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Choked Up
Curious
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Weird
Disney is now way more than just fairy tales and Mickey Mouse. In addition to its own animated and live action studios, Disney now owns Pixar, Marvel Studios, and Lucasfilm. Meaning, a “Disney film” can encompass everything from Finding Dory to Moana to Captain America: Civil War. Basically, Disney owns almost all of your favorite family films — which is exciting news if you have Netflix!
See, Netflix and Disney have a deal that gives Netflix the streaming rights to all of Disney’s major films released after January 1, 2016. Netflix subscribers started to see the fruits of this deal last year when Zootopia hit the service. Since then, Finding Dory, The Jungle Book, Pete’s Dragon, and Captain America: Civil War have followed (and you should expect the likes of Moana, Doctor Strange, and Rogue One: A Star Wars Story to land on Netflix later this year).
But what are the best “Disney” films on Netflix right now? We sifted through the streaming service’s libraries and found the ten biggest standouts. Some of these are new films brought to Netflix by the new deal, while others are old classics and cult favorites that have been on the streaming platform for years.
Here are the 10 best Disney films on Netflix right now ~ March 2017.
‘Pete’s Dragon’ (2016)
This heart-warming remake of the 1977 Disney classic follows the story of young Pete, an orphan who is left to survive alone in the wilderness with the help of a mystical dragon. When he’s finally found by civilization, Pete’s Dragon, Elliot, becomes the target of a hunt.
‘The Jungle Book’ (2016)
Director Jon Favreau took Disney’s charming animated classic and blew it up in live action. Little “man cub” Mowgli has been raised by wolves in the jungle, but his idyllic lifestyle comes under attack when vicious tiger Shere Khan catches his scent. Mowgli goes on the adventure of a lifetime as he tries to find his way back to civilization, i.e. what he believes is his home.
'Finding Dory'
In Finding Nemo, nervous clownfish Marlin teams up with forgetful fish Dory to find his missing son; In Finding Dory, Marlin and Nemo return the favor. Finding Dory follows yet another delightful odyssey across the ocean to reunite a lost child with their family. However, this one features a madcap adventure in an aquarium and a cameo from Sigourney Weaver.
'Zootopia'
This Oscar-winning film is a sweet story with a progressive twist. Zootopia is a place where animals live in harmony provided they stick to their predator or prey positions. Judy Hopps is a bunny who dreams of being a crime-busting cop, but she is stuck to parking tickets and grunt work. Everything changes when she crosses paths with a charming fox and a string of mysterious crimes.
'The Nightmare Before Christmas'
Tim Burton’s cult classic takes us to the mysterious Halloween Town, a fantasy world where it’s always Halloween, but never Christmas. The reigning Pumpkin King Jack Skellington grows weary of this ghoulish monotony and hatches a plan to take over Christmas.
'Captain America: Civil War'
Marvel’s latest massive ensemble film pits Iron Man and Captain America against each other – and tears the Avengers apart in the process. The story is full of twists, turns, and bombastic action scenes. However, the real standout in this film is a scrappy teen superhero from Queens named Spider-Man.
'Lilo & Stitch'
This offbeat Disney film presents a different look at what family can mean. Lilo is a rebellious little Hawaiian girl struggling with the death of her parents. Her sister suggests they adopt a dog — except the “dog” they adopt is an alien creature on the run. Naturally, heartwarming hijinks ensue.
'The Parent Trap' (1961)
This deep cut Disney classic stars Hayley Mills as a set of long-lost twins who are reunited at summer camp. After a battle of wills, the two become friends and figure out that they share parents who separated (and split them up) shortly after their birth. The two sisters hatch a plan to switch places to drive their parents together again.
'High School Musical'
Before you roll your eyes, the Disney Channel has produced a great many classics of their own. High School Musical is hands down the channel’s best original film. Watch a young Zac Efron and Vanessa Hudgens juggle their innocent puppy love with the stress of pulling off a successful high school show.
'Fantasia'
Fantasia is arguably Disney’s most audacious masterpiece. It’s a series of short animated films that attempt to use myth and music to take viewers to the limits of the imagination. This film is as much a triumph of visual artistry as it is a celebration of classical music.
