That seemed to be the only story on offer.

Your goodies were good, and your baddies were downright evil, there was no context or grey areas. Female jealousy seemed to be enough to turn a queen into a witch. The villains in early Disney were quite often women. Jealous and catty, sure, but so powerful. Rich and assured of themselves. What a great aspiration for the young girls of the 40s and 50s. Their employment opportunities were terrible, but they felt confident they could rock a cape and pair of horns.

Nowadays, the offerings from Disney are more progressive, and much more representative. Encanto (2021), Luca (2021), Strange World (2022) and Turning Red (2022) certainly explored complex and diverse storylines and characters, especially when compared to the studio’s earlier offerings. And while modern Disney princesses are still often found in ballgowns, young audiences are well-accustomed to them being adorned with weaponry as well.

So, what does a child with a decidedly modern palate make of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937), Cinderella (1950) and Sleeping Beauty (1959)? While they continue to be favourites for many Disney fans, it is easy to argue that there isn’t much about them for a feminist… or a nine-year-old who’s being raised by a feminist (let’s call her E).

Up until this point, E hasn’t seen these particular films because there just seemed a bit too much cleaning up after men, falling head over heels with them before anyone’s got to know anyone properly, and getting kissed while unable to give consent for it, to be a suitable tale for a 21^st Century lass.

Will the films prove E’s mother wrong? Or will they be the heteronormative, stereotype-riddled dinosaurs she suspects them to be? Will E be swept along by the romance of it all and demand to watch on repeat forever more?

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937)

Snow White and Seven Dwarfs Review

When Disney released Snow White in 1937, it became an instant classic, and to this day it remains critically acclaimed and revered as one of the greatest animated films of all time. Snow White became lore and left ripples of influence through every Disney film that followed.

‘You can tell that’s drawn,’ was the first thing E had to say about Snow White (1937). This is actually a selling point of the movie, the incredible feat of the animators who crafted each image (up to twenty-four for every second of film) and created that beautiful, dreamlike effect. But for a kid whose first Disney experience at the cinema was Inside Out (2015), Snow White might as well be carved in stone.

The second thing the modern miss could not get her head around was the clipped affected tones of a 1930s Hollywood starlet. In fact, the story of Adriana Caselotti’s employment is particularly unfeminist too. Disney blocked her from other voice work so not to disrupt the illusion of Snow White. E struggled so much with the willowy wisp of her voice that subtitles had to be employed. The explanation that some women used to make themselves sound like that to be more appealing just didn’t compute.

‘But why?’

One extremely troublesome line in the film is ‘I’m so ashamed of the fuss I’ve made.’ This is uttered immediately after someone our heroine trusted has attempted to murder her. Fortunately, E was still so concerned about the voice that she hadn’t quite focused in on what was being said yet. It is hard to imagine Esmeralda or Anna saying anything quite as timid.

Snow White is at least proportionately realistic for a thirteen-year-old girl, which in a world of Barbies, Auroras, Belles and Elsas, is definitely worth something. Snow’s sensible eyes should get a mention here too, something the later princesses lack. It’s a wonder that Rapunzel can keep her head up, quite frankly.

In films that followed after, the magic of true love’s kiss is acknowledged, it’s mentioned, it’s prescribed. Because Snow White was the first, that means that Prince Charming, apropos of nothing, went out for a stroll and snogged a girl he thought was dead. How romantic.

Because E has seen those subsequent films, she knows that true love’s kiss will wake you from a poison apple coma (duh), so she wasn’t too perturbed by the notion of the prince kissing Snow. Her mother still doesn’t like it though.

The thing that struck E was that there were lots of boys in it, ‘even though it’s for girls.’ She has obviously never been told that Snow White is for girls, but she has been in Primark, she knows the boy section doesn’t have hoodies with Snow White, Cinderella or Sleeping Beauty on them, so she knows it’s not for them…

Cinderella (1950)

Cinderella (1950) is another film where the leading lady falls head over implausibly-tiny-heels in love with her guy within moments of meeting him. But at least she speaks to him before he shoves his tongue down her throat. To be fair, he seems equally besotted.

Cinderella is far sassier than Snow White, but does the film fare any better under the watchful eye of E and her reluctant mother?

While Cinderella is vocal about her unhappiness, she is entirely dependent on whether the men in her life can rescue her. Whether that’s a prince, a mouse or a dog. Cinderella has little autonomy besides deciding whether to change Anastasia’s sheets before Drizella’s, or not. But that is something.

Actually, E didn’t really see the sexist stereotypes at play in Cinderella (1950). Maybe this is because she has been raised in a house that constantly refutes them, or simply because she has had the choice to see Disney women lead armies across China, fight ice monsters, choose not to marry, or break family curses through sheer stubbornness. Watching a woman in a domestic role is a rarity for her, so it literally can’t be a stereotype.

She didn’t see the mouse saying ‘leave the sewing for the women’ as problematic, only that those women must be better at sewing than those particular men. Her mother felt Gus Gus could probably have had a crack at it – he would’ve probably still been better than Flora, Fauna or Merryweather.

Sleeping Beauty (1959)

In one of the earlier text versions of Sleeping Beauty, the young woman is actually woken by her baby breastfeeding. Her second baby born since she’d been put to sleep by the curse. While the Disney version of Sleeping Beauty (1959) does have a more PG wake up routine, there is still a palpable lack of consent (unless betrothal counts?). Like Cinderella, at least Aurora had met and spoken briefly to Philip before deciding that he was the one for her. And unlike Snow White’s Charming, Philip is told explicitly that his kiss will wake the princess and restore the kingdom. Slightly less gross. Also, pressure.

E found Sleeping Beauty (1959) ‘a bit too lovey’ and ‘quite boring.’ For children used to ‘Minecraft’ Creepers, and those mind-bending goggles from Incredibles II, Maleficent’s raven doesn’t quite bring the chills it might have done in the sixties. If the main peril doesn’t feel perilous, and the main thing driving the protagonist (falling in love) isn’t exciting enough, then the film is going to fall flat.

