Disney+ has been out for a few months now, and while some movies have come and gone, there's still a healthy lineup of content for audiences to check out. A good chunk of it is the standard Disney fare many have grown up with over the years, and then there's the rest. Some of it is serviceable and some of it is bad, but a really sizable chunk of it is just plain weird.
For those interested in the latter, the following is a healthy mix of weird-ass Disney movies that can be watched on a lazy evening chilling at home. There's something for everyone in this list, and maybe a few classics readers had not considered weird until they took the time to think about it just now. Take a look, and throw one of these on the next time the family complains about firing up those beloved Disney classics for the umpteenth time.
The Brave Little Toaster Goes To Mars
Call it a Disney classic if you must, but The Brave Little Toaster is still weird as hell. Pets and toys going after their beloved masters is endearing, but household appliances? For some reason, it's a little weirder to think my vacuum is attached to me than my childhood toy. Still, as weird as it may be, The Brave Little Toaster (which was supposed to be getting a remake at some point) is a great kids film for kids with a strong enough story to keep parents engaged as well. The sequel where they go to Mars may not be quite as well-remembered, but hey, if you're going weird, you might as well go full-tilt!
Gus
A young Yugoslavian man's life is changed forever when his mule is drafted as the field goal kicker for an NFL team. That's more than enough to qualify this live-action Disney movie as weird, but believe it or not, things manage to get weirder. Perhaps the strangest decision of this movie takes place during the Super Bowl scene, where the climax is interrupted by an insanely long chase through a grocery store. This is a good choice for anyone looking for a laugh at a truly bizarre old movie, but not much beyond that.
Pete's Dragon
A young orphan boy named Pete is sold to hillbillies who treat him badly, but it's all good because his invisible dragon Elliott is able to get him out of the jam. There's just too many hijinks that happen from that point on to effectively recap, but despite the weirdness of having an imaginary dragon, this Disney movie has a lot of heart. The same is true of the live-action remake, but one should hit up the animated version for that classic, but still weird mix of hand-drawn animation and live action.
Jungle 2 Jungle
Jungle 2 Jungle is one of those movies that feels like it's made up. A man travels to Venezuela to divorce his first wife, only to learn she had a son shortly after their separation who has been raised within the native Amazon tribe she's living with. The boy is encouraged to go to New York City, retrieve fire from the Statue of Liberty and return home as a tribe leader. Tim Allen's character, who only just met his son, agrees to take him to New York for an adventure that, against all odds, works out for the better. Trying to explain this movie makes it even weirder, though one could watch through without thinking and potentially not be alerted by the weirdness.
Doug's 1st Movie
Doug switched hands from Nickelodeon to Disney midway through its television run, and it all eventually led to Doug's 1st Movie. The movie is the series finale of sorts for the show, which features Doug revealing his feelings for Patti Mayonnaise after saving a lake monster. Yes, Doug waits until its finale movie to jump the shark, and the result is a little weird. What's super weird is that Disney titled this Doug's 1st Movie, while simultaneously making a movie that effectively ended the series.
Meet The Deedles
Before he directed the Disney Channel Original Movie classic Johnny Tsunami, Disney hired long-time stuntman Steve Boyum to direct Meet The Deedles. The film takes two surfer bros and strands them in Yellowstone National Park, where they pose as park rangers in an attempt to earn the favor of their father. It's one of two movies a young Paul Walker would do that year, and suffice it to say that some may remember his role in Pleasantville a bit more than this goofy movie possibly most known for a poster with the main characters' hair transformed into waves.
Rookie Of The Year
Outside of The Mighty Ducks, Rookie Of The Year may be the best movie that represents the odd trend of kid-centric sports films of the '90s. This weird movie has surely inspired many kids over the years that they'll break a bone and bounce back from it with a superhuman ability. In Henry's case, it meant being able to pitch a 100 MPH fastball, which in all honesty is not an incredibly rare feat in Major League Baseball to begin with. Hey, as weird as the premise is, one can't deny the Chicago Cubs may have gotten their World Series win sooner had they found a kid with unusually tight tendons in his arm.
Return To Oz
If ever there was a sequel that shouldn't have been made, it's Return To Oz. The unofficial Disney sequel to the classic The Wizard Of Oz begins with Dorothy being sent off by her aunt for electroshock therapy to cure her "delusions" about Oz, and the story really just takes off from there. Things get weird and really never stop until the credits roll. I guess in hindsight The Wizard Of Oz was a little weird, but given its iconic status, it's easy to overlook, while this entry is not.
The Shaggy D.A.
Unfortunately, Tim Allen's remake of The Shaggy Dog didn't get the sequel treatment like the original Disney movie. The Shaggy D.A. features Wilby Parker running for District Attorney, though his campaign experiences some trouble due to the re-emergence of the Borgia Ring. This is the kind of weird that was normal in the '70s, but has since gotten weirder with the advancement of technology. One scene in particular I'd watch out for is when the dog throws a punch at a criminal, and it's remarkably apparent the stunt was performed by a man in a dog suit.
All of these movies are currently available on Disney+ to binge at one's leisure. Check them out and be sure to stick with CinemaBlend for all the latest and greatest in movie and television news.
