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'Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs' (1937) -

When the evil witch orders the woodsman to kill Snow White, he sets forth to do the deed. In discovering her, she appeals to his good side, and he doesn’t do it, not because he is not capable, but because good wins over evil. In this case, the lesson is that there are always forces of good and evil, yet we have a choice.

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‘The Lion King’ (1994) -

'The Lion King' follows the story of young Simba, who, ridden with guilt from believing that he’s responsible for his father's death, flees Pride Rock to live with Pumbaa and Timon, a warthog and a meerkat, far from home. The life they lead is one of pleasure and is void of prospects. After an encounter with Nala, his oldest friend and future companion, Simba accepts his past and takes responsibility for his future. He has to remember where he came from to become who he is supposed to be.

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‘Beauty and the Beast’ (1991) -

This film teaches us that beauty is only skin deep. When Belle first meets the Beast, she is frightened and disgusted. The plot follows Belle’s discovery of the beautiful and kind person behind the gruff exterior of the Beast.

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'The Land Before Time' (1988) -

Littlefoot’s mother is killed while defending him from Sharptooth. As she passes away, she tells Littlefoot that he doesn’t have to see something to know that there is a beautiful message about death. Littlefoot journeys on without his mother to realize later that she lives on in his mind and heart.

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‘Inside Out’ (2015) -

‘Inside Out’ teaches us that all of the emotions we experience as humans are okay, even the negative ones. Riley’s feelings take the form of characters who are constantly in disagreement, causing problems for Riley in the real world. A revelation comes when these personified feelings realize their need to live in harmony with each other, for Riley’s sake.

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‘Frozen’ (2013) -

A lesson we can take from this 2013 box-office smash is that relationships, family or otherwise, are among the most important facets of life. Elsa ran away after freezing Arrendelle, and her sister, Anna, embarked on a journey to retrieve her. She didn’t stop at any cost until she reached the only family member that she had left, Elsa.

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'Ratatouille' (2007) -

The film follows Remy, a rat who has aspirations, dreams, and a passion for food. After Remy is separated from his family, he finds himself preparing meals at a prestigious restaurant. Remy overcomes discrimination and proves his worth. He also learns that stealing will cause him problems in life.

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‘Ice Age’ (2002) -

Scrat, the prehistoric squirrel, has very little screen time in the film, and when he does, he’s trying to stash an acorn. In the end, it is the actions of this tiny animal that cause a massive glacier collapse, leading to a flood. The lesson here is that sometimes the seemingly most insignificant ones can make an enormous impact. Diego, the saber tooth tiger, also teaches us that it is never too late to do the right thing by helping his friends, who he had previously under-appreciated.

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‘The Jungle Book’ (1967) -

Baloo the bear has a lot to teach about keeping things simple in life. Modern life can be crazy, and though it’s uncommon to live with just the “bare necessities,” it may do us well to remember that we need very little in our lives to be happy.

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‘Finding Nemo’ (2003) -

“Just keep swimming” sums up one of the biggest lessons we can learn from this box-office hit. It was a piece of advice given to Nemo from his friend Dory when things had gone wrong. It’s a valuable message. No matter how bad things are, keep your head up, and keep on moving.

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‘Dumbo’ (1941) -

The other elephants bully Dumbo for having big ears. His ears cause an accident that injures many other elephants, and subsequently he is forced to dress as a clown and perform in a circus. Later in the movie, he discovers that what is different about him, his ears, are the source of his power: he finds out that his ears allow him to fly. The story is one of self-acceptance and faith in the fact that what makes us different is also what makes us special.

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‘The BFG’ (1989) -

The BFG doesn’t like the way that other giants are treating humans. Despite his appearance and stature, he is kind and benevolent. In understanding that two wrongs don’t make a right, he decides not to treat the giants violently in return. Instead, he goes to the queen and they hatch a plan to deal with the problem peacefully.

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‘Bambi’ (1942) -

Bambi’s story is one of a young deer’s journey through the various stages of life, including maturation and becoming an adult. Bambi learns about mortality and the resistance that is required to survive. There is also insight into how animals may experience being hunted.

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‘Fantastic Mr. Fox’ (2009) -

Three spiteful and dim-witted farmers hate Mr. Fox for a good reason: he steals their livestock. After the three farmers force him and his family underground, he forms a plan. There is a strong message against stealing from the offset. It is also communicated that often the best tool one has is their gut instinct.

