The 25 best Disney+ movies for adults
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There are plenty of films for grown-ups to enjoy on the streamer, too (and not just from the Marvel and "Star Wars" franchises).
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'Splash'; '10 Things I Hate About You'; 'Sister Act'While many of us think of Disney+ as a hub for hits of nostalgia, be it a theatrical classic like Aladdin or a Disney Channel Original like Smart House, the streamer carries more adult fare than you might expect. Sure, its library includes all of the content you love from the House of Mouse, such as Pixar, Marvel, Lucasfilm, and some forgotten live-action classics. But it also harbors a vast amount of content from Touchstone Pictures, National Geographic, Searchlight Pictures, and 20th Century Entertainment. The options on Disney+ are truly endless for people of all ages, and that’s not a sales pitch but a simple truth.
EW managed to pare down the significant offerings to the 25 best Disney+ movies for adults, including a few perfect for the whole family.
10 Things I Hate About You (1999)
One of the very best ‘90s teen high school comedies, this edgy (but not crass) update of Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew made Heath Ledger a star and introduced most of us to Julia Stiles. 10 Things is wonderfully acerbic without sacrificing its genuine emotion. Plus, the soundtrack is ace. (Can we please get a Letters to Cleo reunion tour?)
Where to watch 10 Things I Hate About You: Disney+
EW grade: N/A (read the review)
Director: Gil Junger
Cast: Heath Ledger, Julia Stiles, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Larisa Oleynik, Andrew Keegan
Related content: Watch Julia Stiles get emotional as she reenacts iconic 10 Things I Hate About You scene
20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (1954)
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Kirk Douglas in ’20,000 Leagues Under the Sea’This thrilling, old-fashioned epic follows a professor (Peter Lorre) and his assistant (Paul Lukas) who, along with a harpooner (Kirk Douglas), embark upon a death-defying mission to find the elusive Captain Nemo (James Mason). 20,000 Leagues is a wonderful adventure yarn, with ace performances and some brilliant practical effects for its time.
Where to watch 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea: Disney+
EW grade: B– (read the review)
Director: Richard Fleischer
Cast: Kirk Douglas, Peter Lorre, Paul Lukas, James Mason, Carleton Young
Related content: David Fincher talks The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, and more
Avatar (2009)
The influence of James Cameron’s groundbreaking, breathtaking sci-fi odyssey permeates through blockbusters to this day, and not just because we’ll be getting Avatar sequels into the next decade. It’s difficult to be cynical about the film even if you want to be; it’s spectacular and reminds you why Cameron is such a celebrated filmmaker. He makes you feel his impact on the scope of cinema in a way no other director can.
Where to watch Avatar: Disney+
EW grade: B (read the review)
Director: James Cameron
Cast: Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldaña, Sigourney Weaver, Michelle Rodriguez, Stephen Lang
Related content: James Cameron worried Avatar's 3-D might look 'cringe-worthy' compared to sequels
Black Panther (2018)
Just when superhero media felt like it had said all it could, Ryan Coogler brought the genre vital new energy. Black Panther is a proper epic fashioned in a modern way, a historic depiction of Black culture on screen, and a showcase for the talents of its lead actor, the late Chadwick Boseman. Drawn back to his home nation of Wakanda following his father’s death to assume the king’s throne, T’Challa (a.k.a. Black Panther) becomes the center of otherworldly intrigue as he’s forced to protect his people from the devious Eric Killmonger (Michael B. Jordan). The film is as thoughtful as it is entertaining, a slick and fast-paced essay on the economics of power.