On the face of it, Sleeping Beauty (1959), has more to offer. Dragons, sword fights and sarcastic fairies. But, of the three films, Aurora has the least autonomy. Yes, Snow’s choices were bad – never take apples from obviously evil crones in the woods – but they were her own. Whereas Aurora doesn’t decide to be cursed, she doesn’t decide to leave her family home and bunk in the woods for 16 years, she doesn’t decide to prick her finger on a spindle, and she doesn’t even get to decide when she wakes up. The one thing she does decide is that she is madly in love with the first man she ever meets. A 2D character in every sense of the word.

Sleeping Beauty also seems to be the turning point for the animators’ choice to make these teenaged princesses figures hourglass and unattainable. True, Cinders looks smashing in her gown but looks slightly more realistic in her brown smock. Aurora’s forest garb seems to include a corset.

But why?

There is something almost pure about watching early Disney, when the films were the focus. The stories were the only thing on offer. Watching these three films with a modern child was interesting, not that E had particularly nuanced wisdom to share but because they really proved how far Disney has come. E has no interest in watching Snow White or Sleeping Beauty ever again (a damning review), which suggests that they don’t offer what a growing girl needs. It might also suggest that her mother was vindicated in thinking these films were unsuitable.

Nowadays, it’s harder to separate out Disney films from the commercialism that comes with them. Is another Toy Story needed, or is it just an excuse to sell toys? But given that children have got content coming at them from so many sources, the films the studio produces have to be incredible. They have to be capable of grabbing attention that is pulled in many directions. Even with awkward product placement and exorbitant park prices, the stories have developed and continued to be a spectacle (Planes: Fire & Rescue (2014), aside). Not only do the films have to be engaging, they have to be engaged. Modern films have to reflect modern appetites and sentiments.

It’s always good to acknowledge what came before. Cinderella waltzed so that Merida could run. Kids learning to love Disney films today get to access worlds with stories that stretch far beyond romantic love and castles. And that can only be a good thing. Much to E’s mother’s chagrin, Snow White, Cinderella and Aurora will never be fully obsolete. Nostalgia will keep them alive for generations to come. Just perhaps not in E’s house.

Recommended for you: Animated Disney Villains Ranked

They’ve come in many guises over the years, from the monarchical to the Machiavellian, monsters to muscle men, sorcerers, schemers and step-parents. And they have shown levels of genius, incompetence and everything in between in their efforts to thwart our heroes. But they are always without fail ambitious, self-serving and strangely compelling.

In a world of promoting good virtues to children, good must always triumph over evil. And so, Disney villains can’t be left to return and cause havoc another day (unless it’s in an inconsequential direct-to-video sequel) and so usually meet their maker in one of a variety of inventive and sometimes gruesome ways.

If the Disney Princess is the most merchandisable element of the Disney canon, then the villains are a close second and inspire even more fervour among adult fans, perhaps because they’re usually more flawed and interesting than the heroes and especially when so many are (intentionally or not) queer-coded, fabulously designed and played with gusto by talented voice actors giving it their all. 

For this edition of Ranked, we at The Film Magazine have taken every significant villain to be found in Disney animation and ordered them in terms of wickedness, memorability and the threat they represent to our heroes and heroines. So practice your diabolical laughter, rehearse your evil monologue, dust off your best purple attire and enjoy Animated Disney Villains Ranked. 

Follow @thefilmagazine on X (Twitter).

36. King Candy – Wreck-It Ralph (2012)

The ruler of arcade racing video game Sugar Rush who is actually Turbo, the resentful title character of a long-disconnected game.

Alan Tudyk has been Disney’s good luck charm in recent years and delivers a manic performance here as a mascot-gone-wrong, but the vocals have to do most of the work to enliven a baddie who’s just not interesting enough to match the heroes.

Demise by: Destroyed by the collapse of Diet Cola Mountain with the addition of Mentos.

35. Prince Hans – Frozen (2013)

A seemingly classic Prince Charming who is actually conspiring to eliminate both heirs to the Arendelle throne and claim it for himself.

Hans is a duplicitous, generic British-accented baddie revealed in the film’s final act, who gets some bonus evil points for taking advantage of Princess Anna’s emotions the way he does, purely to advance himself.

Demise by: Survives but is arrested and banished for his treachery.

Recommended for you: Best Animated Feature Oscar Winners Ranked

34. Alameda Slim – Home on the Range (2004)

An evil cattle rustler and conman who plans to cheat every rancher he can find out of their land.

Randy Quaid’s growling delivery and the character’s hilariously unconvincing Inspector Clouseau-level disguises aside, what makes Alameda Slim stand out is that he’s a rare villain who uses a combination of theft, foreclosure and cow-hypnotising yodelling to get what he wants.

Demise by: Survives, but his schemes and true identity as a rustler are exposed and the reward for his arrest is claimed.

33. Dr Jumba Jookiba – Lilo & Stitch (2002)

An alien mad scientist on the hunt for his dangerous but cute creation on Earth on the orders of the council who imprisoned him for his work.

Dr Jumba is probably the only character who never underestimates the cute blue title character because he was the one who genetically engineered “Experiment 626” and is fully aware of his destructive capabilities. He finds himself lower down this list for being bumbling and for having a late change of heart, eventually helping to protect Stitch when the council’s military arrives to complete his mission with extreme prejudice.

Demise by: Survives to live a fairly happy exile alongside Stitch on Earth.

The Little Mermaid (2023)
Director: Rob Marshall
Screenwriter: David Magee
Starring: Halle Bailey, Johan Hauer-King, Daveed Diggs, Awkwafina, Jacob Tremblay, Noma Dumezweni, Art Malik, Javier Bardem, Melissa McCarthy

For months leading up to the release of The Little Mermaid, Disney promoted their 2023 iteration as being a bold, feminist update of its 1989 animated classic. This tactic is nothing new for Disney. For nearly 10 years, beginning with Cinderella in 2015, Disney has been steadily working toward remaking all of its animated movies, justifying their existence by saying they were correcting all of the problematic, sexist, and outdated things found in the originals. But, as should be abundantly clear by now, Disney is not so much interested in progress as it is in the appearance of it. The company’s recent attempts at diversity are shallow at best and disingenuous at worst. The Little Mermaid is no exception, and not even Halle Bailey’s powerhouse vocals can save this movie from being revealed as the soulless cash grab that it is.

