Defining Disney Podcast
79 episodes - English - Latest episode: over 1 year ago -Podcasters in search of the ultimate truth - what is the best animated Disney movie? It's our job to find out, using objectivity and a detailed rubric unlike any other. Each episode covers one movie, distilling down into eight categories how it stacks up.
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Episodes
Episode 5x11 - Lilo and Stitch
December 28, 2022 21:00 - 4 hours - 202 MBFinish the canon with us with our take on Lilo and Stitch, a supersized episode with eight - yes, EIGHT - guests that make up part of our podcast ‘Ohana contributing their own unique perspectives to this fan favorite film. ‘Ohana means family, and family means no one gets left behind or forgotten. We promise our long run time is worth not being left behind! Don’t miss: The way this movie breaks our hearts and puts them back together again a million and one times How many elements of...
Episode 5x10 - Encanto
December 14, 2022 21:00 - 2 hours - 90.7 MBDrawers, floors, doors - let’s go! Come with us and the family Madrigal as we unpack Encanto, a magical tale of a family blessed with gifts and riddled with trauma, set in beautiful Colombia. Don’t miss: The way this film’s team learned from other past films to make this one the best it could possibly be How many specific Colombian cultural elements the film incorporates A discussion of the character development within this film, both in range and growth, that sets the new gold standa...
Episode 5x09 - Make Mine Music
November 30, 2022 21:00 - 1 hour - 65.4 MBCome along on another symphonic journey as we tackle our last package film in Make Mine Music! Fair warning - this one isn’t on Disney+, so you may not be able to watch it before listening. Don’t miss: The short that really serves as the blueprint for discussing character development in music How jazz ties all of these shorts together, even with all its wide-varying subjects A discussion of the oddities that litter this film, including changed score segments, one anthropomorphic anima...
Episode 5x08 - Pocahontas
November 16, 2022 21:00 - 1 hour - 76.2 MBAs historically inaccurate and insensitive as it is, the time has come in our journey to tackle Pocahontas, Disney’s very fictional retelling of historical events between the colonists of Jamestown and the Native American Powhatan tribe. Don’t miss: The way the music of this film saves its bacon on several fronts How interruptions from studio exec Jeffrey Katzenberg caused stumbling blocks in character development A discussion of how many things Disney got wrong about Native Americans...
Episode 5x07 - The Fox and the Hound
November 02, 2022 20:00 - 1 hour - 58.6 MBGet the tissues, y’all - it’s time for us to take on The Fox and the Hound, one of Disney’s Dark Age films that really pulls at the heartstrings. Don’t miss: The reason Amos Slade is one of the scarier villains we encounter in the canon, despite his immaturity of holding a grudge against a literal adolescent animal How some of the imagery in this film quickly gets burned into your mind A discussion of the theming nuances of this film that help us make a guess at where in America it m...
Episode 5x06 - Winnie the Pooh
October 19, 2022 20:00 - 1 hour - 50 MBJoin us for a trip down memory lane to the Hundred Acre Wood for 2011’s Winnie the Pooh, the last hand-drawn animated film at Walt Disney Animation Studios - for now. Don’t miss: The surprisingly linear story for a Pooh film, which are typically episodic How cleverly the dialogue is played on to create the main conflict of the story A discussion of the film’s effect on the studio’s approach to hand-drawn animation and that outlook moving forward Our final score, which reflects the s...
Episode 5x05 - Pinocchio
October 05, 2022 20:00 - 1 hour - 68.6 MBWe’re back for our home stretch of Disney’s animated canon with our take on Pinocchio, an early Golden Age classic where Disney pushed the envelope both in content and technology. Don’t miss: The meandering, episodic nature of the story - a risk for Walt Disney in only his second film How frighteningly sinister some of the villains are in this film, compared to others across the canon A discussion of the film’s treatment of magic, which is… questionable at best Our final score, whic...
Bonus Episode 17 - Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl
September 28, 2022 20:00 - 2 hours - 90.5 MBYou best start believing in ghost stories, dear listeners - we're in one! We're tackling fan-favorite Disney franchise Pirates of the Caribbean for our latest bonus episode, so join us as we take our rubric to the first film, Curse of the Black Pearl. Don’t miss: The sheer number of quotes the three of us throw into this episode How the fights in this film do so much work for the character development A discussion of the way this film has fed back into other Disney phenomena Our fin...
