Top 10 Animated Movie Moments That Broke The Internet
#10: Recycled Disney Animation “The Jungle Book” (1967), “Robin Hood” (1973), & Others
Top 10 Recycled Scenes in Animated Disney Movies
During the 60s and 70s, in particular, Disney became increasingly reliant on recycling animation. Perhaps the most infamous example is “The Phony King of England” from “Robin Hood.” In addition to looking like Baloo and sharing actor Phil Harris’ voice, Little John borrows several moves from “The Jungle Book.” The song also draws on the same exact lines as “The Aristocats” and “Snow White.” Animation historians and true Disneyholics picked up on this a long time ago. In the digital age, though, most people finally noticed the similarities. Some may call this “old news,” but side-by-side comparisons continue to make the rounds and blow unsuspecting minds. It’s like learning how a magician pulled off a trick that was kind of obvious in retrospect.
#9: Farewell to Dragons “How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World” (2019)
“How to Train Your Dragon” has become so ingrained in internet culture that the first flight from the original film has become a TikTok sound. Those born during the 21st century’s digital boom matured alongside the warriors of Berk. Hiccup notably sent the internet into a frenzy with his hunky growth spurt in the sequel. By the time “Hidden World” came out, we had spent almost a decade with these characters, which made saying goodbye all the more difficult. Watching Toothless and the other dragons fly off to a new beginning felt like the end of an era. Immediately after the credits rolled, fans took to Twitter, warning others of the inevitable river of sadness bound to flow out of every theater across the land.
#8: Spider-Pig “The Simpsons Movie” (2007)
Top 10 Funniest Spider-Man Movie Moments
“The Simpsons” has launched enough memes to fill Springfield Gorge and the movie is no exception. Before the film even came out, one moment had the internet in awe thanks to the trailer: Spider-Pig. Even after the film hit theaters and proved consistently hilarious, Spider-Pig is what the web kept coming back to. This makes sense, as the film released only two years after YouTube. Like most early YouTube videos, the Spider-Pig song is just the right amount of dumb, silly, and catchy. Being rooted in a nostalgic property, the 1967 “Spider-Man” show, doesn’t hurt. Mike Reiss (reese) claims that he gets “a couple of grand” annually for “Spider-Pig” royalties, being one of its credited writers. Reiss wasn’t even in the room when it was scribed!
#7: Bee-do “Despicable Me 2” (2013)
Top 10 Most Rewatched Animated Movie Moments
If there’s one thing the Minions are good at, it’s breaking things, the internet included. Whether it’s your little cousin’s TikTok account or your step-uncle’s Facebook page, the yellow miscreants have invaded every corner of the internet. Minion fever arguably peaked in 2013 with “Despicable Me 2.” While we could single out any number of Minion moments from that film, this scene still appears on our Twitter feeds regularly. With the fire alarm going off, the Minions bust through only to make matters infinitely worse. Carl repeatedly saying, “Bee-do,” into a megaphone only piles onto Gru’s frustration. Why does the internet gravitate towards this moment? Well, it’s strangely relatable in an era of incompetent authority figures fanning the flames rather than putting out the fires.
#6: Sloths at DMV “Zootopia” (2016)
Sometimes a trailer doesn’t need to reveal too much about the plot. All it needs is to showcase one scene that’s bound to rake in the views on YouTube. Most audiences were sold after watching the second U.S. teaser for “Zootopia,” which shared an extended clip from Judy and Nick’s trip to the DMV. We remember hearing the entire theater crack up at Flash the sloth’s delayed response to Nick’s camel joke, guaranteeing that we’d rewatch the teaser several times online later. Today, the internet still looks to the DMV scene as a point of reference to express a slow workday or a joke that might take a few seconds to get. The scene also tapped into the sloth obsession already captivating the web.
