Movies on Disney Plus
Looking for the perfect movie to stream tonight? Disney+ has evolved into one of the most impressive streaming libraries available, offering an unparalleled collection that spans beloved animated masterpieces, groundbreaking documentaries, epic space operas, and critically acclaimed modern blockbusters. Whether you're searching for the best movies on Disney Plus to watch with family or discovering hidden gems you might have missed, this carefully curated selection of 21 films represents the highest-rated content the platform has to offer. From pioneering classics that defined cinema to cutting-edge contemporary releases that push creative boundaries, these Disney Plus movies showcase why the streaming service has become essential for film lovers. Our regularly updated rankings highlight everything from heartwarming Pixar triumphs and iconic franchise entries to award-winning documentaries and innovative animated features that have captivated audiences across generations. Each film has earned its place through exceptional storytelling, technical achievement, and enduring cultural impact, ensuring that every selection delivers a viewing experience worth your time.
In a distant future where Earth has been abandoned and covered in garbage, a small waste-collecting robot has continued his programmed task for seven hundred years, developing personality and consciousness in his solitude. Andrew Stanton directs this remarkable Pixar achievement that tells most of its story without dialogue, relying instead on visual storytelling and the expressive "performance" of WALL·E himself. When sleek probe robot EVE arrives searching for signs of life, WALL·E falls in love and follows her on an adventure that will determine humanity's future. The film is simultaneously a charming romance, thrilling adventure, and surprisingly pointed environmental and social commentary about consumerism and technology dependence. The animation is absolutely gorgeous, from the detail in WALL·E's mechanical movements to the stunning space sequences. This is animated filmmaking at its most ambitious and emotionally resonant—a film that trusts its audience to engage with silence, beauty, and big ideas while never sacrificing entertainment value or heart.
This nature documentary series finds legendary broadcaster David Attenborough returning to his signature subject with renewed urgency and breathtaking cinematography that redefines what audiences expect from marine films. Utilizing cutting-edge filming technology, the production captures never-before-seen behaviors and underwater ecosystems with stunning clarity, from the deepest trenches to coral reefs teeming with life. Attenborough's narration remains as captivating as ever, balancing scientific insight with poetic observation while addressing the critical threats facing our oceans. The series doesn't shy away from environmental realities, yet it maintains a sense of wonder that reminds viewers why these ecosystems matter so profoundly. Each episode builds a compelling case for ocean conservation without resorting to heavy-handed messaging, trusting instead in the power of simply showing these magnificent creatures and habitats in all their complexity.
This Pixar masterpiece proves that animation can achieve true sophistication without sacrificing heart or humor. Director Brad Bird tells the story of Remy, a rat with refined culinary aspirations who forms an unlikely partnership with Linguini, a hapless garbage boy at a prestigious Parisian restaurant. The premise could easily be silly, but Bird and his team treat it with such sincerity and intelligence that you're completely swept up in Remy's journey. The animation is absolutely gorgeous—the food looks delicious enough to taste, and Paris is rendered with romantic authenticity. Patton Oswalt voices Remy with earnest passion, while Peter O'Toole brings gravitas to the fearsome food critic Anton Ego. Michael Giacchino's score perfectly captures the French setting. The film celebrates creativity, perseverance, and the idea that greatness can come from unexpected places. That final scene with Ego's review is genuinely moving, elevating this beyond typical family fare into something profound. It's Pixar at the absolute height of its powers.
When a boy's toys come to life the moment he leaves the room, an entire world of personality, jealousy, and adventure unfolds in Toy Story. Pixar's groundbreaking first feature introduced audiences to Woody, a pull-string cowboy voiced by Tom Hanks, whose status as favorite toy is threatened by the arrival of Buzz Lightyear, a delusional space ranger voiced by Tim Allen. What could have been a simple rivalry instead becomes a brilliantly crafted buddy adventure as the two must work together to reunite with their owner. Director John Lasseter and his team created something truly revolutionary—not just technically as the first fully computer-animated feature, but emotionally, proving that digital animation could deliver genuine heart. Randy Newman's songs and the clever script work for both kids and adults, making this an absolute masterpiece that launched an entire animation renaissance.
