DISNEY! *childish giggling fit by someone other than Kymberli*

Rob:

*childish giggling fit*

Kym:

What is it about Disney that brings out the child in us all?  Or the lecherous old man in some cases, at least in regards to the princesses.

Rob:

Uh...I don't know what you're talking about, love...

Kym:

I've seen your Pinterest board, honey.

Exhibit A

Rob:

Crud.  Then it's mostly because of Jasmine.  Sorry.

Kym:

*Sigh* Well let's keep things fun and family friendly, dear, and explore our favorite Disney movies of all time.  We'll also be discussing some of our differences in opinions, and the bizarre 'favorites' and 'dislikes' that internet movie sites like IMDB and Rotten Tomatoes seem to have.  For example, did you know that both those sites rated Robin Hood higher than Cinderella? 

Rob:

That choice simply baffles me, but let's not get ahead of ourselves.  Kym and I each put together a list, from best to worst, of the 52 Disney Animation Studio's animated films, and we averaged them out, giving us a combined favorite list, starting with our #1 pick...

1. THE LITTLE MERMAID

Kym:

There's so much to love about the Little Mermaid, which was of course the beginning of the 90's Disney renaissance!  

Rob: 

Without dipping into the aforementioned 'lechery', I must say that Ariel is probably my favorite princess.  Her personality is so lively, outgoing, and adventurous.  You just want to join up and go on magical adventures.

Kym:

So many of my 'favorites' are in this movie: Ursula's one of my favorite villains (they really NAILED her evil laugh), Sebastian is my favorite Disney sidekick, and thanks to him we also have so many of my favorite songs as well!

Rob: 

Can you believe he was originally supposed to be British?

That expression sums up our reaction to that pretty well.

Kym:

I'm REALLY glad they went with Jamacian actor/singer Samuel E Wright instead.  The movie wouldn't have been the same without him.  I also loved a lot of the humor, including the hilariously vicious 'kitchen' scene.

Rob: 

There's a few plot holes, such as: 'why doesn't Ariel just pick up a pen and write down, draw, or signal everything for Eric?' and 'does Ursula really think Ariel is going to have any trouble getting Eric, or any straight man, to kiss her passionately?", and so forth, but it's still by far our #1 favorite overall.

2. BEAUTY AND THE BEAST

Kym:

A gorgeous movie almost beyond compare.  Disney really used CGI well to make this movie all the more epic and amazing!  I also really love all the characters, which all make the movie come together really well.

Rob:

Gaston is also a first for Disney animated movies.  Up to then evil had always been ugly, scary, and unpopular, but Gaston is not only handsome, but loved by all in the town, making the enemy not just him, but the town's narrow way of thinking as well.  


Kym:

Why not #1 then?  Belle herself doesn't stand out as much as she possibly should, as the story's really about Beast and the inhabitants of the castle, and the plot is a little light in story at times, but overall it's still a marvelous and romantic movie.

3. SLEEPING BEAUTY

4. CINDERELLA

5. ALICE IN WONDERLAND

Kym:

There's an unfortunate trend online, in the public's opinion of the older, classic Disney animated movies, and it can be summed up as: no girls allowed.

Rob:

Yeah, there's definitely a boy's bias online when it comes to the older Disney movies, and I think this has to do with men being more likely to rate movies online.  Setting up lists of 'favorite movies', and giving movies any rating besides 1 or 10 stars, are definitely a sign of being a geek.

Kym:

Do you do any of those things, dear?

Rob:

All the time.

Kym:

What a shocker.  Anyway, it's a shame that the older Disney princess movies don't get as much love as they should.  They aren't getting trashed, of course, and are still considered 'classics', but the above movies were in the upper teens and lower twenties of the 52 movie list, when they all really deserve to be in the top 10.  I mean, is there a more iconic and effective villain than Malificent?

Killing Children and Taking Names

Rob:

This bias doesn't apply to the newer Disney Princesses, who all have childhood nostalgia going for them, at least within the 20-30's crowd.  It's a shame because these are all fantastic movies, and all Disney 'family friendly' updates of dark and violent classic fairytales that weren't quite ready to come to the big screen in their original form.

Kym:

I don't know, I find the idea of birds pecking out the eyes of Cinderella's stepmom and stepsisters to be hilarious!

Hitchcock says hello!  Attack!

6. THE LION KING

Rob:

Lion King is the sort of movie that just makes you go...

Kym:

This is one movie that everyone seems to agree on.  It's the internet's #1 choice, and an all round great movie.  Disney went with a bit more realistic, and darker story, and it really paid off.  It's gorgeous and as Rob showed, also includes one of the best openings to any movie ever.

7. WRECK IT RALPH

Rob:

*Yet another squeal, only more geeky than the first*

Kym:

Disney finally made a movie that pleased literally EVERYONE.  Boys and girls, young video gamers and old, west continents and east (Asia LOVED it), geeks and jocks, we all come together to watch Wreck it Ralph.  Pure fun!

8. PRINCESS AND THE FROG

Kym:

We'll talk about this one below, down by Pocahontas.

9. DUMBO

10. BAMBI

Kym:

More on these two later, along with Fox and the Hound.  Read on.

