The 6 Best Endings in Disney

            I have not been posting nearly enough this year and I want to steer back from that.  To that end I have found a 30-day blog challenge and fluffed it out to 31 entries (since December has 31 days).  I have done a 30-day challenge before for movies, though that one was poorly executed (I started it in the middle of a month, at one point I posted 2 entries on one day, it is a mess).  I did another one just this year in August on Video Games, that one was better, go read it after this one, all of it.  Or don’t, no pressure.

            Today is day 29 and the topic is “Favorite Happy Ending”.

            I thought about making this the last entry for the month, but decided to instead go with the really long Top List spread over two days and mostly referencing earlier entries in the month.  I think it will all work out.

Spoilers for this entry.  Obviously.  It is about endings.  I mean, I guess a bunch of Disney stuff is drawn from Fairy Tales and you can generally accept that happily ever after will follow a triumphant defeat of the bad guys by the good guys, spoiling that is not gonna ruin anything.  Disney is not hiring Lars Van Trier to make his version of… anything.  So, let’s make this a top 6, because I don’t want to just point at one movie and then talk about its epilogue.  That is a little too easy.

Generally speaking, there are only two types of endings in Disney films.  The first type is the one everybody knows and expects, “And they lived Happily Ever After.”  Knowing that the rewards earned in this adventure defined the character’s lives till the end is a satisfying way to give the audience closure.

The second ending, which I feel is more common these days—for reasons I pointed out in the “Best Sequel” entry—is, “And The Adventure Continues…”  which in contrast to “Happily”, this ending indicates that this is only the first of many tales yet untold.  This sort of denouement fires the audience’s imagination, not just to hope for future movies, but to imagine their own adventures for the characters and world.  I generally prefer this type, as I think people need to be encouraged to think about doing more and going on their own adventures, instead of just waiting for their “ending” to come to them.

These are the two most common and the best ways to end a movie.  So before we talk about those, let’s talk about a shitty ending.

There is a third type that I think most people would agree with me is the worst.  The ending that just stops.  There are elements of the story left unanswered but no promise of future adventures to resolve them, Disney doesn’t run into this issue too often and off the top of my head I can only point to one strong example, “The Sword in the Stone”.

Generally speaking, if your movie's ending is someone having a fantastic destiny thrust upon them thru no will of their own,
Then you are writing the story backwards.
Think of how many stories start with some goober being told they are "The Special"?
Here is an example, "You're a wizard, Harry."

You cannot tell me that the most interesting time in King Arthur’s life was BEFORE he became king.  Why are we not looking at the more interesting part of his life?  It is not like the movie is too long, it is 79 minutes, you could easily integrate more of the legend in there.

Show some more adventures.  Make him a little older, have him face off against the Black Knight, throw in Guinevere as a love interest, hint at how important the holy Grail will one day be to Camelot.  The existing final resolution of the movie isn’t even good as an ending.  It is resolved entirely by accident.  If not for the knight he is squiring for needing a sword Arthur would have never even seen the sword.  He has no concept of the importance of the action and no real agency in assuming his destiny.  “BLEH!”  I say.  “BLEH!”

Note: There is a bunch of Pixar on this list.  There is a reason that company has had such an impact on family entertainment these last 20 years.

Top 3 for “Happily Ever After”

“Up”

Coming to the realization that your life was worth living and that the memories made are something to be treasured even if it was not the life you dreamed of is a good lesson.  There is also the lesson that you can make a go of adventuring at any point in your life and it still be a harrowing and worthwhile experience that will be enriching.  And there is also a lesson about how it is never too late to try and pass on what you have learned about life to the next generation and use what you know to serve as a mentor and fatherly figure to the young and that such things are valuable to both the young person and the mentor.

This movie is deep.

“Wall-E”

I love me some robots, but I am only lukewarm on this movie overall.  It is cute but it sure as hell is not subtle, I actually think that “Wall-E” has contributed to a modern Luddite type thinking, as stupid people resisting the advent of more automated systems in day to day life, “We can’t have self-driving cars, it will put too many drivers out of work.”  Completely ignoring that the ultimate end of the movie was not an abandonment of technology and automated systems, but using those systems as a means to free up time to better spend it appreciating life and the natural world.

The end of the movie is a call to action on the environment and to cast off the most comically over the top lampooning of consumerism ever put to film.  These are not bad morals.

