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Tuesday Top Five: Disneyfied
May. 7th, 2025 08:54 am(Yes, I know that it's actually Wednesday.)
I don’t consider myself a Disney Adult™ (I think that requires a bit more commitment to a lifestyle that simply does not interest me) but I am apparently an adult with some strong feelings about Disney’s animated musicals. When I talk about my five favorites, I am not ignoring arguments about how some of those movies portray the cultures in which they take place, but I don’t think I’m in a position to wade into that discourse.
1. Beauty and the Beast (1991)
I’m not interested in debating whether the central relationship in this movie promotes abuse or Stockholm Syndrome – critics can read it that way if they want to, but it’s far from the only valid interpretation, and emphatically not one with which I agree. For me, the story is about two outcasts finding common ground in an intolerant society (as a tiny bookish weirdo, of course I identified with Belle, though I’d be happy to just be friends with the Beast and hang out in his library). Also, Gaston – the embodiment of toxic masculinity and dangerous charisma – remains incredibly relevant in his villainy.
2. Aladdin (1992)
I saw Aladdin three times in the movie theater and countless times on home video, and none of my present-day criticisms undo my joyful memories of the characters, the songs, and, yes, the mind-controlling villain. (I also remember enjoying the direct-to-video sequels quite a bit, although my primary reaction to The Return of Jafar was “needs more hypnotism.”)
3. Mulan (1998)
I don’t know if it’s my place to discuss, not only the depiction of ancient China, but also the possible trans subtext in this movie, though I remember reading some interesting meta on Ye Olde LiveJournal about how it deals with gender, including the beginnings of romantic tension between Mulan and Shang before he knows her true identity. Since I grew up reading Tamora Pierce’s Song of the Lioness series to pieces, of course I was thrilled by a movie about a young woman who disguises herself as a man in order to fight.
4. Moana (2016)
This is the first of two entries on this list that impressed me as a grown-up viewer. The visuals are gorgeous, the story is very solid, and I will happily listen to some of the songs independently of the movie itself.
5. Encanto (2021)
I looked forward to this movie as soon as I knew the premise, and I was pleasantly surprised when Mirabel didn’t miraculously gain magical powers of her own over the course of the story. She and her family are all sympathetic characters, the tension and love between them are believable, and the soundtrack is another one that I enjoy listening to on its own.
Please feel free to comment with your own Disney Feelings!
I don’t consider myself a Disney Adult™ (I think that requires a bit more commitment to a lifestyle that simply does not interest me) but I am apparently an adult with some strong feelings about Disney’s animated musicals. When I talk about my five favorites, I am not ignoring arguments about how some of those movies portray the cultures in which they take place, but I don’t think I’m in a position to wade into that discourse.
1. Beauty and the Beast (1991)
I’m not interested in debating whether the central relationship in this movie promotes abuse or Stockholm Syndrome – critics can read it that way if they want to, but it’s far from the only valid interpretation, and emphatically not one with which I agree. For me, the story is about two outcasts finding common ground in an intolerant society (as a tiny bookish weirdo, of course I identified with Belle, though I’d be happy to just be friends with the Beast and hang out in his library). Also, Gaston – the embodiment of toxic masculinity and dangerous charisma – remains incredibly relevant in his villainy.
2. Aladdin (1992)
I saw Aladdin three times in the movie theater and countless times on home video, and none of my present-day criticisms undo my joyful memories of the characters, the songs, and, yes, the mind-controlling villain. (I also remember enjoying the direct-to-video sequels quite a bit, although my primary reaction to The Return of Jafar was “needs more hypnotism.”)
3. Mulan (1998)
I don’t know if it’s my place to discuss, not only the depiction of ancient China, but also the possible trans subtext in this movie, though I remember reading some interesting meta on Ye Olde LiveJournal about how it deals with gender, including the beginnings of romantic tension between Mulan and Shang before he knows her true identity. Since I grew up reading Tamora Pierce’s Song of the Lioness series to pieces, of course I was thrilled by a movie about a young woman who disguises herself as a man in order to fight.
4. Moana (2016)
This is the first of two entries on this list that impressed me as a grown-up viewer. The visuals are gorgeous, the story is very solid, and I will happily listen to some of the songs independently of the movie itself.
5. Encanto (2021)
I looked forward to this movie as soon as I knew the premise, and I was pleasantly surprised when Mirabel didn’t miraculously gain magical powers of her own over the course of the story. She and her family are all sympathetic characters, the tension and love between them are believable, and the soundtrack is another one that I enjoy listening to on its own.
Please feel free to comment with your own Disney Feelings!
