Brought to you by Disney+
Disney+ is finally here!
It seems like we’ve been waiting forever, especially since most of us have been housebound for the best part of the last couple of weeks, but, thankfully, the big day has finally arrived.
From tomorrow (24 March), Irish subscribers to Disney+ now have access to over 500 movies, over 350 series and a slate of 26 exclusive Disney+ originals, a very welcome arrival when there is no shortage of demand for things to watch.
The list in full can be seen right here.
With so much content to choose from, from the likes of Disney, Pixar, National Geographic and more, the first thing to do is to trawl through the exhaustive list and prioritise what titles you’re going to be watching first.
But you don’t need to that, because we’ve done it for you!
Below are 10 titles we recommend getting stuck into before delving back into the significant back catalogue once you’re through; we should warn Darby O’Gill fans that the classic Irish fantasy adventure only very narrowly missed the cut below.
The Mandalorian
Can it live up to the hype? Of all the hundreds of titles coming to Disney+, few have been more anticipated than the first live action series of the Star Wars franchise.
In Jon Favreau (a very familiar face to Marvel movie fans) it’s certainly in good hands and early reviews suggest the force may very well be with it when it’s exposed to a wider global audience.
Plus, there’s the very small (and cute and green) matter of ‘The Child’!
Clip via Star Wars UK
The Simpsons
Yes, it’s an obvious choice, but the fact that every single episode of The Simpsons is available on a streaming platform that can be accessed by Irish viewers for the very first time is kind of a big deal.
The most ardent fans of the show will acknowledge that the quality of fare dipped somewhat once the number of seasons started to enter double figures, but there is still evidence of the old magic right up until the 30th and most recent season.
Even if there wasn’t, viewers shouldn’t underestimate the opportunity to regularly dip in and out of episodes for the first 10 seasons – and seasons 3-9, in particular – when there’s plenty of evidence to support the argument that The Simpsons was and is the greatest TV show ever made.
Avengers Endgame
Years of build-up. An unforgettable cliffhanger. A mission like no other.
Following the devastating events of Infinity War, the remaining Avengers, battle-scarred and almost broken, regroup to take down Thanos once and for all. Time plays its part in more ways than one as Earth’s mightiest heroes are each affected in different, life-changing ways.
And yet, as with any good Marvel adventure, there’s room for plenty of wit and humour. The real draw here, though, is the performances from the likes of Chris Evans, Robert Downey Jr., Mark Ruffalo, Scarlett Johansson, Chris Hemsworth and Jeremy Renner; together since the start of this saga and back to provide a thrilling, sometimes heartbreaking conclusion.
11 years and 21 movies later, Avengers: Endgame sticks the landing and then some.
Clip via Marvel Entertainment
Lady and the Tramp
The highly-anticipated revamp of a much-loved classic, this Disney+ original will be a must-watch for dog and Disney-fans everywhere as Lady and the Tramp get the live-action treatment.
Perfect viewing if you’ve had a bit of a ruff day…
Clip via Disney UK
Free Solo
An Oscar-winning documentary about one man’s unrelenting quest to climb El Capitan, a vertical rock formation in Yosemite National Park, completely unaided.
Utterly compelling from start to finish, such is the level of danger at every turn that you may end up watching a lot of it through your fingers, but you won’t be able to turn your head away.
Clip via National Geographic UK
Remember The Titans
Classic sports movies that drive the nostalgia levels up to 11 are in plentiful supply on Disney+ (see also: Cool Runnings and The Mighty Ducks).
As far as that category is concerned on this occasion, however, we’ve plumped for Remember the Titans, based on the true story of a high school football team originally riven by racism that becomes united under the guidance of Coach Hermon Boone, played by Denzel Washington.
Keep an eye out for multiple cameos from Hollywood A-listers before they became really famous, such as Donald Faison, Hayden Panettiere, Kate Bosworth and Ryan Gosling.
The World According to Jeff Goldblum
You had us at Jeff Goldblum.
But if you needed more convincing, the premise of this National Geographic series is exceedingly simple. Jeff Goldblum picks one topic per episode, on which he has done very little research, and explores it in a way only Jeff Goldblum can. Topics in Season 1 included sneakers, tattoos, gaming and coffee.
And did we mention Jeff Goldblum?
Clip via National Geographic UK
Toy Story 4
The more Toy Story movies there are, the more you worry that the ridiculously high standards set by the original, then the sequel, then the threequel, is going to suffer something of a dip.
We should have learned by now to trust Pixar when it comes to Woody, Buzz and company and true to form, they’ve done another magnificent job with the fourth entry in the series.
The gang have a new owner and embark on yet another roadtrip adventure this time around, with a new character, Forky, played by Keane Reeves, stealing the show.
Clip via Disney Ireland
One Strange Rock
David Attenbrough has demonstrated the insatiable appetite for nature documentaries in recent years, not a surprise given the rise in prominence in the global movement for climate change in light of extreme weather events.
In this National Geographic documentary series, host Will Smith examines how life survives and thrives on Earth from the perspective of eight astronauts, including Chris Hadfield, who spend up to 1,000 days away from their home planet.
Clip via National Geographic
World’s Greatest Dogs
It’s about the World’s. Greatest. Dogs.
Does anything more need to be said?
Disney+ is the hotly anticipated new streaming platform/app, home to endless entertainment and the greatest stories from Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars and Nat Geo, all in one place.
Catch exclusive Originals, never-before-seen films, series, documentaries and more, from the world’s greatest storytellers, only available on Disney+.
Subscription costs €6.99 per month. More details available on disneyplus.ie.
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