Watch This! Top Ten Best Romances in the Disney Universe

Disney movies. They are so iconic and so deeply imbedded in our culture that they are often the first stories children are exposed to. To extend that thought, they are probably the first love stories most of us are exposed to. Now, I'm not saying that's a great thing. It's a point of fact that Disney treats love in the most sanitized, watered-down, and in some cases slightly sexist manner possible. But they exist, and they are romance, so we have to talk about them. Because I say so.

Having said all of that, you might imagine that this "Best" list is more of a "Least Awful" list, but...that's mostly not true. Mostly.

#10: Sleeping Beauty (1959)

This is one that I've only seen a handful of times, and I actually had to rewatch it closely to decide if it really belonged on this list. It made it by virtue of the fact that it's not only intentionally a romance, but the romance actually has some (some, not a lot) set up and pay off. The set up is that Phillip and Aurora are promised to each other upon Aurora's birth. Aurora is cursed and then hidden away as a peasant girl, under the name Briar Rose. Sixteen years later, Phillip meets and unknowingly falls in love with Briar Rose. It's love at first sight and there's not much conversation, but there is a big battle with a dragon, and that's romantic, right? Right.

#9:Cinderella (1950)

You know, Cinderella gets a lot of bad press. I'll own to the fact that Sleeping Beauty deserves its reputation as one of the least pro-feminist stories of all time--the heroine literally does nothing except fall asleep. Cinderella though? She's just a sad, lonely, and frankly very patient girl who would like to go to a dance. And then she does. Good for her. Do I buy that she instantly falls in love with the prince and he's so enamored with her in return that he upends the kingdom trying to find her--after one dance and presumably a little conversation? Well no, not by real world standards, but it the logic of the 1950s Disney universe it's fine. I always imagined an epilogue to this story where the prince (Jesus, he doesn't even have a name) and Cinderella have to talk and come to terms with this insane attraction between them, and the ramifications of marrying outside their social standings, and they make it work in the end. That's how I justify the story to myself.

#8: Tarzan (1999)

This is one of those Disney movies I always tend to forget about, until I look at a list and I'm reminded--oh, yeah, Disney did Tarzan. I think it's because when it came out, I was at that weird age where I thought I was too old for children's movies and I didn't yet appreciate the idea that adults can enjoy them, too, and so I didn't see it until long after it came out. But I do like it. And, of course, it's on this list because of Tarzan and Jane, who are surprisingly sweet together. I put it low on the list because I've always felt that the chemistry between them is based largely on the fact that Jane is literally the first and only human woman Tarzan has ever encountered, and that kind of circumstantial togetherness is always a bit unsettling to me. Outside of that context, would they even like each other? I don't know, but it is an interesting story for all it's flaws.

#7: Lady and the Tramp (1955)

Why, yes, I did put non-humans on the list. Judge me if you will, but watch this movie and tell me it's not adorable. Go ahead. Yeah, I thought so. Lady and the Tramp is a classic opposites attract tale about a hero who shuns the idea of a home and a heroine who dearly loves hers. They go on adventures and have a little tryst, and eventually a happy ending. The spaghetti scene alone earns it a spot on the list (incidentally, eating pasta that way is far less romantic in reality).  And I'm pretty sure there's a secret baby plot in there too.

#6: The Little Mermaid (1989)

I struggled quite a bit with where to put this on the list because, truth be tole, this is probably my second or third favorite Disney movie of all time. But in terms of how well it works as a romance? It's pretty shallow, at least initially. Ariel's impulsive and obsessive need to be with Eric is based entirely on appearance. Any attraction Eric feels for Ariel is based on her pretty, pretty voice. This is all redeemed when they end up spending time together while she can't talk, and it becomes apparent that they have a legitimate connection.

#5: The Princess and the Frog (2009)

This might actually count at my second non-human romance on the list, since they spend the majority of the movie as frogs. This is a movie about working hard to achieve goals while not ignoring the importance of finding love. It's actually quite heavy handed with that message, but it's not necessarily a terrible thing. I like the adventure and the time that Tiana and Nevine share, and I like that they both work for their happy ending.    

#4: Aladdin (1992)

This is likely the most "boy oriented" movie on the list, but it nevertheless counts as a romance. Pretty much everything Aladdin does is motivated by a desire to get the girl. It's yet another case of two people who like each other regardless of social rank, and it addresses the issue more effectively than most. I like that Jasmine, despite not being at the center of the action, is not a wilting flower and does, in fact, display a mind of her own. It also happens to have one of the most memorable and romantic love songs in the Disney universe.

