Top 10 Disney Movies That Dealt with Serious Issues
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Date: 2023-11-20
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Comments and reviews: 30
david
I really enjoyed and appreciate your list. However, I do not agree with the way you suggested that the way 'Zootopia' dealt with the issue of prejudice is better than the way 'Pocahantas' dealt with it. For one, with many movies or stories that deal with dark issues, you can find yourself asking, in the words of the Stacie Orrio song, there must be more to life than this. With Disney's Pocahantas, you never ask yourself that. Disney's Pocahantas tells you all about there being more to life. More joy, more life. It's not just about problems. It's also about everything good in this world, every reason to believe. Plus, in addition to this, Disney's Pocahantas deals with the source of many of the problems in the world today: European Imperialism. All the racial problems in America are left over from European Imperialism. Disney's Pocahantas hits the problem at its source. It isn't just about the problem; it is about the source of the problem. Finally, not everything in Disney's Pocahantas is 'black-and -white'. Both sides are shown to have many good people. It isn't just 'black-and-white'. But it is true to the source of today's problems with intolerance: European Imperialism. Anyway, I appreciated your list, I just thought that you weren't fair to Disney's Pocahantas. But, then again, to appreciate all these things about Disney's Pocahantas, you have to consider things other than problems and issues, you have to appreciate the joy in the movie too, otherwise you won't see it, and this video is about the serious issues, so I understand why you missed all these things about Disney's Pocahantas. Pocahantas is more than just a big issue movie, and this list is about the big issues. You just can't include everything in one video! Anyway, thanks for this video! I really appreciate it! God loves you!
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I really enjoyed and appreciate your list. However, I do not agree with the way you suggested that the way 'Zootopia' dealt with the issue of prejudice is better than the way 'Pocahantas' dealt with it. For one, with many movies or stories that deal with dark issues, you can find yourself asking, in the words of the Stacie Orrio song, there must be more to life than this. With Disney's Pocahantas, you never ask yourself that. Disney's Pocahantas tells you all about there being more to life. More joy, more life. It's not just about problems. It's also about everything good in this world, every reason to believe. Plus, in addition to this, Disney's Pocahantas deals with the source of many of the problems in the world today: European Imperialism. All the racial problems in America are left over from European Imperialism. Disney's Pocahantas hits the problem at its source. It isn't just about the problem; it is about the source of the problem. Finally, not everything in Disney's Pocahantas is 'black-and -white'. Both sides are shown to have many good people. It isn't just 'black-and-white'. But it is true to the source of today's problems with intolerance: European Imperialism. Anyway, I appreciated your list, I just thought that you weren't fair to Disney's Pocahantas. But, then again, to appreciate all these things about Disney's Pocahantas, you have to consider things other than problems and issues, you have to appreciate the joy in the movie too, otherwise you won't see it, and this video is about the serious issues, so I understand why you missed all these things about Disney's Pocahantas. Pocahantas is more than just a big issue movie, and this list is about the big issues. You just can't include everything in one video! Anyway, thanks for this video! I really appreciate it! God loves you!
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Amy
I can think of another honorable mention. Like in the movie An Extremely Goofy Movie, where Goofy suffers from empty nest syndrome as soon as his son leaves for college. Suddenly Goofy ends up loosing his job at a toy factory sweatshop, and he ends up going back to college to get a degree required for a job. Plus Goofy goes though more life stuff like joint a rival college group (the Gammas) against Max and his friends, learns how to fall in love again with a beautiful librarian named Sylvia after the death of Mrs Goof, and even having a fallout with Max, causing Goofy to lose focus on his degree. But with the help of his lucky horseshoe and Sylvia after forgiving Goofy for forgetting their dinner date, Goofy was able to pull his grades up, Quits the Gammas, makes amends with Max and helps him win the X games. Then on graduation day, Max gives Goofy his X games trophy as an graduation/apology gift with some words printed on it saying I might not be your little boy anymore, but I'll always be your son. And they both shared a hug, then they both went their separate ways with Max being independent but still accepting his father by chuckling to himself at the end saying he is so Goofy, and Goofy not feeling lonely without Max anymore accepting Max as a mature young adult, and Goofy starts a new life with Sylvia. I know it's an underrated movie since it's a direct to home video/DVD sequel to A Goofy Movie, but I think Goofy did a good job of teaching young audiences and grownups about coming of age, empty nest syndrome, and being supported to eachother, and eachother's differences.
