With a plethora of movies and TV shows from iconic brands including Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, National Geographic, and Star to watch on Disney+, we understand that the struggle is real when it comes to deciding on a show.
To kickstart your perennial watchlist, we’ve curated eight must-watch movies from Disney including the immensely popular live-action reimaginings of classic Disney films such as Aladdin and Beauty and the Beast to highly anticipated sequels like Disenchanted, Hocus Pocus 2 and Oscar-winning hits like Encanto.
1. Encanto
Walt Disney Animation Studios’ Encanto tells the tale of an extraordinary family, the Madrigals, who live hidden in the mountains of Colombia, in a magical house, in a vibrant town, in a wondrous, charming place called Encanto. The magic of the Encanto has blessed every child in the family with a unique gift from super strength to the power to heal—every child except one, Mirabel (voice of Stephanie Beatriz). But when she discovers that the magic surrounding the Encanto is in danger, Mirabel decides that she, the only ordinary Madrigal, might just be her exceptional family’s last hope.
2. Pinocchio (2022)
Academy Award® winner Robert Zemeckis directs this live action and CGI retelling of Pinocchio, the beloved tale of a wooden puppet who embarks on a thrilling adventure to become a real boy. Tom Hanks stars as Geppetto, the woodcarver who builds and treats Pinocchio (Benjamin Evan Ainsworth) as if he were his real son. Joseph Gordon-Levitt is Jiminy Cricket, who serves as Pinocchio’s guide as well as his “conscience”.
3. Disenchanted
It has been 15 years since Giselle (Amy Adams) and Robert (Patrick Dempsey) wed, but Giselle has grown disillusioned with life in the city, so they move their growing family to the sleepy suburban community of Monroeville in search of a more fairy tale life. Unfortunately, it isn’t the quick fix she had hoped for. Suburbia has a whole new set of rules and a local queen bee, Malvina Monroe (Maya Rudolph), who makes Giselle feel more out of place than ever. Frustrated that her happily ever after hasn’t been so easy to find, she turns to the magic of Andalasia for help, accidentally transforming the entire town into a real-life fairy tale and placing her family’s future happiness in jeopardy. Now, Giselle is in a race against time to reverse the spell and determine what happily ever after truly means to her and her family. Watch it from November 24, 2022.
4. Hocus Pocus 2
The live-action comedy “Hocus Pocus 2” is a haunting sequel to the Halloween classic which brings back the delightfully wicked Sanderson sisters for more comedic mayhem. “Hocus Pocus 2” stars Bette Midler (“The First Wives Club,” “Beaches”), Sarah Jessica Parker (“Sex and the City,” “Divorce”), and Kathy Najimy (“Sister Act,” “Younger”), and is directed by Anne Fletcher (“Dumplin,’” “The Proposal”).
It’s been 29 years since someone lit the Black Flame Candle and resurrected the 17th-century sisters, and they are looking for revenge. Now it is up to three high-school students to stop the ravenous witches from wreaking a new kind of havoc on Salem before dawn on All Hallow’s Eve.
5. Raya and the Last Dragon
Walt Disney Animation Studios’ Raya and the Last Dragon travels to the fantasy world of Kumandra, where humans and dragons lived together in harmony long ago. But when an evil force threatened the land, the dragons sacrificed themselves to save humanity. Now, 500 years later, that same evil has returned and it’s up to a lone warrior, Raya, to track down the legendary last dragon to restore the fractured land and its divided people. However, along her journey, she’ll learn that it’ll take more than a dragon to save the world—it’s going to take trust and teamwork as well. Raya and the Last Dragonfeatures the voices of Kelly Marie Tran as Raya, a warrior whose wit is as sharp as her blade, and Awkwafina as the magical, mythical, self-deprecating dragon named Sisu.
6. Frozen II
Why was Elsa born with magical powers? What truths about the past await Elsa as she ventures into the unknown to the enchanted forests and dark seas beyond Arendelle? The answers are calling her but also threatening her kingdom. Together with Anna, Kristoff, Olaf and Sven, she’ll face a dangerous but remarkable journey. In Frozen, Elsa feared her powers were too much for the world. In Frozen 2, she must hope they are enough.
7. Aladdin (2019)
From Disney comes the thrilling and vibrant live-action adaptation of the animated classic Aladdin, the exciting tale of the charming street rat Aladdin, the self-determined Princess Jasmine and the Genie who may be the key to their future. Directed by Guy Ritchie, Aladdin features an all-star cast including Will Smith as the larger-than-life Genie, Mena Massoud as the clever scoundrel Aladdin and Naomi Scott as Jasmine, the beautiful, courageous princess of Agrabah.
8. Beauty and the Beast (2017)
The story and characters you know and love come to spectacular life in the live-action adaptation of Disney’s animated classic Beauty and the Beast, a cinematic event celebrating one of the most beloved tales ever told. Experience the fantastic journey of Belle, a bright, beautiful and independent young woman who is taken prisoner by a Beast in his castle. Despite her fears, she befriends the castle’s enchanted staff, and learns to look beyond the Beast’s hideous exterior and realize the kind heart of the true Prince within.
Besides these Disney movies, fans in the Philippines can look forward to a variety of original feature-length films, live-action and animated series, short-form content and documentaries from Hollywood to Hallyu including our iconic brands Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, National Geographic and Star.