5 Disney Movies On My Radar To Watch This Year

New year, new selection of movie releases from Disney to enjoy.  Yes, if you didn’t already know, we are big fans of Disney movies including Marvel Studios. Last year Disney kind of knocked it out of the park with so many great releases like Endgame, Toy Story 4, and we finally got a follow up to Maleficent. This year, I have five movies that I’ve been amped to watch since I saw the trailers last year and am looking forward to seeing each of them.

What would you do if you could bring back someone you loved from the dead?  For me personally, I’d jump at the chance to bring one of my grandmothers back even if it was only for 24 hours.  My maternal grandmother passed away when I was a baby.  I have picture of her holding me but that’s it.

My paternal grandmother succumbed to her battle with breast cancer before myself or any of my siblings were even a thought in our parents’ minds.  My father loss his mother when he was my son’s age and that loss has had a such a profound effect on him. I’d love the opportunity to see how much of who I am was inherited from those two women and to have the chance to have some in-depth conversations about life with them.

In Disney Pixar’s newly released animated movie, Onward, elf brothers Ian and Barley Lightfoot find themselves gifted with a magical staff, a gem, and a spell from their late father.  Of course things don’t go as planned.  They end up destroying the gem stone and conjuring on half of their dad.

So Barley and Ian go on an adventure to find another gem in less than 24 hours before their chance to reconnect with their dad is gone forever.  I haven’t a chance to make it to the theaters yet to see (because life) but I’m planning on taking the kids to watch this soon.  I’ve already got my tissues ready because the overall plot of this movie seems like it’s going to hit close to home and trigger some waterworks.

I’ve seen many mixed responses and reactions to this movie already due to the movie trailers and the fact that supposedly none of the original songs or Mushu will be making an appearance in this live action remake.  I have to say that I am among those who are disappointed that there is no Mushu.  He provided so much comedic relief to what would have been an otherwise very intense family movie.

 

 

Nevertheless, I am still interested in seeing the final product and supporting this movie with my POC dollars.  My heart is happy for the Asian community and that this is yet another drop in the bucket to more Asian movies making it to mainstream media.  Representation STILL matters folks.  Mushu or no Mushu, songs or no songs, I hope that Mulan will be amazing and huge hit at the box office just like Black Panther was.

Listen Jet Li playing the emperor and Jason Scott Lee playing Khan is enough for me to part with my dollars.  I don’t think I’ve ever been disappointed by any of their works before.

It wouldn’t be a good year in terms of movie releases without a movie from Marvel Studios.  And I know ScarJo has let her mouth (and bad judgement) get her caught up in some controversy in the not so distant past, but I’m hoping she can keep it together until AFTER the Black Widow release.  My baby but not a baby sister and I have already planned out our Sisters’ Date Night to go see this.  The kids will be hanging with Grandma since this is one Marvel movie that I have deemed not kid appropriate.

 

 

They’re bummed they have to sit this one out because they’ve seen all of the Avenger movies thus far.  They’ll live tho.  I’m looking forward to this movie because out of all the Avengers, Black Widow is the one character whose backstory I know the least about.  Although I’m still mourning the loss of IronMan and Stan Lee, I’m hoping we see a little nod or something to both of them in this movie.

More importantly, I hope this woman gives off all kinds of Girl Power vibes.  Black Widow does not play.  She kicks ass first and takes names later.

This is the one Disney movie the kids are actual skeptical about seeing.  They can’t quite put a finger on why but we’re still going to be seated in the front row when it comes out.  I mean it’s an animated movie with a Black main character, of course I’m supporting it with my Black dollars when it drops this summer.

 

 

Soul is a movie about a band teacher named Joe who finally gets the opportunity of his dreams to play at the best jazz club in NYC.  But a wrong step lands him in a fantastical world called The Great Before.  TGB is like the last stop for souls before they come topside to Earth in human form.

Joe meets 22 and tries to convince her that being a human is all kinds of wonderful but what actually happens is that he ends up learning a few things himself. Peter Docter, who directed Inside Out, also directed Soul.  You this means we may want to be on the safe side and bring some tissue.

Also, I’m hyped about seeing this movie because Jamie Foxx will be voicing Joe.  I love when Jamie Foxx lands musical roles because he’s a very talented singer.  Ballads like those from the remake of Anna are my favorite to hear him sing.  So I’m keeping my fingers crossed that Disney let him do his thing in this movie and that he’ll also be recording some original songs for the soundtrack.

I’m glad The Rock made the decision all these years ago to team up with Disney.  I’ve never been one to watch wrestling but he was on my radar from having seen his posters plastered all over my cousins’ walls and listening to them talk about matches and them trying to impersonate his famous eyebrow lift.  In my mind, I always thought he’d make a great hunky movie star.  Looks like the universe agreed.

 

 

Hitting theaters this July, Jungle Cruise looks like it is going to be a nonstop adventure that the entire family can enjoy.  The kids are hyped about this one.  My little guy is excited that “Maui” is back in a movie that he can watch.

I’m invested in seeing Jungle Cruise because it gives off female Indiana Jones meets The Mummy vibes.  Also, I love Emily  Blunt!  We will definitely be enjoying this movie at one of the IMAX theaters so that we can get the full effect.