Despite being advertised as fresh and inventive, The Little Mermaid sticks to all of the same story beats as the original – without any of the emotional weight – save for a few exceptions. This movie has nothing to say that hasn’t already been said, and the changes the filmmakers do end up making create one big convoluted mess that robs Ariel of her agency more than it adds to it.

Halle Bailey tries. She really does. But she is utterly on her own, desperately trying to add some magic to a movie completely devoid of life. Her vocal performance is the only highlight of The Little Mermaid (2023), and her version of “Part of Your World” is delightfully different from Jodi Benson’s. It’s a treat to listen to. But when she isn’t singing, Bailey is lost. Instead of trying enthusiastically to covey her feelings by any means necessary, Ariel goes through the middle of the movie completely checked out. Instead of excitement and curiosity for the human world, Bailey plays her as confused, walking around with a blank stare for much of the last half of the movie.

The rest of the cast’s performances are dull and uninspired. Oscar-winner Javier Bardem is utterly bored as King Triton, and Oscar-nominee Melissa McCarthy lacks the gravitas and allure of Pat Carroll’s original vocal performance. Ariel’s sisters are essentially non-characters, which is certainly a choice considering Disney went to the trouble of making and trying to market dolls of them. Awkwafina and Daveed Diggs are fine, if a little annoying, as Scuttle and Sebastian respectively, but they’re constantly dragged down by the fact that Disney’s creepy, pseudo-photo-realistic animals are incapable of emoting.

The decision to downplay Ariel’s affection and attraction to Eric (Johan Hauer-King) is bewildering. The criticism that Ariel only wanted to become human and leave her culture behind for a man doesn’t have any basis in the original film. As it has been pointed out countless times, Ariel sings “Part of Your World” before she even meets Eric. Her wants and desires are made abundantly clear. But since Disney is committed to fundamentally misunderstanding its own film, Rob Marshall and screenwriter David Magee overcorrect to the point where Ariel seems completely indifferent to Eric. She never confirms nor denies her feelings for him, and when she decides to take Ursula’s deal, she just seems stupid rather than reckless and desperate to get what she wants. Ariel’s steadfast belief that she has found her true love is a feature, not a bug, and the idea that women cannot be strong characters while also being in love is not the feminist statement Disney thinks it is.

While the filmmakers attempt to add depth to the central relationship, it’s obvious how afraid they are of expressing any kind of genuine passion on screen. Hauer-King’s dead-eyed portrayal of Eric doesn’t help matters, and their scenes simply bloat the runtime instead of adding anything substantial to the story.

The much-discussed lyric changes to “Poor Unfortunate Souls” and “Kiss the Girl” don’t end up making any more sense in context than they did before the movie was released. In general, though, The Little Mermaid doesn’t seem interested in being a musical. The filmmakers cut most of the ensemble music in favor of new tunes written by Lin-Manuel Miranda and Alan Menken. Scuttle’s song is so unnecessary and grating that it’s difficult to listen to, and Miranda’s signature style just doesn’t mesh with the rest of the songs. He may be in demand now, but Howard Ashman he is not.

The movie doesn’t begin with a concert. We don’t see the vast sea palace or get to see Ariel’s sisters introduce themselves through song. Instead, the movie begins with a mermaid council meeting – one that is exactly as boring as it sounds. Rob Marshall is no stranger to musicals – he directed the Oscar-winning adaptation of Chicago – so it’s difficult to understand what exactly went wrong here. But the camera work is lazy and unimaginative, and the editing doesn’t match the energy of the songs, the latter of which is especially egregious during “Under the Sea”.

The underwater scenes are passable, but there does seem to be a layer of grime over every frame as if Ariel lives in a murky lake rather than a vast, colorful ocean. It’s difficult to see Ariel’s treasure trove and it’s nearly impossible to make out Ursula’s shape against the darkened sky during the climax of the film. When films like Avatar exist it’s hard to forgive how uncanny everything looks.

Ariel does save the day in the end, but it’s too little too late. Disney’s inability to take a risk and make something truly subversive and bold is the film’s ultimate downfall. Young girls shouldn’t have to settle for a half-assed attempt at representation. They should be given their own stories and their own adventures, instead of a pale imitation of a much better movie.

Score: 6/24

IndieWire – 6th Dec 2019

Stephen Graham, the British star of the likes of This Is England and Walk Like a Panther who recently played a memorable role in Martin Scorsese’s The Irishman, is set to join the cast of Venom 2. The film, which will be Sony’s follow up to the 2017 billion dollar hit starring Tom Hardy, is currently keeping details of its plot close to its chest, with Graham’s role yet to be revealed.

Deadline – 5th Dec 2019

New Terrence Malick film A Hidden Life received a rare screening at the Vatican on Wednesday 4th Dec ahead of its North American release on the 13th.

THR – 5th Dec 2019

New DC/Warner Bros project The Batman, from Dawn of the Planet of the Apes screenwriter-director Matt Reeves, has cast Garden State, Green Lantern and An Education character actor Peter Sarsgaard. Though the role Sarsgaard has been given is currently under wraps, suggestions are being made that the actor could be set to play the role of Harvey “Two Face” Dent.

THR – 6th Dec 2019

A new Planet of the Apes movie is being developed at Disney, who now own the rights to the property following their purchase of 20th Century Fox earlier this year. The film, which will be overseen by the director of The Maze Runner 1, 2 & 3 Wes Ball, is suspected to be a franchise reboot, though details are currently unclear in this regard.

THR – 3rd Dec 2019

A Honey, I Shrunk the Kids sequel is in the works at Disney, with the director of the franchise’s original film from 1989, Joe Johnston, being lined up to direct. The project was apparently pitched to Disney by Beauty and the Beast and Frozen star Josh Gad earlier this year, and will reportedly see the actor fill the role of Wayne Szalinksi’s (Rick Moranis’) son.

Variety – 5th Dec 2019

Dakota Fanning and Elle Fanning will co-star as sisters in an adaptation of Kristin Hannah’s “The Nightingale” set to be directed by Inglourious Basterds actress Melanie Laurent.

