Top Ten Things Jill Needs to Know About Moana

You asked for it and here it is! The top ten things you (if you are Jill) need to know about Moana, Disney's newest feature in the animated canon. I'm super excited for this movie and think you should be as well - here's why:

10. Polynesian culture

The second film in the canon to explore Polynesian culture (the first being Lilo and Stitch) this film promises to actually introduce viewers like me to something new. From what I can tell this will take place somewhere in the Polynesian Triangle but on a fictional level - combining aspects from several Polynesian subcultures such as Samoan, Hawaiian, Maori, and more!

9. Directors

Oh, I'm totally doing this now! But in chronological order!

This is the seventh film from Disney pedigreed director team Ron Clements and John Musker. Their previous outings gave us films that changed everything. Okay maybe not everything but still, noticeable trending changes.
The Great Mouse Detective - which proved that Disney animation was still viable after the abysmal showing from The Black Cauldron.
The Little Mermaid - Why, hello beginning of the Disney Renaissance and launch of the 'Disney Musical' format that dominated my childhood.
Aladdin, Hercules, Treasure Planet, and, of course, The Princess and the Frog, which launched the current revival! I think we can expect great things from Moana.

8. CGI

This will be a CGI film (a first for the directors though they've dabbled). It was decided to go with CGI because they thought the ocean looked better that way. Personally I'm fine either way - though I would love to see a traditionally animated film come out of Disney occasionally - it has been seven years. I do think that the characters hair looks amazing though! Ariel's wet hair never looked this good.

7. The Rock

It's got The Rock guy in it. Since Jill likes him that's important. I'm indifferent. Dwayne Johnson plays Maui, a demigod that is apparently important in all the Polynesian subcultures. The movie pages all note him as being inspired by Maori legend though, so take from that what you will.

6. Controversy

Yes, the movie hasn't even come out and already there is controversy. Most of the flack seems to center around Maui. The two big one being character design and a costume. Let's address the costume first. I can see how people might be upset at making the costume basically Polynesian skin, but I can also guess that the person in charge of making it probably didn't have any ill intentions - I've seen worse. Still it was pulled so that one is over and done with.

However, upon seeing the character design for Maui the reactions seem to either be, "Heck YES!" or "Excuse me?" I've seen complaints that Maui is perpetuating a stereotype that Polynesian men are obese. Personally I don't think that counts unless most of the men are presented as obese. (I'm aware that that's probably politically incorrect but this is my blog so I get to state my opinion.) I've also read a great piece on character design showing how you can't help but look at this character and see 'strength'. here Also he resembles other recent animated guys meant to be strong.

5. New Voice

The voice for Moana will be provided by Auli'i Cravalho a 15 year old  high school student!  Actually her 16 birthday is the day before the movie is released - which is a pity, cause one day from either direction would make for the bombingnest Sweet Sixteen Party evah! Let's all go to a movie - specifically the one where I'm the newest Disney princess.

4. Last Audition - Last Day

But it almost didn't happen. Auli'i wasn't even going to audition until an agent urged her to. She went on the last day of open auditions and was the last person to be seen. After a few callbacks she was chosen for the role!

3. Heihei the Rooster and Pua the Pig

Because Disney has a long-standing tradition of animal sidekicks Moana, of course, gets hers. Heihei (which I'm pronouncing HeyHeeeey until told differently) is a rooster that might be the dumbest Disney character ever - according to Ron Clements. Pua the Pig is the other sidekick who... has apparently been scaled back a lot since the original marketing. But he's adorable!

2. Music

This is a musical! YAAAAAY!!!! And what a stellar musical pedigree this movie has. Check out this lineage:
Lin-Manuel Miranda - wrote the current Broadway musical taking the internet by storm Hamilton!
Mark Mancina - Disney vet the arranged songs for The Lion King, Tarzan, and Brother Bear - This is important folks because Lion King is my favorite movie of all time, Tarzan's Strangers Like Me' is the song of my life, and Brother Bear... well I really like it too!
Opetaia Foai - winner of several awards for world music and part of Te Vaka an oceanic music group

I actually was unaware this was a musical until about a month and a half ago. The official trailer doesn't really make it seem like a musical - yet the soundtrack has seven songs on it compared to Frozen's eight (nine if you split Vuelie and Frozen Heart) soooooo....
Of course here's Frozen's official trailer too.

That is maybe the most misleading thing of all time in retrospect...

I might have seen it one or two times before the movie. But I got the soundtrack a month before seeing the movie and had watched In Summer and Let It Go numerous times on youtube. I guess my reaction is different since I wasn't sure what was happening with Frozen but I fully expected Moana to not be a musical.

