Top 10 Disney Mothers

One element that has always been a topic of conversation amongst movie buffs and Disney buffs in particular, is Walt Disney's lack of a mother in his films. Of course the common theory is that as a result of Walt's relationship with his mother Flora, and the fact that her death resulted from a furnace leak at the house he had recently purchased for them in the 1940s, was directly to blame for his lack of mother roles or deaths of mothers in his pictures. However I really don't put much faith in this theory, Dumbo has a very endearing relationship with his mother, Wendy and her little brothers have a great mother and the movie features a song purely dedicated to what it means to have a mother. Therefore I really think the point of Disney's lack of mother figures is sort of baloney. There were and always have been several very important and dedicated mother characters in Disney history and this list is dedicated to some of the best ones (in my opinion of course!)

10. Kala (Tarzan 1998)

As I've previously talked about in a blog post, the opening of the underrated Tarzan where both a baby gorilla and a pair of human parents are brutally killed is such a heartbreaking and intense Disney sequence. Kala, the mother Gorilla is a true example of Altruism. She rescues our baby protagonist and raises him to the best of her ability, which it turns out is pretty darn impressive. Her sweet and very motherly disposition make you completely forget that she and Tarzan are a different species, and their scene together where she explains how alike they really are is one of the most tender moments ever on screen.

9. Momma (The Good Dinosaur 2015)

Speaking of underrated Disney films. In 2015 my boyfriend and I went to see Inside Out, and while we thought it was obviously a fantastic animated movie, several months later we went to say The Good Dinosaur and for us it was by far a better, sadder, funnier and more enjoyable experience. This is probably an unpopular opinion but at the end of the day it's all subjective really! When young Dinosaur Arlo goes missing, the love and respect he has for his family and his mother in particular becomes particularly evident when he talks to his new friend Spot about being seperated from them. Frances McDormand is one of my favourite actresses so add to it that she voices the character of Momma, and you've got a truly wonderful Disney mother character.

8. Mrs. Darling (Peter Pan 1953)

If anybody wanted to see what a classic Disney princess would be like as a mother, well here you have it. She may not have the royal title, but Mrs. Darling is animated, has the personality, mannerisms and lovely speaking voice of a classic Disney Princess. I adore the opening scenes of the movie in which she and Mr. Darling are getting ready to attend a party. It's so reminiscent of all of our childhoods, watching our parents get ready to go out while we play around with our toys and siblings. I particularly enjoy the dry humour Mrs. Darling shows while she remains calm as her husband, the "animated" Mr. Darling loses his patience with the children and the adorable Nana. She must be a good Mother to her kids, as they dedicate an entire song to just what a good mother is, I'm guessing they have had a lot of experience with one!

7. Helen Parr (The Incredibles, 2004)

What a super mom! As Elastigirl, Helen Parr has the ability to reach broad distances and stop criminals in their tracks. As a mom she had the ability to reach across the kitchen to catch a glass of orange juice before it hit the floor. A lot of mothers would say how truly heroic both of these abilities are on a hectic day. I love The Incredibles, the premise is so original and fun and as the matriarch of the Parr family, Helen really shines as a woman trying to keep her heroic family safe. She also has some truly funny moments, like the one where she realizes how her figure has changed since having kids, now I don't know many mothers that can't relate to that experience.

6. Eudora (The Princess and the Frog, 2009) 

With the warm voice talent of Oprah Winfrey and the realistic mixed feelings about her daughter's need for success and lack of a social life. Eudora is one of the most loving and real life mothers of all of Disney's movies. She has a very sweet and tender way with her daughter and despite being widowed young, she raised her daughter to have a strong work ethic and to never give up on her dreams. She is a real role model for all single mothers out there.

5. Mrs. Banks (Mary Poppins, 1964)

This is probably a controversial decision, because she is not the most "hands on" mother. But Mrs. Banks is a true example of a mother of her time. She may have required a nanny to look after her children, but to be honest back in those days most mothers probably did. And, there are several times throughout the movie that we see Mrs. Banks really show her affection towards her children and how she will humour them with what they have to say, particularly during the scene in which they tell her and Mr. Banks about their advertisement for a new Nanny. She is also a wonderful example of a working mother as she is so devoted to the good cause of Votes for Women!