Where to watch Black Panther: Disney+
EW grade: A– (read the review)
Director: Ryan Coogler
Cast: Chadwick Boseman, Michael B. Jordan, Letitia Wright, Angela Bassett, Lupita Nyong’o
Related content: Black Panther wins Marvel its first three Oscars
Blackbeard's Ghost (1968)
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Peter Ustinov and Dean Jones in ‘Blackbeard’s Ghost’The ghost of Blackbeard (Peter Ustinov), a pirate cursed to wander the earth until he completes one good deed, is reincarnated by a down-on-his-luck track coach (Dean Jones), whom he helps to rescue a waning inn from some hooligans. A peak-era live-action Disney comedy perfect for the entire family, Blackbeard’s Ghost also serves as a pristine time capsule.
Where to watch Blackbeard’s Ghost: Disney+
Director: Robert Stevenson
Cast: Peter Ustinov, Dean Jones, Suzanne Pleshette, Elsa Lanchester
Related content: Taika Waititi as a 'quite possibly insane' pirate Blackbeard? Sign us up
Dan in Real Life (2007)
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Steve Carell in ‘Dan in Real Life’Peter Hedges’ understated dramedy follows widowed columnist Dan (Steve Carell) as he ferries his three daughters to a family gathering, where he falls for the girlfriend (Juliette Binoche) of his brother (Dane Cook, quite good). Things unfurl as you would expect, but Hedges directs with a sure hand. He lets the emotions come about naturally, while Binoche and Carell anchor the film with their unlikely chemistry.
Where to watch Dan in Real Life: Disney+
EW grade: A (read the review)
Director: Peter Hedges
Cast: Steve Carell, Juliette Binoche, Dane Cook, Emily Blunt, Dianne Wiest
Related content: The 15 best Steve Carell movies and TV shows, ranked
Deadpool (2016)
Tim Miller’s gory and juvenile (in the best possible way) superhero homage-cum-parody follows mercenary Wade Wilson (Ryan Reynolds), who is transformed into wisecracking avenger Deadpool by a mad scientist. Deadpool is breezy and fun, the two qualities you want most in a comic book movie, but is most notable for being Reynolds' crowning achievement as a bona fide movie star.
Where to watch Deadpool: Disney+
EW grade: B (read the review)
Director: Tim Miller
Cast: Ryan Reynolds, Morena Baccarin, Ed Skrein, T.J. Miller, Gina Carano
Related content: Hugh Jackman dons classic Wolverine suit in Deadpool 3 set photos
Free Guy (2021)
After myriad delays, Shawn Levy’s clever action-comedy debuted just as cinemas reopened after the pandemic and was the perfect product to re-welcome audiences back to theaters. Ryan Reynolds stars as the titular Guy, an NPC (non-player character) in a Grand Theft Auto-style video game who suddenly finds himself with a sense of autonomy and purpose. It’s riotously entertaining, with some clever action sequences and sweet turns from Jodie Comer and Joe Keery, but it also has something to say about a culture of men finding meaning/acceptance through committing violence. (If that sounds terribly heady, it’s not.)
Where to watch Free Guy: Disney+
EW grade: B (read the review)
Director: Shawn Levy
Cast: Ryan Reynolds, Jodie Comer, Joe Keery, Lil Rel Howery, Taika Waititi
Related content: Ryan Reynolds reveals Disney wants a Free Guy sequel following film's impressive debut
Free Solo (2018)
This stomach-dropping doc, chronicling Alex Honnold's efforts to make the first free solo (that is, no ropes) climb up the vertical face of Yosemite National Park’s El Capitan, is one of the most breathless action movies ever made. It’s also something of a cringe procedural, if that’s a thing. Continuously you’ll wonder of Honnold’s efforts, "Is he really going to do that?" or "Certainly he doesn’t have the gall to do that!" Inevitably, though, he does, and even though you know how it all turns out, Free Solo is utterly tense and unpredictable in the best sense.
