For many years the name Walt Disney Pictures has stood for many things. The entertainment company has had its hand in variety of mediums, but if there is one area that has made the company famous it would no doubt be Walt Disney Animation Studios. Since Snow White premiered on December 21, 1937 Disney has had an array of animated films that have put the company on the map in this genre of movies. Disney has had many years of successful animated films, but if there was one period that personified the studios animation department it was from 1989 to 1994 which is referred to as the Disney Renaissance. During this time the studio had some of its most successful titles with movies such as The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin and The Lion King.
Yet all good things must come to an end and despite Disney continuing to produce animated films, the Renaissance lost momentum with later titles. As animated studios like Dreamworks and Pixar began to rise it seemed unlikely that Disney Animated films would find another period like the one they had with the Renaissance; but that may not be the case. In recent years Disney Animation Studios have taken a new direction as most of their animated features now use CGI, and because of this move the studio has seen a new batch of successful motion pictures. Since 2010 Disney has had many hits that it could be argued that the studio has entered yet another Animated Renaissance. Now the latest Disney animated film, Moana, has arrived on the scene; and to honor its release is this look back at the new Disney films and why this period is just as successful (if not more) as the original Disney Renaissance.
Tangled
The concept of CG animated films has been format used by Disney since 2005, but the studio only found minimal success with features such as Bolt. However it was not until 2010 the studio found a voice in this animation style with Tangled. Based on the Brothers Grimm story Rapunzel, Tangled took the likes of CG animation and combined it with Disneys all too familiar format of Musical Comedy. The film was released on November 24, 2010 and was met with massive amount of praise. The film became the third highest grossing film for Disney and has become a favorite among Disney fans and moviegoers; and the reception was not that surprising. Tangled uses familiar elements seen in past Disney films like reluctant heroes and musical numbers, but the film uses these attributes to the best of their ability. Along with refreshing elements is the movies sense of adventure which is filled with humor, drama and great animation. When it comes to style and execution, Tangled has paved the way for future Disney films by bringing an old format into a new light.
Wreck-It Ralph
After the success of Tangled, Disney would have another 2D feature in 2011 with Winnie the Pooh. However the next CG animated film for Disney would not appear til 2012 in the film Wreck-It Ralph. Wreck-It Ralph was quite different from other Disney as it focused on the concept of video games to the point where the movie featured licensed titles like 'Sonic the Hedgehog' and 'Street Fighters' within its realm. Wreck-It Ralph hit theaters November 2, 2012 and although the film was not as successful was Tangled, it did find its share of success. Wreck-It Ralph made up to $49 Million on its opening day which at the time was the highest for a Disney Animation Studios film. Along with its financial success was the good reception it received from critics with this Film Adventurer included in singing the praise of Wreck-It Ralph. While nostalgia played a role in my enjoyment of the film, the movie had other qualities to it such as its strong leads, great sense of humor and vast style of animation. Wreck-It Ralph 2 will be arriving on March 9,2018 and I can only hope that the sequel will be just as enjoyable and memorable as the 2012 animated hit.
Frozen
After Wreck-It Ralph, it would not be long for Disney to release their next animated feature as hitting the scene just one year later was Frozen. Based on the Snow Queen by Hans Christian Andersen, Frozen was set to be a new animated musical from Walt Disney Pictures. The film hit theaters on November 27,2013 and to say that Frozen was success may be a glaring understatement. Frozen made up to $1.3 billion in the worldwide box office; making the film the highest grossing animated feature of all time. Among its commercial success was the critical praise that Frozen received as both critics and moviegoers consider it to be the best Disney film since the days of the Renaissance, and it is hard to argue that claim. From the beginning of the film you can tell that you are in for something special with Frozen. The film has elements seen in past Disney films but it uses them in a way that brings new meaning to old concepts. Along with its redefining execution was the films music which has made Frozen one of the most formidable musicals to be apart of Disneys history. If Tangled paved the way for future Disney films then Frozen is the proof as it personified on the new direction from Disney Animation Studio.
Big Hero 6
After the success of Frozen one could only imagine what was next for Disney Animated Features. Well the answer came in 2014 with the release of Big Hero 6. Much like Wreck-It Ralph Big Hero 6 is quite different from other Disney films. In the case of this animated film Big Hero 6 is based on a Marvel Comic of the same name; which was achievable thanks to the comicbook company being apart of Disney. Needless to say Big Hero 6 made its way to theaters on November 7, 2014; and, while it was not as successful as Frozen, the film managed to be a hit for the studio. Among being one of the highest grossing films of 2014 Big Hero 6 also became a financial success for Disney that was not under the Pixar banner. Along with its box office success the movie also had its share of positive reviews as many critics praised the films charm. As for me Big Hero 6 was a mixed bag. The films pacing prevented the films themes to truly flourish. However there was a heart to the movie that could not be denied which was definitely shown in the two lead characters. The movies unique premise was only complimented by it dynamic use of animation; and the film certainly was filled with entertaining moments. I cannot say that Big Hero 6 is the strongest movie in this new set of Disney films, but that is not to say that this animated superhero flick was ineffective.
Zootopia
In 2015 Disney Animation Studios took a break from releasing films so that Pixar could produce two animated features. So the next movie from the studio did not arrive in theaters until the spring of 2016, and the film was simply known as Zootopia. Unlike previous movies Zootopia was an original concept from Disney as the film was about an entire world of anthropomorphic animal characters. Along with its mammalian metropolis was its story which was very much a buddy cop tale. The film hit theaters on March 4, 2016 where it found a handful of success. Zootopia is one of the highest grossing films of the year as it reached over $1 billion worldwide. The film has been praised by the likes critics and moviegoers. I myself considered Zootopia one of the best films in this new era of animated movies. Along with its sense of humor and fantastic leads Zootopia had complex morals in its story which only helped the films execution by making sense within the context of the movie. While it may not done anything groundbreaking in animation, Zootopia managed to personify on familiar concepts which certainly helped to continue momentum for Disney Animation Studios.
Moana
Last and certainly least is the film of the hour: Moana. Following in the footsteps of many Disney films before it, Moana is based on folklore which in this case is the legends of Maui. The film hits theaters this week so (as of right now) it is hard to say just where this film will land in the matter of box office results; though it seems the film is on its way to be another hit for Disney as movie is getting a good reception from moviegoers and critics. As for me I do believe that Moana keeps things afloat for Disney Animation Studios. It may not have the presentation that made Frozen a classic but Moana has more than enough factors likes its leads and sense of music to give the film its own voice. If nothing else Moana is a delightful adventure that, through its sense of entertainment, is able to justice to the concept of Disney films.
Regardless of each movies quality I do believe the studio has found worthy successors to its Disney Renaissance films. Yet if there is one thing that these new set of films have over their predecessors it would be featuring a sense of variety. Disney have proven that they can find success with a musical like Frozen, but they can also have a straight up animated feature such as Zootopia. In any case with sequels for Frozen and Wreck-It Ralph on the way and the new feature Gigantic in the works, it seems that Disney has found a set of films that are not only worthy of their brand, but will help pioneer a bright future for movies to come.