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While many have strong memories of sitting in a darkened theater and watching their favorite animated characters spring to life before them on a giant screen, other movies, lovely in their own way, found a quieter existence. The direct-to-video market brought beloved characters into families’ homes, and though these releases may not have smashed box office records, they still earned a well-deserved place amongst people’s favorite movies. Here are some of Disney’s best direct-to-video offerings.
8 Lilo & Stitch 2: Stitch Has A Glitch
2005’s Lilo & Stitch 2: Stitch Has a Glitch isn’t the first sequel to the original film (that honor belongs to Stitch! The Movie), but chronologically it occurs before that film. Over the two, it’s the stronger piece. Is it the absolute best of Disney’s gloriously wacky universe? Perhaps not.
But what the film offers moviegoers is what they want, no more and no less: Lilo being a charming child and Stitch being an alien rascal. Stitch’s ongoing malfunctions continue to plague Lilo, who just wants to practice for a hula contest. Making up for this somewhat shallow plot is the same delicious chemistry between the characters that made the original film so great.
7 The Little Mermaid: Ariel’s Beginning
Disney has made attempts to expand upon most of its beloved franchises, and while not every film has been a smashing success, some deserve every bit of love and attention that they receive. Little Mermaid 2: Return to the Sea is the former kind of film, whereas The Little Mermaid: Ariel’s Beginning is the latter.
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The passing of Queen Athena crushes King Triton, leading him to outlaw music within the Kingdom of Atlantis. The music lives on in Ariel, however, who rediscovers her love of the art while in an underground club and then discovers a way to reintroduce music to a kingdom that has been too long without it. If this plot sounds a little like underwater Footloose, it is, which turns out to be awesome.
6 Aladdin And The King Of Thieves
The first films in the Aladdin franchise focused on the former street rat, his new friends and love interest in Agrabah’s royal family, and one bright blue, wish-granting genie. Aladdin and the King of Thieves simultaneously widens the story’s scope (by introducing Aladdin’s father) and returns it to its origin (by bringing Aladdin back to a life of thievery, thanks to his father, leader of the Forty Thieves).
Though it lacks Jafar,the King of Thieves is a fantastic character, fully deserving of his title role. Though some of the plot twists telegraph themselves a little too much, that isn’t enough to stop the film from being one of Disney’s (and Aladdin’s) best.
5 An Extremely Goofy Movie
There was a time when extreme sports were all the rage in popular culture and found their way into just about everything. Even An Extremely Goofy Movie somehow wound up featuring skateboarding as one of the major pivot points for its plot. The contrast between Max’s wild youthfulness and Goofy’s outdated adulting is one of the movie’s most consistent touchstones, and it works.
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Max goes to college with P.J. and Bobby, and Goofy loses his job at the local toy factor, instigating a series of events that is, in fact, extremely goofy. Of all of Disney’s direct-to-video sequels, An Extremely Goofy Movie is one of the most consistent. From its characterization to its animation, its music to its pacing, the film is solidly developed and maintained throughout. This film is some of the best that viewers have ever seen from Goofy, which is saying something.
4 The Lion King 2: Simba’s Pride
One of Disney’s most ambitious direct-to-video projects, The Lion King 2: Simba’s Pride may not capture the exact same magic of the original film, but that’s hardly a surprise given that the original Lion King is one of the most beloved Disney films of all time.
Kiara, daughter of Simba and Nala, falls in love with Kovu, a young lion meant to take power after the defeat of the original film’s villain, Scar. The star-crossed romance of Kiara and Kovu is enough to engage and hold viewers’ interest, given the tragic force of the original film, and the inclusion of the voice actors from the original film goes a long way.
3 Hercules: Zero To Hero
Following in the footsteps of fan-favorite film Hercules came Hercules: The Animated Series, and Hercules: Zero to Hero is unique for being an amalgam of three episodes from that show.
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Hercules enrolls in and attends Prometheus Academy, a school for gods and mortals alike, during his training with his mentor Phil. While it may lack original content, the content that is actually there is charming. The characters are, almost without exception, likable and funny. The plot moves at a brisk pace and makes the most of its inherent three-act structure.
2 Tangled: Before Ever After
Disney films target not only the young but also the young at heart, but the target audience of some is younger than that of others. Tangled: Before Ever After is aimed at younger children, but it still has much to offer to viewers of all ages.
Rapunzel’s last adventure prior to her coronation is derailed after 70 ft. of her magic hair grows back, kicking off an adventure to shear her iconic locks in time for the ceremony. Serving as a pilot for Rapunzel’s Tangled Adventure as well as a continuation of the Tangled film, Tangled: Before Ever After is a fitting fairytale for one of Disney’s greatest princesses.
1 The Lion King 1½
The Lion King 1 1/2 is both a new story and an old one, a retelling of the original Lion King through the eyes of Timon and Pumbaa, the iconic meerkat and warthog duo from the original film. Given that these are two of the best characters from a film overflowing with great ones, revisiting the story from their point of view turns out to be a brilliant decision.
Seeding the original plot with flashbacks, cutaways, and retellings, The Lion King 1 1/2 is a fascinating, meta look at one of Disney’s finest stories, proving that the company can innovate and impress even when revisiting a story that audiences already love.
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