With the Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes currently doing good numbers at the box office, you might be wanting to go back to watch some of the previous entries in the long-running franchise.
Well, if you've got a Disney Plus subscription, then you're in luck: the full collection is available to stream on Disney Plus.
Meanwhile, fans of The Beatles will be delighted to know that they can now catch a restored version of the 1970 documentary film Let It Be, just over two years after Peter Jackson released his own acclaimed three-part docuseries Get Back using footage originally shot for that film.
The streamer is perhaps best known as the home of the House of Mouse's most popular franchises – from the MCU to Star Wars – but it is also a great place to catch up on a number of critically acclaimed original films.
For instance, multi-Oscar-winner Poor Things is available to stream now, as is All of Us Strangers, the acclaimed drama starring Andrew Scott and Paul Mescal. Both are available to watch now with a Disney Plus subscription.
Other original films to have been added to the library in recent months include The Creator, the final Indiana Jones movie, Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, Poirot mystery A Haunting in Venice, and even smaller films like Rye Lane.
Hayden Christensen in Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones.
Fortunately, you don’t need to fly to a galaxy far, far away to see the Star Wars saga. Well, the majority of it, anyway.
Here’s what’s on offer:
Star Wars: Episode I: The Phantom Menace
Star Wars: Episode II: Attack of the Clones
Star Wars: Episode III: Revenge of the Sith
Star Wars: Episode IV: A New Hope
Star Wars: Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back
Star Wars: Episode VI: Return of the Jedi
Star Wars: Episode VII: The Force Awakens
Star Wars: Episode VIII: The Last Jedi
Star Wars: Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story
Solo: A Star Wars Story
Star Wars: The Clone Wars
Empire of Dreams: The Story of The Star Wars Trilogy
If you're wondering what order to watch them in - because let's face it, it can be controversial - we have a guide to how to watch Star Wars in order.
Pixar movies on Disney Plus UK
Turning Red. Pixar
Yes, Disney also owns Pixar, the folks behind the likes of Toy Story and Inside Out. So if you need a laugh, go for Ratatouille; if you need a cry, go for Toy Story 3 (we're not over that heartbreaking burner scene yet); and if you need a romance, WALL-E is your go-to. Here are the Pixar options on Disney Plus UK.
Disney's live-action adaptation of the classic tale, starring Glenn Close, Jeff Daniels and Joely Richardson. Love blossoms for dalmatian owners Roger and Anita when their pets meet in the park. But the fur-loving Cruella De Vil has her eye on their new litter of puppies.
Why watch 101 Dalmatians (1996)?:
Glenn Close stars as iconic baddie Cruella De Vil in this remake of the beloved 1961 animation, which brought the action forward to the (then) modern-day and also starred Jeff Daniels, Joely Richardson and Hugh Laurie.
Fantasy adventure starring Emma Watson, Dan Stevens and Luke Evans. The bookish daughter of a clockmaker embarks on a dangerous quest when her father becomes lost in the woods, and discovers a Gothic castle that is home to a fearsome beast and his magically cursed servants. Can Belle learn to love the beast and break the spell?
Why watch Beauty and the Beast (2017)?:
The live-action remake of the Oscar-nominated animation from 1991 was a tremendous hit for Disney – with Emma Watson impressing in the role of Belle and a formidable ensemble cast including the likes of Ewan McGregor, Ian McKellen and Emma Thompson.
Sports comedy based on a true story, starring John Candy. Derice Bannock, a Jamaican sprinter and the son of a gold medal-winning athlete, fails to qualify for the Olympic team, but is still determined to win a medal. He forms his country's first Olympic bobsleigh team and, despite no one taking them seriously, they set out for the Games.
Why watch Cool Runnings?:
Cool Runnings is the hilarious underdog story of the Jamaican bobsled team who competed at the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary remains one of the most eminently quotable films of the ‘90s – “Feel the Rhythm! Feel the Rhyme! Get on up, it’s bobsled time!”
