#50: Disentangled

i find this image both hilarious and creepy...

Tangled, 2010
watched September 9, 2012

As much as it is tempting to write this as an ode to my current celebrity crush and the voice of this film's hero Flynn Rider, I've decided maybe that's not the best way to use my second to last (I know, right?) review. Plus, I can always do that in another post later this week. hehe. ;)

After several years of wandering, Disney animation has finally arrived back at their sweet spot. Though Princess and the Frog was successful in its own right, it's Rapunzel and her flowing locks of hair that has won our hearts over. Flynn Rider too, of course. And his flowing locks of hair. And his smoulder... And... oh! Ahem. Excuse me.

Moving on.

It's a similar story to the last one, actually: a girl with a dream who meets a guy with a perhaps less admirable dream. They take a journey and in the process not only fall in love but discover that they have a new dream. Been there, done that.

But this film features another element missing from the past several films: a captivating villain. Rapunzel's relationship with Mother Gothel is deliciously complex and fascinating. Never have we seen this kind of villain, undoubtedly evil but with the capacity to feign kindness and care in a disturbingly manipulative manner. Though the audience is aware of her schemes, Rapunzel remains in the dark until the last few scenes. It's heartbreaking to see our heroine repeatedly fall prey to Gothel's deception.

And yet, this relationship strikes a familiar chord. The villain in our Story does not wear black robes and saunter around casting spells in broad daylight. (coughJafarcough!) Instead, like Mother Gothel, he pretends to be our friend, our confidant, the only one who truly knows what's best for us. He makes us value comfort and safety, as if that's how we were meant to live. When things don't go the way we think they will, he drives us back to him, promising he has answers. He hides us from the reality of a world where we bear the image of our Parent, where we are not only loved but given a place of honor. But all along, these are complete lies.

Even when Rapunzel at last sees Mother Gothel for who she is, she cannot break free from her grasp alone. That's where the hero comes in. His sacrifice enables her to finally be released from Gothel's bondage. He destroys the enemy even in his own death.

Like Rapunzel we live entangled in deception, in a tower of falsehood. But we also yearn for truth. Deep inside stirs a longing for more. Just as Rapunzel knew that the light of floating lanterns would somehow show her the truth, we also need to be exposed to the light. When we see that light--in the one who gave his life for us--the villain's power over us is lost. We're finally free.

I guess this still ended up being an ode to the hero. The Hero.

#49: You Must Be Dreaming

Favorite line of the movie: "Just...ONE kiss?" "Unless you beg for more!" Never fails to crack me up.

The Princess & the Frog, 2009
watched September 2, 2012

This film brings us back to familiar territory in the best way possible. We've gone a full 16 weeks since our last princess story, undeniably Disney's most popular genre. The Princess and the Frog also marks a return to traditional hand drawn animation. I can safely say this film redeemed the last one! Thank. The. Lord. Also, we haven't had a full-on musical (where characters actually sing) since Mulan. I am thrilled we're back in a place reminiscent of the Renaissance.

Now that Disney is a decade removed from that wonderful era, have they made any alterations to the formula?

Tiana stands alone amidst the princesses as someone who knows exactly what she wants at the start of the film, pursuing it with complete abandon. Her parents (both of them!) instill in her not only to dream big but to also work hard. Whether or not she actually achieves her dream as she had imagined it, well, that's where the story unfolds.

The story's prince stands out as well. Rich, spoiled Naveen, who spends most of his time in this movie as a frog, appears not to possess a heroic bone, or frog leg, in his body. Additionally, Naveen and Tiana begin their relationship at odds. She's practical, he's a romantic. He loves music and dancing, she'd rather be working. They see each other as obstacles in the way of what they want. Their witty banter and embodiment of "opposites attract" make them refreshing and engaging characters.

One thing Disney hasn't changed, however, is their emphasis on dreaming. "Dreams Come True" is unabashedly thrown all over glittery bedazzled tshirts for girls (and okay, women too. Not that I own one or anything). There's some truth here. Dreamers are compelling because they are driven by something beyond themselves. Their resilience and hope inspire us because we're built to live and hope for something beyond ourselves too.

