Fellow Disney lovers, join me in the Disney in order challenge! I will be watching all of the Disney animated feature films in chronological order. I’m skipping most of the sequels but I did include The Rescuers Down Under, just because I really like that movie and think it’s a pretty great sequel. It’s not exactly a hot take to post about how Disney movies are really good, so instead I’m going to be focusing on the trends and evolution that I see as I progress through the films. So, welcome to #DisneyinOrder, and enjoy the ride!

1. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs- 1937

Rating: 🔥 that’s hot

Welcome to Day 1 of the #disneyinorder challenge! Today I watched Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, the original Disney animated feature film which was released in 1937. Snow White immediately established Disney as a force to be reckoned with as a filmmaker. They went the extra mile in every possible way. The animation is incredibly detailed for the times. One scene that really surprised me was when Snow White is singing into the wishing well. It’s shot from the perspective of the well, looking up through the water at the OG Disney Princess. The animators captured the movement of the water as it was hit by the sound of her singing and the scene is really beautiful. Not only is the animation stunning and storybook-like, but the sound is what truly captured my attention.

Disney is synonymous with music for a reason and Snow White is filled with catchy original songs and a melodic score. The sound is used to emphasize the physical comedy that is an integral part of the movie, and it gives the film a very unique style. This definitely isn’t my favorite Disney movie, but it was fun to watch and see how far the studio has come! What do you think of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs? Follow along with the #disneyinorder challenge! Tomorrow we’ll be watching 1940’s Pinocchio.

2. Pinocchio- 1940

Rating: 🙅🏼‍♀️ thank you, next

A lonely toymaker Geppetto wishes upon a wishing star that his beloved puppet Pinocchio would become a real boy. The wishing star grants his wish and Pinocchio is brought to life. However, he is still made of wood. In order to complete his transformation as a real boy he must learn the difference between right and wrong. With the help of his “conscience” Jiminy Cricket, Pinocchio must learn to navigate the perils of morality on his own. 

Okay, let me just preface this review by saying that I HAVE A LOT TO SAY ABOUT THIS MOVIE, and it is not positive. So, if this is a movie that you love then I wouldn’t recommend reading this review because I might just destroy your childhood. Or, if abuse and trauma are triggering for you, I would also recommend skipping this review. With that being said, let’s get into it…

Geppetto is a lonely old man, obsessed with making toys. (So far, so good). He sees a wishing star and only gets one wish and the only wish in his heart is for a little boy. Parenthood seems like an odd choice for an elderly man, but I can still hang with the plot thus far. When Pinocchio comes to life, they have a grand old-time dancing around the house and when it comes time to go to sleep, they cuddle up in the same bed. A little weird for an older man and a young boy who just met IRL for the first time. But you could argue that parents sleep in the same bed as their small children all the time and it’s not weird, so I’ll give this a pass too.

In the morning Geppetto informs Pinocchio that in order to be a good boy he must go to school. So, he sends him out ALONE with nothing but an insect to guide and protect him. Pinocchio doesn’t make it far before he is literally kidnapped and sold into slavery for the first time. That’s right. He’s sold into slavery MORE THAN ONCE in this wacko “kids” movie. He’s sold to Stromboli, a gypsy who runs a traveling show, and he is forced to perform as an actor. He is tricked into thinking that this decision was his idea because, after all, who doesn’t want to be an actor? When Pinocchio attempts to go home Stromboli locks him in a cage and leaves town. At this point the worthless Jiminy Cricket attempts to break Pinocchio out but he is unsuccessful. The wishing star comes back and lets Pinocchio know that she’s disappointed in him for not going to school like he was supposed to. She helps him escape but lets him know that this will be the last time that she will be helping him. This seems pretty harsh since she literally hasn’t even given him a functional human brain yet, or the body of someone who is old enough to protect themselves, and she is mad at HIM that he got kidnapped? A nice bit of victim blaming from the character that is supposed to represent goodness and kindness.

