Welcome back to the Randomizer!
Once more, I have been completely stuck for different ideas
to write about. What could I do? Could I talk about something historical
perhaps? Could I talk about politics, breaking an unwritten rule I made for
myself that no one ever knew about in the first place? Or could I talk about
how sarcastically awesome I am, therefore inflating my ego? Whatever much ego
there was to begin with. Well, I decided to do another Top 10 list, and this
will be the last one I will do for a while because I don’t really want to bore
everyone of you. Just piss off you unintentionally while I write. Anyway,
welcome to my own personal Top 10 Disney animated movies.
As some of you may have gathered from Facebook last year, I
had been going through a Disney phrase right up until September last year,
watching all sorts of the animated classics. Not all of them of course. Alice
Beadle would be disappointed…I just typed that up. Whoops. Sorry Alice! Oh god
she’d never forgive me now. But I digress. There’s literally no point in giving
background about Disney. It’s a worldwide phenomenon, full of spectacular
animation, memorable characters, Nazi symbolism and with a boss that’s
anti-Sematic as the….oh wait, hang on, those are just rumours and hear-say. I’m
going to get a message saying I’m disowned as a friend at some point. Balls!
But aside from possibly losing a Disney obsessed woman-child
(who I still have great affection for J
and will be expecting this face: O.O), I like Disney films a lot, from the past
drawn animation techniques to the present day computer graphics, and such
memorable characters to behold in these retold fairy-tales and dark forboding
stories. It is really part of our childhood, we cannot escape it, no matter how
much we try. It introduced us to concepts of love (HA!), friendship (pfft) and
even death (………MUFASA WHY???!!!! (that would be my brother’s reaction, not
me)).
Many of the films on this list I completely adore, not just
through the animation, but the stories and the characters that go through such
journeys to defeat the bad guy/girl and save the day. It’s escapist fantasy at
its best, to revel in and enjoy over and over again. You may disagree with my
list all you want, and I will accept that. But shhh all the same, because my
list will be that awesome, No one else can compare. Unless your name began with
A and surname began with B. Then you can argue all you want! I will be prepared
however.
So let’s carry on with my personal best Disney, and you may
be quite surprised by the end result, and possibly the number of films on the
list. By the way, Sleeping Beauty is not on the list. Despite how bad I
consider it, this is films I love with a passion. Emphasis on LOVE. Sorry
Maleficent.
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| Oh dear....she would be disappointed indeed. Pfft. |
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10. Oliver and Company
I’m probably part of a minority who actually do like this
film. It’s not the best Disney film for me obviously, but it does hold a little
spot for making me feel something. Or maybe that’s just manipulation I don’t
know. Based off Charles Dicken’s ‘Oliver Twist’, the story is pretty much the
same except with animals, and set in modern day New York City. Oliver is an
orphaned kitten on the streets until taken in by Dodger and his doggy friends,
and then adapted by a rich young girl and her butler, while the dog’s owner
Fagin is having trouble with a loan shark called Sykes.
I will admit there wasn’t really much I remember from this
movie, even having to look up info about different points about story. But
there are some really good scenes, at least I thought they were if I didn’t
feel now that they could be manipulative in some way. At the beginning, we see
Oliver is the only one in a box of kittens that isn’t picked up, and said box
is washed away in a rainstorm, almost taking Oliver in it, and him trying to
survive on the streets for about a minute, before finding a place to sleep on a
truck wheel. Yeahhh, see what I’m getting at now, I’m sure it isn’t
intentional, but still it feels like it a bit much to throw at us in a few
minutes.
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| You will feel sorry for Oliver. YOU WILL. |
That said, I don’t think I could call it a bad film by any
means. Granted there isn’t anything particular memorable about it. The
characters are one dimensional, the story isn’t too bad though again a little
unmemorable, and the climax is pretty good, Sykes giving chase on Fagin in his
car, and even going through the Metropolitan subway system, with the one visual
of the car wheels breaking up, and the metal grinding on the rails. My god that
image still resonates in my mind. Oh, and that song ‘Why should I worry?’ is
still pretty catchy.
