 historical adventure White Fang.
Based on Jack London's 1906 novel, White Fang is the story of young explorer Jack Conroy,
played by Ethan Hawke, and his unlikely bond with an orphaned wolfhound during the Klondike
Gold Rush. Over the course of the film, both Jack and White Fang face tremendous adversity,
but together, they're able to rise above their unfortunate circumstances and form a bond
more valuable than the gold that motivates most of the other characters in the film.
White Fang is one of the more understated films on this list; despite the bear attacks
and brutal dogfights, it's mostly a quiet, contemplative tale of kindness overcoming
violence, and the tremendous value of a friend who truly understands you. Whether you're
a sucker for heroic dog movies, or just someone who enjoys a strong story of unlikely friendship,
White Fang is a lovely film filled with beautiful snow-covered scenery and featuring a characteristically
understated, heartfelt performance from Ethan Hawke.
Before Tony Stark built his first Iron Man suit, before Captain America emerged from
the ice, Disney gave us a different type of superhero in The Rocketeer. The soaring tale,
set in 1938 and based on the groundbreaking comic by writer-artist Dave Stevens, follows
Bill Campbell as Cliff Secord, a down on his luck stunt pilot who stumbles
on a prototype jetpack. The backpack-style rocket was developed by legendary innovator
Howard Hughes, but has now attracted the interest of a group of Nazis who hope to duplicate
the technology in order to invade the United States. Aided by his girlfriend, Jenny and
his friend Peevy, Cliff uses the rocket to become the heroic Rocketeer, facing off against
both Nazis and American gangsters, and a Hollywood swashbuckler played by a scenery-chewing former
James Bond, Timothy Dalton.
"Spy? Saboteur? Fascist? All of the above!"
Although The Rocketeer predates the MCU by nearly two decades, it contains everything
we've come to expect from a modern-day superhero blockbuster. There's the thrilling montage
of Cliff testing the rocket and fine-tuning his powers, a cast of larger-than-life villains,
a sweeping score, big fights that culminate in even bigger explosions, and even the inclusion
of a couple of Oscar-winning actors in Alan Arkin and Jennifer Connelly. Whether you've
already worked your way through Disney+'s extensive Marvel catalog or just want a superhero
flick without the complicated universe, The Rocketeer is sure to fit the bill.
More than three decades after the film's initial release, Who Framed Roger Rabbit still remains
a marvel of filmmaking, seamlessly blending classic hand-drawn animation with a hard-boiled
live-action mystery. To this day, few other movies have even attempted so ambitious a
fusion, and it's pretty easy to argue that none have done it as successfully as Roger
Rabbit. The film follows detective Eddie Valiant, played by Bob Hoskins, an alcoholic private
investigator who's developed an intense hatred of "toons" ever since one killed his brother.
Initially hired by the head of a major cartoon studio to dig up dirt on the wife of Roger
Rabbit, the studio's biggest toon star, Eddie finds himself caught up in a real-life murder
investigation when Roger is accused of killing his wife's lover.
On paper, it doesn't sound like the plot of a movie for kids, but somehow, the film's
inclusion of its toon characters makes it work. Characters are killed by falling safes
and pianos, adultery is emphasized through exuberant games of patty-cake, and while it
has a whole lot of grisly violence in the form of slowly dissolving characters alive
in vats of acid, it's mostly directed at the toons. It's a little scary for younger viewers
but in a fun and thrilling way, while also giving adults plenty to enjoy. In merging
multiple genres and techniques that seemingly have no business going together, Who Framed
Roger Rabbit manages to be a film that is not just innovative, but also hilarious, surprising,
and wholly appealing to audiences of any age.
Although it may come off as a little cheesy these days, in the '80s, Flight of the Navigator
was the ultimate in pre-teen wish fulfillment. While walking through the woods to pick up
his hated younger brother, 12-year-old David gets abducted by aliens. When he returns,
he discovers that in the minutes he was gone, eight years have passed, and now he's the
only one who can save a spaceship full of weird and lovable aliens. Not only does David
get to save his new friends and pilot an awesome spaceship, but he also learns to appreciate
his now-older brother who irritated him so much at the beginning of the movie, enabling
him to mend their relationship when he eventually returns to his time.
