Seven Disney+ Movies to Stream This Weekend
Okay, America hasn’t had much luck with the pandemic. So, we’re all stuck inside for a while longer.
Now seems like the perfect time to do a deep dive into the Disney+ movie archive.
Most of today’s selections come straight from Disney, while one notable exception was originally a Fox production.
Somehow, it feels like the most Disney film of all, though. Have you guessed the title yet?
No? Then, I guess you need to read the full list of seven Disney+ movies you should watch.
Bolt
Are you a pet lover? Do you feel a deep connection with animals?
Well, I hope that you do, but even if you’re not that lucky yet, you should watch Bolt.
This magical story involves a child actress and her pet dog, both of whom are television stars.
The catch is that the dog thinks that all his heroic actions are real, not fake stunts. So, he has a high opinion of himself right up until he gets separated.
At that point, Bolt realizes that the world can be crueler than a television villain.
However, the puppy finds some friends who help him find his way back to his human.
Rhino the hamster lives in a ball…but is a remarkably competent critter.
Then, there’s my favorite, Mittens. She’s a stray cat who used to have a human but is all alone now.
And as an adopter of multiple strays, it’s important to me that you know that Bolt helps Mittens find the perfect forever home.
If you’ve been on the fence about adopting a pet during the pandemic, watch Bolt. It’ll push you over the edge, but you’ll get many years of joy from it.
Chicken Little
During the early 2000s, Pixar was wiping the floor with Disney, and everybody on both sides knew it.
Ultimately, the companies would work together well enough that Bob Iger convinced Steve Jobs to sell Pixar to Disney.
Before that, Disney tried to mimic its peer by creating the first 3-D, computer-animated film in the studio’s history.
Critics suggest that Chicken Little isn’t very good, but I strongly disagree. At the time, I bought my first 3-D television and happily showed off this movie to friends.
In fact, I own nearly 2,500 movies on Vudu. Chicken Little was the second film I ever purchased on the service. The first was…Tangled in 3-D.
I picked titles that would dazzle on the new format and have always loved the animation in Chicken Little.
No, the story isn’t Disney’s finest, but this movie is oh so shiny. Also, the characters are adorable, which means kids tend will enjoy it.
Descendants
Some movies win with the elevator pitch. I’m sure you’ve heard of Descendants by now and understand what I mean.
The premise is simple: what if all of Disney’s most famous villains had kids? Also, what if some of them didn’t want to be evil?
The rest is (recent) Disney history. Descendants become a merchandising superstar at every Disney Store and Hot Topic on the planet.
As for the movie, Descendants qualifies as one of the most successful made-for-cable productions ever. And the cast is top-notch.
Dove Cameron, Sofia Carson, Twilight’s Booboo Stewart, Sarah Marie Jeffery, and the late Cameron Boyce star as various Descendants of Disney villains.
Tweens loved this movie so much that it merited two sequels and an animated series.
Meet the Robinsons
I have such a soft spot in my heart for this movie.
Back in 2007, the Pixar acquisition had led to a de facto takeover of all things Disney animation.
Then-CEO Bob Iger bought Pixar specifically because Disney’s animated content had declined in recent years.
Meet the Robinsons became one of the final non-Pixar titles to receive a theatrical release. So, it kinda got lost/forgotten.
I view this as a tragedy because I would argue it’s the most Walt Disney of all Disney releases since Beauty and the Beast.
In fact, Meet the Robinson pays loving tribute to the company’s founder, even quoting him to crystallize the point.
Now, I should acknowledge that Pixar overhauled a lot of the movie, so I cannot dismiss the significance of the new creative team in making it.
Still, I strongly suspect that Disney wrote a love song of a movie, and I unabashedly adore it.
I won’t spoil the specifics, but Meet the Robinsons will surprise and delight you if you give it a chance.
The Princess Bride
Do you really need an excuse to watch The Princess Bride?
When Disney bought Fox, the movie division came as part of the package. This deal wasn’t the greatest for Disney, as Fox has had a lot of bombs.
However, the broken clock scenario applies here. Back in 1987, Fox told a children’s story as well as any non-Disney studio ever has.
The Princess Bride comes straight from the mouth of legendary screenwriter William Goldman, who would invent children’s stories for his kids at bedtime.
A lot of people are feeling down right now. I can recommend no better pick-me-up than The Princess Bride. It’s like a firecracker to the feels.
The Rocketeer
Director Joe Johnston has created several classic family films like Jumanji and Honey, I Shrunk the Kids.
The Disney favorite once helmed a throwback superhero movie set in a different era.
I could be speaking of Captain America: The First Avenger, but I’m not.
One of the reasons why Marvel hired Johnston for that project was his prior success with 1991’s The Rocketeer.
Tonally, the similarities between the two films are unmistakable, as Johnston favors optimism and hope over cynicism and bleak acts of horror.
The Rocketeer is the rare superhero adventure that you can safely show to your children without worrying about how much you’ll need to explain.
Plus, the visuals in this film are scrumptious.
Tron Legacy
Speaking of gorgeous movies, you’re about to hear a lot more from Tron.
Disney will introduce Tron Lightcycle Power Run at Magic Kingdom next year. The roller coaster will anchor Disney’s 50th-anniversary celebration at the park.
As excitement grows for the attraction, fans will wonder about the state of the Tron film franchise, which Disney tried to reboot in 2010.
Tron Legacy isn’t a perfect movie by any stretch. Rotten Tomatoes critics are split on the film, which currently has a score of 51 percent.
IMDb voters similarly like but don’t love it, as Tron Legacy features a score of 6.8.
That’s the sign of a film worth a watch if you calibrate your expectations.
However, I strongly recommend it, especially if you own a great television.
The look and style of Tron Legacy elevate it above virtually every other movie from the past decade.
The storyline follows the son of Kevin Flynn, and the casting of Garrett Hedlund as this character, Sam, wasn’t a great choice.
Thankfully, Olivia Wilde is excellent as Quorra, and Jeff Bridges, well, he could do no wrong at that point in his career.
So, audiences relished the chance to watch an older Bridges return to his star-making turn in Tron. And that’s reason enough to watch Tron Legacy.
The gorgeous special effects are the calorie-free dessert that puts it over the top.