Where to watch Free Solo: Disney+
EW grade: A– (read the review)
Directors: Jimmy Chin, Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi
Cast: Alex Honnold
Related content: The best documentaries on Hulu
Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)
The first (and the best) Indiana Jones adventure follows the hero (Harrison Ford, who else?) and his beloved Marion (Karen Allen) as they embark on a government mission to find the Ark of the Covenant before the Nazis assume its powers. It’s difficult to find a more perfectly structured action/adventure than Raiders, which serves as a remarkably high watermark in director Steven Spielberg’s career. None of the sequels have quite lived up to the original, though they sometimes come close. (Each of those are streaming on Disney+, as well.)
Where to watch Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark: Disney+
Director: Steven Spielberg
Cast: Harrison Ford, Karen Allen, Paul Freeman, John Rhys-Davies, Alfred Molina
Related content: Raiders of the Lost Ark: 14 revelations about its epic opening scene
Iron Man (2008)
Robert Downey Jr. reinvigorated his career, and proved the superhero genre had staying power, with this breezy introduction to the MCU. While Marvel movies have become increasingly weighed down with backstory, both comprehensible and not, Iron Man plays like a breath of fresh air. Watching it in 2023, you might forget how thrilling the story of billionaire inventor Tony Stark, who survives a kidnapping and goes on to construct himself the suit of the title, was for its time.
Where to watch Iron Man: Disney+
EW grade: B+ (read the review)
Director: Jon Favreau
Cast: Robert Downey Jr., Jeff Bridges, Gwyneth Paltrow, Terrence Howard, Jon Favreau
Related content: Gwyneth Paltrow says Iron Man was originally pitched to her as an 'indie film': 'Oh, okay'
Jane (2017)
This lovely documentary from Brett Morgen (Moonage Daydream) chronicles primatologist, ethologist, and anthropologist Jane Goodall’s groundbreaking research with chimpanzees. Jane eschews the trappings of similar documentaries and presents a rounded view of Goodall. It’s a celebration of her estimable work, but it doesn’t hold back in detailing the sacrifices she made to do that job.
Director: Brett Morgen
Cast: Jane Goodall
Related content: Jane Goodall talks revisiting her past and her mother's impact in Jane
Logan (2017)
This is “one helluva movie,” as your grandma might say. Logan, a.k.a. Wolverine (Hugh Jackman), has retired to the Mexican border with a grievously ill Doctor Xavier (Patrick Stewart) but finds he must summon one last fight when a ruthless scientist (Richard E. Grant) comes after a young girl (Dafne Keen) who has powers much like Logan’s. James Mangold, who also directed 2013's The Wolverine, keeps a tight rein on this nail-biter by making his heroes human and not impenetrable to the ravages of time. Anyone who says, after seeing his recent Indiana Jones fivequel, that Mangold can’t direct action should look here. He brings an admirably ruthless aesthetic to this dusty, gory revisionist western. The biggest surprise, however, is the emotional wallop it packs. Though it’s always nice to see Jackman as Wolverine, his continued appearances as the character dilute the remarkable full-stop of Logan.
Director: James Mangold
Cast: Hugh Jackman, Patrick Stewart, Dafne Keen, Richard E. Grant, Stephen Merchant
Related content: Logan director reveals origins of adamantium bullet scene
Mrs. Doubtfire (1993)
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Robin Williams in ‘Mrs. Doubtfire’Robin Williams’ best character performance comes in this laugh-out-loud family comedy, one of the only films that can truly be described as such. As a divorced father who disguises himself as the busty titular housekeeper to spend more time with his kids, Williams’ antics are nicely tempered by director Chris Columbus, who threads humor with emotion in admirable fashion.
Where to watch Mrs. Doubtfire: Disney+
EW grade: B (read the review)
Director: Chris Columbus
Cast: Robin Williams, Sally Field, Pierce Brosnan, Harvey Fierstein, Matthew Lawrence
Related content: Mrs. Doubtfire director says there is no NC-17 version of the film — but there is an R-rated cut
Remember the Titans (2000)
Denzel Washington gives a rousing performance in this thrilling drama, one of the last top-tier live-action entertainments from the House of Mouse, about a scrappy youth football team working its way to the top. Like a few movies on this list, Titans makes gestures towards the whole family. In truth, though, it’s a fairly realistic and subdued character portrait of the type Frank Capra might have made in the 1940s, a lovely callback to a bygone era of filmmaking.
