BBC Walt Disney Documentary 2016 Review

BBC Walt Disney Documentary Review ★★★★

A few months ago my sister text me to tell me that there was a Documentary airing on the BBC Chanel about Walt Disney. I of course was really interested to see it. I had previously, as I'm sure many have, seen a documentary they made years ago regarding his "Secret Life". Unfortunately a lot of that Documentary was intended to malign the man's reputation based on stories of anti communism, sexism, racism etc... which I personally found to be really outlandish and have evidence pointing to the contrary, at least about the sexism and racist parts. Anyway, this most recent documentary wasn't like that at all, it was more just a biographical look at Walt, his work and a bit of the life of the man himself and what made him tick.

I couldn't actually watch it's original airing because I don't have that channel but luckily I found it uploaded on Youtube! So thank you to the person who took the time to do that. It's uploaded in two one hour long parts. The first part obviously deals with Walt's early beginnings as an animator then goes on to his creation of Oswald the Rabbit and eventually his creation of Mickey Mouse. One thing I appreciated about this was that they didn't fixate too much on his difficulties during this time, it was brought up of course but they didn't drag it out too much which some previous ones have done. I really found it very fascinating when they discussed the tole the making of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs took on Walt as well as all of the other workers at the studio, there were some facts about deadlines and the work put into it that I wasn't fully aware of before watching it.

The rest of the first segment of the program focuses on the rest of the "Big Five" aka Walt's first animated features which are Snow White, Pinocchio, Fantasia, Dumbo and Bambi and the struggles that came with creating those masterpieces. This of course features segments about the strike of the studio's employees due to their outrage over wages, workload etc... and Walt's distaste with them joining unions. This bit of the documentary is handled fairly and it does not once side with the employees or Walt, instead it just takes a subjective look at the situation which I thought was a great way to go.

The second installment was the better one for me personally. It featured a lot about how Walt felt about the production of Cinderella which I had no idea about as a huge fan of that movie and it also talked about the making of Mary Poppins, my favourite movie of all time. The controversy of the movie Song of the South which I have yet to see as I'm not sure I would enjoy it is discussed, as well as criticism of Walt's vision for things by many journalists throughout the years which lends to the unbiased tell of the story. Lastly the idea, creation and execution of Disneyland features in the final part of the documentary. The tidbits and information about the weeks coming up to the opening day of the theme park and why Walt decided to open it in the first place are amazing for any Disney fan to hear about and it was in my opinion the best thing about this production.

Overall, I feel BBC did a wonderful job with this documentary, as I said they made an unbiased and subjective observation on all the aspects of Walt Disney's life and his creations throughout the years. This of course was helped along by interviews from various people including biographers, journalists, animators, family members etc.... I would definitely recommend this to any Disney fan, particularly ones like myself who are not only interested in watching the films, but also the technical and historical aspect of the Disney world. 4 out of 5 stars

Here is a link to the Documentary on Youtube for anybody that wants to check it out:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vts2AWcIUHM  

Valentine's Dates inspired by Disney moments

Some of the moments in Disney film History are so unforgettably iconic that immediately they are recognizable, and none more so than those heart warming romantic moments. Seeing as how I have already posted a list of my favourite of those moments, I decided to do a post about potential Dates couples could share together that are inspired by Disney. I thought it would be a very appropriate post considering what Day tomorrow is! So here they are 💗💗💗💗

Mary Poppins (1964) Jolly Holiday in the Park

One of the most loved scenes in Mary Poppins is the one in which Bert and Mary, along with Jane and Michael step into the chalk drawing together. This would be an excellent idea for a date for couples with children in particular. Why not do as Bert and Mary did and go for a lovely stroll in the park followed by some cakes and tea (unfortunately you can order what we will, as they penguins say, but there will be a bill this time!). Follow that up if you can with a ride on the amusements or merry go round. I couldn't think of a more pleasant and picturesque thing to do on a Valentine's afternoon.