Bursting with visual innovation and emotional depth, this animated sequel expands the multiverse concept into something genuinely thrilling and artistically groundbreaking. Directors Joaquim Dos Santos, Kemp Powers, and Justin K. Thompson push animation into bold new territory, with each universe showcasing distinct artistic styles that range from punk rock collage to Renaissance painting. Shameik Moore returns as Miles Morales, navigating the complexities of being Spider-Man while an ensemble of spider-heroes—including Hailee Steinfeld's Gwen Stacy and Oscar Isaac's Miguel O'Hara—complicate his journey in fascinating ways. The storytelling matches the visual ambition, diving deep into themes of destiny, choice, and what it truly means to be a hero. The action sequences are absolutely jaw-dropping, choreographed with such creativity that every frame could be a poster. It's a triumph that proves superhero films can be genuine art while delivering spectacular entertainment.
A farm boy joins a ragtag group of rebels to rescue a princess and destroy a planet-killing space station, launching one of cinema's most beloved franchises. George Lucas created something genuinely new by blending samurai films, WWII dogfights, westerns, and mythological storytelling into a space opera that works on every level. Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, and Carrie Fisher have instant chemistry as the unlikely heroes, while Alec Guinness brings gravitas as Obi-Wan Kenobi. The film's true genius lies in how lived-in its universe feels—these ships have dirt on them, these aliens have histories, this galaxy exists beyond the frame. John Williams composed one of film's greatest scores, and the practical effects hold up remarkably well. Darth Vader remains an icon of villainy. Lucas created a complete mythology that tapped into timeless storytelling while feeling utterly fresh. It's pure adventure that works for every generation.
Irvin Kershner took what George Lucas built and deepened it in every way, creating what many consider the finest Star Wars film and one of cinema's greatest sequels. The Empire strikes back hard against the Rebellion, scattering our heroes across the galaxy for separate adventures that test them physically and spiritually. Mark Hamill's Luke trains with Yoda on the swamp planet Dagobah, learning that a Jedi's strength flows from the Force. Harrison Ford and Carrie Fisher develop their romance while fleeing Imperial forces, their chemistry electric through every frame. The film introduces Lando Calrissian, Cloud City, and that shocking paternal revelation that remains iconic decades later. Kershner brings a darker, more mature tone without losing the sense of adventure. The Battle of Hoth opens with spectacular action, and every setpiece that follows delivers. It ends on a cliffhanger that had audiences waiting three years for resolution—the mark of storytelling confidence.
In the summer of 1969, while Woodstock grabbed headlines, another monumental music festival unfolded in Harlem's Mount Morris Park, drawing 300,000 attendees over six weeks—and then disappeared from cultural memory for fifty years. Questlove's directorial debut unearths this lost treasure, presenting astonishing footage of Stevie Wonder, Nina Simone, Sly and the Family Stone, Mahalia Jackson, and many more at the peak of their powers. The performances alone would justify celebration, but the film goes deeper, contextualizing the Harlem Cultural Festival within the Civil Rights movement, Black Power era, and the moon landing that summer. Interviews with attendees reveal what this gathering meant to a community asserting joy and excellence amid turbulent times. The restoration is pristine, the music transcendent, and the historical reclamation profound. This isn't just a concert film—it's a vital correction to the historical record and an electrifying testament to Black cultural achievement.
This animated masterpiece represents Disney at the absolute peak of its Renaissance era, delivering a coming-of-age tale set against the breathtaking backdrop of the African savanna. Directors Roger Allers and Rob Minkoff bring Shakespeare's Hamlet to life through the story of Simba, a young lion prince who must reclaim his rightful place after tragedy strikes. The voice cast is impeccable—Matthew Broderick, James Earl Jones, and Jeremy Irons deliver performances that resonate with both children and adults, while Nathan Lane and Ernie Sabella provide perfect comic relief as Timon and Pumbaa. Hans Zimmer's Oscar-winning score combined with Elton John and Tim Rice's unforgettable songs creates an emotional powerhouse that still brings audiences to tears three decades later. This is timeless storytelling that transcends animation.
The revolutionary story of America's founding told entirely through hip-hop, R&B, and soul music becomes an electrifying cinematic experience that captures Lin-Manuel Miranda's theatrical phenomenon in all its glory. Director Thomas Kail films the original Broadway cast with multiple cameras, bringing viewers right into the Richard Rodgers Theatre for what feels like the best seat in the house. The casting of actors of color as the founding fathers isn't just brilliant—it's transformative, making history feel immediate and relevant. Daveed Diggs, Leslie Odom Jr., and Renée Elise Goldsberry deliver performances that crackle with energy alongside Miranda's magnetic turn as Alexander Hamilton. The dense, intricate lyrics reward multiple viewings, and the filmed version captures every facial expression and choreographed movement that might be missed from theater seats. This is musical cinema at its most innovative and thrilling.