Pinocchio escapes but again is captured because he’s a little boy out alone on the streets of a strange town. This time he is taken by The Coachman who promises Pinocchio a life of fun at Pleasure Island. Pleasure Island is a place where little boys can drink and smoke and never have to go to school. When they are lured to Pleasure Island, unbeknownst to them, the gates are locked behind them. The beer is drugged so when the boys drink it, they begin transforming into donkeys. The film literally refers to them as “jackasses”. The explicit meaning refers to the stupidity of the boys. But the implicit meaning is only thinly veiled and it’s pretty terrifying. Drugged alcohol that turns little boys into “ass” who are then held in captivity and never able to return home? WHAT THE HELL DISNEY??!! When asked if The Coachman is afraid of getting caught for trafficking these boys, he salaciously informs the audience that he’s not afraid because they never return home “as boys”. Does this mean that they are killed? Or that once they turn into ass they are so morally and physically damaged that they no longer retain their childhood innocence? I’m not quite sure which is a more terrifying outcome. When The Coachman rounds up the donkeys he begins sorting them into different cages labeled “Circus” and “Salt Mines” and gets ready to ship them into slavery. When one little boy, Alexander, is still able to speak he is separated from the group and placed with the other boys who can still speak. What happens to those boys?? We’ll never know, but the thought gives me chills.

Pinocchio is the “lucky” one and he is able to escape with only donkey ears and a donkey tail. He longs to find Geppetto, but Pinocchio is informed by the wishing star that Geppetto went out looking for Pinocchio and became trapped in the belly of a whale. To reunite with his father Pinocchio’s only option is to tie a heavy rock to his tail and jump into the sea and hope to find his father. At this point in the movie I began to feel physically ill. The only option to reunite with your family and be safe after escaping the disgustingly named Pleasure Island is to kill yourself?? When Pinocchio reaches the bottom of the sea, he sees a school of seahorses who all have DONKEY EARS. Are we supposed to believe that he’s not the only boy who tied a rock to their feet and threw themselves into the ocean?? Pinocchio ultimately does die while rescuing Geppetto. But the utterly infuriating wishing star comes back one last time to be a pal and bring Pinocchio back to life. He finally learned right from wrong and now he gets to be a real boy. This moral might just be the most baffling part of this pedophilic sh*t show. When he escapes pleasure island, the right thing to do was to go on a suicide mission and succeed in killing himself? I can’t even. All I can say is that in light of what we know about the longstanding history of child abuse in the film industry this movie gives me full body chills. They gave themselves a happy ending because Pinocchio is the only little boy to escape, and none of the villains receive any type of retribution for their actions. Can we please just cancel Pinocchio? It’s not a kid’s movie, and it was disturbing to watch as an adult. The icing on the cake? It’s got 100% on Rotten Tomatoes and is widely considered to be Disney’s finest work. To that I say THANK U, NEXT.

3. Dumbo- 1941

Rating: 👌🏼 ok

Mrs. Jumbo, a circus elephant, is delighted when the stork drops her off a new baby elephant. But her son Dumbo isn’t quite like the rest of the elephants. He has giant ears that get in the way and sometimes trip him up. Mrs. Jumbo couldn’t care less that her son isn’t like everyone else, but other animals and patrons of the circus begin teasing Dumbo. Mrs. Jumbo and Dumbo are separated when Mrs. Jumbo is deemed too protective, and Dumbo must learn to navigate circus life on his own.

Dumbo has never been my favorite Disney movie. It belongs to that elite group of Disney movies that are sad and heartbreaking every time I watch them (think Bambi, Dumbo, Fox and the Hound, etc.). I suppose that’s a mark of good filmmaking. The fact that a mute elephant can evoke so much emotion from the audience in an hour and four minutes is a true testament to the team that made this film. However, to a much lesser extent, like Pinocchio I was surprised by the adult themes that appeared in this movie. At one point Dumbo and his sidekick Timothy Q. Mouse accidentally drink alcohol and get so drunk that they hallucinate a bunch of technicolor elephants, and then they black out and end up in a tree. When they wake up there in the morning, they have no recollection of how they got up there, and this is the pivotal seen where they discover that Dumbo can fly. It’s interesting to see how much the times have changed since 1941 that drunken child animals were allowed in a children’s movie. But I suppose that the audience in 1941 was a much different demographic than today’s generation. This was a generation of children who experienced the end of the great depression, the end of prohibition, and World War II. I suppose that it only makes sense that this generation would need a drastically different style of story than today’s kids. Overall, I could never watch Dumbo multiple times because I find myself uncomfortably sad. I just want to make everyone be nice to Dumbo!! But I do think that there is merit to the story, and I support the theme that what makes you different is what makes you wonderful.

4. Bambi- 1942

Rating: 👌🏼 ok

The prince of the forest, sweet Bambi, is born in the forest and must learn the ways of the world and how to survive from his mother. We follow Bambi’s life through the seasons and watch him grow up as he learns the challenges that come from each season of life.