The Aristocats (1970) Jazz music with some cool cats

Everybody wants to be a cat and almost everybody would enjoy boogieing away in a swanky jazz bar/club listening to a fantastic band of musicians play. So, anyone who is lucky enough to live near a jazz place, should try taking their Duchess or O'Malley along to one for a relaxed fun Valentine's night. You could even end up busting a few moves together.

Lady and the Tramp (1955) Spaghetti on a Bella Notte

If you ask anyone what is one of the most romantic movie moments of all time, a good percentage will tell you that the spaghetti and meatballs scene in Lady and the Tramp is their number one. I think it is the perfect idea for any date but in particular for every Disney fan. It's the classic romantic evening with some delicious food, flirtation and beautiful music. How could you go wrong? I don't recommend the nosing of the meatball to each other if you're wearing some good or new clothes though!

The Princess and the Frog (2009) Cooking some tasty grub together

In Disney's extremely fun 2009 animation that is very reminiscent of the renaissance movies, Tiana teaches Prince Naveen to cook her father's gumbo. A fantastic way of bonding with your loved one or a new person in your life is to cook a delicious meal together. Afterall, there must be a reason why they say couples who cook together stay together. I think it's a lovely (and cost efficient) way to spend your Valentine's day together, going grocery shopping then setting a romantic table together while having fun and enjoying one of your favourite meals or something new and different with one another.

One Hundred and One Dalmatians (1961) Evening walk with the pups

If you're lucky enough to have a canine companion in your life and/or your partner happens to be that lucky too, a wonderful idea is to break out the leash and head for a leisurely romantic stroll on a Valentine's evening just like Roger and Anita did with Pongo and Perdita in 101 Dalmations. You could also make a day of it by bringing the dogs along while you have a picnic in a park or your favourite scenic location in the afternoon. Just don't get too distracted by the romance and forget to keep an eye on the dogs so you don't end up with 101 puppies at your house!

The Little Mermaid (1989) Seeing the sites around town 

When Eric decides to take Ariel out for a fun filled day of site seeing and excitement, it makes you wish you could be on such a perfect first date. It has everything! A romantic ride through the country, shopping at the market, dancing, and an intimate evening boat ride. It would be the ideal date for a couple just getting to know one another as there are lots of opportunities to talk and learn new things together. Although, hopefully your date unlike poor Ariel's will end in true love's kiss.

So as you can see, there are lots of options and Disney inspiration for a perfect Valentine's time for you and the one you care for, but at the end of the day, as long as you are with that person and happy together, it really doesn't matter what you're doing, because being together is the most important part.

Birthday Things and Girly Disney

My Birthday was this past Sunday and I officially turned the ripe old age of 26! I'm not really one to dwell on getting another year old just yet though, I'll give myself another 5 or 10 years before that starts happening, I'm still a big Disney kid on the inside. For my Birthday I got just two Disney related things from my boyfriend along with some cute pink carnations and a bottle of my favourite perfume. The two proper cute little presents were a tsum tsum Baloo the bear tiny teddy and a Cinderella diary. I have to say, I usually don't collect the tsum tsum items, but this one is one of the cutest little ones they have, it looks like somebody shrunk Baloo and fed him one too many Prickly Pears! The diary is really gorgeous, it has light blue paper and the classic movie poster from 1950 on the front of it, I love getting Disney stationary and more Disney plushies so I was pretty impressed with these. Also along with a ticket to the show Dirty Dancing here in Dublin, my sister gave me a fabulous Minnie Mouse birthday card which I'll keep on my fridge because it's way to lovely to pack or throw away.


 Well, now that I've mentioned my very Merry Birthday presents, I wanted to do this post and talk about some of the more Girly Disney related stuff that I have. When you go into any shopping centre or shopping mall, you're likely going to be able to find some sort of Disney related girly objects such as perfumes, purses, pjs, make up etc.... The variety of things available out there and online is never ending thankfully and depending on where you get them they aren't always that pricey. One thing I have always always always wanted is the MAC Venomous Villains Collection products, but unfortunately they were just way too out of my price range when they were released, an even now on Ebay, they are quite expensive and the shipping is insane. So, if like me you wouldn't be able to write a cheque like say a Cruella De Vil for stuff like that, you might be able to afford some of the other more reasonable things out there that will add just as much whimsy to your collection. Here are some of mine. 

