Beauty and the Beast (1991)

Beauty and the Beast (1991)

[8] Disney goes Broadway in the first animated motion picture ever nominated for a Best Picture Oscar (in the days before they rolled out a separate category for the medium). This version of the classic fairy tale is fueled by power-house songs…
Miracle on 34th Street (1947)

Miracle on 34th Street (1947)

[4] A man named Kris Kringle (Edmund Gwenn) steps in to replace a drunken Santa in Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, and does such a good job that Macy's then hires him to play Santa in their stores during the holiday season. But when…
The Watcher in the Woods (1980)

The Watcher in the Woods (1980)

[4] An American family moves into a British mansion with an old woman (Bette Davis) whose young daughter disappeared over thirty years ago. When the American family's two daughters begin hearing and seeing things, it quickly becomes obvious that Davis' daughter is…
The Muppets (2011)

The Muppets (2011)

[7] I can't imagine a harder franchise to revive than The Muppets. They're so innocent, so low-fi, so much a product of the 70s and 80s... is it possible for them to garner new fans, or are kids today just too busy…
The Prince and the Pauper (1937)

The Prince and the Pauper (1937)

[7] Twins Billy and Bobby Mauch do very well as the title characters in this lavish production of Mark Twain's oft-told tale of mistaken identity. Claude Rains takes the role of villainy this time, playing an evil Earl who forces the beggar…
The Prince of Egypt (1998)

The Prince of Egypt (1998)

[8] Dreamworks Animation's maiden voyage is a stunning achievement of sight and sound. Impressionistic background paintings blend with sexy, angular character designs, all set to a brilliant soundtrack by composer Hans Zimmer and lyricist Stephen Schwartz. It kills me that stories from…
The Lion King (1994)

The Lion King (1994)

[8] The Disney Animation Studios took Shakespeare's Hamlet and transplanted it to the African savanna with an all-animal cast. Buoyed by a hit soundtrack, lush visuals, memorable characters, and a daring blend of intense drama and whacky humor, the film became the…
How to Train Your Dragon (2010)

How to Train Your Dragon (2010)

[8] In this Dreamworks animated fantasy from writer/directors Chris Sanders and Dean DuBlois (the team behind Lilo & Stitch), Jay Baruchel voices a pre-pubescent Viking named Hiccup who lives in an oceanside village where everyone is a dragonslayer. But after Hiccup accidentally…
The Emperor’s New Groove (2000)

The Emperor’s New Groove (2000)

[8] It may be one of the most atypical Disney animated film, but I thoroughly enjoy The Emperor's New Groove. It's by far the funniest Disney flick I've ever seen, reminding me more of a Warner Brothers Looney Tune than anything Walt…
Bedknobs and Broomsticks (1971)

Bedknobs and Broomsticks (1971)

[4] Angela Lansbury and David Tomlinson star in this Disney live-action/animation hybrid about a witch, a conman, and three children who search for the missing ingredient to a spell that could help England during the siege of WWII. Call me cynical and…