Disney Movies Ranked: (Round 8) The "Progressive Age"

Disney Movies Ranked: (8) The "Progressive Age"

Hello everybody! I'm back with round 8 of ranking Disney movies. Just a reminder this is part of a series where I critique every single Walt Disney Animation Studios film, and "rank" them on a number of things such as music, character development, etc. If you'd like to visit past rounds, you can do so by clicking the link(s) below:

Round 1 "The Golden Age"

Round 2 "The Silver Age"

Round 3 "The Gilded Age"

Round 4 "The Shadow Age"

Round 5 "The Forgotten Age"

Round 6 "The Neo-Classical Age"

Round 7 "The Epic Age"

This round covers the final years of the Disney Renaissance (about 1998-2001). During this period of time, Disney was starting to experience some important changes. One of the most important of those changes was the birth of Pixar and Dreamworks--and the competition they brought to Disney. Dreamworks released Antz, The Prince of Egypt, and The Road to El Dorado during this time. None of these movies were as popular as the Disney movies they competed against, and received mixed reviews. However, they were successful enough for Dreamworks to get on its feet, and eventually become Disney's number one competitor in later years. During this same time, Pixar showed off a new form of animation for all the world to see: CGI animation. Although CGI had been used before, Pixar was the first to make animated movies that were exclusively Computer generated. 

The birth of this new competition and new technology helped push Disney to make many improvements in its story-telling and animation techniques. Disney's progress in these regards is the reason why I decided to christen this round, "The Progressive Age".

Mulan became a world-wide sensation, being Disney's first movie to feature an exclusively Asian cast of characters--and it also featured one of the most well-written female protagonists of all time. Additionally, Mulan saw Disney create a form of animation that allowed for enormous crowds (with unique members) to be animated, as can be seen in this round's cover image. Tarzan further innovated animation by creating a process known as "deep canvas". Essentially, this allowed 3D and 2D animation to be combined together--the best example of this is when Tarzan "surfs" on the trees. This helped bring traditional animation to life in such a way as had never been seen before. You can learn more about deep canvas here.

Dinosaur was Disney's first CGI movie (although it used live-action photography for backgrounds). The movie received poor reviews, but it made Disney a decent amount of money, and helped build the foundation for Disney's entrance into CGI animation. Afterwards, Disney released The Emperor's New Groove. This movie is basically an animated buddy comedy, and although some critics didn't like the change of pace, it's one of the best examples of Disney broadening its horizons. Not to mention it features native Peruvians in an awesome movie. 

So, let's talk about the rankings!

1. Best Female Lead

4th Place: Neera (Dinosaur)

Neera is...a person. Well, a dinosaur person. That's about all I can think of for her. Oh, and she likes the fact that Aladar's nice to kids. And her brother's a jerk. Um...and she's Aladar's love interest...

Man, Neera is probably one of the most boring female characters Disney has ever made. Yeah, that's all I can think of.

3rd Place: Chicha (The Emperor's New Groove)

Chicha sadly does not get a whole lot of screen time, but the screen time she does have is well used. Chicha is one of the only characters in the whole movie who's mentally/emotionally stable, which makes her the "serious relief" of the movie (the opposite of the comic relief, since this whole movie is a comedy). She's dependable, strong, and calm. She's the symbol of the peaceful, familial life that Kuzco needs to learn to appreciate.

2nd Place: Jane Porter (Tarzan)

I really like Jane as a character. She has a pretty good mix of positive and negative traits that make her a likable, yet believable character. She's curious, intelligent, and open-minded, yet she's also indecisive, and a little immature at times. She's similar to Belle from Beauty and the Beast, in that she is an intellectual and is very curious. Though, in my opinion, Jane seems to be more of a scholar since she gets to do more actual field work and studying in her movie.

One thing I really like about Jane is that she embodies the sense of wonder and awe that is one of the central themes of the film. When she meets Tarzan, she, and her father, look at him through the eyes of wonder and awe. She is eager to learn from him, and falls in love with the wonders of his world. Wonder and awe are two of the most important human traits in my opinion, so I'm grateful that Jane exemplifies them.

Winner: Fa Mulan (Mulan)

Probably one of the most beloved female Disney characters of all time, and rightly so. Mulan is an extremely compelling character who, in my opinion, successfully merges the two forms of character storytelling (flat and positive character arcs). Just to clarify, a positive character arc is when a character starts off believing a lie about themselves or the world, and then learns to accept the truth about themselves or the world by the end of the movie. A flat character arc is a story in which the character starts out believing the truth, and the world eventually comes to believe in that same truth thanks to the character’s actions. Usually, a protagonist fits only one of these arcs, but Mulan successfully fits both.