I would also like to point out a good bit of narrative structure.  The conflict of the movie, that we not only care about getting back to Earth, but we also care about saving Wall-E from his mortal injuries, keeps the film exciting.  Contrast this with the “Lorax” CGI movie in which they are racing to plant a tree at the end of the movie, but no one’s life is at stake.  Weak ending.

Writing tip, to complicate and deepen the narrative in the third act, don’t just re-emphasize the initial goal, instead throw in an additional twist which will heighten the tension on an emotional level.  “Wall-E” is a good example of this in action, another good example?  “The Empire Strikes Back”, not enough to just defeat Vader, but since Vader is your dad, you now have to defeat your own potential to fall to the dark side.  That is meaningful.

“Toy Story 3”

I keep banging on about this movie, and its ending is why I keep doing so.  Almost the entire rest of the movie could be cut out except for the scene of Andy giving his toys away and it would still be the best happily (sadly) ever after out there.

Top 3 for “And the Adventures Continue!”

“Aladdin”

I really liked the sequel cartoon growing up.  Aladdin and crew were a medieval fantasy land Avengers in the 90’s that I watched each day after school, they had a colorful cast of villains and supporting characters with a range of motivations and methodology.  That being said, does the MOVIE set up the SERIES well by leaving the audience with the feeling that things will go on?  I think so.

Genie is set free and wants to see the world but remains a grateful friend of Aladdin, which promises a return.  The Sultan clearly has plans for Aladdin, and Al being aware of the poverty in the city will bring a fresh perspective to the palace about the state of the city and the value of its people.  Lastly, the world is still riff with potential for adventure, the original “Aladdin” story comes from a set of “1,001 Arabian Nights” which is name checked multiple times in the movie, that is a hint at a world that is rich with stories to tell.  (You might say, "A Whole New World").  This ending feels like the start of something more, and more came down the pipe.

“The Incredibles”

The fact that this thing was not turned into a massive franchise is baffling to me.  IT ENDS WITH THE START OF ANOTHER ADVENTURE!  It’s a superhero story which talks about there being lots of bad guys and lots of history.  This should be more movies!

“Inside Out”

            The movie ends with a montage showing the complex and strange emotions of dozens of people.  “Inside Out” was one big event in the life of someone who has a whole life full of big events waiting for her to go thru them.  Not to mention all the people of the world going thru life changing events and the swirl of conflicting emotions that come with each.  We are all tiny little universes and each has stories to tell.

The Beg for Attention

            Share your own thoughts on this in the comments.  I know I am not the only person out there who is nostalgic for Disney products, and I am sure many people disagree with my selection for today’s entry.  

I picked Disney stuff just because I knew there was so much of it to talk about and it lends itself to discussion in the comments.

What is your favorite ending for a Disney movie?

Or family movie in general?

What is your favorite 3rd act twist?

Do you think I am giving “Up too much credit?

Share your thoughts below.

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If you like or hate this please take the time to comment, +1, share on Twitter, Tumblr, or Facebook, and otherwise distribute my opinion to the world.  I would appreciate it.

Favorite Disney Sequel

            I have not been posting nearly enough this year and I want to steer back from that.  To that end I have found a 30-day blog challenge and fluffed it out to 31 entries (since December has 31 days).  I have done a 30-day challenge before for movies, though that one was poorly executed (I started it in the middle of a month, at one point I posted 2 entries on one day, it is a mess).  I did another one just this year in August on Video Games, that one was better, go read it after this one, all of it.  Or don’t, no pressure.

            Today is day 26 and the topic is “Favorite Sequel”.

This wins almost by default.  Aside from animated series (many of which were admittedly well produced), direct to video hack out garbage, and several live action entries (for instance, the entire Marvel Cinematic Universe) Disney has never been in the business of making sequels.  Because they have been fools.

 

They seem to be making up for lost time though.

One and Done

I do get Disney’s logic.  They make a product, release it to theaters, make their profits, and then move on.  Home video was not a force in the 40’s, why would Disney shoot to make a sequel to a film when the children who liked watching it had already moved on to other activities.  Billy has moved on to playing baseball, and Edith is into watching Billy play baseball—because it was the 40’s and title 9 didn’t exist—those kids are not going to watch “The Sword in the Stone II”, a sequel to a film they saw 5 years ago.  And you couldn’t count on a VHS copy to be in circulation to get Billy and Edith’s younger siblings to watch and know what it was “The Sword in the Stone II” was even a continuation of.

It is the same reason comic books from that era are so rare and expensive, nobody archived this stuff.  It was cheap and disposable entertainment to be chewed up and spit out like the gum a lot of it was packaged with.

