7 Disney Songs for Your Workout

A while back on the podcast, Russell and I discussed Disney songs for your running playlist. I have dabbled with running (especially during the pandemic, when Russell and I ran together) but I'd rather dive straight into strength training. If you're like me, you might like some Disney music to keep yourself motivated while lifting weights. I'm working on a larger playlist, but here are a few recommendations so far. I've put these songs (and others) on our Spotify recommendations, so check out the full ongoing playlist here.

One Last Hope (Hercules)

It's a bit of a goofy one, but Hercules literally trains to this song.

I’ll Make a Man Out of You (Mulan)
If this isn't on your workout mix, you're not ready to "get down to business".

Dig a Little Deeper (The Princess and the Frog)
For those times you need to dig deep inside to get those last few reps.

Show Yourself (Frozen 2)
Just a reminder to show up for yourself and find your motivation. 

Surface Pressure (Encanto)
There's some unhealthy people-pleasing in this, but just focus on being as strong as Luisa.

Can I Get a Chee Hoo? (Moana 2)
It's a musical pep talk from the muscled Maui. What's not to like?

Kick It Up a Notch (Phineas and Ferb the Movie)
Another pump up/pep talk song. A great choice for when you need to reach that next PR.

More Content You Might Like:

• "5 Disney Movies About Embracing Differences" by Spencer
• "6 Disney Movies I Could Watch on Repeat" by Spencer
• "Where You Are" by Russell

It's Not Easy being Green

Continuing with our green theme, I want to expand on the idea that Mike wrote about in his Sailor Jupiter post-why are so many villains associated with the color green? 

Well, it depends on the villain. 

The Fires of Envy

When Maleficent unleashes her fury her flames are green. When Scar sings about how he's going to usurp Mufasa the flames around him are a bright lime green. The phylactery (Horcrux to you non-Dungeons and Dragons fans) held by Rasputin in Anastasia pulses with an eldrich green, despite being from hell itself where you think it would glow red. In the case of these charming despots and monsters green is symbolizing the burning envy they feel for the heroes and the world around them. When they need to show that they want what someone else has, they take a match to some copper sulfate and let it burn (Yes that's the actual chemical that can make a fire turn green-try it sometime!)

Envy burns. It consumes. It is a need for something that must either end in the obtaining of it or the destruction of both. Green fire here works well for the analogy since it too burns and gives the audience a decent visual representation of the villain's inner feelings. Let's take Maleficent for example. Her motivation for being the Dame of all Evil is a bit unclear at first glance. She's not invited to a party so she's going to tear the kingdom apart over it (And yes, we're going with the animated Sleeping Beauty here because Maleficent' s intentions in Maleficent are this whole other thing)? If we take her green flames into account we get a far clearer picture of her issue: She wants to be acknowledged as an equal. She's obviously powerful, probably more powerful than the gender reversed Three Stooges we're supposed to like, and yet she doesn't even get a token invite to the party. That's not only rude that's just hurtful. Maybe if she was invited Aurora would've been blessed with something useful, like a personality or basic common sense. Either way she's envious of those who were invited and acknowledged as equals without question. She deserves a seat at the table and is ticked that she didn't get it. 

The Color of Money

Accompanying envy is greed, its lovely wife and business partner. While envy is for something that someone has, greed is a bit less specific in the intention. Greed is what Ursula has when her weird watery smoky hands reach out for Ariel's voice. Greed motivates the Shadow Man as he turns his friends from the other side onto changing Prince Naveen into a frog. Greed  is the look in Lady Tremaine's emerald eyes as she looks at her daughters and imagines manipulating them onto the throne with the Prince instead of her far more qualified and deserving stepdaughter, Cinderella. The villains want something, and while certain characters may have what they want they aren't as concerned with the person as they are with the power they wield, or the person is just a stepping stone to their true goal. 

Take Ursula, who we know has an obvious beef with Triton (In the play they're brother and sister and there was this whole inheritance dispute thing but we'll go with the movie for clarity sake though totally listen to the play's soundtrack). Ursula isn't jealous of Ariel, she doesn't want to be Ariel. She's a bit more jealous of Triton, but her real goal is to take what she feels she deserves, the triton. Ariel and her father are just stepping stones to getting her hands on it, especially since the first thing she does with it is start causing widespread mayhem throughout the harbor. She could've easily killed Ariel and Triton, but just toyed with them because her ultimate goal was momentarily accomplished. 