Where to watch Remember the Titans: Disney+
Director: Boaz Yakin
Cast: Denzel Washington, Ryan Gosling, Will Patton, Donald Faison, Ethan Suplee, Wood Harris
Related content: Which Remember the Titans Titan was the most memorable? An EW investigation
Sam Raimi's Spider-Man trilogy (2002–2007)
Tom Holland and Andrew Garfield are great and all, but Tobey Maguire will always be the OG. (Sorry Nicholas Hammond, but we’re talking cinematic Spider-Men.) Sam Raimi’s “original” web-slinger trilogy is equally remembered for its astonishing sequel and its rather disappointing threequel, but in retrospect, all installments are better than you remember. Each film is sly and playful, but also unafraid to explore darker territory; they were always slightly unpredictable, a bit edgier than superhero fare nowadays.
Where to watch Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man trilogy: Disney+
EW grade: B (read the review)
Director: Sam Raimi
Cast: Tobey McGuire, Kirsten Dunst, Willem Dafoe, Bruce Campbell
Related content: 2002 rewatch: How high does Spider-Man swing 20 years and two reboots later?
The Simpsons Movie (2007)
The residents of Springfield are sealed off from the rest of society (what else is new?) after Homer’s dalliance with a pig and a farm filled with human waste creates an environmental disaster. The long-awaited film adaptation of the veteran Fox sitcom, now the longest-running American animated series of all time, has been saddled with the unfortunate reputation of simply being an extended episode. In fairness, that’s entirely true. However, it’s a very good episode, one that achieves an occasionally sweeping cinematic scope and focuses on adding layers to beloved characters rather than upending them for the sake of a joke.
Where to watch The Simpsons Movie: Disney+
EW grade: B+ (read the review)
Director: David Silverman
Cast: Dan Castellaneta, Nancy Cartwright, Yeardley Smith, Julie Kavner, Albert Brooks
Related content: The Simpsons Movie: 10 stories on the 10th anniversary
Sister Act (1992)
Whoopi Goldberg shines in this propulsive, infectiously upbeat comedy as a singer who hides out in a convent after witnessing a Mob hit. Predictably, she’s tasked with coaching the choir for an upcoming competition. Sly direction and enviable chemistry between the cast, which includes Maggie Smith and Kathy Najimy, set Sister Act apart from the average underdog comedy.
Where to watch Sister Act: Disney+
Director: Emile Ardolino
Cast: Whoopi Goldberg, Maggie Smith, Kathy Najimy, Harvey Keitel, Wendy Makkena
Related content: Sister Act cast: Where are they now?
The Sound of Music (1965)
The classic tale of the Von Trapp family is now streaming in a remarkably crisp restoration. Julie Andrews stars as Maria, a kind-hearted would-be nun/governess who brings a love of music to the seven children under her tutelage. It’s a perfect movie musical, and the breathtaking views of Austrian abbeys are worth the watch alone.
Where to watch The Sound of Music: Disney+
Director: Robert Wise
Cast: Julie Andrews, Christopher Plummer, Richard Haydn, Peggy Wood, Nicholas Hammond
Related content: Every Sound of Music song ranked
Splash (1984)
Ron Howard’s exuberant fairy tale stars Tom Hanks as a yuppie who gets more than he bargained for when a real mermaid (Daryl Hannah) makes her way out of the sea and into his house. It’s some of the most admirable work from all involved, including a riotous supporting turn from John Candy and an enchanting performance from Hannah.
