Although I tried to keep my opinions out of here, inevitably some have them have worked their way in here. Also, this list pertains to the 55 canon Walt Disney Animated Films. So, you won't be seeing any Pixar films like Toy Story or anything from a Disney subsidiary like The Nightmare Before Christmas. Also, this list is going to be done over the course of 3 or 4 articles, because the file is so big it might crash the system. Now sit back, relax, and take a journey through some of Disney's most beloved classics.
55.) Home on the Range (2004)
To put it bluntly- Home on the Range feels like a 105 minute punch in the face. The film is about co2s going after an evil villain...that's it. Both the story and animation style are juvenile and even insulting to older viewer's intelligence. The characters are also totally one dimensional and forgettable. Home on the Range seems like something out of a public access kid's show, not Disney. This was also the film to effectively shut down Disney's 2D animation department until late Princess and the Frog, several years later. Thanks for nothing, Home on the Range.
54.) Fun and Fancy Free (1947)
This package film combining two lackluster shorts has little to offer. Although Mickey and the Beanstalk is iconic, it's not very engaging. And the other short, Bongo, is just sort of basic. There really isn't much depth or story here, even despite it being a package feature. The music also isn't very good and the animation is just sort of pleasant, nothing spectacular. Actually, Fun and Fancy Free isn't fun at all.
53.) Hercules (1997)
Hercules is easily the worst of Disney's Renaissance, Pocahontas doesn't even come close. This is a rare example of a film that has no tone whatsoever. Greek Mythology with gospel music and pop culture references doesn't gel at all. Although James Woods as Hades and Danny Devito as Phil are funny, they are not enough to save the entire film. In short, to willingly view this film would be a Herculean task.
52.) Big Hiro 6 (2014)
The biggest flaw with Big Hiro 6 is its lack of originality. All of the characters have been done before in other sci-fi and superhero films, heck, even in other Disney films. (The boy genius protagonist, in this film, Hiro, is almost a carbon copy of Lewis from "Meet the Robinsons".) But that's not the film's only short coming- the "hidden" villain is obvious from the very start and the message is muddled. The older brother, one of the only likable, cute characters in the entire film, dies ten minutes in- thus killing anything good about this film. Big Hiro 6 is a big skip.
51.) The Black Cauldron (1985)
My gosh this film is awful. I went in thinking that there might be some good elements her, at the very least some good animation. But boy, was I wrong. Every single character in this film is both underdeveloped and unlikable, except for the pig, Hen-Wen...who doesn't even speak. The story is just uninteresting and needlessly dark. The animation at times can impress, but that's needlessly dark as well. And it's rare that I saw this, but the voice acting is bad, every character, particularly the two leads, have incredibly annoying voices. The Black Cauldron is considered one of of Disney's biggest failures, and that's pretty accurate.
50.) Sleeping Beauty (1959)
This is one of Disney's classics that lacks a substance. Sure the animation and backgrounds are beautiful- but aside from that- there isn't much here. While Maleficent is enjoyable, the "main" character, Princess Aurora, is without a doubt the weakest Princess in Disney's lineup. The story is also slow-paced and the music is scarce and forgettable. More than anything the film is just boring. Sleeping Beauty is a snooze fest.
49.) The Aristocats (1970)
The film is the pinnacle of forgettable. All The Aristocats is is a film about cats going after an incredibly weak and even annoying villain, and dancing to fun music. That's all there is here. If you want a cut cat movie I guess this is fine. But if you want an engaging story with better story, this isn't the film. Honestly, I don't think everybody wants to be a cat, I certainly don't.
48.) Fantasia 2000 (1999)
At best, Fantasia 2000 is a breath-taking film with a few good sequences. Some always impress- like "Rhapsody in Blue" and "Pines of Rome" and of course "The Firebird Suite". But aside from that, Fantasia 2000 is tacky- both with the celebrity appearances and the few uninteresting shorts make the film fall flat- especially in comparison to the original. It's also worth mentioning that the film replays "The Sorcerer's Apprentice" from the first film, and this comes off as training wheels the film doesn't need. Fantasia 2000 does have some great shorts, but that's about it.
46.) Saludos Amigos (1943)
The only thing Saludos Amigos has against it is its length. At only 43 minutes, the film is Disney's shortest motion picture, and I honestly don't know how to feel about it. To me, a film has to be at least 60 minutes to qualify as a feature length. But, Saludos Amigos is a likable film that follows the Disney Animators traveling to South America- which is actually pretty interesting and different. The shorts are enjoyable too- but there should be more of them. Honestly, if the film was just twenty minutes longer- it might have a shot at being a classic. But as is, it's a small slice of film.
45.) The Three Cabarellos (1944)
The Three Cabarellos is a lot of fun- yet it lacks consistency. Donald Duck is of course hilarious and we do have some enjoyable characters with José and Panchito. The animation, as well as some impressive live action mixing are great aw well. But- the film seems like it's all over the place. It goes from singing to abstract to dancing, the film doesn't gel as well as it should- but it'd still fairly enjoyable.
44.) Make Mine Music (1946)
About half of the shorts in Make Mine Music are really amazing. A few are average and a couple are uninspired. But honestly, as far as package films go- that's pretty good. There's some great shorts like "All the Cats Join In" and "The Whale Who Wanted to Sing at the Met" as well as some other really enjoyable ones. Make Mine Music is your basic package film- and that's about it.
43.) Oliver and Company (1988)
There's something incredibly cheap and even tacky about Oliver and Company. This retelling of Dicken's "Oliver Twist", gets the story, characters, and occasional song right, but aside from that, there's a lot of fluff here. There's also a lot of product placement and market dodges, and that's constantly distracting. Oliver and Company lacks the substance to make it a true Disney classic.
42.) Alice in Wonderland (1951)
At times, Alice in Wonderland is needlessly weird and creepy. It's an oddly paced story with overly strange characters, that creates an uncomfortable feeling upon each viewing. The film also lacks a lot of Disney's trademark warmth, considering that Alice has no allies in Wonderland, which makes the film even more uncomfortable. Alice is a likable enough character, but lacks anything really unique. Alice in Wonderland is a weird trip, at best.
41.) Chicken Little (2005)
Despite what most people think, Chicken Little isn't that bad. Although it can be a bit mean spirited, there's still some decent elements in it. Chicken Little himself is a likable enough character, along with his group of friends. And for Disney's first fully computer-animated feature without Pixar- it's groundbreaking in the technical department, and the animation isn't bad either. But if course Chicken Little's father and the rest of the town, still upset over Chicken Little's blunder, are needlessly mean in this film, and it can be uncomfortable. But honestly, I don't think that makes it one of Disney's worst films, not by a long shot.
