The Little Mermaid (1989) - ★★★★★

Directors: Ron Clements, John Musker
Voice Actors: Jodi Benson, Pat Carroll, Samuel E. Wright, Jason Marin, Buddy Hackett, Christopher Daniel Barnes

The Little Mermaid was the beginning of the Disney Renaissance, a period between 1989 and 1999 which contains a large portion of the greatest films that Disney ever made. As the first of its era, this movie still stands as one of the most beautiful creations in the history of animated cinema. While Ariel longed to be part of our world, as a child I longed to be part of hers. This movie still captivates me to this day, with its sweeping score, groundbreaking animation, and wonderfully entertaining characters. I get emotional at many Disney movies, but The Little Mermaid manages to make me blubber in tears more than almost any other. While its message isn't a particularly admirable one for little girls, it's still a story that many young people can relate to. The longing to break free and discover new things. While many of my childhood favourites faded into mediocrity, The Little Mermaid still ranks as one of the best.

Hercules (1997) - ★★★★

Director: Ron Clements, John Musker
Voice Actors: Tate Donovan, Susan Egan, Danny DeVito, James Woods, Rip Torn

It's official! Even after 10 years, Hercules is still one of my all time favourite animated movies! Visually and musically, Hercules is just so different to all the other films Disney has ever made, sporting a great use of 3D monsters, and also wonderfully catchy soul-music. I was pleasantly surprised at just how emotional the film made me. It doesn't quite reach the same league as Beauty and the Beast or The Lion King though, due to its lack of beautiful dialogue, powerful scenes, and most importantly, originality. Some of the jokes are a bit too cheesy and childlike for me, but I used to find them hilarious when I was younger, so I can forgive that. As a child, Hercules would have been one of my top 10 favourite movies to watch over and over on video-tape. To this day, the powerful wave of nostalgia makes me love it all the more.

Mulan (1998) - ★★★★★

Director: Tony Bancroft, Barry Cook
Voices: Ming-Na Wen, Eddie Murphy, Miguel Ferrer, Lea Salonga, Harvey Fierstein, Donny Osmond, June Foray, James Hong, Miriam Margolyes, Pat Morita, George Takei

Mulan has been my undisputed favourite Disney movie since I was a child. It's an absolutely phenomenal film that brings so much more than any Disney princess movie before it. Its soundtrack is one of the greatest I've ever heard, the animation is stunningly beautiful, the character's are hilarious and interesting, and the story is just so grand in scale. There are two things in this movie that make it stand as one of the all time greats of animation. One is its leading character Mulan, who goes through what I consider the greatest challenge any female Disney character has ever had to face. The other is her mentor and friend, Mushu, who is by far the funniest Disney character I've ever seen. This exquisitely crafted film deserves to be praised as one of the all time greats of animation.

A Letter to Momo (2011) - ★★★★½

Director: Hiroyuki Okiura
Writer: Hiroyuki Okiura

A Letter to Momo is one of the most beautiful films I've ever seen. Anyone who has lost someone close to them should see this film. “We’re not alone.” I adore this story, and everything it represents. Its message shows that there's more to this world than meets the eye... and it couldn't have been delivered in a more unique and visually beautiful way. It has the spiritual and sentimental elements of Studio Ghibli films, but the style and realism of Satoshi Kon's works. Hiroyuki Okiura apparently spent seven years producing and making this film, which we can see in each meticulous, wonderful scene. I was mostly intrigued at the start, entertained through the middle, and quietly emotional at the end. This film really takes you on a journey through the usage of real and supernatural relationships.