#3: Tangled (2010)

This movie is one of the most watchable, fun children's movies I've seen this decade. And, although the romance isn't necessarily the main point, it's there and it's spectacular. Flynn and Rapunzel get to know each other over their journey (witness, Flynn telling Rapunzel his real name), they fall in love, and they make huge sacrifices for each other. It's cute and funny when it needs to be, serious at other times, and everything comes together to make a very satisfying story.

#2: Up (2009)

Am I cheating with this one? Hell yes, I am. Up is decidedly not a romance, at least most of the movie isn't. But the first ten minutes or so? Oh God. Two people meet as children, become friends, fall in love, and share a big dream that they never quite get to realizing. But they have a life together, and they're mostly happy despite some huge disappointments. I cannot watch this part of the movie without crying. Everything that's happens after that point is motivated largely by that relationship and those dreams, so I actually think it is fair game to count it on this list. It's brilliant, and a testament to the principle that a simple love story is often the best.

#1: Beauty and the Beast (1991)

If you've been following this blog for awhile, this one probably doesn't surprise you. This is my very favorite Disney movie, and it likely ranks in my top 10 favorite movies of all time. But do I really think it's the most romantic? Absolutely, I do. It's a story about getting to know someone on a deeper level, and loving them based on an emotional connection rather than physical appearance. The Beast has to learn to be a decent person, and Bell only comes around to him after he figures out that he needs to treat her properly. It's pretty much a perfect movie in my mind, and I can't say enough about it.

So that's the list, folks. Feel free to agree and disagree with me in the comments. Have a romance-filled day.

Happy February! It's Romance Time!

February is kind of the most miserable month of the year. It's cold and snowy, without the promise of Santa to make up for it. And it has Valentines Day, or Single Person Awareness Day, depending on which side of relationship hell you're standing on. Anyway, here on reading to penguins we're going to make the best of this short miserable month by celebrating romance in all of it's ooey gooey schmaltzy goodness.

But first, let's crown the January 2013 Book of the Month:

Reading Penguin Goes to the Movies: Brave

The minute I saw a preview for Brave, I knew I would love it. I was so excited to see a Scottish princess added to the Disney pantheon.

Brave is, at it's core, the story of a rebellious teenager with a free spirit at odds with her position as a princess. Marida questions her mother's plans to turn her into the perfect queen, especially when she is told that she will soon be betrothed. When she encounters a witch, Marida asks for a spell that will change her mother--and thereby change her own fate.

The most wonderful thing about this story is that it didn't feel the need to stay inside the usual Disney princess box. There's no shoe-horned in love story. In fact, it's more of a mother/daughter tale than anything else, and the relationship is so true to life and so easy to relate to. I was very, very impressed by the fact that Disney gave Marida two loving and supportive parents (though her father is a little more wacky).

If you look at Disney's other portrayals of rebellious teenagers, you'll notice that the movie usually takes the teenager's side. We all felt like Ariel's dad overreacted when he destroyed her collections. We sympathized wholeheartedly when Jasmine refused an arranged marriage and wanted some time outside the palace. And didn't Cinderella have every right to rebel? Well, this movie does something a little different. It shows both sides of the argument so that we see that neither Marida nor her mother are entirely in the wrong. Sure, I wanted Marida to be allowed her freedom and for her mother to listen to her. But I also felt the mother's pain when Marida took her defiance to a hurtful level. Teenage girls do that--I know, because I was one just a few years ago. They hurt their parents in an effort to break free, and only after the fact do they realize that loving mothers are the most valuable guide you have in your life. That is what this movie is about.

Marida is awesome, because she knows archery and horseback riding and rock climbing. In a dress. Seriously fantastic.

The movie itself is beautiful in appearance, with it's green landscapes and towering waterfalls. The music sets the tone with it's celtic melody and soft feminine voices. Of course, in true to form Disney style, they did seem to feel the need to throw every Scottish thing they could think of into this movie. Clydesdales. Names like Angus and Hamish. Stone circles. Kilts. Haggis. But it's a kid's movie, and it's all in good fun.

I recommend this movie to all Disney fans and fantasy fans. And Highland fans. But most especially, I'd recommend it to mothers and daughters, because it's such a touching portrayal of that relationship. Happy watching, everyone!

