When you're in the mood for action, comedy, or a musical, Disney+ is the place to be. When it comes to a drama on the streamer, you might find yourself stumped. We've picked out the best dramas that will make you feel like you're in a movie.
Pixar tear jerker favorites, historical films, emotional fantasy adventures, and an Oscar-nominated musical are some of the great dramas Disney+ has to offer. There is something for everyone.
Credit: Laurie Sparham
In the live-action animation hybrid Christopher Robin, the boy is all grown up as a grumpy and depressed family man who has lost his sense of joy. The older Christopher Robin became so consumed by his banking job that he failed to find time for his family, that we meet him. Christopher needs the help of the friends of the Hundred Acre Wood to remind him of the importance of family, love, and living a life of happiness.
This much more mature and melancholy take on a Pooh bear and friends tale is very similar to Hook. It has an emotional weightiness that many adults can relate to.
Christopher Robin is available on Disney+.
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We've seen a lot of historical films depicting the heroic white men who've gone to space. The true and lesser-known stories of three Black women who played a pivotal role in the Space Race are brought to life in Hidden Figures.
The film tells the story of three NASA mathematicians who helped John Glenn become the first American to go into space. The female engineers were called "human computers" because they rushed to crunch numbers and solve equations. The film shows how black women at NASA faced discrimination at work.
The way Hidden Figures balances its lighthearted and celebratory tone with the heavier realities of racial discrimination and gender inequality makes it great for a younger audience. There are three great performances from Henson, Spencer, and Mone, who each bring a dose of humor, charm, and emotional gravitas to the film.
There is a streaming service called Disney+.
There are three words. You are also crying. Up remains a prime example of just how mature, moving, and unforgettable a children's film can be because of the most heartbreaking 10 minutes in Pixar history. If you haven't seen Up, it's emotional from the beginning and propels the elderly Carl on an epic journey to South America with a young wilderness explorer named Russell.
Pixar is unique as a studio because it blends imaginative worlds with real emotions rarely explored in children's movies. Pixar's Up is a beautiful example of what they do best, leaving you with a mixture of laughter, tears, and hope.
Up is now available on Disney+.
Pete's Dragon is one of the better Disney live-action remakes. The live action/CG hybrid tells the story of an orphan boy who befriends a fuzzy green dragon.
In the Pacific Northwest in the 1980s, Grace is a forest Ranger who never believed the stories her father told about a dragon living deep in the woods. Pete struggles to get back to his dragon, the sweet and adorable Elliot, before he's discovered by local hunters.
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Pete Dragon is so exceptional because of Lowery's gentle approach to the film. Lowery, who also wrote and directed A Ghost Story and The Green Knight, captures a childlike wonder that, when coupled with crisp digital animation and lush cinematography, makes you feel like you're right there with Pete.
Pete's Dragon is available on Disney+.
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Chances are you've missed this one if you haven't already seen it. The true story of a chess champ from Uganda is told in the movie Queen of Katwe. Queen of Katwe is a chess movie that is uplifting and good for the soul.
In her acting debut, newcomer Madina Nalwanga plays a 10-year-old girl from Uganda who falls in love with chess after being introduced to it by a local youth sports coach. She quickly becomes a reigning champ with Robert's help.
Queen of Katwe is more than just a sports drama; it shows the life of a young girl who is poor in a town with a lot of wealthy people. The film avoids a typically saccharine, Disney-esque tone in favor of an earnest and truly uplifting story thanks to the direction and powerful performances from the cast.
There is a streaming service called Disney+.
The third film in the Pixar franchise, Toy Story 3, is as emotional as they can get. Watching Andy go off to college and leave his friends behind is heartbreaking. The sheer agony of watching the toys escape a garbage truck and think that they were thrown away carelessly by their owner is what makes it worse. Peak Sobbing Pixar Cinema is the title of the devastating incinerator scene.
One of the rare but perfect sequels that knows how to deepen the emotional landscape of a beloved children's story is Toy Story 3. Toy Story 3 is the emotional center of the series because it honors the importance of childhood toys no matter our age.
Toy Story 3 is available on Disney+.
Credit: Jasin Boland/Disney
Disney's live-action remake of Mulan isn't completely different from the 1998 original, but it does add a much more dramatic and action-centered spin on the legendary tale of the Chinese warrior. In the director's version, we follow the story of the brave young woman who is pressured into following the cultural and gender conventions of arranged marriage. Mulan disguises herself as a man and sneaks away to become a trained soldier in order to save her father's life.
We don't get any of the above in this iteration. Caro focuses on the sacrifice and bravery of a female warrior. The addition of a new female villain, and a more serious tone than the original movie, make this Mulan more of a story about strong and misunderstood female characters.
Mulan is available on Disney+.
The Lion King is the only Disney drama that is included on the list. I don't care if you've seen it once or a dozen times, there's no need to watch it again. The king of all Disney animated tear jerkers, Mufasa's death, was also included.
The Lion King is a movie that made me feel like a kid. The joy it offers in its musical numbers is what makes its story so relevant to a child. Soon enough that circle of life will turn again, and you will be singing along to "Hakuna Matata" with big goofy smiles.
The Lion King is available on Disney+.
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Steven Spielberg's take on West Side Story is a must see for any family that is a fan of Broadway musicals. Maria is a Puerto Rican girl and Tony is a white boy. Tony and Maria can never be together because of the rivalry between the Jets and the Sharks.
This version of the star-crossed romance has a lot of Leonard Bernstein and Stephen Sondheim songs, but it also corrects one of the major flaws of the Best Picture winner by casting actual people of color. Ariana DeBose, who won an Oscar for her performance in West Side Story, is one of the reasons why the movie is so good.
West Side Story can be watched on Disney+.
There are family curses and buried treasure. If things aren't going well, it's not hard to blame it all on an age-old curse. Stanley Yelnats IV is a teenage boy from a family who's been cursed for a long time. Stanley was accused of stealing a pair of shoes and was sent to a desert-version of juvie where young boys are punished by being forced to dig holes all day to build character. Stanley, also known as Caveman, discovers the real reason for all the digging when he finds a chest of gold that ties his family to a tragic history.
There is a rare young adult adventure story that blends thrills with emotional stakes and comedy. It is also a lot of fun.
Holes is now available on Disney+.
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