41. Atlantis: The Lost Empire (2001): If Dinosaur and The Emperor’s New Groove signified a minor change in pace for the Disney company at large, then Atlantis: The Lost Empire displayed nothing short of a seismic change for what kind of films Disney would soon produce. This film is heavy on action, adventure, and testosterone pumping thrills. Unfortunately, a focus on pushing the boundaries leaves the film riddled with plot holes, and it becomes surprisingly dull in several scenes. While some great cast members like Michael J. Fox help it from becoming truly forgettable, this is still one of the more disposable films in the Disney canon and seemed to announce that the Disney renaissance was truly over. Grade: C

42. Lilo & Stitch (2002): Now here’s a curious one, truly a film that I just don’t get the massive hubbub over. Now before you all round up your pitchforks and torches and come after me in an angry mob, let me just say that Lilo & Stitch is splendid cinema, filled with stupendous characters, surprisingly effective humor and gorgeous animation. Perhaps it is the endless direct-to-DVD sequels, or perhaps the endless praise it receives on the internet, but my opinion on the film has certainly softened since I first saw it over a decade ago. To boot, being a little older (and insanely more cynical) does allow me to notice some surprisingly glaring plot issues (that Cobra Bubbles dude seems to randomly pop up everywhere). Still, over the top fandom aside, Lilo & Stitch remains a great part of the Disney Ohana. Grade: B+

43. Treasure Planet (2002): When Treasure Planet was released, it became the biggest flop in the history of Disney.  Making $36 million on a $138 million budget, it nearly destroyed the animation company and was widely called the reason for 2D animation’s demise. Years later, the film’s financial failure is mystifying; Treasure Planet is the closest the guys and gals at Disney animation would get to replicating their golden years success until the tail end of the decade.

The harrowing retelling of Treasure Island, but now with sci-fi trappings, is filled with wonderful poignant moments, especially in the bond between Silver and Jim Hawkins, whose father-son dynamic is put to the test when Silver is revealed to be antagonistic. As if such depth-filled writing weren’t enough, the film also contains one of Disney’s best musical moments ever; the underrated tune “I’m Still Here” plays over a montage depicting Jim’s troubled childhood, a beautiful sequence that all but guarantees Treasure Planets admission as one of Disney’s best animated features. Grade: A

44. Brother Bear (2003): Brave before there was a Brave, this story of a man turning into a bear (who is voiced by Joaquin Phoenix of course) holds up surprisingly well years later, providing some successful humor and some fantastic Phil Collins songs in the process. Some of the film feels a little melodramatic at times, but it manages to come up with some very memorable characters, such as Koda and the unforgettable moose duo Rutt and Tuke (who I remember seeing in every single commercial for this film). There’s really nothing about the film that makes it stand out or become anything truly brilliant, but it does have many successful qualities that keep it consistently watchable. Grade: B

45. Home On The Range (2004): At the time, this was supposed to be the final Disney film that would use 2D animation, with Disney Animation favoring the CGI technique that PIXAR and DreamWorks were (and still are) using to great success. Since this film, they’ve used the format twice, to much better results than this forgettable addition to the Disney canon. While Home on The Range aims to be a more humorous excursion like The Emperor’s New Groove, the film’s writing isn’t nearly as sharp or humorous as that film. While the cast (which ranges from lunatic Randy Quaid to screen legend Judi Dench) is more than game (and they’re even given a knockout musical number depicting the villain’s yodeling abilities), Home On The Range never really does anything truly special even with the knowledge that it could be the last Disney film in history to use glorious 2D animation. Grade: C+

46. Chicken Little (2005): Similar to Home On The Range, Chicken Little came onto the scene with a lot of buzz behind it, as it would be the first Disney animation release to be fully CGI. Years later, when considering the film without it’s hype, viewers can realize something; this film is actually pretty good. Sure, the film’s humor at times feels shoehorned in and the animation is surprisingly dated, but the struggles Chicken Little faces resonate wonderfully. I wouldn’t call it great or even especially noteworthy, but Chicken Little does deserve a smidge more praise than it has gotten, as it certainly has its achievements and virtues. Grade: B

