21. Robin Hood (1973): Well now, here’s another weak entry in the Disney canon, and one that I’ve despised for almost my entire existence. Every single bit of the film feels unoriginal, whether it be Phill Harris practically playing Baloo again in his role as Little John or the recycled animation from Snow White And The Seven Dwarfs. To boot, none of the characters, songs or plot points make much of an impression. Instead of providing enchantment or wonder like the best of these films, the painfully dull Robin Hood makes for a fine cinematic equivalent to Melatonin. Grade: D

22. The Many Adventures of Winnie The Pooh (1977): I owe my Uncles an insane amount for shaping my views of entertainment, as not only did they introduce me to the wonderful world of theatre, but it’s their massive collection of Disney VHS’s that got me to love Disney in the first place. Perhaps more than any other VHS tape, the one containing The Many Adventures of Winnie The Pooh was played endlessly, solidifying a life-long passion for the critters of the Hundred Acre-Wood. Overflowing with moments of sheer brilliance (I’m especially fond of Pooh’s ingenious idea of dressing up like a little black rain cloud), this film shows off the more than capable writing abilities over at Disney, as they manage to create some of the best personalities found in the wide world of film in the duration of three shorts.

Funnier than most modern day comedies, and packing a powerful emotional wallop, this is one movie that only grows more poignant as one grows older, as its commentary on childhood and growing up that shows the maturity and depth that this world possesses. Very few Disney movies, any kind of movies for that matter, come even close to the kind of cinematic perfection The Many Adventures of Winnie The Pooh delivers. Grade: A+

23. The Rescuers (1977): Bernard and Bianca are given the rare privilege of being in one of only three Disney movies (Pooh and Fantasia being the other two) to get theatrically released sequels made by Walt Disney Animation Studios. Yet, despite such pedigree, both of their adventures have faded into obscurity. That’s not surprising actually; while it’s got a unique antagonist and some cool animation, The Rescuers is never more than unremarkable and tolerable during its duration. While far from as bad as, say, Robin Hood, the film lacks any kind of unique spark that could truly make it memorable. Indeed, it says something that the mere fact that this film got a sequel is more interesting than the entire movie itself. Grade: C

24. The Fox And The Hound (1981): The animators at Disney were getting restless at the start of the 1980’s, with many people feeling the studio could do much more than what the company was asking from them. While their next feature would be a major departure for the animation studio, The Fox and The Hound also brought some darker material to the table to create one of the more interesting films they would ever make. While the film lags a bit too much in many scenes, the whole affair still remains decent, much of which is owed to an ending that works amazingly well on an emotional level. Such success at garnering poignancy was a harbinger of things to come from the studio, although such potential wouldn’t be realized until the end of the decade. Grade: B

25. The Black Cauldron (1985): The reputation of The Black Cauldron doubtlessly precedes it, as many have declared the film scary, terrible, or perhaps even both. The film, with it’s action-fantasy angle, is in stark contrast to most of the other movies Disney had made over the years. Its quality is neither good enough to be a mistreated gem or bad enough to be a blemish on the company’s name. Instead, the film feels unsure as to what it exactly wants to be, with it’s tone swerving from family friendly to dark and grisly in the span of mere seconds. While some unique animation and suspenseful moments are contained within the movie, it never becomes anything truly noteworthy other than the poor following it developed. Grade: C

26. The Great Mouse Detective (1986): Just when things looked darkest for the Disney animators, out came this delightful adventure that finally restored some joy to Disney’s animation department. A retelling of Sherlock Holmes with mice, this adventure hits all the right notes when it comes to creating a fun time at the movies. From the fantastic antagonist Professor Ratigan (animated by animation master Glen Keane) who is brought to riveting life by Vincent Price, to the films many moments of stupendous humor, this film has never gotten much attention in the pantheon of Disney films, but I sure wish it did since it certainly helped bring some lost luster to Disney Animation. Regardless of historical context though, the film still remains a fun and delightful adventure. Grade: B+

27. Oliver & Company (1988): Well, if reinventing one classic novel with animals worked, why not try such a formula again? Instead of applying rodents to, say, Great Expectations, canines and felines were brought in to retell Oliver Twist like never before. While not quite as successful as Mouse Detective, things still turn out to be decent here, mainly thanks to a voice cast that featured the vocal talents of Billy Joel, who provided the movies best scene in the tune Why Should I Worry? The film’s energy doesn’t quite have the heights and wonder as that number, but it nonetheless is a fine entry into the Disney canon. Grade: B

28. The Little Mermaid (1989): While they had created one masterpiece and one or two good films in the past 20 years, it was an indisputable fact that Disney Animation had been stuck in a rut for some time. While the last two animated features helped reverse the course slightly, it was not until the story of a mermaid who wished to walk on land made it to cinemas that Disney fully returned to it’s glory. Showcasing several Broadway-esque songs, not to mention an emotional crux that worked like wonders, The Little Mermaid had repercussions on cinema that are still being felt today. While future films would have a bit more depth attached to them, The Little Mermaid still remains a great movie that changed the company forever. Grade: A-

29. The Rescuers Down Under (1990):  The first sequel in the history of Walt Disney Animation Studios, this one took the mice from the first Rescuers and plopped them in Australia to middling results. After the grand exploits of Ariel, this one felt like an immediate return to less auspicious times. While the film has some gorgeous animations (thanks to this being the first film to utilize the animation system CAPS) and John Candy’s presence in the film brings some chuckles, the film isn’t that great, although it is a bit better than it’s predecessor, for all that that’s worth. Grade: C+

30. Beauty And The Beast (1991): It’s the first animated film to make $100 million at the box office and the first animated film to be nominated for Best Picture. These factoids and other joyous hyperbole are attached to Beauty And The Beast, a film that, all these years ago simply isn’t good. Nope, it’s dang near perfect! Not a second goes by in this film without another wonderful line of dialogue, character or song popping up and instantly nestling itself into your memory. Not since Lady & The Tramp had Disney showed such a awe-inspiring romance, one that felt both believable and poignant. As if that weren’t enough, well, I’d say there’s few villains in the past or present who beat Gaston (who uses antlers in all of his decorating!). There are s so many great things about Beauty And The Beast that could be said, but just let it be known that this tale as old as time still resonates 22 years later. Grade: A

Next Week: Robin Williams grants people wish, Whoopi Goldberg and Cheech Marin help Jeremy Irons take over the world and how a single Dinosaur destroyed the Disney Renaissance.