Disney’s 1998 classic “Mulan” is a movie that we will regularly watch. For Hanson and me, it was a no-brainer where to rank “Mulan” this week.
The animation, music, and characters make “Mulan” a Disney movie that resonates with me.
Mulan taught me that it is okay to stand out from social norms; that it is okay to be myself and to accept myself for who I am. Mulan also taught me that anything a man can do, a woman can do better!
As a kid, Reflection was my favorite song. This song (one of the best “I Want” songs from Disney) is pivotal for Mulan because she’s yearning for what she wants. It’s not just about wanting family approval or bringing honor, but wanting to be herself and have that version of her be accepted by society.
As an adult, Reflection is still a bop, but I’ll Make A Man Out of You is now number one. The song, paired with the training montage, again showed that women are capable of doing anything a man can do. But it’s the irony of Li Shang asking, “How can I make a man out of you,” when Mulan is a woman posing as a man for me.
In the podcast, I mentioned to Hanson that Disney’s Renaissance gives us a style of animation that is unique to each movie. We have seen this in Aladdin, Hercules, and Winnie the Pooh. And the subtle animation for Mulan is just perfect for the movie!
Where did we rank this Disney masterpiece? Listen to the full podcast here!
-Simone
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