4. Bambi's mother (Bambi 1942)

The ultimate heartbreaking moment for many a Disney person, is of course, the death of Bambi's mother by the hands of hunters. I really think this moment hits a nerve with so many people because it involves a little boy scared and alone without his only guardian and that is just a gut wrenching image. However I think it's also so strong because Bambi's mother was portrayed as the ultimate in knowing, loving and protective mothers. Her instant instinct to tell Bambi to run out of the meadow as soon as she sensed the hunters nearby was a real example of altruism and a truly protective Mother.

3. Mrs. Potts (Beauty and the Beast 1991)

What's more comforting that a mother who wants to sing you a soothing song while she offers you a hot cup of tea and a biscuit? Mrs. Potts is one of the best Disney mothers because even though she and her son Chip were turned into inanimate objects, she never let that stop her from taking the best care of him and raising him well while making the most of a tough situation. Which, lets face it is what many moms out there have to do. Plus she's voiced by Angela Lansbury, you can't get more motherly than that!

2. Duchess (The Aristocats 1970)

She's beautiful, she's protective and she teaches good lessons to her kids. The Aristocats is one of my favourite ever animated movies and I absolutely adore the stunning Duchess and her little kittens. When she and the kittens are kidnapped by the conniving Edgar, her first instinct is to gather her kids in the morning and try to get home. Luckily she meets up with the King of the Highway, Thomas O'Malley (the alley cat!) and the two take the kittens home. What I think is so great about Duchess as a single mom is that although she does fall for O'Malley, it's completely clear that she wouldn't bother with him at all unless she thought he would make an excellent Dad for her kittens, which thankfully, he really does. 

1. Sarabi (The Lion King 1994)

Well basically, I can relate to Sarabi, she was the mother of a Simba, I was the mother of a Simba. But seriously, watching The Lion King 2 the other day really made me want to do this list, I love the portrayal of Sarabi and Nala as mothers. I think Sarabi in particular is such a regal character, and her and Mufasa's love and devotion to each other and their son is such a beautiful part of the story. I also love the strength she exhibits when confronting Scar and her reaction to realizing her son is still living is a really emotional and heartwarming moment. Also I think she is animated just beautifully. She is my favourite portrayal of a Disney mother. 

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My Monthly Disney buys, wouldn't you think my collection's complete

Since joining instagram I have become very fond of following fellow Disney people and their accounts so that I can see all of their cool items and merchandise. It's not only really fun as a Disney enthusiast, it also gives you lots of ideas for gifts, decor, places to buy these things, examples of prices etc... That's why I love sharing on this blog some of my monthly Disney finds, in the hope that some readers will come across some cool stuff they'd like to seek out and own. So with that in mind, here they are, I'm really happy with what I've came across these past few weeks Disney wise, I hope you like them too!

The very first thing I bought this month was a Disney water flask. I happened upon it one day while buying sweets in Mr. Price which is kind of like Target only I'm guessing with a lot less stock. What I like about this flask so much is that it is very subtle and people might not immediately see that it is Disney as it just has the little Mickey Mouse silhouette on it, so it would be an ideal flask for a Disney lover who's not too into the flashy stuff but still wants to show their a fan. It came in different colours but of course me being me I went for the girliest one, it cost €2.95 so it's not going to be as fancy as some of this filtering flasks and whatnot, but if you're just looking to hold some water or juice on the go, it's perfect.

There's a charity shop called Jack and Jill in my town which is in aid of children with brain injuries and it is probably the best charity shop in my town. Nine times out of ten it will always have something Disney to discover. One particular day that I went in to the shop they had a lot of Disney themed toys and luckily a beautiful Winnie the Pooh clock. It's such a unique find and I just had to have it for my nephew's pooh bear bedroom. It only cost €1! and works perfectly fine with a new battery. As I've said before in some of my blogs, charity/thrift stores/markets can be just filled with little Disney gems and definitely not for turning your nose up at.