Oz the Great and Powerful (2013) - ★★★★

Director: Sam Raimi
Writers: Mitchell Kapner, David Lindsay-Abaire, L. Frank Baum
Stars: James Franco, Rachel Weisz, Michell Williams, Mila Kunis, Zach Braff, Joey King, Bill Cobbs, Tony Cox

I was so pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed Oz the Great and Powerful. While others didn't get the whole 'Oz' vibe, I felt like I'd never left. When I first heard that they were doing a prequel to The Wizard of Oz, the first thing I said was "that's going to suck." Sam Raimi had huge shoes to fill because the 1939 classic is literally cinema perfection (it is to me anyway). Not only did it exceed my expectations, it went above and beyond! I loved the new characters they introduced, I really liked the story they came up with, but perhaps most importantly, it made me feel as giddy as a child again. It's not perfect, but I'd call it a great movie.

Chicken Run (2000) - ★★★★½

Director: Peter Lord, Nick Park
Writers: Peter Lord, Nick Park (Story), Karey Kirkpatrick (Screenplay)
Voices: Julia Sawatha, Mel Gibson, Miranda Richardson, Tony Haygarth, Lynn Ferguson, Benjamin Whitrow

Have you ever wondered what The Great Escape would be like if the humans were replaced by chickens? Well look no further than Chicken Run! It's a hilarious, beautiful, and a downright entertaining movie from the team that brought you Wallace and Gromit. I was obsessed with this movie as a child! I must've seen it dozens of times in the space of one year. Last night I watched it for the first time in years, and my feelings haven't changed. It's one of the best animated movies I've ever seen.

WALL.E (2008) - ★★★★★

Director: Andrew Stanton
Writers: Andrew Stanton, Pete Docter, Jim Reardon
Voices: Jeff Garlin, Fred Willard, John Ratzenberger, Kathy Najimy, Sigourney Weaver

Not only is WALL.E one of the greatest animated movies I've ever seen, it's also one of the greatest movies ever made. I can't believe it took me 5 years to finally see this movie! I don't think I've ever loved a character as much as WALL.E, or a romance as cute as the one he had with EVE. The story is like a classic silent-movie romance mixed with the setting from 2001: A Space Odyssey. There is heaps of original content too, and tons of fun in every scene. I ended up growing so attached to the mechanized lovers that they even made me shed a tear of joy. This movie proves that the golden age of Disney is not yet over.

Monsters University (2013) - ★★★½

Director: Dan Scanlon
Writers: Robert L. Baird, Daniel Gerson, Dan Scanlon
Voices: Billy Crystal, John Goodman, Helen Mirren, Steve Buscemi, Peter Sohn, Joel Murray, Sean Hayes, Dave Foley, Charlie Day, Bonnie Hunt

Monsters University was exactly as I expected it to be. That is exceptionally ordinary. There are plenty of laughs and some pretty cool things here and there, but there's nothing special about it. What was special in Monsters Inc. was the beautiful relationship these two monsters formed with Boo, a human girl. It's not an unnecessary sequel/prequel, because it does show the origin of certain stories (like why Randall hated Mike and Solley in the first movie). In retrospect, I wish I didn't pay money to see it in cinema. I'd rent it on DVD though!

The Lorax (2012) - ★★

Director: Chris Renaud, Kyle Balda
Writers: Ken Daurio, Cinco Paul (Screenplay), Dr. Seuss (Book)
Voices: Danny DeVito, Ed Helms, Zac Efron, Taylor Swift, Betty White, Rob Riggle

The Lorax is one of my favorite children's books of all time by Dr. Seuss. It was beautiful, creative, mystifying, funny, and had a brilliant message at its core. This movie just couldn't capture any of those things perfectly, right down to the animation. I can't help but feel that if this story was left in the hands of Studio Ghibli and Hayao Miyazaki, we'd have a masterpiece on our hands. Instead, we have an almost lifeless 3D modern adaptation that captures neither the heart or the life of Dr. Seuss's vision. It's modern, and at times unfaithful to the book, which is essentially what caused its downfall.

Space Jam (1996) - ★

Director: Joe Pytka

Writers: Leo Benvenuti, Steve Rudnick, Timothy Harris, Herschel Weingrod (Screenplay).

