This post will contain my thoughts on my seven favorite Disney princess movies, including ‘The Little Mermaid,’ ‘Tangled,’ and ‘Brave.’ Again, like the first part in this series, I’ll be taking into account both the animated and live-action versions of these films as they equally contribute to my overall opinion of an individual princess’s story and character, some more significantly than others.
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Jumping back in with number 7 on my ranking list is the 1998 film ‘Mulan.’ I’ve watched this movie a couple of times, and I love it each time I watch it. Mulan is such a well-written protagonist, and her determined personality and spirit make her easily one of my favorite Disney princesses.
Interestingly, unlike other Disney princesses, Mulan isn’t technically a “princess” and doesn’t become one by marrying into royalty. Cinderella, Tiana, etc. However, she’s considered an official Disney princess because, according to the Walt Disney Company, a princess can be someone who “performs a heroic act.” Of course, this brings into question why characters like Esmeralda from ‘The Hunchback of Notre Dame,’ and Kida from ‘Atlantis: The Lost Empire,’ aren’t considered “official” Disney princesses, but that’s a discussion for another time.
Overall, the animation in this film is beautifully executed and fluid. The noticeable improvement in 2D animation from ‘Pocahontas’ and ‘Aladdin,’ released less than a decade before this film, is impressive, showcasing a wide variety of beautifully animated characters and scenes filled with magic while overflowing with the vibrancy of Chinese culture. This film is, simply put, one of the best 2D animated films Disney has released in the last several decades.
As for the live-action adaptation of ‘Mulan,’ I personally haven’t seen it, and I haven’t exactly heard raving reviews on it either. I don’t currently have any plans to watch it, but I have no doubt I’ll get around to watching it in the future.
Number 6 on my ranking list is Pixar’s first and only Disney princess film (thus far), ‘Brave.’ ‘Brave’ not only has an incredibly special meaning to me, but it was released right around the time I started appreciating the beauty of 3D animation and, coincidentally, going through my “horse-girl phase.”
To me, Merida was the ideal princess, with her Clydesdale horse Angus, her incredible archery skills, and her adventurous and spunky personality. Not to mention, ‘Touch the Sky’ was my favorite song for over a year. Back when I still used an MP3 player, I remember downloading the entire ninety-three-minute film in audio form, dialogue and all, to listen to on long car rides. A couple of weeks ago, I rewatched this film for the first time in nearly a decade and realized that the first thirty minutes of this film are still engrained in my brain.
To me, Merida was the ideal princess, with her Clydesdale horse Angus, her incredible archery skills, and her adventurous and spunky personality. Not to mention, ‘Touch the Sky’ was my favorite song for over a year. Back when I still used an MP3 player, I remember downloading the entire ninety-three-minute film in audio form, dialogue and all, to listen to on long car rides. A couple of weeks ago, I rewatched this film for the first time in nearly a decade and realized that the first thirty minutes of this film are still engrained in my brain.
As for the movie itself, I love the uniqueness of this film. ‘Brave’ was my first exposure to Scottish culture, and I love how it showcases the rich culture of 10th-century Scottish life while also telling the complex tale of a stubborn mother and daughter. The addition of Scottish folklore, like the will-of-the-wisps, is also interesting. I love how this movie used creative storytelling to tell more than one story, and the diverse cast of characters, from Merida’s triplet brothers to the castle’s housemaid Maudie, add a level of comedic relief throughout the film.
There's also something significant to be said for the animation in this film. Not only was this film groundbreaking in its use of innovative technology to animate Merida’s ginger, curly hair, but each character is visibly designed with incredible care and detail.
Overall, I love how Merida’s character develops throughout the film and how her complicated relationship with her mother changes as they both learn to respect and love one another again. The emotional significance of their relationship honestly made me tear up more than once. This movie is not only amusing but includes several meaningful moments that make ‘Brave’ both memorable and endearing to me.
There's also something significant to be said for the animation in this film. Not only was this film groundbreaking in its use of innovative technology to animate Merida’s ginger, curly hair, but each character is visibly designed with incredible care and detail.