I love my plushies, and Disney plushies I love even more. They're an extremely popular collector's item for fans and you can get them in almost all toy shops, online and of course at the Disney Stores. I have quite a few Disney store plushies but I came across a small Shere Khan Jungle Book plushie in my "this might interest you" section of Amazon. At only €10 including delivery it was a great little purchase as The Jungle Book is one of my all time favourite movies and Shere Khan is one of the best villains.

My amazing boyfriend is not only okay with my Disney addiction, he can also be a bit of an enabler, and I am more than delighted about that! Recently I had mentioned that I needed a new travel mug for coffee at work, and so he surprised me with this gorgeous Ariel travel mug. It's absolutely perfect for somebody who doesn't mind being flamboyant about their love for all things Disney (aka me!). It was a really sweet and thoughtful gift from him and it is extra cute because its got my favourite Princess on it. I believe he purchased it on Amazon and the price all depends on the sellers, I'm sure they feature the other princesses also.

Anybody from the UK and Ireland will recognize this next item. It was the collectible de jour for all us Disney fans in the past few months and it was like gold dust to come across at one point due to it's popularity. Just yesterday my sister, her partner, me nephew and I all made a trip to Dundrum shopping centre in Dublin which has one of the largest Penney's in the country, which is the retailer of the Chip Purse. Although I was hoping that I would see some Disney stuff there, I didn't expect to come across the one and only Chip Purse the second I walked in! It is just so darn adorable and such a cute little item, it's no wonder so many people wanted it. At only €5 it was a complete bargain and will be a great first Beauty and the Beast item for my collection.

The final thing I got this month Disney wise was also purchased in Penney's yesterday. It is this super cool The Little Mermaid night shirt that is in a man's pajamas style. It has a very 80s retro style logo and print on it and it seems super cosy. I probably won't get much wear out of it until winter but I cannot wait to rock it on a cold wintery night while sipping a hot chocolate and watching a Disney flick.

So there you have it, all in all I must say I am elated with my finds this month. I hope it helped with some suggestions/inspiration for people looking for places that sell Disney themed bits and bobs and if not I at least hope you enjoyed looking at my cute collection treasures.

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My top 10 Disney Cats

Disney is more than well known for it's lovable animal animated characters. There most recent Oscar winning film was solely dedicated to them. As a true honest to goodness lover of both Disney and animals (and a cat owner myself) I decided to make a list of the some of the feline friends that I have appeared in some of our much loved Disney films. I've only included actual domesticated cats and no lions, tigers or tiggers

10. Rufus from The Rescuers (1977)

I recently watched this movie for the first time in years and I have to say, it truly is a little often forgotten gem, Of course with a movie surrounding 2 little mice, you have to have a cat in there somewhere. Rather than doing the obvious and have a villainous cat to chase the protagonists, the makers decided to have a sweet and lovable old moggy with a taste for napping and ginger snaps

9. Dinah from Alice in Wonderland (1951)

This little lady appears relatively briefly in this surrealistic film, and she is often the least remembered cat featured as most people think of the Cheshire Cat when they think of Alice. Having said that I've always loved Dinah, her cute little flabbergasted reactions at Alice's talk of living in a Wonderland are irresistibly adorable, and she rocked the pink bow long before Marie from The Aristocats came along

8. Lucifer from Cinderella (1950)

Lucifer may be a little fat nightmare of an animal, but he is an unforgettable character from one of Disney's true classics, so I would be nuts not to mention him on this list. He also makes for some of the most comedic moments in the film (his moments of manic glee at being evil) and in my opinion one of the most frustrating moments. That being when he traps Gus Gus under a tea cup right before he gets to give Cinderella the bedroom key. That moment is Hitchcock worthy in terms of how suspenseful it can be and this rotund little fuzz ball helps create that.

