Whenever a “classic” Disney movie conversation starts up people immediately think of all their animated classics like Cinderella, Snow White, Pinocchio and all the others. But sometimes we forget that Disney’s collection of non-animated movies are just as good as their animated movies. These are the 15 best non-animated Disney movies of all-time.
15. Rocketeer and Flight of the Navigator (TIE)
The Rocketeer is the one and only time that Disney has made a movie with Jennifer Connelly. Smart move Disney, smart move. Flight of the Navigator is a movie I probably need to view again to be able to judge but I remember loving this non-animated movie when I was a kid.
14. Holes
At one point in time Shia Lebeouf was just that really strange kid on Even Stevens. Then Disney released the non-animated film Holes and people realized that Shia Lebeouf was going to be a movie star.
13. Sky High
Sky High was the I-was-pleasantly-surprised-it-was-good movie of 2005. I liked the idea of a high school for superheroes but thought it would be a disaster as a non-animated Disney movie. It turned out to be a pretty fun movie. I will never doubt a non-animated Disney movie with Kurt Russell again.
12. Remember the Titans
If Remember the Titans isn’t one of the five best sports movies then it’s at least pretty close.
11. The Game Plan
I know the Game Plan probably looks pretty dumb to most people my age but I thought it was a pretty cute movie from Disney’s non-animated library. The action-star-in-a-nanny/father-role worked this time because unlike all the other versions of this movie The Rock and Madison Pettis actually had great chemistry with each other.
10. Old Yeller
Old Yeller is one of the most classic non-animated Disney movies of all-time. Old Yeller came on the Disney Channel constantly when I was young and I would watch it every single time, but turn it off when they got to the scene where they have to shoot Old Yeller. Unfortunately, it doesn’t hold up quite as well today.
9. Song of the South
I saw Song of the South for the first time in 20 years about a month ago and I was surprised how well that movie has held up. Both the animation and the non-animation parts hold up after 50 years.
8. Return to Oz
Return to Oz rules! Wizard of Oz drools.
7. Pirates of the Caribbean
Unfortunately parts 2 and 3 tainted the Pirates of the Caribbean series, but the first movie was a perfectly good non-animated Disney movie.
6. Parent Trap
The Parent Trap remake starring Lindsay Lohan actually wasn’ t that bad, but it still doesn’t compare to the original starring Hayley Mills.
5. Escape to Witch Mountain
Escape to Witch Mountain is one of my all-time favorite non-animated Disney movies. Cute kids that aren’t bad actors, a great villain and a mystery all rolled into one. Even though this is a classic movie non-animated Disney movie I’m interested what the remake that is coming up will be like.
4. Bedknobs and Broomsticks
Like Mary Poppings, Bedknobs and Broomsticks is a really fun movie that mixes live action and animation but the end of the movie is pretty boring. When I watched this as a kid I would usually turn it off after they play soccer with all the animated animals.
3. Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe was a pretty good fantasy movie. The actors were just as good as the Harry Potter kids and the creatures were just as good looking as Lord of the Rings.
2. Enchanted
Maybe it’s just because it’s the non-animated Disney movie I saw most recently but I honestly don’t think I have loved any Disney movie as much as Enchanted since the first time I saw the Robin Hood animated movie (and that’s my favorite Disney movie of all-time).
1. Mary Poppins
I think I might actually like Enchanted better than Marry Poppins, but I admit Mary Poppins might be a better made film and is much more of a classic. Plus Julie Andrews and Dick Van Dyke is a pretty legendary pairing. No offense to Amy Adams and Patrick Dempsey but I doubt we will look back at them the same way in 40 years.