1. Release Date

The only thing left is to go and see it! It hits theaters November 23, 2016!

Top Ten Tuesday - My Musical Experience of Europe

Alright, so rather than a countdown this week I'm going to use a chronological format - but still with ten entries! Over the summer I spent an amazing seven weeks in Europe traveling from Portugal to Poland primarily by myself. As is normal I had music playing in my head throughout the entire experience and have distilled the playlist for you all.

Frozen Medley

No real reason behind this song making the list aside from the fact that it was the only song I was able to use as an alarm on my iPad so I heard it every day - sometimes multiple times a day to alert me to trains, buses, shows, dinner, and other important times.

I Can Go the Distance

This was the song I sang in my head to bolster my confidence, especially at the beginning of my trip. I must have repeated the refrain in my head a million times by the time I landed in Lisbon. I continued with the song anytime I covered a large portion of land, such as going from Rome to Vienna.

I'll Make a Man Out of You

I sing this one all the time anyway so it's only natural that it followed me. I have some social anxiety and would use this as my motivator to get out and explore each day. I find it to be a fairly inspiring song - if Mulan can reach that arrow, I can leave my room and see the Colosseum.

Strangers Like Me

The more I explore this beautiful world the more I'm affirmed that we are mostly the same. Every stranger I've ever met is, in fact, like me. Often times I never find out much about them - this summer I shared so many moments with people I'll likely never see again - from the joyous to the sorrowful, the exciting to the monotonous. I believe that people are mostly good, and people just keep confirming it. I only had trouble a couple times in my trip - and even those memories stick out vividly, they are mere drops in the ocean compared to the many, many kind, helpful people I met.

Be Our Guest

Yeah, basically every time I sat down to eat in France (and to some extent Italy) I was singing this song to myself. Sad news - the flatware was never entertaining.

This Is What Dreams Are Made Of

I could not for the life of me get this song out of my head during my week in Rome. It was all I could do not to belt it out while walking around the ruins. I even had it rolling through my head while I toured the Vatican Museums. I was glad mind reading is not a thing because it may have been slightly  quite embarrassing.

Down in the Underground

Speaking of embarrassing... I found myself often in subways or transferring between trains via underground tunnels. And this song... well, once I was in a glorious tunnel in Austria at about midnight and this song needed to be sung. Because amazing acoustics ya'know? Well, as I was singing (in a tunnel, at the top of my lungs) a man came down another staircase and gave me the oddest look. I'm sure I was as red as my bag until the next morning.

Do-Re-Mi

Salzburg was AMAZING! It was just a real nice place to chill. Plus I love The Sound of Music so the city was like skipping through one of my favorite movies. (Bonus points for happening to be there during a folk music festival.) The absolute best part of Salzburg? No one even seems to notice you singing because so many other people are too.

Put One Foot In Foot In Front of the Other

I know it was most definitely not Christmas (truly I don't care though). But whenever I go on moderately long walks or walk while carrying things or walk while I'm tired I break out this song. So the on my second to last day in Europe, while I was still only kind of over a cold, carrying a pack, and we walked roughly 15 miles.... I was thinking this song over and over and over and over.... and over.

Nothing in the World

By the fourth and fifth week I was still enjoying Europe, but I really wanted someone to talk to at the end of the day. Someone to turn to and say, "Did you see that?" Someone, to watch my stuff while I went to the bathroom. Someone to help decipher train schedules... You get the idea. I was so glad in Poland to finally have people coming that I basically had this song on loop in my brain! And that loop only ramped up when I flew back home.

Top Ten Tuesday - Star Wars Conspiracy Theories!

What do nerds love about series? Guessing the ending!!!
So now that we have more Star Wars those of us who were too young to guess the original trilogy's ending can have a go at it (because really what fun was there in guessing how the prequels would end?). So here, in no particular order are my ten crazy Star Wars theories, running the gambit from 'Kindergarten knock-knock joke crazy' to 'completely insane'. Also, I submit several theories for the same thing, so I'm obviously not too attached to anything. Of course spoilers may do follow... and evidence that I don't know an incredible amount about Star Wars...

10. Poe Dameron is Wedge Antilles Son

Why? No particular reason other than I like things to tie together. I know that galaxies are huge and all, but legacy stories are just so much fun. I feel like it has already been established in-universe that being a good pilot is totally an inherited trait, so that fits. Why doesn't he have the same last name? I dunno, even on Earth not every culture has children getting their parents' last name, so why mightn't it be the same in a galaxy far, far away?

9. Snoke is Space Voldemort

So, I'm pretty sure that somewhere in the old books there was a plot line with the Emperor splitting his soul into pieces to be used in the eventual event of his death. I submit that Snoke is simply Emperor part 2. 