7. Sergeant Tibbs in 101 Dalmations (1961)

I must admit I have a personal affection for Sergeant Tibbs as we had a cat in my family as a child that we called Tibbs. So I always look forward to seeing this little guy on the screen. I love the fact that the Sergeant of this bunch of animals isn't the big dogs or the majestic horse, it's the scrawny little cat, I just think that's a wonderful idea and that he is a great little representative for the whisker set in this canine tale

6. Mittens in Bolt (2008)

Bolt is a fantastic film I only watched a few months ago for the first time ever and I adored it. Of course the John Travolta voiced Bolt is undeniably the main reason for the movie being so sweet and cute, but the character of Mittens is also to thank in a big way. She brings tears to even the coldest of people's eyes with the story of how she became homeless. i think it particularly touched me as I worked at an animal shelter with animals who had that exact back story. Thankfully it all works out for her in the end. Phew! or should I say Meow!

5. Figaro in Pinocchio (1940) 

This tiny firecracker of a fluff is so well animated and characterized that you just want to pick him up out of the screen and take him home for a cuddle. He has such a funny little personality and his exasperation at not getting his food or sleep when he wants as well as his reactions to meeting Pinocchio remind me so much of all the cats I've had throughout the years. 

4. Duchess from The Aristocats (1970)

What a doll! I may be a tad bias here as my own cat happens to be a fully white one just like Duchess. I really do wish he had her personality to though! One of the most beautiful and ladylike Disney characters ever and she wasn't even human. I also adore the voice of Eva Gabor as Duchess, such a lovely and refined characterization. 

3. The Kittens from The Aristocats (1970)

I know technically this is 3 different characters, but for the purposes of this list I'm going to group them together in a little trio. Marie, Toulouse and Berlioz are the perfect kids and kittens for any parent/owner. Their cute little individual looks along with their continuous bickering and playful fights are a lot of fun to watch in the movie. I also particular love the kids that voiced them. I have a Marie plushie from the Disney Store and I cannot wait to get the other two kittens as part of my collection. 

2. Oliver from Oliver and Company (1988)

Whenever I mention this movie I always have to say just how underrated it is. It's got some wonderful song numbers and some great comedic moments and is a really unique idea for an animated feature. The stroke of genius of making the character of Oliver into a little ginger kitten is a purrrfect (see what I did there) idea. From the moment this little guy appears on screen in a box full of his siblings to the tune of "Once Upon A Time in New York City" we as the viewer fall in love and completely route for him and his canine companions

1. Thomas O'Malley from The Aristocats (1970)

Abraham De lacy.....Giuseppe Casey....Thomas O'Malley.....O'Malley the Alley Cat. This smooth operator. There are so many aspects of this character that are amazing, from his wonderful entrance song to his velvet voice (courtesy of Phil Harris, the voice of Baloo and Little John as well). My mother has a 17 year old cat called Sparky and if he were made into a cartoon, Thomas O'Malley would definitely be it. He is the epitome of a lovable rogue and his romance with Duchess in the picture is one of the best in Disney history

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Guardians of the Galaxy Vol.2 Review

In 2009 Walt Disney Studios basically purchased Marvel Studios for $4 Billion. I can completely understand why they did it. Marvel movies are arguably the most lucrative movies in the world right now and in my own humble opinion, that's not always with good reason. Don't get me wrong, I can sit through and usually enjoy a popcorn superhero flick. That said, some of the most recent ones such as Dr. Strange and Ant-Man have been so predictable and at times boring that I find myself waiting for the movie to be over and the hero to either win or win out for the time being until the next sequel is rolled out. This is why, in 2014 when I went with a friend to see Guardians of the Galaxy Vol.1 I was so unbelievably pleasantly surprised. The humour, the chemistry between the characters, how diverse the characters are, the great use of special effects and the truly amazing soundtrack (I still can't get "Come and Get Your Love" out of my head!) combined so well to make a perfectly entertaining box office smash.


