I don't think I've watched any of the Disney flicks since I was in high school. In fact, my Special Anniversary Edition Beauty & the Beast DVD has been sitting in its wrapper since Dad gave it to me for Solstice four years ago.

Last night I dragged it out because my partner had yet to actually see the movie. That struck me as a shame, since I consider it the best Disney has to offer. (Tied, of course, with Robin Hood... and perhaps with Mulan for the sheer chick-power value.)

I was completely unprepared for how young Belle looked. The Beast is 21, but they never mention how old she is. Still, Disney heroines tend to run on the mid-teenage side, so one can make an educated guess....

My gods. The whole pack of the highly-advertised Disney Princesses are about half my age.

That's just... disturbing.

(And don't even get me *started* on the Disney Princesses thing. Letting aside that lots of them didn't even achieve the princess status until the end of the movie -- and I don't think Mulan was a princess at all -- do we really want our daughters to aspire to the helpless bullcrap of Cinderella or Sleeping Beauty or Snow White? Fairy Godmothers and princes will not save you. Learn to do it yourself, or you're screwed. Grrr.)