the category is. alan menken deep emotional solos in disney remakes sung by the love interest who had none in the original movie but definitely deserved one cause they have their own story to tell and it really puts them on the same level as the main character
The live-action Little Mermaid made me love Ariel and Eric as a couple. Did I dislike them before? No. But early Disney had an issue of not giving their princes much personality since the film was not about them anyway. And while Prince Eric had a little something there…it still wasn’t much ro work with (for me at least). Building up on his love for his sea and giving him a curious mind eager to discover knew things really sold the couple to me.
Watching them look over maps together and Ariel happily listening to Eric share his adventures with her was sweet. Ariel also encourages Eric’s love for exploration and teaches him things about items he had in his collection he never knew. And that was one of the best parts for me because they both had these massive collections! What Ariel had just lost in the sea she found on land and now had someone to share it with. They feed each other’s brains and I love it! Knowing the movie sends them off on their own adventure is exciting because you can’t help but wonder what they will end up discovering.
Also, I will never not gush over how cute it is Ariel used the constellation of Aries to get Eric to learn her name💕 That was so much more romantic to me than the original.
listen if the little mermaid 2023 did anything right it was ariel and eric… they were already a good couple in the original but fleshing him out and making him drawn to the ocean in a parallel to ariel being drawn to land is so good. and kind of increasing that human vs merfolk tension to make it this romeo & juliet love story. like sorry they kind of slayed there. eric sees ariel turn back into a mermaid in front of him and all he does is hold her tighter. they’re both gigantic nerds. he’s a foot taller than her. it’s incredible.
One of my favorite tropes is she/he fell first, but he/she fell harder and one of my favorite things from this trope is when the the one who fell harder has that moment of wait a second … and then you see the light bulb turn on over their heads or see their only brain cell finally kicking in.
I’ll use polin for this example. Because in my belief their first kiss showcases it well.
We got Penelope, who’s been in love way longer than I would’ve allowed myself, gathering up her Whistledown courage and asking the man she secretly loves to kiss her. She’s more casual about this because, in a way, she’s used to this feeling.
Meanwhile, we see Colin hesitating because now this is unfamiliar territory to him in terms of his relationship with Penelope. Sure, he’s had mistresses in the past when traveling, but those never involved feelings or anything in some sort of permanence. Not like Penelope.
But they still kiss. And then, then you read this one line from Colin’s pov.
Now this was a kiss
You know this is the moment Colin’s brain shifted. The door has been opened, and he’s ready to dive in.
Then the kiss stops. Penelope, has been in love, is flushed, but thanks him like he just did her a simple favor. Meanwhile, Colin, completely reevaluating his defention of friendly feelings, is almost offended by her thanks. He’s off kiltered around her now but like hell is he gonna stay away.
I love you with everything I am, everything I've been, and everything I hope to be. I love you with my past, and I love you for my future. I love you for the children we'll have and for the years we'll have together. I love you for every one of my smiles and even more, for every one of your smiles