Horrifying Power

Now we've got to talk about Bruno (You see what I did there?). His future sight is seen as green energy swirling through sand, while his eyes glow green just like a villains. If you didn't know who he was or what the plot of the movie was you could easily see his color scheme and mistake him for a villain, but instead he's not. The green here indicates that his power is dangerous magic, something that isn't fun or playful like growing flowers or making healing empanadas. It's gazing into the shifting future and trying to interpret fragments of signs before they happen. 

Here green indicates dangerous power, similarly to Maleficent' s flames and Ursula's smoky hand trick. Another more interesting example is Cruella De Vil, in the animated 101 Dalmatians. When she walks into the Darlings home she's seen smoking a cigarette with green smoke drifting around her. The smoke is sickly and is different from when Roger smokes his pipe-which has black and grey smoke. Hers is the indication that her presence is something foreign, something so different to the Darlings that she obviously doesn't belong. Even her cigarette can't behave like everyone else's because she is not like anyone else around her, especially in morale, and that makes her scary. 

Visual Shorthand

A quick technical note about why green is used so often has to do with coding. It was mentioned before that green has the connotations with greed, sickness and envy, and that's something that most Western audiences would know when they walk into the theater. Films have only so long to get across different ideas, character motivations, ideals, plot elements etc. and will often rely on visual clues to help the audience know who everyone is without having to go into a lengthy backstory if they don't need to. Is your villain envious or greedy? Give them something green to show that off, preferably flames because they look cool, especially in a dark lair or at night when they're doing evil deeds. Need to show that the magic is otherworldly and powerful? Color it lime green like the entire thing is sponsored by Cricket, that'll show that what the characters are messing with isn't of this world. 

Green: It's not just for leprechauns. 

-JOE

Sorting Disney Princesses into Hogwarts Houses (1/3)

If you’ve been following my posts for any stretch of time, you’ll know that I love many things. In particular today, we’re going to indulge my love of Disney, Harry Potter, and mash-ups. Previously I’ve done Hogwarts sorting posts about Arrow, Friends, Once Upon a Time, and the Avengers. Today is the first in a three-part post about the Disney Princesses (including three honorary princesses). So let’s jump in and see our first six Disney Princess Hogwarts students.

Snow White - Hufflepuff

Our first princess is the original Disney Princess. Hufflepuff is the obvious choice, but it’s not for any lack of bravery or wit. Just like when I sorted the Once Upon a Time version of Snow into Hufflepuff, the 1930s Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs portrayed a princess with patience and kindness. In addition, she also displayed the trademark Hufflepuff trait as a hard-working individual. Heck. Even before she met the dwarfs, she was cleaning their house. Side note: Next time you're at Disney World, make sure you meet this pleasant Hufflepuff in Epcot Germany.

Cinderella - Ravenclaw

Before re-watching the animated movie Cinderella in preparation for this post, I’d have put her in Hufflepuff because she’s one of the stereotypically less “heroic” princesses (that’s a discussion for later). In fact, I would have sorted Tim Burton’s Cinderella into Hufflepuff. However, the animated film showed a version of Cinderella overflowing with ingenuity and creativity. She thought her way through the problem of getting to Prince Charming’s ball. That was impressive. And remember to find this Ravenclaw in Magic Kingdom during your next Disney trip.

Belle - Gryffindor

Unlike Belle from Once Upon a Time, I felt like Gryffindor was a better fit for the animated Belle. Both loved their books and reading. However, the 1991 Belle cared more about her books because it got her out of her “poor provincial town”, even just for a moment in her mind. She cared more about the adventures in her books than the books themselves. Like Snow White, Belle can be found at Epcot, but in France.

Moana - Gryffindor

Mixed in with the first princesses, I have one of the newest princesses sorted into Gryffindor. She had a restless, adventurous spirit. Unable to sit still, she tested her father’s patience. Her courage, nerve, and daring got the best of her and sent her into the ocean unprepared, all to save her people and have an adventure. So it shouldn’t surprise anyone that she’s donning red as a Gryffindor.