With all that being said, when I heard they were releasing the sequel in summer 2017 I was extremely excited. For most sequels of superhero movies I am always apprehensive that it will not live up to the first, however for some reason before seeing it, I just knew with this one they would get it right. And thank Walt Disney, they did not let me down. From start to finish this film was a wonderfully entertaining experience. The plot revolves around the rag tag group we first met in Volume 1 which is of course lead by sitcom supporting star turned full blown movie star Chris Pratt. This time the gang is being hunted by the leaders of a planet known as The Sovereign for stealing something they consider precious from them. While being chased down and having a western in space style shoot out with this nation's ships, the group are helped along by a mysterious man in a white space pod, who we discover is (and this isn't a spoiler) Peter Quill's father. I won't say anymore for fear of giving the plot twists and turns away. Suffice to say, action and excitement ensues. For me, the real shining characters in this sequel are the Vin Diesel voiced Baby Groot who is quite possibly one of the most adorable characters in movie history, as well as Michael Rooker's Yondu. He has some of the most hilarious moments in the movie (in particular a Mary Poppins reference that will be quoted by my boyfriend and I for years to come) and surprisingly, he also had some of the most emotionally effective moments. Kurt Russell was perfectly cast as Star Lord's celestial and charismatic Dad and there is an enjoyable cameo appearance from the one and only Sylvester Stallone. All of the supporting players are excellent in their roles and the true chemistry among the cast is fantastic. There are some touching moment's involving the Bradley Cooper voiced Rocket, as well as the "unspoken" romance between Quill and Gamora's characters which isn't overplayed. The battle and action sequences are very enjoyable and unlike with other Marvel productions, I never once found myself getting bored during them or finding those parts tedious to get through. The effects are marvelously done (see what I did there), I mean being completely honest I don't know much about special effects or CGI but I do know when I'm impressed by it, which I definitely was.

I think the reason I find these Guardians movies much more enjoyable than the other Marvel films such as the Avengers, is that they don't take themselves to seriously. These movies have real, non forced humour, great witty dialogue, and what I feel is a really nostalgic feel to them, helped along of course by their awesome soundtracks. I have to say, as my boyfriend mentioned it to me on our way out of the screening, the songs in this sequel aren't as memorable as the ones in the first film, but that could just be us talking, it's a completely subjective point but I personally did agree with him on that. All in all, this picture was insanely enjoyable and I think well worth a watch. It accomplished for me what so many other superhero movies have tried to but failed, a funny raucous adventure with some really touching moments, I hope the people at DC take note, that's how a great popcorn movie is done.

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Book Review: The Beast Within by Serena Valentino

Just before Christmas I read Fairest of All, the back story of The Evil Queen from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs written by Serena Valentino. I wrote a little review on this blog regarding my thoughts about the story, and as anyone who read it may have noticed, I was less than enthused about it. Having said that I still wanted to give the author a second chance and decided to order this story along with Once Upon A Time: A Twisted Tale by Liz Braswell. I purchased both books for a super reasonable price, I believe they were each less than €8 including delivery which was brilliant. As a side note I really think amazon is a great place to find book deals, particularly if you don't mind the books being second hand.

All that being said, you would think I would have learned my lesson and not bothered reading The Beast Within, but it was a short book and the plot did intrigue me. Also I had recently read As Old As Time by Liz Braswell which I found to be a wonderful experience so I wanted to compare the backstory of another writer to that one. The plot begins with the Beast in his Prince days, before he ever encountered the enchantress and became a Beast. There are aspects to the beginning of this story, such as his relationship with Gaston that are original but also somehow don't fully work. The book goes on to give an explanation as to why the Prince was transformed into the Beast and this involves a story of a previous romance and.....the absolute worst aspect of Valentino's tale. This is the three "witch sisters" who she uses rather unimaginatively as the exposition in both this book and similarly in Fairest of All. They for me are the worst part of it and the least enjoyable to read about. The plot continues into the Prince's slow and painful decline into the Beast as well as the castle's descent into being enchanted too. The character of the Prince I have to say is absolutely horrendous. He is made to be a sexist, elitist and just vile person by the author throughout. This makes it very difficult for us as the reader to ever believe he could change as a person as dramatically as he does. The final part of the book is pretty much just the original story with those three witch sisters placed conveniently and rather irritatingly throughout the final chapters.