Where to watch Splash: Disney+
EW grade: A– (read the review)
Director: Ron Howard
Cast: Tom Hanks, Daryl Hannah, John Candy, Eugene Levy, Shecky Greene
Related content: Watch Josh Gad reunite the Splash cast
Star Wars: Episode VIII — The Last Jedi (2017)
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Adam Driver in ‘Star Wars: Episode VIII — The Last Jedi’Say what you will about Rian Johnson’s controversial installment, which continues the saga of Rey (Daisy Ridley) and Finn (John Boyega), but even Star Wars agnostics say is good. (Critically, you can’t deny that’s worth something.) More than any of the other prequels or late-era sequels, The Last Jedi captured the unpredictable, renegade spirit of the first trilogy (for better and for worse, it seems). Plus, it’s the only Star Wars movie with Laura Dern.
Where to watch Star Wars: Episode VIII — The Last Jedi: Disney+
EW grade: B+ (read the review)
Director: Rian Johnson
Cast: John Boyega, Daisy Ridley, Oscar Isaac, Adam Driver, Laura Dern
Related content: Star Wars rewatch: The Last Jedi destroys a legend to rebuild the same legend
The Straight Story (1999)
Only David Lynch could make a movie so positively un-Lynchian. The story of an aging widower (Richard Farnsworth) who embarks upon a cross-country odyssey on his tractor, The Straight Story surprisingly lives up to its title. It contains all of the earnest, vaguely warped Americana of Lynch’s other work, delivered not just with a straight face but a rather convincing one as well. It makes you wonder who the real Lynch really is, and that’s probably exactly what the director was hoping for.
Where to watch The Straight Story: Disney+
EW grade: N/A (read the review)
Director: David Lynch
Cast: Richard Farnsworth, Sissy Spacek, Harry Dean Stanton
Related content: David Lynch’s best movies and TV shows, ranked
Summer of Soul (...Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised) (2021)
Just try not to dance while watching Questlove’s infectious, rousing chronicle of the 1969 Harlem Cultural Festival, which occurred on the same weekend as Woodstock. Rather than a movie about the festival, this is a deeply moving and visceral immersion into the event. It’s one of the best documentaries of this century, and there’s a version of “Aquarius” that positively brings the house down.
Where to watch Summer of Soul: Disney+
EW grade: B+ (read the review)
Director: Questlove
Related content: Questlove on making Summer of Soul 'in the middle of a revolution'
West Side Story (2021)
Steven Spielberg crafted a second, soaring adaptation of the famed Sondheim/Bernstein musical. This Romeo and Juliet-inflected story of star-crossed lovers Tony (Ansel Elgort) and Maria (Rachel Zegler), whose romance intertwines with a bitter feud between rival gangs the Jets and the Sharks, never ceases to provoke an earnest tear. Spielberg breathes new life into the classic with nimbly staged musical numbers and a charged turn from original cast member Rita Moreno.
Where to watch West Side Story: Disney+
EW grade: A– (read the review)
Director: Steven Spielberg
Cast: Ansel Elgort, Rachel Zegler, Ariana DeBose, Rita Moreno, Josh Andrés Rivera
Related content: The story behind the re-imagining of several key West Side Story musical numbers
While You Were Sleeping (1995)
One of Sandra Bullock’s first and best rom-coms sees her star as a lonely Chicago train worker who, in a quintessentially ‘90s way, commits a kind-hearted assault when she convinces her hunky crush (Peter Gallagher) she’s his fiancé after he bonks his head and loses his memory. Everything seems to be going fine until she meets the patient’s equally hunky brother (Bill Pullman) and begins to have second thoughts about the future. A completely standard romance cooked just right, While You Were Sleeping goes on each time like a warm pair of slippers.
Where to watch While You Were Sleeping: Disney+
EW grade: N/A (read the review)
Director: Jon Turteltaub
Cast: Sandra Bullock, Bill Pullman, Peter Gallagher, Peter Boyle, Glynis Johns
Related content: Bill Pullman wanted to quit While You Were Sleeping but couldn't...since he'd just quit prior film
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