Tiana - Hufflepuff

She’s not the stereotypical Hufflepuff, but it’s where she fits. As I watched Princess and the Frog recently, I waited to be proved wrong about her house. However, her whole character speaks to the hard-working, fairness, and dedication that Hufflepuffs are known for. So despite Naveen being more like a Slytherin or Gryffindor, his princess is definitely a Puff. She can be found at Disney World in Fantasyland (Magic Kingdom)

Kuzco - Slytherin

My honorary princess for this post is none other than Emperor Kuzco. I sorted Mesoamerica’s favorite diva into Slytherin for obvious reasons. He may have reformed by the end of the movie to be less of a jerk, but that doesn’t change his ambitious and cunning nature. He’s a born leader, even if he abused that power at first. And he’s definitely no stranger to self-preservation. So despite being a Hufflepuff myself, my favorite Disney protagonist definitely goes in Slytherin.

Still eleven princesses to go in the coming months. Where would you place our remaining Disney heroines? “Dig a little deeper” and let me know in the comments. 

Why Tiana is One of My Favorite Disney Princesses

(Guest Post by David T)

“..Almost there. I’m almost there. People down here think I’m crazy. But I don’t care. Trials and tribulations, I’ve had my share. There ain’t nothing gonna stop me now, cause I’m almost there.” 

Over ten years ago, on the 11th of December 2009, Walt Disney Pictures debuted their newest princess. Making animation history in The Princess and the Frog, Tiana became the first African American Disney Princess. From the moment I saw her on the big screen, Tiana has been one of my favorite Disney Princesses. I feel a personal connection with Tiana, drawn inspiration from her, and love her courage. 

Personal Connection
As a boy, one of my favorite role-playing activities was as a chef, pretending to whip up and serve my own culinary creations. I would imagine managing my own restaurant or cafe. In fact, my childhood dream was to have my own restaurant where I would have specific decor and serve specialty pizzas. I had long abandoned that dream by the time I saw The Princess and the Frog. But when I learned that Tiana loved to cook, and dreamed of owning a restaurant like her daddy, James, I grew nostalgic. I recalled the excitement of my childhood dream. And while I don’t want to be a chef or restaurant owner, I still felt (and still do feel) a personal connection to Tiana. As she sang how she was “almost there” in achieving her dreams, I teared up, and was so happy when they were fully realized.

Inspiration
After a long period of unemployment, I was hired as a server at a restaurant. Working in food service wasn’t my first choice, but it was a job to pay the bills, and Tiana and her work ethic inspired me to remain positive. I greeted guests warmly, served them their favorite meals, and ensured they had a great experience just like Tiana did at her morning job at Duke’s Cafe. There were times I worked double shifts. True, I wasn’t saving up for my own restaurant like Tiana was, but she still inspired me when the hours were long and I went home really tired.

Courage
Kindness, determination, generosity, friendship, and hard work, among others make Tiana a princess. However, what I think truly makes Tiana the princess heroine of her film is her courage in the face of temptation. In an effort to retrieve his voodoo blood talisman from her possession, Dr. Facilier conjures up an illusion of “Tiana’s Place” (the name of her future restaurant), complete with Tiana wearing the white gown imagined in the "Almost There" musical sequence. The “Shadow Man” negotiates the exchange of the magical object by promising to fulfill Tiana’s dream. As part of his effort to persuade her, the voodoo doctor reminds the young woman who has had to work hard all her life of the unsupportive and discouraging comments made by a coworker, friends, and businessmen through visual memories. To try to seal the deal, a visual memory of Tiana’s hardworking father appears, reminding her of James’ unfulfilled restaurant dream. As Tiana intently stares at the image of her family, her grip on the talisman begins to loosen, and Dr. Facilier whispers into her ear that she’s “almost there.”

