An interesting thing I realized going through all these animated Disney features is that I think they made just as many bad films as they did good ones. There are going to be some contentious picks here, there are a few films people are pretty divided on, but I think everyone who watched a lot of Disney is going to have a good handful of these films they just hate.
That said, not much else to say I didn't mention in my favorite Disney films list here, so I'll get right into the list.
10.) Beauty and the Beast
And this is the contentious pick on my list. I feel like you either love or hate this one, and it comes down to one thing: Do these two have any chemistry as a couple? While I've laughed at the Stockholm syndrome jokes made over the years, that's not really a problem. No matter how well animated the show is, it's never going to land with you if these two don't feel genuine. And considering that is indeed the main focus of the show, if that falls flat the whole thing falls flat.
That said, I will not love Gaston. He is an absolute joy, and he does a lot to save this movie for me. As a movie, I still don't like it, but every time he is on screen I am happy.
9.) The Hunchback of Notre Dame
This movie had a lot of potential with its darker themes and look. It has the same problem a lot of other dark Disney movies had, and that is its insistence on ramping up the comedy to try to take the edge off. It never felt like they could just up and commit to it. Dark movies for kids can work, and they can have comedy relief in them, but you need to know when to let up on it.
What saved this movie from being any higher on the list was Frollo his song Hellfire, which is the greatest song Disney has ever produced. That song, on its own, was almost good enough to keep the entire movie off this list. But it just couldn't compensate enough for the gargoyle fart jokes.
8.) The Black Cauldron
This could have been the best Disney film ever made if they could just commit. I know I am kind of repeating myself from the previous movie here, but Dark movies have just never been what Disney was good at, and for some reason, the comedy in these films is always the worst. They just never seemed to have a team who could balance the two together with the way someone like Don Bluth could with Secret of Nihm.
7.) A Goofy Movie
Goofy Movie does one thing well, and that is making Goofy feel like a real father. The problem is the movie doesn't do anything else well at all. It's not bad in an interesting way, it's just a constant stream of it from beginning to end, with a little spice of Polly Shore as the worst celebrity cameo in any of their movies.
There is a similarity with Hunchback in that keeping it from being higher on the list is Eye to Eye, which I just a solid number. I think this is what most people remember this movie for, but the song stands entirely on its own separate from the movie, so no context is needed to enjoy.
6.) The Fox and the Hound
A lot of the worst Disney movies are bad because they are boring, and this is a pretty great example of that. There is a decent premise here, but it's let down by one of the least interesting casts of characters in a Disney movie. And considering the whole focus is on the relationship between a hunting dog not wanting to go after his friend, not caring about the characters is a death knell. It does have a great-looking climax involving a bear at the end, but aside from that it just isn't very interesting.
5.) Home on the Range
I'm a bit surprised I didn't rate this higher, because not only is this a comedy with almost no good jokes, but it's the moment I felt like I wasn't watching a Disney movie, I was watching a knock-off Disney movie. I never would have guessed they made had I not been explicitly told they made it. I didn't feel like anyone cared when they made this movie.
4.) Bambi
I watched Bambi and, the whole time was just wondering what the point of all this was. It didn't feel like anything that happens mattered. Even though the Death of Bambi's mother didn't feel significant, the scene after is just the next stage of Bambi's life as a deer. I don't feel there is a normal story being told, you are just following along the life of a typical deer, which would be fine if that deer were at least interesting. It's not as boring as something like Fox in the Hound, but at least I feel like there was something you could glean out of that movie. This just ends up feeling like it meanders around from point to point with no real purpose or goal.
3.) Pocahontas
There is no quicker way to get on my bad side than by just being preachy. You can have a message, that's fine, but that message should never take precedent over the story. I walk away from Pocahontas feeling like all the movie wanted to do was lecture me and tell me about how people are so evil, and we should just be one with nature. It's such a one-sided affair too. If you want to see a movie that handle this so much better, watch Princess Mononoke. While that movie can feel a bit preachy as well, at least it has the decency to look at the situation with a little nuance and not just go 'These men are bad and evil' while going about its theme.
2.) Chicken Little
I was so close to making this my number one. It's not about the story, which is incredibly stupid, or even the characters, which are also incredibly stupid. It's because this movie is a non-stop barrage of bad jokes, terrible slapstick, and what feels like Disney trying and failing to be Pixar. From beginning to end this movie was just painful to watch. That said, there is one thing that I ended up deciding was even worse than that.
1.) The Rescuers
Nothing fucking happens.
That is what I wanted my original review of this movie to be, but I didn't think I could justify a three-word post. But those three words sum up this movie better than any full review could, so I kind of regret not doing that.
And with that my little trip through the Disney Animated Features comes to an end. A little diversion from my normal anime and game posts was fun while it lasted, and I think I'll still do one more Disney-related post and do my ten favorite songs from Disney, but as far as full looks at the movies this is where I stop. It was a fun and interesting trip.