At the very least they've got to be cousins or something.

8. Snoke is Space Oz

Okay, there is no way Snoke is actually 30 feet tall. That would be ridiculous. If his image is an illusion, I submit that it is a perfect disguise changing even his voice. Who is Snoke? None other than...

Dun. Dun. Duuuunnnnnnn!

Oh yes. I would like nothing more than for this dude to have been dark all along. It would make him tolerable because you know that good will eventually win. Here is a tin-foil theory to back me up.

From here on out all theories relate to WHO ARE REY'S PARENTS??? The thing I like about all of my theories is the Luke, Han, and Leia are not awful parents in any of them.

You are such an enigma.

7. The Professor and Mary Ann

I don't really believe the characters from Gilligan's Island had a child (even though they did go to space and may have ended up in the correct galaxy). What I'm illustrating here is that possibly we simply have never seen nor heard of Rey's parents. This is unlikely given that Star Wars has a history of tying things things together. But this theory is my nod to, "And the rest."

Shame on you for thinking I made that up.

6. Granddaughter to Obi-Wan

On a long spindly twig I predict that maybe Obi-Wan was not entirely unattached. This theory submits that he and Padme had a tryst. While I'm not too sure about that, I do think they could plausibly say that he was with Padme's bodyguard.

5. She is Wedge Antilles Daughter

But not Poe's sister. I can only take one or the other as Wedge's kid. This is my pet theory as I always had a soft spot for Captain Antilles... mostly because of his name. He is the background character who weirdly refuses to remain in the background. In the very begining of A New Hope C3PO names Captain Antilles as his and R2D2's current owner. Then he and Luke are the only surviving members from their squadron that attack the Death Star. He pops up for the Battle of Hoth and fires one of the shots that take down Death Star 2. He is a top-notch pilot and we've already established that that is apparently genetic. 

Plus she has his chin.

4. She Is Cindel Towani's Daughter
Darn it. I really thought of all my crazy theories THIS would surely be the unique one. But, lo and behold, someone beat me to it. Really I have no basis for this one besides the fact that I was hoping to be original.

I admit, it's unlikely.

3. She Is Beru's Grand Niece
Did Aunt Beru have any siblings with children? Am I really grasping at straws with this one? What if all the intense staring at the end of the movie was Luke thinking, "I've seen you before.... Dang! You look just like cousin Tika." If I was a gambling person this is where my money would go. (Also it is my unique theory, I believe.)

2. Rey Is the Droid You're Looking For...
If we are nicely paralleling the original series there ought to be two droids wandering the desert to open our film. Perhaps she was an experiment gone horribly right to create convincing AI? So convincing that the Force was like, "Dude. Props." and made this droid into a real girl a la Pinocchio? Thereby explaining her knowledge of piloting even though she arrived on planet age 5 and has been a scavenger ever since - piloting is in her program.

1. The Doctor's Daughter

If you happen to be a fan of Doctor Who you probably remember the episode where, using some of the Doctor's DNA, a machine was able to configure a genetic offspring. In the Doctor's case all that was needed was a few blood cells (not generally the cells used in reproduction). What if Rey was the result of a similar process? Specifically, under this theory she could be Luke's daughter but without him knowing about it. I have a specific idea as to where the DNA came from as well...

After all, if someone retrieved that lightsaber it isn't outside the realm of possibility that Luke's hand is sitting in a beaker in some Empire laboratory. Where a scientist, under instructions from the High Command, was told to create a weapon capable of using the force. Then, after growing attached to the little girl they'd brought about, hid her in the middle of nowhere. In my mind this is the crowdpleaser. It means that Rey is technically Luke's daughter and, simultaneously, Luke isn't an awful dad for either a.) letting his daughter be abandoned in a horrible situation or b.) not looking for her after someone else abandoned her in an awful situation.

Top Ten Tuesday

We find ourselves at the last of the animation (for now) Top Ten Tuesdays! This list was a special request and I'm almost certain I'm going to get a talking to about my choices. Every film worth it's salt has a good protagonist but many films, and animated films in particular, also take care to give us sidekicks to relate to, to learn from, and to laugh at. Animated films seem to enjoy giving the protagonist animal sidekicks. I'm sure this is due to the fact that it brings in the kiddies but often adults find them just as enjoyable. The parameter given to me was that these be animated animal sidekicks, I further added the parameter that they had to be a sidekick to a human character, in movies that are mostly or all animals they are really just a sidekick. That took out a whole swath of some of my favorites-

If you can name all four - you are awesome.

