It’s been a big, big week for Disney. After much hoopla and hubbub, the studio launched their much-anticipated streaming service, Disney+. Despite the bland name, Disney+ is really quite special and stands a chance to completely shake up the streaming landscape. Why? Because Disney has the determination and money to really make this thing work. Plus, they have an extensive and seemingly ever-growing catalogue to pull from. Disney+ not only showcases the old animated and live-action classics you love, it also has countless hits from Marvel, Lucasfilm, Fox and National Geographic. Simply put, Disney+ is the biggest competition Netflix has ever had and it’ll only grow stronger as time goes on.
Much has been made about the first big-budget show to premiere on Disney+, the Star Wars series The Mandalorian. The show is expertly-made, has an all-star cast and A+ talent across the board. It’s legitimately a big deal, perhaps one of the most-hyped and most impressive TV shows in history. It’s easily one of the main draws to Disney+ and is likely getting the most viewers. However, there is so much to explore on the platform. It’s not JUST The Mandalorian that’s worth your time. Focusing solely on that show and ignoring the countless other gems on the service is a huge mistake so I have compiled a small list of other properties you should check out after you’re all caught up on The Mandalorian. So throw on your Mickey Mouse ears and let’s see what Disney+ has hidden right below the surface.
The Simpsons
Ever heard of this one before?
Now that Disney owns Fox, they have access to every single episode of The Simpsons and they’re all available on Disney+. That’s right, you can watch every episode of The Simpsons and that amounts to something like 14 million hours of content. It’s a lot. As we all know, The Simpsons pales in comparison to what it used to be. But at its peak the series was perhaps the best American comedy show of all time. So, yes, many of these episodes are skippable but you should take a walk down memory lane and rewatch some classic episodes from the spectacular seasons of the early-to-mid-90s. The show has been on so long and has strayed so far from what it once was that it’s easy to forget just how wonderful the show used to be. A refresher of the best Simpsons episodes would be a great use of your new Disney+ subscription.
Free Solo
Winner of Best Documentary at the 91st Academy Awards, Free Solo is a film about rock climber Alex Honnold who, for some reason beyond my comprehension, attempts to climb the El Capitan peak in Yosemite. With no rope. You know, just a casual climb of 3,000 feet without any sort of safety. Ha! The things some people do for fun.
The movie received massive praise when released but, like many documentaries, was hard to find for a lot of audiences. But now that Free Solo has made its way to Disney+, you can watch Honnold’s death-defying feat from the comfort of your couch. So while you witness this man risk life and limb for something he truly believes in, you can munch on popcorn and mutter “Psh, I could do that” under your breath.
X-MEN/SPIDER-MAN Animated Series
Talk about a nostalgia trip. For awhile in the 1990s, these two shows packed a one-two punch for budding comic book fans. The animation has NOT aged well (and I mean hooooooooo boy it really hasn’t) and the stories were always convoluted and perhaps too ambitious but these shows were a good jumping-in point for many kids who maybe hadn’t read all the comic books. Both shows featured countless characters and storylines straight from the books and were fairly accurate representations of the source material. Plus there are SO many episodes of each, all containing massive story arcs and plot points. These two shows really were like soap operas for kids, packed full of drama and intense emotion. They are both shows that you can lose several days to so be careful when you hit the play button.
Millions
Well, this was a pleasant surprise to find.
Millions is a lesser-known Danny Boyle film but it’s just as special as Trainspotting, 28 Days Later and Slumdog Millionaire, though far, far, far sweeter than any of those. It tells the story of two young British brothers who stumble upon a million bucks in stolen cash. The catch? They only have a dew days to spend it before England transitions to the Euro and leaves the money completely useless. The film is all about kindness, religion, family and the sweetness and wonder that comes with childhood. It is a remarkably sweet, uncynical film that features wonderful performances and, of course, terrific direction. A perfect film to watch as the holiday season approaches.
Old School Mickey Mouse Shorts
We have all heard about Steamboat Willie but how many of us have truly watched Steamboat Willie? The short cartoon, only seven minutes long, is the cartoon debut of Mickey Mouse. Obviously it’s a classic of animation and truly a historical moment for cinema. But Disney+ has more than just Steamboat Willie. There are a bunch of old Disney shorts on the service, including Clock Cleaners and Lonseome Ghosts, one of my favorites. They’re all quick watches and a fun history lesson for fans of Disney and movies in general. It’s very cool that Disney is celebrating its origins with these classics and is focusing on the past as much as the future.
Gargoyles
This one is actually a blind spot to me because I never watched it when it first aired. But since Disney+ has started streaming the show, the internet has lit up with people joyous at its return. Apparently it holds a very special place in many peoples’ hearts. It was certainly a cool-looking show, featuring a group of muscular and menacing gargoyles who protected New York City from evildoers. While this show never reached the same cultural heights of, say, Batman: The Animated Series, it was still an awfully big deal for many people and it’s awesome that they’re all able to enjoy the show again so many years later.
Luxo Jr.
The first Pixar short is as old as I am now. It premiered back in 1986 but is still an impressive feat of animation. It is short as hell — only two minutes — so there is really no reason to not watch this technological marvel. It features a little baby lamp and its daddy lamp who…well, why even explain a plot for a two-minute short? Just watch the damn thing and look in awe at how far Pixar has come.