The first thing is a Ariel hair detangling spray that I got in my local grocery store. I'm sure anybody with little kids will have seen these lots, and I'm aware that they're marketed mainly at children, but that's never bothered me before. It cost about €2.50 and it worked pretty well! The scent isn't overpowering due to the fact that it's for kids it doesn't have a lot of harsh chemicals or anything in it either. You definitely wouldn't need to go too hard on your hair with your dinglehopper after using this.

There's a store here in Ireland and I'm not sure if it's in other places, I'm pretty sure it's also in the UK. It's called Claire's accessories and it is just a haven for anyone looking for a Disney princess present for a child! It has all kinds of pretty things, from hair slides, to tiara's to rings. To be honest, it wouldn't really be for me to wear personally as they are just a little bit young looking. If you're looking for Disney jewelry/accessories that are aimed at teenagers/adults, I'd highly recommend Disney couture and Etsy. That being said, one day when I was in Claire's buying a present for my little cousin, I came across a bottle of purple Minnie Mouse Nail Polish that only cost €2 so I said what the heck and purchased it too. The nail polish itself is not great at all, it's one of those types that needs about 4 coats before the colour properly shows, although what did I expect for that price? Honestly I just bought it for the cute minnie mouse on the lid of the bottle, she stands really well on my vanity table next to all my beauty products.

The next thing I wanted to discuss is a make up bag that I purchased in
a shop here called Penney's. In the UK it's called Primark. The shop is really really popular over here if you want something nice to wear that's also cheap and cheerfully priced. They also happen to have an excellent selection of different Disney items, and you can always find a cute pair of Disney pjs or some Disney delicates and socks in those sections. One thing I got there this past summer was a Mickey and Minnie nautical style make up/toiletry bag. It cost around €3.00, absolute bargain! and I keep all my lipsticks and other make up products in it and always take it on trips with me if I'm staying overnight. I'd highly recommend getting one of these as a gift for any Disney lady, she will absolutely adore it!

When I was working in a town called Greystones last year, I used to pop into a supermarket every morning to buy a bottle of water (and a chocolate bar for the afternoon depending on how the morning was going) and I noticed one day one of those machines where you put in a coin and get a prize out instead of a gumball. It had these Disney princess little heart shaped tins and inside them were these little gems of different colours. Well, I'm extremely susceptible to those little collectible cheapies when they're Disney related so of course I had to get one, which turned into getting all of them except the Belle one, which for whatever reason completed eluded me each time! These things were only €1 a go and they look absolutely adorable on your nightstand, book shelf etc... and I really love the unique animation detailing on each of them, particularly the Snow White one.

Lastly I wanted to talk about this small set I got from my boyfriend as a token recently. He spotted it and thought it was nail polish, but it turned out to be a "Hair Mascara" set. I probably would never use the product on my hair because it's obviously meant to glitter up your hair and I don't really think I can pull off that look! However it is a great little collector's item and it sits really nicely among all my other Disney girly bits. My favourite aspect of this set are the names on the little individual bottles, they are called "Under the Sea","Gadgets and Gizmos" and "Kiss the Girl", that is pretty damn cute!

All in all I would say there are lots of really sweet little girly products out there that people can buy that are Disney related to decorate their rooms, give as a gift etc.... I do really wanted to get a few genuine Disney beauty products similar to the MAC make up ones but until then, I'm quite delighted with the things I've talked about here and I hope anybody reading enjoys seeing what kind of things you can get out there <3

My Top 10 Disney Villains

I decided to compile a list of my ultimate Disney Villains. I'm basing this list purely on my own personal favourites so I really apologize to anybody's who favourite I didn't include. What qualifies for me as an amazing Disney villain is one with great character attributes for somebody villainous such as a sinister disposition, an intimidating demeanor and an evil plan. I've also based this list on the jokes, songs etc... the villains have in their movies that I love. So be prepared, because here they are