Episode 5x04 - Sleeping Beauty
August 24, 2022 20:00 - 2 hours - 107 MBConfront the Mistress of All Evil with us as we discuss Sleeping Beauty, one of Disney’s most visual-forward films that unfortunately trades style for substance in some cases. Don’t miss: The iconic art style of this film that makes nearly every shot a frameable masterpiece How the title misleads the audience about who the real protagonist of the film is A discussion of the film’s score, which is largely lifted from the original Tchaikovsky ballet Our final score, which represents t...
Episode 5x03 - Dinosaur
August 10, 2022 20:00 - 1 hour - 59.8 MBTravel back in time with us as we break down Dinosaur, Disney’s only prehistoric adventure, which combined incredible technological advances with an excellent score and still somehow ended up lackluster. Don’t miss: The strong visual elements of the film that unfortunately couldn’t save its story How the character development absolutely tanks this film’s score A discussion of the sheer power of James Newton Howard’s score in this film Our final score, which mirrors the beginning of ...
Episode 5x02 - Raya and the Last Dragon
July 27, 2022 20:00 - 1 hour - 74.1 MBTake the first step with us as we break down Raya and the Last Dragon, the first post-pandemic outing for Walt Disney Animation Studios that took us all on maybe exactly the adventure we needed. Don’t miss: The strong story score for the film, despite starting with two montages How the soundtrack helps differentiate between the different locations the film takes places in A discussion of the fact that it’s kind of a miracle this film got made at all Our final score, which is maybe a...
Episode 5x01 - Beauty and the Beast
July 13, 2022 20:00 - 2 hours - 98.7 MBBe our guest for our Season 5 premiere - Beauty and the Beast! Join us as we tackle this evergreen Disney classic and break down exactly why it means so much to so many Disney fans, casual and hardcore. Don’t miss: The punch of character development this film packs, not just for our lead and romantic interest, but for the villain as well How this soundtrack doesn’t just take a stage-geared approach, but has layers and layers of interconnectivity to underscore character arcs and even mak...
Bonus Episode 16 - Live-Action Remakes
June 22, 2022 20:00 - 1 hour - 79.5 MBWe’re tackling a controversial topic within the Disney fandom: live-action remakes! Join us as we take a walk through Disney's history of this phenomenon and decide which of these films do and do not pass the vibe check. Regular listeners be warned - this episode throws the rubric out! We are strictly grading these films on a pass/fail basis. Don’t miss: Our confusion and anger at Disney's refusal to learn from their own successes How some films eke out a pass thanks to the advancements ...
Bonus Episode 15 - DuckTales: Treasure of the Lost Lamp
June 08, 2022 20:00 - 1 hour - 66.2 MBWoo-hoo! We're off on an adventure with Scrooge and the boys in DuckTales: Treasure of the Lost Lamp, DisneyToon Studios's first foray into feature film that unfortunately can't hold a candle to the show it's based on. Don’t miss: The way this film had a bevy of interesting, well-developed villains to pick from in the source material and completely disregarded them How the film relies more on tropes so much, we compare it to at least three non-Disney franchises A discussion of the few...
Episode 4x08 - The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
May 18, 2022 20:00 - 1 hour - 75.3 MBVenture deep into the Hundred Acre Wood with us as we break down The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh, Disney’s first feature-length take on this beloved children’s character. Don’t miss: The surprisingly strong story structure for what is essentially a package film How this film kicks off the beginning of an enormously successful franchise for Disney A discussion of the layers of theming within the Pooh universe Our final score for the film, which makes it the best of the Dark Ag...
Episode 4x07 - Ralph Breaks the Internet
May 04, 2022 20:00 - 2 hours - 83 MBThe Internet awaits! Join us for this adventure into the worldwide web as we look at Ralph Breaks the Internet, a sequel that expands the world of Wreck-It Ralph and his friends from their little hometown arcade to the entire online world. Don’t miss: The conflict in the film that led to strong character development for our leads but a less-than-quantifiable villain How this film used visual elements of theming to handwave away some of the social and scientific questions it leaves unan...
