I've missed every Disney animated movie since Wall-E. Which are the essentials to get caught up on?

[HououinKyouma]

My recent trek through the Studio Ghibli filmography has me in the mood to check out even more animated movies. When it comes to the Disney side, I haven't seen anything since Wall-E, which just so happens to be my all-time favorite.

I don't want to burn myself out by trying to watch everything, but I'd like to catch the "essentials." I imagine most of the Pixar catalogue will be among the favorites, but what three or so movies would you folks put above the rest?

Up is going to be the one I start out with, as that one has always piqued my interest.

Oh, I'm a sucker for a good soundtrack by the way, so ideally I'm looking for ones that really help set the tone through the music.

 

[GrimGrinningGuy]

Tangled is the best
Moana is awesome

 

[Deadly Cyclone]

Coco.

 

[BadWolf]

Tangled is their best work in many, many years.

 

[Yerffej]

Tangled and Moana are top tier. Coco is pretty amazing as well. I have a soft spot for Brave too.

 

[Deleted member 48813]

Tangled, Moana and Zootopia are top-tier, as for Pixar, I'd say Coco and Inside Out.

 

[Antoo]

Frozen obviously.


(don't sleep on the 2011 Winnie the Pooh which is underrated as hell)

 

[Finaj]

Honestly, every animated feature Disney and Pixar has done since 2009 is at least worth checking out (with some exceptions like Cars 2 and maybe Brave).

Both studios have had an insanely consistent quality for the past decade.

 

[Fiction]

Tangled and Moana are the best, with Frozen being a close third.

 

[AlexMeloche]

Frankenweenie
Inside Out
Zootopia
Coco
Soul

Also I know many people didn't like it but I loooooved The Good Dinosaur.

 

[RBH]

Soul
Moana

 

[MrHealthy]

Since Wall-E?

Up, Moana, Coco, and Zootopia.

And as a second tier if you are still feeling it when you finish those ones, Soul, Wreck it Ralph, Frozen, Inside Out.

 

[DrForester]

There's a lot of good films from DIsney and Pixar since Wall-E


From PIxar:
Up
Toy Story 3&4
Inside Out
Coco
Onward
Soul
Incredibles 2
Brave


From Disney:
Bolt
Tangled
Wreck-It Ralph
Frozen
Big Hero 6
Moana
Zootopia

Oh, I'm a sucker for a good soundtrack by the way, so ideally I'm looking for ones that really help set the tone through the music.

Click to shrink...

Go watch Coco. Bring a tissue.

 

[Andamo]

Moana is fantastic. Personally I loved Big Hero 6. I rarely go to the theater but I went to see it three times.

 

[Cheesebu]

Moana and Inside Out would be my top picks.

I can't remember when Wall E came out so maybe Tangled counts too, which is my favorite Disney movie since Sleeping Beauty.

 

[Creed Bratton]

Moana, Coco and Inside Out are my favs from the last several years. Soul is also quite good but not quite on the same level as those three.

 

[RatskyWatsky]

Princess and the Frog, Tangled, Moana

are the only essentials that you missed

 

[Jotakori]

Up is super good, I hope you enjoy it!

Tangled, Coco, and Zootopia are probably the top three I'd recommend.
Moana, Brave, Wreck-it-Ralph, and Inside Out are all great, as well. Frozen kinda ended up with a super obnoxious reputation for some but it's honestly a solid film, and it's been a long ass time but I think I recall Big Hero Six being pretty decent, too.

 

[Jakenbakin]

Coco, Big Hero 6, and Onward have been my favorites lately. If you love music you basically have to watch Coco.

 

[Nepenthe]

Princess and the Frog, Tangled, Moana

are the only essentials that you missed

Click to shrink...

Zootopia and Coco are also essentials.

 

[blame space]

toy story 3
coco
inside out
soul

 

[blame space]

or just go out on top and stop watching them

 

[Chewy Spaghetti]

Toy Story 3 and Soul.

 

[Fat4all]

it might be easier to post the ones to avoid, a lot of them are good to great

 

[BringBackSonics]

Soul. It hits me *right there*

 

[Tremis]

Moana by a country mile.

 

[BringBackSonics]

And I know People say that Toy Story 4 wasn't 'needed', it felt needed to me..and you will see once you watch

 

[SolVanderlyn]

I was very impressed by Moana. I'm not huge on Disney usually and I really enjoyed that movie

 

[Weston]

My favorites in order
Moana, Tangled, Coco, Frozen, Toy Story 3, Princess Frog, Soul

 

[RatskyWatsky]

Zootopia and Coco are also essentials.

Click to shrink...

Those ones were just okay.

Spoiler

Shakira's tiger dancers tho 👀

 

[blame space]

And I know People say that Toy Story 4 wasn't 'needed', it felt needed to me..and you will see once you watch

Click to shrink...

started and ended strong, weak in the middle. good movie, but 3 is tough to follow.

 

[Joshua]

For WDAU, Moana is top tier but Bolt, Princess and the Frog, Tangled, Frozen and Zoomtopia are all worth watching.

For Pixar: Up, Coco and Inside Out are top tier. And Brave, Monsters University and The Incredibles 2 are highly entertaining.