THR – 4th Dec 2019

Sony’s musical Cinderella, set to star Camila Cabello, has cast ‘Chambers’ actor Nicholas Galitzine as its Prince Charming. Kay Cannon (Blockers) is set to direct.

THR – 5th Dec 2019

The first ever spin-off to one of Disney’s live-action remakes has been given the go-ahead, with Aladdin’s Prince Anders set to get his own standalone film. The film, which will be distributed exclusively by Disney+, will see original actor Billy Magnussen reprise his role.

THR – 6th Dec 2019

Mena Massoud, the lead actor and titular character in Disney’s 2019 live-action remake Aladdin, has said in an interview: “I haven’t had a single audition since Aladdin came out.” Revealing that was tired of keeping quiet about it.

THR – 3rd Dec 2019

Oscar-winning writer of The Big Short, Charles Randolph, is teaming with Blumhouse head Jason Blum to bring a real-to-life story of notorious start-up We Work to the big screen. The film, which is yet to be given a title, will be an adaptation of the reports of Katrina Booker, as well as her upcoming novel.

THR – 2nd Dec 2019

A sequel to 2018 Christmas movie The Christmas Chronicles starring Kurt Russell is heading to Netflix in 2020, with the first movie’s producer, Home Alone and Harry Potter 1 & 2 director Chris Columbus stepping into the director’s chair. Hollywood star Goldie Hawn, the real-life wife of star Kurt Russell, has also been confirmed to be playing the role of Mrs. Claus.

The Christmas Chronicles 2, coming next holiday season pic.twitter.com/zYVPwxKdbk

— See What’s Next (@seewhatsnext) December 6, 2019

The new Ghostbusters film, set to be directed by the son of original Ghostbusters director Ivan Reitman, Jason Reitman, has been given a full title ahead of its Summer 2020 release date: Ghostbusters: Afterlife.

Empire – 6th Dec 2019

Disney have sent out recommendations to movie theaters/cinemas asking them to warn viewers of prolonged flashing light sequences in their upcoming Lucasfilm release Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. The note, put together in conjunction with the Epilepsy Foundation, is something of a rarity in the industry.

THR – 6th Dec 2019

Kathleen Kennedy, the head of Disney subsidiary studio Lucasfilm and the overseer of Star Wars, is set to receive the British Film and Television Academy’s highest accolade, the BAFTA Fellowship award, in recognition of an outstanding and exceptional contribution to film.

BAFTA – 6th Dec 2019

Helen Mirren, the British actress who won an Oscar for her performance as Queen Elizabeth II in The Queen, will be honoured by the Berlin International Film Festival in 2020 with an iconic Golden Bear for the festival’s Lifetime Achievement Award.

4th Dec 2019

Joker actor Joaquin Phoenix has been named the PETA Person of the Year 2019 for promoting welfare rights to animals in trouble. The veteran actor and multi-time Oscar nominee, recently appeared on People for the Ethical Treatment of Animal’s “we are all animals” billboard campaign that looked to raise awareness of the group’s hope to ban travelling animal circuses worldwide.

THR – 2nd Dec 2019

Yorgos Lanthimos’ The Favourite won big at the 2019 European Film Awards this weekend, taking home 8 awards including European Film, European Comedy, Best Director and Best Actress.

TFM – 8th Dec 2019

And finally…

Studio Ghibli films will be available for digital purchase for the first time ever from 17th Dec, following a deal made with GKIDS to make all 21 of the studio’s releases available for purchase through their platform (set to hit HBO Max in 2020).

THR – 2nd Dec 2019

Georgian director Zaza Urushadze, best known for directing 2013 film Tangerines, has passed away aged 53 from a reported heart attack.

Vestink Kavkaza – 7th Dec 2019

Number 30: Amy 

Director: Asif Kapadia

Cast: Amy Winehouse

Number 29: Macbeth

Director: Justin Kurzel

Cast: Michael Fassbender, Marion Cotillard, Jack Madigan

Number 28: Far from the Madding Crowd

Director: Thomas Vinterberg

Cast: Carey Mulligan, Matthias Schoenaerts,Michael Sheen, Tom Sturridge, Juno Temple

Number 27: Still Alice

Director: Richard Glatzer, Wash Westmoreland

Cast: Julianne Moore, Kate Bosworth, Shane McRae, Hunter Parrish,  Alec Baldwin, Seth Gilliam, Kristen Stewart

Number 26: Black Mass

Director: Scott Cooper

Cast: Johnny Depp, Joel Edgerton, Benedict Cumberbatch, Rory Cochrane, Kevin Bacon, Jesse Plemons, Peter Sarsgaard, Dakota Johnson

Number 25: The Good Dinosaur

Director: Peter Sohn

Cast: Raymond Ochoa, Jack Bright, Sam Elliott, Anna Paquin, A.J. Buckley, Jeffrey Wright, Frances McDormand

Number 24: American Sniper

Director: Clint Eastwood

Cast: Bradley Cooper, Sienna Miller, Max Charles, Luke Grimes, Kyle Gallner

Number 23: Human

Director: Yann Arthus-Bertrand

Number 22: Ex Machina

Director: Alex Garland

Cast: Domhnall Gleeson, Alicia Vikander, Oscar Isaac, Sonoya Mizuno

Number 21: Avengers: Age of Ultron

Director: Joss Whedon 

Cast: Robert Downey, Jr., Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner, Don Cheadle, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Elizabeth Olsen, Paul Bettany, Cobie Smulders, Anthony Mackie, Stellan Skarsgård, James Spader, Samuel L. Jackson

Number 20: Everest

Director: Baltasar Kormákur

Cast: Jason Clarke, Jake Gyllenhaal, Josh Brolin, John Hawkes, Sam Worthington, Robin Wright, Michael Kelly, Keira Knightley, Emily Watson

Number 19: Cinderella

Director: Kenneth Branagh

Cast: Lily James, Cate Blanchett, Richard Madden, Helena Bonham Carter, Stellan Skarsgård, Nonso Anozie, Sophie McShera, Holliday Grainger, Derek Jacobi, Hayley Atwell

Number 18: Southpaw

Director: Antoine Fuqua

Cast: Jake Gyllenhaal, Forest Whitaker, Naomie Harris, Victor Ortiz, Rachel McAdams, Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson, Miguel Gomez