All in all this book was about a 2.5 out of 5 stars. I enjoyed parts of it, in particular the very beginning chapter which appeared promising and the attempt at real originality. That being said, there was just far too much mention of those three sisters and another love interest plot that I found slightly tedious to read about. Serena's writing style can also be very repetitive and when you compare it with that of Liz Braswell's you can see the lack of real writing experience and creativity. However, I would recommend this book if you are interested in seeing a back story to the Beast and some of the other characters in the plot, I would say if you were only going to pick one of those books to read, I would definitely suggest Liz Braswell's As Old As Time out of the two. I will most likely read Valentino's final book "Poor Unfortunate Soul", mainly because I have read that it's the best in her series and also because I am intrigued to see what kind of story she came up with for Ursula. I hope this review was helpful for anyone interested in The Beast Within and maybe they'll give it a shot and see how they feel about it. So go get a dreamy far off look and your nose stuck in a book

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As Old As Time Review: http://sineadsowndisneyland.blogspot.ie/2017/03/review-of-as-old-as-time-twisted-tale.html

My Top 15 Favourite Disney Dogs

I had to do this list, anyone who knows me knows two things about me for definite, one is that I'm a huge Disney fanatic of course, and the other is that I love animals. I have studied Animal Science, Welfare and Behaviour in the past, and my favourite animal of all time has always been dogs (but don't tell my pet cat Simba that!). Like many people, the addition of a canine companion or sidekick to any feature film or tv show is welcomed enthusiastically by me, but in particular in Disney films.

They are always animated so lovingly and perfectly detailed and they have individual and wonderful personalities, just like our real life fur babies. So for that reason I decided to make this little list of my personal favourites. The canine crusaders and pampered pooches featured in many a Disney picture that have brought me and so many others such joy over the years. Perhaps even somebody reading this list will discover a new Disney film they haven't watched yet and will be encouraged to have a watch.

15. Andrew from Mary Poppins

With his cute little jacket and ability to communicate perfectly with the practically perfect Mary Poppins, Andrew is an adorable little addition to the cast of my personal favourite film of all time.

14. Toby from The Great Mouse Detective

Toby is the namesake of my sister's dog which may be a part of the reason why I have such an affection for this investigative pooch. He has a super friendly disposition and a great way of sniffing out trouble, plus he can roll over on command

13. Max from The Little Mermaid

As Scuttle once described this fluffy puppy, "he's kinda slobbery" but he's also really cute. He's also pretty smart, after all he was the first character to suss out that Vanessa was bad news and Eric and Ariel were meant to be, what a good boy

12. Shadow and Chance from Homeward Bound (and Homeward Bound 2)

I watched this movie a couple of months ago and it brought back so many memories from my childhood and from the pets I had and loved when I was younger. Shadow and Chance may be incredibly different pups in many ways, but their ability to pull at our heart strings is one and the same

11. Stella from The Princess and the Frog

She may be a minor character in what I consider to be the last of the Disney classics, but with her big puppy dog eyes and begging for some delicious sweet treats, Stella makes a major impression on movie watchers

10. Bruno from Cinderella

Bruno is the unsung Hero of the animated version of Cinderella! He afterall, was the reason Lucifer ran away, leaving the mice with the key that would open up the attic door and let Cinderella out so that she could try on the glass slipper and go on to marry the Prince. Not to mention he helped her get to the ball by being the footman of the carriage. What a good boy!

9. Napoleon and Lafayette from The Aristocats

What a funny and clumsy pair of hounds these two are! One of the highlights of the wonderful The Aristocats for me has always been the appearance of Napoleon and Lafayette, the two snoozing hounds that try to sniff out and catch the evil Edgar as he is disposing of Duchess and the kittens. They are a classic comedy duo and they prove that not everybody wants to be a cat

8. Winston from Feast (short)

When I first saw this short, as with the majority of shorts before Disney movies, I got extremely emotional and was completely immersed in this adorable little tale of a this dog, his owner and his love for all tasty food. Although his appearance is enough to make him a lovable pooch, his love for his owner and what he does for him during this brilliant short puts his lovableness on a whole new level.