10. Gaston (Beauty and the Beast, 1991)

When Disney's imagineers made this Best Picture Oscar nominee and all time animated classic, they included one hell of a bad guy. Gaston is arguably one of the most vain Disney characters ever created (the other being of course The Evil Queen) and he displays that throughout the entire movie. In fact, his vanity leads to his complete disbelief and enraged attitude when he realizes Belle has fallen for a Beast instead of him which is why he becomes the villain of the story. His most evil moment to me is when he encourages the town's people to "Kill the Beast" and storm his castle, that moment is so effective and one of the most dramatic moments of all Disney films.

9. Cruella De Vil (101 Dalmations, 1961)

For one of the most adorable Disney movies ever, they had to include a villain to counteract all that cuteness, and they did a mighty fine job doing it. What's could be more opposite from a group of sweet and innocent little puppies than a mean, cranky middle aged woman obsessed with fur? On a personal note, I can't stand people wearing real fur and the production of it so I truly despised Cruella as a child and still do to this day. I think most people feel that way and could never imagine harming such lovely little animals. Which is why, when Cruella gets her just desserts at the end of the movie, every audience member rejoices with happiness and relief for the pups and Roger and Anita.

8. Shere Khan (The Jungle Book, 1967 and The Jungle Book, 2016)

As a child, The Jungle Book was spellbinding to me, the music, the animation. However, it also scared the absolute bejesus out of me whenever Shere Khan appeared on screen. I'm not sure what it was about the animation of him and his voice mixed with his intentions to murder Mowgli but it all combined to frighten me so much. The feeling has still stayed with me and I still get a shiver whenever Shere Khan eagerly nods his head listening to Bagheera and Colonel Hathi discuss Mowgli being alone in the man village. When I saw Jon Favreau directed live action version over the past summer, I thought it was fantastic and I think choosing Idris Elba as the voice of Shere Khan was a stroke of genius and the character displayed a lot of violence and evil than the original. 

7. Chernabog (Fantasia, 1940)

Anybody who views the Night on Bald Mountain sequence from Walt Disney's 1940 Musical feature Fantasia and isn't filled with a sense of fear is a much braver person than me! I have to admit, I have never been a massive fan of the movie. I get what the animators and imagineers were trying to do and what they accomplished was very unique and will go down as a great peace of animation. That being said, it isn't the easiest film to sit through, with the exception of this eery terrifying scene featuring the winged demon Chernabog. Music in any movie can be very effective and that certainly is the case when it comes to Chernabog's appearance on screen, his movements put in time with the score works so well that I feel it may have been the inspiration for many horror movie maker's that followed.

6. Captain Hook (Peter Pan, 1953)

Many a feminist would be completely against liking Captain Hook due to his controversial views such as "a jealous female can be tricked into anything" (Even though he's not totally wrong!) and many a sailor and lost boy wouldn't be his biggest fan either. That being said, I think he's hilarious. The duo of Captain Hook and Mr. Smee in the movie makes for some excellent comedic moments such as the shaving scene in which Smee shaves a bird's bum while a stunned Captain Hook is almost taken by the crocodile that ate his hand. When you also think of the fact that Captain Hook's main aim is to murder a young boy and make several small children walk a plank to their deaths, it makes you realize just how depraved the character is, and you can see why it was so feared by readers of the original stories. 