I think it’s one of those movies that lasts with you for
exactly its running time. Bar some good visuals, it doesn’t leave you with
anything special to leave with afterwards. It does its job pretty well. Though
it begs the question of random cameos from Pongo and Scot. Seriously…I never
got that.
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9. Brave
I’ve spoke about this film before, in fact in my first
proper blog for The Randomizer ever, the Top Ten Films I’ve seen in 2012, and
in the exact same spot as last time, Number 9. What a coincidence. Also bit of
trivia, I saw this in the cinema with Alice herself. Our first and so far only
trip to cinema. Ahem Miss Beadle, we should sort this out! So I’ll try not to
go on too much about it. The film I mean, not Beadle.
The film follows the Scottish Princess Merida, who wishes to
remain independent and in charge of her life, despite her mother’s intentions
to get her married to either three suitors from different kingdoms. Merida
tries a magic spell to change her mother’s mind, only for the latter to turn
literally a bear, and will literally forget who she is, unless Merida can mend
the bond between them because of their differences.
When I had first saw this film, I explained how I liked the
mother/daughter story, since that had not been done by Disney before ever, how
I liked the little jokes, and even said how I thought it was better than Toy
Story 3. I haven’t given it a proper look since I again watched it on Blu-Ray,
only little bits and bobs. However I still don’t think it’s a bad film at all.
There are definitely a lot of intriguing moments to take away from it. The
becoming a literal bear is a good twist to have, and I still like the dynamic
between mother and daughter is still very good.
Merida is still a pretty cool character to enjoy, learning
to keep her independence, while also being diplomatic at the same time. Yes,
she does do a daft thing in wanting to make her mother change her mind, without
realising the consequences of her actions, and ultimately isn’t the one to
defeat the villain Mor’Du, a mindless bear that her mother would most likely
turn into. But I don’t believe she is completely stupid, on the contrary. She
knows what to avoid in the forest and where to go when things have gone wrong.
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| She is also the head for the Prevention of Cruelty to Gingers Mother-F***er |
Overall, it’s a good movie. But of course there are a few
stronger ones, especially where women try to prove themselves.
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8. Mulan
For many years, I had a vague interest in watching this film
because I was bored, but from watching the ending the first time around, I
thought it was interesting enough. When I came to watching the beginning and
eventually see the whole film, I found it quite funny and refreshing too.
The story is based off the original Chinese poem, ‘The Song
of Fa Mu Lan’, and follows Fa Mulan (or just Mulan to everyone else), as she is
prepared to dress accordingly for a test to be a good wife in future. When that
goes as well as Justin Bieber coming up to my house for all the jokes I’ve
made, she hears that the country is invaded by the Hun, their leader Shan Yu
conquering the Great Wall of China. Her father clearly unwell to go when
conscripted despite his stubbornness, Mulan decides to take matters in her own
hands, and takes her father’s place, along with Eddie Murphy soon after, to
fight in the army.
One thing that does stand out for me is the comedy. It is a
really funny film, how Mulan is kind of practical but also lazy at the same
time, for example, using her dog to feed the chickens, which in turns runs into
the shine, and the chickens follow as her father is praying for her to succeed.
Also some of the songs very well done and enjoyable, especially the music when
Mulan decides to go and fight in the army. That piece of music is called
‘Mulan’s Decision’ and the only real way to listen to it clean is on Youtube,
but the film is pretty better if you fancy that direction.
But also the way she tries to push herself as hard as the
men, as she attempts to climb a long wooden pole using weights, and is the only
one to succeed (after numerous attempts to try of course). The way its
portrayed is pretty well done, though I suppose it could’ve been better if it
wasn’t as ‘Disneyfied’ you could say. Like how you must keep pushing yourself
to do well. That’s fine, but she is practical to start with. Keep it that way.
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| Badass Level increased by 2 |
This film is just so superb in its own little way. I don’t
really have that many complaints about it all, could have been a little better,
but that’s just my view.
7. Robin Hood
Who here was whistling the tune when they saw this, out loud
or in their head? Hands up………you’re allowed to whistle, just this once. It’s
not a bad tune granted, and neither is it a bad film by any stretch.