 

I don't think I will provoke controversy by saying that this is the most logical choice for sequels of Disney's early films.
This movie didn't even have a round table, Lancelot, Mordrid, or the Grail.

Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle

This “disposable” line of reasoning is dead as Nat King Cole.  Ongoing stories and sequels are all the rage today because people’s brain are so inundated with garbage every waking moment that having any product with a glimmer of familiarity is seemingly the only way to punch thru the intellectual haze.

Even original properties are derivative as hell.  “The Nice Guys” was one of the best original movies released this year and it is just a modern take on 70’s buddy cop movies.  It is great, go watch it if you are old enough to look at boobs, but you can’t tell me it is “original” because the idea of a hard edge thug and a doofy detective teaming up is about as old as ideas get, I think that is what Cain and Able was originally going to be about before the author decided to make it grim dark.

I don't think people know what originality is anymore.
Doing the EXACT SAME THING, but painted yellow.
That is not original.  That is distinct.

Arguably the most original films I can think of produced in the last 5 years were “Cloud Atlas”—a movie I love and it bombed—and “Jupiter Ascending”—which is a mess, but not nearly as bad as people claim.

This is a Disney blog.  I am very out in the corn right now.  Point is, Disney has always been using classic public domain stories and turning them into movies with their own production ability and with their own twists.  But they haven’t done a lot of sequels in the theaters.  “Zootopia” and “Frozen” will probably change that, but till they do there is really only one contender for this title.

Favorite Sequel

“Toy Story 3” is the best sequel.  Not a lot of competition in this category.  It is the ultimate culmination of what the first movie’s theme was, dealing with being phased out of a child’s life, and what was continued in the second movie with wanting to be a small part of many people’s lives hoping that would fill the emptiness.

“Toy Story 3” goes that step further, it is not just about dealing with it, it ends it.  The toys are passed to a new owner who will take care of them and treasure them from then on, and Andy goes off to college and gets to feel like shit every time he comes home to his empty room during the holidays.

:'-(

This movie is a treasure and for the longest time it would be punching WAY below its weight class when the only other competitor is maybe “Rescuers Down Under”, but I am not even sure that came out in theaters, and while it is a great and fun movie it DOES NOT have the depth that “Toy Story 3” has.  Period.  Hard stop.  I will broach no rebuttal.

The Rebuttal

            “Finding Dory” is a great movie.  It is beautiful to look at, full of colorful characters, and from what I am told it does explain elements set up in “Finding Nemo” for Dory.  I say, “from what I am told,” because I haven’t seen “Finding Nemo”.

            As to whether it is the superior sequel to “Toy Story 3” is an opinion I could see someone having, but I do not have the same emotional connection to the characters that others may have.  Seeing the stories of Dory and the others continue is not as intriguing to me as they are to fans of the first film.  And I write that as someone who really liked “Finding Dory”.

            I felt happy-sad watching the touching reunions and personal triumphs of Dory in the movie, I laughed at the octopus, seals, otters, and whales.  It is definitely worth seeing even if you have not seen “Finding Nemo”.  But I can’t judge it as a sequel.

 

Pixar?  You trying to weaponize cute imagery or something?

            Share your own thoughts on this in the comments.  I know I am not the only person out there who is nostalgic for Disney products, and I am sure many people disagree with my selection for today’s entry. 

I picked Disney stuff just because I knew there was so much of it to talk about and it lends itself to discussion in the comments.  So please, tell me how my opinion about cartoon movies is biased and how your opinion on cartoon movies is objectively right.

______________________________

If you like or hate this please take the time to comment, +1, share on Twitter, Tumblr, or Facebook, and otherwise distribute my opinion to the world.  I would appreciate it.

Top 5 Saddest Disney Moments

            I have not been posting nearly enough this year and I want to steer back from that.  To that end I have found a 30-day blog challenge and fluffed it out to 31 entries (since December has 31 days).  I have done a 30-day challenge before for movies, though that one was poorly executed (I started it in the middle of a month, at one point I posted 2 entries on one day, it is a mess).  I did another one just this year in August on Video Games, that one was better, go read it after this one, all of it.  Or don’t, no pressure.

            Today is day 17 and the topic is “Saddest Moment”.

It is another Top 5 List, because I could think of 5 entries and they were all sad, so I am going to make a list.  Strangely, even though there are 5 entries, there are only 3 types of Sad… You’ll see what I mean.

