In 1937, Disney released , one of the first major examples of a feature-length animated film. Since then, , releasing generation-spanning hits like , and throughout the subsequent decades.

However, while Disney is responsible for some of the best family and animated films of all time, . These films stand out from their contemporaries, either because of their historical significance to the company, or simply because they're remembered as the best-of-the-best of the studio's output. , ranked based on their impact and level of overall entertainment value.

The 2010s were generally viewed as a hit-or-miss decade for Pixar. While the animation studio released some great films during the period, including and , they also released critical duds like and . However, , a film in which young Miguel (), an aspiring musician in a family that looks down upon musicians, suddenly finds himself trapped in the Land of the Dead. While there, Miguel works with the skeletal Héctor () to track down Ernesto de la Cruz (), his idol and a presumed relative who can help him return home.

Coco was a hit precisely because it felt like it came straight out of Pixar's golden age. A huge part of what makes it stand out is its willingness to delve into subjects like grief and loss in a way that is . On top of being a great exploration of its subject matter, Coco is an extremely enjoyable film with .

; a critical and commercial peak for the studio that many still deem a high point in its long history. One of the most iconic films released during the period was , a movie focusing on the eponymous young thief ( and ) as he discovers a genie () and eventually uses its powers to try to win over Agrabah's princess, Jasmine ( and ).

, but perhaps the most notable is Williams' performance as Genie. The beloved comedian was able to improvise when recording his dialogue, allowing the character to take on the unique sense of humor that Williams had long been associated with. In addition, , including tunes like "A Whole New World" and "Friend Like Me". Simply said, , cementing it as a must-watch Disney film.

While Disney is primarily known for its animated works, the studio has also released a number of beloved live-action projects over the years, the most successful of which have been the films. The franchise, which was based on the theme park attraction of the same name, began with 2003's , which took viewers on a swashbuckling adventure with Captain Jack Sparrow (), Will Turner () and Elizabeth Swann ().

While far from the best film Disney has produced, . Depp plays the typically drunken Sparrow with full commitment, ultimately earning himself an Oscar nomination for Best Actor in a Leading Role, but Bloom and Knightley are excellent in their roles as well. Just as notable is , who plays Captain Barbossa, the film's villain and one of the best characters in the franchise. Again, it's not a perfect movie, but .

Following the massive success of the Renaissance period, the 2000s were markedly less consistent for Disney. Movies like and underwhelmed at the box office, while other releases, like and , proved to be critical low points for the studio, but . Centered on Lilo (), a young girl who takes in the dangerous extraterrestrial Stitch () as her pet, the film features .

At the core of Lilo & Stitch is the relationship between the title characters. At the beginning of the film, Stitch is a being motivated purely by a desire to destroy, while Lilo is a social outcast with a strained relationship with her older sister, Nani (), who acts as her sole caretaker in the absence of their parents. When Lilo takes Stitch in, she teaches him to control his destructive impulses, while his companionship gives her a sense of belonging that she didn't have before. It's .

Throughout the 1940s, during what is referred to as the Wartime Era, Disney released a number of anthology films, including and , many of which are viewed as inferior when compared to the rest of the studio's work. But in 1950, , which saw the release of some of their most iconic hits.

by telling a single simple story based on a traditional fairy tale. The film follows the titular Cinderella (), a young woman who is mistreated and essentially made a servant by her stepmother, Lady Tremaine (), as well as her stepsisters, Drizella () and Anastasia (), but who hopes to attend a royal ball where Prince Charming ( and ) will be searching for a bride. It is one of the best examples of the traditional Disney formula, but it also includes some great slapstick comedy between mice Jaq and Gus (both played by ), and Lucifer (), the Tremaine family's cat. , solidifying Cinderella as an essential watch from Disney's history.

1989's was the film that kicked off the Disney Renaissance, focusing on Ariel (), a mermaid who gives up her voice in exchange for a pair of legs to be able to see the human world. , including classics like "Under the Sea" and "Part of Your World", , earning The Little Mermaid a reputation as .