7. Dodger from Oliver and Company

With the smooth vocal stylings of a 1980s Billy Joel and a streetwise NYC attitude, Dodger is one of the most enjoyable parts of this underrated Disney classic. Add on top of that his super cute appearance and little bandana and he would make an awesome pet for any owner. I have to say, I am a big fan of all of the dogs in this film, Tito the Chihauha and Georgette the pampered poodle are also excellent characters.

6. Copper from The Fox and the Hound

This movie....oh my dear lord how this film makes me cry every damn time! It's such a little gem of a film and I always have to prepare myself emotionally to watch it. The character of Copper goes from being a little rambunctious little pup to a trained hunting dog. His friendship with Todd the fox is one of the greatest in all Disney history and one of the most heartwarming.

5. Bolt from Bolt

I am ashamed to say I only watched this movie for the first time ever a few months ago but I really really loved it. The first appearance of Bolt is absolutely one of the cutest moments in Disney movies and his animation is one of the best of any Disney dog ever. I find some parts of this movie so heart wrenching but the brave and adorable nature of it's protagonist also gives it some truly heartwarming moments too

4. Pluto from Mickey Mouse classic shorts

The original Disney dog and one of the greatest! Pluto has been a loyal sidekick to Mickey now for over 80 years, now that's a loyal companion right there! I may have a serious soft spot for him because I met him on my first ever trip to Disneyland but lets face it, no Disney dog list would be complete without this furry guy

3. Nana from Peter Pan

I have a real soft spot for old cuddly pups. There's just something so sweet about an older lazy old fluff that melts my heart and Nana definitely fits that bill. She also happens to be a fantastic carer to the three Darling children and she can rock a bonnet better than most humans!

2. Dug from Up

Dug epitomized my reaction to all dogs when I meet them "I have a just met you and I love you". He is the ultimate sweet canine companion and reminds me of so many gorgeous and friendly doggos I have met in my life. He also provides some of the best moments in the film and who wouldn't want a dog that could talk about all the unconditional love he has for you. 

1. Lady and the Tramp from Lady and the Tramp

Of course, how could it be anybody else but this darling pair. If there's ever been a cuter or more romantic couple in Disney history, I certainly haven't heard of them! Lady, the gorgeous "cockera spanish a girl" and Tramp the boisterous streetwise mutt are my personal favourite Disney couple and my favourite Disney dogs, I even have stuffed animals of them to prove it! Any owner would be lucky to have the love and companionship of these two every belle notte  

My Top 10 Heartbreaking Disney Moments

Don't get me wrong, nobody necessarily enjoys feeling sad and heartbroken, but sometimes those moments in a Disney film, where the characters are going through something really difficult can make us as fans feel a little bit better. This is because they remind us that everybody will go through some hard times, but as long as you're willing to push through them and say Hakuna Matata!, you can come out with your own happy ending.

So here's a list of my most Heartbreaking Disney moments, I know everyone has their own personal ones that get to them the most for different reasons, but these are just a couple of my own.

10. Perhaps it's since my nephew has been born that I've become so much more upset by things to do with children in peril, but the scene in Aladdin with the street children looking for food in dumpsters has become much more heartbreaking for me than ever before. The saving grace for this moment is of course that Aladdin gives them the loaf of bread he took from the marketplace. Also, when I thought about it, I thought because Aladdin married Jasmine and became part of the rulers of Agrabah, he more than likely made rulings and decisions that helped the poor people of the city, I find that quite a satisfying way to think about the end of the film.

9. As I've previously said, I really adore Dogs (or ruppies as I call them), in fact I think I prefer Dogs to most humans! This could be a large part of why the scene from Bolt where he thinks his owner Penny is calling for him and she is actually calling for his replacement on his show is so agonizing to see. I feel like the animators did an excellent job at showing in Bolt's face, the look a real life dog gives when he is confused and distressed about something which helped towards making this moment so effective. 

