Disney is famous for creating beloved animated classics that audiences want to return to again and again. Many people find a lot of comfort in Disney’s style, with its bright colors, iconic music and warm emotional morals.A big part of comfort is nostalgia, so people will all have their own favorites, but there are some Disney animated movies which are better suited to cheering people up in their lowest moments.
A good comfort movie should be easy to engage with. Disney often manages to provide some relatively low stakes drama that still delivers a heartwarming message about family, friendship or life in general. Some of the studio’s most comforting classics also have plenty of breezy humor to distract people, and some emotional songs for a cathartic release. The best Disney animated movies can break someone’s heart and put it back together again.
The 2000s were an interesting decade for Disney animated movies, as it marked a transition from the Disney renaissance of the 1990s to the blockbuster success of the 2010s with hits likeFrozenandMoana.While other studios - namely Pixar and DreamWorks - were pioneering 3-D computer-generated animation, Disney took a little while longer to catch up with the times. This resulted in a few 2-D movies with plenty of throwback charm, likeLilo & Stitch.
Disney made a few 2-D movies with plenty of throwback charm in the 2000s, likeLilo & Stitch.
Lilo & Stitch could only ever have been in the early 2000s, as it uses Disney’s gorgeous style of the 1990s, but it tells a much more relatable and personal story than the studio’s grandiose princess movies.Lilo & Stitchmakes a great comfort movie because it has so many ways of making its audience laugh, from the slapstick antics of Stitch to the odd-couple relationship of Jumba and Pleakley. It will be interesting to see how theLilo & Stitchlive-action remaketries to recapture the magic.
While Disney has always been known for its musical movies, the same can’t be said for Pixar. This is one thing that makesCocostand out amongPixar’s best movies.Cocois a celebration of music and family, and an exploration of how a love of one can deepen and redefine a love of the other. While it’s known for the emotional gut-punch that it delivers toward the end,Cocoalso delivers on all the necessary fun and games as Miguel explores the land of the dead.
One of the most impressive things aboutCocois the way it weaves music into the narrative. This is how the soulful refrain of “Remember Me” carries the weight of Miguel’s entire journey, and by extension, his family history.Cocomasterfully balances light and dark. The skeletons are often used for “Merrie Melodies” style humor, but there are also some tender, life-affirming moments mixed in with the exploration of death.
Robin Hoodwas produced during Disney’s so-called “dark era” of the 1970s and 1980s, when the studio faced an identity crisis and struggled to deliver animated movies that wowed audiences like their old classics. This is one reason whyRobin Hoodoften gets overlooked, but it’s certainly a bright spot in the darkness.Robin Hoodhas the beautiful animation style ofLady and the Tramp, but its story is much more exciting.
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Robin Hoodrefreshes an old folk tale, which has been a reliable formula for Disney over the years. It populates the English story of Robin Hood with all manner of charming animals, with a fox as Robin, a lion as Prince John and a wolf as the Sheriff of Nottingham. There’s something comforting aboutRobin Hood’s simplicity, with a sense of trouble-making adventure that makes room for plenty of laughs.
Aladdinwas produced during the peak of the1990s Disney renaissance, and it’s one of the best movies of the era, alongsideThe Lion KingandBeauty and the Beast.What makesAladdinparticularly comforting is the sheer range of the comedy. Even for adult fans of Disney movies,Aladdinoffers a lot of laughs, from the hilarious rage of Gilbert Gottfried’s Iago to the creative physical humor of the Magic Carpet.
Aladdinoffers a lot of laughs, from the hilarious rage of Gilbert Gottfried’s Iago to the creative physical humor of the Magic Carpet.
Robin Williams' performance as the Genie is what makesAladdinso unique, however. His heavily-improvised performance shows off the full range of his comedy chops, and it’s a joy to watch how the animation matches up with his exuberant nature. With the added bonus of some songs that should be belted out as loud as possible,Aladdinhas a little bit of something for everybody.
Encantois a stunning exhibition of Disney’s latest revolution in animation, with each frame overflowing with creativity. Themagical gifts inEncantoopen up endless possibilities, andEncantohas a lot of fun showing these gifts interacting with the beautiful landscapes. The Madrigal family house is just as entertaining as any of the characters, and it’s a joy to watch the inventive ways it expresses itself using tiles, bricks and furniture.