In that powerful moment of temptation, when her dream could finally come true, Tiana remembers her father and mother’s counsel and definitively and courageously rejects the Shadow Man’s deal. Tightening her hold again on the valuable magical piece, Tiana declares “my daddy never did get what he wanted. But he had what he needed. He had love! He never lost sight of what was really important. And NEITHER WILL I!” The courage to make this crucial decision, to not take the offer, Tiana held fast to her values and standards. Even if it meant remaining a frog the rest of her life, she willingly sacrificed her lifelong dream and smashed the talisman. Tiana embraced what she needed, which was Naveen and the love that they shared.

I love Tiana today just as much as I did the day when I first saw her on the big screen. I feel just as connected to her, find her just as inspiring, and love her courage just as much; which is why Tiana is one of my all-time favorite Disney Princesses!!!!! “Grab somebody, come on down. Bring your paintbrush, we’re paintin’ the town. There’s some sweetness goin’ around. Dreams do come true in New Orleans!”

Pokemon Nicknames: Disney (2)

So I've had a lot of downtime lately (like a lot of you) so I've been playing Pokemon a bit more frequently. Currently working on a dog-themed team on Ultra Sun. But regardless of my current team, it felt like as good a time as ever to do some more Pokemon/Disney nicknames. This time I'll cover a few Gen II favorites to complement the Gen I names I did a couple months ago.

Feraligatr (or Krookodile) as Tick-Tock

Flaaffy as Bellwether

Noctowl as Archimedes

Ledyba as Francis

Heracross as Dim

Politoed as Naveen (or Tiana)

Ursaring as Lumpjaw

Disney-Themed Pokemon Nicknames:

• Gen I: Part 1
• Gen II: Part 2
• Gen III-V: Part 3
• Gen VI-VII: Part 4
• Additional: Part 5
• Additional (2): Part 6

7 Underrated Disney Movies to Check Out on Disney Plus

Disney Plus launched this week! In honor of their release, I asked David (one of our guest writers and the biggest Disney savant I know) what lesser-known and under appreciated Disney movies people should take advantage of now that they're included in the streaming service.

1. Lady and the Tramp - We've got a new live-action "Lady and the Tramp" with the lauch of Disney+. Before you watch that, go ahead and watch the original cartoon version. It's been out for decades, but it's kind of fallen back into obscurity due to the more popular movies, like the Disney Princesses. But what's not to like? It's a cute romance and its stars are all dogs.

2. The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh - This one was my little brother's favorite growing up (his first toy was a plush Tigger). And why not? It's a cute movie made of featurettes that Disney had done prior. Strung together, it's cute and you can chop it up to be watched in sections if you've got a little kid (definitely gonna be using that when my daughter is born). Also, I look forward to taking my daughter on the "Winnie the Pooh" ride at Disneyland/Walt Disney World in a couple years.

3. The Rescuers/The Rescuers Down Under - Long before Frozen 2 was ever thought of, "The Rescuers" got a theatrical sequel. Both movies have a consistent cast of their main characters, Bernard and Miss Bianca. Both movies have lovable characters, heartfelt stories, and freaky villains (probably a bit too realistic, compared to fantastical villains like Jafar or Ursula).

4. The Emperor's New Groove - This is easily one of my favorite movies (top 5 for sure, if not top 3). I have a hard time trusting anyone who hasn't seen "The Emperor's New Groove". Its small cast makes for very solid characters. Sure we have Pacha's family, but other than them we have only four major characters: Kuzco, Pacha, Yzma, and Kronk. I think the best part is that it's nonsensical and just fun to watch. It's also highly quotable, as I've written about previously. -- Also, can we talk about why there STILL isn't an "Emperor's New Groove" roller coaster at Disney yet?
SEE ALSO: "Everyday Use of Emperor's New Groove"

5. Fantasia 2000 - I've never seen "Fantasia 2000", so I asked for David's insight on this movie. Apparently Walt Disney had wanted regular updates of "Fantasia" every few years. So 60 years after the original, Roy Disney (his nephew) promoted this one. We got different animation styles and music, the best (in David's opinion) is the Firebird Suite. It contained realistic animation of animals, a lovable nature sprite, and a horrifying firebird.