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‘A Bug’s Life’ (1998) -

Flik is chastised at the beginning of the film by those around him for challenging things in his ant colony. This creative thread in his character saves the day in the movie, teaching us to embrace our differences and not always follow the crowd.

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'Toy Story 3' (2010) -

There are many occasions in the movie of toys committing selfless acts, risking it all to save their friends. It’s all about teamwork. “No toy gets left behind” is Buzz Lightyear’s slogan and it is this ethos that allows their escape from the daycare center. The survival of the individual is dependent on the survival of the team as a whole.

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‘Up’ (2009) -

Carl decides to embark on an incredible adventure that he always promised his wife he would go on, even though he is over 70 years old. The plot signals to the viewer that it is never too late to make a change.

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‘Kung Fu Panda’ (2008) -

Po’s story teaches us that if we can accept ourselves and disregard our dysfunctional beliefs, we can reach a source of infinite potential. Po searches for a source of power externally, just to discover that it was inside him his entire life.

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'Monsters, Inc.' (2002) -

Randall wants to be the best scarer and is even willing to break the rules to make it appear like he is. After cheating the system, Randall finds himself in all kinds of trouble. We learn that being the best is not everything and that happiness is more important than performance.

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‘Mulan’ (1998) -

Mulan has to overcome overwhelming odds to become a warrior in the Chinese military. Living in a patriarchal regime, Mulan hides the fact that she’s a woman and enlists. She succeeds and becomes one of China’s greatest heroines. The story teaches us that we should not give up on our goals, even if the odds are stacked against us and obstacles stand in our way.

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‘Tangled’ (2010) -

'Tangled' is a story that teaches us the value of stepping out of our comfort zone into the dangerous world of the unknown. Princess Rapunzel escapes from the tower she’s trapped in by an old evil woman. She finds the outside world is full of danger, which she overcomes to find love and a better life.

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‘Madagascar’ (2005) -

King Julien (left) is a reputable character on his island, but he doesn’t take himself too seriously. He is kind and welcoming to those who arrive on his island, and he takes time to enjoy the simple things in life, like laughing. This character engulfs several admirable traits that benefit his well-being, happiness, and professional position in the movie.

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'The Incredibles' (2004) - This movie is packed with wonderfully insightful life lessons. Mr. Incredible feels uninspired, unsatisfied, and unmotivated by his office job and his life in general from the beginning of the movie. He eventually heeds the heroes call to go back to being a superhero, and we see his entire being change. We learn that we can’t fool anyone in trying to be someone we’re not, and about the importance of our support network.

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‘Cinderella’ (1950) -

Cinderella is reduced to being a maid by her horrible stepsisters. Despite her treatment, she is kind. When she gets the chance to change her circumstances, she has enough sense of self-worth to take it. She is determined to go to the ball to meet the dashing young man who has, unknown to her, been searching for her too. The lessons we can take from the film are rooted in the value of self-belief, determination, and the importance of taking opportunities when they arise.

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‘Happy Feet’ (2006) - There are several profound lessons to take away from 'Happy Feet.' This film appeals to the irreplaceable value of family and friendship and also how important it is to stand up to a bully. The film also raises awareness of climate change and its effects on ecosystems and the animals that inhabit them.

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‘Wall-E’ (2008) -

Before Wall-E meets Eve, he is unmotivated and lacks fulfillment and joy in his life. The movie shows us that the power of love can be extraordinary in inspiring people to be the best version of themselves.

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‘Moana’ (2016) -

Moana’s journey is one of risk and danger. In her adventure, she sets sail into the ocean to find Te Fiti's heart stolen by Maui. Her goal is to find Maui and get him to restore the heart. If this is not done, her island will continue to be poisoned. Her voyage is full of action, and she has to face monsters and overcome impossible odds. Through her journey, Moana discovers her own identity in fulfilling the ancient quest of her ancestors.

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‘How to Train Your Dragon’ (2010) -

Hiccup is a Norse teenager from the Island of Berk. Dragons regularly attack his village, and so Hiccup is enrolled in a warrior school to learn how to fight them and, in doing so, prove himself as a true Viking to his father and the community. But Hiccup befriends an injured dragon in his time there and hatches a plan to help dragons and humans live in harmony. We learn that understanding and peace are necessary for species to live and thrive together.

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‘The Book of Life’ (2014) -

Manolo spent his youth training to be a bullfighter, but when the moment comes for him to perform in the arena, his conscience won’t let him kill the bull. The story’s message is about the individual's importance in making their own mind up about what's right and wrong.

Source: (IMDb)

See also: The most important life lessons we learn from our pets

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