But while dreams produce passion, if too small, they can also make us single-minded. They can become a reason to act selfishly in disregard of others. What I love about this story is how both Naveen and Tiana learn that their dreams are too narrow. Tiana spends so much time working and saving money to open her restaurant that she doesn't have time to enjoy life. Naveen, conversely, squanders his time and wealth, only to realize it leaves him empty and restless. As the two spend more time together (never mind that it's only two days), they learn the possibility of a bigger view of the world, a bigger dream, leading them to give up their own for something better.

I've had specific moments in my life where I've come to realize that my dream is too small. My idea of what happiness or success is can't be defined by myself. I need others to show me that there's much more than my own view of the world.

There's one Person specifically who can expand our dream. He helps us to stop wandering aimlessly like Naveen and pursue our calling. He helps us to not take life too seriously like Tiana and see beauty and joy in the world. Most of all, as we willingly give up our own dreams, he gives us one that's even better.

Top 10 Reasons Why Mulan Ain't No Princess

Mulan is unquestionably the best Disney heroine of all time. It seems insufficient to place her alongside the demure, sometimes fragile princesses from the classics, and the whiny, sometimes emo 'modern' princesses of the Renaissance. I've mentioned before that I don't count Mulan as a Disney princess. Here's why:

10. She isn't royal and she doesn't marry anyone royal.
Umm...enough said. Aren't those the requirements of being a princess? But I'll go on, because I can.

9. She isn't the daughter of a single parent and isn't raised by someone other than her real parents.  
She also has no evil stepmother. (Why do so many princesses either have no mother or a stepmother who hates them?) Mulan has loving parents, and a hilarious grandmother to boot!

8. She uses her cleverness to do incredible things.
She destroys the entire Hun army with just one canon. Talk about efficient!

7. She never needs to be rescued by the guy.
In fact, she rescues him. Multiple times. One time she uses her shoe!

6. She single-handedly takes down the bad guy.
...using a Chinese paper fan!
Shoes. Fans. Seriously, she's so resourceful!

5. She cuts her own hair.
And she uses a sword. Automatic awesome points.

4. She doesn't look perfect when she's sleeping.
I don't believe for a second that Sleeping Beauty or Snow White's hair could stay in tact in their sleep. Normal girls don't wake up looking flawless.

3. She doesn't fall in love at first sight.
She gets a crush. And he doesn't notice her at all. Finally. A romance I can relate to. (Granted, I'm pretty sure the reason my crushes didn't like me back was NOT because they thought I was a man. At least I really hope not.)

2. But she doesn't wait around. She invites the guy to dinner!
Hmm...maybe I need to take a cue from her.

1. She plain old just kicks ass. Yup, I said it again.

Mulan is the best!!

(thanks to disneyscreencaps.com for all images)

Disney Princess Week

I'm a little disappointed I missed the opportunity to blog during most of Disney Princess Week. But there are still two days left, so I thought I'd share some of the more interesting or funny princess-related things I've found or that I've been sent since this whole Disnerd project began.

Princesses as Sailor Scouts

photo credit: findlaydonnan.wordpress.com

If you aren't familiar with Sailor Moon and pals, then you may not get why this is pretty much the coolest thing ever. Especially because I was a huge Sailor Moon fan in 8th grade, and because my favorite scout, Sailor Mercury, is depicted as Mulan!

"Real" Disney Princesses (& other female characters)

photo credit: jirkavinse.wordpress.com

I find these illustrations very intriguing because they make you realize how caricatured these female characters are. Which, to be fair, makes sense, considering they are drawings. Still though, just because the original characters are drawn doesn't mean they have nothing to say about body image. I find it particularly interesting that the faces which look most different from the cartoon versions are Mulan, the only Asian/Chinese girl, and Tiana, the only Black girl.

Princesses in period garb

photo credit: Claire Hummel at shoomlah.com

Thank you to Veronica for sending me this! These really cool illustrations depicting the princesses in more intricately styled clothing (and more cleavage, in some cases) make me a little jealous. Not because of the cleavage, but because I lack illustration skills!

Princesses as villains

I apologize to whoever created this; I cannot remember where I found it.

This was a great idea. I think Pocahontas as Governor Ratcliffe looks the most ridiculous. And Aurora as Malificent looks rather fabulous, actually. We're just missing Tiana as Dr. Facilier and Rapunzel as Mother Gothel. I'll bet that means this is a few years old.

