Mulan
Disney Studios
1998

Our DVD copy of Mulan came with an extra disc of bonus features; after fiddling around with half a dozen remotes, eventually we got one to work. The feature I remember the most is a behind the scenes documentary of how the film was made. The director and staff emphasized how they visited China and studied the culture and legend extensively to make everything the best they could make it. It reminds me of the same reverence Peter Jackson had when making the Lord of the Rings, a desire to do the source material justice, a feeling I find lacking in a lot of modern films.

The opening track “Honor to Us All” is my favorite in the entire film. I empathize a lot with her worry about living up to her familial and societal expectations, and her failure to fit in like the girls around her. Mulan is one of the best examples of female empowerment I’ve ever seen.

Tangled
Disney Studios
2010

Flynn Rider is escaping authority before taking down a wanted poster with his face on it, “They just can’t get my nose right.” No Flynn, neither can I. This was the first film I became excited for after watching the trailers on television. At some point my mom took my twin sister and I to see it in theaters. I loved Flynn’s daring escapes and Rapunzel as she tags along with him. Rapunzel starts trapped, afraid of the world she’s never seen. Accepting the aid of an outlaw, she sees the world she’s been afraid of her entire life. A lot of people, myself included dream of acting like Rapunzel and facing their fears.

Beauty and The Beast
Disney Studios
1991

Finally, a Disney Princess who likes to read. Beauty and the Beast feels timeless, even as a child it felt like it was made a century ago. The scenes where Belle and The Beast are making snow angels and ice skating are part of the reason I like winter so much as an adult. Watching the film would make me want to partake in all the festivities winter has to offer. My mom often played “Be Our Guest” on long car rides, I can’t blame her, It’s a great song.

Scooby-Doo on Zombie Island
Warner Brothers
1999

It’s a sunny Saturday afternoon at my friend’s house. Him, his brother and I are lounging on their red couch and chairs when he slides in a VHS of Scooby-Doo on Zombie Island, his favorite movie. This was before my family had a computer and before the invention of smartphones. I had never heard of the movie and had no way to look it up; the only information I had was my friend’s recommendation and the box for the VHS tape. I think some things are better that way.

Scooby-Doo and the Cyber Chase
Warner Brothers
2001

When I first saw this it was before my family had ever owned a computer. My teacher took our class to the school computer labs a few times, mostly to practice typing and to play educational games. One of those games started with a big apple tree on a floating island, it was meant to teach things like how to double click and right click objects. In first grade my teacher wanted everyone to use computers to complete a homework assignment on a website. She asked if anyone wouldn’t be able to complete it; I was one of the only ones who raised my hand. The way the film portrayed technology blew my mind, it was one of the coolest things I had ever seen.

Scooby-Doo Abracadabra Doo
Warner Brothers
2010

At one point a DVD copy of this was given to my twin and I as a gift from our godparents. As a child it was rare to get new things outside of Christmas or birthdays, the two times a year I received gifts it felt special. As an adult I get new things every week, some would call them groceries. Eventually we lost the DVD and it went years before we found it. For several years the Banshee terrified me, I would cover my eyes or put it on mute until the scene was over. Now that I’m older the scenes with her are some of my favorites. My other favorite scene is when Velma explores the castle while the others are all asleep before she stumbles upon Daphne dancing in a dusty storage room.

Home on the Range
Disney Studios
2004

A few minutes down the road used to a by a dinky video store, full of old carpets and yellow lighting. After school my mom would take my sisters and I there to rent movies, the one we checked out more than any other was Home on the Range. It’s been more than a decade since that store closed, looking back it feels like another dimension. I suppose some places are still like that, dusty shelves sitting next to tube TVs. It's nice to remember those places, memories of years gone by.

Cars
Pixar
2006

Cars is the first film I ever saw in theaters. A few weeks later my parents took my family grocery shopping at Dominick’s, a store that has since gone out of business. Near the front of the store was a shelf with books and movies. I wasn’t a huge fan of the film when I first saw it but apparently my parents were, they ended up buying a copy of it on DVD for us to watch at home. Having since driven parts of route 66 and gained a bit more wisdom, I have a much greater appreciation for the film then I used to. I also had to read books by Micheal Wallis, the voice of the Sherrif in the movies, for my job as a tour guide.