A year after launch, Disney+ has now gained over 86 million subscribers! The growth rate has been so astronomical, they’re projected to have 250 million by the end of 2024! With that many people sharing one platform, everyone is bound to find one movie or show they enjoy. With eighty years of cinema and the acquisition of 20th Century Fox, there’s a plethora of content to explore. While Marvel, Star Wars, and Hamilton continue to dominate the water cooler conversations, we intend to give a voice and a spotlight to some of the more underrated and forgotten movies that you can watch right now on Disney+!
1. Isle of Dogs
A stop-motion film released in 2018, Isle of Dogs tells the story of an island made of trash where stray dogs are banished after a plague breaks out in Japan. When a mysterious boy crash lands on the island with the intent of finding his dog, he and a band of strays set off on a journey across the island to look for this missing pet. Though it’s a kid-friendly animation, it’s more intended for adults who have an inkling for dry wit humor. Anyone who has a love for dogs especially will love this film.
2. Treasure Planet
This movie was released in 2002 and was an immediate flop that fell into obscurity. Now that it has a platform to live on that isn’t the bottom of a $5 DVD bin, this science fiction adaptation of Treasure Island is filled with wonderful animation, memorable characters, and heartfelt moments. It’s truly bursting with imagination in every frame. This movie hasn’t got the recognition it deserves and is perhaps the most underrated Disney animation ever made.
3. The Rocketeer
If you love pulpy action, a World War II setting, and old fashioned filmmaking, The Rocketeer is for you. Like Treasure Planet, this film has fallen into obscurity but still holds up as a light-hearted action-adventure. Captain America The First Avenger would even take much inspiration from this film.
4. Willow
Willow remains one of the only films not related to Star Wars or Indiana Jones that Lucasfilm has ever made. Directed by Ron Howard and produced by George Lucas, Willow is a dark fantasy film filled with magic, monsters, sorcerers, and anything you’d ask for in a child-friendly fantasy adventure. The film was a hit when it was released in the ’80s but has fallen into obscurity over the years now that there’s an entire generation of adults who haven’t even heard of it. Disney+ is currently working on a sequel series so now is the time to jump on board!
5. While You Were Sleeping
An early hit for Sandra Bullock, While You Were Sleeping is a 1995 romantic comedy about a woman who saves a man from an oncoming train and is then mistaken for his fiancée while he remains comatose. Unable to bring herself to confess, she must now navigate the shenanigans of a family she was never supposed to meet while irrevocably developing feelings for the man’s brother. This little comedy will give you plenty of belly laughs and heartwarming moments throughout its runtime.
6. Gordon Ramsay: Uncharted
This entry is exclusively for Gordon Ramsay and National Geographic fans. It follows the famed chef as he travels around the world to uncover the hidden cooking secrets of many nations. What separates this show from other hits like MasterChef or Hell’s Kitchen is that Ramsay is now the fish out of water (sometimes literally) and has become the student instead of the master. If you love National Geographic, you’ll get all your exotic sights and beautiful cultural lessons. If you love Gordon Ramsay, you’ll get the usual cooking tips and hot-headed impatience he’s famous for.
The last half of this list are all films are adaptations of real life events.
7. Eight Below
Another entry for dog lovers, though this one is a bit more emotional. Starring the late Paul Walker, Eight Below is a survival drama where a pack of snow dogs are separated from their owner after a horrible blizzard and must now endure the tumultuous winters of Antarctica while their owner looks for them. It’s a feel-good movie that’ll move you tears and lift your spirits when the credits roll.
8. Anastasia
One of the most grandiose but underrated animations of all time, Anastasia is a Russian musical based on the real-life scandal that claimed Anastasia Romanov had survived her family execution (though this film doesn’t get praised for historical accuracy). In this version of events, Anastasia did indeed survive but with amnesia and must now journey with two con men to find her surviving grandmother, while also being hunted by the malevolent Rasputin. An epic musical is a fitting description and the musical pieces are memorable twenty years after release. It’s shocking to think this wasn’t made by Disney since it has all the tropes and formulas of one. However, it now lives on Disney+ thanks to the Fox acquisition and it’s more than worth a watch!
9. Cool Runnings
This breezy and light-hearted movie shares the true story of how a tropical land like Jamaica got involved in the Olympic bobsledding events. Perhaps one of the funnier entries on this list, Cool Runnings is a great celebration of sports, culture, and history, while also still being hilarious (it stars the late John Candy so of course, it’s hilarious!).
10. The Finest Hours
One of the younger films on this list, The Finest Hours is about one of the most famous rescues in Coast Guard history. Starring Chris Pine and Casey Affleck, the movie shows how a small team must save a sinking oil rig and its crew before a violent storm overtakes them. This period piece will appeal to those who have a grand respect for the military and old fashioned sensibilities. The movie will have you on the edge of your seat from beginning to end, though you won’t wanna ever be on a boat again afterward.
This is a small list of a vast ocean of content to find on Disney+!