First of all, the animation in Bambi is breathtaking. It almost looks like each frame is a hand painted, museum worthy, piece of art that belongs on the wall of a gallery. But this is where my praise for Bambi ends. The movie is essentially an hour and ten minutes of animated b-roll, accentuated by a few punches to the gut from some truly tragic events. I had never seen Bambi before, but I have enough friends who’ve been traumatized by the tragedy in Bambi that I was not looking forward to watching it. I didn’t want to feel too sad! But whereas Dumbo made me feel physically ill from my desire to intervene on Dumbo’s behalf, Bambi didn’t make me feel much of anything. For sure it was sad, but it was sad in the way that I sat on my couch and said “hmm, that’s sad. When is this movie going to be over?”. I didn’t burst into tears like I was expecting to. The moment that garnered my biggest reaction was when spring season begins, and all the adolescent animals receive the sex talk from the owl who describes sexual attraction as “twitterpation”. It’s a weird scene from start to finish as it begins by owl (who is clearly supposed to be an old man) commenting on Bambi’s changing body. This is always a weird thing to do, and I’m not sure why that was necessary in a kid’s movie. Overall, I thought Bambi was ok and if you want to put something on in the background while you scroll Instagram I would recommend streaming Bambi now on Disney+

5. Cinderella- 1950

Rating: 🏆 most excellent

Cinderella is a beautiful young girl with a loving father. Her father wants nothing more than to give her a mother, but shortly after he remarried, he passed away, leaving her with an evil stepmother and two bratty stepsisters.

Okay, Disney loves its slavery stories. Instead of being sold into slavery live Pinocchio, Cinderella is instead enslaved by her stepmother. Forced to labor for free with none of the comforts her father’s wealth afforded, this is a strange plot for a children’s story. A central theme that I take a serious issue with in this movie is Cinderella’s kindness. Rather than standing up for herself, she instead faithfully serves her family until she is eventually rescued by her prince charming. I think this is a horrendous message to teach young girls. We should be empowering them to take control of their own futures and not to rely on a savior that may never come.

That being said, I absolutely love this movie. The soundtrack is FIRE. Of the first five Disney movies, Cinderella by far has the best original music with such bangers as “A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes” and “Bibbidi-bobbidi-boo”, I see why I watched this movie so many times as a kid. Also, fashion. The dress Cinderella’s fairy godmother makes for her to wear to the ball is gorgeous! It sparkles like a diamond and I’m sure more than one bride has walked into Kleinfeld searching for this look. And although Cinderella does not always take her fate into her own hands, she does defy her stepmother in the end and I LOVE a good heroine standing up to the antagonist moment. Overall, Cinderella has rightfully earned a place as one of the best of the Disney classics.

6. Alice in Wonderland- 1951

Rating: 🔥 that’s hot

A girl named Alice would rather daydream and play than focus on her school lessons. But when she follows her imagination down the rabbit hole she finds herself on a peculiar journey that she fears she may never be able to leave.

I love Alice in Wonderland. It has so many iconic quotes and characters that speak to my non traditional dreamer soul. Alice teaches us that there are no limits for the “curiouser and curiouser”. That being said, the plot is a bit of a struggle. Rather than seeing a strong protagonist on the hero’s journey, we’re presented with disjointed scenes of odd characters who are never really connected until the end when they’re all thrown together. Alice in Wonderland also pulls the overused “how the hell do we pull this all together? I guess we’ll just say it was all a dream” card. It’s one of the rare movies that I would say can pull this off, but it more-so works because the whole movie feels like someone’s psychedelic trip, and not necessarily because it was a genius way to end the plot. Overall, Alice in Wonderland is one of my favorite classic Disney movies, but it’s just so freaking weird. 

7. Peter Pan- 1953

Rating: 🏆 most excellent

Wendy Darling is a wonderfully imaginative older sister who loves telling her younger brothers John and Michael stories about Peter Pan and his magical life in Neverland. When the Darling’s father decides that it’s time for Wendy to grow, Peter Pan serendipitously returns to the nursery to retrieve his shadow, and he and the Darling children embark upon the journey of the lifetime.

