Happy Friday everyone! The temperature for the next few days is finally in the 70s where I live, so I am naturally celebrating by wearing one of my favorite sweatshirts: a Stitch one, of course.
One of my favorite things about fall is that most Disney princess movies are released sometime during the season, usually in November. Of course, we are still anxiously waiting for the newest princess film to hit the screens, but we still have plenty of princess classics to enjoy until then.
The Disney princess movies are some of my favorites, and I have very strong opinions on each movie; for example, isn't it about time we include Anna and Elsa in the official Disney princess lineup?
The official Disney princess lineup. Anna and Elsa are not included because of marketing reasons, and they are both technically queens.
Image from Disney Princess Wiki.
Whether it's nostalgia or music, some princess movies remain superior in my heart. Here is my definitive ranking of the Disney princess movies:
13. Brave
As the princesses in Ralph Breaks the Internet would say...."She's from the other studio."
Is it because Brave was produced by Pixar that it falls at the bottom of the list for me? Pixar-produced films normally don't include musical numbers like Disney films do, partly being because it is one of the storytelling techniques used to separate Pixar from Disney. For me, the lack of songs is the biggest turnoff. It just doesn't feel like a Disney princess movie without a dramatic bursting into song.
I will also admit that I have only seen Brave once when it first came out in theaters and I was in middle school. So maybe I'm being a little harsh with Brave. I actually think it's a movie that as a 21-year-old, I would appreciate a lot more. Nonetheless, I never feel the itch to sit down and watch Brave.
But Merida is still pretty fierce and awesome.
12. Pocahontas
I want to like Pocahontas because the idea of a good message is there, and (some) of the songs are really beautiful. But its problematic divergence from history takes the movie down a few pegs, and it's hard to root for the "love interest" when we know there is more to the real John Smith story than the Disney film shows.
11. Cinderella
I loved this one as a kid, but my kid judgment is not to be trusted because I have a distinct memory of saying she was my favorite princess because she had a blue dress.
I'm sure when I was little, I liked the simplicity of Cinderella, the pretty transformation, and the silly characters. Now, although Cinderella is nice to watch for the nostalgia feels, I have higher expectations when it comes to the Disney princess movies.
10. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
It's hard to rank Snow White. Where do you place the movie that started them all? It was a work of art for the time period, and considering time and resources, it is still one of Disney's most impressive achievements. The animation, while older, is fascinating to watch, and the music is beautiful. Snow White's voice is mesmerizing to listen to, and I stand by the claim that there are some serious bops in this film ("You're Never Too Old to be Young" anyone?). Oh, and let's not forget that the actress who played Snow White is named Adriana (one "n," but I'll take it).
The point is, Snow White has a lot going for it, and I really want to like it more. But if we look past the time considerations and the nice music and animation, we have an okay story with some problematic elements and unoriginal tropes. Sorry, Snow White.
9. The Princess and the Frog
I love Tiana's character, and I love the jazzy music. Dr. Facilier has interesting visuals, and "Friends on the Other Side" is one of my favorite villain songs.
Yet, something just falls flat with this one, and I can't quite put my finger on it. Is it because they are frogs most of the movie? Is it because it's one of the few princess movies to not have a love ballad? Is it because we don't quite get a legitimate motivation for Dr. Facilier other than his connection to voodoo? Maybe one day I'll nail down why this movie doesn't quite live up to the rest, but as for now, it remains as a "shrug" movie.
On a more important note, Disney has a very problematic record of turning BIPOC characters into animals or non-humans through most of the movie, which is terrible for representation. I implore you to read more about it here).
8. The Little Mermaid
If only Ariel wasn't kind of annoying. Alan Menken blesses us again with his amazing score, and if Ariel wasn't just really annoying, this would rank much higher purely for the music. "Under the Sea? " A bop. "Kiss the Girl?" The bop strikes again! "Poor Unfortunate Souls?" One of the first iconic villain songs that led to a trend of the villain ballad. Erik is bland but nice enough (but then again, a lot of the princes are), but the side characters of Sebastian and Ursula steal the show.
7. Mulan
Mulan almost got ahead by one just because of the existence of "I'll Make a Man Out of You." Of course, there are other highlights, like the lack of a romantic plot (I love a good romance princess movie, but it is refreshing to see one that isn't) and Mulan's fierceness. Unfortunately, I find some of the other songs to be lacking, and for some reason, "Reflection" never hit it for me. I can objectively say it's a good song, but I usually skip it when it appears on my Disney Spotify playlist.