Number 17: Kingsman: The Secret Service

Director: Matthew Vaughn

Cast: Taron Egerton, Colin Firth, Samuel L. Jackson, Mark Strong, Michael Caine, Sophie Cookson, Sofia Boutella, Geoff Bell, Edward Holcroft, Mark Hamill, Jack Davenport

Number 16: Suite Francaise

Director: Saul Dibb

Cast: Michelle Williams, Kristin Scott Thomas, Matthias Schoenaerts, Sam Riley, Ruth Wilson, Lambert Wilson, Clare Holman, Margot Robbie

Number 15: The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2

Director: Francis Lawrence

Cast: Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth, Woody Harrelson, Elizabeth Banks, Julianne Moore, Philip Seymour Hoffman,Donald Sutherland, Sam Claflin, Jena Malone, Jeffrey Wright, Natalie Dormer, Willow Shields, Mahershala Ali, Stanley Tucci, Gwendoline Christie

Number 14: Straight Outta Compton

Director: F. Gary Gray

Cast: O’Shea Jackson, Jr., Corey Hawkins, Jason Mitchell, Aldis Hodge, Neil Brown, Jr., Paul Giamatti, Marlon Yates Jr., Corey Reynolds

Number 13: Ant-Man

Director: Peyton Reed

Cast: Paul Rudd, Evangeline Lilly, Corey Stoll, Bobby Cannavale, Michael Peña, Tip “T.I.” Harris, Anthony Mackie, Wood Harris,  David Dastmalchian, Michael Douglas

Number 12: Inside Out

Director: Pete Docter and Ronnie del Carmen

Cast: Amy Poehler, Phyllis Smith, Bill Hader, Lewis Black, Mindy Kaling, Richard Kind, Kaitlyn Dias, Diane Lane, Kyle MacLachlan

Number 11: Spectre

Director: Sam Mendes

Cast: Daniel Craig, Christoph Waltz, Léa Seydoux, Ben Whishaw, Naomie Harris, Dave Bautista, Andrew Scott, Monica Bellucci, Ralph Fiennes, Rory Kinnear, Jesper Christensen

Number 10: The Martian

Director: Ridley Scott

Cast: Matt Damon, Jessica Chastain, Michael Pena, Kate Mara, Sebastian Stan, Aksel Hennie, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Mackenzie Davis, Sean Bean, Jeff Daniels, Donald Glover, Benedict Wong, Kristen Wiig

Number 9: Steve Jobs

Director: Danny Boyle 

Cast: Michael Fassbender, Kate Winslet, Seth Rogen, Jeff Daniels, Katherine Waterston, Michael Stuhlbarg

Number 8: Furious 7

Director: James Wan

Cast: Vin Diesel, Paul Walker, Dwayne Johnson, Michelle Rodriguez, Tyrese Gibson, Chris ‘Ludacris’ Bridges, Jordana Brewster, Djimon Hounsou, Tony Jaa, Ronda Rousey, Nathalie Emmanuel, Kurt Russell, Jason Statham, Sung Kang, Gal Gadot 

Number 7: Selma

Director: Ava DuVernay

Cast: David Oyelowo, Tom Wilkinson, Carmen Ejogo, Andre Holland, Tessa Thompson, Giovanni Ribisi, Lorraine Toussaint, Stephan James, Wendell Pierce, Common, Alessandro Nivola, Keith Stanfield, Cuba Gooding, Jr., Dylan Baker, Tim Roth, Oprah Winfrey

Number 6: Jurassic World

Director: Colin Trevorrow

Cast: Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard, Vincent D’Onofrio, Ty Simpkins, Nick Robinson, Omar Sy, B. D. Wong, Jake Johnson, Lauren Lapkus, Brian Tee, Katie McGrath, Judy Greer, Andy Buckley

Number 5: The Theory of Everything

Director: James Marsh 

Cast: Eddie Redmayne, Felicity Jones, Charlie Cox, Emily Watson, Simon McBurney, David Thewlis, Maxine Peake, Harry Lloyd

Number 4: Carol

Director: Todd Haynes

Cast: Cate Blanchett, Rooney Mara, Sarah Paulson, Kyle Chandler, Jake Lacy, Cory Michael Smith, John Magaro, Carrie Brownstein

Number 3: Birdman

Director: Alejandro G. Iñárritu

Cast: Michael Keaton, Zach Galifianakis, Edward Norton, Andrea Riseborough, Amy Ryan, Emma Stone, Naomi Watts

Number 2: Mad Max: Fury Road 

Director: George Miller

Cast: Tom Hardy, Charlize Theron, Nicholas Hoult, Hugh Keays-Byrne, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, Riley Keough, Zoë Kravitz, Abbey Lee, Courtney Eaton 

Number 1: Star Wars: The Force Awakens

Director:  J. J. Abrams

Cast: Harrison Ford, Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, Adam Driver, Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, Lupita Nyong’o, Andy Serkis, Domhnall Gleeson, Anthony Daniels, Peter Mayhew, Max von Sydow

PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE
Bryan Cranston in “Trumbo”
Matt Damon in “The Martian”
Leonardo DiCaprio in “The Revenant”
Michael Fassbender in “Steve Jobs”
Eddie Redmayne in “The Danish Girl”

PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
Christian Bale in “The Big Short”
Tom Hardy in “The Revenant”
Mark Ruffalo in “Spotlight”
Mark Rylance in “Bridge of Spies”
Sylvester Stallone in “Creed”

PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE
Cate Blanchett in “Carol”
Brie Larson in “Room”
Jennifer Lawrence in “Joy”
Charlotte Rampling in “45 Years”
Saoirse Ronan in “Brooklyn”

PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
Jennifer Jason Leigh in “The Hateful Eight”
Rooney Mara in “Carol”
Rachel McAdams in “Spotlight”
Alicia Vikander in “The Danish Girl”
Kate Winslet in “Steve Jobs”

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE FILM OF THE YEAR
“Anomalisa” Charlie Kaufman, Duke Johnson and Rosa Tran
“Boy and the World” Alê Abreu
“Inside Out” Pete Docter and Jonas Rivera
“Shaun the Sheep Movie” Mark Burton and Richard Starzak
“When Marnie Was There” Hiromasa Yonebayashi and Yoshiaki Nishimura