47. Meet The Robinsons (2007): With new people, mainly those from PIXAR, taking on leadership positions in Disney Animation during this film’s production, Meet the Robinsons feels like it’s caught between two worlds. The hyperactive characters and situations in the film’s first two acts feels like a desperate ploy to keep our attention. Still, even in these two acts, there’s just enough futuristic imagery and humor from the film’s inventive villain Bowler Hat Guy to keep the film more than watchable. It’s not until the finale, when some ingenious plot twists occur and some character arcs are resolved, that the film lives up to it’s potential. While it’s far from perfect, Meet The Robinsons is still a fine film that gave us the first glimmer of the Second Disney Renaissance. Grade: B+

48. Bolt (2008): Going through a hectic production phase, Bolt arrived to theatres the exact same weekend that the very first Twilight film came out, obviously overshadowing the Disney feature. Believe it or not though, Bolt is much more noteworthy than you’d expect, filled with some of the best characters Disney had come up with in ages and also some extremely poignant scenes. While actors like Miley Cyrus (years before her recent escapades) and John Travolta don’t bring too much to the table in terms of voice acting (though their musical duet in the credits is a highlight of the film), the rest of the production fires on all cylinders, reinforcing the kind of good storytelling that Disney Animation has long been capable of. Grade: A-

49. The Princess and The Frog (2009): The triumphant return of 2D animation and musical storytelling would be cause for celebration for Disney fans under normal circumstances, but the fact that they came with a great film like The Princess and The Frog was a triumph in and of itself. Directors Ron Clements and John Musker bring this clever story to joyous life, filled with a cast of fun characters that are immediately lovable (although protagonist Tiana seems a little bland for my taste), with a major highlight being Dr. Facilier, the film’s over the top and fantastic villain. While it’s not quite perfect cinema, it comes close in several scenes, with the passion these filmmakers have for not only classic Disney, but superb film-making being obvious in every frame of this film. Grade: A-

50. Tangled (2010): Aw man. Here we go. Now this, this is nothing short of Disney perfection, just oozing with cinematic glory. The story of Rapunzel is one that is just craving a Disney retelling, and they do not disappoint in the slightest. Rapunzel, one of the best developed characters in any Disney film, is both reliable and wonderful, with her tune “When Will My Life Begin” perhaps being the anthem of every teenager on the planet. The suave Flynn Rider provides several one-liners and a nice contrast to Rapunzel’s personality, and their interactions are wondrous to behold. And as for the hilarious sidekicks Maximus the Horse and Pascal the Chameleon, well, every microsecond they appear on screen brings a hearty laugh. Whether it’s the riveting characters, perfect songs (“I See The Light” is stunning to listen to, while “I’ve Got A Dream” is hilarious) or a touching scene with Rapunzel and her parents that is nothing short of beautiful, Tangled is not only a masterpiece, but one of Disney’s finest motion pictures. Grade: A+

51. Winnie The Pooh (2011): A minor nostalgic detour before moving onto admittedly more ambitious pursuits (oddly similar to the situation when The Rescuers Down Under was released), this is a superb movie, one that lets us revisit those delightful characters from the Hundred-Acre Wood once again to great results. In all their hand drawn animation glory, this hour-long story shows Winnie The Pooh looking for a creature called the Backson and attempting to find Eeyore’s tail. While nothing truly epic occurs, it’s still a great film, thanks in so small part to the fact that the Winnie The Pooh characters are some of the best Disney has ever made, making any time spent with them utterly joyous. Grade: A-

52. Wreck-It Ralph (2012): Unlike every other title in this series, I reviewed this film last year upon it’s initial theatrical release. However, in addition to noting that my appreciation for the film has only increased over time, I would just like to note my favorite scene from the film: the ending. After his adventure, Wreck-It Ralph notes how he’s made sure his video game can house some homeless video game characters, not to mention a wedding for Fix-It Felix and Sergeant Calhoun. But unlike other Disney characters, who desire being princesses or fame and fortune, Ralph notes that his favorite part of the day is when he is able to see the video game Sugar Rush. There, he see’s his friend Vanellope, a glitch who he helped become a racer, a character who doesn’t think of him as a video game villain, but as a genuinely good person. “And if that one little kid likes me…” he notes, as we see his smiling face “Well…how bad can I be?” Grade: A+

So what’s next for Disney animation after all this? Well, Frozen this week, then next year’s Big Hero 6 (an adaptation of an obscure MARVEL comic) along with Zootopia, which depicts a fox voiced by Jason Bateman being framed for a crime he didn’t commit. Looking over all the beautiful cinema Disney has given me and billions of people all around the world, I can’t wait to see what’s next. It’s incomprehensible how much these movies have influenced me as a person and writing about them has been a treat.