Disney Films - September Movie Club
Check out my blog for the other 3 posts about my Top Disney Picks!
"To save her father from death in the army, a young maiden secretly goes in his place and becomes one of China's greatest heroines in the process."
- IMDB
Ming Na Wen is a queen and BD Wong is a legend. That's all there is to say. Mulan is one of the objectively best Disney films ever. The music is iconic. Mulan's story is a classic tale. Mushu - the man the myth, the legend. And don't get started on ya boi Cricket. The comedy also just hits. There's no other way to say it. It's highly quotable and memeable. And the Huns are scary. With all the musical elements, there is still that dark undertone that is at it's peak when they find a village in ruins.
We love to talk about Mulan for being a symbol for strong woman, but can I give a shout out to Shang. You cannot convince me that he was not gay. Seriously. I firmly believe he was sooo angry when Mulan's true gender was revealed not because she broke the rules but because he was falling in love with Ping... I can't be the only one who thinks this lol.
My Rating: ★★★★★★★★★☆
"After young Riley is uprooted from her Midwest life and moved to San Francisco, her emotions - Joy, Fear, Anger, Disgust and Sadness - conflict on how best to navigate a new city, house, and school."
- IMDB
Anyone else see this in theater? They played Lava and already had you crying before the movie even started. Then you get hit with that main theme, like how do they expect us to survive this film? The concept of the mind palace itself is actually really interesting. I don't know what my Core Islands would be, but two of them would definitely be Hogwarts & Disney World lol. I also accept the concept as a plausible scientific theory - Core Islands, Long Term Memory, Abstract Thought, Dream Productions - I vibe with it.
I know it's easy to root for Joy to accomplish her mission, but not only is Riley going through a big life change, she's also at an age where her emotions change as well. The idea of mixed emotion memories & the result of new Core Islands summarizes growing up. We've all been Riley and our own emotions in our of Mind Palace have gone through this exact journey.
Inside Out is a bittersweet coming of age story. It's definitely in my Top 20, though it's too real, makes me cry, so I refuse to watch it too often.... That's the Pixar Effect I guess...
My Rating: ★★★★★★★★★★
"A deformed bell-ringer must assert his independence from a vicious government minister in order to help his friend, a gypsy dancer."
- IMDB
Holy soundtrack. Alan Menken did not play. Bells of Notre Dame is a vibe. Out There is iconic. And God Help the Outcasts makes me cry. The songs and the entire score just shakes me to my core. Nobody talks about this movie enough.
Also, remember how people complained about Turning Red? Well Hunchback has a few concepts that I'm sure there are enough people on the internet would try to cancel it - religion, Frollo's lust - I mean, I don't think I'd let a toddle watch this, that's all I'm saying. The symbolism and blunt reflection on humanity, society, and corrupt religious institutions is something that requires an essay to talk about. But kids will watch this, laugh at the gargoyles, sing along with the songs, and root for Quasi to get his happy ending and ignore the fact that there's a song called "Hellfire" depicting an old man's sexual lust for Esmeralda...
At the end of the day, Hunchback of Notre Dame is one of the best from the Renaissance. Top 10 for me for sure. Animation at it's finest.
My Rating: ★★★★★★★★★★
"After his son is captured in the Great Barrier Reef and taken to Sydney, a timid clownfish sets out on a journey to bring him home."
- IMDB
Today's the day! The sun is shing! The tank is clean!
It's taking every once of my soul to actually leave a review rather than just leave a paragraph of all the iconic quotes. I can recite the entire script of Harry Potter & the Sorcerer's Stone all day long, but Finding Nemo is the movie I consider to be the most quotable. I literally quote the film every single day. Don't watch this movie with me. I enjoy it way too much and my voice will ruin every scene for you.
Aside from this film being genuinely hilarious, it's also emotional. Only Pixar can get us emotional over talking fish. Did you see the massacre at the start? Marlin is such a dimensional character and goes through great character development as he ignores all of his principles and does everything he can to cross the ocean to find his son. He finds a quirky friendship with the quirky fish, Dory, and faces all fears for Nemo. It's honestly really crazy how much depth these fish characters have. Shark Tales could never! But that's why this movie works.
With heart, humor, and very iconic moments, Finding Nemo has settled in comfortably in my Top 5 Disney movies of all time for literally 20 years. One of Pixar's finest for sure.
My Rating: ★★★★★★★★★★
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