In honor of the release of the highly anticipated live action The Jungle Book hitting theaters and inspired by episode twelve of The Mouse Knows Best Podcast (listen to us here!), for this week's Five Friday Favorites, I present my five favorite live action films from the Mouse House. We are living in an incredible time period in Disney history as the films being produced by the studio are becoming instant classics on the animation front as well as the live action front. Undoubtedly in my mind, we are living in the third Golden Age of Disney, and if you don't believe me, read my case for that point here! Beyond the greatness on the animation side, Disney has reinvigorated their live action films by recreating their classic animated tales into live action. This trend began in 2010 with Alice in Wonderland and has continued to improve on the formula until we have reached the point that, I believe, these live action films are just as classical as the animated films.
(Note: Films from Marvel or Star Wars are purposely omitted from this list because it is impossible to rank those up against these brilliant submissions. Maybe one Friday, I'll offer up my Marvel and SW list.)
Now, I simply couldn't narrow my list down to just five because that would be condensing an entire genre of Disney films down to just five movies, so I will begin by handing out some honorable mentions. First of all, I would be remiss if I failed to mentioned two genuine classics: Swiss Family Robinson and 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. These two adventure tales are the epitome of old school Disney doing what old school Disney does best: making magic. With these two films, we are immediately transported into these daring adventures full of drama and emotion. That is a testament to the superb filmmakers who knew precisely what the audience wanted in movies like this. I know these films live on in Disney Parks today, but if you have never visited their source material, I strongly urge you to do so. You will not be disappointed.
Next, I'll fast forward to 2011 with The Muppets. Disney's first feature film outing with Kermit and the gang was a rousing success in my book. Filled with hilarious celebrity cameos and brimming with slapstick comedy, this one is just a truly special film as it welcomed these icons back to the big screen in tremendous style. The music was also some of the best music of recent Disney history (who didn't leave the theater humming "Life's A Happy Song"?) Above all though, it was just so wonderful to have Kermit, Miss Piggy, Fozzie, and the entire crew back and doing what they have done for decades: entertaining the fool out of us.
I love a good Broadway musical, and when Disney decided to bring one of my favorite shows, Into the Woods, to the silver screen, it was truly a match made in heaven. Assembling a perfect cast and crew, Disney pulled off what many thought was impossible with this musical adaption, and that was they crafted something unique, entertaining, and thought-provoking all while keeping the essence of the stage show front and center. Director Rob Marshall (Chicago, Nine) just understands how to bring a musical to the cinema, and the cast was everything you could possibly ask for and more, with standout performances from Chris Pine and Emily Blunt.
My final honorable mention goes to 2015's Cinderella. Staying true to the 1950 classic animated feature, director Kenneth Branagh captured the essence of Disney magic and imagination like never before with this live action remake. This is such a beautiful film from the sets to the art direction to the impeccable costuming. Plus, the cast is fantastic as well, lead by Lily James in the titular role who brings Cinderella to life with such elegance and grace. Cate Blanchett as the Evil Stepmother is phenomenal as well and Helena Bonham Carter as the Fairy Godmother steals the show with one purely Disney scene. Cinderella is the belle of the ball, indeed.
Onward and upward to the top five!
5. Tomorrowland
I am aware that I am probably in a minority here when I say this next statement, but I think Tomorrowland is a masterpiece. What director Brad Bird accomplished with bringing this film to life is nothing short of extraordinary. An original science thriller filled with genuine hope for the future is a story that you just don't see every week. The visuals accompanying the film are amazing, especially the scenes in Tomorrowland itself. Stars Britt Robertson and George Clooney have such excellent chemistry together and their talent is on full display from start to finish. Bird's directing is bold and unwavering, taking risks with each turn of the story and every frame of the film. Additionally, how insanely awesome was it to hear "It's A Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow" while witnessing the events of the 1964 World's Fair? Talk about getting chills! I think time will be kind to Tomorrowland as people revisit it, and I believe when that occurs, people will begin to see it for what it really is: a challenging, action packed film that entertains, excites, and inspires.