8. I saw Tarzan in the cinema when I was 8 years old and right away I found the opening sequence in which his parents are killed and he is rescued by his gorilla mother Kala to be a really intense moment and extremely sad in parts. In particular when Kala and Kerchak's baby is killed by Sabor the leopard, the same one that murdered Tarzan's parents. All those elements mixed with the backing of Phil Collins epic soundtrack are really potent

7. One of the best Disney movies I have scene in the past few years is Moana. I previously posted a review about how fantastic I thought it was. There is a scene in the final sequence of the film that really caught me off gaurd with just how emotional it was. That is the "Know Who You Are" scene in which Moana tells the sea to part so that she can confront the Lava Witch who turns out to be Te Fiti who's heart she must restore. The song in this scene is absolutely mesmerizing and made me so teary eyed in the cinema. The lyrics are amazing and I feel could be applied to anybody's life when they are feeling like a bad person or that they are not good enough, because they know deep down that as the song goes "this does not define you, you know who you are". 

6. An extremely underrated movie that I absolutely loved as a kid is Oliver and Company. The movie has really adorable characters and an exciting plot with fun jokes and catchy songs, in particular "Why Should I Worry" sung by Billy Joel. The opening of this movie always gets me, seeing a box of really cute kittens being adopted one by one by passersby until the final one (our protagonist Oliver) is left alone on a wet cold night in New York city. It always is difficult for me to watch and I think Huey Lewis' "Once Upon A Time in New York City" is a wonderful song and really suitable for the opening sequence and the theme of the movie.

5. When Toy Story 2 came out here in Ireland I was straight away begging my uncle to take me and my little cousin, and When Jessie and her side kick horse Bullseye appeared on the screen, I immediately fell in love with them. This is probably why the scene where Jessie recounts the story of how her former owner abandoned her, my heart actually sank. With an unforgettable song by Sarah McLachlan and the touching story telling that Pixar do so well through their imagination, this scene has continued to make me well up over the years to this very day. 

4. Along with the amazing Moana, another brilliant Disney film that came out last year was of course the Oscar winning Zootopia (or Zootropolis depending where you're from). At the time of seeing the movie, my sister was pregnant with a little boy, so when the scene came on with Nick Wilde the fox as a little boy fox attending the scouts with his friends and he is ridiculed and tormented by his fellow scout members for being a "sly fox", that was it for me, holy moly I was gone. I have always, as many have, hated people being bullied and scenes that portray little kids being bullied whether animated or otherwise are always going to be difficult and really heartbreaking to watch. Thankfully, the rest of the movie is really fun and everything winds up ok for our boy Nick in the end.

3. One of the few Disney movies I don't actually enjoy watching much anymore is Dumbo. My reason for that is because I'm not a supporter of having animals in circuses and I do find it quite an upsetting movie to watch, although I did absolutely adore it as a child and I think it does teach a good lesson to kids of how badly animals are treated at circuses without scaring them too much. That being said, Dumbo happens to have one of the most heart warming yet sad scenes in all Disney history and that is the scene in which Dumbo's mother cradles her son in her trunk and the super sweet song "Baby Mine" plays, while we get to see the other animals with their little ones also. It brings me to tears every single time.

2. If you ask most people about what movie moment makes them cry the most, a good percentage would say when Mufasa dies in The Lion King. This is of course with good reason, because we as kids and adults also we truely loved the characters of Mufasa and Simba and their loving father son relationship. Also, many people may have lost parents at a young age so they can probably really relate to Simba's sadness and complete heartbreak on seeing his father die. The moment where he says "Somebody, Anybody? help" would put a lump in the toughest person's throat. Truely a sad moment.

1. When I was 15, my cat Mike ran away and we later found him dead in the lane behind our house. At the time that he went missing, I watched The Fox and the Hound for the first time in years and I was in floods of tears when the scene in which Tod the fox is taken by his owner to the woods to be set free because his life has been threatened by her hunter neighbour. The lyrics to the song featured in this scene are so unbelievably beautiful and easy to relate to for so many people that have had to let go of a pet that they love or perhaps even a person they love.