Summer is probably the best time of the year. Most of us have thawed out after a long winter and are looking to enjoy the sun. Cookouts, concerts, and summer blockbusters dominate this space, but what about when we want a night in? After all, summer movies are almost a genre on their own. What films embrace that warm summer feeling that are available to stream at any given moment? Luckily, we have you covered! Here are the 15 best movies streaming on Disney+ that will keep you in that summer feeling.
Lilo & Stitch (2002)
Run Time: 1 hour and 25 minutes
Directed by: Dean DeBlois and Chris Sanders
Written by: Chris Sanders and Dean DeBlois
Starring: Daveigh Chase, Chris Sanders, Tia Carrere, David Ogden Stiers, Kevin McDonald, and Kevin Michael Richardson
One of the best ways to start your summer is with one of Disney's most underrated films, Lilo & Stitch. This film follows Lilo, a young Hawaiian girl who adopts an alien experiment, thinking it's a puppy! The galactic federation is coming after experiment 626 (now known as Stitch), but the creature has found a family with Lilo.
What makes this film so special is its central theme of creating bonds and making a family. Stitch and Lilo are both outsiders, but they find each other, making for a touching story. The Hawaii setting is beautiful, and the themes of the family make for the perfect film to watch with loved ones this summer.
Jungle Cruise (2021)
Run Time: 2 hours and 7 minutes
Directed by: Jaume Collet-Serra
Written by: Michael Green, Glenn Ficarra, and John Requa
Starring: Dwayne Johnson, Emily Blunt, and Edgar Ramirez
One of the best summer vacations is to Disney World, but what if I told you we could stream a piece of Disney World right to your living room? Like Pirates of the Caribbean before it, Jungle Cruise is a Disney ride turned Disney adventure flick! Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson and Emily Blunt star in a movie where the two sail across the mysterious jungle to find the tree of life.
The two stars make for an entertaining duo, and the film gives us a fun mix of spectacle and humor. If you haven't seen Jungle Cruise or want to watch The Rock fight ghost pirates, this film should be on your list.
Luca (2021)
Run Time: 1 hour and 35 minutes
Directed by: Enrico Casarosa
Written by: Enrico Casarosa, Jesse Andrews, and Simon Stephenson
Starring: Jacob Tremblay, Jack Dylan Grazer, and Emma Berman
Set in a stunning seaside town on the Italian Riviera, Luca is a coming-of-age story about one young boy experiencing an unforgettable summer with his new friends. While Luca wishes his summer was nothing but gelato and pasta, his life is in danger because the town may soon find out he is a sea monster from the deep.
Luca is a very different film for Pixar. It embraces that child-like wonder, and while the deeper themes are there, the movie remembers it's a story about kids being kids. It's a perfectly executed tale that will make you long for a trip to Italy.
Aladdin (1992)
Run Time: 1 hour and 30 minutes
Directed by: Ron Clements and John Musker
Written by: Ron Clements, John Musker, and Ted Elliott
Starring: Scott Weinger, Robin Williams, and Linda Larkin
Aladdin is a fantastic film for multiple reasons. Disney is known for its fairytale and princess stories, but one of their best is about a pickpocket-turned prince named Aladdin. Robin Williams steals the show as Genie and aids Aladdin in the quest to win Princess Jasmine's heart. While many will credit Williams's stellar performance, a lot of the magic is because of the characters surrounding the Genie.
Aladdin is a terrific leading man, and Jasmine is one of the best Disney Princesses from this era. With the menacing presence of Jafaar and the comedic gold of Gilbert Gottfried as Iago, Aladdin is a movie that clicks on all cylinders.
Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)
Run Time: 2 hours and 2 minutes
Directed by: James Gunn
Written by: James Gunn, Nicole Perlman, and Dan Abnett
Starring: Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Bradley Cooper, Dave Bautista, and Vin Diesel
Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy is the first time the MCU went cosmic, and it makes for an incredible film. A ragtag team of criminals must work together to save the galaxy from total destruction. We follow Star-Lord, Gamora, Drax the Destroyer, Rocket Raccoon, and Groot as they become the heroes the galaxy needs. While the theme of summer isn't on the surface, it's a summer blockbuster that will have you hooked on a feeling. A feeling of joy laughs, and wonder. These lovable misfits give the script life and somehow make a dance-off incredibly touching.
Guardians of the Galaxy is one of the few films that doesn't require homework. You can watch this movie without watching The Avengers films, but it's still very much a Marvel movie. Director James Gunn's fingerprints are all over this film, making it one of the most entertaining superhero films you'll ever see.
High School Musical 2 (2007)
Run Time: 1 hour and 51 minutes
Directed by: Kenny Ortega
Written by: Peter Barsocchini
Starring: Zac Efron, Vanessa Hudgens, and Ashley Tisdale
High School Musical makes for a very strange franchise. The movies are the perfect blend of cheese and fun that makes it a surprisingly entertaining watch. In High School Musical 2, we follow the Wildcats as they go on summer break and take up jobs at a fancy country club. The dance numbers are outlandish, the story is ridiculous, and the characters are as over the top as ever.
It's a film that evokes the spirit of summer, and while it might not be the best in the High School Musical trilogy (that's a title reserved for the third film), it manages to be a fun time! You'll get at least one of these songs stuck in your head, bet on it.
A Goofy Movie (1995)
Run Time: 1 hour and 21 minutes
Directed by: Kevin Lima
Written by: Jymn Magon, Chris Matheson, and Brian Pimental
Starring: Bill Farmer, Jason Marsden, and Jim Cummings
A Goofy Movie is one of the best Disney animated films because it's able to tell a genuinely touching coming-of-age story and a father/son story that we rarely see, especially in animation. Goofy and his son, Max, go on a cross-country trip during summer vacation. Things could have easily been the cliché 'son is embarrassed by his silly dad' trope. Instead, the movie makes Goofy and Max believable characters and their relationship (or lack thereof) takes this story from good to great. The film is an excellent continuation to the series, Goof Troop, but is also accessible to new viewers. It also features a fantastic soundtrack. You can't do much better than A Goofy Movie.
Summer of Soul (2021)
Run Time: 1 hour and 58 minutes
Directed by: Questlove
Starring: Dorinda Drake, Barbara Bland-Acosta, and Darryl Lewis
This Academy-Award winner takes us back to the summer of 1969. Summer of Soul is a documentary that details the Harlem Cultural Festival. For six weeks, thousands of people attend the event to celebrate Black history, culture, music, and fashion. Woodstock overshadowed this event, but Questlove makes sure that the Harlem Cultural Festival would not be forgotten in this powerful film.
This film is for everyone, not just fans of that era of music or history. Summer of Soul is crafted with care and transports you back to a place we didn't know we needed to go. The event featured icons like B.B. King, Stevie Wonder, Nina Simone, and Gladys Knight & the Pips. It's something to behold. If you want to know more about Summer of Soul and why you need to watch the film, click here to read our full review.
The Parent Trap (1998)
Run Time: 2 hours and 8 minutes
Directed by: Nancy Meyers
Written by: Erich Kastner, David Swift, and Nancy Meyers
Starring: Lindsay Lohan, Dennis Quaid, and Natasha Richardson
Lindsay Lohan pulls double duty in this remake of The Parent Trap. When twins Annie and Hallie discover each other at summer camp, the two decide to trade lives, giving both the chance to spend time with the parent they've missed. The girls' divorced parents live on the opposite sides of the Atlantic Ocean, so the girls didn't even know they had a sibling. If their trap succeeds, their parents might be united again, making their family whole.
The Parent Trap is a remake of the original 1961 film, but it's firmly its own story. Lohan does a terrific job making the American Hallie and British-raised Annie completely different characters. It's a touching story of two girls wanting the family they never had, and it's a fun time.