Based off the Robin Hood legends, of course we see the
exploits of Robin Hood as he and Little John fight Prince John, with the usual
robbing the rich to feed the poor. Eventually Prince John (being as evil as
usually portrayed in any work of fiction…..ever) sends everyone to jail when he
triples the taxes, and formulates a plan to capture Robin while luring him to
save Friar Tuck from the gallows. Oh, and Maid Marian disappears for the third
act. No, seriously, go back and watch it. She guessed she wasn’t needed that
much, and did all her scenes first.
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| I wonder if the director's forgotten about me..... |
The story is still pretty good, relying on some of the usual
tropes everyone associates with Robin Hood nowadays, even me. It flows well
from start to finish, though the ending could be a little anti-climax because
Robin Hood survives falling into the water, and Prince John finally loses it.
The songs are so catchy it’s ridiculous NOT to sing along to them, or feel
elated by them, and of course it can get pretty gritty especially when the
Sheriff and Robin are having a quick fight at the end, with fire involved.
Nonetheless it is a very good third act. You know what the stakes are, and you
see how Robin does it all silently until Sir Hiss blows the cover.
If anything, I wouldn’t say it is one of Disney great films,
especially during this period when not many people seem to be fans of these
particular works in the 70s and 80s. It doesn’t feel that great, even if I find
it very good. The characters are good in their own right, and very
entertaining, but even that doesn’t really bring it up to those who made it
into the top six. There’s something missing that I just can’t put my finger on,
perhaps it is something that these other films just have. If anyone has ideas
to help me out, please tell me, pronto!
Moving on, Robin Hood is a very good film, but there are a
few things holding it back from reaching true greatness, like the next film on
my list.
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6. The Lion King
Now let’s see how many pitch forks and firery torches there
are………ooh, that’s a lot of torches. At number 6, really? I’m putting The Lion
King at No.6? the highest grossing Disney film of all time? Am I on
drugs?.....yes actually, but that’s not the point. This was the film that
actually started my Disney phase off in the first place, partly thanks to
internet comedian Doug Walker, aka The Nostalgia Critic. It was through his
‘Disneycember’ project that I decided to re-watch this film, on video no less.
At least I didn’t have to put up with that morning report song, that I think is
on DVDs now. Urgh, atrocious.
The story is Hamlet in Africa. That’s it, it’s just Hamlet
in Africa. You know the story, I know the story, even my cat knows the story,
and this was before her time!
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| Alas, poor Yorick. I knew him, Zazul |
Don’t get me wrong, I LIKED the film. I think it’s nicely
animated with really good drawn locations, the story is good and can be followed
so easily (with a possible questionable message that might leave your head a
bit scrambled), the characters are likable in every aspect, especially Scar. He
is a good villain through and through, though slightly flamboyant maybe, and Pumbaa’s
voice left a lot to be desire, but that’s just a nitpick. There’s just
something spectacular about the film, that it just doesn’t leave your sight.
But for me, it’s over-rated. Yes, I said it, over-rated.
Even as a kid, I watched this film and while there were some bits I did really
like, I guess it didn’t make me feel so much weight as some of the other films
did. Nowadays, it’s kind of the same feeling. I still think it is a good film,
but I don’t LOVE it as many others do. One song does annoy me, called ‘I just
can’t wait to be King’. I just didn’t think it’s that good of a song. The
others are all good, I can live with them easily enough. Also before the big
fight between Simba and Scar, their little conversation could have been so much
better, but its fine the way it is.
In the end, I guess it just didn’t make that much of a
connection with me as all the other films have done. It’s still a very good
film, and I would definitely watch it at some point in future. But I will still
go out on a limb and say ‘Come at me bro’ if such arguments intensifies.
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5. The Little Mermaid
This was one I haven’t seen during my Disney phase, but I
still have quite fond memories of watching this film on video, that I still
have. Screw future quality, videos are the way to go! (ahem) Anyway, The Little
Mermaid only just made it into the top 5 for at least a few good reasons.
