Best Movies on Disney Plus Right Now (November 2023)
The volume of content available on Disney+ may feel overwhelming. Indeed, there are a plethora of good movies on Disney+, from forgotten live-action films from the 60s, 70s, and 80s alongside a ton of Disney Channel Original movies — and that’s not to mention the catalog titles from Pixar, Marvel, and Lucasfilm and the growing library of new original films you can only find on Disney+. To help you find the cream of the crop, we’re compiled a list of the best movies on Disney Plus across all genres. Take a look!
For more recommendations, check out our list of the best shows on Disney+, best comedies on Disney+, and best romantic movies on Disney+.
Editor’s Note: This article was updated November 23rd to include Spider-Man 2.
Spider-Man 2
Rotten Tomatoes: 93% | IMDb: 7.5/10
Spider-Man 2
- Release Date
- June 25, 2004
- Director
- Sam Raimi
- Cast
- Tobey Maguire, Kirsten Dunst, James Franco, Alfred Molina, Rosemary Harris, J.K. Simmons
- Runtime
- 127
- Genres
- Action, Adventure, Fantasy
Based on the Marvel Comics character of the same name and serving as the second installment in Sam Raimi‘s Spider-Man franchise, Spider-Man 2 is set two years after the events of Spider-Man. The film follows the titular character, aka Peter Parker (Tobey Maguire), and his struggle to prevent scientist Dr. Otto Octavius (Alfred Molina) from reenacting a perilous experiment that led to the death of his wife and left him neurologically bonded to mechanical tentacles. Simultaneously, Peter grapples with an existential crisis concerning his dual identities, which seems to be diminishing his superpowers.
Raimi’s Spider-Man 2 skillfully represents a pinnacle entry in the franchise, seamlessly blending drama and action, somber moments, and pure entertainment, offering the audience the ultimate superhero experience. In addition, throughout the film, Maguire proves to be the perfect actor to portray the conflicted superhero. His earnest and vulnerable portrayal showcases why he revels in the superhero transformation, as well as the weight of its responsibilities. Molina’s portrayal of Doc Ock also brings a fresh and more grounded perspective compared to Willem Dafoe‘s Green Goblin. In the end, Raimi reminds the audience with Spider-Man 2 that it’s possible to create highly marketable films while maintaining one’s artistic integrity. – Jessie Nguyen
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Turning Red
Rotten Tomatoes: 95% | IMDb: 7.0/10
Turning Red
- Release Date
- March 10, 2022
- Director
- Domee Shi
- Cast
- Rosalie Chiang, Sandra Oh, James Hong
- Genres
- Animation
Pixar has shown us time and time again that they know exactly how to push the right buttons to move us, to make us cry, to devastate us. But what Turning Red is doing might be even more impressive, a bright story that doesn’t skimp on the moving sentiments, but provides these emotions in a lovely, fun, and largely optimistic story of self-discovery and the first steps into womanhood. Turning Red can do all this in a film packed with panda transformations, ridiculous boy bands, needy Tamagotchis, and absurd first crushes. Turning Red proves that a Pixar film can be cheery, positive, and light, while also leaving a touching and powerful impression. — Ross Bonaime
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Cinderella (1950)
Rotten Tomatoes: 98% | IMDb: 7.3/10
Cinderella (1950)
- Release Date
- March 4, 1950
- Director
- Wilfred Jackson, Hamilton Luske, Clyde Geronimi
- Cast
- Homer Brightman, Erdman Penner
- Runtime
- 1 hr 14 min
- Genres
- Animation, Musical, Fantasy
One of the original Disney princesses, Cinderella is a beautifully animated classic. Based on the fairy tale by Charles Perrault, Cinderella has become a generationally beloved film capturing a timeless story, unforgettable characters, and gorgeous animation. Directors Clyde Geronimi, Wilfred Jackson, and Hamilton Luske bring to life the magic of a young orphaned girl who defies her abusive stepmother to attend an opportunity for a better life. It features the voice of Ilene Woods as the titular character, with Verna Felton voicing her spectacular fairy godmother and James MacDonald providing the voice of mice Gus and Jaq. – Yael Tygiel
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Mrs. Doubtfire
Rotten Tomatoes: 70% | IMDb: 7.1/10
Mrs. Doubtfire
- Release Date
- November 24, 1993
- Director
- Chris Columbus
- Cast
- Robin Williams, Sally Field, Pierce Brosnan, Harvey Fierstein, Polly Holliday, Lisa Jakub
- Runtime
- 125
- Genres