6. Treasure Planet - The oversimplified version of this is that it's a science fiction adaption of the novel "Treasure Island". It was done with oil painting backgrounds, making it one of the more expensive animated films. At its heart, it's a story of a troubled boy who becomes a man who learns right from wrong. (Thanks to David for the synopsis of that, since I haven't seen this one in 10 years)

7. The Princess and the Frog - Tiana might be one of the most under appreciated Disney Princesses. I actually never saw this movie until David was my roommate several years ago. It's definitely a big twist on the story of "The Frog Prince". If you're the kind that doesn't care for the Disney Princesses because they're not good role models for young girls, (first off, David will fight you) Tiana is not a typical Disney Princess. She's not helpless. In fact, she's probably too independent and she had to learn to let other people help her. That's something I can definitely take more of in my life.

There are probably dozens of other Disney movies that you need to check out with your new Disney Plus account. Others I might recommend are "Atlantis", "Fun and Fancy Free", "Meet the Robinsons", and "The Great Mouse Detective". Also, thanks to David for consulting with me on this post. Look forward to seeing a new post from him in the near future about a certain Disney Princess's anniversary year.

7 Top Disney/Once Adaptations

With "Once Upon a Time" over (finally) we got closure to the seven years of Disney remixes. So in honor of the show that should have ended three years ago, I've got a few of my favorite adaptations of Disney characters that "Once Upon a Time" did.

Evil Queen/Regina Mills
The original Evil Queen from "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" was very flat. Her sole motives were about vanity and power. Now there's definitely evil in the world that appears so petty, but it's pretty one-dimensional. In constrast with our wanna-be beauty queen, Regina Mills spent seven seasons developing into a complex character. Season 1 revealed her backstory and why she had some much anger. Season 2 and Season 3 began her redemption as she fought for Henry's forgiveness. Season 4 and 5 she actively fought her dark side to find love and acceptance. Season 6 and 7 she flourished as a hero, maybe even surpassing Snow White in how she clung to hope.

Peter Pan
Disney's "Peter Pan" featured an immature little boy, who had a heart full of goodness, but also full of mischief. He brought his friends together and fought Captain Hook, mostly because he was a little boy craving buddies, but he was good. "Once Upon a Time" twisted that around 180 degrees. Instead of a fun-loving boy, we got a greedy old man (masquerading as a boy) who held more darkness in his heart than most of the villains the show featured. Each return of the Pied Piper was a chilling moment, right through until the end. All of his actions leading to power and selfishness.

Tiana/Sabine
Tiana was a Disney Princess that I was not introduced to until years later. Her strength and bravery in "The Princess and the Frog" changed her life and Naveen's life. She had to learn to chill out a bit, but she clung to hope of something better. During Season 7, while many of the new characters left me underwhelmed, Tiana/Sabine was a faithful adaptation of the New Orleans princess. I would have liked if she was fleshed out more and more complex, but I liked the role-reversal of Tiana being royal and Naveen not. While keeping the basic traits of the character the same, the original Tiana was still flipped around, both in the Enchanted Forest and Hyperion Heights, to be a new Tiana.

Pinocchio/August
The backstory of the "real boy" didn't really change from the Disney version, so there was no actual adaptation of his backstory. Instead, we got an interpretation of what happened after. I'm not aware of any other Pinocchio that got tested after becoming a real boy. Does he remain selfless, brave, and true or not? Well, in this case we got to see both. August was a "real boy" in more ways than one; he was a good Pinocchio, but he was also a real person with real reactions to real problems.

Alice
(I really liked "Once Upon a Time in Wonderland" so I had to include one of their characters. I thought about Jafar... but his Season 6 appearances left me wanting) I grew up watching "Alice in Wonderland" (my brother likes to remind me about how I watched it on repeat) so I can clearly picture the immature Alice traveling Wonderland and reacting to the fantastical world kind of naively. This new version of Alice was tough and willing to fight for her life and her love. She became a proficient swordswoman and she fought against the most evil sorcerer. In contrast, all the cartoon Alice could do was call the Queen of Hearts names.

Mad Hatter/Jefferson
Not much was seen of the silly Mad Hatter in "Alice in Wonderland" and even less substance to the character. So as much as I enjoy "Alice in Wonderland", I loved seeing the Mad Hatter brought to life as Jefferson. Even just the backstory as to why he's crazy was a nice addition. The only thing I would have changed is letting us see Jefferson more... but I also like Sebastian Stan as Bucky Barnes, so I guess that kind of makes it okay.

