Growing up, I’ve always felt like I am an only child though I do have two sisters and a brother after my father remarried.
My parents separated when I was just 4-years-old which technically makes me the only child, in my perspective anyways, and growing up alone can sometimes feel very lonely because you have no one to talk to or to play pretend with.
Photo via ITIGIC
My father sometimes visits me at home because as a child, I didn’t understand why my father didn’t come home at the end of the day and he tried very hard to make everything seem normal for me, which I appreciated til this very day.
One of my favourite things he did when he came over to visit, is when he would bring me a CD that we would watch together until I fall asleep on the couch, and most of the movies he brought over are Disney films that still have a special place in my heart, even though I am 25-years-old now.
Here are some of my favourite movies that I remember watching with my dad as a girl!
Mulan (1998)
Mulan holds a very special place in my heart. She is, by far, my favourite Disney princess because of her perseverance and bravery.
Photo via Den of Geek
The movie tells the story about a young girl, Mulan, who lives with her mother, grandmother and father, Fa Zhou. Mulan, at that time, broke gender roles, and disguises herself as Fa Zhou’s son, and steps in place of her sick father to enlist in the Imperial Army.
As a young 6-year-old girl, watching this beautiful character challenge the idea about what makes a man and prove that women can be tough and endure the pain and sacrifice men had to go through when going to war really helped me become a stronger person and be confident in everything that I try to do or pursue later in life.
Bambi (1950)
Bambi is one of those movies where parents didn’t really want their kids to watch, but not my father, he loved the movie and wanted me to enjoy it, too.
Photo via South China Morning Post
I feel like the movie is great for kids, however, there are some scenes that was frightening to me when I was younger, like the scene where Bambi’s mother gets shot by a hunter.
I didn’t really understand what the film is about, but I loved the movie because I think the characters were cute, especially Thumper and Flower.
I just had to include Bambi as one of my favourite Disney classics, not because of the cute animals, beautiful music or its great animation, but because of its important life lessons.
As we all know the saddest part about the movie is when Bambi’s mother was shot off-screen...
Losing a loved one is always difficult. Sometimes you feel like you will never be okay but as Bambi grows up, we can see that he gets happier and happier as the movie progresses. He is able to move on and continue living his life to the fullest, reminding us that grieving is a process and time will heal.
Peter Pan (1953)
Photo via York News-Times
The thought of growing up scared me when I was younger!
After watching Peter Pan, I really wished a place like Never Land actually existed so that I could escape from being an adult.
Because now that I am an adult, I now understand why Peter didn’t want to grow up. Life can sometimes feel heavy and weighed down. But after watching Peter Pan again as an adult, I realised the movie has an important message that I didn’t notice when I was younger.
“Think of the happiest things, it’s the same as having wings”
If you surround yourself with positive people who uplift you every day, it will definitely lift you off the ground and help your dreams take flight!
Also, when Tinkerbell was on the verge of perishing, Peter continued to encourage the lost boys to believe in her which then in turn brought Tinker Bell back to life, reminding us that believing in someone will give them life.
Toy Story (1995)
Photo via YouTube
Because I was always alone growing up, talking to my toys is something I did and I can’t stress enough how relatable this movie was to me when I was younger.
I remember one night my dad told me that my toys would talk to him after I’d gone to bed and they would tell him how I was sleeping at night whenever he wasn’t around, and that my toys would always update him about our playtime.
And I always imagined my toys going on adventures like the ones Woody, Buzz, Slinky, Hamm, Mr. Potato Head and Little Bo-Peep had in the movies. Of course, believing that my toys were actually alive helped me not to feel so alone when I was growing up.
Everytime I watch these movies or any of the Disney classics, it brings me back to when I was 4-years-old, sitting on the sofa in our small living room with my dad, trying too hard to stay awake because it was a little past my bedtime.
You have to admit it, too, Disney classics are amazing, and I am so happy I get to share with you some of my favourite movies.
We are so excited to relive our childhood again this June 1st on Disney+ Hotstar! And if you’re subscribed to the Astro Movies Pack, well then, you’re in for a treat!
Starting from 1st June, you will have access to an additional 800 movies and 18,000 episodes of the biggest Disney favourites, Star Wars blockbusters, beloved Pixar animations, immersive Marvel universe and also inspiring documentaries from National Geographic. Not to forget our Malaysian hit films as well!
You will only have to add RM5/month to your bill for this special entitlement. To have this complimentary access, just make sure you have your Astro ID for smoother registration:
So guys, what are you waiting for? We can’t wait to discover this whole new world with you…
Discover the magic at www.astro.com.my/Disney!
By: Aishah Akashah Ahadiat