4x07 - Ralph Breaks the Internet
May 04, 2022 20:00 - 2 hours - 83 MBThe Internet awaits! Join us for this adventure into the worldwide web as we look at Ralph Breaks the Internet, a sequel that expands the world of Wreck-It Ralph and his friends from their little hometown arcade to the entire online world. Don’t miss: The conflict in the film that led to strong character development for our leads but a less-than-quantifiable villain How this film used visual elements of theming to handwave away some of the social and scientific questions it leaves unan...
Episode 4x06 - Oliver and Company
April 20, 2022 20:00 - 2 hours - 93.6 MBStrut down Fifth Avenue with us and earn some street cred as we tackle Oliver and Company, Disney’s take on the classic Oliver Twist featuring some adorable animals and memorable songs. Don’t miss: The forgettable, generic villain that is Sykes - he might as well be Loan Shark #1 How this film laid the groundwork for many of the strategies that made the Renaissance work A discussion of the movie’s music, which was unique in several ways Our final score for the film, which is the hi...
Episode 4x05 - Tarzan
April 06, 2022 20:00 - 1 hour - 79.5 MBSwing on in and pull up a vine as we break down Tarzan, the final film of Disney’s Renaissance era that goes hard on both the feels factor and the music, courtesy of Phil Collins. Don’t miss: The heaping helping of gut punches this film delivers in its two opening sequences How this soundtrack masterfully interweaves story and character throughout its lyrics and music A discussion of the film’s awards (and our back-and-forth about a particular Grammy category that seems a bit bogus) ...
Episode 4x04 - Treasure Planet
March 23, 2022 20:00 - 2 hours - 93.9 MBGo on the adventure of a lifetime with us as we visit Treasure Planet, one of Disney’s few true sci-fi genre films, and discuss why it’s a strong film despite its box office faceplant. Don’t miss: The complex approach this story takes to its villain and how that sets it apart within the canon How this film gives character death its due more than many Disney classics A discussion of the movie’s theming and its various strengths and terrifying weaknesses Our final score for the film, ...
Episode 4x03 - Dumbo
March 09, 2022 21:00 - 1 hour - 49 MBLaugh with us and cry with us as we take it back to the Golden Age with Dumbo, the flying elephant! Don’t miss: The highs and lows caused by this film’s outrageous dream sequence, Pink Elephants on Parade How living in Florida informed our opinions of the film’s opening with regard to theming A discussion of the complete lack of character development, even in comparison to even the simpler contemporaries of this film Our final score for the film, which signals the start of a downtur...
Episode 4x02 - The Sword in the Stone
February 23, 2022 21:00 - 1 hour - 62 MBVenture back to a dark age, indeed, as we take on The Sword in the Stone, Disney’s adaptation of the first part of T.H. White’s interpretation of Arthurian legend The Once and Future King. Don’t miss: The banger of a standout on the soundtrack that is Higitus Figitus How production challenges caused the main character to be voiced by three different actors A discussion of the film’s quirky theming, which allows lots of room for meta humor Our final score for the film, which, when p...
Episode 4x01 - The Princess and the Frog
February 09, 2022 21:00 - 1 hour - 78.5 MBCome down to New Orleans with us as we discuss The Princess and the Frog, a new spin on a classic tale that signified a major shift in Disney’s trajectory that would set the stage for a new era of prosperity that continues to this day. Don’t miss: The absolute triumph that is Randy Newman’s score How Dr. Facilier is, from almost every angle, the best (worst?) villain since Claude Frollo A discussion of the strength of the theming in the film, particularly in regards to the setting Our...
Bonus Episode 14 - The Santa Clause
January 20, 2022 00:00 - 1 hour - 52 MBSanta Claus? Or Scott Calvin? Come along with us as we find out if there really is a difference as we take on The Santa Clause, an irreverent Disney Christmas classic starring Tim Allen as the unwitting jolly old man himself. Don’t miss: The way this film capitalized on its strengths, which aren’t what you might expect of a typical holiday film How the few scenes in the North Pole really add to the theming and give shades of the magic surrounding Santa A discussion of the reasons why...
Episode 3x11 - Peter Pan
December 22, 2021 21:00 - 1 hour - 61.7 MBFly with us to Neverland as we tackle Peter Pan, a film in the canon that has left its fingerprints all over Disney history. We’ll discuss its ups and downs, and why some of it is a product of its time, and perhaps why it didn’t have to be. Don’t miss: The way this movie brings a magical fantasy world to life (and still somehow manages to bring some of the worst parts of reality into it) How the soundtrack evokes old Hollywood, from its composer to its talent A discussion of the unus...