Stars: Michael Jordan, Wayne Knight, Bill Murray, Theresa Randle

Space Jam is infamous for being one of the worst movies of all time. I thought, surely it can't be that bad? Usually with such ridiculous stories I find them to be 'so bad it's funny.' Not this time. Not with this monstrosity! This movie is so bad, that it's just plain terrible. I hate to sound like a wet blanket, but I couldn't even muster a smile throughout the entire movie! My favorite comedic actor of all time, Bill Murray couldn't even save it! I wanted so badly to find Space Jam enjoyable, but the complete lack of creativity and wit was its ultimate downfall. 

(Plus it's pretty apparent that the whole film was just a ruse to take money from silly Basketball fans and children.)

Lady and the Tramp (1955) - ★★★½

Director: Clyde Geronimi, Wilfred Jackson, Hamilton Luske
Voice Actors: Peggy Lee, Barbara Luddy, Larry Roberts, Bill Thompson, Bill Baucorn

Lady and the Tramp surprised me. When I was a child, I despised this movie. I can't exactly say why, but I just never connected to the story or the characters. Probably because I'm a cat person.

Anyway, watching it again I realised that this is one of Disney's better films. The animation looks magnificent for 1955, and many scenes just had me in awe. I think what surprised me the most was that I got a little bit emotional towards the end. It's not one of my favorite Disney films, but I can't deny that's a very good movie.

Pocahontas (1995) - ★★★

Director: Mike Gabriel, Eric Goldberg
Voice Actors: Irene Bedard, Judy Kuhn, Mel Gibson, David Ogden Stiers, Christian Bale, Billy Connolly, Linda Hunt, Russell Mean

Here's how I think the movie Pocahontas was conceived:

"Hey, let's have a Native American Disney Princess."
"Sounds good, who can we use."
"Pocahontas?"
"I think we've hit the jackpot!"

Yes, Disney has tried to do the impossible by making a children's movie out of America's brutal history with the Native Americans. I didn't find it offensive, but I didn't find it very entertaining either. It's one of the most beautiful animated films I've ever seen, and best of all, it has the most beautiful Disney song of all time. "Colors of the Wind," sung by Judy Kuhn.

Ratatouille (2007) - ★★★★

Director: Brad Bird, Jan Pinkava
Voice Actors: Patton Oswalt, Ian Holm, Lou Romano, Brian Dennehy, Peter O'Toole, Brad Garrett, Janeane Garofolo

Ratatouille is such a wonderful film. I think it probably has the least magic involved out of any Disney movie, yet it's more magical than most. Cooking suddenly becomes an enchanting world, where taste and smell are the two most important senses to a person (or rat). Hell, it made me want to eat and cook all night long. (I just ended up making jam on toast, but I was damn proud of what I achieved). I thoroughly enjoyed this movie, which won Best Animated Feature at the Academy Awards. I wouldn't rate it one of Disney's best, but it's an awesome movie none the less.

The Lion King (1994) - ★★★★★

Director: Roger Allers, Rob Minkoff
Voice Actors: Jonathon Taylor Thomas, Matthew Broderick, James Earl Jones, Jeremy Irons, Ernie Sabella, Nathan Lane, Rowan Atkinson

So far in my Disney Blogathon, The Lion King takes the prize for making me cry the most. I hadn't seen this movie in like 10 years, so it was quite a shock to be as emotional as I was. It's an indescribably beautiful film that's much more than your average Disney movie. These aren't just the rambling events of cartoon animals, but rather a masterful story that could not have been told in a better way. I was just completely blown away at how much this movie affected me, which is why it is easily one of the greatest movies ever made.

The AristoCats (1970) - ★★½

Just O'Malley pitching woo to Dutchess

Director: Wolfgang Reitherman
Voice Actors: Phil Harris, Eva Gabor, Sterling Holloway, Scatman Crothers, George Lindsay, Pat Buttram

Believe it or not, when I was a kid The AristoCats was my favorite movie of all time. No matter what videos were on the shelf, I'd always be drawn to picking this movie. I guess I'd put that down to the fact that I've grown up with cats all my life. Upon re-watching this movie, I can't help but wonder what I ever saw in it. I mean, it's alright, but nothing special in my eyes. By now you'll know that it doesn't matter how childish or musical a film is, I'll probably like it anyway. This movie just isn't really funny, isn't all that enchanting, and it's a little bit boring.

