This week I decided to look at Disney movies, more importantly cartoon/animated ones that we all grew up watching and loving. This might see a number from the “Disney Renaissance” which gave many classics, notably ones I grew up. As with all the Friday 5’s I these are just my personal opinion so maybe they line up with yours and maybe they don’t. Also despite Pixar being purchased by Disney in 2006, I will not be considering those movies, even after 2006, as those can be a list of their own.
5. Brother Bear (2004)
Kicking off the list is nonother than Brother Bear. Brother Bear isn’t as well known to people as it came a little after the renaissance and wasn’t as pushed as another that is on the list. The movie saw a rare appearance, even if just the voice, of Rick Moranis who along side his Bob and Doug co-star played a pair of moose. The movie also boasts names like Joaquin Phoenix in it. The movie centres around an Alaska native boy named Kenai as he pursues a bear and kills it, but the Spirits, incensed by this unnecessary death, change Kenai into a bear himself as punishment. In order to be human again, Kenai must travel to a mountain where the Northern lights touch the earth.
4. The Emperor’s New Groove (2000)
Next up is a criminally underrated movie in The Emperor’s New Groove. The movie came just after the what is considered the “Disney Renaissance,” and boasts an amazing voice cast including the legendary Eartha Kitt as Yzma, David Spade as Kuzco, others like John Goodman, Patrick Warburton and Wendie Malick. Who doesn’t love a movie where the ego maniacal spoiled lead becomes a llama. The movie breaks the fourth wall in cinemas long before Deadpool made it cool to do so. It is a classic than spun a spin off movie and a successful television show.
3. Lion King (1994)
How can you have a cartoon Disney list and not have the classic that made childhoods and may or maynot have scared some kids with Mufasa’s death. The movie is as comedian Jack Whitehall called it “Shakespeare with fur” as it is basically a telling of Hamlet. With Jeremy Irons voicing the evil Scar and James Earl Jones voicing Mufasa and a stellar voice cast including household names Matthew Broderick, Nathan Lane, Whoopi Goldberg, Cheech Marin, Rowan Atkinson and Jonathan Taylor Thomas. It spun 2 sequels, a spinoff show for Timmon and Pumba and a “live action” remake.
2. Lilo and Stitch (2002)
Runner up this week is Lilo and Stitch. The movie is hilarious and marketing going into the release of the movie was top notch. The movie may not have the stellar voice cast as others on the list but it creates tears whether it be of laughter or sadness. Lilio and Stitch is great movie that can play with your emotions not to mention truly was the ones to introduce me to the music of Elvis Presley. It gave memorable characters which led to many movies (for direct to DVD) and a television show building off one of those movies. For my money Lilo and Stitch is a runner up to only one movie in my opinion.
1. Tarzan (1999)
To many this is a shocking one to be taking the top spot but yet I go with Tarzan. Tarzan was one of the first ones I remember seeing in theatres as it came out when I was 6 years old. The movie much like Lilo and Stitch can pull on the heartstrings, brings laughs and tells a good complete story. It is has so much good quality fun for both kids and you can rewatch it over and over again as an adult. Tarzan also has without a doubt the best original songs, Phil Collins did not have to go that hard but the man did and we love him for that. Like others it did get more movies and a television show and for many this is their Tarzan. If you haven’t seen it you will want to. It does have a darker death in it much like Lion King or even a Beauty and the Beast. For my money Tarzan is the best Disney cartoon movie.
– Everett