#5: Leap of Faith “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse” (2018)
Every frame from “Into the Spider-Verse” is a feast for the eyes, but Miles Morales’ leap of faith united the internet in a cultural moment. Set to “What’s Up Danger,” Miles comes into his own as Spider-Man, leaping backwards off the side of a building, swinging towards his destiny. As critics praised “Spider-Verse” as a visual marvel, internet users pointed to this scene as the perfect representation. The scene served as a beacon of inspiration during a time of social unrest. It made the underrepresented feel seen, demonstrating how even a Brooklyn teen can be a hero. You just need to take that leap of faith first. Given how many times this moment has been viewed and shared, perhaps more people are taking that leap.
#4: Married Life “Up” (2009)
Reading the reviews for “Up,” a familiar line kept coming up: “the opening is going to make you cry.” Upon release, social media started buzzing about this heartbreaking opening. Those who hadn’t seen the film yet felt more compelled than ever, if only to understand what everybody online was getting choked up over. The film didn’t disappoint with Carl and Ellie’s life together taking audiences on an emotional odyssey set to Michael Giacchino’s Oscar-winning score. Even over a decade later, the internet still points to this opening as a definitive tear-jerker along with the ending of “Toy Story 3.” The scene would also inspire several memes, most notably one claiming that Pixar told a better love story in several minutes than a certain vampire romance.
#3: “Let It Go” “Frozen” (2013)
Top 10 Most Relatable Animated Movie Moments
“Let It Go” was kind of uncharted territory for Disney, at least on a viral level. Disney Animation had produced numerous chart-topping songs before, but most of them predated YouTube and iTunes. Back in the 90s, kids either needed to rewind their favorite songs on VHS or buy one of those Disney Sing-Along Songs tapes. In the age of streaming, though, people could rewatch “Let It Go” on their laptops, tablets, and phones in a snap. And they did… over 2 billion times on YouTube, becoming one of the site’s most-watched videos ever. The storm didn’t stop there, inspiring countless covers, parodies, and fan recreations. “Show Yourself” followed a similar online trajectory, but could anything possibly top the impact of “Let It Go?”
#2: Oh My Disney “Ralph Breaks the Internet” (2018)
Top 10 Disney Princesses' Comfy Outfits in Ralph Breaks the Internet
“Wreck-It Ralph” had the online gaming community hooked with Bowser, Eggman, and other baddies sharing the screen. The sequel lived up to its title with Disney’s biggest Easter egg hunt yet. Word first broke at D23 2017 that “Ralph Breaks the Internet” would take us to OhMyDisney.com where Marvel and Star Wars characters reside. Attendees got to see a special clip of Vanellope encountering her fellow Disney princesses. Given the D23 reception, it’s not surprising that the princesses became a focal marketing point. The princesses wearing their casual clothing was perhaps the most talked-about image leading up to its release. Then once the film came out, the Oh My Disney sequence became the subject of various “Things You Missed” videos… even a MsMojo one. Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions. Body Language, “The Little Mermaid” (1989) So Many Gifs Would Be Lost Without Ursula’s Seductive Bod “Hellfire,” “The Hunchback of Notre Dame” (1996) Frollo, An Unlikely Viral Star “Everything Is Awesome,” “The Lego Movie” (2014) The Internet Is Divided On Most Things, But Everyone Agrees This Song Is Awesome Giant Furby, “The Mitchells vs. the Machines” (2021) A Reminder That This “Must-Have” Toy Was Kind of Creepy Lucky God, “The Road to El Dorado” (2000) Remember This DreamWorks Movie? It’s Back, In Meme Form!
#1: “We Don’t Talk About Bruno” “Encanto” (2021)
Top 10 Funniest Encanto Moments
Sumer 2021 was all about #SilenzioBruno, but another Bruno would soon steal Luca’s thunder. Nobody - not even the filmmakers - could’ve predicted just how big “We Don’t Talk About Bruno” would become. Not only did it exceed “Let It Go” on the Billboard charts, but it also topped “Whole New World” and “Can You Feel the Love Tonight” to set a new record. By that point, the song had already become one of the trendiest songs on YouTube and a TikiTok sound. We haven’t seen the internet talk about not talking about something this much since “Fight Club.” In addition to Lin-Manuel Miranda’s music, the choreography made the song a favorite for fan recreations. Wherever we go online, we can always hear Bruno muttering and mumbling.
