:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/ILANA-GORDON-HEADSHOT-80577598f8ed442cacff5de184ceb9f5.jpg "The 26 best Disney+ movies for adults")
Satisfy your nostalgia cravings with the films on this list. The 26 best Disney&43; movies for adults Satisfy your nostalgia cravings with the films on this list. By Ilana Gordon :maxbytes(150000):stripicc()/ILANAGORDONHEADSHOT80577598f8ed442cacff5de184ceb9f5.jpg) Ilana Gordon is an entertainment, culture, and comedy writer originally from Connecticut. She currently lives in Los Angeles. EW's editorial guidelines and Declan Gallagher on May 12, 2026 8:44 a.m.
Satisfy your nostalgia cravings with the films on this list.
The 26 best Disney+ movies for adults
Satisfy your nostalgia cravings with the films on this list.
By Ilana Gordon
Ilana Gordon is an entertainment, culture, and comedy writer originally from Connecticut. She currently lives in Los Angeles.
EW's editorial guidelines
and Declan Gallagher
on May 12, 2026 8:44 a.m. ET
Disney is gearing up for a big summer on the big screen, with films like *The Mandalorian & Grogu* (May 22), *Toy Story 5* (June 19), and a live-action version of *Moana* (July 10) all scheduled for theatrical release. In Marvel franchise news, *Spider-Man: Brand New Day *swings into theaters on July 31, and *Avengers: Doomsday *premieres the week before Christmas.
This month, prepare for the arrival of new sequels by watching the original or consider revisiting a classic. With content aggregated from Pixar, Marvel, Lucasfilm, Touchstone Pictures, National Geographic, Searchlight Pictures, and 20th Century Entertainment, Disney+ offers films for people of all ages and interests. For suggestions of what to stream, keep reading **'s list of the 26 best Disney+ movies for adults.
10 Things I Hate About You (1999)
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Larisa Oleynik as Bianca Stratford, Gabrielle Union as Chastity, and Joseph Gordon-Levitt as Cameron James in '10 Things I Hate About You'. Everett Collection
One of the very best ‘90s teen high school comedies, this edgy (but not crass) update of Shakespeare’s *The Taming of the Shrew* made Heath Ledger a star and introduced most of us to Julia Stiles. *10 Things I Hate About You* is wonderfully acerbic without sacrificing its genuine emotion. Plus, the soundtrack is ace. (Can we please get a Letters to Cleo reunion tour?) *—Declan Gallagher*
Where to watch *10 Things I Hate About You*: Disney+
**Director:** Gil Junger
**Cast:** Heath Ledger, Julia Stiles, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Larisa Oleynik, Andrew Keegan
Avatar (2009)
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Zoe Saldaña as Neytiri and Sam Worthington as Jake Sully in 'Avatar'. Twentieth Century Fox
The influence of James Cameron’s groundbreaking, breathtaking sci-fi odyssey permeates through blockbusters to this day, and not just because we’ll be getting *Avatar* sequels into the next decade. It’s difficult to be cynical about the film even if you want to be; it’s spectacular and reminds you why Cameron is such a celebrated filmmaker. He makes you feel his impact on the scope of cinema in a way no other director can. *—D.G.*
Where to watch *Avatar*: Disney+
**EW grade:** B
**Director:** James Cameron
**Cast: **Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldaña, Sigourney Weaver, Michelle Rodriguez, Stephen Lang
Bend It Like Beckham (2002)
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Parminder Nagra as Jess (center left) and Keira Knightley as Jules (center right) in 'Bend It Like Beckham'. Christine Parry/Fox Searchlight
This coming-of-age soccer movie (or, rather, football in England, where it’s set) catapulted Keira Knightley to movie star status, but it’s *Bend It Like Beckham*’s cultural perspective and commentary that truly make it special. The story follows Jess Bhamra (Parminder Nagra), a teen girl obsessed with soccer (and with David Beckham, who gave the film permission to use his name because he wanted to promote girls’ soccer).