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I can think of another honorable mention. Like in the movie An Extremely Goofy Movie, where Goofy suffers from empty nest syndrome as soon as his son leaves for college. Suddenly Goofy ends up loosing his job at a toy factory sweatshop, and he ends up going back to college to get a degree required for a job. Plus Goofy goes though more life stuff like joint a rival college group (the Gammas) against Max and his friends, learns how to fall in love again with a beautiful librarian named Sylvia after the death of Mrs Goof, and even having a fallout with Max, causing Goofy to lose focus on his degree. But with the help of his lucky horseshoe and Sylvia after forgiving Goofy for forgetting their dinner date, Goofy was able to pull his grades up, Quits the Gammas, makes amends with Max and helps him win the X games. Then on graduation day, Max gives Goofy his X games trophy as an graduation/apology gift with some words printed on it saying I might not be your little boy anymore, but I'll always be your son. And they both shared a hug, then they both went their separate ways with Max being independent but still accepting his father by chuckling to himself at the end saying he is so Goofy, and Goofy not feeling lonely without Max anymore accepting Max as a mature young adult, and Goofy starts a new life with Sylvia. I know it's an underrated movie since it's a direct to home video/DVD sequel to A Goofy Movie, but I think Goofy did a good job of teaching young audiences and grownups about coming of age, empty nest syndrome, and being supported to eachother, and eachother's differences.
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Laura
I have a few to add to to the list.
Cinderella: Emotional Abuse
Snow White: Attempted Murder by Family
Pinocchio: Human Trafficking and Enslavement
As an adult and with the understanding I have now, there are some Disney movies I cant watch anymore. Pinocchio is among them. The Coachman scared the delights out of me out a child and still does.
I actually had some conversations with my mom about some of the movies mentioned here while still a kid. She commented she wondered if Violet was adopted due to being the only dark haired one in her family. My mom also explained to me that Dorys short term memory loss is based on a real life disability.
When it comes to topics like the ones portrayed in The Hunchback of Notre Dame its crazy to think they were ever considered kids movies. Even if it were advertised as being aimed at kids 13 and up, its still pushing it in my opinion. That said, Im grateful movie makers have tried to educate about real life topics in a relatable way. And thank you to Ms. Mojo for pointing out these lessons to me!
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I have a few to add to to the list.
Cinderella: Emotional Abuse
Snow White: Attempted Murder by Family
Pinocchio: Human Trafficking and Enslavement
As an adult and with the understanding I have now, there are some Disney movies I cant watch anymore. Pinocchio is among them. The Coachman scared the delights out of me out a child and still does.
I actually had some conversations with my mom about some of the movies mentioned here while still a kid. She commented she wondered if Violet was adopted due to being the only dark haired one in her family. My mom also explained to me that Dorys short term memory loss is based on a real life disability.
When it comes to topics like the ones portrayed in The Hunchback of Notre Dame its crazy to think they were ever considered kids movies. Even if it were advertised as being aimed at kids 13 and up, its still pushing it in my opinion. That said, Im grateful movie makers have tried to educate about real life topics in a relatable way. And thank you to Ms. Mojo for pointing out these lessons to me!
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Asha
Up and Inside Out still make me tear up.
I never watched any if the Cars movies, but I do agree that big oil companies ARE bad. And it's frustrating that even though they were popular movies, nothing's been done about oil consumption and the message in Walle was straight up ignored.
I appreciated how blunt Pocahontas was in showing how racial stereotypes, biases, and assumptions plague people's minds, even if the use of Savage still makes me cringe. I appreciated the fact that BOTH sides were shown to have those stereotypes and assumptions of the other race. Most movies and TV shows that discuss racism act like it only comes from white people, when the whole reason why racism is still an issue is because hate from BOTH sides fuel each other and perpetuate the cycle of racist fueled hate.