Episode 3x10 - Bolt
December 09, 2021 23:30 - 1 hour - 53.2 MBLet it begin! Join us for a rollercoaster adventure as discuss Bolt, the final film in Disney’s digital age, as he discovers who he really is beneath the superpowered lies he’s been told while he’s been on television. Don’t miss: The strong emotional value of a mostly-animal cast How the lack of a focused antagonist affects the story and character development but does provide some significant commentary on how people treat animals A discussion of the ways this film helped Disney finis...
Episode 3x09 - The Rescuers Down Under
November 24, 2021 21:00 - 2 hours - 83.1 MBAustralia awaits as we dive into The Rescuers Down Under, Disney’s first canon sequel and first attempt at an action-adventure film with their own anthropomorphic animal twist on the genre. Don’t miss: The contrast between the concrete, grounded villain facing Cody and the oddly indirect antagonist facing our familiar mice heroes How the setting set up the animators for some real show-off sequences A discussion of the many ways this film walked so many, many after it could run Our f...
Bonus Episode 13 - Hocus Pocus
November 17, 2021 23:03 - 1 hour - 41.6 MBThe Sanderson sisters are back for blood! Join us as we delve into the fantastically festive world of Hocus Pocus and discuss just why this movie has garnered so much attention as it has aged. Don’t miss: The way this film has only gotten more and more well-loved as time has gone on, despite critic opinions How the theming is one of the film's biggest strengths A discussion of the small, specific character and music choices that go a long way to develop our leads Our final score - t...
Bonus Episode 12 - Whoa, We're Halfway There
November 17, 2021 23:00 - 56 minutes - 38.9 MBWe’re officially halfway through the Walt Disney Animation Studios canon! Join us as we recount the best films so far in all of our categories and then some, as well as evaluate our experiment so far. Don’t miss: The proof we’ve developed that the rubric and process we created are working How some films surprised us in particular categories, especially story and character development A discussion of you, our viewers, and the episodes you liked best per our download statistics The d...
Episode 3x08 - Melody Time
November 10, 2021 21:00 - 1 hour - 59 MBCome with us on another musical journey as we dissect Melody Time, another of Disney’s wartime package films, focused this time on folk stories and tall tales. Don’t miss: The variety of different cultures and worlds this film spans and the good and bad of the worlds it builds How the music has lasted in some unexpected ways A discussion of the role this movie played for the studio and how it accomplished its job Our final score for the film, which is the highest package film score...
Episode 3x07 - Frozen II
October 27, 2021 20:00 - 2 hours - 113 MBReturn to Arendelle with us as we take on Frozen II, the sequel that brought Disney’s biggest IP of the century back to the big screen. We’ll discuss how it measures up to the phenomenal first film, which still sits comfortably in our Top 5, as well as the new efforts it made and issues it tackled. Don’t miss: The crucial role Olaf plays in this film as an audience stand-in How fear once again resurfaces as the film’s antagonist, though not as clearly as in the first film A discussio...
Episode 3x06 - The Great Mouse Detective
October 13, 2021 20:00 - 1 hour - 54.6 MBGrab your coats and magnifying glasses! We’re off to Baker Street as we discuss The Great Mouse Detective, a Dark Age Disney film that shows shades and elements of what would later make Disney’s Renaissance the iconic era of success that it was. Don’t miss: The ways this movie walked so that Renaissance films could run How the parallels drawn between this mouse detective and his human counterpart raise some very odd questions regarding mouse culture A discussion of the progression of...
Episode 3x05 - Aladdin
September 29, 2021 20:00 - 2 hours - 85.4 MBHop a carpet and fly with us to Agrabah as we tackle another one of Disney’s heaviest hitters during its Renaissance era, Aladdin! Don’t miss: The stellar character development we get for an unusually large number of characters How this movie’s entire soundtrack has lasted the test of time, even without a true “I Want” song A discussion of the film’s beautiful but inconsistent theming, particularly with regard to specific cultural references Our final score for the film, which crac...