Overall, I love how Merida’s character develops throughout the film and how her complicated relationship with her mother changes as they both learn to respect and love one another again. The emotional significance of their relationship honestly made me tear up more than once. This movie is not only amusing but includes several meaningful moments that make ‘Brave’ both memorable and endearing to me.
Despite this movie being so high on my list, I actually hadn’t watched it until a couple of years ago, and honestly, I regret not watching it earlier. This film surprised me with its enchanting storyline and unique cast of main and side characters, including Mama Odie, Louis, Ray, and Tiana’s best friend Charlotte.
Tiana makes it into my top favorites with her hard-working spirit and love for her family, which I can personally relate to. I love how Tiana fought to make her dreams come true while never forgetting what was really important, something her dad instilled in her from a young age. This film does an excellent job emphasizing that while hard work is essential to following your dreams, it’s equally as important to remember to invest in those supporting and loving you along the way (and that it’s okay to wish upon stars). :) Tiana and Naveen’s dynamic is genuinely amusing to watch throughout this film. They both teach other important life lessons (although more so Tiana to Naveen), and their petty arguing makes for a comedic “enemies to lovers” storyline.
Comparable to ‘Mulan,’ the animation and design in this film are beautiful. I love how many different outfits Tiana wears throughout the film, not to mention the stunning Mardi Gras costumes worn by various characters throughout this film. Hands down, my favorite outfit worn by Tiana is her outfit in the glittering, green, and yellow lily-pad-inspired ball gown. Overall, this film is a beautiful culmination of New Orleans culture, music, and fashion seamlessly blended with the magical essence of Disney animation and storytelling.
I watched the original animated version once or twice when I was younger. While I don’t hate it, it’s just simply not my favorite animated film. As a standalone film (discounting its live-action adaptation), this film would probably rank somewhere in the 9-13 range on my ranking list, but that isn’t to say there aren’t aspects of this film I like. I love how Cinderella’s resilient and soft-hearted personality is portrayed in this film, and the animation is beautiful for the time it was released. Artist and designer for this film, Mary Blair, did an excellent job conceptualizing the art and coloring for this film, and her public concept art for ‘Cinderella’ and many other classic Disney animated films is stunning.
As for the live-action adaptation, where do I begin? This film stole my heart from the moment I saw it in theaters back in March 2015. I originally wanted to see this film because of the ‘Frozen Fever’ short that was supposed to be shown before ‘Cinderella.’ But stepping out of the theater after the movie ended, I realized I enjoyed the movie 10x more than the little ten-minute short. This movie is pure magic, and I don’t say that about a lot of Disney films. Everything about this movie, from the INCREDIBLE costuming to the extraordinary set design to the casting, just overflows with true Disney magic. This film set the standard for Disney live-action films, and since this film, I can’t help but feel like all of the other Disney live-actions have fallen short of it’s beauty.
Another thing I really like about this film is its emotionally meaningful message. The phrase “have courage and be kind,” is spoken to young Ella moments before her mother passes, and I love how it gives Ella the strength to endure living with her evil stepmother and stepsisters for so many years and stay optimistic despite her circumstances. This may sound a little cringy, but that phrase helped me get through some tough times when I was younger, and it still holds emotional significance to me even today.
Without a doubt, I honestly believe that this film is one of the very few live-action adaptations that surpassed the charm of its predecessor. But I can respect that both the original and live-action adaptations are beautiful in their own way.
The film that earned its spot as my third-most favorite is ‘The Little Mermaid.’ Similar to ‘Princess and the Frog,’ I actually hadn’t seen this film all the way through until a couple of years ago, which is ironic because Ariel has been my favorite princess for as long as I can remember.
Honestly, I’m not entirely sure when my obsession with Ariel started, but I think it was mostly just because she was a mermaid. As I learned more about her character, I grew to love her kind-hearted and headstrong personality. Her free-spirited nature makes her an incredibly loveable protagonist, and the soundtrack for ‘The Little Mermaid’ quickly became one of my favorites with iconic Disney songs like “Part of Your World” and “Kiss the Girl.”