Mulan begins the movie believing the lie that she will never be accepted for who she truly is, and that her true self would bring nothing but shame and heartbreak to her family. By the end of the movie, she learns and believes, that being her true self can bring honor to her family, and that her true self is someone of great worth. In addition, her own family goes through this arc with her, particularly her father. When Mulan tries to stop her father from going to war, he is cold and rejecting towards her stating “you dishonor me”. This is juxtaposed with what he says to Mulan when she comes home from the war: “the greatest gift and honor, is having you for my daughter”. Something important to note here is that the sword of Shan Yu and the crest of the emperor, two very prestigious and honorable gifts, are carelessly tossed aside by Mulan’s father, so that he can embrace his true treasure—her. This is the keystone moment of Mulan’s positive character arc.

Now let’s talk about the truth Mulan believes from the very beginning. From the beginning of the movie, she demonstrates the inner belief that she is her family’s protector, and it is a truth which she clings to throughout the entire movie. She goes along with her family’s wishes to have her be a bride at the beginning of the movie because she believes that it will protect her family’s honor. She tries to stop her father from going to war because she doesn’t want him to be killed. She takes her father’s place in the army to protect him. She becomes a soldier and fights to protect her family (both her literal family, and her national family) from the invasion of the Huns. And then, she protects her family again by bringing the emperor’s gifts of honor to her home. The rest of the world starts out disbelieving that Mulan is her family’s protector. As she proves herself, and saves China, the world begins to believe what Mulan has known all along—that she can save her family and country.

There’s a really awesome fan theory about how Mulan is actually the embodiment of the Great Stone Dragon—which is why the Great Stone Dragon statue doesn’t awaken when Mushu attempts to waken it. Mulan is often shown next to or directly in front of the Great Stone Dragon’s statue, and she is connected to dragon imagery throughout the entire movie. The Great Stone Dragon is stated by Mulan’s ancestors to be the most powerful guardian of the family. This is the movie’s way of subtly nodding to the truth that Mulan believes deep down inside of herself—that she is her family’s greatest protector. Here's a link to a video that goes into more depth on this theory: here.

Besides her great character development and the awesome symbolism that surrounds her, Mulan is also one of the most relatable Disney characters ever. For one thing, she isn’t a Mary Sue (a Mary Sue is film critic lingo for a character who is inexplicably awesome and talented at everything they do, without any real training or growth). She’s clumsy, awkward, and really sucks at being a soldier at first. However, as she works hard and uses her intellect, she becomes better at these things, and becomes a hero. Most people have to work hard in order to achieve excellence, thus, the hard work and perseverance that Mulan puts in makes her a believable, relatable, and even inspiring character.

All of these great traits combined make Mulan this round’s best Female Lead (and quite possibly the best of all Disney…)

2. Best Male Lead

4th Place: Aladar (Dinosaur)

So, Aladar is this orphaned Iguanadon who was raised by lemurs...and he's nice to kids. Um, he also sounds like a cow when he does his dinosaur call, or whatever you want to call it. He's kind of smart I guess, and is persistent. I...can't really think of anything else to say about him...yep.

3rd Place: Li Shang (Mulan)

Shang, I still am not sure what to think about him. On the one hand, he kind of fits that muscle-head stereotype that's so prevalent in male Disney love-interests. Yet, on the other hand, they also give his character meaningful growth and give him very personal challenges to go through. We see him have to bear the weight of his father's death, while trying to lead the remnants of China's army. He takes all of this reasonably well considering the circumstances. Yes, he's kind of a blockhead, but at least he's a blockhead you can relate to and root for.

Something that I really like about Shang is his sense of fairness. After he finds out Mulan is a woman, he spares her life rather than carry out the law and execute her. After she comes back to China, he's a little reluctant to listen to her, but eventually does listen to her and helps her save the day. He then bravely stands up for her when the emperor's council tries to have her arrested (and even tries to stand up to the emperor before the emperor reveals his true intentions). He's willing to break tradition to see that Mulan is treated fairly. And for that, I give Shang a lot of respect.

2nd Place: Kuzco (The Emperor's New Groove)

[Insert your favorite Kuzco quote here]

So, let's get the obvious out of the way first. Kuzco is one of the funniest Disney protagonists ever. He's sarcastic, relatable, and perfect meme fodder. He's basically the spirit animal for those of us who grew up during the 2000's.