- Comedy, Documentary, Drama, Family
Directed by Chris Columbus (Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets), Mrs. Doubtfire is a classic comedy film that mostly holds up. Starring the late and brilliant Robin Williams, Mrs. Doubtfire hilariously tells the story of a family going through a divorce, focusing on the man-child father (Williams) who takes on the disguise of an elderly woman named Mrs. Doubtfire in order to spend time with his children. Loaded with heavy themes, Williams’ performance, alongside Sally Field (80 for Brady) and Pierce Brosnan (Black Adam), infuses the film with uproarious and unforgettable comedy, as well as truly touching moments. – Yael Tygiel
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Diary of a Wimpy Kid
Rotten Tomatoes: 55% | IMDb: 6.2/10
Diary of a Wimpy Kid
- Release Date
- March 19, 2010
- Director
- Thor Freudenthal
- Cast
- Zachary Gordon, Robert Capron, Rachael Harris, Steve Zahn, Connor Fielding, Owen Fielding
- Runtime
- 120
- Genres
- Comedy, Family
Zachary Gordon stars in the first chapter of the Diary of a Wimpy Kid franchise, based on Jeff Kinney’s hilarious journal-style book series. Co-starring Rachael Harris (Lucifer), Chloë Grace Moretz (The Peripheral), and Steve Zahn (The White Lotus), Diary of a Wimpy Kid is a feel-good family comedy about twelve-year-old Greg’s (Gordon) attempt at rebranding his social standing when transitioning from elementary school to junior high. From director Thor Freudenthal (Carnival Row), inspired by uncomfortable yet universally felt growing pains, Diary of a Wimpy Kid leans into the cringe of middle school adolescence, including wedgies, bullies, and parental embarrassments. – Yael Tygiel
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Finding Nemo
Rotten Tomatoes: 99% | IMDb: 8.2/10
Finding Nemo
After his son is captured in the Great Barrier Reef and taken to Sydney, a timid clownfish sets out on a journey to bring him home.
- Release Date
- May 30, 2003
- Director
- Andrew Stanton, Lee Unkrich
- Cast
- Albert Brooks, Ellen DeGeneres, Alexander Gould, Willem Dafoe, Brad Garrett, Allison Janney
- Runtime
- 100
- Genres
- Animation, Adventure, Comedy, Family
Co-directed by Andrew Stanton and Lee Unkrich, Finding Nemo dives into a gorgeous underwater adventure overflowing with talent who voice timeless characters, including Albert Brooks as the voice of Marlin, the unfunny clown fish setting out on a journey to find his son, and the unforgettable forgetful Dory, voiced by Ellen DeGeneres. Bursting with quotable lines (“fish are friends, not food”) and genuinely entertaining catchphrases (“just keep swimming!) Finding Nemo is an undeniably charming movie for families and children of all ages.
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Smart House
IMDb: 6.1/10
Smart House
- Release Date
- June 26, 1999
- Director
- LeVar Burton
- Cast
- Katey Sagal, Ryan Merriman
- Runtime
- 1 hr 22 min
- Genres
- children, Comedy, Drama
During the height of Disney Channel Original Movies, Smart House stood out as a beloved fan favorite. Directed by legend LeVar Burton (Star Trek: Picard) and starring Katey Sagal (Sons of Anarchy) as the voice and embodiment of PAT, the smart house AI, Smart House was truly a precursor to the current age of modern technology and virtual assistants. Smart House focuses on a teen boy named Ben (Ryan Merriman), who wins a fully-automated house for his single father (Kevin Kilner) and little sister (Katie Volding) when, as expected, PAT begins to seize control, resulting in hijinks. – Yael Tygiel
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Isle of Dogs
Rotten Tomatoes: 90% | IMDb: 7.8/10
Isle of Dogs
- Release Date
- March 23, 2018
- Director
- Wes Anderson
- Cast
- Bryan Cranston, Koyu Rankin, Edward Norton, Bob Balaban, Bill Murray, Jeff Goldblum
- Runtime
- 101
- Genres
- Animation, Adventure, Comedy
Isle of Dogs is a fantastic stop-motion sci-fi spectacle filled to the brim with a mindblowing ensemble of voice talent. The film follows the young protagonist Atari Kobayashi (Koyu Rankin), who embarks on a daring odyssey to retrieve his pet Spots after a canine flu forces all dogs to be sent away to Trash Island. Along the way, Atari is joined by a host of other dogs voiced by delightful character actors like Bryan Cranston (Breaking Bad), Edward Norton (The Grand Budapest Hotel), and Liev Schreiber (The French Dispatch). Director Wes Anderson (Fantastic Mr. Fox) creates a stunning alternate future inspired by renowned Japanese director Akira Kurosawa (Seven Samurai) and the beautifully imaginative works of Studio Ghibli’s Hayao Miyazaki (Princess Mononoke). Critic Matt Goldberg praised the film for not being afraid to get political and states that it “features [Anderson’s] signature blend of erudite childhood, perfect visual symmetry, deadpan comic delivery, and the evolution of the stunning stop-motion animation we saw in Fantastic Mr. Fox.” – Tauri Miller
