There are very few Academy Awards winners on Disney+, simply because Disney’s live-action studio hasn’t been nearly as successful at the Oscars as its animated counterparts have. There are a handful of special effects Oscar-winners on Disney+ like Star Wars and Avatar, or even winners of Best Song including The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, and more.
However, we’ve decided that the five great Oscar-winning movies to watch on Disney+ should be the ones that are winners of the Best Animated Feature award, which has only been given out since 2002. Between Disney and Pixar, Disney+ has 15 Oscar-winners in that category. We narrowed it down to five, and it’s not a coincidence that all of our picks were made by Pixar. That studio has had some stumbles in the last few years, but their very best films embody heart and soul like few others.
Soul (2020)
In December 2020, while the pandemic was still in full effect, Disney+ gave subscribers a Christmas gift with the release of Soul, a life-affirming masterpiece that went on to the win an Oscar. Jamie Foxx lends his voice to Joe Gardner, a music teacher who finally has a chance to be discovered as a jazz pianist… right before he falls to his death.
Rather than submit to the call of the afterlife, Joe finds himself stuck in the Great Before as a mentor to 22 (Tina Fey), a soul who has no desire to be born on Earth. The only way that Joe is going to get back home is by showing 22 that life is worth living. Unfortunately for Joe, he does his job too well and he comes back to Earth as a cat while 22 inhabits his body with a newfound desire to live.
Watch Soul on Disney+.
Inside Out (2015)
The premise of Inside Out is so brilliant that it spawned an even bigger hit with its sequel, Inside Out 2. We won’t know until later if Inside Out 2 will win the Oscar for Best Animated Feature like its predecessor, but the first one was an easy choice to include on this list. Most of this movie takes place in the mind of Riley (Kaitlyn Dias), a young girl who is ruled by her emotions: Joy (Amy Poehler), Anger (Lewis Black), Disgust (Mindy Kaling), Fear (Bill Hader), and Sadness (Phyllis Smith).
After Riley moves to a new home, Joy is alarmed that Sadness is seemingly infecting Riley’s every thought and memory. That leads to both emotions being ejected from Riley’s control room, and they’re forced to work together to get back. Richard Kind has a very memorable cameo as Bing Bong, Riley’s imaginary friend whom she can no longer remember. But no one who sees this film will ever forget Bing Bong.
Watch Inside Out on Disney+.
WALL-E (2008)
Apparently, there were people inside Disney who doubted the decision to feature so much time in WALL-E with near silence from the title character. WALL-E (Ben Burtt) is not very talkative, but he’s very lovable for a trash compactor robot. As the last robot on Earth, WALL-E has found the will to survive with a song in his heart. And when he meets EVE (Elissa Knight), WALL-E is smitten at first sight.
It takes some time for EVE to return WALL-E’s affection, but the bond between these two robots is very moving. They really do love each other, and it’s a joy to see them “dancing” in space before their actions help determine the fate of the Earth.
Watch WALL-E on Disney+.
Up (2009)
Few movies have made audiences cry more than the opening minutes of Pixar’s Up, which recaps a lifelong love affair between Carl Fredricksen (Ed Asner) and his wife, Ellie. The tears will flow they suffer personal tragedies together, alongside the moments of joy. In the present, Carl is a widower and the world has largely left him behind. So he resolves to leave America behind by transforming his house into an improvised airship and piloting it to South America to fulfill a promise to his late wife.
Unfortunately for Carl, he has an accidental stowaway: Russell (Jordan Nagai), a 13-year-old Wilderness Explorer who just wants to get his badge for helping the elderly. Carl and Russell soon find themselves on the adventure of a lifetime, and they’re initially unaware that their lives are in danger from an unexpected source.
Watch Up on Disney+.
Toy Story 3 (2010)
Perhaps the only reasons why Toy Story and Toy Story 2 aren’t on this list is that they were released before the Academy Awards started handing out Oscars for Best Animated Feature. Toy Story 4 is also an Oscar-winner, but we’re going with Toy Story 3 as our final pick because it was such a great conclusion for the trilogy. Andy (John Morris) is going off to college, and his toys are facing an unknown future without him.
Through a mix-up, Woody (Tom Hanks), Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen), Jessie (Joan Cusack), Mr. Potato Head (Don Rickles), and most of Andy’s toys are donated to a local day care center. While the toys are happy to be around children again, these kids play rough. The day care center is also ruled with an iron fist by a Lots-o’-Huggin’ Bear (Ned Beatty), and Lotso won’t let Andy’s toys go home without a fight. The powerful ending of this film’s story still resonates 15 years later.
Watch Toy Story 3 on Disney+.