As a true child of the 90’s, Aladdin was a staple Disney movie growing up. A little bit of adventure, the songs are catchy and the humor that made me laugh as a child still makes me giggle today. I’ve shared this movie with my 2 young children, and they love it just as much as I do! I was very excited when I heard that Disney had a live action version of Aladdin in the works. I created a mental countdown for the movie premiere.
After just a few minutes into the film, it was apparent how much effort the cast & crew put in the details to make this movie special. Agrabah is brought to life with explosions of colorful Moroccan, Persian, Turkish and Arab cultures. The entire theater couldn’t help but bob to the familiar music. It was a sweet dose of nostalgia, every word and melody still fresh in my mind. There were a few unfamiliar songs, but I’ll let you watch the movie to enjoy those for yourself for the first time.
While the story is essentially identical to the 1992 animated movie, we are given a bit more story and time to really connect with the characters. While most of the cast is made up of mostly unfamiliar faces and of course a few faces you *MIGHT* recognize . Will Smith was an incredible Genie, makes the part his own while giving us 80’s and 90’s kids a sweet and gentle nod to our childhoods. Aladdin (Mena Massoud) and Jasmine (Naomi Scott) brought their characters to life. I really loved how Jasmine was portrayed as a smart, educated, young woman who loves her people and is fighting for them. A new character, Dalia (Nasim Pedrad) is a welcome supporting cast member. She’s funny and it was great to have another strong female cast member.
I truly loved how there was a space made for this new movie in the Disney family to make its own mark. I am so excited to take my kids to this movie and let them enjoy the new kind of magic of Aladdin brought to life.
-Autumn Wallace
Phoenix Mom Blog Contributor
Aladdin premieres Friday, May 23rd
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