Hipster princesses

thanks to Liz, Stacey and a few others I can't remember who sent me this. I don't know its origin.

Apparently there's this whole hipster princesses movement that I was unaware of! I guess I could say I was a Disnerd, before it was even a term. So does that make me a Disney hipster?  For more Disney princess hipster memes, check out the original Little Mermaid ones, and another collection of even more.

photo credit: viria13.deviantart.com

Here's one more hipster princess illustration. I'm kind of loving Snow White and Tiana's outfits. Also, did you spot the one non-Disney princess? Thanks to the friends (sorry I can't remember who) who sent me this.

Disney Housewives


Lastly, a Saturday Night Live video sketch. It's hilarious. Enough said. Thanks to Pete for sending it!

#28: The Not So Modern Princess

The Little Mermaid, 1989
watched March 18, 2012

(c) Disney

The Little Mermaid holds importance in the Disney canon for so many reasons that it is difficult to narrow in on just one thing to write about. One notable aspect of this film is that it was Disney’s return to fairy tales. The last fairy tale to be brought to the big screen was Sleeping Beauty in 1959. Although this return was timely and effective, the gap of 30 years brought a lot of interesting changes in the way these tales were interpreted. What I find most intriguing is the shift in the portrayal of young women.

Past female characters were known not only for their propriety but also their relative passivity in regard to their situation. (Two of them sleep during the entire climax!) As culture has changed our ideals of women, this kind of heroine just doesn’t appeal to audiences anymore. Instead,we see the emergence of a ‘liberated’ woman, independent, and unwilling to wait on the sidelines while the boys get all the action, beginning with the fiesty redheaded Ariel. And this is the kind of woman all subsequent Disney films has featured ever since The Little Mermaid.

And I’ll admit--I do relate more closely to Ariel than Sleeping Beauty or Snow White. Yes, she's a trouble maker, but she’s also smart and curious about the world, she has a vivid imagination, and she seeks to live life to the fullest. This seems a great deal more interesting and admirable than the well-behaved, modest princesses of the past, who are so poised and perfect that it's hard to imagine myself in their shoes.

But isn’t it interesting that whether or not a princess is passive or rebellious, that we always end with the same happily ever after? Ariel does little that could be considered selfless or virtuous, and yet she reaps the rewards of all of our previous Disney heroines: the love of a handsome prince.

And so we see the irony in the so-called "modern" Disney princess. No matter what kind of girl you are, according to Disney, the ultimate "fairy tale" reward is still romantic love, marrying the prince, and living happily ever after. Ariel could have channeled her curiosity about the human world to become a merfolk-human relations ambassador, an archaeologist, or maybe an art history teacher. And perhaps with better guidance, she could have been encouraged to pursue these things. But choosing to depict Ariel with such a vibrant, adventurous spirit, only to have her end up as the wife of yet another "prince charming" seems unoriginal and kind of disappointing.

As I reflect on growing up with TLM, I can’t help but wonder how it and other similar stories have shaped my ideals. While these independent, strong female characters give a sense of empowerment, under the surface their fairy tale romances often tempt me to believe that I'm incomplete without a man by my side. It's an age old myth, perpetuated through even these modern Disney films.

Let me clarify one thing: I still love The Little Mermaid. As a movie, it's entertaining, engaging and timeless. Not insignificantly, it began a period of artistically and musically groundbreaking Disney films, with lovable characters and stories with heart. But as I work through this blog project and reflect on the narratives that have shaped my childhood, lots of questions are being raised, and I'm merely exploring possible answers. I'd love to hear your thoughts on the "modern" princesses and how they may have influenced you as children.

12 Days of Disnerd Christmas - 9th Day

8 mice a-mending,

7 dwarfs heigh ho-ing,

 Six Lost Boys playing,
Five fairies' wings...

Four crooning birds,

Three handsome thieves,

Two hunny pots,

and Rafiki in his big tree!

You might be wondering where Mulan is. I actually took her out of this photo. It's not that I don't like her, it's quite the opposite in fact. First of all, the others pictured here were either born royal or became royal after marriage. (I suppose Pocahontas is also questionable, but she was the chief's daughter, I think that counts). Mulan was neither. She was just a common girl who, ahem, saved China. That's pretty sweet. I feel like the term princess doesn't fit her. I'd rather call her a heroine. :)