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Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark
Rotten Tomatoes: 93% | IMDb: 8.4/10
Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark
- Release Date
- June 12, 1981
- Director
- Steven Spielberg
- Cast
- Harrison Ford, Karen Allen, Paul Freeman, John Rhys-Davies, Ronald Lacey, Denholm Elliott
- Runtime
- 115 minutes
- Genres
- Action, Adventure
Director Steven Spielberg (Jurassic Park), in collaboration with George Lucas (American Graffiti) brings us the first installment of the action-adventure series that would change the genre forever. Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark stars Harrison Ford (Blade Runner 2049) as the titular Indiana Jones, an adventuring archeologist who goes on a mission to beat the Nazis to a powerful relic that could make their army unstoppable. Ford’s charismatic performance, along with Spielberg’s unforgettable directing, are the perfect combination to create a lovable flawed rogue that audiences would want to follow for decades. And it all started with this film that is so good it’ll melt your face off. – Tauri Miller
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Avatar: The Way of Water
Rotten Tomatoes: 76% | IMDb: 7.6/10
Avatar: The Way of Water
- Release Date
- December 16, 2022
- Director
- James Cameron
- Cast
- Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldana, Sigourney Weaver, Stephen Lang, Kate Winslet, Vin Diesel
- Runtime
- 192 minutes
- Genres
- Action, Sci-Fi, Adventure, Fantasy
Continuing James Cameron’s groundbreaking cinematic franchise, Avatar: The Way of Water takes audiences back to the jaw-dropping scenery of Pandora. Taking place a decade after the original Avatar film, Avatar: The Way of Water features a slew of actors reprising their roles, including Sam Worthington and Zoe Saldana (Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol 3). While undoubtedly showcasing gorgeous visuals of the rich and vivid world created by Cameron, especially focusing on the use of light and water, Avatar: The Way of Water also delivers a generously emotional and intricate story woven deftly with heart-pumping action and adventure. – Yael Tygiel
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Color of Friendship
Rotten Tomatoes: 100% | IMDb: 7.2/10
The Color of Friendship
- Release Date
- February 5, 2000
- Director
- Kevin Hooks
- Cast
- Carl Lumbly, Penny Johnson Jerald, Lindsey Haun
- Runtime
- 1 hr 27 min
- Genres
- Drama
The Color of Friendship is a story of learning tolerance that’s based on a true story of two teenage girls from very different backgrounds becoming best friends. Piper Dellums (Shadia Simmons), daughter of Congressman Ron Dellums, begs her family to host an exchange student from Africa. However, they are surprised to find the South African student they get is a young white girl benefitting from the inequality of apartheid. The film is a great way for kids to learn about how discrimination and systemic oppression affect people of color while enjoying the enduring friendship develop between the main two girls.
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Ice Princess
Rotten Tomatoes: 52% | IMDb: 6.0/10
Ice Princess
- Release Date
- March 17, 2005
- Director
- Tim Fywell
- Cast
- Michelle Trachtenberg, Joan Cusack, Amy Stewart, Steve Ross, Hayden Panettiere, Kim Cattrall
- Runtime
- 98
- Genres
- Comedy, Documentary, Drama, Family, sport
Anyone looking to get their young girl into STEM and/or sports should show them Ice Princess. Michelle Trachtenberg (Buffy) plays Casey Carlyle, a brainy young science student who realizes she can mix physics with ice skating to innovate and improve everyone’s skills using algorithms and the help of a tough, seasoned coach played by the ever-talented Kim Cattrall (Sex and the City). The film also features an up-and-coming Hayden Panettiere (Nashville), who had to learn how to figure skate from scratch just for this role. This is an inspirational movie that sends a great message to kids that they don’t have to box themselves into one thing and that they can always find new and interesting ways to apply the things they love.
