The other morning as I was flipping channels and I came across the Hallmark Channel showing something I’d actually want to watch for a change. An old Disney film I loved as a child was on, Iron Will. I took the time to watch the film and it was just as good as it was back in the 90’s when it was released. Everyone always comments about how great Disney animated films are, but they’ve put out quite a few live-action jewels as well. My wife and I have had this discussion several times so I figured it was time I wrote about it. I usually do top 12 lists but I couldn’t bare to take any of these 13 off. It was bad enough I took out Invincible, The Rocketeer, and the first Chronicles of Narnia film. So here are 13 Disney feel-good films I highly recommend.
13) Cool Runnings
“Fell the rhythm, feel the rhyme, get ready boys, it’s bobsled time!” Derice Bannock is a sprinter who fails to qualify for the Olympics, but then decides his only way to the games is to form the first Jamaican bobsled team. Of course without any ice in Jamaica some might say it’s crazy. With the late John Candy as their coach this team of misfit underdogs go all the way to the 1988 winter Olympics.
One of the beauties of Disney live-action films are their ability to mix heart and humor together well. This film has enough of both to melt the iciest of organs. Doug E. Doug provides quite a few laughs, and like any good sports film, by the end you’re on pins and needles hoping the athletes can pull it off.
12) Flight of the Navigator
David Freeman is a typical teenager living in 1978, until he takes a bad fall down a hill and wakes up eight years in the future. David hasn’t aged a day, which leads him to be put under scientific testing. While being held at a government facility David comes across a spaceship from outer space with an interesting personality. “Max”, voiced by Paul Reuben, takes David on the journey of his life as David tries to find a way home, to 1978. Holy Marty McFly!
“Max” is the best part of this film, but would you expect nothing less from Pee-Wee Herman. You really feel for David as he just wants to get back to his home, to a time where his little brother was actually smaller than him. This film also had some cool special effects for 1986, and a small role for Sarah Jessica Parker. It’s very boy’s fantasy to drive an alien spaceship, so be sure to check this one out; Compliant.
11) HeavyWeights
Gerry has always been known as the slow, fat, kid at his school, which is why his dad sends him to a weight loss camp for the summer. Everything starts out great until Tony Perkins, played by Ben Stiller, turns the camp into a Nazi-style death trap. Can the boys take down Tony and reclaim their summer? I’d bet a pizza on it.
Basically what director Steven Brill did was take the bigger kids from his film, The Mighty Ducks, and put them in this film. This was also before Ben Stiller was well known, and played the exact same character in all of his films. Stiller’s portrayal of as Tony Perkins, the exercise nut, it quite entertaining. The jokes are many with some hijinxs in between. The early Judd Apatow even helped write this film.
10) Sky High
Will Stronghold is about to attend super-high school due to his parents being the world’s greatest superheroes. At Sky High, Will learns how to be save people using his powers. Of course Will doesn’t have any powers, yet. When he does, Will goes from sidekick to superhero, leaving his friends in the dirt in order to hang with the popular kids. Little does Will know someone at Sky High is out to get him and his parents, all coming to a head at a formal dance. High school dances are usually a train wreck, so you might well throw in a super-villain as icing on the cake.
This film is full of well-know veteran actors to help support the young ones. Kurt Russell, Kelly Preston, Bruce Campbell, and Wonder Woman herself, Linda Carter, just to name a few. Obviously I love super hero films, at least good ones like these. Future Scott Pilgrim star Mary Elizabeth Winstead is even in this film playing the upper-classmen hottie Will has a crush on. By the end Will Stronghold knows was it means to be a hero, a family, and a friend.
9) The Mighty Ducks
This film is pretty much what first sparks my love for hockey, and I’m sure it did the same for other kids as well. Emilio Estevez is Gordon Bombay, the hot shot lawyer. Gordon hates hockey after a childhood tragedy, but when he gets caught in a DUI he is court ordered to coach a rag-tag pee wee hockey team. The team sucks, but it’s up to Gordon turn them into winners while facing his own demons as well. It’s like The Bad News Bears on ice.
This film sparked two sequels, a quirky cartoon series, and an actual NHL team, the Anaheim Mighty Ducks. It even started the careers of a young actor, Joshua Jackson from Dawson’s Creek and Fringe. This is another Disney film full of laughs and heart taking place on the ice. I don’t know why everyone doesn’t love the cold weather?
8) Iron Will
During World War I a 17-year old boy loses his father in a dog sledding accident. His mother is in danger of losing their farm so young Will Stoneman enters a cross-country dog sled race in hopes the prize money will save them. Will has to overcome rough terrain, freezing conditions, deadly competitors, and disagreements with his dogs. I think Will would have been safer in the war.
Based on a true story, this film is the perfect example of overcoming great odds, and has a great supporting cast. Kevin Spacey plays the newspaper man telling Will’s story that gets him national attention, and Brian Cox plays the rich prick trying to make sure Will doesn’t finish the race. By the end of this one you’ll be cheering, I guarantee it.