ACHIEVEMENT IN CINEMATOGRAPHY
“Carol” Ed Lachman
“The Hateful Eight” Robert Richardson
“Mad Max: Fury Road” John Seale
“The Revenant” Emmanuel Lubezki
“Sicario” Roger Deakins

ACHIEVEMENT IN COSTUME DESIGN
“Carol” Sandy Powell
“Cinderella” Sandy Powell
“The Danish Girl” Paco Delgado
“Mad Max: Fury Road” Jenny Beavan
“The Revenant” Jacqueline West

ACHIEVEMENT IN DIRECTING
“The Big Short” Adam McKay
“Mad Max: Fury Road” George Miller
“The Revenant” Alejandro G. Iñárritu
“Room” Lenny Abrahamson
“Spotlight” Tom McCarthy

BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE
“Amy” Asif Kapadia and James Gay-Rees
“Cartel Land” Matthew Heineman and Tom Yellin
“The Look of Silence” Joshua Oppenheimer and Signe Byrge Sørensen
“What Happened, Miss Simone?” Liz Garbus, Amy Hobby and Justin Wilkes
“Winter on Fire: Ukraine’s Fight for Freedom” Evgeny Afineevsky and Den Tolmor

BEST DOCUMENTARY SHORT SUBJECT
“Body Team 12” David Darg and Bryn Mooser
“Chau, beyond the Lines” Courtney Marsh and Jerry Franck
“Claude Lanzmann: Spectres of the Shoah” Adam Benzine
“A Girl in the River: The Price of Forgiveness” Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy
“Last Day of Freedom” Dee Hibbert-Jones and Nomi Talisman

ACHIEVEMENT IN FILM EDITING
“The Big Short” Hank Corwin
“Mad Max: Fury Road” Margaret Sixel
“The Revenant” Stephen Mirrione
“Spotlight” Tom McArdle
“Star Wars: The Force Awakens” Maryann Brandon and Mary Jo Markey

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM OF THE YEAR
“Embrace of the Serpent” Colombia
“Mustang” France
“Son of Saul” Hungary
“Theeb” Jordan
“A War” Denmark

ACHIEVEMENT IN MAKEUP AND HAIRSTYLING
“Mad Max: Fury Road” Lesley Vanderwalt, Elka Wardega and Damian Martin
“The 100-Year-Old Man Who Climbed out the Window and Disappeared” Love Larson and Eva von Bahr
“The Revenant” Siân Grigg, Duncan Jarman and Robert Pandini

ACHIEVEMENT IN MUSIC WRITTEN FOR MOTION PICTURES (ORIGINAL SCORE)
“Bridge of Spies” Thomas Newman
“Carol” Carter Burwell
“The Hateful Eight” Ennio Morricone
“Sicario” Jóhann Jóhannsson
“Star Wars: The Force Awakens” John Williams

ACHIEVEMENT IN MUSIC WRITTEN FOR MOTION PICTURES (ORIGINAL SONG)
“Earned It” from “Fifty Shades of Grey”
Music and Lyric by Abel Tesfaye, Ahmad Balshe, Jason Daheala Quenneville and Stephan Moccio
“Manta Ray” from “Racing Extinction”
Music by J. Ralph and Lyric by Antony Hegarty
“Simple Song #3” from “Youth”
Music and Lyric by David Lang
“Til It Happens To You” from “The Hunting Ground”
Music and Lyric by Diane Warren and Lady Gaga
“Writing’s On The Wall” from “Spectre”
Music and Lyric by Jimmy Napes and Sam Smith

BEST MOTION PICTURE OF THE YEAR
“The Big Short” Brad Pitt, Dede Gardner and Jeremy Kleiner, Producers
“Bridge of Spies” Steven Spielberg, Marc Platt and Kristie Macosko Krieger, Producers
“Brooklyn” Finola Dwyer and Amanda Posey, Producers
“Mad Max: Fury Road” Doug Mitchell and George Miller, Producers
“The Martian” Simon Kinberg, Ridley Scott, Michael Schaefer and Mark Huffam, Producers
“The Revenant” Arnon Milchan, Steve Golin, Alejandro G. Iñárritu, Mary Parent and Keith Redmon, Producers
“Room” Ed Guiney, Producer
“Spotlight” Michael Sugar, Steve Golin, Nicole Rocklin and Blye Pagon Faust, Producers

ACHIEVEMENT IN PRODUCTION DESIGN
“Bridge of Spies” Production Design: Adam Stockhausen; Set Decoration: Rena DeAngelo and Bernhard Henrich
“The Danish Girl” Production Design: Eve Stewart; Set Decoration: Michael Standish
“Mad Max: Fury Road” Production Design: Colin Gibson; Set Decoration: Lisa Thompson
“The Martian” Production Design: Arthur Max; Set Decoration: Celia Bobak
“The Revenant” Production Design: Jack Fisk; Set Decoration: Hamish Purdy

BEST ANIMATED SHORT FILM
“Bear Story” Gabriel Osorio and Pato Escala
“Prologue” Richard Williams and Imogen Sutton
“Sanjay’s Super Team” Sanjay Patel and Nicole Grindle
“We Can’t Live without Cosmos” Konstantin Bronzit
“World of Tomorrow” Don Hertzfeldt

BEST LIVE ACTION SHORT FILM
“Ave Maria” Basil Khalil and Eric Dupont
“Day One” Henry Hughes
“Everything Will Be Okay (Alles Wird Gut)” Patrick Vollrath
“Shok” Jamie Donoughue
“Stutterer” Benjamin Cleary and Serena Armitage

ACHIEVEMENT IN SOUND EDITING
“Mad Max: Fury Road” Mark Mangini and David White
“The Martian” Oliver Tarney
“The Revenant” Martin Hernandez and Lon Bender
“Sicario” Alan Robert Murray
“Star Wars: The Force Awakens” Matthew Wood and David Acord

