Top 5 Tuesday: Favorite Disney classics

Something occurred to me as I thought back about Tangled's place in the Classic Disney pantheon: is it possible that some people don't consider Mulan a classic? Surely not. Although, what exactly are my criteria for classic status? I've given it a little thought, and here's what I've come up with: likable leads, charismatic villain, simple plot, humor and killer songs (this is the most important part for me. Preferably, I'm looking for a solid ballad to belt out in the car/shower and a showstopper to shout-sing with a group of friends.) Tangled checks those boxes and Mulan does pretty well too - I think the villainous Hun army is a little sketchy, but otherwise it works. Long story short, here are my top 5 favorite Disney classics - let's see how they measure up to my arbitrary criteria.

1) Alice in Wonderland
I've mentioned before that Alice in Wonderland has the most songs of any Disney film. On one hand that's a plus, but how many of them can you name? Probably not too many. Most are too short to make an impact, and although there are a couple of ballad-type songs, there's nothing shower-worthy. The Queen of Hearts makes a great villain, but Alice is kind of a blah heroine. I think it deserves its classic status on the basis of humor alone - the Mad Hatter's tea party has to be the comic highlight of the Disney canon.

2) Robin Hood
Robin Hood knocks it out of the park with humor and villains. If the whole movie had been Peter Ustinov and Terry-Thomas talking to each other, I would have been perfectly happy. And talk about likable leads. I will admit I had a little crush on Robin, despite the fact that he was a fox. I'm not a fan of Maid Marian or her ballad, but the other songs are OK.

3) Sword in the Stone
It's been a long time since I've seen this one, but I think it's the humor that I liked. Madam Mim made a big impact in her minimal screen time and has a great song, and Merlin was pretty cool. I love the song "That's What Makes the World Go Round." Maybe I need to see this one again soon because based on my recollections, it's not a classic.

4) Sleeping Beauty
Maleficent should be the prototype for all animated villains. I mean, she turns into a dragon! How great is that? I think she alone lifts this one to classic status because the two leads are a little bland. Let's not forget the three fairies, though, who add some much needed comic relief. The only standout song is "Once Upon a Dream," although it is a solid shower favorite.

5) Beauty and the Beast
If it's possible, I would say Beauty and the Beast is the most classic of my favorites. It has by far the best songs - "Beauty and the Beast" for the shower, "Be Our Guest" for the group sing, and there are still three solid tracks left over. Belle is the coolest Disney princess because she was a reader, a detail my six-year-old self loved, and the supporting characters are really funny. If there's one weakness, I would say Gaston never seemed quite villainous enough, although he wasn't lacking in charisma.