7) Tron
Like a fine wine, good films get better with age. This is true for many sci-fi films as well. When released back in 1982 Tron was a financial bomb, but over the years a cult following gained enough support to where a sequel was made almost thirty years later.
Kevin Flynn is an arcade owner who used to be one a game designers until he was blackmailed by a co-worker, played by David Warner. When Flynn tries to reclaim the evidence of his betrayl the Master Control zaps him into the computer world where it rules all. Flynn teams up with a virus-killing program named Tron, and they wage a war on Master Control in hopes of saving the cyber world and making all information free once again.
Each program looks like their maker, so essentially everyone is playing two parts except for Jeff Bridges as Flynn. This was at the peak of arcade games, and even though it had little box office success the look and imaginative story was enough to make this film last forever. What if you would actually be in Grand Theft Auto or Call of Duty? I know I wouldn’t mind being as awesome as my NHL ’10 hockey player I created.
6) The Three Musketeers
After seeing a new version of The Three Musketeers is coming out I went back and watched the Disney version from 1993. I totally forgot that in the middle of this star-packed film was, a once sane, Charlie Sheen. Oh Charlie, if only you were as good as Aramis.
Chris O’ Donnell plays the young D’Artagnan who has come to Paris to join the king’s guards, The Musketeers. Unfortunately the Musketeers are all but disbanded thanks to evil Cardinal Richelieu, played perfectly by Tim Curry. Only D’Artagnan and the three remaining musketeers stand between the Cardinal and total control over France’s thrown.
Oliver Platt, Keifer Sutherland, and Charlie Sheen play the heroic Musketeers you who must show D’Artagnan the ways of the Musketeers. This film is swash-buckling fun with plenty of humor, heroics, and corsets for some sex appeal. All For One, and One for All!
5) Remember the Titans
Denzel Washington star as Coach Boone in this football classic. Boone has just taken over a high school football team in 1971 at a recently integrated school. Not only does he have to win, but he has to find a way from his black and white players from killing each other.
This is one of those films that, when I see it on TV, I try to flip right past it. If I stop to watch a minute of it this movie, I have to watch all of it. Heroes Hayden Panettiere stars as the assistant coach’s daughter when she was just a child, but growing up on a football set it’s no wonder she became a cheerleader.
4) Miracle
Based on the story of the 1980 Olympic hockey team this inspirational story stars Kurt Russell as Coach Brooks who has to take a bunch of college kids and get them to beat the undefeatable Russians. Of course Brooks first has to get them to drop their bitter college rivalry’s and become one team.
Maybe it’s because I love hockey, but I love this movie. By the end of it I’m always rooting for the team, and the actors are really good in it. The goalie is played by Eddie Cahill, best known for his role as Rachel’s assistant on Friends. Also Peyton Manning is in the film, at least I think so. It’s actually an actor named Kenneth Mitchell, but if they ever do a Colts 2007 super bowl story they already have their quarterback.
3) Newsies
Before Christian Bale became The Dark Knight he was just a kid on the streets singing about selling papers. In 1899 the newsboys are going on strike, lead by Bale’s character, Jack ‘Cowboy’ Kelly. But Robert Duval plays Joseph Pulitzer, and he’s looking to stomp the newsies in their tracks.
This film is one of the few musicals I actually will watch more than once. Bill Pullman stars as the lowly journalist helping the newsies. This film is full of energy, and a nice story. Christian Bale says he’s embarrassed he ever did this film, but if he ever needs work we know he can always do a musical Batman.
2) Pirates of the Carribean: The Curse of the Black Pearl
Johnny Depp creates a film icon in his role as Jack Sparrow. Sparrow is looking to get his ship, The Black Pearl, back. Along with him is Will Turner, played by Orlando Bloom. Will is also looking for the Pearl so that he can save his love, played by Keira Knightly. But Jack and Will have their work cut out for them because the pirates who sail the Pearl have an unusual curse upon them.
This could have been a classic film trilogy if they hadn’t messed it up with the third film. In any event the first film is something nobody expected a movie based on a Disney Land ride to be; good. Everyone in this film is at the top of game, especially Depp. This film is just great entertainment all around with humor, adventure, love, and some rum. Wait, why is the rum gone?
1) Honey, I Shrunk the Kids
When you’re small life can be pretty difficult, but when you’re a quarter of an inch tall it’s one big adventure! Rick Moranis stars as Wayne Szalinski, a failing scientist who just can’t get things to shrink. Lucky for him his kids figure it out the problem, but not before they become the size of boogers. Nick, Amy, Russ, and Ron are taken out with the trash and placed in the back yard. The kids have to cross a jungle full of bees, ants, and the deadly lawn mower.
Who knew the ultimate adventure is right in your own back yard. I like the imagination of having small things seem so deadly. How a Lego block can become a warm cave, and how an oatmeal cream pie can become a feast beyond your wildest dreams. When they start shrinking people for real I’m going to be the first in line. Just make sure I have a can of bug spray with me.