Feeling suffocated by her strict Indian parents and their hope that she’ll someday become a homemaker and devoted wife, Jess secretly joins a soccer team and must juggle responsibilities for both her family and her coach (Jonathan Rhys Meyers). The film resonates with anyone who knows the acute angst of pretending, around those they love, to be someone they’re not. *—Ilana Gordon*
Where to watch *Bend It Like Beckham*: Disney+
**Director: **Gurinder Chadha
**Cast: **Parminder Nagra, Keira Knightley, Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Anupam Kher, Juliet Stevenson
Black Panther (2018)
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Chadwick Boseman as T'Challa in 'Black Panther'. Marvel Studios
Just when superhero media felt like it had said all it could, Ryan Coogler brought the genre vital new energy. *Black Panther* is a proper epic fashioned in a modern way, a historic depiction of Black culture on screen, and a showcase for the talents of its lead actor, the late Chadwick Boseman.
Drawn back to his home nation of Wakanda following his father’s death to assume the king’s throne, T’Challa (a.k.a. Black Panther) becomes the center of otherworldly intrigue as he’s forced to protect his people from the devious Eric Killmonger (Michael B. Jordan). The film is as thoughtful as it is entertaining, a slick and fast-paced essay on the economics of power. *—D.G.*
Where to watch *Black Panther*: Disney+
**EW grade:** A–
**Director:** Ryan Coogler
**Cast: **Chadwick Boseman, Michael B. Jordan, Letitia Wright, Angela Bassett, Lupita Nyong’o
Cool Runnings (1993)
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Malik Yoba as Yul Brenner, Leon as Derice Bannock, Doug E. Doug as Sanka Coffie, and Rawle D. Lewis as Junior Bevil in 'Cool Runnings'. Everett Collection
This uplifting sports comedy is based on the true story of the 1988 Winter Olympics, where Jamaica competed with its first-ever national bobsled team. The film follows the athletes’ quest to participate in the Calgary games, a mission only half-supported by their coach (John Candy), a disgraced American bobsledder living in Jamaica after his attempts to cheat in competition ruined his relationships with his team, coach, and the Olympic committee.
*Cool Runnings* premiered five months before Candy’s death in 1994, and bears the dubious honor of being the last of the actor’s movies released during his lifetime. But where the Jamaicans struggled to find their footing on the ice, *Cool Runnings *enjoyed a smooth glide to the finish, winning critical reviews, box office acclaim, and a soft spot in the hearts of viewers everywhere. *—I.G.*
Where to watch *Cool Runnings*: Disney+
**Director:** Jon Turteltaub
**Cast: **John Candy, Leon, Doug E. Doug, Malik Yoba, Rawle D. Lewis**
Dan in Real Life (2007)
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Steve Carell as Dan Burns in 'Dan in Real Life'.
Buena Vista Pictures/Courtesy Everett
Peter Hedges’ understated dramedy follows widowed columnist Dan (Steve Carell) as he ferries his three daughters to a family gathering, where he falls for the girlfriend (Juliette Binoche) of his brother (Dane Cook, quite good). Things unfurl as you would expect, but Hedges directs with a sure hand. He lets the emotions come about naturally, while Binoche and Carell anchor the film with their unlikely chemistry. *—D.G.*
Where to watch *Dan in Real Life*: Disney+
**EW grade:** A
**Director: **Peter Hedges
**Cast: **Steve Carell, Juliette Binoche, Dane Cook, Emily Blunt, Dianne Wiest
The Devil Wears Prada (2006)
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Anne Hathaway as Andrea Sachs in 'The Devil Wears Prada'.
Barry Wetcher/Fox
Meryl Streep may not have won an Oscar for her role as Miranda Priestly in *The Devil Wears Prada* (though she was nominated!), but the film does bear the distinction of being one of her most quotable works. An adaptation of the 2003 novel by the same name, the movie tells the story of Andy Sachs (Anne Hathaway), an aspiring writer who accepts a job working for the demanding editor in chief (Streep) at one of the most distinguished fashion magazines in New York City. What follows is a headlong descent into the fashion world, complete with wild assignments, eccentric characters, and glorious outfits. The sequel premiered in cinemas on May 1 this year, and follows the core cast as they navigate the shifting journalism landscape. *—I.G.*
Where to watch *The Devil Wears Prada*: Disney+
**Director:** David Frankel
**Cast: **Meryl Streep, Anne Hathaway, Emily Blunt, Stanley Tucci, Simon Baker
Something for everyone: The 35 best movies streaming on Disney+
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The 29 best family comedy movies ready to stream right now
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Father of the Bride (1991)
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Steve Martin as George Banks and Kimberly Williams-Paisley as Annie Banks in 'Father of the Bride'.