Misc. Monday: Captain Crushes

Most of us have, at one time or another, experienced a crush on a fictional character. But can you remember who your first fictional crush was? I think my own childhood crushes shaped my taste in men forever after. So, today, I'd like to share my top 5 early character crushes (in no particular order).

--Captain Benjamin Franklin Hawkeye Pierce, of MASH. That show was on a lot when I was a kid, and so it had an impact if for no other reason than repetition. Even as a kid, I tended to latch onto characters based on personality more than anything, and boy does Hawkeye have personality. He's a womanizer and is generally disrespectful of all things, but he still has a lot of heart. I think the trait that had the most lasting impression for me was his humor. I love a funny guy.

--Han Solo, of Star Wars. I'm not even a little ashamed of this one, although I probably should be. Han Solo was the one who started my hopelessly unhealthy love of bad boys. He was smart mouthed, he was sexy, and he had his own freaking space ship. What more could the young heart wish for? My very best friend as a child used to play Star Wars with me--he was Han, I was Leia. So it's no wonder that he was the first boy I ever kissed.





--Jafar, of Aladdin. This one I am vaguely ashamed of. Look, I know he's evil. I knew it even then. But...damn, I've always sort of liked villains. And there's something about him. He's dark, he's twisted, he's powerful. He turns into a snake, he locks people in dungeons, he hypnotizes sultans to make a grab for the thrown. I don't know. All I can say is that Aladdin never did it for me. He's a nice guy, but if I were Jasmine I'd have probably married the inappropriately older, evil, psychotic royal vizier. Which is yet more proof that I'd make a crappy princess.

--Angel, of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. And yet again, we come back to my attachment to unhealthy and impossible relationships. I always wanted to rewrite Angel's story to make it happy, and I always wanted to make me the star of that happiness. But I'm too lazy for fan fiction, and Angel is probably only good because it's tragic anyway. Angel made me latch on to the idea of redeeming a bad guy. Like, maybe Jafar and Captain Hook and Voldemort and Satan could all have happy endings if someone would just fix them. Or maybe they'd just end up more miserable. Seriously, screw you Joss Whedon.




--Sirius Black, of Harry Potter. In my defense, this was when there were only three or four books out and no movies. No Gary Oldman cast in the part, and not horribly abrupt death. He was a really minor character, but that was all the more reason for him to hold my curiosity. I think it was the wrongful conviction, escape from prison thing that did it for me. Plus the shape shifting. And he's loyal, he's courageous, and he's terribly reckless. Again, I wanted a happy ending for him. When he died, I got so mad that I actually put the book away and did not finish it for a good three months. It still hurts me.

So those were my early crushes, and I think it's easy to see why I love the characters I do today. Now it's your turn to share with the class: Who were your childhood crushes, and what made you love them?

Miscellaneous Mondays: Collectable Penguins

Last week's poll asked whether or not you collect things. Most of us do, but none of the voters admitted to being heavy collectors/pack rats! Very interesting.

This question came to me after helping my fiance move his childhood stuff out of his mother's house. Now, when I was a teenager we moved twice in the span of a year or so, and in that process I donated/sold/threw away most of my toys and things to make the moving process easier, so I just don't have very much of it anymore. Certainly nothing compared to his collections. He's got tons of toys--Sesame Street, the Muppets, Rugrats, Marvel action figures, the list goes on...plus books, games, movies, posters. Basically my reaction was "Holy crap!" I felt both envious and pitying, but my primary reaction was panic as to where we're going to keep it all--because apparently we're keeping quite a bit of it.

Now, I've collected a few things over the past few years--things that I particularly love. I have the penguins, of course, and I have my books. Even with the books, though, I only keep the good ones. They still overflow the shelves, but that's because I read so many good books! I have these guys--

--who I feel look really nice along side all of my fantasy/paranormal books. Who doesn't need a vampire doll and her werewolf boyfriend? So I guess I'm just as guilty of wanting to keep a few pointless objects, but I try to be sane about it.

What sort of things do you hold on to? Sentimental stuff? Knickknacks? Every book/movie you've ever read/watched? Nothing at all? Share your collections in the comments!

Miscellaneous Weekly Updates:

I finally got Josh to watch Tangled--and he loved it! A good Disney movie is a wonderful thing.