And don't even get me started on Frollo. seeing that disgusting scene in Hunchback was very triggering for me.
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Up and Inside Out still make me tear up.
I never watched any if the Cars movies, but I do agree that big oil companies ARE bad. And it's frustrating that even though they were popular movies, nothing's been done about oil consumption and the message in Walle was straight up ignored.
I appreciated how blunt Pocahontas was in showing how racial stereotypes, biases, and assumptions plague people's minds, even if the use of Savage still makes me cringe. I appreciated the fact that BOTH sides were shown to have those stereotypes and assumptions of the other race. Most movies and TV shows that discuss racism act like it only comes from white people, when the whole reason why racism is still an issue is because hate from BOTH sides fuel each other and perpetuate the cycle of racist fueled hate.
And don't even get me started on Frollo. seeing that disgusting scene in Hunchback was very triggering for me.
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Seor
To be honest, considering wht was cut from Zootopia, while it WAS pretty serious, with the cut content, it'd be much worse. Leaked rough animation scenes that were cut from the movie show that originally, predators were also forced to wear shock collars to contain them from any excessive emotions or actions that could spell danger to the preys. One of the scenes was even a polar bear father giving his son his own collar when he reached a certain age, which swiftly zapped the poor child when it got excited at the prospect of his birthday party.
AND Nick's past was also going to be much darker according to the cut content. Being a predator, he'd also be one of the few forced to wear a collar, and it actively impacted on his life under the form of serious trauma.
So yeah, while Zootopia did tackle some serious stuff, we're lucky it didn't go EVEN DARKER.
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To be honest, considering wht was cut from Zootopia, while it WAS pretty serious, with the cut content, it'd be much worse. Leaked rough animation scenes that were cut from the movie show that originally, predators were also forced to wear shock collars to contain them from any excessive emotions or actions that could spell danger to the preys. One of the scenes was even a polar bear father giving his son his own collar when he reached a certain age, which swiftly zapped the poor child when it got excited at the prospect of his birthday party.
AND Nick's past was also going to be much darker according to the cut content. Being a predator, he'd also be one of the few forced to wear a collar, and it actively impacted on his life under the form of serious trauma.
So yeah, while Zootopia did tackle some serious stuff, we're lucky it didn't go EVEN DARKER.
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Maria
Death is usually a taboo subject.
The very first feature length animated film in ALL HISTORY. the mother names her child (glorifying whiteness of skin, btw, and then dies. The stepmother/queen turns the toddler/girl/tween/teen into a slave, and then spends the rest of her life trying to kill her, through assasination and poison, only to die horribly herself. The chosen assassin, btw, decided to take pity on the child and allowed her to run off into the wilderness alone, presumably to be killed by exposure, accident, or to be torn apart by wild beasts, and kills an animal for its heart. Before you say, It was only an animal, those same animals are the friends and saviors of the girl, so.
And the girl did die of the poison, for all practical purposes. They even had a funeral for her!
Death hasn't been taboo, ever.
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Death is usually a taboo subject.
The very first feature length animated film in ALL HISTORY. the mother names her child (glorifying whiteness of skin, btw, and then dies. The stepmother/queen turns the toddler/girl/tween/teen into a slave, and then spends the rest of her life trying to kill her, through assasination and poison, only to die horribly herself. The chosen assassin, btw, decided to take pity on the child and allowed her to run off into the wilderness alone, presumably to be killed by exposure, accident, or to be torn apart by wild beasts, and kills an animal for its heart. Before you say, It was only an animal, those same animals are the friends and saviors of the girl, so.
And the girl did die of the poison, for all practical purposes. They even had a funeral for her!
Death hasn't been taboo, ever.
