Summary

By the 2000s,Disneywas already a big, established name in Hollywood.

The studio had already released many classics and didnt seem intent on stopping any time soon.

These iconic Disney films raised an entire generation, but which movies from the Renaissance era truly stand out?

A collage showing siblings from three different movies.

During the decade, Disney released plenty of great films, both animated and live-action ones.

Here is the best thing Disney or Pixar produced for each year of the decade.

This list only includes movies that were actually produced by Disney or Pixar.

A collage showing gameplay screenshots of Duck Tales, Epic Mickey, and Toy Story.

Films that were only distributed don’t count.

As wacky as it sounds, it’s a nice set-up for a story about humility.

92001 - Monsters, Inc.

Split images of Tarzan, Frozen, and Big Hero Six.

In the early 2000s, Pixar regularly delivered goods.

The studio did so again with the incredible Monsters, Inc. That is until a little girl ends up in their universe.

The premise is very original and creative, as are the many different monster designs in the movie.

Lilo And Stitch, Wall-E and The Emperor’s New Groove.

The true greatness of the film, however, comes from its mix of humor and drama.

This puts it far above Disney’s other offerings in 2001.

Or at least, that is the basic premise of the movie.

Split image of the Disney characters Aladdin, Mufasa, Simba and Tarzan.

The film is actually about loss and family.

Brothers and sisters of misses and misters.

A lot of animated kids' movies contain a heartbreaking scene or two.

Yzma and Kronk from The Emperor’s New Groove.

Meanwhile, you see Lilo still struggling to get over the loss of their parents and deal with loneliness.

It’s heavy but well-written subject matter.

Plus, Stitch’s antics often add a bit of levity to the experience.

Monster’s Inc promo shot of Sully, Mike, and others.

62004 - The Incredibles

There are somegreat superhero movies that don’t come from Marvel or DC.

The Incredibles might be the best of them.

It revolves around two former heroes who now have a family.

Stitch sitting in the Sand in Lilo and Stitch.

They’re living a normal life until they are pulled back into action.

Speaking of action, the fight scenes in this film are really exciting and explosive.

Also, the main villain, Syndrome, has easy-to-understand motivations and is very entertaining.

Jack Sparrow holding Elizabeth hostage in Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl.

Overall, the movie is much better than anything else Disney released in 2004.

The movie revolves around a group of kids who find a magical land inside a wardrobe.

Much of the praise this film gets should be directed at the production.

The Parr family ready to fight in The Incredibles.

The sets, special effects, and costumes look amazing, and they really help bring Narnia to life.

The acting is solid, too, as is the story.

They all have their charm, but none of them is quite as good as Narnia.

The siblings meet Aslan in The Chronicles Of Narnia The Lion, The Witch And The Wardrobe.

42006 - Ratatouille

Ratatouille has spawned countless memes and jokes.

Yet, what shouldn’t be forgotten is that it’s actually a really good movie.

The concept of the film is unique.

Remi making soup with Linguini watching shocked in Ratatouille.

It revolves around a rat who desires to be a fancy chef.

Check out the greatest Disney games ever made!

This original premise leads to a very entertaining movie with fantastic animation and some good voice acting.

Promotional art for The Pixar Story featuring a handrawn Buzz Lightyear.

2006 wasn’t a great year for Disney movies.

That said, it’s still a really good watch.

It’s a documentary that dives into the history of Pixar.

Wall-e looking at a rubiks cube in his home Pixar.

The film shows how the company was formed and its route to huge success.

The whole thing is very compelling, particularly if you aren’t too aware of Pixar’s past.

22008 - Wall-E

In 2008, Disney released a very clever and heartwarming animated movie, Wall-E.

Tiana with a frog from The Princess and the Frog.

The film is about a small robot cleaning up the Earth, which is no longer habitable.

In contrast, humans live cushy lives on giant spaceships.

When a fancier robot comes down from space to check for life, Wall-E immediately falls for her.

Disney

As such, it’s easy to get invested in their story together.

All of it is done so well, making it easily the best Disney movie of 2008.

This animated musical is about a waitress named Tiana who wants to own her own restaurant.

Yet, that dream is put on hold a little bit when she’s transformed into a frog.

Then, her goal is to become human again.

Tiana ranks as one ofthe best Disney Princesses ever, and this movie is a great one.

The music and voice acting are fantastic.

No other Disney movie in 2009 could compete with this classic.

It’s wild how many Disney movies are actually set in the same universe.