4. Enchanted
A film that seems to, unfortunately, get forgotten in the grand scheme of things regarding Disney, Enchanted is a spectacular film and one of the best stories Disney has ever told. With abundant tongue-in-cheek humor and overflowing with classic songs (Alan Menken strikes again!), the tale of Giselle's journey from the animated world to the real world is full of wonder and Disney magic. Amy Adams is exquisite as Giselle, turning in what I believe to be her best role to date. Her supporting cast is just as great, lead by a hilarious Patrick Dempsey, a never-better James Marsden, and the fiendish Susan Sarandon. As aforementioned, Menken's songs are some of the highlights of the film as is always the case when Menken is involved. The park sequence featuring "That's How You Know" is one of the best scenes in Disney history. The heart in this movie makes it impossible to resist as you really find yourself falling in love with it. Do yourself a tremendous honor and watch (or rewatch) this one as soon as possible.
3. Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl
With what has to be one of the best casting choices of all-time, a billion dollar franchise that continues to entertain the masses was launched. Though the sequels to the incomparable Pirates franchise are really good, nothing compares to the first time we were introduced to Captain Jack Sparrow and the crew of the Black Pearl. Boasting what is, in my opinion, Johnny Depp's finest performance to date, Pirates is an entertaining knockout from beginning to end. In a matter of minutes, Depp made Captain Jack one of the iconic characters in the history of Hollywood and held the audience in the palm of his hand from the opening frame. His hilarity and genuine drama are deftly combined here into creating this legend for the screen. Beyond Depp, Orlando Bloom and Kiera Knightley are marvelous and Geoffrey Rush as the dastardly villain Barbosa is sublime. Gore Verbinski's direction is inspired and exhilarating, highlighted by some excellent set pieces and action sequences that are unlike anything in the Disney live action canon. This one is a classic for the ages.
2. Saving Mr. Banks
To say I was nervous about this film heading into it would be quite the understatement. As you can probably tell by looking ahead at number one on this list, the story of Mary Poppins holds a very special place in my heart, so when I found out that we were getting a movie about the author of the beloved books and her interactions with Walt Disney himself, I was excited and scared. Luckily, Saving Mr. Banks is a triumphant success. Emma Thompson as PL Travers gives one of the most memorable performances I have seen in recent memory as she entertains and breaks our heart all in the span of two hours. The unrivaled Tom Hanks as Walt Disney captures the essence of Walt the man unlike any actor could possibly accomplish. He brings Walt to the big screen with such respect and precision that it continually makes this Disney nerd beam with joy every time I revisit it. The scenes featuring the iconic songs being rehearsed by the Sherman Brothers are some of my favorites scenes in movie history period. Witnessing the story behind the legendary nanny is a powerful one that needed to be told, and director John Lee Hancock crafted a film for everyone of all ages, Disney nerd or otherwise.
1. Mary Poppins
Not only does Mary Poppins occupy the number one spot on this list; Mary Poppins is my favorite movie of all-time in all genres. Look up 'classic' in the dictionary, and I am fairly certain a picture of Julie Andrews's nanny is right next to that definition. Andrews brings us what just might be the greatest performance from an actress ever. Her performance is impeccable and something to be studied by anyone who is an aspiring actor. Her rendition of Walt Disney's favorite song, "Feed the Birds," is one of my absolute favorite scenes in Disney history. It's difficult to go toe-to-toe with Julie Andrews, but that is exactly what Dick Van Dyke does, and he does so with marvelous success. As the lovable Bert, Van Dyke turns in a performance for the ages, highlighted by the whimsical "Jolly Holiday" sequence. The Sherman Brothers and their second-to-none music for Mary Poppins is the stuff legends are made of. Every single song is an instant classic that will without a doubt entertain anyone with a soul watching. This is truly Walt's masterpiece.
The live action slate for Disney in the future is bright, featuring live action remakes of such classic tales as Beauty and the Beast, Mulan, and Peter Pan. If history is any indication, we are in for some exciting treats in the coming years with Disney reimagining some of these classic stories for a brand new generation of Mouseketeers. For now, as we impatiently await the arrival of those films, let's enjoy the live action films of Disney past and never forget to appreciate the magic within these iconic films.
-Cody Fleenor
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