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Crunchy-English
I think there might be more themes so here's what I think:
Illicit substance use in Zootopia (The Nighthowlers making them act crazy and, instead of helping, locking them away. This one could be influenced by my personal opinion, take it with a grain of salt)
Wall-e seems to touch on two other subjects: Labelling something away as useless because we've piled up our problems and not giving them what they need to solve it; becoming complacent as long as we are happy and entertained (The robot not wanting to go back to Earth but keep the people where it has control. Again, personal opinion)
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I think there might be more themes so here's what I think:
Illicit substance use in Zootopia (The Nighthowlers making them act crazy and, instead of helping, locking them away. This one could be influenced by my personal opinion, take it with a grain of salt)
Wall-e seems to touch on two other subjects: Labelling something away as useless because we've piled up our problems and not giving them what they need to solve it; becoming complacent as long as we are happy and entertained (The robot not wanting to go back to Earth but keep the people where it has control. Again, personal opinion)
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Maria
A huge problem with your video is that you didn't go back very far at all in Disney history, so you could pretend that this is a recent phenomenon with Disney?
A lot of the earlier films were based on the European fairy tales collected by the Grimm brothers. Fairy tales by their definition dealt with the dark world that children had to face, often on their own. Disney could not escape that fact and still tell any semblance of the stories. So these themes have always been there.
If anything, the later films are lighter than the earlier films were.
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A huge problem with your video is that you didn't go back very far at all in Disney history, so you could pretend that this is a recent phenomenon with Disney?
A lot of the earlier films were based on the European fairy tales collected by the Grimm brothers. Fairy tales by their definition dealt with the dark world that children had to face, often on their own. Disney could not escape that fact and still tell any semblance of the stories. So these themes have always been there.
If anything, the later films are lighter than the earlier films were.
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Andrew
Honorable Mentions:
Overcorrecting and Deception - Frozen
-The King and Queen overcorrected seperating the sisters, Elsa overcorrected secluding herself, and Anna overcorrected being too social. And all of these decisions backfired in some way. Remember, one extreme can be just as bad as the other, be it too goofy or too gritty.
Also, say what you want about Hans' villain twist, but this DOES also highlight a serious online issue. Anyone who is familiar with the term Catfishing (heck there's a show based on this) can attest to this.
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Honorable Mentions:
Overcorrecting and Deception - Frozen
-The King and Queen overcorrected seperating the sisters, Elsa overcorrected secluding herself, and Anna overcorrected being too social. And all of these decisions backfired in some way. Remember, one extreme can be just as bad as the other, be it too goofy or too gritty.
Also, say what you want about Hans' villain twist, but this DOES also highlight a serious online issue. Anyone who is familiar with the term Catfishing (heck there's a show based on this) can attest to this.
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Lady
4: 41 Dory is a very relatable character for me. I have ADHD and a high-functioning form of autism called Aspergers so, like Dory, I tend to think differently than others do. Today people with ADHD, autism (just like my younger brother, and Aspergers often tend to be overlooked, misunderstood, and sometimes even mistreated due to our inability to understand things the way others do and, sometimes, our lack of communication without someone to help explain things to us, but we also tend to be extremely smart and all have a unique gift.
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4: 41 Dory is a very relatable character for me. I have ADHD and a high-functioning form of autism called Aspergers so, like Dory, I tend to think differently than others do. Today people with ADHD, autism (just like my younger brother, and Aspergers often tend to be overlooked, misunderstood, and sometimes even mistreated due to our inability to understand things the way others do and, sometimes, our lack of communication without someone to help explain things to us, but we also tend to be extremely smart and all have a unique gift.
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Lady
The nonstop claim that animated films/shows are for kids only REALLY pisses me off! Once you get older and rewatch all the classics/favorites you grew up with, you realize just how many real-world issues youre either dealing with or have seen that completely went over your head as a kid. Then you realize that the so-called kids-only stuff has a lot of really dark stuff that most likely requires adult supervision/explanation REGARDLESS of the rating!
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The nonstop claim that animated films/shows are for kids only REALLY pisses me off! Once you get older and rewatch all the classics/favorites you grew up with, you realize just how many real-world issues youre either dealing with or have seen that completely went over your head as a kid. Then you realize that the so-called kids-only stuff has a lot of really dark stuff that most likely requires adult supervision/explanation REGARDLESS of the rating!
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Yazzers
I think cars was also dealing with toxic fame meaning lightning mcqueen was blinded by fame and how much he wanted to win the race. and he forgot what was most important which were the cars in radiator springs. It could have been the reason Doc Hudson stopped racing after being abandoned by the racers and his fans when he had his accident. Fame isn't always good because sometimes it can destroy you in different ways.