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Holes
Rotten Tomatoes: 78% | IMDb: 7.0/10
Holes
- Release Date
- April 18, 2003
- Director
- Andrew Davis
- Cast
- Sigourney Weaver, Jon Voight, Tim Blake Nelson, Shia LaBeouf, Khleo Thomas, Jake M. Smith
- Runtime
- 117
- Genres
- Adventure, Comedy, Documentary, Drama, Family, Mystery, Romance
Shia LaBeouf (The Peanut Butter Falcon) stars in Holes as Stanley, a wrongfully convicted boy sentenced to a detention work camp in the desert. Directed by Andrew Davis, Holes has been praised for both its ability to stay faithful to the source material (Louis Sachar’s novel) as well the director’s incredibly powerful visual standards. In addition to LaBeouf, Holes also features an incredible supporting cast that includes Sigourney Weaver (Avatar), Jon Voight (Ray Donovan), Patricia Arquette (Severance), and Tim Blake Nelson. Holes brings to life an imaginative and intelligent story showcased by wide shots that build an epic feel for a family film. – Yael Tygiel
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Chang Can Dunk
Rotten Tomatoes: 95% | IMDb: 6.4/10
Chang Can Dunk
- Release Date
- March 10, 2023
- Cast
- Dexter Darden, Ben Wang
- Runtime
- 1 hr 49 min
- Genres
- Sports, Drama
It was evident from the first trailer that Chang Can Dunk would be charming, and the film not only delivers, but it elevates that charm into a story of inspiration and introspection. Bloom Li (My Dead Ex) leads the charge as Cheng, a high school student in the marching band who wants to be more than just a guy in the background. In an attempt to impress his crush, Cheng bets the top basketball star at the school that he will be able to dunk by homecoming. There’s just one little problem — he doesn’t have the hops, yet. Watching Chang put in the work and struggle day after day to make his dream a reality will have you yelling with joy as the inches between his feet and the ground painstakingly increase. – Tauri Miller
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Logan
Rotten Tomatoes: 94% | IMDb: 8.1/10
Logan
- Release Date
- March 3, 2017
- Director
- James Mangold
- Cast
- Hugh Jackman, Patrick Stewart, Richard E. Grant
- Runtime
- 2 hr 17 min
- Genres
- Superhero
There’s a case to be made that Logan is the best X-Men movie. While its hard-R rating allows it to get more violent than other films in the franchise, that’s not why it’s good. It’s good because it’s basically a neo-Western where Logan has to see if his life is more than the violence he’s doled out and if he’s able to be a caretaker and protector rather than an enforcer as he, a sundowning Professor X (Patrick Stewart), and a young girl (Dafne Keen) go on the run from nefarious forces. Hugh Jackman is able to send the character out a high note and James Mangold‘s soulful direction gives the movie a heft that belies its comic book origins. Logan is a somber affair, but all the stronger for it. – Matt Goldberg
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Sleeping Beauty
Rotten Tomatoes: 89% | IMDb: 7.2/10
Sleeping Beauty (1959)
- Release Date
- January 29, 1959
- Director
- Clyde Geronimi, Wolfgang Reitherman
- Cast
- Mary Costa, Bill Shirley, Eleanor Audley
- Runtime
- 1 hr 15 min
- Genres
- Animation, Musical, Fantasy
Sleeping Beauty easily remains one of the best animated movies Disney has ever made. Yes, there are films more important to Disney’s history like Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs and Dumbo and there are films that revitalized Disney like Beauty and the Beast and The Lion King. But arguably the greatest animated film Walt Disney ever produced was his 1959 fairy tale about Princess Aurora, who was cursed to sleep by the wicked Maleficent and rescued by Prince Phillip. The animation on display is absolutely stunning with Disney taking full advantage of the Super Technirama 70 widescreen process. When you consider that Disney didn’t have the advantage of computers like they would in the 90s, the 2D animation here is even more impressive and helps to sell the romanticism of the story. This would also be the last gasp of this kind of animation as Disney moved into xerography with its features across the 60s and 70s. – Matt Goldberg
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Up
Rotten Tomatoes: 98% | IMDb: 8.3/10
Up (2009)
- Release Date
- May 29, 2009
- Director
- Pete Docter
- Cast
- Ed Asner, Christopher Plummer, Jordan Nagai, Bob Peterson