ACHIEVEMENT IN SOUND MIXING
“Bridge of Spies” Andy Nelson, Gary Rydstrom and Drew Kunin
“Mad Max: Fury Road” Chris Jenkins, Gregg Rudloff and Ben Osmo
“The Martian” Paul Massey, Mark Taylor and Mac Ruth
“The Revenant” Jon Taylor, Frank A. Montaño, Randy Thom and Chris Duesterdiek
“Star Wars: The Force Awakens” Andy Nelson, Christopher Scarabosio and Stuart Wilson

ACHIEVEMENT IN VISUAL EFFECTS
“Ex Machina” Andrew Whitehurst, Paul Norris, Mark Ardington and Sara Bennett
“Mad Max: Fury Road” Andrew Jackson, Tom Wood, Dan Oliver and Andy Williams
“The Martian” Richard Stammers, Anders Langlands, Chris Lawrence and Steven Warner
“The Revenant” Rich McBride, Matthew Shumway, Jason Smith and Cameron Waldbauer
“Star Wars: The Force Awakens” Roger Guyett, Patrick Tubach, Neal Scanlan and Chris Corbould

ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
“The Big Short” Screenplay by Charles Randolph and Adam McKay
“Brooklyn” Screenplay by Nick Hornby
“Carol” Screenplay by Phyllis Nagy
“The Martian” Screenplay by Drew Goddard
“Room” Screenplay by Emma Donoghue

ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
“Bridge of Spies” Written by Matt Charman and Ethan Coen & Joel Coen
“Ex Machina” Written by Alex Garland
“Inside Out” Screenplay by Pete Docter, Meg LeFauve, Josh Cooley; Original story by Pete Docter, Ronnie del Carmen
“Spotlight” Written by Josh Singer & Tom McCarthy
“Straight Outta Compton” Screenplay by Jonathan Herman and Andrea Berloff; Story by S. Leigh Savidge & Alan Wenkus and Andrea Berloff

Number 30: Hercules becomes a God –Hercules (1997)

‘Hercules’ at 25 – Review

Number 29: Higitus Figitus. Merlin works his magic – The Sword in the Stone (1963)

Number 28: The Evil Queens evil plan – Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937)

Number 27: Pink Elephants on Parade – Dumbo (1941)

Recommended for you: Tim Burton Movies Ranked

Number 26: Copper saves Todd – The Fox and the Hound (1981)

Number 25: Ohana means family – Lilo and Stich (2002)

Number 24: Mulan gets ready for war – Mulan (1998)

Mulan (1998) Review

Number 23: Ray is united with Evangeline –Princess and the Frog (2009)

Number 22: Pocahontas meets John Smith –Pocahontas (1995)

Number 21: Under the Sea – The Little Mermaid (1989)

Number 20: Alice goes down the rabbit hole – Alice in Wonderland (1951)

Number 19: True love’s kiss – Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937)

Number 18: 101! – 101 Dalmations (1961)

Number 17: Aladdin wishes Genie to be free – Aladdin (1992)

Number 16: Bibbidi Bobbidi Boo – Cinderella (1950)

Number 15: Steamboat Willie – Steamboat Willie (1928)

Number 14: Everybody wants to be a cat – The Aristocats (1970)

Number 13 – I’m a real boy – Pinnochio (1940)

Number 12: The Bare Necessities – The Jungle Book (1967)

Number 11: Bambi goes ice skating – Bambi (1942)

Number 10: Let It go – Frozen (2013)

Recommended for you: 4 Most Depressing Disney Moments

Number 9 – The Circle of Life – The Lion King (1994)

Number 8: Ariel gives up her voice – The Little Mermaid (1989)

Recommended for you: The Evolution of Disney Dads

Number 7: The Floating Lights – Tangled (2010)

Number 6: Off to Neverland – Peter Pan (1953)

Number 5: Maleficent crashes the party – Sleeping Beauty (1959)

Number 4: Bella Notte – Lady and the Tramp (1955)

Number 3: Mickey’s dancing brooms – Fantasia (1940)

Number 2: Long Live The King – The Lion King (1994)

Number 1: The Dance – Beauty and the Beast (1991)

Recommended for you: Disney Renaissance Movies Ranked

What are your favourite Disney moments? Let us know in the comments and be sure to follow us on Facebook and Twitter for updates on more articles like this one.

Number 10: Mulan – Mulan (1998)

Mulan is very different to the rest of the characters on our list. Mulan is all about representing strength and honour, and doing whatever it takes to protect your family. She is by no means the typical beautiful princess in a gown, she is a fighter. Not only is she a representation of strong women, she also represents a culture other than the typical American or English settings that Disney are drawn to.

Mulan (1998) Review

Number 9: Jasmine – Aladdin (1992)

In a similar way to Mulan, Jasmine represents a different culture: she is exotic and she is one of the few princesses that has sex appeal (which is mainly down to her strength). She wants her independence, she wants to make up her own mind and she is not afraid to stand up to those who try to control her. Where as many Disney stories are of normal girls longing for a Prince or to be a Princess, Jasmine is the opposite, she has everything but would give that all up if it meant she could live her own life.

Number 8: Tiana – The Princess and the Frog (2009)

Tiana marks a ground-breaking moment in Disney history as she is the first black princess. She is ambitious and independent, and works hard to achieve her dream. She is a feisty character and in no way a damsel in distress. Despite being turned into a frog, she is the one who takes charge in rectifying their situation. Although she has the beauty of a typical Disney princess, we focus more on her personality as she spends most of her time as a frog, and it is this that we fall in love with.

Number 7: Rapunzel – Tangled (2010)

Rapunzel is a princess who is simply fun, and like many teens growing up is discovering the world for the first time (even though her situation is more on the extreme side). Despite loving her ‘mother’ she wants her own freedom. She is cute, energetic, creative and has hair to die for. Rapunzel, along with Tiana, seemed to have started a new wave of Disney princesses.

Number 6: Elsa – Frozen (2013)

Elsa is the most recent princess on this list, but her impact has been incredible – the popularity of Frozen is something that nobody expected. Even two years after the film’s release, hype still surrounds it. Elsa is the only princess with magical powers on this list, she is an outsider, and her journey to accepting who she really is, is a captivating one.