 

[ArkkAngel007]

Honestly, every animated feature Disney and Pixar has done since 2009 is at least worth checking out (with some exceptions like Cars 2 and maybe Brave).

Both studios have had an insanely consistent quality for the past decade.

Click to shrink...

I'll have to echo this, it's just a really good portfolio from Disney Animation and Pixar despite some stumbles such as the aforementioned and The Good Dinosaur. I'd even say Brave is still decent, just nowhere near the usual quality and very by-the-numbers.

If I had to tier the line-up (no order within the tiers):

Great:
*Tangled
*Moana
*Zootopia
*Coco
*Toy Story 3
*Soul

Good:
*Up
*Inside Out
*The Princess and the Frog
*Big Hero 6
*Wreck-It-Ralph
*Wall-E (included to set the baseline you're working with)

Decent (MMV depending on where you sit on demographic or relation to subject/themes):
*Frozen
*Onward
*Monsters University

Passable:
*Brave
*The Incredibles 2

Forget It:
*Cars 2
*Wreck-It-Ralph 2 (Best of these three and just misses passable, so mmv I guess)
*The Good Dinosaur

Can't speak for Bolt (always forget about this one), Cars 3, Frozen 2 and Toy Story 4, though the last of which seems great from what I gleaned from the kids story books.

Edit: Most of the shorts from Pixar are worth checking out as well

 

[blame space]

zootopia is a furry psyop and the only good thing is the sloth.

 

[Nepenthe]

Those ones were just okay.

Spoiler

Shakira's tiger dancers tho 👀

Click to shrink...

I find Princess and the Frog to be the most frustratingly mediocre of that crop, tho.

Spoiler

You're a furry now.

One of us.

One of us!

ONE OF US!

 

[Fat4all]

watch it now
moana
tangled
frozen
coco
zootopia
inside out
soul

watch it soon
toy story 3
toy story 4
frozen 2
the princess and the frog

watch it eventually
brave
bolt
the good dinosaur
wreck-it ralph
wreck it ralph fuck up the wifi
big hero 6
find that dory fish
Incredibles 2
onward

meh, maybe
spies in disguise
tinker bell
the tinker bell sequels
cars 3
monsters university
a christmas carol nightmare fuel edition

hard pass
mars needs moms
cars 2

hard piss
planes
planes 2

 

[kurahador]

Coco, Soul, Tangled, Zootopia, Toy Story 3, Inside Out --- in that order. Pass everything else.

 

[Setsune]

Don't miss the Burrow short that was paired with Soul. It's on Disney+ and only 6 minutes long, but just... *chef's kiss*

 

[RochHoch]

Tangled, Coco, and Soul are must-sees. Get on that.

Wreck-It Ralph (but only the first one), Zootopia, and Moana are also great

 

[IMCaprica]

1. Soul
2. Moana
3. Frozen
4. Toy Story 3

I strongly suggest watching the Pixar SparkShorts too. Out is fantastic, and the first time Disney really let a story be gay.

 

[GYODX]

I loved Coco.

Zootopia was also quite good.

 

[I am a Bird]

Just avoid that dinosaur one and your good.

 

[Deleted member 864]

Inside Out, Coco, Moana, Tangled, Soul, Zootopia, and Toy Story 3 and 4.

Be sure to check out all of the animated shorts too.

 

[Watchtower]

Special shout-out to Soul because it is legit an animated movie for adults. Not even exaggerating, not talking about "family-friendly", it actually feels like a movie mainly targeting adults because I can't imagine children getting its messages. Honestly truly incredible from Disney/Pixar.

Also special shout-out to Coco, which is guaranteed to make you bawl your eyes out.

 

[The Watcher]

I definitely agree with Tangled and Moana as quality Disney. For Pixar, everyone seems to be on the mark. However, I honestly believe that Monsters University and Finding Dory are being slept on in my honest opinion. And Zootopia

Spoiler

is essentially an animated introduction into systemic racism. I think some of the messaging (especially when it comes to predators) is a bit muddled as it tries to both sides an issue by making real-life analogues for something that's entirely to complex address in a kids film, but it's a gorgeous, imaginative movie

.

 

[Vulcano's Assistant]

Pixar's top five since 2008:
1. Coco
2. Up
3. Soul and Inside Out
5. Toy Story 3

Disney's top five since 2008:
1. Moana and Zootopia
3. Wreck-It-Ralph
4. Tangled
5. Frozen

Best soundtrack is easily Moana.

 

[Jiggy]

Tangled

 

[FaceHugger]

Tangled might be Disney's best animated movie since before acquiring Pixar

Wreck-It Ralph is really fun. The sequel not so much but if you already have Disney+ no reason not to watch it

Zootopia is a real treat

 

[Kwigo]

As most people already said, Tangled, Moana, Coco and Frozen are top tier, in that order.

 

[DanteSparda504]

Moana is an absolute must watch.

Tangled, Both Frozen movies, Zootopia, Wreck it Ralph. Really any Pixar movie.....fuck. Basically any of them!

But Moana is THE film to watch. It's the best of the best.