10. Pegasus from Hercules

I'm not sure there are many things in the mythological realm that are an understated cool quite like a pterropus (you're gonna learn today). Dragons, gryphons, cyclops, and the like are way out there, cool but in a 'how-ridiculous-is-that' sort of fashion. Pterropi are just horses with wings on them - sure it may break physics but first it will blow your mind. Pegasus is a fine comic example of a sidekick (plus he doubles as transport). He accompanies Hercules on his heroes journey with all the devotion of a childhood pet, even getting jealous when someone new threatens his relationship.

9. Archimedes from The Sword in the Stone

I love owls and was having a hard time not sneaking more onto this list. But rules are rules and I always follow them. Archimedes is indeed a wise owl, having spent a lot of time with Merlin, but he also possesses the street smarts and common sense it takes to help Arthur train to fulfill his destiny. Plus he was the only witness to the original pulling of the sword from the stone. AND this scene just always makes me laugh...

8. Altivo from The Road to El Dorado

Well, this is the highest up on the list a horse is going to get, so enjoy it. I'm not a big fan of horses acting like... not horses, but whatever. Altivo acts primary like a horse but always displays some extreme emotion to comedic effect, plus he gets some of the best expressions in the film.

7. Featherstone the Flamingo from Gnomeo and Juliet

Alright, this one is not technically an animal. But he is plastic molded into the shape of an animal, so I'm only bending the rules slightly. Featherstone is actually a lot more tragic than most sidekicks. But this is what makes him work so well, his happy-go-lucky attitude is made more potent when you know he is heartsick for the love he lost through no fault of his own.

6. Magic Carpet from Aladdin

 Alright, the rules have been shattered this time but I just don't care. I mean, Carpet's not really an animal - but he definitely isn't human. I love the fact that this character who doesn't speak and doesn't even have a face can be so expressive. Can you imagine the director saying, "And then the Carpet looks sorry." I mean how can a floor covering show that?!?!

Like this, that's how.

5. Sebastian from The Little Mermaid

I always had a favorite character on The Little Mermaid, and it was never the mermaid. Sebastian gets the best lines and the best song. His laid back tone contrasting with his stuffy, uptight personality. He also seems to be more of a royal advisor that writes music on the side instead of his supposed job of being the court composer. Even in the TV show Sebastian was the best. Always ready with some advice that sounds like he is trying to honestly express his feelings instead of simply saying what you want to hear.

4. Iago from Aladdin The TV Series, The Return of Jafar, Aladdin and the King of Thieves

Iago actually started out as the villain's sidekick. That is kind of a twist, seeing a villain's don't usually work with animals or children (feel free to comment all the exceptions I know are out there). He is always with Jafar ready to offer snide comments aplenty. Actually - it's been pointed out that the real villainous scheme in Aladdin was dreamed up by Iago, so bonus points I guess. When he really comes into his own as a character is after his heel-face turn. He is not a good good guy, he's selfish, greedy, egotistical, conniving, and a coward, but he must be loyal otherwise why does he keep hanging around despite professing his displeasure at constantly being put in peril. He's a complex character with an intriguing story arc that happens to be one of my favorites in the Disney canon.

3. Mushu from Mulan

Mushu is hilarious, there's no way around that fact. Plus this sidekick gets a sidekick of his own. Like Iago his initial intentions weren't very heroic at first, and his advice was probably better left unheeded. By the end of the film he'd had a change of heart and was in it for Mulan not himself (maybe a little for himself).

2. Toothless from How to Train Your Dragon

He's adorable. Like a giant cuddly kitty - that flies and breathes fire. I'm pretty sure that that can only be considered an improvement.  Except with Sonic, no fire-breath for Sonic please! Toothless is much more like a pet than anyone on this list outside of Pegasus (I must really dig pets that can fly you around). A mix between a noble steed, a playful kitten, and a war-machine Toothless is pretty hard to top. Except by...

1. Bagheera from The Jungle Book

I love Bagheera. Every single incarnation and it all goes back to the proto-Bagheera in Disney's The Jungle Book. I know that technically Kipling's version came first, but not in my heart. I love, love, love this movie even though it is a loose adaptation Walt Disney literally told them to not read the book. And somehow Bagheera still came out loving, wise, fearsome, and strong. So awesome is Bagheera that the longer I contemplate it the less sidekickish he seems, but you know he supports the protagonist perfectly so I'm sticking with it.

So there they are! My top ten favorite animated animal sidekicks! What do you think? Are you pleased I didn't include that obnoxious donkey from Shrek? Or outraged that I ignored the horse from Tangled? Let me know in the comments below!

Jill

For arguments sake if I had to choose a favorite Disney horse it would be Khan from Mulan. 

Maximus doesn't even come close to the top ten.