In TV news:

• I watched the newest Supernatural and LOVED it, even though I could call the end just from the previews. Dean seems to always be the one to fall in neck deep with the monsters.
• I'm still keeping up with Grimm, and enjoying it alright, but my GOD the overarching plot is moving slow. I hope it's building toward something climactic and awesome, because right now it's a B show for me.
• I've been watching Merlin online, trying to catch up with it. I tend to multitask when I watch this show--I don't feel too attached to it, but it's nice to have on it the background. I'm not a huge nerd when in comes to Arthurian/Camelot legends, but I used to be. I think if your in an Arthur phase at present you'd really like this show, so I do recommend it. 

Don't forget that the 300 followers giveaway is still going on!

Lastly, the new poll is up--we're asking what types of movies you enjoy! Don't forget to vote! Happy Monday, and Happy Reading!

Miscellaneous Mondays: In Honor of Heroines

Kicking off yet another week with Miscellaneous Monday, I want to talk about something a little more specific than usual: heroines. Anyone who reads my reviews has probably noticed that I'm tough on heroines. Not only do I want them to be well written, three-dimensional, and fully developed, but I also want them to be tough, smart, and talented. I'm quick to point out when the leading lady isn't up to snuff. Why am I so tough on heroines? I guess it's because when I read a book, even one written in third person, I tend to "see" everything through the heroine's eyes. She becomes like my tour guide through the story, and if I like her I feel like she's my friend. If she's stupid, whiny, or boring, I end up hating her and the entire book by proxy. The same goes with shows and movies (just look at how I reacted to The Secret Circle). Let's look at some of the heroines in my fictional life.


Once Upon a Time

Emma from Once is a great example of how you can have a likeable heroine who isn't boring. She's a loner, and she's lonely, and her social skills are questionable. She obviously hasn't had an easy life. But she has a lot of heart, and she wants the best for her son. So she stays and fights even when she'd much rather leave. If you've seen the show, than you know what I'm talking about. And if you haven't, than you need to. It's like a family drama and a fantasy show melded together.

Terra Nova

Elizabeth is the "wife/mom" character in Terra Nova. Like everything else about the show, Elizabeth's character is pretty cliched--but cliched does not mean unlikeable. She's a doctor and sometimes researcher (because all scientists know everything there is to know about science), but she also occupies the typical mommy role in a big way. I recall one episode when she works late and asks her husband to handle the kids and make dinner, and of course he fails without her--dads can't do mom things, that's just crazy! I do like her, though, because she's a smart, optimistic, forward thinking character. In the most recent episode she spent a day trying to heal a baby dinosaur so that it would hatch from it's egg healthy--just so her daughter wouldn't be upset. That whole thing was a bit over sweet for my taste, but it did show how much she cares.

Grimm

I'm cheating a bit with this one because Aunt Marie is not the heroine of the show--she isn't even a main character. She's more like the plot device that kicks everything off. But I don't care, I like this show and I want to talk about her. Aunt Marie has apparently had quite and interesting life, fighting the monsters from the old Grimm fairy tales. At one point a nurse comments about her many scars and asks what line of work she was in, and Nick replies that she was a librarian. A librarian who kicks ass--that's simply fantastic! It saddens be that we aren't likely to get much more of her story, but I'm filing her away in my cool fictional characters list.

Disney Heroines

I made this the subject of last weeks poll because I've been on such a fairy tale kick. A lot of people, especially really hard core feminists, like to go on and on about how Disney heroines are not stellar role models. On some level I can see their point, but it's not something I take too seriously. To me they've always been fantasy characters from another time and place, and you can't hold them to the same standards that you would a contemporary character of today. That would be like berating the ladies of Jane Austen's books for not getting jobs.

Anyway, Mulan ended up winning in the poll, which I find exciting because she is an entirely different kind of heroine. Not only is she actually heroic, she has goals that have nothing to do with romance and getting married. Sure, the romance is there, but it's a secondary concern to all of the cross dressing, self discovery, and saving China plot threads. I just watched Mulan over the weekend for the first time in quite a few years. Questionable handling of Chinese culture aside, I really love that movie.

So, who is your favorite heroine (Disney or otherwise)? What makes her awesome?

As always, a new poll is up! In keeping with the fantasy theme, this week I'm asking what super-power you would choose. Take a second to vote on the right side of your screen. Thanks a bunch, and Happy Reading!