Touchstone/Getty
It’s the bride’s big day, but it’s the bride’s dad who melts down in Steve Martin’s remake of the 1950 screwball comedy, *Father of the Bride*. Martin stars as successful businessman George Banks, who learns that his 22-year-old daughter plans to marry a man she met three months ago. As he and his wife, Nina (Diane Keaton), go through the motions of preparing for the wedding — meeting the groom and his family, consulting with the coordinator — George struggles to accept that his little girl is moving on without him.
Martin gives one of his best performances here, balancing his over-the-top physicality with a nostalgic and compassionate portrayal of parenthood as its most heartbreaking. It’s Martin’s movie, but Keaton is the one who grounds the film with her elegance and charm. *—I.G.*
Where to watch *Father of the Bride*: Disney+
**Director:** Charles Shyer
**Cast: **Steve Martin, Diane Keaton, Kimberly Williams-Paisley, Kieran Culkin, George Newbern
Finding Nemo (2003)
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Marlin (voice: Albert Brooks) and Dory (voice: Ellen DeGeneres) in 'Finding Nemo'.
Walt Disney/Courtesy Everett Collection
A father’s love is as vast as the ocean — and in *Finding Nemo*,* *Marlin (voiced by Albert Brooks) scours the seas to find the only remaining member of his family: his son, Nemo (Alexander Gould). Along the way, he encounters Dory (Ellen DeGeneres), a fish with a short-term memory problem, as well as some vegetarian sharks, a flotilla of surfer turtles, and his own neuroses.
This funny and original tear-jerker is an elegy to the experience of parenting, and earned the seventh spot on EW’s list of the best Pixar films. EW’s critic promises, “You could trawl the seven seas and not net a funnier, more beautiful, and more original work of art and comedy than *Finding Nemo*.” *—I.G.*
Where to watch *Finding Nemo*: Disney+
**Director:** Andrew Stanton
**Cast:** Albert Brooks, Ellen DeGeneres, Alexander Gould, Willem Dafoe, Geoffrey Rush
Free Solo (2018)
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Alex Honnold in 'Free Solo'. Jimmy Chin/National Geographic
This stomach-dropping doc, chronicling Alex Honnold's efforts to make the first free solo (that is, no ropes) climb up the vertical face of Yosemite National Park’s El Capitan, is one of the most breathless action movies ever made. It’s also something of a cringe procedural, if that’s a thing. Continuously you’ll wonder of Honnold’s efforts, "Is he *really* going to do that?" or "Certainly he doesn’t have the gall to do that!" Inevitably, though, he does, and even though you know how it all turns out, *Free Solo* is utterly tense and unpredictable in the best sense. *—D.G.*
Where to watch *Free Solo*: Disney+
**EW grade:** A–
**Directors:** Jimmy Chin, Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi
**Cast:** Alex Honnold
Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)
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Zoe Saldaña as Gamora in 'Guardians of the Galaxy'.
Jay Maidment/Marvel
*Guardians of the Galaxy* serves as Marvel’s origin story for the rag-tag group of titular outlaws, who start off as strangers and end up as collaborators on the run after Peter Quill (Chris Pratt) steals an Orb. Featuring an ensemble cast portrayed by a mix of live-action actors and CGI characters, the movie deserved the two Oscar nominations it received for Best Makeup and Hairstyling and Best Visual Effects. James Gunn directs, and the movie represents a tonal shift for Marvel, allowing the MCU to veer into zanier, more self-referential territory. *—I.G.*
Where to watch *Guardians of the Galaxy*: Disney+
**EW grade:** A–
**Director:** James Gunn
**Cast: **Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldaña, Dave Bautista, Vin Diesel, Bradley Cooper
Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)
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Harrison Ford as Indiana Jones in 'Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark'. Lucasfilm Ltd.