When Andy prepares to leave for college, his beloved toys face an uncertain future that leads them to a daycare center with a dark secret. Pixar's conclusion to the original trilogy is nothing short of masterful, delivering both hilarious comedy and genuine emotional depth that will leave viewers of all ages reaching for tissues. Tom Hanks and Tim Allen return to voice Woody and Buzz, their friendship tested as the toys grapple with obsolescence and their purpose in a world that's moving on. The daycare setting provides fresh comic opportunities with new characters like Lots-o'-Huggin' Bear (Ned Beatty), whose cuddly exterior hides something more sinister. Director Lee Unkrich orchestrates a prison-break plot that's legitimately thrilling, complete with a incinerator sequence that ranks among Pixar's most intense moments. What elevates this beyond typical animated fare is how honestly it addresses themes of letting go, growing up, and finding meaning in change. The ending is absolutely perfect, providing closure that honors everything these characters have meant to audiences while acknowledging that all good things must eventually end.
The race to recover a biblical artifact before it falls into Nazi hands drives Raiders of the Lost Ark, an exhilarating throwback to 1930s adventure serials elevated to pure cinema. Harrison Ford defines the adventurer-hero archetype as Indiana Jones, an archaeology professor who trades his classroom for death-defying quests when the government recruits him to find the Ark of the Covenant. Director Steven Spielberg orchestrates one spectacular set piece after another—from the boulder escape to the truck chase—with such infectious energy that you can't help but grin. Karen Allen matches Ford's charisma as Marion Ravenwood, Jones's former flame and current partner, while Paul Freeman makes a memorable adversary as rival archaeologist Belloq. Douglas Slocombe's cinematography and John Williams' iconic march create an atmosphere of pulpy excitement. It's pure entertainment executed with such craftsmanship that it transcends its influences to become the definitive adventure film.
This heartwarming Pixar adventure begins with one of the most emotionally devastating sequences in animation history before soaring into a joyful celebration of life and unlikely friendship. Director Pete Docter crafts the story of Carl Fredricksen, a widowed balloon salesman who finally takes the adventure his late wife always dreamed of by tying thousands of balloons to his house and flying to South America—only to discover a stowaway wilderness explorer named Russell. Ed Asner and Jordan Nagai bring these mismatched companions to life with performances that feel genuine and touching. The film balances laugh-out-loud comedy, stunning visual storytelling, and profound themes about loss, purpose, and finding new reasons to keep living. Michael Giacchino's Oscar-winning score perfectly captures every emotional beat of this magnificent journey.
When a cautious clownfish must traverse the entire ocean to rescue his son from captivity, the journey becomes both a thrilling adventure and a touching story about overcoming fear and letting go. Andrew Stanton directs Pixar's underwater masterpiece with remarkable imagination, creating a vibrant oceanic world teeming with memorable characters and genuine danger. Albert Brooks voices Marlin with perfect anxious energy, while Ellen DeGeneres steals the film as Dory, the friendly but memory-challenged blue tang who becomes his unlikely companion. The animation remains stunning, from the coral reef's colors to the deep ocean's mysteries. The film works on multiple levels—exciting enough for children, emotionally complex enough for adults—and delivers important messages about disability, parenting, and perseverance without ever feeling preachy. This is Pixar storytelling at its most affecting.
In this film, Disney achieved something genuinely magical—a modern fairy tale that honored the studio's golden age while pushing animation forward. Directors Gary Trousdale and Kirk Wise orchestrated an absolute triumph, bringing the classic story to life with stunning hand-drawn animation that remains gorgeous decades later. Belle (voiced by Paige O'Hara) is a revelation: a bookish, intelligent heroine who doesn't need rescuing so much as understanding, while Robby Benson brings unexpected vulnerability to the Beast beneath all his rage. The supporting characters—Lumiere, Cogsworth, Mrs. Potts, and young Chip—are delightful without being cloying. But what elevates this to masterpiece status is Howard Ashman and Alan Menken's Broadway-caliber score; songs like "Be Our Guest" and the title ballroom sequence are perfection. The film balances romance, humor, and genuine emotion while exploring themes of looking beyond appearances and finding redemption through love. This isn't just great animation—it's one of the finest achievements in cinema, period.
In this film, Brad Bird explores what happens when superheroes are forced into mundane suburban life after being outlawed by the government. Bob Parr (voiced by Craig T. Nelson) struggles with middle-management tedium while his wife Helen (Holly Hunter) manages their three super-powered children. The premise allows Bird to deliver both spectacular action sequences and genuine family dynamics. When Bob secretly returns to hero work, he endangers everyone he loves. The animation remains impressive, but the screenplay's depth sets this apart—examining themes of mediocrity, purpose, and how society treats exceptional individuals. Samuel L. Jackson voices Frozone, Bob's best friend, providing memorable moments. Michael Giacchino's jazzy score evokes classic spy films. This is Pixar proving that animated films can deliver sophisticated storytelling alongside entertainment, creating something that appeals to children and adults equally.