Hamilton (2020)
Run Time: 2 hours and 40 minutes
Directed by: Thomas Kail
Written by: Lin-Manuel Miranda and Ron Chernow
Starring: Lin-Manuel Miranda, Leslie Odom Jr., Phillipa Soo, Daveed Diggs, and Renée Elise Goldsberry
Independence Day is the biggest holiday of the Summer season, so why not watch Hamilton? The musical is the most significant Broadway production of the last two decades and tells the life story of one of North America's founding fathers. The Disney+ version of Hamilton presents the show in a way we haven't seen before, being filmed like a movie rather than a still camera like most recorded stage plays.
Leslie Odom Jr., Lin-Manuel Miranda, and Renée Elise Goldsberry deliver fantastic performances and prove that taking a show from stage to screen can be seamless. The music is iconic, the cast is phenomenal, and the set design is engaging. Even if you think you don't like musicals, odds are you'll like Hamilton. It is the total package.
The Little Mermaid (1989)
Run Time: 1 hour and 23 minutes
Directed by: Ron Clements and John Musker
Written by: John Musker, Ron Clements, and Hans Christian Andersen
Starring: Jodi Benson, Samuel E. Wright, and Rene Auberjonois
The Little Mermaid is bright, nostalgic, and a terrific reimagining of a classic fairytale. Ariel wants to travel to the surface, and an evil sea witch grants her wish. The movie works because the world around Ariel is beautiful. The ocean is a sight to behold, yet she isn't content with her life.
It mirrors how we can neglect the beauty around us because we're fixated on someone else's life. Ariel is willing to sacrifice her voice on a gamble; we don't know if it will pay off. That, combined with a solid score and a soundtrack, makes The Little Mermaid a fabulous time.
Marvel's The Avengers (2012)
Run Time: 2 hours and 23 minutes
Directed by: Joss Whedon
Written by: Joss Whedon and Zak Penn
Starring: Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, Mark Ruffalo, and Jeremy Renner
It's hard to believe that Marvel's The Avengers is ten years old now, the superhero landscape has changed so much since 2012. Still, the movie is a ton of fun! It's packed to the brim with iconic moments, the witty humor, and the action we've come to expect from Marvel Studios.
With this being the first time we see the Avengers assemble, it feels like a much smaller-scale story compared to Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame. That isn't a knock on the film in the slightest. The characters are as strong as we remember. It feels very old-fashioned, a classic story like Superman: The Movie or Star Wars: A New Hope, and sometimes we can use a little old fashion.
The Lion King (1994)
Run Time: 1 hour and 27 minutes
Directed by: Roger Allers and Rob Minkoff
Written by: Irene Mecchi, Johnathan Roberts, and Linda Woolverton
Starring: Matthew Broderick, Jeremy Irons, and James Earl Jones
The Lion King is a perfect movie. I don't have to explain the plot of this Disney masterpiece, but I will explain what makes it great. The film is an epic, a musical, a comedy, and a Shakespearean tragedy simultaneously. Simba's journey from prince to outcast to king is one of the best stories you'll see, and it's all done within a 90-minute runtime.
Elton John, Lebo M, Hans Zimmer, and Tim Sale's lyrics elevate this film to a new level. The Lion King is not only one of the best musicals or animated movies, but one of the best stories ever put to screen.
Free Guy (2021)
Run Time: 1 hour and 55 minutes
Directed by: Shawn Levy
Written by: Matt Lieberman and Zak Penn
Starring: Ryan Reynolds, Jodie Comer, and Taika Waititi
Ryan Reynolds stars as Guy in the aptly titled Free Guy. The film is about a bank teller who discovers he's a background player (NPC) in an open-world video game. Guy doesn't let this game-breaking revelation get him down. He becomes the hero of his own story, one where he's the author.
Free Guy is just a solid movie about what it means to be alive and how to make the best of the life we've been given. The film features excellent characters, a terrific video game setting, and even a touching romance. Ryan Reynolds delivers another fun performance.