This was my all-time favorite Disney movie for years, and may end up coming out on top after I rewatch all of the Disney movies in order. That being said, there are definitely aspects of Peter Pan that have not aged well. The treatment of the Native American characters is problematic at best. It’s hard to listen to songs that have lines like “But the Injun, he sure learn a lot”. This movie is also dripping in misogyny and stereotypes about the responsibility of mothers that are placed on Wendy darling. But aside from some racism and sexism, the story of Peter Pan is fun. I think the negative aspects of this movie don’t bother me as much as some other Disney films like Pinocchio because Peter Pan is never presented as a good person. He is a spoiled child who has never been taught morals, nor held accountable for his actions. Because of this you can laugh alongside Peter, but the audience is encouraged to root for Wendy and the Darling children. The iconic music, lovable characters, and playful story make Peter Pan a must watch.

8. Lady and the Tramp- 1955

Rating: 🔥 that’s hot

Lady is a beloved dog who finds her position within her family changes when her owners have their first baby. She meets the Tramp and discovers that life for a street dog is much different than the life of luxury that she has grown accustomed to. Lady must weather this new transition and find a way to fit in with her new family dynamics.

I had never seen Lady and the Tramp before and I can only imagine how much I would have loved these adorable dogs as a kid! What stood out the most to me about this movie was the animation. There are so many shots of streets and buildings that are legitimately stunning. The storyline is cute but can’t compete with the powerhouses like Cinderella. The music is the reason why I can’t give Lady and the Tramp a ⭐️. The song with the Siamese cats legitimately freaked me out, and as I write this I can’t remember any of the other songs. Disney is known for their incredible, catchy songs and the fact that the Lady and the Tramp soundtrack is so forgettable perfectly surmises why this movie is good but not great.

9. Sleeping Beauty- 1959

Rating: 🏆 most excellent

All is well in the kingdom when the king and queen welcome their beautiful daughter Aurora to the world. She is presented before the royal court so that her fairy godmothers Flora, Fauna, and Merryweather can present her with a gift. Flora gives her beauty, Fauna gives her song, but before Merryweather is able to impart her gift, the evil Maleficent appears and places a curse upon the princess. To avoid the curse, the fairy godmothers take the princess away from the castle to raise her and keep her safe until her sixteenth birthday.

This is a most excellent Disney movie, and let me tell you why. The animation is stunning. From the beautiful forest backgrounds, to the brooding displays of the evil Maleficent, each frame of Sleeping Beauty is captivating. The music is fire. The most notable song is Once Upon a Dream, arguably one of Disney’s most memorable songs. But most importantly Sleeping Beauty gives us a formidable villain. Maleficent is scary, exciting, and a worthy adversary for the lovable fairy godmothers and beautiful princess. Maleficent is powerful, and she has the ability to turn into a dragon. Seriously, what more could you want from an evil fairy villain with fierce horns and the ability to teleport? I love Sleeping Beauty and I strongly recommend watching this classic, now streaming on Disney+.

10. 101 Dalmatians- 1961

Rating: 🏆 most excellent

Pongo is Roger’s four-legged best friend who is tired of the bachelor life and is ready to settle down with a nice lady. But in order to do so he has to find a suitable partner for Roger. When Pongo spots Anita and her dalmatian Perdita on their evening walk, he knows they’re the ones and he facilitates a meet cute for Roger and Anita and the rest is history. But when Anita’s evil friend Cruella De Vil kidnaps Perdita and Pongo’s puppies, they embark on the adventure of a lifetime to get their puppies back.

I knew immediately that this film was different from the rest of the Disney cannon thus far. The animation style was wildly different. Whereas Sleeping Beauty had a highly detailed, almost romantic animation style, 101 Dalmatians was more raw and edgy. There was no attempt at realism and it felt like watching a picture book that had come to life. In my research to discover why the film looked so different I discovered some very interesting things about 101 Dalmatians. Firstly, the animation looked so unique because it utilized new technology, xerox. Earlier projects, like Sleeping Beauty that almost bankrupt Disney Studios, had to be painstakingly drawn by hand, frame by frame. With the utilization of Xerox, the background could remain the same and the animators would only have to draw the characters and movement in the frame saving precious time and drastically speeding up the process. 101 Dalmatians was also the first Disney movie to be set in modern times. Rather than opting for an older fairytale, 101 Dalmatians has cars, and televisions, and even catchy jingles that allowed the audience to relate to this movie more than any previous Disney works. This is argued to have contributed greatly to the films success which, when adjusted for inflation, is still the 12th highest grossing film of all time.