Number 5: Aurora – Sleeping Beauty (1959)

Aurora is a traditional princess in every sense of the word. Her beauty resembles that of an old Hollywood movie star and she is the typical damsel in distress, dreaming of her Prince to come. She may not be rebellious, or particularly strong or ground-breaking, but she is iconic to the Disney brand: her castle is one the main attractions in the Disney parks. Sleeping Beauty is a true Disney classic.

Number 4: Cinderella – Cinderella (1950)

Much like Aurora, when you think of Cinderella you think of the traditional Disney princess: beautiful, kind and innocent but in a tough situation. Cinderella just longs for one night of happiness and when her wish is granted, she just so happens to meet a Prince and her true love. Whereas she may not be as prominent in setting new ideologies when it comes to being a Disney princess, Cinderella is simply iconic when it comes to Disney.

Number 3: Belle – Beauty and the Beast (1991)

Belle’s kindness and representation of acceptance is what puts her so high on this list. She is beautiful and graceful, but it is also her intelligence and her love of books that make her a good role model for young girls. She is independent and a great judge of character, refusing the likes of Gaston and accepting the kind heart of the Beast. She may also have one of the most memorable wardrobes of all the Disney princesses.

Number 2: Ariel – The Little Mermaid (1989)

Ariel was another princess who seemed to brake the mould when it comes to stereotypical thoughts of a princess, and not only because she is not entirely human. Ariel is rebellious, cool and let’s face it she has hair that any girl would kill for. She is the one that every young girl wants to be, whether in mermaid or human form. Ariel’s strive to want more for her life is something that almost everyone can relate to, and her willingness to give up everything to get it makes her stand out in the Disney universe.

Number 1: Snow White – Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937)

Not only was Snow White the original princess, but she was the one that started everything in Disney’s first feature length film. Snow White is the pioneer of the Disney Princess, and she is probably the most memorable. She embodies everything you think of when you think of a princess: pure innocence, beauty, kindness and grace. This is why she is number one on our list.

Recommended for you: Disney Renaissance Movies Ranked

As Halloween draws ever closer, I’m taking a look at 10 of favourite animated films comparing their roots as disturbing and horrifying folk stories to their modern day image as classic children’s fairy tales, beginning with Snow White.

The version you know

Disney’s first length feature animated film Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs follows the beautiful and young Snow White who lives happily in her castle in the forest with her Stepmother the evil Queen. The wicked Queen possesses a magic mirror and every day she asks “Mirror, mirror on the wall, who is the fairest of them all”, to which the mirror always replies telling the Queen that it is her who is the fairest in the land. This is until Snow White comes of age and one day when the Queen asks her daily question the mirror replies that Snow White is now the fairest of them all. In a fit of rage the Queen orders a huntsman to follow Snow White into the forest and kill her, bringing back her heart as proof that she is dead, and that once again the Queen is the fairest in the land.

The huntsman cannot bring himself to kill Snow White and instead tells her to run off into the woods and never come back and takes for the Queen the heart of a pig instead, the Queen sees through this however when she asks her magic mirror and it replies that Snow White is still  the fairest of them all. In the mean time Snow White with the help of some friendly woodland animals finds a cottage in the woods and after cleaning it she falls asleep across the seven tiny beds. When the seven dwarfs who work in the local coal mine return home they eventually warm to Snow White and agree to let her stay.

The wicked Queen decides the best way to retain her title as the fairest of them all is to off Snow White with poison, so disguised as an old woman she hunts Snow White down in the forest and offers her a lovely red apple. Snow White falls into an eternal slumber that can only be woken by true love’s kiss and the dwarfs place her in a glass coffin. One day a Prince happens upon the scene, he having fallen in love with Snow White when she lived at the castle opens the coffin and kisses Snow White, breaking the spell and awakening her. The seven dwarfs and Snow White’s animal friends all rejoice, and everyone lived happily ever after.

The original version

There are a few early versions of Snow White but perhaps the most well known one is German folk tale Schneewittchen written by the Brothers Grimm (remember Grimm by name, grim by nature) who wrote many different versions of the story themselves. Whilst Disney does stay true to a lot of the original folk tale its deviations happen mostly after Snow White has, at the advice of the huntsman, fled and taken shelter in the home of the seven dwarfs. The dwarfs warn Snow White not to let anyone into the cottage whilst they are out mining in the mountains.

The Queen does not find it so easy to kill Snow White as she does in the Disney version, first she pretends to be a gypsy offering Snow White a lacy bodice as a present, she laces it up so light Snow White passes out and the Queen leaves assuming she will die. The next morning however when she asks her magic mirror it informs her of Snow Whites survival, the dwarfs having returned just in time to loosen the bodice saving Snow White. The Queen’s next attempt at returning to be the fairest of them all involves her posing as a comb seller and combing Snow White’s hair with a poisoned comb, but again her plan is thwarted when again the dwarfs arrive just in time and manage to revive her. The final attempt made by the Queen to get rid of Snow White is with the famous poisoned apple, taking half for herself and offering the poisoned half to Snow White who then falls into a state of suspended animation. The dwarfs are unable to save her as they cannot find the cause of her apparent death.

The next part is fairly similar to the Disney re-write wherein the Dwarfs place Snow White in a glass coffin and a Prince eventually finds them. However the Prince does not kiss Snow White bringing her back to life, instead he barters with the dwarfs for the coffin as he has fallen in love with her beauty. The dwarfs eventually give in and allow the Prince to take the coffin, whilst being carried by his servants they stumble and drop the coffin which dislodges the apple from Snow White’s throat and she wakes up. The Price declares his love for Snow White and they announce their engagement, all the Kings and Queens of the land are to be invited, including Snow White’s stepmother.

The Queen asks her mirror again who is the fairest of them all, to which it replies “You, my queen, are fair so true. But the young Queen is a thousand times fairer than you.” She tentatively accepts her invitation to the wedding, unbeknown to her that Snow White is the bride. At the wedding she realises the truth and a pair of red hot iron boots are brought forward for her and as punishment for her evil acts she is forced to put them on and dance herself to death. Everyone else lives happily ever after.
Other variations include the Queen being Snow White’s own mother, and rather than a huntsman the Queen instructs a servant to take Snow White into the woods to pick flowers and abandon her.