Top Ten +1.5 Tuesday

Alright last one for a while, I promise. Second to last one, I've already received a special request... I've looked at single animators and entire studio houses, but today I'm going to share with you my favorite moments in animation. Those parts in movies that transcend normal cinema and can match with the highest art. You know, when you watch part of a movie and think, 'I hope those animators got a nice bonus.' These pieces could be carried entirely by the visuals but stirring score often accompanies the best pieces. In order for me to make a more accurate reading I muted all the videos to focus entirely on the animation but I encourage you to view with sound because the composers deserve bonuses on quite a few of these as well.

11. Who Let Escher on the Set? The Chase Scene from The Thief and the Cobbler.

This is sort of tonally different than the rest which is why I included it as a bit of a bonus. About halfway through a movie whose animation has provided very little in the way of distinction we are treated to a chase scene through a palace that is full of things that make your eyes go, "What?" It is a darn impressive piece of animation, which is why I let it in even if it isn't as pretty as the other pieces.

Highlights: 0:48 to about 0:56 is one of my favorite optical illusions of all time

10. Goodness Gracious Great Bush of Fire! The Burning Bush Scene from The Prince of Egypt.

This one loses a bit without the sound but the special effects on the burning bush just really sell this scene for me. I think Prince of Egypt is one of the most beautifully animated films I've seen, and this is a prime example of taking ancient imagery and combining it with new technology to show us something we haven't seen in quite this way before.

Highlights: 2:00 to 2:15 the burning bush is so otherworldly and I love that it looks like fire and yet not like fire.

9. A Ton of Huns. The Mountain Fight Scene from Mulan.

This is really the scene that sparked the list so I find it a bit amusing that it is so far down the list. The only real battle scene in this movie and even then calling it a battle is a bit of a stretch the mountain does most of the work. But everything here works - from the reveal to the facial expressions to the intensity of trying to outrun nature - this scene is truly a work of art.

Highlights: 0:09 to 0:26 - That's a lot of Huns. 0:35 to 0:48 - A LOT of Huns, this bit always gives me goosebumps. 1:27 - They're still not done pouring over that pass. 2:01 to 2:03 Mulan and Shan Yu both have perfect facial expressions here.

8. There's Snow Place Like Home. 'Let It Go' from Frozen.

If I were counting audio accompaniment this probably would have shot up the list. However, it is visuals only here so no song! I still think that they really nailed the look and feel of ice and snow though, much better than most movies and watching the newest addition to the Disney palaces take shape was a 'cool' treat.

Highlights: 2:17 to 2:55 - Watching the palace grow much like real ice crystals is exciting and beautiful. Plus the subtle colors working in and around the ice are lovely.

7. Chalk It Up to Art. The Eye of Crom Scene from The Secret of Kells.

This is a movie that I spent the first five minutes hating the art style... and after that I was hooked! It is refreshingly different for me and captures the look of illuminations quite well. Though the whole movie is full of great scenes the climactic fight with Crom is the one I've chosen. It's fairly stark compared to the other entries on the list, but the message shines through. One of the greatest defenses we have against darkness is art.

Highlights: 0:55 to 1:35 - The fact that this giant beast is defeated with chalk really is interesting. And the simpleness of colors and environments really adds to the overall mood.

6. Up Above the Land Down Under. Flying with Marahute Scene from The Rescuers Down Under.

I love flying scenes, and this was probably one of the earliest that I ever saw. However I did have a fear of eagles for a little while when I was younger and not really aware of their not so impressive size. I mean, if there were any birds this size out and about today, I know I'd think twice for visiting any nature preserves.

Highlights: 1:20 to 1:40 - In that moment we all wanted an awesome eagle to ride... 2:53 to 3:10 - Every stroke of those massive wings looks completely incredible.

5. I Can Show You Mythology. The Romantic Flight Scene from How to Train Your Dragon.

Another flight scene, but this time on an animal I wanted even more than a giant eagle - a dragon. The character animation in this film is superb but the flight scenes are nearly flawless. Between the three major flight scenes - Training Flight, Romantic Flight, Fight Flight - I went with this one because it has a few more interesting pieces.

Highlights: I love most of this, but I extra special love 1:29 to 1:38. I still can't figure out which way is up. It's a cool way to show the flight that breaks the mould.

4. They're Coming Together Beautifully (the Traditional and Computer Animations That Is). 'Beauty and the Beast' from Beauty and the Beast.

I went to the 3D re-release of this movie a few years back and I insisted on 3D for this very scene. As soon as I heard about the 3D treatment I mentioned that the ballroom dance was going to look spectacular. Of course that's primarily because it is stunning no matter what. In my opinion this is the best dance sequence in any film animated or live action. Even more impressive because this scene was one of Disney's first forays into computer animation.

