Disney animated films have become a classic part of everyone's childhood, and often even their adult lives too. Below, you can discover some of the top Disney animated films, from the classics to amazing lesser known films!

Princess and the Frog (2009)

  The last Disney animated film to use hand-drawn 2D animation, Princess and the Frog has all the magic of the classic Disney animated films while also feeling fresh and modern.

  The film follows Tiana, a no nonsense hard worker who dreams of running her own restaurant. She meets Prince Naveen, who is her polar opposite, but the two learn to get along and, eventually, fall in love.

  Tiana is the first Disney princess outside of the 1990's Renaissance of Disney films, but her personality and values also reflect the growth that was shown during the Renaissance. She's not a damsel in distress looking for romance, but rather a driven, independant woman who happens to find love along the way.

  This is my personal favorite Disney film because when I saw this as a young girl, I felt empowered to go after what I want and not prioritize romance over my own self-fufillment.

Brother Bear (2003)

  Brother Bear is perhaps one of the most underappreciated Disney films. It follows Kenai, who witnesses his brother get killed by a bear that Kenai provoked, so Kenai sets off to kill the bear that killed his brother. Later on, though, Kenai finds himself transformed into a bear and meets Koda, a bear cub whose mother has just died (wonder who killed her...). Through the course of the film, Kenai learns to see life though the lense of a bear and bonds with little Koda. At the end of the film, Kenai even chooses to remain a bear so he can continue to take care of orphaned Koda.

  The film teaches its viewers to not look at issues from a single perspective and instead consider what the other points of view might be. Kenai acts too rashly in the beginning of the film, costing both his own brother's life and Koda's mom's life as well. If Kenai hadn't chased after Koda's mom and provoked her because she ate some of his fish, then those deaths would have never happened.

  

Mulan (1998)

  One of Disney's massively successful animated films during the Disney Renaissance era, Mulan remains topical and meaningful even today. The titular character decides to protect her father and keep him out of the military by going in his place. Mulan must pretend to be a man, but while she is in the military, proves herself to be a brave and intelligent fighter.

  The story of Mulan is one of one of inspiration, particularly for women. She proves everyone who believes women are only useful at home wrong by showing that women, like any human, can be talented at a range of skills, including those traditionally reserved for men. So many young girls were able to watch this film and see parts of themselves reflected in Mulan. Unlike some of her princess predecessors, Mulan does not sit around and wait to be rescued; she goes out and rescues her entire nation herself. Additionally, Mulan was the first Asian Disney Princess, beginning an era of representation in Disney films.

Cinderella III: A Twist in Time (2007)

  The second sequel to the Disney classic film Cinderella is a hidden gem in the collection of Disney animated films. It was a direct-to-DVD release, so perhaps this is why the film is not discussed nearly enough. Cinderella III: A Twist in Time isn't just any old sequel; it involves time travel and almost has an action-adventure tone to it.

  The film adds depth to the someone one-dimensional characters from the previous Cinderella installments. In particular, Prince Charming has a real and appealing personality in the film. There are several funny moments with him throughout the film, making him almost outshine Cinderella.

  The film picks up after the ending of the first Cinderella film, completely ignoring the events of the second film. At the first anniversary of Cinderella and Prince Charming's wedding, but things go south, when Anastasia finds Fairy Godmother's wand and uses it to reverse time, changing everything!