Toy Story Is Back, So Here's Our Favorite Animated Movies On Netflix
Plus, we recommend a Hall of Fame episode of The Office
Everyone’s favorite animated franchise is back! I’ll be honest and admit I didn’t think we needed a fourth Toy Story movie. After an immensely beloved and heartfelt trilogy, Toy Story 4 (which comes out this weekend) felt a little unnecessary. However, now that it’s here and the reviews are in, it sounds like Pixar has done it again. It’s really hard to be cynical about these movies. They just hit you in that emotional sweet spot.
I saw Toy Story 3 (possibly the best and most poignant of the three) in theaters when I was a YMCA summer camp counselor. I did not expect to walk out with tears in my eyes while herding loud kids onto a bus, but sometimes life throws you a curveball.
In honor of Toy Story 4, we are making this the animated edition of Do You Like Apples. Here’s four wonderful and nostalgic animated movies streaming right now. This one might take you back.
Billy recommends…
Hercules (streaming on Netflix)
I totally get why this one seems to be a forgotten Disney movie. It was in the era of Disney movies where they lost their brilliant track record and were trying to reestablish their brand. Sure we had The Lion King before this one, but Hercules was a really good step in the right direction to show some consistency.
The character Meg (Susan Egan) does not come in until about a quarter of the way through the movie and she is the damsel in distress in a lot of situations, but she is incredibly confident. It is one of the first times that Disney actually put some thought into their female character. Yes, I know, they have plenty of Princess movies, but those characters aren’t the best and now feel slightly dated. That doesn’t necessarily make them joyless. Hercules, through the attempt at making better female characters, is a much better movie.
With a solid foundation the voice actors are given the opportunity to shine. The writing in this one is not the best, to say it nicely, but the voice acting is A+. With a cast that has Danny Devito, Rip Torn, and James Woods in supporting roles give us top notch performances. Hercules is more great than it is mediocre and deserves a rewatch. With some great voice acting, AMAZING songs, and at least adequate female characters, we get a solid Disney flick..
Mulan (streaming on Netflix)
Now let’s get to one of the Mount Rushmore Disney animated movies. Mulan is fantastic all the way through. If you think Hercules had a good female character then the character of Mulan is Miles Davis. I would be remiss if Drew and I talk about animated movies and I don’t talk about the animation. You can tell that Mulan has outdated animation, but for the style it was using it is really gorgeous.
To this day I don’t think there has been such an epic Disney animated movie with such a human story. Throughout the whole movie we move towards an epic conclusion and we get there because the animation is beautifully done and makes the scenes incredibly tense. My initial instinct was to hold back my affirmation for this film, but I can’t. A 27-year-old can still love some classic Disney movies.
What separates Mulan from Hercules is the writing. The dialogue only increases the relationship between the characters and appreciates the heroism of our main character. Mulan is the proof that animated movies are not a lesser art form. Get rid of the Best Animated Film Oscar. Even if we are blessed with a deserving Best Picture winner that is an animated movie it won’t win because of that category. The recognition is nice, but I feel like it cheapens their efforts a bit. Mulan doesn’t need anymore accolades per say, but support it with another watch. If you want to be a true man ;)
Drew recommends…
Incredibles 2 (streaming on Netflix)
The highest-grossing animated film of all-time (!), Incredibles 2 is another one people weren’t sure we needed, until it came out. Released last year, 14 years after the original The Incredibles, the sequel successfully updated its story and visuals. This time it’s Helen (aka Elastigirl) that does the crime-fighting during the day, and Bob (aka Mr. Incredible) that stays home with the kids.
Writer-director Brad Bird (The Incredibles, Ratatouille) is back and he brings the whole cast back with him, including Samuel L. Jackson (as Frozone) and Bob Odenkirk in supporting roles. Just like the original, Incredibles 2 has wit, jokes, and exciting action aplenty. Every voice actor seems to have a firm grasp on their character.
No one does animation like Pixar, and Incredibles 2 proves this yet again. This is a colorful, agile, and thrilling movie. The action sequences are all extremely impressive, especially when you consider how much painstaking work goes into creating them.
The movie seems to have a half-baked message about the negative effects of too much screen time, but that isn’t why we go to these movies. Incredibles 2 is at its best when it delivers us the emotional beats of a family in crisis, just a family that happens to have superpowers.
Emperor’s New Groove (streaming on Netflix)
I watched Emperor’s New Groove over and over as a kid, but what stands out upon rewatch as an adult is the fantastic voice acting. It really makes the movie. David Spade plays Emperor Kuzco, a sarcastic and selfish royal who is turned into a llama by his evil adviser, Yzma. Spade is so good in this role that this movie is able to get away with an arrogant and egocentric lead character in a children’s movie. The kind peasant Pacha that helps Kuzco return to his palace is voiced by the great John Goodman, who also plays Sully in Monsters, Inc. He’s got that perfect animation voice.
As good as Spade and Goodman are, it’s a third party that gets the biggest laughs. I’m referring, of course, to Kronk, the dim-witted and loyal servant to Yzma. Patrick Warburton (Puddy in Seinfeld) is a riot voice-acting Kronk, and he routinely steals scenes throughout the movie. Kronk’s sincere demeanor and baking skills are a hilarious contrast to the power-mad Yzma.
Unlike a Pixar movie, the animation isn’t dazzling with Emperor’s New Groove, but it’s good enough to keep your interest and there’s some pretty entertaining adventure sequences. Plus, it has a brisk pace at only 80 minutes, perfect for 10-year-old Drew to get in as many viewings as possible.
Streaming TV Corner
The Office Episode of the Week
Drew: “Stress Relief” (Season 5, Episodes 14 & 15)
Okay, here’s my take: This is the funniest episode of The Office. And I don’t say that lightly, because there are a bunch of candidates. This two-parter just happens to be full of some of the most hysterical moments in The Office history.
I remember the first time I saw “Stress Relief” well, because it aired right after the Super Bowl in 2009, meaning the first thing we saw after the thrilling finish of that Steelers-Cardinals game was Dwight’s fire safety test, in which Angela throws her cat through the ceiling (“Save Bandit!”) and Stanley has a heart attack. Next, we get the CPR training class where dysfunction ensues, culminating with Dwight cutting open the CPR dummy’s chest and reenacting The Silence of the Lambs. I’m not sure I’ve ever laughed harder at a TV show. AND THAT”S JUST PART 1.
Part 2 is the Roast of Michael Scott. It’s hilarious to see how every office member relishes this chance to insult Michael in their very own way (Dwight: “You don’t have any friends, or any family, or any LAND”). Michael starts to cry and runs off, only to come back the next day to do his own version of a roast (“Boom, roasted”) in a pretty touching conclusion.
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