Oh, hello-I didn’t see you there.
Welcome to another exciting installment of Walt Disney Girl (again, I am accepting titles for this thing), where I watch Disney movies I haven’t seen in 10-20 years and see how my perspective on them has changed in adulthood.
Again, any alternate title suggestions are welcome in the comments below.
I have been a little absent-anxiety tends to cause me to hermit even more than usual when it’s spiking and how can it not? It’s important to identify when you need a break, and that’s where I’ve been at the last few weeks.
However, I have returned and have come to terms with the fact that I will probably be living out the first fifteen minutes of the Disney movie of the week (well, weeks as I have honestly watched quite a few since the last post and have a backlog if you will) for the foreseeable future.
The movie of the week is none other than probably one of my favorite Disney films-Tangled.
Quite honestly, I feel for the most part everyone is a little bit like Rapunzel right now-doing the same shit day in day out inside, trying to find something to keep us entertained. Trying to not complete everything there is to do in a day early, staring out the window and wondering just when will our lives (re) begin?
As stated in previous posts there are times where I find the film’s villain to be relatable as an adult (i.e. Ursula or Maleficent). In the case of Tangled, I found Mother Gothel to be relatable only when describing the reason Rapunzel couldn’t go outside because it’s the same reason I find I myself don’t want to be out.
Image courtesy of Disney
I feel this post is a little different than the previous ones because A. I have only viewed this film as an adult and B. I look at it differently even though it’s been maybe 3 years tops since I first watched it due strictly to the changes seen in the world over the last six months. While I do not really root for Mother Gothel, I do relate to her in the vein of wanting to keep Rapunzel safe, and I relate to Rapunzel for the struggle between wanting to have her own life and be free vs. being inside to benefit others. I think this is a struggle all of us are undergoing with the current state of affairs.
Image courtesy of Disney.
Also, the entire sequence of her after leaving the tower, alternating between extreme happiness and crippling anxiety is honestly how I feel nearly every day. Once I make a decision, I feel good about it for about five minutes before the doubts come creeping in, causing me to question if I really did make the right choice and honestly it’s just this cycle until another decision comes around resetting everything.
Image courtesy of Disney
Image courtesy of Disney.
Then there’s the matter of Flynn who is in my opinion one of the top three Disney love interests created purely based on his sense of humor alone. Also, the entire lantern sequence is honestly one of the most beautiful moments in a Disney animated film I’ve ever seen and has set the bar for any and all romantic gestures. I See the Light is probably in my top three Disney songs and I’ll be damned if the instrumental version is not played at my wedding.
Image courtesy of Disney.
Flynn’s character development is also something I found very endearing as he never really was an ass, however he still realized he had improvements to make, wanted to make them, and was able to help Rapunzel better herself as well. Everyone deserves someone who will help them see the light, and everyone deserves someone who helps them be the light.
Image courtesy of Disney.
Now that I’ve gotten that cliche and cheesy mess out of my system, I do want to go back to the earlier part of this whole mess of a post. The one thing Tangled reminded me of is the fact that while it’s unpleasant to be stuck inside and do the same things over and over again, sometimes that’s what has to happen before your life can begin, before our lives can (re) begin. And it can be mentally and emotionally exhausting, and I’ve learned over the last few weeks that if you don’t learn to give yourself a break, you’ll just wind up breaking yourself.
At last, I’ve seen the light, felt the light.
Now I just need to keep it burning.
Dundermifflinthisislauren 