5. Lady Tremaine (Cinderella, 1950)

A nightmare for any girl is to have a wicked stepmother who forces you to live in the worst room in the house, wear old rags and do all of your sibling's chores as well as all the housework. Not only does Lady Tremaine meet that criteria, she also tries to lock Cinderella in a room and keep her from her true love. That is the ultimate fairy tale no-no. The characterization of this evil matriarch by her animators is so well done, two moments that will never cease to give me a shudder are when she yells "do them again" at Cinderella regarding doing her chores and the moment in which she realizes that it was Cinderella she saw dancing and charming the Prince at the ball and she squints her eyes menacingly as it occurs to her what has happened. Chilling stuff

4. Ursula (The Little Mermaid, 1989)

Ursula the Sea Witch has one of the most undeniably catchy and well written songs of any Disney character in "Poor Unfortunate Souls". The song was written by music geniuses Howard Ashman and Alan Menken. She is also extremely witty and fun to watch while being a despicable witch who takes people's souls and keeps them in a garden at her lair when they don't pay her back quickly for spells she's cast for them. From facts I have read, her appearance was inspired by the actor drag queen Divine from John Waters films and you can definitely see the inspiration in her actions too. In the final sequence of the movie where Ursula tries to become Queen of all the Ocean by taking King Triton's staff and crown, she makes herself a giant octopus and I found it truly terrifying as a child. This final sequence wouldn't be out of place in a live action adventure movie and it's genuinely entertaining, that's mainly due to the movie's diabolical Sea Witch. 

3. The Evil Queen (Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, 1937)

Having read a not so great book about the "back story" of the Evil Queen, I was worried it would dampen my love for this character and film, but thankfully it didn't. She is the original Disney villain and she is also one of the most petrifying of all of them for me. The idea behind her story is pretty shocking when you really think about it. A woman is so jealous of her stepdaughter's beauty that she sends a man into the woods with the girl to murder her and that not being horrifying enough, she insists he bring back the girl's heart as proof of her murder. When she finds out the girl is still alive, it's not enough to have her living away and out of site, she has to murder her and this time, she'd do it herself. That whole plot put together with her amazing transformation into the old peddler woman with the insane grin makes for a really blood curdling villain.

2. Maleficent (Sleeping Beauty, 1958 and Maleficent, 2014)

She has had her own movie where she was portrayed by Angelina Jolie, one of the world's most famous actresses. That alone displays that she is one of the most well known and popular Disney villains ever. I'm not really sure what it is about her that makes her so wicked and devilish but she just is an amazing character. Her back story in the 2014 movie wasn't executed as well as it could have been, however it was extremely interesting and it does make you somewhat empathize with her. Of course Angelina Jolie is a wonderful actress, but her portrayal was never going to come close to the voice characterization done by Disney great Eleanor Audley (who also voiced Lady Tremaine). Her voice acting was just amazing in this role. The best scene for me of Maleficent is when she appears in the beginning of the infant Aurora's birth celebration and places the curse on her, her evil cackle and disappearance in a cloud of dust is an iconic Disney villain moment.

1. Scar (The Lion King, 1994)

An amazing story, beautiful animation, humour, romance and of course a diabolical villains in all of movie history. I don't think anybody who watched The Lion King has ever gotten over Scar's killing Mufasa and trying to kill Simba and basically ruining the pride lands. All of these things make him an unforgivable character. Unfortunately (or fortunately depending on how you look at it) his voicing, done by the stellar Jeremy Irons, his show stopping "Be Prepared" number and his witty sarcastic comments make him hard to resist watching. He stands out to me as the pinacle of all the Disney villains and one they gave real depth to. I also adore his animation and how he moves so slouchily and slyly in comparison to his regal brother Mufasa. He may not have lasted as the King of the Pride lands but his is my ultimate personal favourite Disney Villain.

My Disney Kitchen Bits and Bobs

I have a few Disney decorative items in my kitchen, not as much as I would like but as this is just a rented apartment with my boyfriend that is temporary, it means I won't have as many items here as I hope to have at the house I eventually make my permanent home. Anyway, for now, I just thought I'd share with you the few small items I do have in my kitchen that are Disney related.

The first things I have are my fridge magnets. I have a Lady and the Tramp one and a The Jungle Book one that I bought as a treat for myself one day after a job interview. There was a fantastic selection of these magnets with the original movie posters one them but I liked those two the most and thought they were the cutest. I think they only cost €2.50 which considering they are really unique and would probably eventually be considered collector's items online. I love the fact that they are of the original movie posters, in particular the Lady and the Tramp one as it has an adorable picture of the two characters with the tagline "and NOW his HAPPIEST Motion Picture" and considering it's about dogs which are the happiest little things around, I would definitely agree!