Honestly, I’m not entirely sure when my obsession with Ariel started, but I think it was mostly just because she was a mermaid. As I learned more about her character, I grew to love her kind-hearted and headstrong personality. Her free-spirited nature makes her an incredibly loveable protagonist, and the soundtrack for ‘The Little Mermaid’ quickly became one of my favorites with iconic Disney songs like “Part of Your World” and “Kiss the Girl.”
When the live-action adaptation of ‘The Little Mermaid’ came out last year, I was honestly so excited to experience my favorite story and characters in a modernized way. Despite this movie's criticism, I fell in love with the characters, soundtrack, and visuals. Halle Bailey was perfect as Ariel, and her incredible singing voice complemented Ariel’s character beautifully. In fact, last year, ‘Part of Your World’ was one of the songs I listened to the most. I was a little disappointed that the live-action Ariel didn’t get as many outfits as the original, but what she did end up wearing made sense in the film’s cultural context and overall looked beautiful.
And don’t get me wrong, I love Prince Eric in the original animated film. His dashing blue eyes and sweet personality make him the perfect love interest for Ariel. But Jonah Hauer-King brings entirely new depth to his character, expanding on his personality and backstory while effortlessly retaining the charm of the original character. I also love how this film gives Prince Eric more genuine interactions between him and Ariel, connecting them through their shared sense of adventure and longing to bridge the gap between the land and sea. His gentle and caring personality shines through in this movie, and I couldn’t help falling in love with his ruggedly handsome appearance. From that one scene where Eric runs back into the flames of the burning ship to save Max, I knew he would be one of my new favorite Disney love interests.
Overall, despite the controversy, ‘The Little Mermaid,’ both the live-action and the animated versions, remain one of my favorite Disney fairytales. Ariel’s character truly means so much to me as a lifelong Disney fan, and getting to meet her in person at Walt Disney World earlier this year was an incredibly special moment. The interpretation of her character has definitely changed over the years, but my love for her kind-hearted personality and adventurous spirit will never fade.
Overall, despite the controversy, ‘The Little Mermaid,’ both the live-action and the animated versions, remain one of my favorite Disney fairytales. Ariel’s character truly means so much to me as a lifelong Disney fan, and getting to meet her in person at Walt Disney World earlier this year was an incredibly special moment. The interpretation of her character has definitely changed over the years, but my love for her kind-hearted personality and adventurous spirit will never fade.
This film was one of the first 3D animated films I remember watching, and interestingly enough, ‘Tangled’ was Disney’s first 3D animated Disney princess film. This movie not only pushed the boundaries of digital animation and storytelling but raised the bar for future Walt Disney animated films with its incredible soundtrack, characters, and visuals.
Rapunzel is a beautifully written protagonist. She embodies courage and curiosity, maintaining an optimistic and kind-hearted personality despite being sheltered and lied to her entire life. Her radiant personality, warmth, and ability to bring light and healing to those around her throughout this film further reinforce her symbolic representation of the sun and make her one of my favorite Disney princesses. Her pet chameleon Pascal complements her character perfectly, emphasizing the recurring themes of adaptability and transformation that Rapunzel experiences throughout ‘Tangled’ and providing quite a bit of comedic relief, especially with his interactions with Flynn Rider/Eugene Fiztherbert.
Speaking of Flynn, I think his character complements Rapunzel’s exceptionally well. Her innocence and boundless curiosity, combined with his cynical and roguish personality, make them an iconic pair. Not only is Flynn an incredibly comedic character, but his emotional growth throughout this film is particularly well-written. He goes from a self-centered con artist to an emotionally supportive and protective companion for Rapunzel as both he and Rapunzel confront their past and learn to understand one another flaws. Their relationship is one of mutual transformation, and now that I’ve grown up, I can’t help but admire how meaningful and impactful their partnership is, even if it is fictional.
Without a doubt, the visuals in this film are incredible. While I don’t think this film’s animation is Disney’s best 3D animation, it tells a beautiful story. Of course, I can’t talk about the visuals in this film without talking about the iconic floating lantern scene. Paired with the masterpiece that is ‘I See the Light,’ this is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful animated scenes ever created. I can’t help but tear up while watching this part in the movie as it’s not only an incredibly pivotal moment in the movie’s story, but it highlights Rapunzel and Flynn’s emotionally significant character growth in that they’ve finally learned to trust one another.