11. THE MANY ADVENTURES OF WINNIE THE POOH

Rob:

Keep going.

12. ALADDIN

Kym:

And....STOP! 

Rob:

Neat!

Kym:

Yes, neat.  Great in fact.  Long contained, often imitated, and never duplicated, certainly.  Just not one of the very best, and definitely not #3 of all time, which is where the internet puts it. 

Rob:

Yeah, it's more than a bit overrated, in our opinion, by about 10 places on the list.  It does have comedic talent and some amazing songs, but a more accurate title would have been 'Genie: the Movie'.

Kym:

It really is all about Robin William's performance as Genie.  Hell, you can see in poster above he's the largest and highest character in the poster by far!  Without him, it still would've been good, just not nearly as much so.


Rob:

We'd still have Jasmine.  Or at least the men in the audience, would.

And the men at Disney World....

Kym:

*Sigh*

13. TANGLED

Kym:

Very fun!  Although as with the previous entry, it isn't the main character that steals the show, but Flynn Rider, who's a more mature and interesting prince than normal.

Not Genie sized, but at least equal billing.

Rob:

Many geeks complained the Prince/Princess dynamic was a little close to Aladdin/Jasmine, but the story's completely different, Rapunzel is a much more driven and playful character, and Rider has a unique honesty and maturity about him.  Despite being a thief and liar, he's surprisingly honest with Rapunzel, which makes for a more romantic movie, overall.

Kym:

It's CGI is also leaps and bounds ahead of its previous "non-Pixar" CGI movies (Pixar is not included in this list, as it is not a Disney Animation production).  They're really catching up.


Rob:

Especially with the broad strokes, although Pixar still beats them in fine details.  Anyway, Tangled's a fine movie.  Let's move on.

14. SNOW WHITE

Kym

Rob really threw off this movie's average for us.  I personally rate it #8, and the public rates it as #7, but Rob rates it #22!




Rob:


I don't care what everyone says, I don't think it's that great of a movie.  Snow White looks and sounds really creepy and 'off' to me, and has the survival instincts of a Sea Cucumber.  The Prince sings a song, and comes back an hour later to kiss her.  


Kym:

The Dwarves and Evil Queen are both great though, and I think really makes it a wonderful movie!


Rob:

I agree, the Dwarves and the Evil Queen are both really good (or really evil, in the 'bring me her heart in this box' Queen's case), but I don't think they can make up for the lackluster scenes, which are, to summarize, every single scene that doesn't have either of them in it.  Overall, I think it's a 'good' movie, not a great one, and tends to rate highly thanks to the fact it was Disney's first.

15. POCAHONTAS

Rob:

On the other hand, the public is on my side when it comes to Pocahontas, that has both zero appeal for boys, and was over-hyped for a while, giving it a backlash later.  Also, the plot's ridiculous.

Kym:

The movie does have its problems, but I absolutely love Pocahontas herself.  She's one of (if not THE) strongest and bravest princess ever.  I also really love the music, the amazing art, and Mother Willow.  Okay, there is no explanation as to why the Native Americans can all speak English....


Rob:

And a character that's supposed to be 12 years old is built like Jessica Rabbit.

I'd love to go just around her river bend....

Kym:

Okay, they're not going for historical accuracy, but the public rates it AMAZINGLY low, and I don't think it deserves that.

Rob:

I can agree to that.  Again, I think it's the lack of male viewer support, coupled with the fact that younger girls don't remember it, that really drag it down.  Neither of those things, however, can explain why there isn't much love for Princess and the Frog.

Kym:

One of my all time favorites!  And Rob really likes it to, so why does the internet put it all the way down at #29?  The music and characters are a ton of fun!  Tiana's very likable, Prince Navine is a funny 'rico-suave' sort of Prince, and Ray & Louie both add a lot of laughs.


Rob:

Unlike Pocahontas, I have to strongly agree here.  Although it is (like many of the others) a movie without too much for boy viewers, I really would've thought it'd get more appreciation from adults.  The music and art style alone should rate it at least 10 spaces higher!  And that's not even counting the Shadow Man, Dr Facilier, a devilish and theatrical villain with a ton of style (major props to voice actor Keith David).


Kym:

Some people online complain about the story, but I didn't think it was bad, and a lot better than Sword and the Stone and Great Mouse Detective (both rated higher by the internet public).  I can't see what they're thinking.

16. PETER PAN

Kym:

Another really strong fan favorite!  Peter Pan is a great classic, with flights over cities and magical worlds, battles with pirates, and a side kick so popular, she got her own series!

Rob:

I love Tinkerbell.  She's got a vicious/jealous streak that you don't normally see in Disney movies.  She even tries to get Wendy shot out of the sky!

Tinkerbell: Disney's Psycho-Stalker Girlfriend

Kym:

We're pretty much in agreement with the internet on this one.  It's a great classic, with wonderful side characters (Captain Hook is an underrated villain, mostly for his ruthlessness and personal vendetta against Pan), unique heroes, and...well...a scene involving Native Americans that Disney's probably trying to forget.

