“Happily ever after”, something we have a hard time believing in real life. Except Disney will have you believing in it. When you turn on the TV, press play and hear those fireworks – for the next hour or two, anything will seem possible.
Whether you’re 5, 15 or 30 years old, you’ve probably grown up watching Disney movies. If that’s not the case, you’re depriving yourself of cinematic perfection. Immediately go binge-watch each one of these movies!
Disney movies are what shaped most childhoods. Adulthoods too, if you’re nostalgic and a fan of re-watching. Besides the realistic looking animation, relatable characters, somehow always a captivating plot along with the valuable life lessons in each movie, Disney has incorporated some not-commonly-talked-about topics into some of its movies’ storylines.
Here are five times they handled those issues really well.
In The Lion King, when Scar killed Mufasa and blamed it on Simba – this highlighted the dangers of how far some people are willing to go just for power.
This is an important lesson in power and betrayal, as well as a reality check. Sometimes you have to see people for who they really are, not the version of them we’ve created in our head, even if they are our own family. We may try to see the best in people who have proven themselves otherwise.
In Toy Story 2, when Jessie’s backstory revealed that she had been abandoned, but that didn’t mean she was incapable of giving or receiving love.
As heartbreaking and emotional as that scene was, Jessie does find her happily ever after (as most Disney characters do). Eventually, she is able to open up to a new group of people who reciprocate the love and effort, making her feel safe. It is a lesson that no matter what you have gone through, if you allow yourself to grow because of it, you will come out the other side stronger and wiser. Supportive friends are a big help too.
In The Hunchback of Notre Dame – the crowd bullied Quasimodo and threw tomatoes at him just because he was ‘different’.
The whole movie focused on religious corruption and a stigma around those who are different. The need to show compassion, eliminate discrimination based on looks and the overall need for open-mindedness was discussed throughout the movie. Another reason why Disney continually pleases audiences — they don’t dumb down storylines for kids, and they can tackle serious issues.
In Up, when Ellie found out she was pregnant, decorated an entire nursery for her child, but then suffered a miscarriage.
To get through this movie, boxes upon boxes of tissues are essential. The entire movie was about perspective. They showed Ellie and Carl accepting their obstacles and overcoming them. This particular moment didn’t shy away from the fact that life can be hard and painful, and we do not always get what we wish for. You can make peace with the fact that it wasn’t meant for you and something better is coming along.
In Mulan, when she proved to the misogynistic men/society that women can be strong, smart and tough, and their place doesn’t have to be in the home.
The men almost killed Mulan when they found out she was a woman posing as a man, even after she saved everyone with the avalanche. Then, when she tried to warn the people of China that the Huns were still alive, all of the men ignored what she had to say because she was a woman. This movie was reflective of the times but is still a good lesson in misogyny.
