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The 10 Best Live-Action Disney Children's Movies of All TimeMar 03 '06 Write an essay on this topic.The Bottom Line Disney hasn't always been about cartoons, and here is a list of the 10 best non-cartoons created for families. I recently wrote up a list of what I felt to be the best of the Disney classic cartoons, but that didn't take into account all of the movies that incorporated the human element of Disney films. That is the thought process behind this list of the best Live-Action Disney films of all time. It is interesting to think of all the films that Disney has put into production over the years, but there are a lot of them that stick out from the group. These are the films that kids can watch over and over again, and yet never grow tired of the story. The plots aren't always the best, but that doesn't always come into consideration when deciding whether one of the films is good or not. There are so many to choose from, but here is the list of what are the 10 best in my opinion. Holes Holes came out in 2003, and stars Shia LaBeouf (From TV's Even Stevens), as Stanley Yelnak. Stanley is your average teenage boy who just keeps to himself, but one day he is walking under an overpass and a pair of baseball shoes come off the side, hitting him in the head. Unfortunately these shoes have been stolen, and quickly Stanley becomes a suspect for having taken them since he is now in possession of them. Unable to prove his innocence, he is sent to a boy’s camp for a detention. It seems like its going to be a long summer for this young man, and it isn't made any easier by the demands of the warden played by Sigourney Weaver. She wants them to dig holes to build character, but there is something else up her sleeve. In a story that shows interesting aspects of the boy’s camp, and mixes in flashbacks of what used to be wear the camp is now, we are given a very interesting tale of a bandit and a family with a curse over them for 100 years. LaBeouf is great, and the film is very interesting, and one of the better recent Disney movies to come out. Escape to Witch Mountain Two orphaned children seem to possess powers that a lot of people want to have control of. They can move things with their minds, and it is amazing just what is possible through that. Whatever they think, can take place, and it is something that a few choice people want to abuse. This includes a man who poses as their Uncle in order to gain their trust and custody of the children. With a host of people trying to control the kids, their only hope is an older man who has recently lost his wife. Together they are going to try and make an 'Escape to Witch Mountain.' It is a tale of discovery for these kids, who don't know everything about their past, and will be taking a huge step forward in life as they are forced to mature in an instant. While the man is helping the children, they are returning the favor in their own way by making him feel important again. It is a very interesting film from 1975 that is now one of the Disney Classics, and one that is well worth seeing again. Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey Everyone must know the story of the animals in Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey. A family is moving across the country, and they must have someone watch their pets till they are able to get settled and bring them out to live there. Each animal has their own child (3 each) that looks out for them, and takes great care of them. There are two dogs and one cat, and when they think that they have been left behind (or forgotten), they decide to escape and head out on their own to find the lost family. They are three house-pets heading out into the wild, and it is going to be an incredible journey through the wilderness to find their owners. The first version has a narrator telling their story, and the updated version gives the animals voices of their own (Michael J. Fox and Sally Field). Both are quite good, and you get to see how the three animals survive in the wilds on their journey to regain their family. The Love Bug In 1968 Disney came up with a theme that would prove to be pretty successful, and lead to many sequels, as well as a recent remake with Ms. Lohan. The story is about a white Volkswagen Beetle that has a mind of its own. Found in a showroom, he is turned into a race car by Jim Douglas and Tennessee Steinmetz. Played by the great Dean Jones and Buddy Hackett, the duo is exceptional as a hard-luck pair trying to win a grand prix race using a Volkswagen bug. Unfortunately for them, a diamond has been stolen and stored in the cars gas tank. So, they have bad guys trying to stop them from winning the race, all while trying to regain the diamond. We get to meet Herbie for the first time, and there are plenty of funny scenes as the car takes on a personality all of its own. It is a fun movie, with nearly all of it taking place during the race, but it serves as a great introduction to characters we will see again. The Mighty Ducks In 1992, Gordon Bombay was a hot shot lawyer, and was looking towards a great future in law. But, he is forced to coach a hockey team because of a court order, and it happens to be the worst in the league. He played hockey himself though, and has a knowledge of the game that could prove to be quite important. The team is made up of a rag-tag bunch of kids (Joshua Jackson included) that must learn how to play the game, all while dealing with a new coach that doesn't even want to be there. Emilio Estevez plays Bombay, who has a past in hockey that he doesn't want to