Whale Rider (2003)

Niki Caro is one of the few woman directors to transition from independent films to high-grossing blockbusters. When I first watched her 2002 film Whale Rider, I immediately fell in love with the protagonist Pai, and was in awe from learning so much about the Maori tribe. The story centers on twelve-year-old Pai, and the gender role obstacles she faces, in order to, become her tribe’s new chief. Interestingly enough, last year fans of the 1998 Mulan were raving about the reimagining of Mulan (2020), and when I found out Niki Caro was behind the camera, I was not shocked. However, I was surprised because she’s known for indie films, and this was a big leap from indies to a live-action Disney princess movie. But, after watching two of her films, one of them being North Country (2005), it didn’t take me that long to see a pattern of strong female protagonists and the theme of gender inequality. 

That being said, Whale Rider and Mulan are very similar, and made sense for Caro to take on the Mulan remake. The new Mulan separates itself somewhat from the animated version. Caro wanted the film to stay true to the Chinese legend of the heroine, just like Whale Rider is an homage to Maori culture. Pai and Mulan have similar stories and characterization, one of them being their presentation. One might say Pai looks like a boy from the top half of her body and a girl from the lower part of her body; this is because Pai has short curly hair and usually wears a t-shirt with a skirt. Mulan purposefully transforms into a man’s appearance to blend in with the soldiers; she does this by putting her long hair into a man’s bun, wearing armor, and concealing her breasts. Not only are, Pai and Mulan presented as androgynous characters, but their androgyny and shift in gender roles are also how both films are similar, in that Pai and Mulan are breaking their cultural traditions, so they can have the same opportunities as their male counterparts.

One of the ways, Niki Caro emphasizes gender inequality as an obstacle for the two characters is, by displaying how the characters are not allowed to show strength. In Whale Rider, Pai is forbidden to train with the boys, who are learning from her grandfather to become the new chief. Instead, she secretly spies on their lessons and watches them train with the fighting sticks, so she can learn how to use them. When her grandfather discovers Pai fighting with one of the boys with the sticks and wins, he gets furious with her, and does not acknowledge her to be an equal to her opponent.

In the opening scene of Mulan, a young Mulan is seen actively running, and jumping throughout their village. Her impressive spirit and energy are shamed by the villagers and her family because girls are not supposed to display any form of masculinity. However, these obstacles that society throws at them, do not stop them from pursuing their desires, and expressing their true selves. Pai takes lessons from her Uncle, the only person willing to teach her, and is not bothered by her gender. Mulan disguises herself as a man, to join the army to fight in her father’s place, which allows her to train with the soldiers, and embrace the gifted skills she had to hide, when she was seen as a woman. 

(Note: This article was originally published by Mick Cohen-Carroll on Incluvie's Medium in July 2020. For up-to-date information on travel advisories, consult the CDC or your state government's website.)

I’ve compiled a list of movies (dramas, musicals, comedies, documentaries, etc…) that take place around the world so that you can safely “travel” from home. They are set in different countries and show off the country’s natural landscapes, culture, or picturesque cities. If you think of any other ones, please let me know! I’ve categorized them by continent to make it easier.

It had an immense charm to not only its characters, but its story as well! It quickly became my sister and I’s go to Disney show to watch as a family, and we couldn’t wait to see what would happen next.

It turns out my hunch was right — just in these past few months alone The Owl House has swiftly become one of Disney’s beloved cartoon shows among the likes of the former hit Gravity Falls, garnering a large following and fandom. Even better, The Owl House is a refreshing source of diversity — hosting not only main POC and LGBT characters, but a main Latina bisexual lead with a lesbian love interest — something groundbreaking for Disney!

So, lets dive in, shall we?

The story begins with our lead character Luz Noceda, who dreads having to go to a summer camp that her mom enrolled her in to get her out of her shell; Luz would much rather delve into her whimsical fantasy books than go out and make new friends at camp. Crazily enough, Luz’s wishes end up unintentionally coming true when a mysterious owl steals her book and leads her into an abandoned house. There, she stumbles across an enchanted door that whisks her away to the land of the Boiling Isles — a world full of magic, monsters, the “King of Demons”, King, and the enigmatic Owl Lady Eda who lives at The Owl House.

Eda is a notorious old witch renowned across the Boiling Isles for her bounty upon her head and her rebellious attitude; King is a rather feisty, mischievous little demon that tries to make up for his tiny appearance by acting a lot bigger than he really is. Luz quickly forms a close bond with the Owl Lady and her pal King — in turn, Luz decides to spend her summer in the Boiling Isles as Eda’s apprentice instead and become the first human to learn magic!