Fantasy adventure based on the books by Lewis Carroll, starring Mia Wasikowska and Johnny Depp. At a garden party to celebrate her engagement, the now teenage Alice spots a white rabbit from her childhood dreams and follows the creature down a hole that leads to a strangely familiar world. But the place she remembers is now in ruins and Alice is soon pitched into a battle against the evil Red Queen.
Why watch Alice in Wonderland (2010)?:
Let’s get this out the way now: Tim Burton’s take on the classic Lewis Carroll story is very Tim Burton. Revelling in gothic imagery and high-colour contrasts, it’s a visual treat for audiences – one featuring a mesmerising Johnny Depp performance as the Mad Hatter.
Animated musical drama, based on Victor Hugo's classic tale, featuring the voices of Tom Hulce, Demi Moore and Kevin Kline. Fifteenth-century Paris: when his father is arrested and mother killed, Quasimodo is raised in the solitude of Notre Dame cathedral's bell tower. Hidden from the world by his guardian Claude Frollo, the Minister for Justice, he is taken pity on by a gypsy girl called Esmeralda.
Why watch The Hunchback of Notre Dame?:
One of the many hits of the Disney renaissance period in the ‘90s, The Hunchback of Notre Dame is based on the famous novel by Victor Hugo and tells the story of Quasimondo – a bell ringer who overcomes his shortcomings to help a Roma girl called Esmerelda.
Animated fantasy adventure featuring voices of Michael J Fox, James Garner and Leonard Nimoy. Naive young adventurer Milo Thatch joins an intrepid group of explorers on a hunt for the mythical lost continent of Atlantis. But whereas Milo is captivated by the beauty and culture of the wonderful land, the others have sinister, greed-fuelled ambitions.
Why watch Atlantis: the Lost Empire?:
Perhaps the most underrated Disney animated feature outside of Treasure Planet, this sci-fi adventure dives into the life of cartographer Milo James Thatch (voiced to perfection by Michael J Fox) and his hunt for the submerged city. It’s a mission that brings him into contact with a team including leader Commander Lyle Tiberius Rourke, Italian demolitions expert Vinny Santorini, medic Dr Sweet and French geologist Gaetan “Mole” Molière. Atlantis: the Lost Empire is visually imaginative and beautifully drawn.
Live-action remake of Disney's animated fantasy starring Lily James, Cate Blanchett and Helena Bonham Carter. With the death of her father, young Ella is banished to live in the attic and is cruelly treated as a servant by her evil stepmother and wicked stepsisters. But after a chance meeting with a handsome stranger in the woods, Ella is determined to go to the upcoming royal ball to see him again, not realising he is actually the son of the king. Unfortunately, her stepmother has no intention of letting her go to the ball.
Why watch Cinderella (2015)?:
We’ll get this out of the way now: yes, this is the film that seemingly neutered the rugged appeal of Richard Madden, best known for his roles in Bodyguard and Game of Thrones. But this refreshing live-action take on the much-told fairytale is still worth your time. Why? Not only does Lily James offer a magical performance as the titular princess, but a mesmerising Cate Blanchett shines as the evil stepmother. Throw in Helena Bonham Carter as a hilarious Fairy Godmother and you’ve got a faithful, full-hearted and – most importantly – fun modern classic.
Musical fantasy starring Emily Blunt, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Ben Whishaw and Emily Mortimer. Widowed with two children and in dire financial straits, Michael Banks enlists his sister, Jane, to help find a crucial document that will save the family home from repossession. Luckily, some much-needed support drops into Cherry Tree Lane in the form of the siblings' half-forgotten childhood nanny, Mary Poppins.
Why watch Mary Poppins Returns?:
Emily Blunt had big shoes to fill in this 2018 sequel to the 1964 musical, but she delivered a charming performance as the titular character. A cameo from Dick Van Dyke is one of many highlights in a delightful film filled with excellent musical numbers.