Besides being hilarious and wonderfully sarcastic, Kuzco also represents a very relatable character arc that I hope most of us have gone through ourselves. At first, his humor and charisma are used selfishly and punitively. At the beginning of the movie, he's down right cruel. He's willing to displace an entire village, leaving them homeless (and possibly even dead). He eventually learns how to become selfless and humble, and his humor and charisma become forces for good. 

He's a very simple character, but definitely lovable and well written.   

Winner: Tarzan (Tarzan)

Tarzan is a lot more developed and fleshed out as a character than I remember him being. He isn't just some loin-cloth-wearing muscle man. He's a complex character who has to deal with a very interesting, and relatable conflict. Most Disney protagonists in the 90's struggle with a single conflit-- the crisis of finding acceptance from the world around them. They want the world to accept their identity. Tarzan, on the other hand struggles with two personal conflicts. On the one hand, he struggles to find acceptance in his world, just like other Disney protagonists do. He wants the gorillas to accept and love him, and his quest to earn Kerchak's acceptance is one of the major sub-plots of the movie. Like Mulan, he finds the acceptance he is looking for as he protects those he loves.

During the second act of the film, however, Tarzan is presented with a conflict that is rather unique among Disney protagonists. He must make the choice between two separate identities. He has to decide whether he wants to continue to live in the jungle with his family, or become part of a new world, with his own kind. What makes this so interesting is that there really isn't a "wrong" choice in his situation. Both choices have pros and cons. On the one hand, his gorilla family has come to respect and even rely on him. His mother, who has been the symbol of acceptance and love throughout his entire life, is also among those he would have to leave behind if he left the jungle. On the other hand, Jane, and the world she represents, has helped Tarzan discover more about himself than he ever knew. His whole life, he's felt a yearning to be with those who understand him, and with Jane, he would have that. The inner conflict that these competing choices create in Tarzan makes him a complex, and relatable character. 

By the way, I'm pretty sure that Tarzan could give Captain Hook a run for his money in terms of leg strength and flexibility.

I mean, just look at the that flawless technique, and he's doing it while carrying 120 pounds! Definitely gold medal Olympic gymnast material right there.


3. Best Villain/Antagonist

4th Place: William Clayton (Tarzan)

Eh, Clayton's kind of a boring villain. The most interesting thing about him is that he shaves with a machete (I strongly advise against doing that), and his horrific death scene were he accidentally hangs himself with vines. I know that he's just a poacher, so it's hard for his character to really be that complicated, but Disney has shown in the past that villains with boring motivations can still be good characters (like Percival McLeach from The Rescuers: Down Under). Maybe they should have given him more time to develop himself as a villain.

3rd Place: Carnotaurus (Dinosaur)

Nothing is better than a couple of giant Theropods to shake things up in a dinosaur movie. These guys aren't complicated or anything, but they are my favorite type of dinosaur, so you know, they get some preferential treatment. The only thing I don't like is that these dinosaurs can't talk--but all the other ones can't. They definitely got the short end of the stick.

"Rawr" -best quote from the whole movie.

2nd Place: Shan Yu (Mulan)

Sadly, Shan Yu is not nearly as compelling as the protagonist he opposes. He's a big, scary looking Mongolian/Steppe-dweller stereotype (complete with black and yellow eyes...seriously?) I think this guy was supposed to be based off of Ghengis Khan or Atilla the Hun. The problem though is that most of the evil those warlords committed can't be shown in a rated G film (Ghengis Khan literally tied children to his soldier's shields so that the opposing army wouldn't shoot arrows at them), therefore, Shan Yu is relegated to just looking ominous and delivering evil sounding one-liners. He doesn't have a strong enough personality to back himself up. We have no idea why he's attacking China, we gain no insight to what drives him, and the times in which he should shine as a villain (the movie's rising action and climax) are sort of glossed over. 

To be fair though, there is one aspect in which Shan Yu does a pretty good job--being Mulan's opposite. Mulan fights to protect her people and her family. Shan Yu is an invader, who fights for seemingly no other reason other than to kill. Mulan's character is steeped in Dragon symbolism, a creature that represented strength, power, protection, and luck in Chinese myth. In contrast, Shan Yu is steeped heavily in wolf symbolism, an animal associated with barbarianism, selfishness, and being blinded by greed in Chinese myth (learn more about Chinese Animal symbolism here). It's also interesting to note that the Chinese believed that Ghengis Khan (the warlord who nearly destroyed China) was descended from a wolf--which makes Shan Yu's wolf symbolism all the more appropriate.