It’s a very loose adaptation of the Hans Christian Anderson
fairy-tale (in which that main character actually dies), but for the most part
it is still very good to watch. We see Ariel doing what she can to get who she
wants: Prince Eric, and she does eventually succeed, even though she doesn’t
exactly do a lot to get there herself. I do like the characters a lot even if
they are typical Disney sterotypes. Ariel is fascinated by the world above, and
the exchange she has with Eric is pretty well done, but I wouldn’t say she is
great, just a good character. Ursula is a pretty good villain, despite sort of
lack of motivation, but she is pretty threatening in her own right.
The one thing I remember vividly, and like out of most of
the movie, is the animation. The animation is simply near-perfection,
everything from the drawings to how they move. The smoke explosions, the
fireworks from the ship, King Triton’s reaction to Ariel’s declaration of love,
Ursula’s transformation back and forth, all of these little moments can just
provoke reactions of awe and fear, exactly what an animated film should do in
its format, sometimes even better than a live-action film can do.
The songs are good, and of course very catchy. There’s
something so atmospheric about all of them as Sebastian sings ‘Under the Sea’,
Ursula with ‘Poor Unfortunate Souls’, and Ariel with ‘Part of Your World’. The
only song I don’t like is ‘Daughters of Triton’, because it feels too much
thrown in your face straight into the first 5 or 10 minutes. The instrumental
pieces as well are finely done too, bringing you into the underwater world with
such calmness, yet very playful at the same time. It matches the film’s
personality if that makes any sense. They come in at the right places when the
drama is pushed up, and almost disappear completely when everything is said and
done, serving their purpose.
The Little Mermaid is something I wouldn’t mind watching again
at some point in future, if only to facilitate another Disney phase in future,
which I’m sure Miss Beadle will surely sort out. Just needs a chair and some
tape.
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| 'You will learn to like The Twilight Saga yet Simon' |
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4. Fantasia
This film, in particular among others, remained a great part
of my childhood, watching it over and over again simply because it was quite
beautiful to watch. After reading and hearing great things about it over the
years since then, I managed to find an old videotape and re-watched it last
year. In fact it was the last film I watched as per my Disney Phase before a
personal issue happened in September.
Fantasia is made up of short length stories at around 10-20
minutes long each, using classical music as a guide to show different animated
states, ranging from abstract imagery of just seeing orchestral parts played
before you, to playful colourings of Greek Mythology with Gods, Pegasus and
Centaur creatures, to the finale where the creature Chernabog brings all
darkness to him, only to simply be sent away by light and walking monks.
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| Yes, bit balls of light will send away Chernabog for the night. Just tonight though. |
As films go, this is definitely worth a number of viewings.
The music selected I do genuinely like, containing many of my favourite pieces
of classical works, like ‘Tocatta and Fogue in D Minor’ by Johann Sebastian
Bach, ‘Nutcracker Suite’ by Pytor Iiych Tchaikovsky, and ‘Night on Bold
Mountain’ by Modest Mussorgsky, every instrument heightening my soul to new
levels of emotion. The only two pieces I’m not really fond of are ‘Rite of
Spring’ by Igor Stravinsky because it felt too bombastic and quite fast, and
‘Ave Maria’ by Franz Schubert, because even as a kid, I could not get my head
around how slow it had become, and after re-watching it I felt tired out after
all that came before it.
The animation in it is just a delight to watch. Everything
from the abstract work to the end is fantastic (ha!). It just allows you to see
all sorts of different worlds, to move you with its simplicity, either with
seeing visuals of strings flying across the screen, to charging skeletal horses
flying through the night sky to Chernabog. Probably the best animation that
moved me the most was the ‘Nutcracker Suite’, with its changing of the seasons
motif. It was the one I remember most as a child, that stuck in my mind a
number of times. But ‘Night on Bold Mountain’ does stick out a little because
of the song, and the animation in that is very well done.
Fantasia is one of my favourite films, if bar a little
nitpicking in the middle and end because of the songs and animation choice. But
I would definitely give it a recommendation in any capacity.