Episode 3x04 - Chicken Little
September 15, 2021 20:00 - 1 hour - 48.7 MBWe committed to scoring every single film in the canon, and that includes the duds! Come with us as we dissect Chicken Little, a film that accounts for some of Disney’s strangest choices in the Digital Age. Don’t miss: The way this movie tried - and failed - to emulate the success of DreamWorks’s more irreverent films like Shrek How the soundtrack was somehow full or stars and yet has failed to last even the 16 years since its release A discussion of this movie’s failings, both on th...
Episode 3x03 - Bambi
September 01, 2021 20:00 - 1 hour - 60.8 MBWelcome the Great Prince of the Forest with us as we discuss Bambi, the first of Disney’s features focusing on the natural world, and how it set the tone for many more films to come. Don’t miss: The way the movie’s themes introduce the idea of the circle of life before the studio ever even dreamed of Lion King How the music has lasted - or not lasted - over the years A discussion of the fantastic techniques and technologies the animators showcased throughout the film Our final scor...
Episode 3x02 - Wreck-It Ralph
August 18, 2021 20:00 - 1 hour - 71.9 MBWe’re going inside the world of video games with our take on Wreck-It Ralph, the oft-overlooked Revival installment that makes a complex commentary on what it means to be a “good guy.” Don’t miss: The way dialogue reveals specific character choices throughout the film How the music belies what’s coming in the big twist way before the movie actually gets there A discussion of the fantastic worldbuilding in this film and how it’s mostly done just with visuals, rather than being explaine...
Episode 3x01 - Cinderella
August 04, 2021 20:00 - 1 hour - 63.7 MBReturning to what brought him his initial success, Walt tackled another fairytale once the war was over and his animators and audience had returned. Join us as we discuss Cinderella, an all-time Disney classic, as we begin our third season! Don’t miss: The overlooked elements in Cinderella’s character development that she doesn’t get enough credit for in modern princess debate How the innovations in both music and production made leaps and bounds toward making animation a legitimate gen...
Bonus Episode 11 - Q&A
July 28, 2021 20:00 - 1 hour - 57.1 MBIf you've heard our interviews on other podcasts, you know that we, your hosts, are both former Walt Disney World Cast Members. After two full seasons of talking about Disney films, we're finally answering your questions about our time with the Mouse. Don’t miss: The things we've learned as Cast that every park Guest should know How we feel about keeping the magic alive when you can see behind the scenes A discussion of some of the ins and outs of social life as a CM, especially in th...
Bonus Episode 10 - A Goofy Movie
July 21, 2021 20:00 - 1 hour - 45.7 MBAnother hardcore Disney-fan favorite hits our rubric as we tackle A Goofy Movie, the Goof Troop spinoff that was released as an afterthought but became a cult classic famous for its fantastic music and '90s nostalgia. Don’t miss: The unique way this film handles its climax that sets it apart from so many main studio films How marketable this film has become over the years despite its original release having so little fanfare A discussion of the fantastic music in this film and the una...
Bonus Episode 9 - James and the Giant Peach
July 14, 2021 20:00 - 1 hour - 50.2 MBIt's another special episode as we cross over with Oof! Right in the Childhood to tackle another Tim Burton film, James and the Giant Peach, an adaptation of a classic Roald Dahl novel that uses perhaps every different film style known to man in a fantastical tale of a young hero on a quest to find himself and his dreams. Don’t miss: The reasons the music for this film perhaps doesn't stick as well as that of other Tim Burton films or Randy Newman soundtracks How much development the en...
Episode 2x13 - The Hunchback of Notre Dame
June 30, 2021 20:00 - 2 hours - 105 MBOur super-sized season two finale tackles one of Disney’s most ambitious and adult adaptations, The Hunchback of Notre Dame. Join us as we discuss the difficult issues it takes on and how well it navigates the fine line between making a film of children and bringing a faithful film version forth from this classic piece of French literature. Don’t miss: The in-depth research that Alan Menken and Stephen Schwartz did into Gregorian chants and Catholic tradition to weave Latin and Greek Bib...
Episode 2x12 - Saludos Amigos
June 16, 2021 20:00 - 57 minutes - 53 MBEver wanted to go to South America? Join us as we follow Disney artists there in Saludos Amigos, a package film with a pseudo-documentary throughline following studio animators and musicians as they use inspiration from their many destinations to create several shorts for the film. Don’t miss: The surprisingly strong story structure, given that this is a package film How the music puts in work to develop each of the shorts’ lead characters Our discussion of the impact this film had f...
