Happy Tuesday, dear readers! Each week, we’ll rank the top 10 films in a specific category. While we aim to tie these lists to big releases, that won’t always be the case. Our goal? For you to enjoy, share your own lists, and join in on a lively, friendly debate. This is an interactive space to build community here at The Contending.
No fancy intros, no long essays – just a category and a list. Sound good?
With Moana and Maui setting sail for the far seas and arriving in theaters this weekend, what better time to rank Disney films?
This list will focus exclusively on Disney Animation Studios, excluding Pixar, Studio Ghibli, and other non-classic Disney Animated films. We’ll concentrate on the late-’80s/90s Renaissance era to the present day. The Disney Renaissance began in 1989 with The Little Mermaid, revitalizing the legendary animation studio after an 18-year lull following the deaths of Walt Disney and his co-founding older brother, Roy. This marks the modern era of Disney, whose first feature-length film, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, was released in 1937.
To date, Disney Animation Studios has earned an incredible 51 Oscar nominations and 16 wins from its modern library. An impressive achievement, especially considering the Animated Feature category didn’t debut until 2001. Four Disney Animation Studios films have won the Oscar for Best Animated Feature: Frozen (2013), Big Hero 6 (2014), Zootopia (2016), and Encanto (2021) – a total that Moana 2 hopes to add to this year.
Here are my ten best films from modern-day Disney Animation Studios:
10. Wreck-It Ralph (2012)
9. Mulan (1998)
8. Zootopia (2016)
7. Tangled (2010)
6. Moana (2016)
5. Aladdin (1992)
4. Frozen (2013)
3. The Little Mermaid (1989)
2. The Lion King (1994)
1. Beauty and the Beast (1991)
How can anyone disagree with this top 3?
The only change I'd make is swap Wreck-It Ralph and Tangled's ranking.