On my large cupboard door in my kitchen is a poster I made and printed off when I first moved into my current apartment. It has my favourite Walt Disney quote of all time on it that I'm fairly sure many a Disney lover will know well. It's such an inspiring message and a really positive phrase to have on display in your home I think, but I think that could be said of a lot of Walt Disney and Disney movie quotes so have any of them on a poster or sign in your home is a great idea to me! I included on the poster a background real life picture of the Castle in Disneyland and some white outlined pictures of several Disney characters including Pinocchio, Lady, Mowgli and Baloo.

For my birthday last year I was given a money box by two of my friends that I keep in my kitchen on the counter. It is really pretty and has the words "Shopping Fund" on the back of it with a picture of a very stylish Minnie Mouse. It's like an old school piggy bank in that it can be broken in order to get the money. I have put a few bits of change in it but I can't see myself ever being able to break such a cute piece of memorabilia so I'll probably never see those coins again, whoops!

One more thing I keep in my kitchen that is Disney related is a gorgeous dainty little tea and tea pot combo that my sister got me a few years ago. It's a Winnie The Pooh item and it was made by Churchill Fine China and it is a Disney Iconic Moments piece. My favourite aspect of this item is that it has the phrase "Pooh's the bestest friend by far" around the rim of the cup and the pictures on it are the original illustrations which adds even more loveliness to it. I don't actually drink or use this teacup/pot because I find it works better as a decorative thing but I feel like it would be the perfect cute little gift for any tea lover to sip their favourite brew from on a nice relaxing afternoon.  
So as you can see I have a small few cute things about my kitchen but I would definitely love to have a few more things in the future such as some more Disney artwork or Signs etc.. as well as those amazing Disney appliances like toasters that I've seen online, but for now I'm pretty happy with the things I've got and grateful that I was given them.

Top 10 Most Romantic Disney Moments

This list is a combination of what I consider to be the most heartwarming, beautiful and romantic Disney moments ever. The list is made up of moments from both Disney classics and Disney Pixar features. Obviously, every fan will have their own personal favourites but I'll do my best to include ones that every fan will appreciate. So here are my most loved ones <3

10. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937)

The very final scene of Disney's original classic in which Snow White is awakened by true love's first kiss by her Prince. This is Disney's first ever full length animated feature and it contains all of the things we have come to expect and adore in Disney features, including romance.The sweet way in which the Prince places a kiss upon his true love and her reaction of pure happiness and delight to see him as she awakens is so charming to see. This, combined with her bitter sweet farewell to each of the dwarfs and the building reprise of the song "Someday My Prince Will Come" makes this an unforgettable moment in movie history

9. Tarzan (1999)

This movie is really underrated in my opinion. The opening scene in particular is so emotional and I think Phil Collins soundtrack is tremendously good. The part of this film, that is so romantic, is the scene in which Tarzan meets Jane. Of course, everybody will know the term "Me Tarzan, you Jane" and how they integrated this famous line into this lovely scene was terrific. The most touching bit for me as a viewer, was when Tarzan removes Jane's now ruined glove and holds his hand against hers, showcasing his unique way of introducing himself to her.

8. The Aristocats (1970)

This movie is one of the cutest movies ever made. Firstly, it's about a family of cats, so automatically, if you're an animal lover you'll adore it. I love the character of Thomas O'Malley in particular, he reminds me of a 17 year old cat that lives between my mother and aunt's houses called Sparky. Lets face it, with that swagger, charm and velvety voice, Duchess didn't have any chance to resist him. The scene that follows the infamous "Everybody Wants to be A Cat" sequence in which Thomas and Duchess discuss the possibility of him become part of her family and he offers himself up as Papa to her kittens is such a lovely moment. The cherry on top of this scene is when Thomas affectionately curls his tale around Duchess's tail and they place their heads side by side. What a suitably romantic moment for such a purrrrfect couple!