I remember always loving 101 Dalmatians as a kid and rewatching it as an adult it was easy to see why. I was still sucked in by the lovable characters, fast paced plot, and one of the most iconic villains of all time. Cruella De Vil is truely terrifying. Who wants a chain smoking, fur wearing, gaunt chainsmoker to hire henchmen and steal their puppies??? What a nightmare! She drives like a bat out of hell, she owns any room that she walks into, and she has a catchy theme song that will be stuck in your head for days after you hear it. 101 Dalmatians does so many things well that it’s easy to understand it’s box office success, and you’ll be hard pressed to go out on Halloween and not find someone dressed up as the notoriously evil and fabulous Cruella De Vil. If you haven’t seen this movie in a while, I can’t recommend rewatching it on Disney+ highly enough.  ♬ The world was such a wholesome place until, Cruella, Cruella De Vil  ♬ 

11. The Sword in the Stone- 1963

Rating: 🙅🏼‍♀️ thank u, next

It’s the Middle Ages and England has found itself without a king. The sword Excalibur was placed in a stone and it was determined that “whoso pulleth out this sword of this stone and anvil, is rightwise King born of all England”. Knights and valiant men came from far and wide to pull the sword from the stone, yet none were successful in their quest. Enter Young Wart, a simple squire who stumbled into Merlin the Wizard’s home one day by accident. Merlin takes an interest in Young Wart and becomes his teacher. Through lessons and magic and serendipity, Young Wart finds himself face to face with Excalibur. Is he the man who is destined to become the King of England?

The Sword in the Stone had a decent enough recipe for success; new animation techniques pioneered during the making of 101 Dalmatians, and a universally beloved classic tale. Yet, this film fell short of the usual Disney magic that I have come to expect. Honestly, about 20 minutes into this movie I paused it because I was already bored and was hoping that I only had a little bit longer left to watch. The main issue that I took with this film was that I didn’t care about the characters. Young Wart is fine I suppose, but other than knowing that he’s training to be a squire I longed to know who he really was. Is he funny? Sweet? Brash? Impulsive? I honestly couldn’t tell you. Merlin was supposed to be the comic relief, but unfortunately I didn’t find him the least bit funny. The physical comedy that usually works so well for Disney fell flat, and I found myself wishing that Merlin would just go away. I didn’t take any moral issues with this movie like I did with Pinocchio, but I was so bored that I hope I never have to watch this movie again.

13. Aristocats- 1970

Rating: 👌🏼 ok

When a wealthy cat owner leaves everything in her will to her cats, her butler decides to get rid of them to ensure that he gets his inheritance. He catnaps the pampered pets and sets them loose in the French countryside. Mama cat Duchess must make allies in the wild and find a way to get her sweet babies home.

We are only 13 movies into this challenge and this is already the THIRD time that the plot goes something like “people have pets, people love pets, pets get taken, pets must find way home”, and if I’m being honest, I’m getting bored of this plot. Aristocats is an undeniably cute movie with lovable characters but if you want to watch a Disney movie about a pet’s quest home, make it 101 Dalmatians and not Aristocats. Aristocats fails to deliver a scary villain in Edgar the butler. He’s a bumbling idiot and it’s mildly entertaining, but compared to Cruella DeVil he just does not deliver the goods. While all of the characters are endearing, they’re not particularly memorable. Overall, Aristocats is a cute movie, but that’s where my praise for this movie begins and ends.

14. Robin Hood- 1973

Rating: 👌🏼 okay

When the evil King John usurps the throne and heavily taxes his subjects Robin Hood makes it his mission to steal from the rich to give to the poor.

I went back and forth with the rating on this one. I do enjoy this classic story and I think that Disney was able to tell it from a fresh perspective and I enjoyed that. The animal characters are cute and as a country music fan I might be biased but I enjoyed the folksy vibe of the film. But ultimately the quality of the animation felt poor in comparison to all the other Disney movies I’ve watched thus far. There were also some bits that felt like odd choices for a children’s movie like multiple scenes involving alcohol, boob jokes, and the climax involves a potential hanging... I know that public hangings were commonplace throughout many eras of history, but they weren’t in 1973, and I think Disney could have provided an appropriate alternative to the gallows for a kids movie. Overall, the movie is cute but it doesn’t hold a candle to the greats.

