Walt Disney's The Little Mermaid

If there is a timeless classic that must latch on to my mind and heart, it must be this classic fairy tale by Hans Christian Andersen, The Little Mermaid. Disney adds its formula to spawn its theatrical adaptation and raise our spirits, giving us something unforgettable to date.

The story revolves around a headstrong teenage mermaid, who falls in love with a human prince. We watch how she goes through the challenge of living with her father King Triton and his stringent rules that prohibit contact with the surface. She feels as though her father knows nothing about humans and she consistently embarks on various escapades, just to know the world below and above.

One thing that this movie must be renowned for is its songs: the opening number; Ariel's romantic touch; Sebastian's Caribbean-themed tune. Their songs must surely put the audience in a trance, making it even too difficult to be put off by the villain's own song.

Speaking of which, the main villain is Ursula, the sea witch. She puts out her charm to stand out as so intimidating that anyone who looks at her would think twice before underestimating her. Take a look at her den, lined with poor, shrunken souls who made a deal with her: it basically reminds one of hell, a prison for one who made a deal with the Devil and has to pay the price. No one can look Ursula the wrong way. And she is served by her eels, who act as her spies. Give credit for ingeniously deploying her seeing eyes so that she sees what they see.

There are plenty of characters to love here: Ariel and her sisters; Sebastian the crab; Flounder; Scuttle the sea gull; Prince Eric. What more can I say about these guys? They all show personal qualities and develop throughout this flick. They provide us with comic relief and spirit for adventure. For example, Scuttle starts out as a loopy sea gull but gives it a shot as a comic; later before the climax, he shows perception when he discovers Ursula's sinister plot and warns his friends, then alerts other animals and steals the cockleshell and gives back Ariel's voice. This character demonstrates the qualities that give us reason to blend with the character. He is annoying but bright, and then grows into a character with a sharp mind.

And of course there is this crisp animation. What more do you want? So smooth it is majestic, giving us a clear look at the characters' features and movement; some of which is enhanced by computers. The animation gives a picturesque taste to anyone who watches, letting us enjoy more of the musical numbers, and even the darkest moments of the flick.

Disney has provided something that makes it unique to other animation studios. I would more than definitely recommend this to families and children of all ages. This is a timeless classic that one would be hard-pressed to forget.