Without a doubt, the visuals in this film are incredible. While I don’t think this film’s animation is Disney’s best 3D animation, it tells a beautiful story. Of course, I can’t talk about the visuals in this film without talking about the iconic floating lantern scene. Paired with the masterpiece that is ‘I See the Light,’ this is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful animated scenes ever created. I can’t help but tear up while watching this part in the movie as it’s not only an incredibly pivotal moment in the movie’s story, but it highlights Rapunzel and Flynn’s emotionally significant character growth in that they’ve finally learned to trust one another.
Truthfully, I love this film with all of my heart. This film was one of the first movies I watched before ‘Frozen’ that really made me fall in love with Disney storytelling and animation. My older sister was obsessed with everything about this movie when it came out, and I have lots of good memories of us watching this film together. I’d absolutely love to see Disney make a ‘Tangled 2’ someday in the future.
Now for my favorite Disney princess film and one of my all-time favorite Disney movies, the 2016 beautifully animated film ‘Moana.’
Moana is hands down one of my favorite Disney characters. I love her kind-hearted personality, free-spirited sense of adventure, and ability to lead with courage and determination. One of my favorite things about this movie is how Moana’s character grows emotionally throughout the film, demonstrating that with change comes newfound strength and self-discovery. Now that I’ve grown up since the first film, I’ve found myself relating to her character in a lot of ways. Despite being a fictional character, Moana’s longing for adventure, love for her family and community, and determination to do the right thing while staying true to herself are inspiring.
Moana is hands down one of my favorite Disney characters. I love her kind-hearted personality, free-spirited sense of adventure, and ability to lead with courage and determination. One of my favorite things about this movie is how Moana’s character grows emotionally throughout the film, demonstrating that with change comes newfound strength and self-discovery. Now that I’ve grown up since the first film, I’ve found myself relating to her character in a lot of ways. Despite being a fictional character, Moana’s longing for adventure, love for her family and community, and determination to do the right thing while staying true to herself are inspiring.
I still remember the day I saw this movie in theaters with my family. I was 11 years old and remember being absolutely blown away by this film’s incredible animation and storytelling. Each scene was so uniquely beautiful and magical, and I couldn’t help but fall in love with its compelling characters and soundtrack. After watching this film, I remember begging my dad to buy me the Moana soundtrack on Apple Music and then listening to it over and over again once he finally gave in. Songs like ‘How Far I’ll Go,’ ‘Where You Are,’ and ‘Know Who You Are’ are still some of my favorites. It’s probably my most listened-to Disney soundtrack ever.
The supporting characters in this film also add a lot of unexpected depth to the overall storyline. I’m not the biggest fan of Dwayne Johnson as an actor, but I can’t imagine anyone else playing Maui’s character. I love how they explored some of his character’s backstory and gave him some much-needed emotional character development throughout the film. Another thing I loved about this movie’s story is that Maui and Moana push each other to be the best version of themselves. They both teach other important and emotionally powerful messages, and I think it’s a significant part of what makes this film so beautiful.
Moana’s animal sidekicks, Hei Hei and Pua, although more specifically Pua, are honestly adorable. I’m so glad they’re both joining Moana’s voyaging journey in her upcoming sequel because I remember being incredibly disappointed that Pua didn’t come along the first time. I’m interested in seeing how their characters contribute to the story in ‘Moana 2’ as Hei Hei contributed quite a bit to the original story despite being a literal chicken.
Similar to the visuals in 'Raya and the Last Dragon,' the animation in this film is breathtaking. To this day, the character and water animation continue to amaze me with their realistic fluidity and vibrant color. Beautifully designed characters like Te Fiti, Te Ka, and Tamatoa, as well as the lush tropical island land and seascapes, enhance the storytelling and create a visually stunning and emotionally rich immersive experience.
