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(Spoiler alert! This column contains spoilers for the films, so those who don't want to learn about the stories, please stop reading.)
The 2019 movie "Aladdin" was as much fun as the 1992 animation, and the fourth of the "Toy Story" series did not disappoint me, as was the same for the previous three.
I remember almost all the numbers of "Aladdin" soundtrack, and sang along them during the whole movie.
Throughout the merriment, what was the most impressive was not the shocking visual of a blue Will Smith or the break dancing Aladdin ― it was the character of Jasmine.
In the 1992 animation, Jasmine was already a bold girl compared to other Disney princesses. She felt suffocated by palace life, and so sneaked out of the castle for brief freedom. However, that was all she could and would do in the 1992 version.
But in the 2019 version, she herself has become the sultan, the leader of the country. In the old animation, she and Aladdin married because her father changed the law, but there was no explanation about who would become the next sultan. We could only guess Aladdin would, because the princess being unable to marry whoever she wants means a woman cannot become a sultan who can change the law.
The new Jasmine reads books and maps and studies to figure out how the country's people can become happy, showing the virtue and qualification as a leader.
The 2019 movie has a new number, "Speechless," sung by Jasmine. The lyrics show her strong will that she "won't be silenced," and will fly if they try to lock her in the cage.
In the 1992 animation, Jasmine even didn't have a single solo piece.
Through the whole "Toy Story" series until the third one, the underlying idea was the "loyalty" toys have for their kids (owners), and that's why Woody and his gang have gone through the adventures to return to Andy, even though he would grow and won't play with them anymore.
But this idea is changed. And Bo Peep, the shepherd girl, is the one who changes it.
At "Toy Story 1" and "Toy Story 2," Bo Peep did not show impressive performance, so she just disappeared in "Toy Story 3" as expected.
However, voila, she returns in the fourth story with a completely different appearance and personality.
Bo Peep now wears pants, not the pink dress, and drives a skunk-shaped toy car. The tough girl is like the leader of lost toys.
She refuses to remain as a toy that waits to be chosen by a kid. She refuses the faith as a toy ― making a kid happy and staying with him or her until lost or abandoned ― but chooses to live her own life.
But she also does not force her way of life to other toys; she rather helps toys find kids if they want to belong to ones ― she respects each toy's choice.
Her new life changes Woody's strong loyalty, and the cowboy decides to live his own life.
When I watched animation "Aladdin," I was a middle school student and "Toy Story 1," a high schooler. And this year I watched these two films with my 10-year-old daughter.
Considering that children of almost all countries grow up watching Disney movies and animations, such politically correct movies are more than welcome. My daughter's peers will grow up taking it for granted that women can become leaders and make efforts to overcome challenges. They will believe that there can be other roads rather than just what is given, that there can be various choices. This would be a real happy ending.