17. The Black Cauldron- 1985

Rating: 🙅🏻‍♀️ thank u, next

The Horned King has his sights set on the black cauldron in hopes of growing his evil powers, and it is up to a pig keeper, a princess, a bard, and a Gurgi to stop him.

This movie falls under a very distinct category of Disney films that fail to work for me. Movies with no music, medieval storylines, and (mostly) boring male leads. I’m looking at you Sword in the Stone and Robin Hood, although of this trio Robin Hood is by far my favorite. But The Black Cauldron really failed to entertain me. I never really loved our protagonist Taran and didn’t care if he achieved his goal of becoming a warrior because it was clear that he knew nothing of war and had no reason to want to be a warrior other than the fact that he decided that that’s what he wanted to do. Princess Eilonwy was a tragically underdeveloped character. A princess locked away as a prisoner, I did enjoy that she participated in her own liberation but I never found her charming or funny. The best character by far is Gurgi, a cute yet strange creature who is as equally endearing as he is heroic. But as much as I loved him, he couldn’t save me from praying for the snooze fest to be over. Fun fact: At the time it was made, The Black Cauldron was the most expensive animated movie ever made and it only made back about half of that money.

18. The Great Mouse Detective- 1986

Rating: 🔥 that’s hot

Renowned detective Basil of Baker Street is called on to solve the kidnapping of a toy maker. He discovers that his arch-nemesis, Professor Ratigan, is behind the abduction and it is up to Basil to find him and save England from his evil clutches.

I was surprised by this movie. I’d seen it several years ago and didn’t particularly enjoy it but this time around I was delightfully entertained! Basil is a quirky protagonist that’s easy to root for. Sherlock Holmes stories are always a fun mystery and I enjoyed Disney’s twist on an archetypal detective tale. Ratigan is a classic villain that we can usually count on from a Disney flick. He’s evil, visually memorable, and has a clear objective. After watching The Black Cauldron, The Great Mouse Detective feels like a breath of fresh air as it delivers a clear Hero’s Journey and a formidable villain, which the previous movie so clearly failed to do.

19. Oliver & Company- 1988

Rating: 👌🏼 ok

This reimagining of Oliver Twist features Oliver, an orphaned kitty in NYC who joins up with a gang of street animals to learn how to survive in the big Apple.

This movie had a lot going for it that I really loved. To describe this movie in one word I’d say it’s jazzy! Oliver & Company brought a totally new style that was unlike any of the other Disney animated features that preceded it. From the voices of Joey Lawrence and Bette Midler, to music by Billy Joel, Barry Manilow, and Huey Lewis I personally loved the more modern approach that this movie took. But where this movie lost me was the villain. We have Fagin the derelict who originally catnapped Oliver for a ransom, but then turns into an ally after he discovers that he stole Oliver from a little girl. The ultimate villain is Sykes the mob boss. I felt like the villain was underdeveloped and as a result I felt underwhelmed by the scenes he was on screen. I may have been a bit harsher than I wanted to be on this movie with the rating, but I feel like this movie had so much potential to be amazing but it fell a bit short, and that disappointment is impossible for me to ignore. Oliver & Company is definitely still worth watching and I may end up changing my mind about this rating down the road…

20. The Little Mermaid- 1989

Rating: 🏆 most excellent

Princess Ariel doesn’t fit in with the rest of her family. She is obsessed with humans and their random treasures that sink to the ocean floor. When she spots the handsome Prince Eric, she makes a deal with the evil Ursula; Ariel’s voice in an exchange for a human body. In order to get her voice back, she must get Prince Eric to kiss her, otherwise Ursula will keep her voice forever.

I can’t even begin to express how excited I was to FINALLY get to the Disney Renaissance. The Little Mermaid kicks off the style of movie that I think of when I think of Disney. With a catchy soundtrack, it was a delight to get back to the Disney Princess movies. Ariel is an icon for a reason, and it’s so strange to think that her and I are the same age! 2020 has been a heck of a year to have a 30-year-old life crisis. Hopefully Princess Ariel is weathering the storm and isn’t regretting giving up her life under the sea. 

The Little Mermaid is credited as the movie that saved Disney. It came at a time when the studio was failing financially. The Little Mermaid was a smash hit and grossed over $100,000,000 in the US alone. But commercial success was not the only win for The Little Mermaid, it was also critically acclaimed and won two Academy Awards. It’s a progressive movie with many subversive themes, and it revolutionized Disney’s style and structure. Arguably the biggest legacy of The Little Mermaid is Broadway style in which the musical numbers are written into the script to push the plot forward, rather than being a musical interlude like most of the songs from previous Disney movies. This style works well and has been used by Disney ever since.