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3. Frozen
This really needs no introduction. We’ve all seen it, we’ve
sung it, we have different t-shirts about it, Frozen has become the biggest new
Disney Franchise since…well probably the Lion King, or Star Wars depending on
your view.
Very, very, VERY loosely based off the fairytale ‘The Snow
Queen’, Frozen follows two sisters, Princess (becoming literally Queen) Elsa
and Anna. The former has ice powers, and plays with Anna one night,
accidentally injuring her. Her parents take her to some magical trolls, who
make Anna forget Elsa has her powers. Elsa in the meantime worries that she
can’t control her powers, and gets little help in doing so. As they grow up to
adults, both sisters get into conflict with each other, because of Anna’s
sudden proposal and Elsa’s fear of her powers, leading to their homeland of
Arendelle being covered in perpetual winter.
As recent Disney films go, this has gone up to being one of
my favourites, being very funny, very dramatic and also with a pretty good
twist at the end, which does make a lot of sense! The story is very well done,
despite a number of plot holes (like Elsa’s control of her powers, seriously no
one could help her out with that at all?), you could argue it’s almost like a
satire of Disney films in a way. Think about it, Anna believes its true love
when she meets Prince Hans, only for him to try and kill her off when her heart
is frozen, and of course her saving Elsa constitutes as an act of true love,
which I admit I did see as possible because they’re sisters, and I was right!
Haha!
As songs go, they’re very addictive (as I know to my brother
and sister-in-laws taste). I find them very good and sung really well. Of
course, I had heard ‘Let It Go’ before I actually saw the film, but seeing the
visuals on-screen as Elsa’s dancing and showing off her powers made me just
want to sing along with the song. It is a joy to listen to, and I’d gladly
listen to it again, though there is a fear of getting annoyed with it so much
(as again I know to my brother and sister-in-laws taste).
The comedy, I found, really funny, in fact probably one of
the more funniest Disney films out of all the films on this list. I found Olaf
great, Kristoff and Sven funny, and that random Scandinaivan (or Norwegian I think?)
guy in his winter shop. The timing for each joke is pretty much spot on,
especially Olaf being almost a walking disaster, but still very funny (though I
don’t much care for his song about summer. Sorry!).
I could go on, but there’s no real need to. Frozen is still
one of the best Disney films I’ve seen. BUT it isn’t THE best. Apologises to
Mibs Bayliss before she hunts me down with a Santa Stocking, filled with coal
no doubt……bring it on anyway.
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| I have the perfect weapon ;) |
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2. Beauty and the Beast
What CAN be said about this film that doesn’t need to be
said already? This was the first animated film by Disney to be nominated for Best
Picture at the Oscars in 1992, the first to be adapted into a Broadway Musical
feature, and yet still manages to remain timeless in its own right.
Again as a kid, this was something I watched over and over
again as well, but it wasn’t my absolute favourite. I wasn’t a big fan of the
musical singing pieces because I felt they were a little distracting, though I
thought they were good, and I thought it was just a good film all the same,
story-wise and character-wise. As an adult however, I believe I have a better
understanding of the film, and I love it. Absolutely love it. From that frankly
haunting, yet fantastic piano piece at the beginning, to the nicely done
animation, almost too simple for my tastes but I’m not going to knock it for
that, to the pretty basic story that is also nicely paced.
The characters are just great. Belle is a really complex
character unlike the other Disney Princesses, searching for something grander
than herself, and is a complete bookworm through and through, always with a
book in hand. She is just such an interesting person to look to. The Beast is
such a great character too, his temper getting the better of him in some cases,
but he finds a good heart coming through when hanging around Belle, and it’s
just a great transformation. The two are pretty much MEANT for each other
because they begin to understand one another, and gradually come to fall in
love with each other. It’s almost perfect how it’s all set out.
The music is just on another level completely to other
Disney films. It ranges all sorts of emotions from playfulness, but with a
tinge of mystery like in ‘Belle’ and ‘Gaston’, to slow sadness, but then
quickly escalating into fast-paced violin strings at the beginning of the
transformation scene, to full-blown triumphant right at the end. The songs
themselves are pretty good, but they can bring you right into the world. There’s
just something so…touching about them that you cannot help, but allow yourself to
be taken in by this fairy-tale world. This is one of composer Alan Menkin’s
best works for Disney, and with very well done lyrics by the late Howard Ashfield,
who sadly passed away a few days after Beauty and the Beast was first screened,
though his writing lives on.