The first (and the best) Indiana Jones adventure follows the hero (Harrison Ford, who else?) and his beloved Marion Ravenwood (Karen Allen) as they embark on a government mission to find the Ark of the Covenant before the Nazis assume its powers. It’s difficult to find a more perfectly structured action/adventure than *Raiders of the Lost Ark*, which serves as a remarkably high benchmark in director Steven Spielberg’s career. None of the sequels have quite lived up to the original, though they sometimes come close. (Each of those is streaming on Disney+ as well.) *—I.G.*
Where to watch *Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark*: Disney+
**Director: **Steven Spielberg
**Cast:** Harrison Ford, Karen Allen, Paul Freeman, John Rhys-Davies, Alfred Molina
Iron Man (2008)
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Robert Downey Jr. as Tony Stark in 'Iron Man'. Everett Collection
Robert Downey Jr. reinvigorated his career and proved the superhero genre had staying power with this breezy introduction to the MCU. While Marvel movies have become increasingly weighed down with backstory, both comprehensible and not, *Iron Man* plays like a breath of fresh air. Watching it in 2025, you might forget how thrilling the story of billionaire inventor Tony Stark, who survives a kidnapping and goes on to construct himself the suit of the title, was for its time. *—D.G.*
Where to watch *Iron Man*: Disney+
**EW grade:** B+
**Director: **Jon Favreau
**Cast:** Robert Downey Jr., Jeff Bridges, Gwyneth Paltrow, Terrence Howard, Jon Favreau
Jane (2017)
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Jane Goodall in 'Jane'. CBS via Getty Images
This lovely documentary from Brett Morgen (*Moonage Daydream*) chronicles primatologist, ethologist, and anthropologist Jane Goodall’s groundbreaking research with chimpanzees. *Jane* eschews the trappings of similar documentaries and presents a rounded view of Goodall. It’s a celebration of her estimable work, but it doesn’t hold back in detailing the sacrifices she made to do that job. Goodall died in October 2025, but her spirit lives on through this documentary. *—D.G.*
Where to watch *Jane*: Disney+
**Director:** Brett Morgen
**Cast:** Jane Goodall
Maleficent (2014)
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Angelina Jolie as Maleficent in 'Maleficent'.
Frank Connor/Disney
*Sleeping Beauty* (1959), Disney’s animated movie about a vengeful fairy who curses a princess to punish her parents, gets a live-action retelling with *Maleficent* (2014). Angelina Jolie and Elle Fanning star opposite each other as the titular “Mistress of All Evil” and the innocent 15-year-old who softens her heart, respectively, eventually prompting Maleficent to try to reverse the curse.
Like *Wicked *(2024), the film centers the arc around the supposed villain, reclaiming Maleficent’s story as an understandable reaction to a personal betrayal from a former lover. Jolie was the only choice to play the scorned fairy, and EW’s reviewer notes that she is “at her best when she’s curling her claws and elongating her vowels like a black-sabbath Tallulah Bankhead.” *—I.G.*
Where to watch *Maleficent*: Disney+
**Director:** Robert Stromberg
**Cast: **Angelina Jolie, Sharlto Copley, Elle Fanning, Sam Riley, Imelda Staunton
Mrs. Doubtfire (1993)
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Robin Williams as Daniel Hillard/Mrs. Doubtfire in 'Mrs. Doubtfire'.
20th Century Fox/Everett
Robin Williams’ best character performance comes in this laugh-out-loud family comedy, one of the only films that can truly be described as such. As a divorced father who disguises himself as the busty titular housekeeper to spend more time with his kids, Williams’ antics are nicely tempered by director Chris Columbus, who threads humor with emotion in admirable fashion. *—D.G.*
Where to watch *Mrs. Doubtfire*: Disney+
**EW grade:** B
**Director:** Chris Columbus
**Cast:** Robin Williams, Sally Field, Pierce Brosnan, Harvey Fierstein, Matthew Lawrence
Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003)
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Orlando Bloom as Will Turner and Keira Knightley as Elizabeth Swan in 'Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl'.
Walt Disney/Courtesy Everett Collection
*Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl* was so successful upon its release in 2003, Disney created a franchise of five films, all of which are available to stream on the platform. Captain Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp) staggers into Port Royal in search of a ship. What he finds instead are a gold medallion and the child of a former pirate, both of which are needed to lift a long-standing curse.