7. Wall-E (2008)

I saw this film with a friend and her little sister and her friend when I was 17 in the cinema. I'm not sure whether it was the sentimentality we had from being somewhat older or what but that movie really made my friend and I very emotional and teary eyed, and definitely didn't have the same effect on the younger girls. I guess, the subtly of this film and quietness of it is harder for pre teen girls to appreciate but I think it is really effective. The scene I consider to be so romantic is when Wall-E and Eve meet. I find this scene so wonderful because of how flipping adorable they are together. The fact that Wall-E has been alone for so long and all he wants is someone to spend time with just breaks my heart and the opening of this movie makes it one of the hardest for me to watch due to how emotional I get, but somehow when Wall-E meets his Eve for the first time, you get this feeling that you know everything is going to be okay and they are meant to be together. Plus his attempt to say "Eve" without the aaaaaa at the end, is so cute and funny, beautiful moment. 

6. Sleeping Beauty (1958)

Disney's 1958 "Damsel in Distress" classic is kind of controversial in how much it splits audiences opinions. I personally think it's really good, not brilliant like Cinderella or Beauty and the Beast, but still a solid and entertaining animated movie and a must see for all Disney lovers. The moment in particular that I found so lovely and romantic in this film was is the "Once Upon A Dream" where Aurora and Phillip first encounter each other. The elements of how infatuated they clearly are with each  other, the beautiful song and the sweetness of the animals dancing and messing around with Aurora before she meets Phillip are all wonderful and enjoyable to watch. As a side note, Prince Phillip was the first Disney character I had a crush on......Yes, I'm woman enough to admit it, this probably added to my liking this scene so much 

5. Tangled (2008)

Tangled is the kind of predecessor to Frozen as it has similar animation, and a similar style of story telling, I don't think it was as successful as Frozen, but it was still a really lovely movie. For me, one scene stands out in particular and that is the "I See the Light" scene where Rapunzel and Flynn are in the row boat watching the lanterns in the sky. That song is so magical and it really hits such a romantic note. I feel Mandy Moore's voice was the perfect choice for Rapunzel and it gave us a reminder of how she was one of the few late 90s teen queens who could actually sing. The phrase in the song that is particularly touching is "All at once everything is different, now that I'm with you" I mean, that is a perfect sentiment for a moment like that.

4. Beauty and the Beast (1991)

With all the hype over the new remake of Beauty and the Beast, I had to recently rewatch it and as per usual, I enjoyed every second of it. The remake will unfortunately never surpass the "Tale As Old As Time" scene, as it is truly tender and romantic and that isn't something that can be easily said in most films. My favourite part of this scene is when Belle gently rests her head on Beast's shoulder, his reaction is so cute and genuine. Angela Lansbury's rendition of the timeless song works so well when combined with the groundbreaking animation is so wonderful, you can see why this film was nominated for an Oscar for Best Picture and why it has some of movie history's most romantic on screen moments

3. Aladdin (1992)

The magic carpet ride scene in Aladdin works so well because of the chemistry between the two characters, how they were able to convey such amazing chemistry between two animated characters is outstanding. They genuinely come across like they are falling for one another and the setting of the two flying on the magic carpet through all of these exotic places as well as the classic song "A Whole New World" are all so beloved by all Disney fans. I would recommend anybody who hasn't seen it to watch the singing voices of Aladdin and Jasmine, Brad Kane and Lea Salonga perform the song over 20 years later on Good Morning America. They still sing it beautifully and it completely recreates the moment for all of the movie's fans.

