I'm about to overdose on "happily ever after"

Sydney and I are watching Disney movies lately. I'm trying to open up her horizons beyond Cars. We've experimented a lot with the early Disney stuff, but also have dabbled in the more recent films. Lately, she's a huge fan of Beauty and the Beast, and has confiscated all my Beauty snow globes for her room. Over the last couple days though, she has decided that the Beast is too scary for her.
As I said though, we've experimented with the classics. While I can see that they were earth-shattering and cutting-edge all those years ago, today, through Sydney's eyes (and hell, through mine), there's just not a lot there to entertain.
Dumbo is good, and we both really like that one, but also, we lose interest in the drunk elephants on parade/acid segment. Also, it's nice because it's short. Peter Pan rocks, actually. The only problem is that she doesn't want to watch it that often. Cinderella, also, doesn't bug me too much, though all the mice are a little creepy. Sleeping Beauty was a lot slower than I remembered. And Maleficent? Damn, she's awful! Why so mean? Just over a non-invitation? Also, we kinda fear the little monkey/warthog/pig guys who work for her. Alice in Wonderland also is a weird little Disney acid trip. With minimal music and singing, and less Cheshire Cat than I remembered, Sydney wasn't too into it.
Yesterday, we watched Bambi. Sydney lost interest in it pretty quickly, due to the minimal conversation, and I never held interest in it because the mom dies. I thought though, that she died closer to the beginning of the movie. And why did we miss the entire time that Bambi was with the big buck after his mom had been shot? That seems like it would have been a good bit of story, too! Today's movie was Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. You know what? That evil queen is SCARY! I'm so glad Sydney got bored about that time, and went to go play on her own. And why didn't we see Snow White bite the apple? Or see evidence that the queen actually died? Some morbid details, please!! Others we've sampled: Jungle Book and The Great Mouse Detective.
Of course, in addition to Beauty and the Beast, we've watched Aladdin, The Little Mermaid, The Princess and the Frog, The Lion King and Tinkerbell. Also, we love the Pixar/Disney films: Cars, Finding Nemo, and Toy Story.
While I enjoy introducing her to the Disney stuff that I loved all those years ago, there is definitely something to be said for the more modern fairy tales. First of all, they have more interesting characters. There's not a bit of good about a girl who needs to be rescued by a man to know who she is or to live "happily ever after." Second, the male characters are more interesting, too. Prince Charming (Snow White), meet the Beast. Prince Eric (Sleeping Beauty) meet Aladdin. Bambi meet Simba. Third, better songs and more singing! Are you kidding me? Snow White singing while her and the forest animals clean, compared to Lumiere's "Be Our Guest"? No contest. Fourth, brighter colors. That probably has a lot to do with technology, but still, did they have no primary, bright colors all those years ago? And fifth, oh yeah, better stories. Sorry, but it's true. Conflict is king, and and the older films don't seem to have any of it.
Having said all that, if Sydney decided that Alice was her favorite movie, and that we had to watch it every day, I'd do it, because of all things that come from watching Disney movies, a kid loving them is paramount.


My Dancing with the Stars voting (7 votes allowed):
Evan Lysacek ~ 2 votes. Okay, it's time for this voting thing to get nasty. I want Evan to win, so again, to him goes the majority of my vote love. I honestly can't think of who else I would vote for, if not for him. Next week, I'm bumping him up to a "3 votes." WHOA!!
Erin Andrews ~ 1 vote. I am loving this girl more and more. She's not much of a dancer, I'll admit, but I do think she's getting judged too harshly. Next week, I hope she does better. Though we are getting a little late in the competition for "hope she does better."
Chad Ochocinco ~ 1 vote. I'm glad the footage editors dialed back the awkwardness of Chad's continual dating overtures to Cheryl. Just dance, dude.
Niecy Nash ~ 1 vote. I don't like how the show had devolved into several food and weight jokes about Niecy. She glories in her size, as she should. That spirit does not translate well to other people making jokes about it.
Nicole Scherzinger ~ 1 vote. Nicole is a great dancer. She's working this competition something fierce. I'll tell you though, I am beginning to dislike Derek, simply because I'm getting a weird feeling that the show's producers really, really, really, really like it when he wins and gets high scores. I fear for Evan and this apparent, and subtle, favoritism towards Derek.
Pamela Anderson ~ 1 vote. I am appreciating the hot mess that is Pamela Anderson, but I'm over the pouty lips and fuck-me eyes she throws at the camera every time it's on her. Another contestant that needs to just dance.
Jake Pavelka ~ 0 votes. Jake is my pick for exiting the show tomorrow night, if I'm to be happy. He kinda whines a lot, and he is kinda full of himself, and he's kinda bugging the hell out of me.