- Runtime
- 1 hr 36 min
- Genres
- Comedy, Drama, Adventure
Look past the first ten minutes. While the first ten minutes get all the attention of Pixar’s 2009 film Up, look past that rollercoaster of a prologue and look at the film as a whole and you’ll see one of the best adventure movies of the 21st century. The story of a curmudgeonly old man who decides to fly his house to South America using balloons only to get a young “wilderness explorer” along for the trip is a terrific yarn about finding new adventures and learning to let go of the past to find new relationships. It’s a beautiful story from start to finish packed with thrilling action, terrific humor, and lovely visuals. The first ten minutes are the best and worst thing that ever happened to Up, but look at the whole film and you’ll see why it’s among Pixar’s best. – Matt Goldberg
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Captain America: The First Avenger
Rotten Tomatoes: 80% | IMDb: 6.9/10
Captain America: The First Avenger
- Release Date
- July 22, 2011
- Director
- Joe Johnston
- Cast
- Chris Evans, Hayley Atwell, Sebastian Stan, Tommy Lee Jones, Hugo Weaving, Dominic Cooper
- Runtime
- 124
- Genres
- Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
While many Marvel fans will swear by Captain America: The Winter Soldier, I’d counter that The First Avenger is not only the superior Captain America movie, but also the best Marvel movie. If you’re looking to make a movie about superheroes, then maybe it’s a good idea to understand heroism and in no Marvel movie is that better encapsulated than The First Avenger. While other Marvel movies have heroes who learn to be better people, Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) leads by example, and the film makes a meal not of his action scenes, but of his smaller, more human moments like diving on what he thinks is an active grenade or his inability to talk to women. Anyone who says a good-hearted character can’t be interesting has never given this film a fair shake, and see why the MCU has never done heroism better than this movie. — Matt Goldberg
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Luca
Rotten Tomatoes: 91% | IMDb: 7.4/10
Luca
- Release Date
- June 18, 2021
- Director
- Enrico Casarosa
- Cast
- Jacob Tremblay, Jack Dylan Grazer, Saverio Raimondo, Emma Berman, Maya Rudolph, Jim Gaffigan, Marco Barricelli
- Runtime
- 1 hr 35 min
- Genres
- Animation
The 2021 Pixar film Luca is a sweet, summery delight. Inspired by director Enrico Casarosa’s childhood, the movie takes place in 1950s-60s Italian Riviera where a young sea monster named Luca (Jacob Tremblay) gets his wish to meet humans when he goes to the surface, only to discover he transforms into a human boy when out of the water. Together with a more ambitious and daring sea monster named Alberto (Jack Dylan Grazer), he meets new friends and learns that there’s much more life outside his insular home. This is a refreshingly intimate and small-stakes story for Pixar, and the film is even more rewarding when read as a story about queerness. — Adam Chitwood
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Summer of Soul
Rotten Tomatoes: 99% | IMDb: 8.0/10
Summer of Soul
- Release Date
- July 2, 2021
- Director
- Ahmir-Khalib Thompson
- Cast
- Lin-Manuel Miranda, Chris Rock, Stevie Wonder, Mahalia Jackson, Jesse Jackson, Nina Simone
- Runtime
- 117
- Genres
- Documentary, Musical
Exploring the 1969 Harlem Cultural Festival that look place for six weeks, first-time documentary director Questlove proves himself to be an incredible chronicler of this oft-forgotten event with Summer of Soul. Not only does Questlove present massive chunks of these performances from artists like Stevie Wonder, Nina Simone, Sly and the Family Stone, and many more, but he also shows the historical importance of these bands, the impact these performances had on the guests in the audience, as well as the members of the bands themselves. But Summer of Soul also shows the power that simply having one’s story can have not only on the individual, but on the cultural at large. Summer of Soul is a blast, but it’s also a tremendous reminder of how important it is for everyone’s story to be heard. Critic Ross Bonaime calls it “an electric and loving look at a music festival that has been forgotten for far too long.”
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