Winner: Yzma (The Emperor's New Groove)

"I'll turn him into a flea, a harmless little flea. And then I'll put that flea in a box, and I'll put that box inside of another box, and I'll mail that box to myself. And when it arrives, muahaha, I'll SMASH IT WITH A HAMMER!"

I don't even know if I really need to explain this one. Yzma's just an absolutely fun villain. She's just as sarcastic and hilarious as Kuzco, she's a mad scientist, and she turns into an evil cat. What's not to love? 

I'd go into a big long list about why I love her, but let's be honest. You all already know what's great about her, and if you don't, then go watch the movie and you'll understand. :)

4. Best Side/Supporting Character(s)

4th Place: Baylene, Eema, and Url (Dinosaur)

I liked these guys better than any of the main characters, so they get props for that. Baylene is this British Apatosaurus ("long-neck" for the dinosaur layman), and Eema is this grouchy old triceratops thing, who I guess is a woman, but sounds like an old man. And Url is this weird spikey thing that acts like a dog...or something. They're okay, they have some funny moments. They're nothing too special. Just dinosaurs doing dinosaur things.

3rd Place: Mushu (Mulan)

"I am the powerful, the pleasurable, the indestructible Mushu".

This little dragon/not lizard is probably the part that most people remember about this movie outside of Mulan herself. As far as side characters go, he's pretty decent. He's got some hilarious lines, and even has somewhat of a character arc. He goes from risking Mulan's life just to help himself achieve his own selfish goals, to being the one who helps her instrument the salvation of her homeland. It's actually pretty rare that comic relief characters get a character arc, so it's nice that Mushu has one.

Also, since Mulan is possibly the Great Stone Dragon, and since Mushu is the one who helps her in her quest to protect her family, I guess that means Mushu completes the task the ancestors gave him: to awaken the Great Stone Dragon. And, his waking up the Great Stone Dragon is what saved all of China. Man, no wonder they had to give him his job back at the end.

2nd Place: Kala & Archimedes Porter

I really like that this movie gives both of its protagonists living parents--and good parents at that. 

Kala is introduced as a mother who has lost a child--something completely unheard of for a Disney movie. The very first scene of the movie is of her losing her baby to the leopard, Sabor. Usually, it's the mother who dies, and the child who lives in Disney movies, not the other way around (although Tarzan's biological parents do die). This really gives a lot of depth and emotional weight to Kala's character. Her love and devotion for Tarzan help build the foundation of the movie's heart, and set the stage for the beautiful theme of two worlds coming together as one.

Archimedes is also a really cool parent (plus he has one of the best mustaches ever). He shares in Jane's curiosity and love of learning, and he's probably the one who instilled those values in her in the first place. Whereas other Disney fathers are seen as being restrictive and demanding towards their daughters, Archimedes provides something fresh. He helps his daughter realize her potential--and help her act on her true desires.

Winner: Kronk (The Emperor's New Groove)

"What are the odds of that trapdoor leading me all the way out here?"

Kronk represents everything I love about this movie. He's just such a warm person, everything about him just exudes this likeableness. He's that friend that everyone should have, in one way or in another. The only bad thing I can about him is that he gives women unrealistic expectations about men's body shape (seriously, the guy's a walking triangle). I mean, come on, no guy's shoulders are ever that broad.

Anyway, Kronk helps make life happy. Honestly, who doesn't smile when they see a picture of this guy, or hear somebody quoting him? Nobody (except maybe Yzma). Kronk is the spirit animal of happiness.


5. Best Music/Songs

4th Place: Dinosaur

This movie had some good music to it. The music that plays during the first scene is pretty good. And there's also some good music that goes along with the action scenes. It's quite forgettable though, so I can't really give it that high of a score.

3rd Place: The Emperor's New Groove

This movie doesn't have a whole lot of music or singing, it's mostly centered on the comedy. I think that serves the movie well, as it would probably be too awkward to have classic Disney-esque songs in a movie like this. The songs and music that are in the movie are quite catchy though.

2nd Place: Mulan

The music in this movie pretty good, and has some of my favorite songs. "I'll make a man out of you", and "a girl worth fighting for" are very catchy, and examples of well-done dramatic irony (when information that the audience knows but the movie characters don't is used for either dramatic or comedic effect). "Reflection" is also a beautiful song that captures the emotional conflict and depth of Mulan perfectly.

Winner: Tarzan

The music in this movie is by far one of my absolute favorites. In my opinion, Phil Collins did an excellent job writing and performing the songs for this movie. "Two worlds" is the perfect song to introduce the main themes of the movie (and a reprise of it also plays at the end to signal the full circle completion of the movie's themes). "You'll be in my heart" is a beautiful ode to parenthood. "Son of man" and "Strangers like me" are powerful ways to show the growth of Tarzan throughout the movie, as he learns to gain acceptance from his family, and then learn more about the world he truly came from. 

