Disney+ offers a wide catalog of movies and television shows that are packed with fantasy, action, humor, and more, and often are fun for the whole family to watch together.

What's more, many of these titles have a remarkable way of telling stories that are packed with valuable takeaways for viewers of all ages. If you're into thoughtfully-crafted content or feel-good streaming, check out the best movies available to watch on 

Best Movies:

Pinocchio (1940)

Metascore: 99
Best for: Family-friendly streaming
Runtime: 88 minutes

Pinocchio is an animated film about a living puppet. His best friend is a cricket who plays as his conscience. Pinocchio must prove that he is worthy enough to become a real boy by being honest and having integrity in his actions. 

"Along with Dumbo, which immediately followed it, this 1940 classic, the second the of the Disney animated features, is probably the best in terms of visual detail and overall imagination as well as narrative sweep." — Jonathan Rosenbaum, Reader

Dumbo (1941)

Metascore: 96
Best for: Classic Disney fans
Runtime: 64 minutes

Dumbo is an animated story that takes place in a circus setting that spotlights a baby elephant. Dumbo is mocked and ridiculed by other circus animals because his ears are too big, but his best friend (a mouse) helps him reach his full potential at the circus, and he becomes the star of the show. 

"Not only one of the best classic-era Disney features, but also one of the best animated films from any studio at any time." — Keith Phipps, The A.V. Club

Fantasia

Metascore: 96
Best for: Animation appreciators, classical music lovers
Runtime: 125 minutes

Fantasia is a collection of animated sequences set to great works of classical music, from Johann Sebastian Bach to Ludwig van Beethoven. While the film starts with a live-action orchestra, it soon fades into abstraction to allow the animation to shine. The 1940 film features many notable Disney Animation elements, but at the center of it all is Mickey Mouse, who appears as a sorcerer's apprentice in the third segment in the film (and later returns for the sequel, Fantasia 2000).

"A masterpiece of the art of animation. The concept and some of the episodes are tainted with kitsch, but there's no other animated film with its scope and ambition." — Dave Kehr, Reader

Ratatouille

Metascore: 96
Best for: Animated movie watchers, aspiring chefs
Runtime: 111 minutes

Ratatouille follows the journey of Remy (voiced by Patton Oswalt), a rat that aspires to be a chef. Through an unexpected encounter with his new friend Linguini (Lou Romano), he ends up cooking and becoming a chef for the world famous restaurant of his hero, Auguste Gusteau (Brad Garrett). Remy conquers the kitchen and proves that big dreams can come true. 

"A nearly flawless piece of popular art." — A.O. Scott, The New York Times

Summer of Soul (...Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised

Metascore: 96
Best for: Documentary fans, music lovers
Runtime: 117 minutes

Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson's Oscar-winning documentary from 2021 is a deep dive into the 1969 Harlem Culture Festival, which took place in New York City at the same time that Woodstock was happening Upstate but did not receive as much acclaim. The reason behind this is explored, but so is the music that was celebrated at the time.

"A revelatory burst of Black history suffused with the joy and struggle that made it possible." — Clint Worthington, Consequence

Best TV Shows:

Secrets of the Whales

Metascore: 89
Best for: Nature documentary fans, easy-to-watch miniseries
Seasons: 1

Secrets of the Whales is a nature docuseries narrated by Sigourney Weaver. The four-episode series follows the journey of five different whales with footage spanning more than three years and 20 locations. If you're into projects about nature, this realistic capture will have you in awe of the beauty of whales and the ocean. 

"The sights and sounds in this movie are dazzling throughout, thanks in large part to the epic camerawork by Brian Skerry, who captures the whales with such intimate details." — Richard Roeper, Chicago Sun-Times

The Beatles: Get Back

Metascore: 85
Best for: Music lovers
Seasons: 1

Director Peter Jackson spends three episodes allowing the audience to be a spectator as The Beatles work in the recording studio  and perform on stage. While the band members are aware of cameras in many moments, in others Jackson manages to capture candid conversations in order for even the biggest Beatles fan to gain new insight into the dynamics within the group.

"Peter Jackson has made an immersive, in-the-moment chronicle of a generation-defining band in the act of creating, offering an up-close look at the quartet's alchemy." — Sheri Linden, The Hollywood Reporter

Marvel's 616

Metascore: 84
Best for: Marvel Comics and movie fans
Seasons: 1 

This eight-episode docuseries features the ins and outs of Marvel, from character creation to in-depth storytelling. Each episode comes from a different director and delves into a different part of what makes Marvel's storytelling and fandom so special, from the cosplay community to global interpretations of beloved superheroes.

"It is a huge credit to the various people involved in the series...that Marvel's 616 is not just several hours of needless mythologizing, but an engaging series that finds new angles from which to appreciate the Marvel universe." — Sam Barsanti, The A.V. Club

Star Wars: Visions

Metascore: 79
Best for: Star Wars fans 
Seasons: 1

This anthology series consists of nine short, anime episodes in which Japanese animators tell their own stories set in the Star Wars universe. While what happens in this show is not canon for the wider Star Wars franchise, the same themes abound. And getting to expand beyond canon allows for creative freedom to introduce such new characters as fallen Jedi, explore alternate history, and tell tales of both love and war.

"This is a show that is in constant conversation with Star Wars as a whole, reimagining the franchise through...unique visions that celebrate what makes it special while delivering some of the most exciting stories we've ever seen in the galaxy, far, far away." — Rafael Motomayor, Collider

WandaVision

Metascore: 77
Best for: Fans of sitcoms and superheroes, and poignant meditations on grief
Seasons: 1

WandaVision is about Wanda Maximoff (Elizabeth Olsen) and Vision (Paul Bettany), who are living in a suburban town and trying to hide their superpowers. Sort of. In true Marvel fashion, what starts as an homage to classic sitcoms, with each episode taking on the style of a distinct era, of course comes with a superhero twist.

"Impeccably and cleverly crafted as a mashup of the otherworldly and the nostalgic, this insanely entertaining fantasia works on so many weird levels it doesn't matter if you're as confused as its principal players." — Matt Roush, TV Guide Magazine