Best Live-Action Disney Movies of All Time

The title refers to the Glienicke Bridge over the Havel River in Germany. During the Cold War the river formed the border between East and West Germany and the bridge was used multiple times to exchange captured spies. “Bridge of Spies” is a historical drama set in the 1950s and ’60s. Tom Hanks plays lawyer James B. Donovan, who defended Soviet spy Rudolf Abel and is then put in charge of negotiations to swap him with captured American pilot Francis Gary Powers.

“Barfi!” is an Hindi-language comedy released by Disney India and set in India in the 1970s. The film was shot on a low budget but quickly became a success both critically and at the box office. The story follows Murphy “Barfi” Johnson, who is mute and deaf, and his relationships with two women, one of which is autistic. The film was praised for its positive portrayal of people with disabilities.

“Queen of Katwe” depicts the life of Phonia Mutesi, a girl from Kampala, Uganda, who grows up in the slum of Katwe. Her life changes dramatically when she learns to play chess and naturally excels at the game. She quickly becomes a talented player and attempts to use chess to lift her family out of poverty.

Directed by Christopher Nolan and written by Nolan and his brother Jonathan, “The Prestige” is a thrilling mix of stage magic, high stakes competition, and sci-fi. When the film begins, two stage illusionists, played by Christian Bale and Hugh Jackman, work together as apprentices under another magician. However, after an illusion goes wrong they become bitter enemies and embark on a reckless competition to create the greatest illusions the world has ever seen.

Set in Chicago but based on the 1995 London-based British novel of the same name, this comedy-drama tells the story of Rob Gordon (John Cusack) as he deal with his failed relationship and reexamines his life while running a record store and getting more deeply involved with the music industry.