Number 5

I have shockingly little connection to this movie.  I am sure I have seen it, but I have almost no memory of it and know that it is sad more as a cultural touchstone.  Everyone sort of knows what you are talking about when you mention it, and its effect on children has been parodied a number of times.  I am speaking of Mother’s death in the movie “Bambi”.

This is a great scene, the snowfall obscuring the whole world is a fitting metaphor for the loss of a caregiver.  The sad impotent calls for help as the world grows colder and darker… This is sadness type 1.

Number 4

This one is sadder, mostly because of how it happens to a much stronger and more interesting character.  There are lots of elements, the scope of the threat, the immediacy, and the surrounding sense of dread and betrayal.  Is it not enough to lose your father, but to think you were responsible?  That is the icing.  I am talking about Mufasa’s death in “The Lion King”.

Less symbolic than the snowfall certainly, instead you have the action’s pace continue as Simba must flee the hyenas while going into exile while still grieving.  He is alone, guilt ridden, and sad… This is also sadness type 1, death of a parent.

            Ever seen grownups cry in a movie theater?  Cause these next three deal with the sort of sadness that strikes more at the heart of adults, but to children serve more as dark prophecies for them to deny until self-reflective episodes in their 20’s and 30’s when they attempt to write blogs on sad Disney movie moments.

Number 3

We all grow up.  But we don’t always get to grow up with our fictional characters.  When I am 70, Batman will still be 30 something.  When I am 80, Captain America will still be 30 something.  When I am dust there will probably still be Lego bricks in toy chests.  We do not get to take the things we loved as children with us.  Not because these things are unimportant or lack value, but because we change as people.  It is important to leave our treasures with those who can take care of them and treasure them so that those parts of us do not disappear.

This entry comes from the rare Disney franchise that has sequels, the sequels grow the themes of the story, and they reflect the time that has passed in the real world.  I am speaking of Andy saying goodbye to Woody and Buzz in “Toy Story 3”.  This is sadness type 2-A, loss of childhood via loss of treasured possessions.

(The audio quality on here will give you cancer.  Just a warning.)

Number 2

This is a more obscure entry.  I would venture to say that most people have not seen it, and that I am kind of an outlier in that I managed to watch it when I was a little kid.  “The Fox and the Hound” is about a puppy hunting dog, Copper and his time befriending a fox cub, Todd.  Why they did not name the copper colored fox “Copper” I have no idea.  That is not what we are here for.

The point is that as the hunting puppy grows into a hunting dog he and his friend grow apart.  I think just about anybody can identify with one of these two sides right?  Your friend goes off to the military or college, or you go, and returning home you two have lost that connection you had previously.  People grow and they grow apart.  Especially from when they were children.

Spoiler alert, this movie ends with Todd going into exile in the woods after being hunted by Copper, and them both having to team up to fight a bear.  The final cleft between the two is tear welling.  This is sadness type 2-B, loss of childhood via loss of best friend.

Before I get to my number 1—and since I can’t go a blog without reminding everyone how much of a cultured twit I am—I would like to point out how the idea of a wild man and a cultured man becoming friends to battle a giant and then one of them leaving the story is kind of like the first few chapters of “Gilgamesh”.  It is not a 1-to-1 comparison, just a theme.

In that story the wild man Enkidu befriends Gilgamesh and they go on adventures and ultimately Enkidu is killed.  I see Todd the Fox as Enkidu in this story and I wonder if watching your childhood friend die saving you from a threat after you had just been hunting them would be sadder than the parting on strained terms ending that was present?  Should Disney have killed Todd?  It might have been sadder on one level, but certainly less identifiable.  What do you think?

Number 1

            And because Pixar hates your happiness on a personal level, it is the opening to “Up”.

I do not think anyone will even argue with me about this.  This is the sort of sad that cuts on multiple levels, of looking back on someone you lost, all the opportunities you each missed out on, and all the pain of the deep personal tragedies you had to share.  This is sadness type 3, forlorn and regretful.

            Share your own thoughts on this in the comments.  I know I am not the only person out there who is nostalgic for Disney products, and I am sure many people disagree with my selection for today’s entry. 

I picked Disney stuff just because I knew there was so much of it to talk about and it lends itself to discussion in the comments.  So please, tell me how my opinion about cartoon movies is biased and how your opinion on cartoon movies is objectively right.

______________________________

If you like or hate this please take the time to comment, +1, share on Twitter, Tumblr, or Facebook, and otherwise distribute my opinion to the world.  I would appreciate it.