Rob:

Yeah, that one's a bit much, but I don't think it detracts at all from the film.  The real weakness of the movie that keeps it from being higher, in my opinion, is a lack of good songs.  It's pretty much 'you can fly' and that's it.  Also, the younger boy characters don't do much, it's pretty much Peter Pan-Wendy-Tinkerbell-Captain Hook.  It's still more than enough to keep things going, and Tinkerbell's amazingly cute 'jealous rage' always cracks me up.

Wouldn't want to date her in real life though. That might end badly.

...

17. LADY AND THE TRAMP

Kym:

This was a first for a few reasons.  It was Disney's first pure romance, without focusing on kids or cheap gags, and instead bringing us a wonderful version of the classic 'Rich Woman meets Poor Man' story.  It's also the first time we see talking animal characters completely immersed in the human world, seeing everything from there perspective, which Disney went on to use many more times with a lot of success.

Rob:

Although far from 'epic', not much in the way of villains (cats are in one scene only), and a bit too much time spent on the neighbor dogs, I do love this one for its very complete and engaging story.  It feels more mature and fulfilling than many of their others, mainly because it follows the main two characters so closely, telling their entire story from beginning to end (or at least 'puppies', which is were romance stories like these usually cut to the credits).  

18. FANTASIA

Kym:

I must admit, I'm not as big a fan of this one as the internet public and my husband are.  There's just too many dull/slow scenes.

Rob:

I don't mind at all.  So many of the amazingly unique and gorgeous visuals/musical numbers completely blow me away, and I love the dreamlike narrative, making it more of a free form fantasy than a collection of stories.  

Kym:

It definitely isn't bad, and it includes one of Mickey's greatest cartoon shorts, the Sorcerer's Apprentice, the most memorable and classic scene in the entire movie!  

Rob:

I also liked some of the scarier and more intense scenes, but my absolute favorite is definitely the Greek Mythology scene.  There's really never been anything like it made before, and it's a really fantastic piece.

There is nothing about this sequence which isn't awesome.

...

19. FOX AND THE HOUND

Rob:

Okay things are about to get a little dark, but don't worry, I'll be your stoic guide.

Rob:

*10 minutes of uninterrupted sobbing*

Kym:

I guess I'll take the reigns for a while.  Dumbo, Bambi, and Fox & the Hound are all far darker than your standard Disney movies.  And in Dumbo's case, flat out terrifying...

Okay Kids, let's all sing along: WHAT THE CHRIST?!

Rob:

There's a scene in the mediocre comedy movie '1941' where they make fun of a military general by showing how sad he gets when watching Dumbo's scene with his mother at the prison, and how scared he gets at the Pink Elephants scene, implying that he's childish.  I say it just proves he's in possession of a normal human soul.

Kym:

Dumbo is really good at running you through every emotion imaginable, and manages it in a slim 60 minutes to boot!  Bambi is also good, although has a few slow spots, and gets a little too dark/sad for my taste.

Rob:

I rate it higher, as I appreciate its style and narrative.  If Bambi's a little dark for you, then there's NO WAY you can be prepared for the underrated Fox & the Hound.

Kym:

Despite its upbeat songs and wonderfully cute young characters, this movie gets DARK like no Disney movie has before or since.  Whereas both Dumbo and Bambi try to show darker, more realistic worlds, with real tragedy and consequences, Fox and the Hound exists in a world where two childhood friends must literally battle to the death!

*Upbeat Music* When you're the best of friends...forced to kill EACH OTHER. Violently.....Painfully.....OH THE HUMANITY!

Rob:

No argument that it's incredibly dark, but that's what makes it unique and brilliant, to me.  It's a story that flat out refuses to compromise, instead giving us a harsh dose of reality, where the 'happy ending' is that they don't have to kill each other.  They still have to live apart as mortal enemies, but no death.  So I guess there's....that?


Kym:

It's a bit much for my taste, dear.  Let's end on something lighter.

20. Winnie the Pooh

Kym:

There you go.  Can't get much lighter and upbeat than Winnie the Pooh!  It just makes you feel all warm inside.

Rob:

I don't care who you are, you've gotta love the characters.  They're so classic and timeless, that Winnie the Pooh is the perfect cartoon series for children in any age.  It's a land of innocence and wonder, and both movies bring the world to life so well, it's hard to imagine a different, non-Disney version.

Kym:

The only question it leaves is which is better, the original or the new?  The characters are more or less the same, so it goes down to the fine details.

Rob:

I personally prefer the original.  I find it to be more classic and timeless, with better songs, and seeming less of a traditional kids cartoon, and more like its own unique world.


Kym:

I do really love the Heffalumps and Woozles scene, which is a more family friendly and enjoyable version of Dumbo's Pink Elephants on Parade.

Unlike Pink Elephants on Parade, there's no therapy required afterward.

Kym:

However, I prefer the new version.  It's much better paced (the original's 'lost in the woods' segment could've been cut entirely), and Eeyore gets a LOT more screen time in the new one, and he's one of my all time favorite characters!

Rob:

It really just comes down to preference, as they're both great!  Tune in next time, when we'll go on to the Disney movies which AREN'T so great....