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I think cars was also dealing with toxic fame meaning lightning mcqueen was blinded by fame and how much he wanted to win the race. and he forgot what was most important which were the cars in radiator springs. It could have been the reason Doc Hudson stopped racing after being abandoned by the racers and his fans when he had his accident. Fame isn't always good because sometimes it can destroy you in different ways.
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Castiel
Once again, Treasure Planet is dangled in front and never even mentioned in the list, including the honorable mentions. Not to mention, this video did the same thing to Up in regards to infertility and miscarriage/loss of a child
Honestly, where is Treasure Planet with abandonment/absentee parental trauma? Princess and the Frog with racial and economic divides? Up?
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Once again, Treasure Planet is dangled in front and never even mentioned in the list, including the honorable mentions. Not to mention, this video did the same thing to Up in regards to infertility and miscarriage/loss of a child
Honestly, where is Treasure Planet with abandonment/absentee parental trauma? Princess and the Frog with racial and economic divides? Up?
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Brian
Inside Out made my cry at the end. I didn't see it as a mental health issue, I saw it as a growing-up struggle. Younger kids have a simpler view of things, but part of growing up is that memories don't stay purely joyful, they get touched with sadness and anger and everything else as the past becomes the past. Seeing her memories marbled at the end did it for me.
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Inside Out made my cry at the end. I didn't see it as a mental health issue, I saw it as a growing-up struggle. Younger kids have a simpler view of things, but part of growing up is that memories don't stay purely joyful, they get touched with sadness and anger and everything else as the past becomes the past. Seeing her memories marbled at the end did it for me.
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fanjoy
I'm glad there was that one guy in Hunchback of Notre Dame, probably another priest (sorry to Catholic people if that's the wrong word) who told Frollo that what he was doing wasn't right. He may have been too scared until Quasimodo and Esmeralda shut Frollo down, but Disney, at least back then, remembered to show that Frollo was NOT a real Christian.
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I'm glad there was that one guy in Hunchback of Notre Dame, probably another priest (sorry to Catholic people if that's the wrong word) who told Frollo that what he was doing wasn't right. He may have been too scared until Quasimodo and Esmeralda shut Frollo down, but Disney, at least back then, remembered to show that Frollo was NOT a real Christian.
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Xanatos21
No Bambi? The serious issues that film dealt with was the immense difficulty of losing a parent at a very young age, the consequences of not keeping fires under control when camping out in the forest, and carrying on the family legacy (with Bambi succeeding his father as the new Great Prince of the Forest at the very end of the movie.
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No Bambi? The serious issues that film dealt with was the immense difficulty of losing a parent at a very young age, the consequences of not keeping fires under control when camping out in the forest, and carrying on the family legacy (with Bambi succeeding his father as the new Great Prince of the Forest at the very end of the movie.
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Random
In my opinion, I think Lilo and Stitch should've been higher up. About 4 months ago my school nurse called CPS on my mom, when we had done nothing wrong. Luckily I still live with her, but I still wake up from nightmares about it. I don't think it tops Frollo though, as what he did, was terrible.
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In my opinion, I think Lilo and Stitch should've been higher up. About 4 months ago my school nurse called CPS on my mom, when we had done nothing wrong. Luckily I still live with her, but I still wake up from nightmares about it. I don't think it tops Frollo though, as what he did, was terrible.
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AdzukiBean
I hate the trope of Im late with my house payments so its gonna get repossessed oh no! The only movie that made it work was Mary popping returns because they made losing the house symbolize something deeper in the characters and their trauma. I love Mary popping returns. Best sequel
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I hate the trope of Im late with my house payments so its gonna get repossessed oh no! The only movie that made it work was Mary popping returns because they made losing the house symbolize something deeper in the characters and their trauma. I love Mary popping returns. Best sequel
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Winter_WolfGamer
When I watched the inside-out movie when I was older I really understood it and almost cried. I loved how they portrayed Riley in such an accurate way. With not just the whole plotline of a young girl starting puberty, but also the accurate portrayal of mental illnesses.
