Disney — a company known for magic, fairy tales and live action remakes of questionable quality. But a few of them are OK — five to be specific. With more live action releases just around the corner,: ‘Lilo and Stitch’ and ‘Moana;’ here are my five favorites so far.

5. “Snow White” (2025)

As much as I disliked some of “Snow White’s” directorial choices — and how some of the promotion went — ultimately, I enjoyed watching it. It was a fun new take on the original story. Though I personally didn’t like the direction they chose, I still respected it. I admit some of the visual elements are downright jarring — the dwarfs, for instance — but it didn’t take away from the movie too much.

4. “Aladdin” (2019)

“Aladdin” is a movie I enjoyed a lot. I really liked the addition of new songs and the stunning visuals. The actors were able to translate the characters from their animated films at an expert level. My one issue with this film was that some of the changes felt forced. It was as if they were trying to shove more meaning into the film in order to justify the live action’s existence. It was a good movie, but lacked some of the charm the animation provided. It was very clearly a remake and likely wouldn’t have been able to stand on its own without the strong foundation the original created.

3. “Beauty and the Beast” (2017)

“Beauty and the Beast” was the first remake I watched, and even if nostalgia blurs my memory, I always enjoy the movie whenever I rewatch it. The movie’s vibe was light and fun, and it leaned into the magic of the original animation. It expanded the movie without changing the story. The music was beautifully done, but I wasn’t as in love with the visual elements in comparison to other live action movies. The story of “Beauty and the Beast” was just more suited to an animated movie than a live action, but I still liked what they were able to do with it.

2. “The Little Mermaid” (2023)

“The Little Mermaid” could have been a stand-alone movie and not just a remake. It managed to maintain the magic of the original while modernizing it. Actor Halle Bailey did a great job of making Ariel her own. Though she didn’t talk throughout the majority of the movie, her expressive acting made up for it. Bailey’s Ariel might even be better than the animated princess. Out of all the remakes, this is one of the few that I would say is on par with the original. “The Little Mermaid” managed to create an original twist on the story without it feeling forced.

1. “Cinderella” (2015)

“Cinderella” did justice to its original story and maintained the magic of the animated version. The actors did an incredible job portraying their characters — while there were different interpretations, they still kept the same essence. Besides the acting, the visual elements were also stunning. The costumes were especially impressive, specifically Cinderella’s iconic blue dress. Overall, it was an incredible remake and it held its own against the original.