At the heart ofEncantois a classic underdog story, but Mirabel isn’t treated as lesser than her siblings. This seems like a subtle difference at first, but it reframes the entire story as one of personal development without any external forces piling pressure on Mirabel. She is brave and adventurous enough to take matters into her own hands even when she doesn’t have to.
Inside Outdoesn’t shy away from the difficulties of life, nor does it encourage its young audience to simply put on a happy face and look for the positives. Instead, it carries a much more resonant and intelligent message that people need to be in touch with all their feelings, even the unpleasant ones.Inside Outoffers children a symbolic way to understand their emotions, but it still has a lot to offer for older viewers.
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AlthoughInside Out 2muddles the message a little,Inside Outsuggests that all emotions boil down to a combination of a few key feelings, which is an interesting way of reinterpreting the broad span of human experience.WhileInside Outcan be strangely therapeutic, it also packs in plenty of jokes to keep things moving. A lot of this comes as a result of Joy and Sadness' bizarre journey through the unexplored corners of Riley’s mind.
Sometimes, nothing hits the spot quite like an enchanting fairy tale, and there aren’t many as magical and timeless asCinderella.While many Disney classics have aged poorly, due to some problematic content or shifting social norms,Cinderellastill has the power to captivate audiences like it did over 70 years ago. It’s certainly a product of its time, but this doesn’t dampen its charms by any means.
Cinderellais the perfect distillation of Disney’s early style, with some light humor, gorgeous music, and a sense of magic to lift the audience out of their seats. It has become even more appealing over the years in some ways, simply because there are no longer movies quite like it.Cinderellalets its gorgeous images speak for themselves, without injecting too much humor or exposition when it would break the spell.
Tangledwas Disney’s first step toward recovering from a minor slump in the 2000s, and it helped define the studio’s animation style for years to come.Tangledis a modernized Disney princess movie, with Rapunzel playing the part of an action hero more than a damsel in distress. This is a fun subversion of the famous fairy tale, and it helps that she is surrounded by so many great original characters, from the deadpan chameleon Pascal to the impish adventurer Flynn Rider.
Tangledis a modernized Disney princess movie, with Rapunzel playing the part of an action hero more than a damsel in distress.
Everything aboutTangledembodies the movie’s bold sense of adventure, from the music to the playful humor. It’s also a comfort to see a modern Disney movie where characters are so clearly delineated into camps of good and evil. Mother Gothel is a throwback toclassic Disney villainslike Maleficent and Ursula, one who exudes menace in her appearance and every one of her actions.
The Jungle Bookspills over with Rudyard Kipling’s sense of child-friendly adventure, but it synthesizes his influence with plenty of trademark Disney magic. The light, bouncy style of the 2-D animation is perfect for the big band-inspired music, with Mowgli and Baloo dancing around without a single care for human conventions.The Jungle Bookpresents a friendly, animalistic atmosphere that’s easy to get lost in.
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The joy ofThe Jungle Bookis best summed up by “The Bare Necessities,“a song about the simple pleasures of life and friendship. For anyone who finds themselves suffocated by the complex tangle of modern life,The Jungle Bookcould prove to be the perfect antidote. It offers an escape, which is what adventure stories have always been about.The Jungle Bookis a rare movie that has gotten even better with age, since its nostalgic art style conjures a simpler time.
Like a good comfort meal,Ratatouilleis worth returning to over and over again. The story of Remy and Linguini’s unlikely partnership provides the opportunity for plenty of great jokes, but it’s also a heartwarming tale of friendship and learning. Even for those with no interest in cooking, the story of a rat with dreams of being a chef can easily apply to anyone who has aspirations they feel are constantly out of reach.
From the playful French music to the warm orange glow of the Eiffel Tower,Ratatouilleinvites its audience to take a seat at the dining table.
One thing that makesRatatouillestand out among Pixar’s movies is its distinct atmosphere. From the playful French music to the warm orange glow of the Eiffel Tower,Ratatouilleinvites its audience to take a seat at the dining table.It presents a world that’s easy to get immersed in, and that’s just what a great comfort movie should offer.Ratatouillealso makes its story surprisingly touching, considering the fact that it’s working with relatively low stakes.