Although some of the very early CGI special effects that seemed so impressive to kids
in the '80s understandably haven't aged particularly well, the story and the irresistibly cute
aliens still hold up as a lighthearted, awe-filled adventure. Plus, you get to see a young Sarah
Jessica Parker as a sympathetic NASA intern and Paul Reubens, a.k.a. Pee-Wee Herman, as
the voice of Max, the sentient alien spaceship.
"Well excuuuuuse me!"
Flight of the Navigator is an exciting and entertaining romp through time and space.
It may not actually transport viewers back to their childhoods, but it can at least remind
us all of the fun and wonder of being a kid.
1939's The Wizard of Oz is one of the all time cinema classics, but its much darker
1985 sequel, Return to Oz, is far less well known. It's grim right from the opening moments,
as we see Dorothy Gale committed to a mental asylum six months after the tornado that sent
her to Oz, in order to treat her persistent "hallucinations" of that far-away world. However,
before Dorothy can receive her terrifying shock therapy, the asylum is struck by lightning
and Dorothy escapes. After falling into a river and nearly drowning, because this girl
just can't catch a break, Dorothy awakens in Oz, but it's not the Oz she remembers.
The Yellow Brick Road is broken and overgrown, the Emerald City has been destroyed by the
rock-controlling Nome King, and a headless witch named Mombi is ruling over what remains.
We even see the Tin Man and Cowardly Lion transformed into stone statues.
Much like Dorothy's original trip to Oz, she gradually assembles an eclectic group of fantastical
allies to help her in her quest to overthrow Mombi, defeat the Nome King, and return Ozma,
the rightful ruler of Oz, to the throne. Unlike the original Wizard of Oz, Return to Oz has
no cheerful songs to sing along with, and it trades much of the original film's lightheartedness
and innocence for a more somber take on the magical land over the rainbow. While there's
plenty of nightmare fuel for little kids, older viewers will be thrilled by the imaginative,
fresh, and very dark take on the world we all thought we knew.
Bedknobs and Broomsticks is often compared to the far more successful Mary Poppins, and
for good reason, but it's more than entertaining enough to stand on its own. The film follows
a group of siblings who are evacuated during the Blitz into the care of Miss Price, played
by Angela Lansbury. The kids quickly find out that Miss Price is actually an aspiring
witch who is teaching herself magic via a correspondence course, in the hopes of using
what she learns to help the British war effort. She trades the children a magical bedknob
in exchange for their promise to keep her secret, but they soon wind up on a psychedelic
journey to London together in pursuit of her final spell.
Once there, the children and Miss Price find themselves wrapped up in a magical, musical
adventure that takes them into fantasy worlds populated by animated creatures. It's a sweet
and charming escapade filled with memorable songs and beautiful animated sequences. Instead
of being a simple attempt to recreate the success of Mary Poppins, it feels more like
a spiritual sequel that's sure to put a smile on the face of anyone in search of a little
magic.
There have been a whole lot of films adapting The Three Musketeers over the years. In fact,
Disney Plus alone has three of them to choose from. The most fun by far is the 1993 live-action
take on the classic adventure novel, which stars Kiefer Sutherland, Oliver Platt, and
Charlie Sheen as the Musketeers, with Chris O'Donnell as young up-and-comer d'Artagnan.
The film follows d'Artagnan as he heads to Paris in order to join the king's musketeers,
only to find the musketeers disbanded by the order of the sinister Cardinal Richelieu,
a fantastically slimy role for the iconic Tim Curry.
"What noble business brings you here?"
"I've come to join the king's musketeers."
"Baaaad timing."
The Cardinal plans to assassinate the king and seize the throne for himself, so d'Artagnan
winds up joining forces with three musketeers who refused the order to disband to save the
kingdom.
While every iteration of The Three Musketeers has been jam-packed full of high-stakes adventure
and swashbuckling action, Disney's script infuses the classic tale with a generous dose
of humor to go along with it.
"Are you coming peacefully, or do you intend to resist?"
"Oh, don't be so stupid, of course we intend to resist, just give us a moment, all right?"
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