Highlights: 1:00 to 1:41 - I sort of want that dress... and that staircase. 1:55 to 2:51 with special shout-outs to the 2:18 arm swoosh and 2:28 - 2:45 greatest camera tracking of all time... done without an actual camera.

3. Ch-ch-ch-changes. The Transformation scene from Brother Bear.

This is probably the best interpretation of the Northern Lights that I've ever seen on film. I love the animals moving through the light, I also like that the light starts out by looking like water. In my experience the Northern Lights are sort of otherworldly in that way. The beginning of this film is always my favorite because of how gorgeous the art is, after the forced perspective shift it is pretty standard and not quite so interesting but oh well.

Highlights: 0:34 to 2:21 - Basically the entire sequence, but the colors are just so gorgeous that I can't really cut anything out. I especially the way the waterfall explodes into the Northern Lights when poked.

2. Round, Round, Round, It Goes Around. 'Circle of Life' from The Lion King.

This juggernaut of a film opens with some of the finest nature animation I've ever seen. It's probably one of the most iconic film openings and not just for animated films. Who hasn't looked at a brilliant sunrise or sunset at least once and sang that immortal first line? If you haven't your probably twice my age.

Highlights: The Whole Thing. It's really quite gorgeous even without the music, everything before the 1:50 mark seems like it could be a realistic style animated documentary.

1. Take My Money, Make a Sequel, I'm Begging You. Basically the Whole Movie Legend of the Guardians.

Hands down the most beautifully animated movie I've seen. Every screen shot gives you glorious details to pour over. And the whole thing is full of flight scenes (what with them being owls and all). Since I couldn't fill the list with just this movie I've narrowed it down to this scene, which is based off my favorite activity in the book series, so I was pretty excited to see it unfold on the big screen.

Highlights: 0:28 to 0:55 - Just look at that fire, and following that up with a rising moon? Perfect.

And for an extra special treat, what is widely rumored to have been Walt Disney's favorite bit of animation, the transformation of Cinderella's rags into a ball gown:

Five for Friday Redux

Hello, I'm back in the big wide world of educational blogging! Read now because I may disappear into internet corners once more...
I'm recommitting to the link up known as Five for Friday! This Linky Party is brought to you by Doodle Bugs Teaching! I wasn't thinking about this party most of the week and unfortunately it kind of shows in my choices.

SNOW DAY!!!

In Arctic if you don't come out to play in snow, snow comes in to play with you...

Just because I technically have to go to work on my snow days doesn't mean I can't be excited about them. I've always loved snow days and that holds just as true now that I'm a teacher.

The thing I've noticed my Kindergarteners struggling with the most is writing. In an attempt to fix a problem before it ever exists I'm working on nurturing positive writing thoughts in my preschoolers. I'm beginning what I call 'Wonderful Writing Wednesdays'. It consists simply of me giving the students a simple book and asking them to write something. That way by the time they get to Kindergarten they will hopefully see themselves as writers.

 Is it possible to have too many books?

If you said anything other than, 'No' you've inadvertently wound up on the wrong blog.

I'm spending lots and lots and lots of time scanning, tagging, and sorting all of my classroom books. I have weeded quite a few for other teachers to avail themselves of.

Speaking of books my kids have recently discovered Elephant and Piggie and they are a bit in love. We must have read We Are in a Book a dozen times on Monday! My Kindergarteners are fiercely possessive of these books and I find them squirreled away in the oddest places.
If you're reading this Mo Willems, Thank you!

There's Calamari in my Closet and it wants me to clean!

Cleeeeeeeeaaaaannnnnn.....

Actually I've read part of that book that half the disorganized world has read, The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up. The method in the book is called KonMari but my roommate changed it to Calamari and my neighbor made that into the verb squidding... so they you have it.

Anyway I used the aforementioned snow day to do some squidding in my classroom storage closet, giving up quite a bit.

Top Ten Tuesday - The Disney Musical

**** Major edit: I initially ordered this list on how much I liked the movie, apparently the title and lead up suggest that the order is based on how well the movie stacks up as a Broadway style musical... To that end I've reordered the list to acknowledge that some of my favorites might not be the most Broadway-esque.****


In 1989 a revolution began - one that changed the landscape of animated film for the next two decades: The Animated Musical. Now I'm not talking about a movie with music, Disney had been doing that all the way back to Snow White. I'm talking about the style of musical inspired by Broadway shows, we can trace this back to these gentleman:

Pictured: A dynamic duo.

Specifically Alan Menken and Howard Ashman.

Seriously can I get a documentary about them?