Joyful, melancholic, and emotionally intelligent, Pete Docter's animated masterpiece ventures inside the mind of eleven-year-old Riley during a difficult family move. The film personifies emotions—Joy, Sadness, Anger, Fear, and Disgust—as characters navigating the control center of Riley's consciousness, exploring how feelings shape memory and identity. Amy Poehler voices Joy with infectious energy, while Phyllis Smith's Sadness proves essential in ways the story beautifully reveals. Pixar has always excelled at making audiences cry, but this film earns its emotional moments through genuine psychological insight about growing up and processing change. The imaginative world-building extends to abstract thought, dream production, and long-term memory storage. This is animation that respects its audience's intelligence while delivering a story that resonates with viewers of any age.
An elderly man named Alvin Straight, determined to reconcile with his estranged dying brother, embarks on a 240-mile journey across Iowa and Wisconsin on a riding lawnmower because his eyesight has failed and he's lost his driver's license—and director David Lynch transforms this true story into a profoundly moving meditation on persistence, dignity, and the American landscape. Richard Farnsworth delivers an extraordinary performance as Alvin, bringing quiet grace to a character who refuses to let age or infirmity prevent him from completing what may be his final important act. Lynch, working far from his surrealist comfort zone, finds poetry in simplicity, letting the slow pace mirror the protagonist's journey while cinematographer Freddie Francis captures the Midwest's gentle beauty. Harry Dean Stanton appears briefly but memorably as the brother, while Sissy Spacek brings tenderness to the role of Alvin's daughter. This is patient, humane filmmaking that trusts viewers to find drama in small moments and accumulating details, a testament to both the resilience of the human spirit and cinema's ability to find the universal in the deeply specific.
This animated masterpiece from Disney represents the studio at its absolute peak, delivering a magical Arabian Nights tale bursting with unforgettable music, dazzling animation, and pure joy. Directors Ron Clements and John Musker bring the story of a street-smart "diamond in the rough" who wins a princess's heart to vivid life, but it's Robin Williams' explosive, improvisational genius as the Genie that elevates the film into the stratosphere. Williams delivers what may be animation's greatest voice performance, careening through impressions and pop culture references with manic energy that still astonishes. The songs by Alan Menken and Howard Ashman/Tim Rice are instant classics—"A Whole New World," "Friend Like Me," "Prince Ali"—each one perfect. The animation combines classical Disney elegance with groundbreaking computer graphics. It's pure enchantment from start to finish, a film that works for every age and never loses its magic.
Delightful in every frame, Wes Anderson's stop-motion adaptation of Roald Dahl's children's classic is a visual marvel that captures both the author's anarchic spirit and the director's meticulous aesthetic sensibility. George Clooney voices Mr. Fox, a reformed chicken thief who can't resist one last elaborate heist targeting three cruel farmers, endangering his family and the entire animal community. Anderson and co-writer Noah Baumbach expand Dahl's story while preserving its subversive edge, creating something that appeals equally to children and adults. The animation style is gorgeously tactile—you can practically feel the fur and fabric textures—while the voice cast, including Meryl Streep, Bill Murray, and Jason Schwartzman, brings genuine warmth to the characters. Alexandre Desplat's score perfectly complements the autumnal palette and folk-art production design. The film manages to be both unmistakably Anderson and faithfully Dahl, a tricky balance that pays off with something genuinely special. It's inventive, funny, moving, and rewards repeat viewings with layers of detail and sly humor.
This extraordinary documentary chronicles the 2018 Tham Luang cave rescue, when a Thai youth soccer team and their coach became trapped deep underground by rising floodwaters, triggering an international effort that captivated the world and tested the limits of human courage and ingenuity. Directors Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin (Free Solo) gain remarkable access to the divers, engineers, and volunteers who orchestrated the seemingly impossible extraction, using a combination of interview footage, news coverage, and incredibly tense cave diving cinematography to reconstruct the high-stakes operation. The film brilliantly conveys both the technical complexity of the rescue and the human drama underlying every decision, as expert divers pushed into unexplored passages while the clock ticked down. What emerges is not just a thrilling procedural but a profound meditation on international cooperation, expertise, and selfless heroism. It's edge-of-your-seat filmmaking that reminds us what humans can accomplish when they refuse to accept the impossible.