The '80s were a pretty interesting time for Disney. It was just before the famous Renaissance era of the '90s but saw the company trying some unique and interesting things with their films. That makes the '80s a decade that features an impressive blend of flicks to watch right now on the Disney+ streaming service.
Not only does this section include Disney originals but also some of the other companies they acquired over the years. Movies from LucasFilm and Fox are readily available to stream today. To find the best ones to watch, you can look at the ratings on Rotten Tomatoes, though only films with more than a dozen reviews were considered.
Honey, I Shrunk The Kids (77%)
Almost every child who grew up during the '90s had a special place in their hearts for Honey, I Shrunk the Kids. Released in 1989, this became something of a surprise hit, grossing a whopping $222.7 million on an $18 million budget and spawning a franchise.
Led by the charismatic and lovable Rick Moranis, this tells the story of an inventor who accidentally shrinks his kids and the neighbor's children, who then go missing in the backyard. The follow-ups were never quite as good as the original though a new entry bringing back Joe Johnston as director and Moranis as the star is in development.
The Great Mouse Detective (80%)
The 26th animated feature from Disney, The Great Mouse Detective was another look at them trying new things during the '80s. Many of their films from this era are good and hold up surprisingly well, though they don't have characters who have become iconic.
While many might not recall the characters from this 1986 classic, it was well-received. A mild box office success, The Great Mouse Detective tells a Sherlock Holmes style story but with rodents. Directors John Musker and Ron Clements worked together here ahead of stuff like Aladdin and The Princess and the Frog.
Return Of The Jedi (82%)
Acquiring the rights to Star Wars was a massive get for Disney as evidenced by several billion-dollar blockbuster films and hit series like The Mandalorian. Of course, fans also love being able to go back and see the classics that made them fall in love with the franchise in the first place.
The original trilogy is held in high esteem as one of the best sets of movies ever made. 1983's often viewed as the worst of the three, it's still pretty great.
Flight Of The Navigator (84%)
It's interesting to see that this ended up on Disney+ when you consider the way that things started for it. Flight of the Navigator didn't get approved by Disney originally and instead was the final film produced by Producers Sales Organization before they went defunct.
Released in 1986, Flight of the Navigator is set in 1978 and follows a young boy who travels eight years into the future on an adventure with an alien spaceship. Paul Ruebens voiced the spaceship Max right around the time when his star was blowing up.
The Journey Of Natty Gann (91%)
Although this featured some notable actors like John Cusack and Ray Wise, it is one of the more forgotten Disney releases in history. The Journey of Natty Gann hit theaters in 1985 and grossed just under $10 million and never really gets talked about.
Despite not being well-ed, The Journey of Natty Gann is a good film. The story focuses on a tomboy who escapes her guardian and runs away to be with her single father during the 1930s. Meredith Salenger scored a Young Artist Award for her heartwarming performance.
Splash (91%)
Sometimes, a film is boosted by the fact that it has a star-studded cast and that was the case with Splash. Even back in 1984, this comedy was loaded with the likes of Tom Hanks, Daryl Hannah, Eugene Levy, and John Candy. It also made history as the first Touchstone Pictures film.
Disney created Touchstone Pictures to target more adult audiences and that's where Splash fit in perfectly. The story focuses on a guy who falls in love with a lady who is secretly a mermaid. This unique flick managed to score a Best Original Screenplay nomination at the Oscars.
The Little Mermaid (93%)
As noted earlier, the '80s came right before The Little Mermaid. The huge boom for the company that followed this release included The Lion King, Beauty and the Beast, and Tarzan.
Not only is this a classic telling the story of a mermaid princess who dreams of falling in love as a human but it also features some of the greatest songs in animated film history. In fact, it won the Academy Award for both Best Original Score and Best Original Song. Throw in the $233 million box office intake and this was a blockbuster hit.
The Empire Strikes Back (94%)
The Star Wars franchise has become one of the biggest ever created. Following the massive success of the 1977 original, the 1980 sequel the best installment of the series.
The Empire Strikes Back raises the stakes and expands the universe by visiting more unique planets and introducing characters who would go on to become iconic. There's also an incredible lightsaber battle at the end and one of the greatest twists in the history of cinema. There's no wonder this is one of the greatest sci-fi films of all-time.
Who Framed Roger Rabbit (97%)
Although a lot of this movie is a cartoon, it's still one of the more adult-themed entries on this list. Released in 1988, Who Framed Roger Rabbit stands as one of the best films to ever combine animation and live-action, making it groundbreaking for the time.
Directed by the incredible Robert Zemeckis, it was in the midst of his huge winning streak with films like the Back to the Future trilogy, Romancing the Stone, and Forrest Gump. The plot follows a private investigator who tries to exonerate a cartoon rabbit accused of murder.
Big (97%)
Technically, The Princess Bride is also tied for the top spot with a 97% rating but that was included on the Hulu list so it was left off here. Without that, 1988's Big lands at #1. It marked one of the earliest standout performances from Tom Hanks before he became a big star.
His work was acclaimed and set the tone for his future. Big sees a teen who wishes to grow older, which comes true overnight. He then deals with the highs and lows of being an adult. Hanks earned an Oscar nomination and Big was a box office hit.