Honestly, my love for this film is hard to put into words. I have a lot of personal memories associated with this film that shaped my childhood and solidified this film's place in my ranking. This film is everything a Disney princess movie should be, and I couldn’t be more excited to experience ‘Moana 2’ in theaters in November.:)
With D23 happening next week, we’ll most likely get an official full-length trailer for the next Disney princess movie, Moana 2. Honestly, I couldn’t be more excited about that as well. The teaser trailer for Moana 2, released earlier this year, has already broken several viewership records, including beating out the 24-hour debut viewership for the ‘Inside Out 2’ teaser. I can only imagine the full-length trailer will do the same upon its public release.
More exciting Disney princess-related projects are also expected to be released in the upcoming years, including a ‘Princess and the Frog’ Disney+ series titled ‘Tiana’ and potentially an original Disney princess film sometime in the near future.
Just a couple of days ago, Disney announced a multi-year campaign titled “Create Your World,” which will celebrate the milestone anniversary of classic Disney princess films such as ‘Cinderella,’ ‘Pocahontas,’ ‘Tangled,’ and more iconic favorites. According to the Walt Disney Company, this campaign will feature theatrical and streaming content, Disney Parks experiences, new music cover releases, consumer products, and more to encourage and inspire Disney princess fans of all ages. Overall, this entire campaign sounds so exciting and I can’t wait to see how Disney will expand on the Disney princess franchise in the coming years.
If you’ve gotten this far, thanks for reading! I’d love to know who your favorite Disney princess is or what your favorite Disney princess movie is! <3
Moana’s animal sidekicks, Hei Hei and Pua, although more specifically Pua, are honestly adorable. I’m so glad they’re both joining Moana’s voyaging journey in her upcoming sequel because I remember being incredibly disappointed that Pua didn’t come along the first time. I’m interested in seeing how their characters contribute to the story in ‘Moana 2’ as Hei Hei contributed quite a bit to the original story despite being a literal chicken.
Honestly, my love for this film is hard to put into words. I have a lot of personal memories associated with this film that shaped my childhood and solidified this film's place in my ranking. This film is everything a Disney princess movie should be, and I couldn’t be more excited to experience ‘Moana 2’ in theaters in November.:)
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If you couldn’t tell by this point, the Disney princesses mean a lot to me. Their stories and characters shaped my childhood and taught me to believe in magic and dreams coming true, and I continue to carry them into my young adulthood. I can’t wait to hopefully watch these films with my own daughters someday and get to watch them experience what makes these fairytales so incredibly special.With D23 happening next week, we’ll most likely get an official full-length trailer for the next Disney princess movie, Moana 2. Honestly, I couldn’t be more excited about that as well. The teaser trailer for Moana 2, released earlier this year, has already broken several viewership records, including beating out the 24-hour debut viewership for the ‘Inside Out 2’ teaser. I can only imagine the full-length trailer will do the same upon its public release.
More exciting Disney princess-related projects are also expected to be released in the upcoming years, including a ‘Princess and the Frog’ Disney+ series titled ‘Tiana’ and potentially an original Disney princess film sometime in the near future.
Just a couple of days ago, Disney announced a multi-year campaign titled “Create Your World,” which will celebrate the milestone anniversary of classic Disney princess films such as ‘Cinderella,’ ‘Pocahontas,’ ‘Tangled,’ and more iconic favorites. According to the Walt Disney Company, this campaign will feature theatrical and streaming content, Disney Parks experiences, new music cover releases, consumer products, and more to encourage and inspire Disney princess fans of all ages. Overall, this entire campaign sounds so exciting and I can’t wait to see how Disney will expand on the Disney princess franchise in the coming years.
If you’ve gotten this far, thanks for reading! I’d love to know who your favorite Disney princess is or what your favorite Disney princess movie is! <3
Mulan being so low (it really ISN'T that low lol, just not as high as I would have placed it) is crazy to me hahah. But you're so right about the soundtrack- literally has to be one of my favorite soundtracks of all time!!
ReplyDeleteYeah I get that! I honestly went back and forth with Mulan's ranking quite a bit. I love the animation and soundtrack, but Brave and many of the other films on this list are just more nostalgic to me.
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