22. Beauty and the Beast- 1991

Rating: 🏆 most excellent

Belle is a kindhearted bibliophile who garners the attention of the town hunk, Gaston. Gaston is an idiot and a jerk and Belle is NOT INTERESTED. But her love life takes a turn when she sets out to rescue her father who’s been taken captive by a Prince who was turned into a beast by a magic spell. She exchanges her life for her fathers, but as she stays in the castle she begins to discover that there is more to the Beast than meets the eye.

I was a little scared that one of my favorite Disney movies would give me Stockholm Syndrome vibes upon rewatching but I am happy to report that the relationship between Belle and the Beast is healthy AND consensual! They see each other at their best and their worst. They speak their minds. They open up. And *spoiler alert* the spell is broken by a verbal declaration of love and not by a creepy non-consensual kiss (like Snow White and Sleeping Beauty). I am here for Belle and Beast’s love story! Also, thus far in the challenge, no movie can hold a candle to the soundtrack and score. It’s nothing short of genius. The music is the pulse of the movie and without it it would be a drastically different film. You can clearly see how the commercial success of The Little Mermaid influenced the style of subsequent Disney movies and all I can say is THANK GOD it did, because these 90’s movies are so much better than the 70’s and 80’s.

23. Aladdin- 1992

Rating: 🏆 most excellent

A poor street rat and his mischievous monkey are told to fetch a lamp from the cave of wonders and return it to an ominous stranger. But when they discover the lamp contains a genie, their luck turns and Aladdin wishes he was a prince so that he could set out to woo the beautiful Princess Jasmine, and save her from marrying the Sultan’s evil vizier Jafar.

Aladdin might be the best Disney movie ever made. The soundtrack and score are 🔥 and the animation is gorgeous. The plot is fast paced and entertaining, the characters are well developed and the protagonists are as lovable as the antagonists are despised. But what sets Aladdin apart is the comedy. This movie is FUNNY. Robin Williams’ performance as the genie will forever go down as one of the greatest characters of all time. The comedic elements of this movie seamlessly integrate pop culture references from different decades that are funny and don’t pull you out of the story. All in all, this movie is a classic and if you haven’t seen it in a while, do yourself a favor and catch it on Disney+

24. The Lion King- 1994

Rating: 🏆 most excellent

Scar is second born, second in line to the throne, and he’s sick of being second best. In order to usurp the throne Scar kills his brother, king Mufasa, and forces his nephew Simba to flee for his life. But when young Simba grows up and learns of his uncle’s tyrannical rule he is faced with a choice, live in ignorant bliss with his besties, or return and fight for his kingdom.

I think a strong case could be made that The Lion King is a perfect movie. Simba’s hero’s journey is compelling and full of drama. He is born into a beautiful life in a masterfully crafted first act that draws the audience into Simba’s world and creates empathy for the young prince and his larger-than-life father, Mufasa. Scar, the detestable villain, is introduced organically and his presence is just as impactful as the adorable protagonist. There is no doubt that Scar is evil, but he’s not just evil for evil’s sake, his behavior and jealousy is fleshed out and the result is a wonderfully complex antagonist. While we are obviously rooting for Scar’s demise, his jealousy and sentiment of injustice are understandable. Is killing his brother in cold blood and banishing his nephew to a near certain death a little extreme? Yeah. But can you see why he is angry that his dream job is going to be given to a baby over him? Also yes.

The heartbeat of this movie that propels the plot forward is the music. The pairing of the incomparable Hans Zimmer for the score and Sir Elton John and Tim Rice for the soundtrack leaves us with an auditory experience that is literally life changing. Let’s be real, find a millennial that hasn’t at some point in time belted out The Circle of Life at the top of their lungs… I’ll wait… The Lion King is a must-watch (again, and again) and it’s now streaming on Disney+.

25. A Goofy Movie- 1995

Rating: 🔥 that’s hot

Goofy wants to reconnect with his teenage son Max who he feels is growing up and drifting away from him. So, he plans an epic road trip adventure to mirror the same trip that he took as a teen with his dad. But when Max finds himself in a tight spot, Goofy must learn to pivot and really get to know his son.