6. Moana
Moana is the most recent (non-sequel) Disney princess movie, and it will take a lot for the next release to top it. The music is fresh and beautiful, but what else would you expect from Lin Manuel Miranda? The lack of a singular villain makes the conflict of Moana interesting, and Disney steps out of its usual tropes by including a non-romantic powerful duo.
5. Sleeping Beauty
I know, I know. This one seems out of place. I can't quite place a finger on why I love Sleeping Beauty so much. It's one of the shorter tales of the Disney films, using the slow, soft storytelling of Disney's classics. I think I just love the tone and music of Sleeping Beauty. I'll watch this movie a lot while working on homework or when I need to watch something with a peaceful background (Maleficent's dragon scene excluded). And, Once Upon a Dream is a beautiful song and one of my favorites.
The peaceful and artistic visuals in Sleeping Beauty always draw me toward watching the film.
Photo taken from Art Docent Program.
4. Frozen
People were obsessed with Frozen when it first came out, but once the fervor died down, almost everyone seemed to change gears to thinking it was completely overrated. Was it a tad overhyped? Probably. But since I didn't watch Frozen every week like most people, I never got tired of it. The music in Frozen is superior, and I'm not just referring to "Let it Go." Disney continued to shed the tropes from past movies with the sisterly love focus and the plot twist of Hans, creating one of the biggest collective cinema gasps ever. And while Olaf is no Genie, he ranks pretty high up there as fun sidekicks go.
However, a big reason why I love Frozen so much is the character of Elsa. In both movies, she has such a unique and independent character development. In the first movie specifically, the portrayal of her fear and anxiety was very well-done. Frozen isn't a movie about mental illness, but I still see the parallels with Elsa's character.
3. Tangled
Tangled is one of Disney's best princess movies because Rapunzel is one of Disney's best princesses. Silly and fun, artistic and creative, Rapunzel is fun to watch on screen in a way that not all princesses are (sorry Ariel). Other characters stand out, like the charming sidekicks of Pascal and Maximus and the complex Eugene Fitzherbert; just like how our heroines are becoming less one-dimensional, our princes develop personality traits other than "royal" and "nice enough." The stronger characters combine with the killer soundtrack ("At Last I See the Light" may be one of Disney's best love ballads) to make a truly enjoyable movie.
2. Beauty and the Beast
Once again, Alan Menken is a gift. It's hard to single out one princess movie as having the best music, but I think Beauty and the Beast is the closest I'll come to naming one, with the beautiful "Belle" that introduces us to character, setting, and internal conflict; "Gaston," which is my personal favorite Disney villain song because of its satirical and unsettling nature; and "Be Our Guest," a bop for the ages.
Along with the stellar music, Beauty and the Beasts boasts a ton of sidekicks without making them feel annoying or unnecessary. Belle, as a character, is my favorite princess, but that probably stems from the fact that I too am an introverted, brunette, bookworm.
1. Aladdin
I love this movie. Seriously love it. I named my blog after it, I once wrote a 13-page paper about it for class, and I've seen the Broadway adaptation twice (once when it came to my home theatre and another time when I was in London). I own three Aladdin mugs, and sitting in front of me on my desk is a plastic version of the lamp.
Why do I love this movie so much? Nostalgia plays a huge role, but not in the way you think. Aladdin wasn't my favorite Disney princess movie as a kid (that went to Cinderella and Beauty and the Beast). In middle school, I went through a horrid phase where I thought I was too old and cool to watch Disney movies because I had to grow up (I know. I, too, cry thinking about all the years I wasted and memories I missed out on). Aladdin was one of the first Disney movies I watched when I was finally exiting this phase, purely because 14-year-old Adrianna was going through a phase of reading books about thieves and spies, and so rewatching a childhood film I hadn't seen in years about a thieving street rat was right up my ally. Over the years, Aladdin became a comfort movie for me, and I can practically say the movie's lines along with the characters. There are so many other reasons I love the film (Robin Williams is iconic as the genie, the magic carpet is a work of art, Iago is HYSTERICAL, and Jasmine is fierce), but ultimately, Aladdin slides into place above Beauty and the Beast because of the comfort it brought me when I was an adolescent.
Did any of my rankings match up with yours? Are there an unofficial Disney princess movies you think need to be added to the roster? Drop a comment below or shoot me a message!
Until later, have courage and be kind.
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