Episode 2x11 - Fantasia 2000
June 02, 2021 20:00 - 1 hour - 70 MBWhen Fantasia was first created, Walt Disney originally intended for the film to be updated every few years with new segments, new animation styles, and new compositions of music. Finally, nearly sixty years later after the original’s release, his nephew and studio made good on that dream, bringing us over an hour of new Fantasia content showcasing how far animation had come set to new and exciting classical music. Don’t miss: The surprisingly high score we reached for the Overall Story ...
Bonus Episode 8 - The EPCOT Expansion
May 26, 2021 20:00 - 27 minutes - 25.1 MBWe couldn’t have a Disney podcast and not talk about the parks, no matter how film-focused we are. Join us as we discuss the upcoming renovations and additions to EPCOT at Walt Disney World and the way it will change the park’s image and theming overall. Don’t miss: The way Disney is going all in on using IP for every new park attraction How we feel about the restructuring of the park’s lands and themes A discussion of the new nighttime spectacular and two vastly different ways it cou...
Episode 2x10 - The Jungle Book
May 19, 2021 20:00 - 1 hour - 68.5 MBSwing into things and take on The Jungle Book with us, as we look at the last film Walt Disney himself worked on that adapts the classic Rudyard Kipling novel with a memorable musical twist. Don’t miss: The different way this film approaches its villain and why it works, both from a story and a character development standpoint How the Sherman Brothers played an integral role in the film beyond just writing two iconic tunes Our discussion of the exact setting of this film - we’re hone...
Bonus Episode 7 - The Road to El Dorado
May 12, 2021 20:00 - 57 minutes - 52.5 MBGasp! We're doing our first NON-Disney film! Thanks to a commission from our Ko-fi member Gordon, we're tackling The Road to El Dorado, an early 2000s DreamWorks buddy adventure film that's become a cult classic thanks to its witty banter and quality memes. Don’t miss: The reason this film was so similar to a Disney film released around the same time How one minor character switch could have drastically changed the historical accuracy and believability A discussion of the film's music...
Episode 2x09 - Home on the Range
May 05, 2021 20:00 - 1 hour - 80.4 MBCome along on the cattle drive with us as we go in on one of Disney’s weakest outings in recent memory: Home on the Range. Fair warning! We do not pull our punches. Don’t miss: The problem the uncomfortable dialogue creates for both the story at large and the audience’s ability to connect to the characters How mismatched the music is to what’s actually happening on screen Our discussion of the many missed opportunities across the board in this film Our final score, which is the low...
Bonus Episode 2x06 - Raya and the Last Dragon
April 28, 2021 20:00 - 23 minutes - 21.8 MBCurious about Disney’s newest outing? We paid the extra $30 for Premier Access to watch Raya and the Last Dragon to help you make an informed decision about whether or not it’s worth the money for you. (Spoiler alert – we think it is!) Don’t miss: The way the visuals showcase the many techniques and technologies developed by the studio during the Revival era How important an addition Raya is to the official Disney Princess lineup for a number of reasons A discussion of the pros and co...
Bonus Episode 6 - Raya and the Last Dragon
April 28, 2021 20:00 - 23 minutes - 21.8 MBCurious about Disney’s newest outing? We paid the extra $30 for Premier Access to watch Raya and the Last Dragon to help you make an informed decision about whether or not it’s worth the money for you. (Spoiler alert – we think it is!) Don’t miss: The way the visuals showcase the many techniques and technologies developed by the studio during the Revival era How important an addition Raya is to the official Disney Princess lineup for a number of reasons A discussion of the pros and co...
Episode 2x08 - Moana
April 21, 2021 20:00 - 1 hour - 69.8 MBVoyage beyond the reef with us as we take on Moana, a combination princess-adventure story that cemented Disney’s Revival as the company’s true new era. Don’t miss: The strong positives and lesser-publicized negatives of Polynesian and Pacific Islander representation in this film How Lin-Manuel Miranda and Opetaia Foa’i weave their respective styles together to create something incredible Our discussion of the treatment of the ocean throughout the film, both visually and in its chara...