After a lot of deliberation I've come up with a simple formula:

Opening Number - Comes right at the beginning of the film, frequently there is no dialogue but if there is rest assured it simply opening narration. Note - some films have successfully skipped this by setting the scene with the score. I'll note this where applicable.

Slice of Life - A song used to help us identify the personality of our primary player. Of all the songs this seems the most optional.

I Want Song: The song where our hero/ heroine endures themselves to us through music. Howard Ashman dscribed …Early in the evening, the leading lady usually sits down on something and sings about what she wants in life — and the audience falls in love with her, and then roots for her to get it for the rest of the night.

Show Stopper - This is the song that comes out of nowhere and does relatively little in the way of advancing the plot compared to the other songs. Frequently this song is sung by (newly introduced) sidekicks.

Love Duet - The movie's main couple sing the love song that is inevitably going to play over the credits and get nominated for an award.

Finale - Usually very short closing number, quite often they are a reprise, occasionally they lead into the credits.

But those of you familiar with Disney will notice an absence... The Villain Song! I couldn't quite pin down where this one goes. I suppose it goes wherever it does the most work to help move the plot along, since that is the entire point of the antagonist.

Some movies also get into a loop... but the formula is actually incredibly straightforward - much to even my surprise.

So now listing songs in the order of the film contrasted against the order I devised... The list!

10 . Tarzan

Opening Number - Two Worlds
Slice of Life - You'll Be In My Heart
I Want Song - Son of Man
Show Stopper - Trashin' the Camp
Love Duet - Strangers Like Me
Finale - Two Worlds Reprise

Are you sick of me being surprised? 'Cause I am. Here's another that I never though of as a classic musical style. Mostly because the songs (with the exception of the Show Stopper) are sung by a giant voice in the sky. I'll also be the first to admit that this is the weakest match-up on the list. Many of the songs could be candidates for a different category. Strangers Like Me would work marvelously as an 'I Want Song'.

9. Mulan

Opening Number - Musical Composition
Slice of Life - Honor to Us All
I Want Song - Reflection
Show Stopper - Down to Business
Love Duet - A Girl Worth Fighting For
Finale - Music that segues into the credits

This movie is often listed as being close to the end of the Renaissance, and definitely deviates more from the Broadway style set forth in the rest of the era. But even so the style remains with the exceptions of Opening Number and Finale. The musical style during the opening credits very definitely sets the scene - you should have no doubt that this movie takes place in China, the ending doesn't work as well - with an upbeat pop song beginning to play over the last few lines of dialogue.

8. Oliver and Company

Opening Number - Once Upon a Time In New York City
Slice of Life - Why Should I Worry
I Want Song - Streets of Gold
Show Stopper - Perfect Isn't Easy
Love Duet - Good Company
Finale - Why Should I Worry Reprise

Wouldn't you have loved to be a fly on the wall during the pitch for this movie?
"What new idea have you got Perkins?"
"I'm thinking a musical adaptation of a Charles Dickens classic set in modern day New York."
"A musical, eh?"
"Yes, sort of tame rock, we could get Billy Joel."
"Hmmm...."
"And the main characters would be cats and dogs."
"....."
".....Sir?"
"..... I like it."
Another surprise on the Broadway style coincidences, especially since this was before the Renaissance. Especially when Good Company fell where the Love Duet would normally go, but (even though it not a duet) it still fits the bill as a love song - just not romantic love. But it is arguably the love between Jenny and Oliver that is the strongest love story in the film.

7. Hercules

Opening Number - The Gospel Truth
Villain Song - The Gospel Truth II
Slice of Life - The Gospel Truth III
I Want Song - Go the Distance
A New Slice of Life - One Last Hope
Show Stopper - Zero to Hero
Love Duet - (I Won't Say) I'm in Love
Finale - A Star Is Born

This was sort of a surprise to me. I never think of this film as being among the Broadway style films, but everything ended up fitting together quite nicely. The Villain Song comes pretty early in the film and isn't even sung by the villain. The choir of muses actually fits into the genre quite well, making this a modern blend of Broadway and classic Greek theatre. However it also seems slack in a couple of my categories, most noteworthy - the Love Duet is not a duet (it does include the harmonizing choir); also the Show Stopper does not come after the introduction of sidekicks and actually it could easily be a second slice of life song if it weren't for the signature Disney Acid Trip visuals (I did not make up that term).