Disney comedy fantasy starring Rick Moranis. Professor Wayne Szalinski's obsession with developing a miniaturisation ray causes him to neglect his wife and two children and attracts ridicule from his suburban neighbours. But then a freak accident triggers the inventor's device and reduces his children, and those of his neighbour, to microscopic size.
Why watch Honey, I Shrunk the Kids?:
With a reboot in the works, you’ve got the perfect excuse to revisit this old-fashioned Disney caper. While short on solid special effects, this simple story of a shrinking ray gone wrong will charm children and adults alike. Honey, I Shrunk the Kids stars Rick Moranis as Wayne Szalinski, a wacky scientist who’s developed an electromagnetic machine that makes humans microscopic – as his neighbours’ children find out after he accidentally turns them into unwilling Micronauts.
Animated fairy-tale adventure featuring the voices Mandy Moore and Zachary Levi. The long-haired Rapunzel has spent her entire life incarcerated in a tower so when she falls in love with a bandit, she must venture into the outside world for the first time.
Why watch Tangled?:
One of the more recent entries into the Disney princess canon, Tangled tells the classic story of Rapunzel – the girl who escapes from captivity thanks to her extraordinarily long hair and a good-hearted thief.
Sequel to the 1982 sci-fi thriller, starring Jeff Bridges and Garrett Hedlund. As a boy, young Sam Flynn was told stories by his father Kevin about his adventures in an amazing computer-generated world. Kevin disappears but years later when Sam goes looking for him, he ends up inside the very same digital world.
Why watch Tron: Legacy?:
Dazzling visuals? Check. A stellar cast including Jeff Bridges and Michael Sheen? Check. A downright sizzling soundtrack from Daft Punk? Absolutely! Sequel to seminal 1982 sci-fi Tron, Legacy reboots the grid, a glowing blue digital frontier where all thought and experimentation can proceed at a vastly accelerated rate. It’s here where Sam Flynn searches for his missing father, Kevin Flynn, the protagonist from the first movie (once again played by Jeff Bridges). In short: if you’re looking for an adrenaline-fuelled feature film with high-concept visual effects, Tron: Legacy is for you.
Comedy drama starring Robin Williams, Sally Field and Pierce Brosnan. When voiceover artist Daniel Hillard walks out of his day job, his wife Miranda decides it's time to walk out on him, and is granted custody of their children. Daniel is desperate to be with his kids, so when Miranda advertises for a nanny-cum-housekeeper he applies for the job in disguise.
Why watch Mrs Doubtfire?:
To all those who haven’t yet seen Mrs Doubtfire: stop what you’re doing. Switch your phone to flight mode. Put your dog in the kennel. Send the kids upstairs. Just do whatever you need to watch this Robin Williams masterpiece uninterrupted. In perhaps his greatest performance, this classic comedy follows Daniel, an out-of-work and recently-divorced actor dressing up as an elderly – and female – Scottish housekeeper to spend more time with his children. Packing laughs-a-plenty, the spectacularly slick story also has a warm centre, centring on the importance of family.
Pixar comedy adventure featuring the voices of Tom Hanks and Tim Allen. When Bonnie creates a new toy out of rubbish and calls it Forky, Woody finds himself chaperoning the confused creation. After Forky tries to throw himself away during a road trip, the pair end up trapped in an antique store with a creepy doll that wants Woody's voice box for herself.
Why watch Toy Story 4?:
The epilogue we didn’t know we needed, the fourth and beautifully crafted Toy Story wraps up the animated saga with a road trip and an unexpected detour. For fans of previous films, Toy Story 4 serves up the return of Bo Peep, while all viewers will fall in love with Forky, a new toy made out of a spork and pipe cleaner (you read that right). Although we can promise laughs throughout, we certainly can’t guarantee the emotional ending will leave you dry-eyed.
