There are over 50 Disney Animated movies and because of that, it's easy to forget some of them. With the release of Disney's new movie, "Moana," just a few months away, there are some older films we all need to give some love to. It's easy to forget some of the classics when we have "Frozen" and "Tangled" to watch and sing-a-long to, but we shouldn't shelve Walt's originals too quickly. So before the summer is over, here's a quick list of classic Disney films you should watch again:
1. "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" (1937)
This is Walt Disney's first animated feature film and it won him an honorary Academy Award (along with seven smaller Academy Awards). It is a Disney classic and started the frenzy of Disney love. Always a good nostalgic watch. Plus, you always need to sing along to "Heigh Ho."
2. "Bambi" (1942)
Even though I cry every time when I see the scene with Bambi's mom, this movie is still amazing. The animation with the animals, the colors, and just Bambi being adorable is always a good movie to watch and rewatch. Walt had his animators study a live deer in their office to get the animation of Bambi and his mother correct. That is dedication.
3. "Cinderella" (1950)
Cinderella's transformation scene was one of Walt's favorites to animate. This classic movie shows a young woman withstanding an evil step-family and eventually going against them to follow her dream of going to a ball. How could you not watch this? Girl power. Also, aren't the mice adorable?
4. "Peter Pan" (1953)
The Boy Who Never Grows Up is a classic bed time story and such a good movie for all of us college students who want to go back to being kids. So the best way to do that is to grab a classic animated film and relive the good old days before loans and exams.
5. "Lady and the Tramp" (1955)
I always forget how good this movie is until I watch it and start singing along to "Bella Note." It is such a sweet romance story and it's about dogs! Two of my favorite things.
6. "The Jungle Book" (1967)
Walt Disney's last film that he worked on before he died. That is reason enough to watch it. It is also a classic book turned movie, and one of the few that has turned out successfully. A boy lives in the wild, is raised by wolves, and eventually finds his way to civilization. Classic Disney inspiration story.
7. "The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh" (1977)
This movie started my obsession with Winnie the Pooh. A boy goes on adventures with his friends in the Hundred Acre Wood; it just so happens that all those friends are animals. But they all have life lessons to teach us, Piglet is scared and nervous, Eeyore is sad, Tigger is extremely hungry, Pooh is always hungry, Rabbit is a know-it-all. We can all learn how to find comfort in our friends with our problems from these characters and their stories.
8. "Beauty and the Beast" (1991)
Belle was always my favorite princess because she loved books and daydreaming, plus she had brown hair like me and not many other princess' did. She and Beast find comfort in each other because they are different from the townspeople. This movie also revamped the Disney animated movie craze and earned Walt Disney Studios an Oscar Nomination for Best Picture, a first in Academy Award history (an animated movie getting nominated). Everyone also needs to watch this before the live action film premieres in 2017 with Emma Watson.
9. "Lilo and Stitch" (2002)
I've heard many times that people forget this movie is a Disney movie and that hurts because this is my favorite movie. Everyone go watch this amazing film about an alien finding his Ohana (family) in two orphaned sisters and realizing that being different doesn't mean you can't be loved by someone. This is an amazing movie about trauma, family, hard work, and love. Bravo Disney, you are amazing.
10. "Brother Bear" (2003)
Another amazing movie about family and trauma. Kenai learns to love others who are different from him by taking in an orphaned bear cub, Koda, after the Great Spirits turn Kenai into a bear. It is an unusual adventure story following bears but it teaches kids to love both the environment and each other. Also the music is composed and sung by Phil Collins, the same musician who worked on "Tarzan," so it is going to be good.
Now it's off to work you go. You have a lot of movies to watch before school starts and "Moana" releases in November. And a lot of songs to sing! Make Walt Disney proud.
