When Moana came out in 2016, it was an instant smash hit, loved for its visuals and soundtrack. Soon after, a TV show for Disney+ was planned and then scrapped, with the remnants of the discarded show patched together for a movie, Moana 2, released in 2024. Despite the sequel’s lackluster reviews, Disney is continuing on the Moana train with a live-action remake coming out in 2026.
With so many eyes on Moana, and not all of them appraising due to the sequel hang-ups and the criticisms already coming with the live-action movie, it’s good to remind casual Disney fans that Disney has made, and continues to make, absolute masterpieces. Many of them come from the Disney Renaissance, but multiple eras of Disney have proven to produce some of the greatest animated movies of all time, and inspire hope that this will continue in the future.
Smart and Colorful, Zootopia Is One of Disney’s Newest Masterpieces
One of the newest Disney releases to be considered on the masterpiece level, Zootopia was released in 2016 during Disney’s Revival Era and has already garnered a sequel, released in 2025, which was also well-received, but it didn’t achieve the same level of triumph that the former one did. The film follows Judy Hopps, a bunny who wants to become a cop and achieves her dream, only to find barriers in her way and a mystery that needs to be solved with the help of Nick Wilde, a witty con artist.
Zootopia is a world where animals evolved into being anthropomorphic, with prey and predators living together, but clear biases and divisions still exist. A large part of Zootopia‘s mastery comes from how the film handles topics about classicism and racism, with clear ties back to the real world, but on a level that a child can understand and an adult can either empathize with or relate to. With bright, clear 3D animation, humor that doesn’t delve into being too silly, and brilliant worldbuilding, the movie was an instant classic.
Lilo & Stitch Is for Everyone Who Feels Just a Little Bit Lost
Although there have been multiple sequels, television shows, and even a live-action remake released in 2025, nothing can hold a candle to the original Lilo & Stitch movie. Released in 2002 during Disney’s Experimental Era, Lilo & Stitch is a tale of a fuzzy blue alien on the run who crash-lands on Earth and finds shelter and a friend in Lilo, a misunderstood Hawaiian girl who is no stranger to grief. As they develop their friendship, the two overcome further alien invasions and become a true ohana.
The movie teaches audiences about how friendship and love can take many forms and showcases a storyline that was a bit unfamiliar to Disney, with a romance not taking center stage and a heavy layer of realism surrounding the death of parents and what happens to the surviving children constantly in the background. And yet, the film remains colorful, with watercolor brushstrokes set to animation, and very funny, with humorous actions taking precedence over spoken jokes.
The Perfectly Balanced 101 Dalmatians Has One of Disney’s Best Villains
Released in 1961, 101 Dalmatians is part of Disney’s Silver Age, perhaps one of the most lauded ages just after the Disney Renaissance. As such, it had many competitors but emerged as the best of that era, with one of the catchiest songs of the age in “Cruella de Vil” and a villain so distinctive that she inspired a live-action remake in her name with Cruella, released in 2021.
The movie features Cruella, to be sure, but the protagonists are all dogs – Dalmatians, to be exact. After Pongo and Perdita have puppies, they are stolen away, and the parents have to go on a journey to save them, but end up with more puppies to save than they expected. Everything about this film works: the scratchy animation style, the dogs as the main characters, the unhinged villain and her bumbling sidekicks that are scarily realistic, the score, the tight writing, the scope, etc. And, unlike others, it only seems to get better with age.
Aladdin Was Made Great by the Comedic Genius of Robin Williams
One of the few movies with a Disney princess that doesn’t feature the princess as the protagonist, Aladdin focuses on the “street-rat” Aladdin as he transforms from a boy on the streets to a prince with the help of a Genie. Part of the Disney Renaissance, the movie was released in 1992 and became an instant hit due to a few factors. First, the excellent music. Next, the story that finally took fans once more outside of European-based stories. And finally, Robin Williams.
Robin Williams as the Genie made this movie a masterpiece, and there are no ifs, ands, or buts about it. The comedy in this film is of a class that only Williams could pull off, and it has ensured a long-lasting legacy of love for the film that only seems to grow and grow. There have been sequels and shows and a live-action remake, but nothing can even come close to the 1992 original.
A Disney Movie That Redefined Femininity, Mulan Broke Barriers
Mulan is a Disney princess movie that is beloved by all genders, all ages, and all walks of life. Released in 1998 during Disney’s Renaissance Age, Mulan loosely follows “The Ballad of Mulan,” a Chinese poem from the 5th to 6th century, where a young woman takes her father’s place in the army by imitating a man. In Disney’s version, there’s also a talking dragon, a spectacular soundtrack, a love interest, a dramatic confrontation, and plenty of humor and fun moments.
Beloved from the first day it was released, Mulan was emotional and well-written, and it was truly the first film to have a big shift away from Disney’s traditional storytelling regarding gender roles. Sure, former princesses had been smart and capable before, but Mulan was the first to wield a sword and fight in an army. Although now women in Disney movies don’t have to take a position seen as traditionally male in order to be hailed as strong, it cannot be denied that Mulan broke down boundaries and inspired generations of women.
Beauty and the Beast Is a Perfect Enemies-to-Lovers Romance
This Disney Renaissance film shows that finding a perfect balance between compelling characters (both protagonist and antagonist), steady pacing, well-thought-out worldbuilding, comedy, music, and introspective themes can take a movie far. Beauty and the Beast was released in 1991 and is one of only three movies to ever have been nominated for Best Picture at the Oscars, not just Best Animated Feature. As a result, the movie spawned minor sequels and a live-action movie released in 2017 with Emma Watson.
The music in particular stands out in this movie. Helmed by Alan Menken and Howard Ashman, the movie explored how much storytelling and worldbuilding could be done within the scope of a song, with the opening song “Belle” a perfect example of how well this experiment worked. It was also the first Disney princess film to have a male villain and remains one of the only Disney movies (with a few exceptions) to show an enemies-to-lovers trope. Love wasn’t a given in Beauty and the Beast; it was something that grew, and it made the movie a sensation.
The Lion King Is One of the Greatest Animated Movies of All Time
A loose retelling of Shakespeare’s Hamlet, The Lion King was able to create a perfect balance of melding the old story with a fresh energy and enough realism of the African setting to make the entire movie feel entirely unique. This is the trick of the movie, since it was a story the audience had already fallen in love with, and therefore it was easy for audiences to fall in love again. Released in 1994 during the Disney Renaissance, the story follows Simba, who, after witnessing the death of his father, runs away from his home as his uncle takes over. Over time, he grows, finds his strength, and returns to save the land.
The Lion King is widely regarded as one of the best animated movies of all time and was followed by numerous sequels, TV shows, and live-action remakes. However, although many of these were successful and some were even regarded highly, nothing can come close to the original film due to the seamless storytelling, humorous (and quotable) characters, and incredible soundtrack helmed by music industry greats like Hans Zimmer and Elton John.
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Pinocchio, Frozen, Peter Pan, 101 Dalmatians, Cinderella, The Lion King, The Little Mermaid, Toy Story, The Incredibles, Finding Nemo, Moana
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