6. Best Romance

4th Place: Aladar & Neera (Dinosaur)

Well, they're both really boring, so I guess that means they're perfect for each other. The movie doesn't really seem to care about their relationship all that much, since they only have like 5-10 minutes of shared screen time. Well anyway, let's move on to movies who actually care about their characters' relationships.

3rd Place: Fa Mulan & Li Shang (Mulan)

Well, this relationship is rather interesting. For the majority of the movie, Mulan and Shang's relationship is one of friendship, and respect, without romance. It isn't until the emperor talks some sense into him that Shang tries to court Mulan. I kind of like that they leave the romance part of their relationship unanswered (at least until their horrible sequel). It just goes to show that sometimes the romance of your dreams takes more than a day or a week to happen. Sometimes they just awkwardly flirt with you and join you for dinner. Sometimes those are the best kinds of romances though. Not everyone is a dashing prince, or a graceful princess. Sometimes you're just two awkward ducks who are crazy for each other because you fought in a war together and realized that you both really love martial arts--or something like that.

2nd Place: Pacha & Chicha (The Emperor's New Groove)

"Oh sure, you two can stay up. Mommy and I are just gonna be talking about how much we love each other". I'm so doing this when I'm married and have kids :).

 Pacha and Chicha have an awesome relationship with each other. They're perfect for each other. It's really nice when a kid's movie shows a married, middle-aged couple still in love with each other--that's a healthy role-model for kids. I can't really think of anything negative to say about this romance besides the fact that I would have liked to see them have more screen time together. Great couple.

Winner: Tarzan & Jane (Tarzan)

I really loved the relationship between these two. The best thing about this relationship is how much they both bring to it. Neither one of them really drags their heels. They both absolutely adore each other and do everything they can to spend time with each other. The way they look at each other, is just adorable. They make the whole audience root for them.

Something unique about their relationship is the sense of wonder and amazement they have for each other. Both of them are powerfully motivated to learn about and share in the other's world. I think that taking interest in the other person's world is one of the most important things about any relationship. When people are genuinely interested in us, it opens us up, and allows for emotional intimacy. This is what makes Tarzan and Jane's relationship so believable and lovable.  

I also want to point out that their love fulfills the words of the very first song in the movie: "Two worlds, one family". There's probably no better way to describe the coming together of two people :).

7. Best Overall

4th Place: Dinosaur

The CGI was great, and was a big step forward for animated movies. The story and dialogue on the other hand...well, let's just say that Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom has better writing. I didn't even like it that much as a kid, I liked The Land Before Time and We're Back! a lot better. But, it helped usher in the age of CGI animation so there's that.

3rd Place: The Emperor's New Groove

Heartwarming, and hilarious. This movie is a staple for anyone who claims to be a millennial. I realize that it isn't as emotionally deep or as well-written as other Disney movies, but it's still something unique and totally a classic. 

2nd Place: Mulan

See what I mean by Mulan's dragon imagery? She's got the hilt of her sword that's a dragon head, she has a live dragon on her shoulders, and she has a "lucky cricket" which is linked to the common belief that Dragons are symbolic of luck in China.

A powerful, emotional story that is well written, and has one of the best Disney protagonists of all time. I do place it in second place however for slightly weaker secondary/supporting characters. A relatively small thing though, because this movie is still one of Disney's greatest.

Winner: Tarzan

 

I really loved how well the characters, story, and music worked together to make this movie the masterpiece that it really is. I know that this movie gets overlooked a lot, but it has some seriously deep themes about parenting, identity, and love. The movie delivers on these main themes through its soul-stirring music, lovable and interesting characters, and well-done writing.

***
And that marks the end of the Disney Renaissance. Overall, I found that the movies in this era (1989-2001) were worthy of the accolades given to them. These past three rounds have been very fun to watch and critique.

Next round, I'll be watching and reviewing Atlantis: The Lost Empire, Lilo & Stitch, Treasure Planet, and Brother Bear!

The organization I'm highlighting this round is the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. Although suicide is not as common among children as it is adults, there are still thousands of children each year who end their own lives. In fact, suicide is the leading cause of death for teenagers in the state of Utah. Regardless of statistics though, I think we can all agree that suicide is something we should try to eradicate from our society. This website has a link where you can donate to their cause, and they also have phone, text, and social media crisis lines to provide support for you or a loved one who is struggling with suicide.