6. Tangled

Opening Number - Narration
Slice of Life - When Will My Life Begin?
I Want Song - When Will My Life Begin? (Reprise)
Villain Song - Mother Knows Best
Show Stopper - I've Got A Dream
Love Duet - I See the Light
Finale - Narration

Now, when you look at the titles of the songs you might naturally assume that 'I've Got A Dream' is the I Want Song, that was certainly my first inclination. But then I dutifully lined up my list and found that things actually aligned better. 'I've Got A Dream' is upbeat, sung mostly by goofy side-characters that have only just been introduced, and comes right-the-heck-outta nowhere. This film has a slight break from musical tradition (or not - I've got examples) by opening and closing with bookend narrations by Flynn.


5.  The Hunchback of Notre Dame

Opening Number - The Bells of Notre Dame
Slice of Life - Out There
I Want Song - Out There
Show Stopper - Topsy Turvy
Alternative I Want Song - God Help the Outcasts
Villain Song - Hellfire
Second Show Stopper - A Guy Like You
Love Duet - None
Finale - The Bells of Notre Dame

You might be willing to call foul on my placing the same song on two categories... BUT! Listen to it, I'll wait. The first bit where Frollo is singing tells us what life is like for Quasimodo, then when Quasimodo takes over the song it erupts into what he wishes his life were. We get a bit of a loop around with the heroine getting an 'I Want Song' and the gargoyles getting a song in. However, you may notice the distinctive lack of a 'Love Duet' which is kind of Disney's signature piece. This movie catches flack in some corners of the Disney fandom because the hero doesn't get the girl. The story we do get feels much more genuine so... there you have it.

4. Aladdin

Opening Number - Arabian Nights
Slice of Life - One Jump Ahead
I Want Song - One Jump Ahead Reprise
Show Stopper - Friend Like Me
Second Show Stopper - Prince Ali
Love Duet - Whole New World
Villain Song - Prince Ali Reprise
Finale - Whole New World Reprise

Everything here falls into place so neatly that it hardly seems worth explaining. However, I will note that this movie was almost completely reworked from it's original design at least once - meaning the making of CD is quite expansive; it's got the full movie soundtrack plus another full soundtrack plus a few odds and ends songs. Jafar had very many villain songs, but the only one that seemed to fit in the final narrative was just a few line reprise (giving him possibly the shortest Villain Song).

Note: One Jump Ahead Reprise has very little to do with the original song in my mind. It fits where I've placed it, I'm just not sure why it didn't rate it's own title.

BONUS NOTE!!!! If you watch the entire trilogy back to back (to back), the finale is Arabian Nights Reprise making the series open and close with bookends!

3. The Lion King

Opening Number - Circle of Life
Slice of Life - Morning Report
I Want Song - Just Can't Wait to Be King
Villain Song - Be Prepared
Show Stopper - Hakuna Matata
Love Duet - Can You Feel the Love Tonight
Finale - Circle of Life Reprise

Ummm... there is a reason that the adaptation of this film is one of the most successful shows currently on Broadway. It hits every note. This is my favorite movie, but I gotta confess that I haaaaate the song Morning Report, it was cut near the end of production but put back in a decade later when the movie's Diamond Edition was released. It is interesting that this film so many associate with the Disney musical was actually much lighter on the music front than it's contemporary films. The original cut of the film only had five real songs in it, plus one very short reprise and one, I don't even know...

2. Pocahontas

Opening Number - Virginia Company
Slice of Life - Steady As the Beating Drum
I Want Song - Just Around the Riverbend
Auxiliary I Want Song - Mine, Mine, Mine
Show Stopper - Colors of the Wind
Love Duet - If I Never Knew You
Villain Song - Savages
Finale - If I Never Knew You Reprise

This movie tricks a lot of people... if they haven't seen the full edition. Many people would naturally assume that Colors of the Wind is the Love Duet. WRONG! If I Never Knew You was actually cut at the last minute and is so much more appropriate in this role. In fact musical cues from the refrain play in key moments between Pocahontas and John Smith AND it is the song that got pop-vocalized for the credits (classic fate of the Love Duet). I think one of the major issues people have with this movie - she fell in love too quickly- is actually cleared somewhat by the realization that Colors of the Wind is not a love song. In fact it is a 'getting to know you' song, it takes place over several days and possibly weeks- not one sitting.

1. Beauty and the Beast

Opening Number - Narration
Slice of Life - Belle
I Want Song - Belle Reprise
Villain Song - Gaston
Show Stopper - Be Our Guest
Love Duet - Something There
Ballad - Beauty and the Beast
ACTUAL Villain Song - Mob Song
Finale - Beauty and the Beast Reprise

Sweet molasses this movie has a lot of songs. I've noted that Gaston is not truly the Villain Song, it's more of a vain decoy. It isn't until the mob is preparing to attack that we get the true villainous lyrics of the film. This film comes with a bonus category, because how could the titular song -sung flawlessly by the wonderful Angela Lansbury - be anything but a ballad?