The Disney Princess Films From Worst To Best
With Raya and the Last Dragon coming out tomorrow, it got me thinking about the Disney Princesses and thought I would review the Disney Princess™ movies thus far from worst to best. Let me know what you think. What are your rankings of Disney films?
PS - I did include Brave because it technically is a Disney Princess™ film, but I did not include the Wreck-It Ralph films because that would have been more complicated.
14. Brave
Poor Brave. I actually don't dislike Brave, but it had to go somewhere and it went to the bottom of my list. It's more of a testament to the strong Disney Princess™ films out there. While the film is full of wonderfully dramatic moments, it could also get long in the tooth as well. So, for this reasons, it's at the bottom.
13. The Princess and the Frog
Whenever I tell people The Princess and the Frog is toward the bottom of my list, I usually get an eyebrow raise or just a plain out, "Are you crazy?" I don't know why this film didn't connect with me as much. I absolutely adore the music, although I ultimately did find the movie arrangements disappointing compared to the high energy arrangements of the Disney Parks "Tiana's Showboat Jubilee." I think its mostly because they are frogs during the large part of the film and I kept thinking they were from a Warner Brothers cartoon. It really detracted for me.
12. Frozen 2
I hate to say it, but Frozen 2 is toward the bottom for me. A big part of it is personal taste. I really enjoyed the more awkward and whimsical version of Anna from the first movie. I get this film was about change and growing, but it was hard for me to watch. It's almost like I was her father mourning his little girl growing up. And, that's really the big reason why I don't like the film all that much.
11. Aladdin
This is where it starts getting really hard because I truthfully enjoy any of the rest of them where I can just put them on and enjoy any time. The reason why Aladdin ranks this low is mainly because this is a ranking of Disney Princesses and this film really is more about the hero Aladdin. Yes, Jasmine is a great headstrong princess deserving of her own movie. But, for this list, I decided to put this lower on the basis of this not being her film.
10. Frozen
While I did start to feel the Frozen fatigue with the over saturation of it in the Disney Parks, I really do enjoy this film. Anna is one of my favorite princesses because she's a weirdo like me. I love weirdos. But, because Disney decided to bombard us for years with Frozen, I am a little worn out and that's most likely while I ranked it here.
9. Pocahontas
Pocahontas has some of my favorite Disney music of all time. "Colors of the Wind" is one of my favorite songs. If I had to judge this movie solely on music, it would probably be at the top. But, I can't. And, I have to acknowledge that the film is not the most exciting film and has the least amount of magic to it. Aside from that, I cannot overlook some of the historical inaccuracies in the film as well.
8. Sleeping Beauty
Sleeping Beauty is one of Disney's most beautiful animated films and this is where it gets REALLY, REALLY hard. The design is wonderful and the coloring is so lush. It's like watching a moving painting. I don't really have a good reason for ranking it here other than I just enjoy watching the other films more.
7. The Little Mermaid
The Little Mermaid has a special place in my heart. When I was in animation school, this was the first film to come out. It was also the beginning of the Disney renaissance. But, because it was a new time at Disney and the new guard were still trying to learn after the old guard left, you could tell animation wise that the film left a little to be desired. If you really pay attention, there are many different models of Ariel. They also tested computer animation which looked muddy. So, for those reasons only are why I ranked this here.
6. Beauty and the Beast
I remember seeing this in the theater thinking that this was it. Disney had created a Broadway show. And, I absolutely loved it. It is an amazing movie but, like The Little Mermaid, it suffered a little because the animation wasn't totally up to standard. While it had improved quite a bit, you could see some holes in the artistry. And, for those reasons, I put this here.
5. Moana
From here on, it's mostly like I took a dart to pick which ones I liked the best. This is truly where it gets harder. I absolutely adore Moana and I love the diversity of the music from its rhythmic Polynesian sound to pure rap to wonderful ballad. But, most of all, I love the fact that this is a movie about a strong young woman who isn't trying to find romance. She is trying to rescue her people, the most noble of acts.
4. Tangled
When The Princess and the Frog first came out, I thought maybe Disney was losing it in its ability to tell a princess movie. Then, along came Tangled which really threw the princess genre on its ear. Here was this young woman who wasn't overly strong nor was she overly weak. She had this wonderful sense of vulnerability, yet could hold her own against the bad man. She yearned, but not for a man. For something simple, To see the lights. And, yes, she found romance along the way. But there's nothing wrong with that.
3. Mulan
Mulan is a hard one because, is it really a Disney Princess™ film? But, because Disney counts her as such, so shall we go. So, why is she so high on my list? Because Mulan is one of my favorite Disney movies of all time. I actually love it more than Cinderella, but, because this is a list of Disney Princesses, this film ranked slightly less than that film.
2. Cinderella
Whenever I think of a Disney Princess™, Cinderella is the first one that comes to mind. She is absolutely gorgeous in her blue gown. And, she has all the qualities of being a great princess in terms of having a sweet heart and great fortitude. Cinderella is one of Disney's finest films definitely deserving of sitting on the top.
1. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
Cinderella would actually be my #1 film, but there is one reason why Snow White ranked higher. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs is not only the first, but it is a sheer masterpiece if you look at where Disney was 10 years before it with the rubber hose animation of the Mickey Mouse cartoons. Just look at the amazing backgrounds and multiplane camera use that really brings the movie to life. It truly is a triumph!