Best Live Action Disney Movies

The Top Ten
1 Mary Poppins

There are a few Oliver!-esque moments here. The chimney sweeps all looked like they walked out of the Consider Yourself number, for example.

A spectacular soundtrack, amazing acting, and tons of magic! What more could you want from a Disney film?

Man, I love this movie! This is a lot better than the new one. Julie Andrews is the best. No one can top her. She is Mary Poppins, not Emily Blunt's version.

2 Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl

Best series ever, that's all I've got to say. Woo hoo, go Pirates Squad!

I only saw this movie because of my then-love for Johnny Depp.

3 Marvel's The Avengers

My favorite movie of all time! I am a 12-year-old girl, and despite the common thought that girls don't like superheroes and stuff, I own 15 Marvel comics and have seen all of the MCU movies. Avengers definitely has my vote. Plus, the sequel looks promising.

This is not only one of Disney's best live-actions, but one of Disney's best in general. This is still one of the highest-grossing and rated movies of all time for good reason, and it paved the way for our beloved MCU. But Loki, just Loki.

This whole series is severely underrated! Guys love it as much as girls do! There's nothing wrong with a Disney movie with true superhero action, sincere warmth, a lack of juvenile humor, and PG-13 content.

4 Who Framed Roger Rabbit

This is without a doubt the greatest live-action movie because of its creativity, good plot, and sheer complexity. This was the first time that animated characters had interacted with reality - by that, I don't mean just people, but everything. If so much as a paperclip was bumped by a cartoon, it moved. The makers had to build robots, use wires, and employ other techniques to pull off moving the objects at the right time. The actors had to act in air with nothing there, and it is seamless.

It is one of the largest projects in moviemaking ever. Every character had to be drawn in multiple cells and layers, then shaded according to actual light in real life instead of in a cartoon. They had to use so many animators that they were borrowed from other studios, countries, and even included art students in college. The human acting is incredible, considering a majority of the things they interact with aren't even real. They even had to go to mime school to play the parts!

This is also the only movie or show ever to have Warner Brothers characters on the same screen as Disney characters. Not to mention a huge number of characters from other studios as well. Normally, copyright would prevent this, but since Steven Spielberg was executive producing, it got done. Nobody refuses Spielberg. The man's a genius and can do whatever the hell he wants. Everyone's going to go with it! He got loaned rights from all studios, and thus a world with toons was created.

This movie is the reason Toontown exists in Disneyland and single-handedly proved that doing a mixed film of live-action and animation is doable and looks badass. They made the toons seem real. Shading, shape, everything was three-dimensional and outstanding. This movie brought animation to a whole new level and made history. It raised the bar so high it still hasn't been matched by other mash-up movies or any movie for that matter.

The story is good, the acting is good, captivating the entire... more

5 Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest

This is an extremely underrated sequel to the original. I don't understand the hate that goes towards it. Yes, it isn't as good as the original, but Gore Verbinski's vision for this franchise is brilliant. How often do you see pirates that look like squids, sword fights on wheels, and a living heart buried in a chest?

6 Star Wars: The Force Awakens

I love Star Wars. People judge me because I'm a girl, but seriously, Star Wars is without a doubt number one.

Should be top 3 at least. Amazing film and groundbreaking experience.

Without a doubt, this is the best Disney movie and one of the best Star Wars movies.

7 The Jungle Book (2016)

For some reason, this is one of those remakes that's actually better than the original.

The CGI animation in this movie is beautiful. That's why I can't wait to see how Disney will improve its CGI in the live-action Lion King.

8 National Treasure

National Treasure is probably the best Disney movie of all (excluding Pixar movies that have "Disney" on the cover). It's like a combination of an action movie and a mystery.

One of my favorite movies. I remember watching this movie in school a lot.

9 The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe

Four children, Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy, are sent away to another place because of World War II. There, they live with a professor. Lucy discovers a land behind a cupboard and takes all her siblings there. They meet a lion called Aslan. A white witch wants to rule the land of Narnia. Will the four siblings be able to save Narnia?

See, here's the problem: live-action movies (with just humans) are way too serious in my opinion. They're like some sort of soap opera, filled with dramatic romance, people crying over stupid things, or Investigation Discovery shows! Animated movies are so much more comedic and funny! I like some live-action movies, but most of them take themselves too seriously.

10 Enchanted

Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl comes second on my list. Enchanted is awesome.

Disney was making fun of itself, but at the same time, was paying tribute to itself.

The best Disney movie I've seen so far. I love Patrick Dempsey and Amy Adams.

The Contenders
11 TRON: Legacy

An absolutely breathtaking movie with great acting. It's quite arguably the best 3D movie ever.

This movie is criminally underrated. Please watch it before you judge it.

12 Guardians of the Galaxy
13 The Muppets

I remember watching this when I was little. It's very good!

14 Captain America: The Winter Soldier
15 Alice in Wonderland

If it weren't for this adaptation of Alice, we wouldn't have had that recent Cinderella adaptation, which incidentally also features Helena Bonham Carter.

Mia Wasikowska is an underrated beauty, much like Lily James. No surprise then that they star in two of Disney's greatest live-action offerings.

It has Johnny Depp for the ladies, and for the guys, it doesn't hurt that Mia Wasikowska is drop-dead gorgeous.

16 Muppets Most Wanted
17 Captain America: Civil War
18 Maleficent

Such a good movie! I didn't think I was going to like it, but my friend and I watched her DVD, and I loved it.

Yeah, she acted really well! Also... what dragon?

19 Star Wars: The Last Jedi
20 Bedknobs and Broomsticks

I chose "The Force Awakens," but if we were talking pure Disney, I would've gone with this. Way better than "Mary Poppins."

One of my favorite Disney movies.

21 Disney's 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea

This is arguably one of Disney's most enjoyable live-action adventures. The squid scene is very well remembered, as is the performance of "A Whale of a Tale." The performances from leading actors Kirk Douglas and James Mason are absolutely stunning. It's one of Disney's underrated films, and I highly recommend it.

Only 38?! This is the best movie of all time!

22 Iron Man 3

Third time's the charm for Robert Downey Jr.'s wisecracking superhero.

Robert Downey Jr. returns as the genius billionaire playboy Tony Stark.

23 Holes

The greatest piece of media to ever be based on a Louis Sachar book. I really wish the 2005 Wayside cartoon from Canada could have been this great.

24 Cinderella

With an all-star cast including Cate Blanchett channeling Marlene Dietrich, Helena Bonham Carter channeling Johnny Depp, and Lily James channeling Mia Wasikowska, you will be enchanted by their performances. Keep an eye out for a cameo from Would I Lie To You host Rob Brydon as a court painter.

This adaptation sees Cate Blanchett channeling a hybrid of Marlene Dietrich, Vivian Leigh, and Terry-Thomas. On top of that, Lily James is channeling half Amy Adams and half Mia Wasikowska. Then there's Helena Bonham Carter channeling Johnny Depp and Robert Downey Jr.

Cate Blanchett's portrayal of the stepmother oozes with classic Golden Age icons like Rita Hayworth, Bette Davis, Joan Crawford, and Vivian Leigh. Just as well, Lily James holds her own against Cate Blanchett and Helena Bonham Carter.

25 The Parent Trap (1998)

Lindsay Lohan was so adorable and talented in this movie! It's a shame that her career took such a huge nosedive after Herbie Fully Loaded.

I love this movie! Much better than the Hayley Mills version. Lindsay Lohan rocks!

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