Accompanied by Will Turner (Orlando Bloom) — a blacksmith in love with the governor’s kidnapped daughter, Elizabeth Swan (Keira Knightley) — Sparrow engages in a series of pirate-approved swashbuckling activities in the hopes of reuniting with his beloved ship, the *Black Pearl*. Depp’s performance as Sparrow is one of his best, and Geoffrey Rush is mesmerizing as the villainous Captain Barbosa. *—I.G.*
Where to watch *Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl*: Disney+
**Director: **Gore Verbinski
**Cast: **Johnny Depp, Geoffrey Rush, Orlando Bloom, Keira Knightley, Jonathan Pryce
Sam Raimi's Spider-Man trilogy (2002–2007)
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Tobey Maguire as Peter Parker and Kirsten Dunst as Mary Jane Watson in 'Spider-Man'. Everett Collection
Tom Holland and Andrew Garfield are great and all, but Tobey Maguire will always be the OG. (Sorry, Nicholas Hammond, but we’re talking cinematic Spider-Men.) Sam Raimi’s “original” web-slinger trilogy is equally remembered for its astonishing sequel and its rather disappointing threequel, but in retrospect, all installments are better than you remember. Each film is sly and playful, but also unafraid to explore darker territory; they were always slightly unpredictable, a bit edgier than superhero fare nowadays. *—D.G.*
Where to watch Sam Raimi’s *Spider-Man *trilogy: Disney+
**EW grade:** B
**Director: **Sam Raimi
**Cast: **Tobey Maguire, Kirsten Dunst, Willem Dafoe, Bruce Campbell
The Simpsons Movie (2007)
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Marge (voice: Julie Kavner), Maggie (voice: Nancy Cartwright), Lisa (voice: Yeardley Smith), Bart (voice: Nancy Cartwright), and Homer Simpson (voice: Dan Castellaneta) in 'The Simpsons Movie'. Everett Collection
The residents of Springfield are sealed off from the rest of society (what else is new?) after Homer’s dalliance with a pig and a farm filled with human waste creates an environmental disaster. The long-awaited film adaptation of the veteran Fox sitcom, now the longest-running American animated series of all time, has been saddled with the unfortunate reputation of simply being an extended episode.
In fairness, that’s entirely true. However, it’s a very good episode, one that achieves an occasionally sweeping cinematic scope and focuses on adding layers to beloved characters rather than upending them for the sake of a joke. *—D.G.*
Where to watch *The Simpsons Movie*: Disney+
**EW grade:** B+
**Director:** David Silverman
**Cast: **Dan Castellaneta, Nancy Cartwright, Yeardley Smith, Julie Kavner, Albert Brooks
Sister Act (1992)
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Kathy Najimy as Sister Mary Patrick, Whoopi Goldberg as Delores Van Cartier/Sister Mary Clarence, and Wendy Makkena as Sister Mary Robert in 'Sister Act'. Everett Collection
Whoopi Goldberg shines in this propulsive, infectiously upbeat comedy as a singer who hides out in a convent after witnessing a Mob hit. Predictably, she’s tasked with coaching the choir for an upcoming competition. Sly direction and enviable chemistry between the cast, which includes Maggie Smith and Kathy Najimy, set *Sister Act* apart from the average underdog comedy. *—D.G.*
Where to watch *Sister Act*: Disney+
**Director:** Emile Ardolino
**Cast: **Whoopi Goldberg, Maggie Smith, Kathy Najimy, Harvey Keitel, Wendy Makkena
The Sound of Music (1965)
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Christopher Plummer as Capt. Georg von Trapp and Julie Andrews as Maria in 'The Sound of Music'. Everett Collection
The classic tale of the Von Trapp family is now streaming in a remarkably crisp restoration. Julie Andrews stars as Maria, a kind-hearted would-be nun/governess who brings a love of music to the seven children under her tutelage. It’s a perfect movie musical, and the breathtaking views of Austrian abbeys are worth the watch alone. *—D.G.*
Where to watch *The Sound of Music*: Disney+
**Director:** Robert Wise
**Cast: **Julie Andrews, Christopher Plummer, Richard Haydn, Peggy Wood, Nicholas Hammond
Splash (1984)
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Daryl Hannah as Madison in 'Splash'.
