(Welcome to
Out of the Disney Vault, where we explore the unsung gems and forgotten disasters currently streaming on Disney+.)
The Disney Channel has made over 100 movies since the ’80s, but when the network entered the new millennium, it started focusing on two kinds of stories. There were wacky genre comedies with high concepts like
Luck of the Irish. And there were many, many, many musical films in the vein of
High School Musical.
And then there’s
Teen Beach Movie, which takes the best of both worlds and results in a highly entertaining musical that also features a wacky genre story that riffs on
(Welcome to
Out of the Disney Vault, where we explore the unsung gems and forgotten disasters currently streaming on Disney+.)
Before Disney started producing endless remakes of its classic animated films and dumping some of them on Disney+ (ahem,
Lady and the Tramp), they used to make endless sequels to classic animated films and dump them on VHS.
There have been dozens of direct-to-video (DTV) animated sequels – nearly 60 if you include the films made out of TV episodes and those that debuted on the Disney Channel. Some were good, most were bad, and a few, like
Aladdin and the King of Thieves, were almost better than the original. This is a sequel that expands the world and mythology of the first film with a catchy soundtrack that feels like it belongs in the theatrical film. And it’s about time we recognize Aladdin’s dad as one of the coolest and hottest Disney characters around.
(Welcome to
Out of the Disney Vault, where we explore the unsung gems and forgotten disasters currently streaming on Disney+.)
Before Disney was known for its corporate synergy and obsession with remaking old animated classics, they actually took a lot of bold chances, especially in the ’70s and ’80s. And especially when it came to sci-fi, fantasy and horror films. Sadly, few of these were successful at the box office, though some managed to become cult hits once they hit home video. One such film is
Flight of the Navigator.
One of many films about kids befriending alien beings that arrived in the wake of