A standout aspect of The Little Mermaid is its large cast of memorable characters. Ariel is a great protagonist, but she's also joined by Sebastian (), Flounder () and Scuttle (), her beloved animal sidekicks, all of whom have great moments throughout. Also notable is Ursula (), whose song, "Poor Unfortunate Souls", continues to be widely regarded as one of the best Disney villain songs ever. The fact that makes it an absolute must-watch in Disney's library.

While The Little Mermaid started the Disney Renaissance, , something which no animated film produced by Disney had achieved before, or has since. The film tells the story of a selfish prince () who is transformed into a monstrous beast by a spell that can only be broken if he manages to find mutual love with someone.

Like many of Disney's best films, , featuring fan favorites like "Belle", "Be Our Guest" and "Beauty and the Beast", all three of which were nominated for Best Original Song, with "Beauty and the Beast" winning the Oscar. But : "Be Our Guest" is kinetic and vibrant, while "Beauty and the Beast" is an excellent showcase of what was cutting-edge technology upon the film's initial release. A few of their films surpass it in quality, but .

From the release of 1995's , all the way to 2010's , during this impressive streak. The film focuses on WALL-E (), a trash-collecting robot left behind on Earth after it was abandoned by humans following an environmental disaster, who suddenly finds himself in space when he meets a mysterious new robot named EVE (). While there, he encounters what remains of humanity, surviving aboard a giant spaceship.

While Coco did a great job of reminding audiences of just how stellar a Pixar film could be in 2017, : it covers more mature subject matter than most family films, delving into themes of environmentalism in sometimes surprisingly bleak ways; the animation was (and still is) absolutely stunning; and the script is equal parts heartfelt and funny. WALL-E would also become the first film in Pixar's history to enter The Criterion Collection; .

Throughout its history, Disney has released a huge number of beloved animated musicals, but few of its live-action musicals have managed to make the same impression. The biggest exception to the rule is 1964's Mary Poppins, which is typically viewed not just as one of Disney's best musicals, but as one of the best musicals of all time. In the film, young Jane (Karen Dotrice) and Michael (Matthew Garber) Banks suddenly find themselves under the care of Mary Poppins (Dame Julie Andrews), a magical nanny who floats down from the sky to their doorstep shortly after another nanny leaves them.

Mary Poppins contains all the charm of Disney's best animated musicals, but it also often surpasses them. Andrews and Dick Van Dyke are perfect leads, with Andrews being appropriately caring, yet occasionally stern, as Mary, and Van Dyke being effortlessly likable as her good friend Bert. The film also brilliantly mixes in elements of the studio's animated films, including a memorable sequence in which Mary, Bert and the Banks children ride carousel horses through a cartoon world. The fact that it also features fantastic songs like "A Spoonful of Sugar" and "Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious" fully cements Mary Poppins as a fantastic Disney film that everyone should see at least once.

It may not technically be Disney's best film, but Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs is absolutely its most important, as it was the studio's first feature-length release. The movie, in which the title princess (Adriana Caselotti) is forced to hide in the woods with a group of dwarfs in an effort to escape the schemes of her murderous stepmother (Lucille La Verne), played a key role in establishing many of the tropes that would become heavily associated with Disney's films over the following decades, from evil stepmothers to its princesses singing to woodland creatures.

Luckily, while Snow White is incredibly influential, it's also a great film. A shocking amount of love and care is evident in every frame of animation, and songs like "Whistle While You Work" and "Heigh-Ho" are timeless classics that continue to be ranked among the studio's most iconic songs. Additionally, the Evil Queen is also an all-time great villain, willing to do anything simply to become "the fairest one of all". Its place in the history of the company, combined with its high quality, makes Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs the definitive must-watch Disney movie.

NEXT: The 25 Best Animated Disney Movies Under 90 Minutes Long