re-live, but soon finds himself being won over by these kids, and this group of kids finally becomes a real team. Now they are winning games, and will be facing the most difficult challenge of their lives in the form of the league champion. This is a great film about not counting out the underdog, and just how important teamwork can be. It is a film that I will watch anytime it is on TV because it is so much fun, and it is a Disney film that will be a classic forever. The Santa Clause When something happens to Santa Clause, Tim Allen's character must step in and take over the role in order to make sure that Christmas can continue. Not really accepting the role, and not looking anything like Santa Clause, leaves the man with a lot of doubt about his beliefs or anything he associates with the holiday. But slowly, he starts growing the beard and the belly, and soon enough he looks just like Santa Clause! Though the reason he takes over is a little dark for a movie like this, The Santa Clause does a great job of bringing a lot of humor to the topic of Christmas and everything it entails. The job of delivering presents to all of the children of the world over one night is not as easy as it seems, and for one man, that task has become his sole responsibility. This film is hilarious at times, and was done well enough to have a sequel 8 years later. The Santa Clause is another one of those Christmas movies that should not be missed. When it isn't funny, it is heartfelt and sincere, and truly is one of the better family movies of recent years. Mary Poppins This is an older one in the Disney Vault, and came out back in 1964. Left without a nanny because she is fed up with them, two children are graced with a new one who brings with her a lot of song and dance. She is there to show them the magic of life, and Mary Poppins is someone the children won’t soon forget. The nanny wins the kids over right away, but it is not exactly what their father was looking for. The spoon full of sugar attitude that she has rubs him the wrong way, but that is only because he doesn’t understand what his kids really need. It is a fun film in a dire setting that brings a lot of fun, understanding, and music to us in the form of a great Disney film. There will be many memorable songs from this one when you see it, and you will have a lot of fun watching the children and their new chimney sweep friends. Angels In The Outfield This is the second version of the film that came out in 1994, and stars Danny Glover, Tony Danza, and Christopher Lloyd. It is about a miserable California Angels team receives divine intervention when a young fan prays for them to win the championship. Christopher Lloyd stars as the angel in charge of helping this wish come true, and the team suddenly becomes blessed with the ability to do nothing wrong on the diamond. Danny Glover is great in the role of the manager who has seen better days, and can't stand losing anymore. Only Roger and his friend J.P. are able to see these angels, and we as the audience are able to see how they are helping the Angels win. This is a great story about wishes coming true, and in typical Disney fashion, it is a great family movie. I liked it a lot, because it stuck to the reality of the game, but showed what heart can get you in the end. A great family film, this is one that I could watch a million times and still want to see it again. The Cat From Outer Space A UFO ends up being stranded on Earth, and its pilot is not exactly what you have expected; it is a cat. The cat wears a color which gives him special powers, and he can basically control anything around him when he is wearing the color. The only thing that will make his ship run is melted down gold, and in order to get back home, he is going to have to find a way to attain a new bar. He is aided by two Doctors played by Ken Berry and Sandy Duncan, and they must figure out a way to help Jake the Cat get home before it is too late. It’s a fun plot, and there is a lot of action thrown into the movie. We get to see Jake use his powers to do nearly anything, and that includes flying a plane that doesn’t even have a working engine. A cat with special powers is a pretty intriguing storyline, and it is very interesting to watch him try and figure out a way to get that gold. There are a lot of funny moments thrown into it, and the story creates a lot of drama for its characters, but it does so in a way that makes the film very suitable for a younger audience. Annie Annie is a musical that has been done many times, but I like the 1982 version the best. Like a lot of the great musicals out there about orphans (3 make my list), Annie is about Little Orphan Annie, who lives at an orphanage where the children are worked to the bone. The person running the place is not nice at all, and sees these kids as slaves to whatever she wants. Carol Burnett plays the role of Miss Hannigan the owner of the orphanage, and along with Rooster Hannigan (Tim Curry) decide to take advantage of any way they can to make money. But this is a story about Annie, and how she believed "The Sun Will Come Out Tomorrow." Albert Finney plays Daddy Oliver Warbucks, who seems like the least likely person to ever want a child a child in his mansion, but he takes a liking to Annie, and the two end up hitting it off. Little do they know that the Hannigan's want to profit off of this the entire time. The music is great, the story is fun with a great ending, and the acting is top notch. Combined they all make Annie an awesome film that appeals to people of all ages.  |
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