Toy Story (1995) - ★★★½

Director: John Lasseter
Writers: Huge collabaration, (but it includes Joel Cohen and Joss Whedon)!
Voices: Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Don Rickles, R. Lee Ermey, Wallace Shawn, Jim Varney, John Ratzenberger

When people talk of their favorite animated movies, odds are someone's going to say Toy Story. I completely understand why, the story is incredible! This was one of my favorite movies as a child. It made me laugh, it scared me, and most importantly, it amazed me! Today, I realized something quite sad... this movie isn't as relevant today as it was back in 1995. There are still many children out there with toy dolls, army men and what not, but let's face it, everything's becoming electronic now. So for me, the ending of this movie was quite bittersweet. One thing this movie did make me do was treat my toys with love and respect.

Beauty and the Beast (1991) - ★★★★★

Director: Gary Trousdale, Kirk Wise
Writers: (Huge collaberation)
Voice Actors: Paige O'Hara, Robby Benson, Richard White, Jerry Orbach, Angela Lansbury, David Ogden Stiers

Here it is! I'm gonna call it now! Beauty and the Beast is the greatest Disney movie ever made. I'm barely a quarter way through my Disney Blogathon, yet I can't see anything else beating this. There are a few contenders I suspect will challenge this film (The Lion King, Cinderella), but deep down I feel that Beauty and the Beast is even better than all others. The music is perfect, the animation is unmatched, the story is beautiful, the characters are hilarious! No matter what I say, I feel I can't do this movie justice. I'll just go right ahead and point out what makes this my pick for "Greatest Disney Movie Ever Made."

Peter Pan (1953) - ★★★★

Director: Clyde Geronimi, Wilfred Jackson, Hamilton Luske
Writers: J.M Barrie (Play), many other writers (adaptation)
Stars: Bobby Driscoll, Kathryn Beaumont, Hans Conreid, Bill Thompson

"It will live in your heart forever." I could not think of a better line to describe Peter Pan than this. When I was a little boy, I used to watch this movie at least once every couple of weeks. Alice in Wonderland may have the most imagination, but Peter Pan has more magic. This movie just gets me so excited! There was so much in this film that was funny and awe inspiring. It was also a little sad for me to watch, for I was around the same age as the young characters when I first saw this film... now that I'm 18, that means I'm a grown-up. There's something so beautiful about being a child forever... I guess this is a fantasy that adults can relate to as well.

Alice in Wonderland (1951) - ★★★★

Director: Clyde Geronimi, Wilfred Jackson, Hamilton Luske
Writers: Lewis Carroll (Story and Adaptation), plus a whole bunch of other writers. 
Voice Actors: Kathryn Beaumont, Verna Felton, Sterling Holloway, Ed Wynn, Jerry Colonna, Richard Haydn, J. Pat O'Malley

Woah-ho-ho! This is one of the craziest, creepiest, cutest, scariest and loveliest movies Disney ever made. Alice in Wonderland is the third movie on my Disney Blogathon list, and so far I've found that all of these movies are exceptional. I really enjoyed Alice, with its zany wit, it's awesome life lessons and of course, the incredible story. This movie has arguably the greatest cast of memorable characters in the history of animated movies. For that, I think it's a solid film that deserves accolades as one of Disney's finest.

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937) - ★★★★½

Director: David Hand
Writers: (Too many to list)

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs is the second film on my Disney Blogathon quest. It's undeniably beautiful, absolutely magical, and downright hilarious. Yes, the nostalgia of it all got to me... believe it or not, I shed a few tears at the end of the film. It's just one of those movies you come to truly appreciate upon multiple viewings. Not only did it set a benchmark for animated feature films, but it also stands as one of the best animated movies ever created.