Cruella De Vil
Cruella was a beastly character in Disney's "101 Dalmatians". I mean, in many ways she's probably one of the freakier and scarier Disney villains, even without any sort of power and influence, besides money and henchmen (Jasper and Horace). "Once Upon a Time" took that same darkness and evil into a character with some devious powers. Her backstory episode threw me for a loop. As they intended, I was guessing she had some tragic backstory about her mother, when instead we just a straight up sociopath.

Disney Super Heroes

As an established Mormon Geek, I’ve shown that I have an affinity for Disney movies. I’m also getting into Marvel more and more. Recently it occurred to me that we’ve got quite a few Disney characters who have some super powers of their own. Now obviously there are characters like The Incredibles and Super Goof, who explicitly have super powers, but I’m talking about more subtle characters. These characters have something inherent to them, possibly magical, but more than just the “regular” kind of magic.

Talking to Animals

Snow White, Cinderella, Princess Aurora, and Mowgli have all shown the ability to talk to animals. Granted, Mowgli grew up with them, but still it’s kind of weird that he hears their voices. Snow White and Cinderella even get their animal friends to help with the cleaning (I could use their help with unpacking right now). And then there’s Princess Aurora, who is so deprived of human interaction that she dances with animals.

Shape Shifter

Maleficent and Jafar both show the ability to shape shift. Maleficent has only been shown to transform into a dragon, but Jafar has transformed into an old man AND he’s turned into a snake. Pretty good powers for these super villains.

Snow Powers

Of course Elsa and her ice powers had to make this list. It could just be considered magic, but with such a specific kind of magic, this is more like Ice Man or Frozone (who, by the way, I’m tired of seeing fan art with him and Elsa together… Frozone is married… and she is the greatest good he is EVER gonna get).

Communication with Spirits

Next we have a hero and a villain. Both Facilier and Pocahontas have been able to talk to spirits. Facilier, as the villain, talks to the evil spirits. Pocahontas more often talks to the spirits of the trees, the wind, etc. Not the most useful power in fighting super villains, but still a super power in my books.

Healing Powers

Rapunzel of course has healing powers. Before it was cut, her hair was the outlet for her powers, strong enough to keep Gothel alive for over a decade. However, even after her hair was cut, her tears had healing powers enough to save Eugene from dying from a stab wound. It’s unknown whether she still retains this power, but I like to think that she does.

Flight

Time for the first non-human hero: Dumbo and his ability to fly using only his oversized ears. At first it seemed like he’d only be able to fly with the help of his magic feather, but it only took one leap of faith for Dumbo to learn that he could fly on his own. Now, I doubt the timid elephant would be much use in a fight against super villains, but he could help out I guess.

Super-Strength

Much like Thor and the Hulk, Hercules and Stitch get their super strength from their heritage and experimentation respectively. We don’t exactly know the limits of Hercules’s strength, but Stitch is able to lift 3000 times his weight. These two would be quite useful if we ever needed a Disney character Avengers team. Personally, Stitch is top on my list. The extra arms are definitely a bonus.

Talk to Squirrels

This could have been put up with Aurora, Mowgli, Snow White, and Cinderella, but Kronk is able to talk specifically to squirrels. Now this could be a learned skill and he’s not much of one to be on this super hero team, but he could be useful for developing intelligence… even if he lacks his own intelligence. Regardless, Kronk needs to be acknowledged.

Teleportation/Super Speed and Psychic Powers

As I noted a few weeks ago, there was something not fully explored with Pacha’s kids: Tipo and Chaca. When Pacha was in trouble, these two both seemed to have visions of his peril…. And having to (almost) give Llama Kuzco mouth to mouth. Even more impressive is later when Yzma charges out of their house, Tipo and Chaca have this ability to appear throughout her tumble down the hill (multiple times) and then be back at the top when Kronk leaves. I’m just saying that they must have some sort of super speed and/or teleportation to get around that fast.

Who else would you add to our list of Disney Avengers?