Disney has FINALLY blessed us with a streaming service that features almost all of its classic films and tv shows. As we all scramble to pump our veins with nostalgia, we have to accept the truth: Not all of the Disney content we remember from our childhood is… well, good. The House of Mouse has definitely had its missteps. Especially when they attempt to recreate the magic of their treasured characters as they embark on new adventures. That’s right. I’m talking about sequels. Now, not all direct-to-vhs (remember those) Disney sequels are bad. But when they are? Wow. Like yikes.

**please note that this list is my opinion of the best of the Disney direct to video sequels, and the worst. I’m just going to ignore the forgettable ones. I’m looking at YOU, “Kronk’s New Groove” **

BEST: An Extremely Goofy Movie

It’s only fair that one of the most underrated Disney animated features deserves the best sequel. You can really tell that Disney just let them have fun when they were making these movies, and it paid off. In the follow up to the cult classic, we follow Max (and Goofy) to college and, once again, we see them through a father-son conflict. Max is ready for his own life, and Goofy isn’t ready to let his son go. “An Extremely Goofy Movie” is special because, like its predecessor, it takes a movie that shouldn’t really be taken seriously and it pulls at your heartstrings. Yes, it’s a cartoon so it’s full of hijinks, but the relationship between Max and Goofy gives the movie its heart. All of us have had misunderstandings with our parents, sometimes the same misunderstanding over and over again, so we sympathize with Max’s situation . And a lot of us can relate with having a parent that we love to pieces, but that drives us crazy. Rewatching it as an adult, you see both of their POVs; Max, a college freshman who has lived his life with an overbearing, albeit loving father is ready for his first taste of freedom and Goofy, a father who has built his entire world around his son and loves him with such devotion, just wants to remain a part of Max’s life. It’s another really touching story built around funny characters, a cute romance for Goofy, and The College X-Games. Plus, The Goofy movies really know how to make a soundtrack. We all remember how great the music in this movie was. Cleopatra’s cover of “Get It Right Back” is enough to confirm this as a Disney classic.

WORST: The Return of Jafar

The Return of Jafar might have been good, were it not for one very, very important detail: no ROBIN WILLIAMS. Well actually, two details: Genie and animation that looks like it’s straight from Toon Disney. How can you have an animated Aladdin movie and have some random person making the voice of Genie? Now, I’m sure the man who voiced Genie in the sequel is a lovely person, but it just didn’t feel right. Like a character from another movie that will show up later in this post, Genie has become synonymous with a specific actor. Not even the Fresh Prince himself could make us forgot the genius that was William’s Genie. It’s actually funny, before rewatching this movie, I didn’t remember much about the plot but I remembered my hatred for it’s miscasting. Disney would remedy this mistake (thank goodness) in Aladdin’s third installment: “Aladdin & The King of Thieves”, and that movie is actually pretty great. But unfortunately, we’re only talking about sequels today.

BEST: The Lion King II: Simba’s Pride

The Lion King is Disney’s best film. It doesn’t have to be your favorite, and being honest, it’s not mine. But it is the best. So Simba’s Pride had some big shoes to fill. And I won’t say that it completely achieved that goal, but it was only about a half a size off. The sequel follows Kiara, Simba and Nala’s cub, who we see at the end of the original Lion King. She is precocious just like her parents but, unlike her father, she isn’t sure if she wants the responsibility of leading the Pride. This doubt grows even stronger when she meets Kovu, a young male lion from the Outlands, a sect of the pride who supported Scar and were banished when he died. They become close and, despite the strong objections of Simba, they fall in love. It’s basically Romeo & Juliet, with a small twist. Ziva, Kovu’s mother, has been training Kovu to seduce Kiara so he can close to and kill Simba, since he was a cub. As Kovu’s feelings for Kiara turn genuine, he begins to see the error of his mother’s ways. I love that we see Simba in a much different light in this movie. No longer a young lion, now the father and King he became after he defeats Scar and takes his rightful place in the Circle of Life. The Lion King II knows it audience and understands that music is hugely important in these movies. Simba’s Pride does not disappoint. The soundtrack is still filled with the African influences that made the original great, but it’s not copy and paste, so it gives the movie a voice of its own. And they brought James Earl Jones back as Mufasa’s cloud ghost. Sure, he only says one thing and it’s at the very end of the movie, but at least they understand the importance of iconic characters!

WORST: The Little Mermaid II: Return to The Sea

This movie is the opposite of Simba’s Pride. It takes Ariel’s story and just flips it. Her daughter loves the sea but, due to the danger of Ursula’s sister, Morgana, Ariel must keep Melody from Atlantica and hide her past as a mermaid. Melody, of course, is drawn to the sea and decides she can no longer resist her love for it. After a heated argument with Ariel, she runs away and is led right to Morgana. I hate this movie. It’s a complete copy and paste of the 1989 original, and not only is that super lazy but, in this case, it makes no sense! Ariel wanted to be human because she knew humans were real. Melody had been told her entire life that mermaids were a myth. Ariel and Triton wanted to shield Melody from the sea, but they allowed Sebastian, a crab, to be her guardian. Why would you think a sea animal is a good choice for a girl who is already predisposed to a love of the sea? If she wanted to fly, would they have told her no and then hired Scuttle as her nanny? One more thing. Wouldn’t Ariel, who went through almost this exact same situation in her teens, know that making something (the sea, in this case) taboo was only going to make Melody more interested in it? Which would lead to a big fight and prompt her daughter to feel isolated, causing her to run away? Every other aspect of this movie aside, the plot has so many holes in it that it’s taking on water and we need to evacuate to the lifeboats.

I’m sorry. I couldn’t help myself.

WORST OF THE WORST: Mulan II

Where do I even begin? This movie is infuriating. “Mulan” is one of my favorite movies of all time. It has everything: beautiful animation, endearing and hilarious characters, female empowerment, and it’s a testament to the devotion we have to the ones we love. I am under the strong belief that great movies don’t need sequels, and there is no better example of that than Mulan II. It starts off with Mushu realizing that Shang and Mulan’s upcoming wedding means he will lose his position with the ancestors. The little red dragon, NOT voiced by Eddie Murphy, decides he must break them up so he can maintain his post. Unlike “An Extremely Goofy Movie”, which was able to create a conflict without completely undermining the growth and understanding that Max and Goofy had come to in the original, Mulan II shows Mushu completely abandoning his growth and his loyalty to Mulan for his own selfish purposes. This complete 360 on Mushu’s part ruins their relationship and leaves a sour taste in your mouth for the entire movie. Because of Mushu’s selfish meddling, Mulan and Shang go through multiple conflicts that threaten to end their relationship. On top of all this, the plot revolves around the couple escorting the emperor’s 3 daughters to a neighboring kingdom so that they can marry that kingdom’s princes and form an alliance. Shang and Mulan decide that there is no one better to accompany them on this trip than Yao, Shin Po, and Ling. Because plot. The princesses end up falling for them, and through more of Mushu’s meddling and Mulan’s enabling, they all end up together. Oh yeah, and Shang almost dies (a moment that gives the movie its only memorable scene) but then he doesn’t. And Mushu gets to keep his position because actions have no consequences. Everything is so phoned in and it lacks the heart of the original. The “Woman Who Saved China” deserved so much better.