2. Lady and the Tramp (1955)

This is officially one of the most adorable movies ever made. It is a love story of course between a Lady (a cocker spaniel dog who lives in a nice home with a well to do young couple) and a Tramp (a mixed breed street dog who gets his meals between different homes and restaurants around the neighbourhood). I personally love dogs and other animals so much, so a Disney movie about two dogs in love feels like it was tailor made for me and I'm sure many other's feel that way too! The infamous spaghetti and meatballs moment in the movie is probably on everyone's list of great romantic moments, it's so tender and affectionate. Lady and Tramp going for a meal at Tony's italian restaurant where they serve up their tasty grub to the dogs and they serenade them with the lovely "Bella Notte". It would make the perfect date for anybody and I'm sure many a couple has recreated that spaghetti string moment on a lovely bella notte together

1. The Little Mermaid (1989)

My all time ultimate favourite Disney romantic moment has got to be "Kiss The Girl" in The Little Mermaid. The song is one of the best Disney songs ever written from one of the greatest Disney scores ever composed. I love every song in The Little Mermaid and often walk around my apartment singing them for no particular reason. The setting of this whole scene, the back up singing of the other animals, Sebastian's voice encouraging the other animals and the audience to "Sing with me now" and the way the animators made the characters of Ariel and Eric look so infatuated with each other is so great to watch. 

My Disney Purchases This Month

This post is just a short one to talk about some of the lovely Disney purchases I made this month so far. It's kind of a very small mini haul as there are only three things involved! But they're just so nice I had to talk about them.

The first Disney thing I got this month was in a store called Dealz, which is kind of like a convenience store/pound shop. They are these adorable little emery boards, with Minnie Mouse details and design on them, I've come to find that most of these kind of shops can be amazing for little Disney bits and bobs, in particular Beauty type products and stationary, they may be cheap but that doesn't change the fact that they are still Disney and still great little thingamabobs to add to your collection. I haven't actually used them yet, I might just keep them as decoration from my Vanity table. They cost about €1.50, absolute bargain!

The next thing I got was a wonderful and really unique thing that I have wanted for a long time. A Cinderella Musical ornament. It's from the Disney Enchanting Collection (Musical figurine's edition) and I love it so much. I had been passing by the same shop in which I bought my Jim Shore figures and I saw they had these musical ones with Belle, Snow White and Cinderella in the window. So, I decided to put by €10 a week for 5 weeks so I could get the Cinderella one, I'm not sure why that one caught my eye the most but it just did. I would lovely to purchase the other two eventually, but I'll give my purse strings a break for a while until then. I went for a nice lunch with my cousin the week before last and decided to call in, pay my last bit of cash and pick up Cinderella. Something, which I didn't know when I initially wanted to get this figure is that, each one of them plays it's one individual song from their movie. So Cinderella of course plays "A Dream Is A Wish Your Heart Makes". I'm not too cool (obviously) to admit that I was extra excited to get it when I realized this, it had never crossed my mind they would put the effort into doing that and I just assumed they would play a generic music box tune. I think it's such a special part of owning one of these collectibles though and it added to my excitement. As previously mentioned, the item cost €50.00 for me, although as usual, the prices most likely vary in other places/countries, I wouldn't expect to get it for much less than that though as it is a fabulous collector's item. As a side note, the Belle one plays "Tale As Old As Time" and the Snow White one plays "Someday My Prince Will Come" how sweet is that? <3 

The final thing I got this month was on Saturday. I was up the main street of my town running some errands and I spotted in the window of a charity shop, an Ariel doll. I had seen the doll in the Disney Store in Dublin on Valentine's Day last year and I really liked it, but because it was €30 and a little smaller than the one I chose (My Marie from The Aristocats) I decided to leave it, so you can probably imagine how thrilled I was when I came across this great find in the Jack and Jill shop window! The doll itself is in great condition, there are one or two frayed parts on her skirt, but other than that she is great nick and so pretty. When I went into the shop I asked the lady at the counter how much she cost and she gave her to me for €4! the label said 5 but as I was routing around my purse for the extra euro she said it was no problem and I was so happy with her. I think people should really pay more attention to trying charity and thrift shops for Disney finds. This is the second thing I've gotten from that shop (the first being my Fairest of All book) and I will definitely be popping in and out of there in the future to see if I can discover any more treasures. Another plus of trying those shops is that any money you spend in them not only gets you a great or a few great Disney things, but they money also goes towards a good cause so that's pretty wonderful too.