This movie is everything that’s great about the 90’s. They really went for a modern feel with A Goofy Movie in a way that I haven’t seen up to this point in the #DisneyinOrder challenge. The music and setting are contemporary and tbh this had me feeling nostalgic as hell for my 90’s childhood 😭 The themes explored are universally relatable, as everyone has (or will have to) navigate the awkwardness of growing up. Goofy, although unintentionally embarrassing, is an endearing single father who does everything he can to love and respect his son. Max is a total punk, but as a teen who wasn’t? You feel for his desire to be cool and to impress his crush. While A Goofy Movie is now 26 years old and can’t quite be classified as modern, I think it’s a super fun 1990s throwback that still holds up. A Goofy Movie is an underrated classic and I highly recommend rewatching if it’s been a while since you’ve seen it.

26. Pocahontas- 1995

Rating: 🔥 that’s hot

Since the synopsis of Disney’s Pocahontas erases many problematic and true parts of history, I’m going to skip that and just say what this movie got right, and what it got wrong.

WHAT POCAHONTAS GOT RIGHT:

The music and animation are stunning. This is the most beautiful animation I’ve seen from Disney since 1959’s Sleeping Beauty. The color story and the way that the animators brought nature literally to life is breathtaking and this movie would be wildly different if they’d taken a different stylistic approach. The score and soundtrack by @alanmenken have some of my all-time favorite Disney songs like Just Around the River Bend and Colors of the Wind which won the Academy Award for best original song. Pocahontas also gives us a strong female lead who is following the beat of her own drum while still trying to find her place in her tribe.

WHAT POCAHONTAS GOT WRONG:

While this plot is amazing for a Disney movie, it couldn’t be further from the truth of what happened. To romanticize colonialism and genocide, and to silence the voice of Native Americans and not allow their story (the real story) to be told is simply not okay and I don’t believe you could ever get a movie like this made again today because it’s so damn problematic. As an American with Alaskan Native heritage it breaks my heart that we still have so far to go still to see authentic Native American narratives on screen. As a white child of the 90’s who remembers Pocahontas as one of the first Disney movies I ever saw, I think this magical movie should be praised for what it got right, but never be overlooked for what it got wrong.

27. The Hunchback of Notre Dame- 1996

Rating: 🔥 that’s hot

Quasimodo is a disfigured infant whose gypsy mother dies while trying to protect her baby from the evil Frollo whose life’s desire is to rid Paris of all Gypsy’s. In a cruel twist of fate, Frollo is named Quasimodo’s guardian and Quasimodo is granted sanctuary to live out his days as the bell ringer at the Notre Dame. 

This movie is much more adult than the previous films I’ve watched from Disney, but it works. Quasimodo is an endearing protagonist that is easy to root for. Frollo is a disgusting misogynistic racist so, needless to say he’s quite easy to root against. Esmerelda is a bad*ss b*tch who is rescued as often as she is the rescuer, and I am here for that. The theme of empowering marginalized peoples, no matter how different they are than you, is a theme that desperately needs to be revisited today. The way this movie was animated and edited feels way more like an action blockbuster than a kid’s movie and it helps the star of the show, the formidable Notre Dame, to truly shine.

The original music and score by the legendary Alan Menken are stellar. The songs sound like what you would expect to hear in a gothic cathedral and that made my choir girl heart very happy. It sounded more like an opera than a Disney movie, and it helped set the stage for a timeless story that appeals just as much, if not even more, to adults than it does to Disney’s typical juvenile audience.

If you have been sleeping on this lesser known Disney movie, do yourself a favor and watch it now on @disneyplus 

28. Hercules- 1997

Rating: 🏆 most excellent

Hercules is turned into a mortal and sent to Earth to be killed in order for Hades to carry out his diabolical plan. But will his minions be up to the task, or is Hades forever doomed to be the master of the underworld?

Hercules is an excellent example of good old-fashioned storytelling. The hero’s journey hits all the points it’s supposed to hit, and combined with jazzy gospel music, Hercules is a banger from start to finish. In my opinion Hercules is up there with Disney’s powerhouses like The Lion King and The Little Mermaid and I don’t think it gets the same level of recognition that it deserves. Hercules is a fun, larger-than-life protagonist, that still manages to be an underdog. The love story in Hercules is amazing because Meg is forced to choose between romantic love, and her own freedom. The stakes are high, the drama is juicy, and the muse’s gospel hits will have you singing “Herc was on a roll”. Go the distance and watch Hercules for yourself now on @disneyplus