Buena Vista Pictures/Courtesy Everett Collection
Ron Howard’s exuberant fairy tale stars Tom Hanks as a yuppie who gets more than he bargained for when a real mermaid (Daryl Hannah) makes her way out of the sea and into his house. It’s some of the most admirable work from all involved, including a riotous supporting turn from John Candy and an enchanting performance from Hannah. *—D.G.*
Where to watch *Splash*: Disney+
**Director:** Ron Howard
**Cast:** Tom Hanks, Daryl Hannah, John Candy, Eugene Levy, Shecky Greene
The Straight Story (1999)
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Richard Farnsworth as Alvin in 'The Straight Story'. Everett Collection
Only David Lynch could make a movie so positively un-Lynchian. The story of an aging widower (Richard Farnsworth) who embarks upon a cross-country odyssey on his tractor, *The Straight Story* surprisingly lives up to its title. It contains all of the earnest, vaguely warped Americana of Lynch’s other work, delivered not just with a straight face but a rather convincing one as well. It makes you wonder who the real Lynch really is, and that’s probably exactly what the director was hoping for. *—D.G.*
Where to watch *The Straight Story*: Disney+
**EW grade:** A–
**Director:** David Lynch
**Cast:** Richard Farnsworth, Sissy Spacek, Harry Dean Stanton
Sugarcane (2024)
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Chief Willie Sellars of the Williams Lake First Nation in 'Sugarcane'.
National Geographic Documentary Films/Courtesy Everett Collection
Stories of systemic abuse don’t always find an audience, but *Sugarcane* was powerful enough to earn an Oscar nomination for Best Documentary Feature. Told in a little under two hours, the film peels back generations of trauma endured by Indigenous children at St. Joseph’s, a Canadian Indian residential school in British Columbia.
The Catholic Church’s treatment of these children fostered a community built on suppressed shame. *Sugarcane*’s documentarians expertly investigate the abuse, interviewing current residents of the local Sugarcane Reserve, and attempting to publicly audit their community’s years of needless suffering. *Sugarcane* is a difficult watch, but it’s a worthy investment of your emotional energy. *—I.G.*
Where to watch *Sugarcane*: Disney+
**Directors:** Julian Brave NoiseCat, Emily Kassie
Summer of Soul (...Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised) (2021)
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Sly Stone in 'Summer of Soul (...Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised)'. Sundance Institute
Just try not to dance while watching Questlove’s infectious, rousing chronicle of the 1969 Harlem Cultural Festival, which occurred on the same weekend as Woodstock. Rather than a movie about the festival, this is a deeply moving and visceral immersion into the event. It’s one of the best documentaries of this century, and there’s a version of “Aquarius” that positively brings the house down. *—D.G.*
Where to watch *Summer of Soul (...Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised)*: Disney+
**EW grade:** B+
**Director: **Questlove
West Side Story (2021)
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Ansel Elgort as Tony and Rachel Zegler as Maria in 'West Side Story'. Niko Tavernise/20th Century Studios
Steven Spielberg crafted a second, soaring adaptation of the famed Sondheim/Bernstein musical. This* Romeo and Juliet*-inflected story of star-crossed lovers Tony (Ansel Elgort) and Maria (Rachel Zegler), whose romance intertwines with a bitter feud between rival gangs the Jets and the Sharks, never ceases to provoke an earnest tear. Spielberg breathes new life into the classic with nimbly staged musical numbers and a charged turn from original cast member Rita Moreno. *—D.G.*
Where to watch *West Side Story*: Disney+
**EW grade:** A–
**Director:** Steven Spielberg
**Cast:** Ansel Elgort, Rachel Zegler, Ariana DeBose, Rita Moreno, Josh Andrés Rivera
- Movie Reviews & Recommendations
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Published: May 17, 2026 at 10:38PM on Source: RED MAG
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Satisfy your nostalgia cravings with the films on this list. The 26 best Disney&43; movies for adults Satisfy your nostalgia crav...
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