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When I watched the inside-out movie when I was older I really understood it and almost cried. I loved how they portrayed Riley in such an accurate way. With not just the whole plotline of a young girl starting puberty, but also the accurate portrayal of mental illnesses.
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Nick
I just want say thank you so much for addressing these social issues from these tv shows, and especially from the Disney films side, and I wish that theres more shows and films like this to come in the near future, and especially from Soap operas too!
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I just want say thank you so much for addressing these social issues from these tv shows, and especially from the Disney films side, and I wish that theres more shows and films like this to come in the near future, and especially from Soap operas too!
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bumbabees
although I do think Zootopia handles very serious and prevalent issues in a respectful manner, (that definitely deserves a spot on this list) The Hunchback of Notre Dame should've been number one. that movie was one of a kind.
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although I do think Zootopia handles very serious and prevalent issues in a respectful manner, (that definitely deserves a spot on this list) The Hunchback of Notre Dame should've been number one. that movie was one of a kind.
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banana_etiquette
How dare they put Treasure Planet in the intro but dont even give it a honorable mention? This is the only movie where I have cried bc of what poor Jim had to go through. Hearing about kids being abandoned kills me.
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How dare they put Treasure Planet in the intro but dont even give it a honorable mention? This is the only movie where I have cried bc of what poor Jim had to go through. Hearing about kids being abandoned kills me.
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fanjoy
I think that Pinocchio should be on this list, just considering the coachman, killing Pinocchio and literally almost dying, with a sad story of a lost child. I think it should be 12+.
Im not a hater of this list though!
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I think that Pinocchio should be on this list, just considering the coachman, killing Pinocchio and literally almost dying, with a sad story of a lost child. I think it should be 12+.
Im not a hater of this list though!
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Mario
Lilo and Stitch is one of those movies that makes you cry because you understand what it's about, even when you're younger. The movie is perfectly balanced between action for younger audience and realistic broken familys.
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Lilo and Stitch is one of those movies that makes you cry because you understand what it's about, even when you're younger. The movie is perfectly balanced between action for younger audience and realistic broken familys.
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David
Soul: Struggling musicians, afterlife
Zootopia: Segregation, prejudices
Inside Out: Depression, troubled teen
The Lion King: Power hunger, survivors' guilt
Toy Story 2: Abandonment
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Soul: Struggling musicians, afterlife
Zootopia: Segregation, prejudices
Inside Out: Depression, troubled teen
The Lion King: Power hunger, survivors' guilt
Toy Story 2: Abandonment
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aboubakar
9: 24 I have a father who almost acts exactly like judge Claude frollo in the hunchback movie, and like the main protagonist I too suffered the same abuse and mistreatment from my father
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9: 24 I have a father who almost acts exactly like judge Claude frollo in the hunchback movie, and like the main protagonist I too suffered the same abuse and mistreatment from my father
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Simply
Hearing Lilo say 'I remember everyone that leaves' hit me so hard just now, I've gotta rewatch the movie as an adult now because I did not catch that when I was little holy that hurt
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Hearing Lilo say 'I remember everyone that leaves' hit me so hard just now, I've gotta rewatch the movie as an adult now because I did not catch that when I was little holy that hurt
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Maxwell
the thing i like about disney is that (in my opinion) most of them tackled real world problems and hit close to home to a lot of people. and not just the animated movies either.
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the thing i like about disney is that (in my opinion) most of them tackled real world problems and hit close to home to a lot of people. and not just the animated movies either.
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Maria
Why wasn't DUMBO even mentioned? It should've won. Animal abuse/cruelty, bullying, drunkenness of a minor, the list goes on and on and on in that horror film called a cartoon.
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Why wasn't DUMBO even mentioned? It should've won. Animal abuse/cruelty, bullying, drunkenness of a minor, the list goes on and on and on in that horror film called a cartoon.
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Brian
I think Zootopia made fun of social justice warriors as equally as it addressed mainstream bigotry narratives. I found it to be completely un-obnoxious which was refreshing.
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I think Zootopia made fun of social justice warriors as equally as it addressed mainstream bigotry narratives. I found it to be completely un-obnoxious which was refreshing.
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