My Top 10 Favorite Disney Movies

Even after another marathon and over 30 movies to choose from, Fantasia is still Disney's most ambitious, most poetic, most hypnotic and imaginative experience I've ever seen. It's a film that, as a kid, when I had all of these movies at my fingertips, I constantly found myself coming back to. Combining beautiful music with gorgeous animation, Fantasia produces multiple memorable sequences that range from abstract imagery to very definite images and stories. Whether remembering my experiences as a kid or watching it nowadays, the impression this film has left on me continues to move and inspire. Whether it's The Sorcerer's Apprentice or A Night on Bald Mountain, Fantasia is the one Disney film I can conceivably watch every single day for the rest of my life and never tire of it. In my opinion, it's still the best Disney film I've ever seen.

I had once referred to Snow White as Disney's greatest story, but after watching this film again, there is no question that this truly is the best fairy tale, and best overall story Disney has ever produced. Beauty and the Beast is a very special kind of film in that it embraces all 3 facets/directions of its formula: it follows the traditions, it lampoons itself, and it revises & improves the formula. Most films can't do any of these simultaneously, choosing one direction and just going full speed in that direction. Beauty and the Beast does all of them at once, creating an experience that's both traditional and new. And the best part about it? The film does it with the best prince and princess characters Disney has ever produced. Beauty and the Beast is the perfect Disney experience, but you could also argue it's just a perfect film in general.

This is arguably the greatest adventure movie Disney has ever produced. Not only is Pinocchio insurmountable fun in watching the title character discovering right from wrong in his countless journeys, but each journey is the perfect mixture of excitement, thrills, and even scares. From Pinocchio's encounters with the two con-men, to his brief imprisonment by Stromboli, to one of the more bleaker sequences in his trip to Pleasure Island, to the thrilling conclusion with Monstro at sea. Pinocchio offers everything I could ever want out of an adventure film, and has stood the test of time when others have disappeared into nothingness.

This is the film that started it all. It's the Disney film that every film since then owes it's existence and success to, and the one that established the fairytale paradigm. I originally had this film ranked at #2, but it slips a bit for not being a more exciting film. But still, when people think of the perfect fairytale, to a lot of them Snow White comes to mind, and for good reason. It's creative and imaginative, providing classic images that are both beautiful and frightening, and it's musical quality has been copied and parodied endlessly. This shows both a sign of respect for history, and a desire to recreate the classic, lasting impressions this movie made, and always to a lesser extent. It's Disney's original classic.

There could easily be a 3-way tie for the #5 slot as far as I'm concerned, but each film deserves individual recognition for what they accomplish, especially this film. Alice in Wonderland may not make too much sense or have the strongest of stories, but it's one of the most pleasurable adventures through madness I have ever seen. I love the animation, I love the characters, the voice work (especially by Kathryn Beaumont) is great, and all of Alice's episodes are both imaginative and hilarious. This is one of the only Disney films that actually gets a laugh out of me every time, and every time I do a Disney marathon it's probably the one film I look forward to watching more than any other. Just one awesome film.

A new addition to the list, since my last marathon I had forgotten just how much fun this film is. I'm a sucker for the darker side of Disney and I love great detective stories, and while this film doesn't have the greatest of stories, it's arguably the most enjoyable and exciting film to come out of Disney's "Lost Years." With an eccentric detective leading the way, a loveable cast of characters, including a delightful villain voiced with great zeal by Vincent Price, and great set-pieces and dark locations, including a terrific showdown inside Big Ben, there is no shortage of excitement when it comes to this film.

Another new entry, this is one of the most pleasant films Disney has ever made. It doesn't bombard you with tense situations or over-the-top villains, but instead encourages you to spend a nice hour and a half with some of Disney's most innocent characters. It's not epic or mythic like some of Disney's other great films, but it is a wonderful adventure as Christopher Robin's childhood toys come to life, exemplifying the beauty of a young child's innocence and imagination.

Though this film has slipped down the list a bit, it's still one of my favorites for all the same reasons I had it listed at 3. Great songs, great characters, great animation, and it's one of the few Disney films that gets me choked up every time. As mentioned in my most recent list, it's issues in pacing and comedy leave some to be desired, but it so far excels in these other areas that it barely makes a noticeable dent in the overall impact I feel this film has. This is Disney at it's darkest, and the 2nd best film of the Disney Renaissance.

Arguably the most popular and memorable film of the Disney Renaissance, this is one of best written & best directed Disney films ever produced. Whereas older Disney films were more fantastical and visually stimulating, the films of the '90s felt more dramatically proficient, and Lion King is one of the best examples of that. It's because of the great animation, the great story of revenge and redemption, the great voice acting, and the wonderful collection of songs & musical score (my personal favorite of any Disney score). Though I've recently taken some issues with different aspects of the film, it doesn't hinder it enough to throw it off the list. Still one of the better Disney movies out there.

Bambi slots in at #10 because it's just one gorgeous film, both visually and in concept. Visually, it's arguably Disney's most beautiful looking film, and if the story just isn't your thing then just basking in the great animation is more than enough. While not cut from the same cloth as Disney's fairytale films, and certainly not as grand as The Lion King, Bambi shows the whimsical, heartbreaking, and ultimately triumphant story of Bambi's growth from a fawn to king of the forest. In my opinion, this is a must-own for any Disney fan.