Beauty and the Beast is one my absolute favourites through
and through, one that I would still willingly watch if I had time, or feel in
the mood for it. I will admit to feeling a little sceptical about hearing how
they will remake Beauty and the Beast into live-action, with Emma Watson and
Dan Stevens (of Downton Abbey) as the main roles. The live-action remakes of
these animated classics are up and down, and I do wonder about seeing the
remake of Cinderella, but I am a little hopeful too that they might pull it
off. Emphasis on MIGHT, knowing how Disney try but end up failing at every
post. If the remake does cock-up, maybe that should be a good sign to just
stop.
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| Perhaps if I overact, Disney will take the hint. |
Now, some of you may be quite shocked at how Beauty and the
Beast is only No. 2 on this list. Yes it is one of Disney’s best animated
films, but it’s not MY overall favourite. That real honour goes to…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
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1. The Hunchback of Notre Dame
This film….my god. I never saw this at the cinema (I think)
but I had the old video for it, and brought the DVD last year for it, and it
still really holds up as my all-time favourite Disney movie. When I watched
this for the first few times, there were a few things I didn’t quite
understand, but there was enough to keep my attention, especially through the
animation. Now, it still really holds up in my eyes, still made me laugh, still
had me in awe at the visuals, and still had me with the music, it’s hard to go
on explaining why!
The film is based off the 19th century novel by
Victor Hugo, following the bell-ringer Quasimodo, a deformed man who lives in
the bell-towers of Notre Dame, in a simple quest to go out into the City of
Paris and see what the outside world is like. His master Judge Claude Frollo
refuses to let him out, because of his brainwashing Quasimodo into believing he
is a monster, but Quasimodo still goes out anyway, and soon gets caught up in
the world of gypsies, especially one called Esmeralda.
The story, despite its darker and more mature tone, is
really really good, despite the few number of plot holes that do exist in it.
Quasimodo is a good character, seeing how kinds he is, but also being fiercely
protective of those he does care about, especially with Esmeralda. Esmeralda
herself is also good, being quite mysterious, but also being caring and
thoughtful, more so with Quasimodo. Captain Phoebus is also pretty good, and I
liked the dynamic relationship between him and Esmeralda more now than I did as
a kid. Frollo as a villain is one of the best, easily number one given the
choice. He is torn between trying to do God’s work, and yet lustful because of his
infatuation with Esmeralda, but this just turns him into a great villain,
someone who has literally no mercy on his mind. The only thing that did bother
me as a kid was how abrupt the ending was, as it literally goes from night to
day and just finishes up like that, but it was cool to see Quasimodo finally
accepted among the people of Paris.
The animation really stood out for me in different places,
showing how colourful it is, but also how deep and dark it could be as well.
One image that really stood out in my mind was when Quasimodo breaks his chains
before the big finale, and stands up in anger. That simple image stays with me
to this day. The music as well has stayed with me, and I just adore it so much,
especially with the choir music. It’s just so haunting, yet epic and simple at
the same time. That too has stayed in my mind ever since.
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| This is what might happen after I begin to 'appreciate' the Twilight Saga. Luckily it will never happen. |
There’s just something about The Hunchback of Notre Dame I
don’t think I want to get away from. It’s just so grandiose in tone. The story
is great, the characters are great, just everything in this movie is just beautiful.
Of course it’s flawed with plot holes and few nit-picking stuff, but I really
don’t mind those. It’s something that’s stayed with me this long, and I’d like
to stay with as long as I live. My favourite Disney film so far!
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That is it for this month ladies and gents, I hope you
enjoyed my list and hopefully won’t be coming after me with pitchforks and
fiery torches. But if you’ll excuse me, I’ll need to await Mibs hunting me down
for having Frozen higher on my list.
See you next month! Randomizer out.
